Lifespan Respite National Technical Assistance and Resource Center

The Administration for Community Living, under the Department of Health and Human Services, will award a single three-year cooperative agreement to establish and operate the Lifespan Respite National Technical Assistance and Resource Center, with a performance period running from September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2029. The project is mandated by the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 and requires the grantee to maintain a national database on respite care, deliver training and technical assistance to state, community, and nonprofit respite programs, and provide public information, referral, and educational services. The grantee must collaborate directly with state Lifespan Respite Care Program grantees and ensure all resources developed are Section 508-compliant. The application must include a 20-page project narrative in 11-point Times New Roman or Arial font, double-spaced with one-inch margins, a budget narrative, and required forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, Key Contacts, Grants.gov Lobbying, and Project/Performance Site Location. Supporting documentation includes an indirect cost agreement, commitment letters, proof of nonprofit status, resumes and job descriptions, a work plan, and an organizational chart. All submissions must be made via Grants.gov by the deadline of July 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, without encryption or compression. Applicants must maintain an active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and comply with 2 CFR 200, as amended by 2 CFR 300, effective October 1, 2025, along with the HHS Grants Policy Statement, Appendix D. The Federal Financial Accountability and Transparency Act mandates reporting of all subawards and subcontracts over $30,000 in the FFATA Subaward Reporting System. Evaluation will be based on a weighted scoring system with Resources and Capabilities (35 points), Approach (25 points), Project Relevance and Need (20 points), Impact (20 points), and a non-scored Project Summary. The impact section evaluates special target populations, outcomes, evaluation methods, and dissemination strategies. Responsiveness to requirements is a pass/fail gate, and applications that fail to meet these criteria are disqualified. Award decisions consider merit review results, alignment with the agency’s portfolio priorities including geographic and project-type balance,