Change Memo

Health Resources and Services DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Administration Bureau of Primary Health Care Rockville, MD 20857

DATE: May 26, 2020

TO: Elizabeth Ashley, OMB Desk Officer

FROM: Lisa Wright-Solomon, HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer

______________________________________________________________________________

Request: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Strategic Initiatives and Planning Division requests approval for non-substantive changes to the Capital Semi-Annual Progress Report (SAPR -0915-0285 expiration date 03/31/2023) to support federal government COVID-19 response efforts.

Purpose: The purpose of this request is to modify the Capital Semi-Annual Progress Report (SAPR) to collect reporting elements for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) awards released in 2020.

As part of the historic U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HRSA provided Health Center Program awardees with the following supplemental funding:

• The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act¹ - $100 million

• Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act² $1.32 billion

• Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act - $600 million³

This funding provides health centers with resources to support their efforts in the detection of coronavirus and/or the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19, including maintaining or increasing health center capacity and staffing levels during a coronavirus-related public health emergency, and to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities.

This request seeks the addition of progress report questions to track COVID-19 funding activities through the funding actions noted above.

Progress reports provided to HRSA on a quarterly basis as required by statute will allow for appropriate timely oversight and efficient program monitoring of the $2 billion in funding provided by HRSA to health centers and look-alikes. This memo explains the proposed changes and supporting rationale.

HRSA is requesting OMB’s permission to modify the SAPR to capture data on the planned and implemented activities using COVID-19 supplemental funding. Questions will be simplified to reduce burden and to capture information critical to assess whether funding is used in a manner consistent with the intended purposes outlined in the respective COVID-19 supplemental funding instructions.

The overall proposed change of scope in data collected for the progress report is minimal and represents an update of existing content. Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and the mandated reporting requirements in the three pieces of COVID-19 funding legislation noted above, these changes are required.

Time Sensitivity: The COVID-19 data collection changes must be completed in a timely manner to fulfill quarterly reporting requirements delineated in the CARES Act Section 15011. Approval of this request is needed by May 29, 2020 to implement the changes in the data collection system by the June 25, 2020 scheduled release.

Burden: Since nearly all health centers have received COVID-19 funding from HRSA, the number of respondents will increase; however, this data collection is not expected to substantially increase the estimated burden for this progress report. These proposed changes will allow health centers to accurately capture the activities performed using COVID-19 supplemental funding in the midst of the global pandemic.

PROPOSED CLARIFICATIONS AND NON-SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES

COVID-19 Progress Report SF-PPR

1. Question 0, page 1 – Modification

Modified question: “Select Progress Report”

Rationale: Use type of funding to distinguish the display for the appropriate questions related to the use of COVID-19 supplemental funding or Capital Development funding.

2. Question 1, page 7 – Modification

Modified question: “Project Status”

Rationale: Allows for updates on progress using COVID-19 supplemental funding, consistent with the intended purpose of the funding.

3. Question 2, page 7 – Modification

Updated “Project Specific Narrative” to “Please provide a status update on the activities supported with this funding in the following areas noted below (identify the activities that have been completed, are in progress, and/or are planned with this funding): (check all that apply)”

Rationale: This will allow for the capture of information data on all activities supported with the COVID-19 supplemental funding.

4. Question 3, page 8 – Modification

Modified question: “Are the implemented/planned activities described above and associated uses of funds consistent with what you submitted to HRSA in the initial post-award reporting requirement response? If 'No' please describe any new and/or updated activities. For changes that impact your approved budget, please provide detail by cost category.”

Rationale: Allows for reporting on COVID-19 supplemental funding to discuss whether implemented activities are consistent with the activities originally proposed to HRSA, but provide an opportunity to discuss changes when needed.

5. Question 4, page 8 – Modification

Updated question: “Are there or do you anticipate any issues or barriers in the use of the funding and/or implementing the planned activities? If ‘Yes’ please describe.”

Rationale: Provides an opportunity for reporting on challenges in using COVID-19 supplemental funding, and how this impacts the original activities proposed to HRSA.

Attachments:

1. Progress Report COVID Mark Up

1 https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr6074/BILLS-116hr6074enr.pdf

2 https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748/text#toc-H8F69C82503544AD9A7BC156E9EE7EB1B

3 https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/266/text