Office of Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement

The purpose of this Planning Cooperative Agreement is to provide resources to Tribes interested in entering the Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP) and to existing Self-Governance Tribes interested in assuming new or expanded Programs, Services, Functions, and Activities (PSFAs).  Title V of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) requires a Tribe or Tribal organization to complete a planning phase to the satisfaction of the Tribe.  The planning phase must include legal and budgetary research and internal Tribal government planning and organizational preparation...

To be eligible for the New Planning Cooperative Agreement under this announcement, an applicant must: A) Be an "Indian Tribe" as defined in 25 U. S. C. § 5304(e); a "Tribal Organization" as defined in 25 U.S.C. § 5304(l); or an "Inter-Tribal Consortium" as defined at 42 CFR 137.10. However, Alaska Native Villages or Alaska Native Village Corporations are not eligible if they are located within the area served by an Alaska Native regional health entity. See Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Pub. L. No. 113-76 and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-141. By statute, the Native Village of Eyak, Eastern Aleutian Tribes, and the Council for Athabascan Tribal Governments have also been deemed Alaska Native regional health entities and therefore are eligible to apply. Those Alaska Tribes not represented by a Self-Governance Tribal consortium Funding Agreement within their area may still be considered to participate in the TSGP. B) Applicant must request participation in self-governance by resolution or other official action by the governing body of each Indian tribe to be served. Please see IV. Application and Submission Information, 2. Content and Form Application Submission, Additional Required Documentation, Tribal Resolution(s) for details. C) Demonstrate for three fiscal years, financial stability and financial management capability. The Indian Tribe must provide evidence that, for the three fiscal years prior to requesting participation in the TSGP, the Indian Tribe has had no uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions in the required annual audit of the Indian Tribe's Self-Determination Contracts or Self-Governance Funding Agreements with any Federal Agency. See 25 U.S.C. §5383; 42 CFR §§137.15-23. For Tribes or Tribal organizations (T/TO) that expended $750,000 or more ($500,000 for fiscal years ending after December 31, 2003) in Federal awards, the OTSG shall retrieve the audits directly from the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. For T/TO that expended less than $750,000 ($500,000 for fiscal years ending after December 31, 2003) in Federal awards, the T/TO must provide evidence of the program review correspondence from IHS or Bureau of Indian Affairs officials. See 42 C.F.R. §§137.21-23.

Paul E Gettys Grant Systems Coordinator Phone 301-443-2114