Use of Hospital Preparedness Program Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities Funds

Funding for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response

National Healthcare Preparedness Programs (NHPP) has partnered with ASPR’s Grants Management to develop a fast-track approval method that enables jurisdictions to request the use of Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities Part A and Part B cooperative agreement funds for the development of action plans, training, and the rapid procurement of supplies needed during the current Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency response. ASPR has reduced the normal 30-day request process to one to three business days for urgent requests.

The funding provided through the HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities ins intended to ensure the nation’s health care system is ready to safely and successfully identify, isolate, assess, transport, and treat patients with Ebola or patients under investigation for Ebola, and that it is well preparedness for a future Ebola outbreak. While the focus will be on preparedness for Ebola, it is likely that preparedness for other novel, highly pathogenic diseases will also be enhanced through these activities. Assuring that patients with Ebola and other special pathogens are safely and well cared for in the U.S. health care system and that frontline providers are protected and trained to recognize and isolate a person with suspected Ebola and other special pathogens are the primary goals of the HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities funding opportunity announcement (FOA.

Upon written request, HPP Ebola Part A and Part B funds may, on a limited, case-by-case basis, be used to support response efforts if the activities fall within those authorized by Title VI of Division G of the Consolidated and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 and section 311 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities FOA, and the terms and conditions of the HPP notice of award. The activities must support progress toward (2) improving health care system preparedness for Ebola and (2) developing a regional hospital network for Ebola patient care.

From a federal grants management perspective, the use of HPP Ebola Part A and Part B funds to prepare for suspected or known COVID-19 patients, including the development of action plans, purchase of supplies for health care facilities (with attention to supply chain shortages), and training for all personnel would be allowable expenses as long as they are:

• reasonable,
• allowed under the cost principles,
• and allocable to the program.

Funds may not be used for public health activities such as epidemiological investigation, surveillance, public health laboratory testing or equipment, etc. that are supported through CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program cooperative agreement, CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infection Control (ELC) program, or other CDC financial assistance programs.

The use of HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities funds during an emergency response must be for activities within the approved scope of work in the HPP Ebola Part A or Ebola Part B recipient’s work plans for the current budget period. However, it is not uncommon that emergency response activities may constitute a change in scope as they are not part of previously approved recipient work plans or subsequent budget redirections.

If recipients propose to use HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities funds for response activities that are outside the approved scope of work, then recipients must identify this change in in their request so that they can obtain specific prior approval from ASPR to undertake these change-in-scope activities. Based on the request, the approval process may include both a budget redirection and a changes in the scope of activities. Prior approval by the ASPR chief grants management officer (CGMO) is required for a change in scope under any award, regardless of whether there is an associated budget revision.

Expedited Process to Request Use of HPP Funds for Response

Recipients must send an e-mail to both the assigned ASPR Grants Management’s grants management specialist (GMS) and the assigned HPP field project officer (FPO) with the following required information:

Justification for the use of funds and how the recipient plans to conduct various tasks as part of a comprehensive work plan activity.

Estimated amount of funds to be redirected, if any.

Budget category. If redirection is necessary, request should indicate from which budget category funds will be redirected and to which category they will be redirected.

Description of the activities, such as exercise goals and objectives, identified capabilities to be tested. For example:

• A statement of how the use of HPP Ebola funds in this event will enable the testing of emergency plans and protocols.

Statement confirming that results of the exercise or incident will be documented in a formal after-action report (AAR) and improvement plan (IP) submitted to ASPR within 60 days of the conclusion of the disaster or public health emergency.

Statement demonstrating how a delay in approval or disapproval of the request would result in serious injury to citizens or other adverse public impact.

Following the HPP FPO’s review of the request and recommendation, ASPR Grants Management will issue its final determination within one to three business days and e-mail the recipient to let the jurisdiction know whether ASPR has approved the request to use HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response funds for emergency response activities. If the request is approved, the e-mail will serve as the recipient’s authorization to use funds. ASPR Grants Management will upload the authorizing e-mail into GrantSolutions. The recipient must submit a revised budget and a revised work plan within 30 days from the date of the ASPR Grants Management e-mail authorizing the use of HPP Ebola Preparedness and Response Activities Part A and Part B cooperative agreement funds for emergency response activities.