To comply with the Ticket-to-Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) which was passed in December 1999, and reauthorized by the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, which requires the SSA to establish a community-based work incentives planning and assistance program.

The purpose of

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the program is to support beneficiaries who want to return to work to make a successful and profitable transition to the workforce.

Beneficiaries that continue to work improve their economic independence and financial security.

WIPA projects help beneficiaries take advantage of our work incentives programs, which may delay or reduce the effect of work on monetary benefits and health insurance.

Additionally, WIPA projects act as repositories for information about other work incentives, benefits counseling services, and other resources that may help beneficiaries succeed in their work attempts, or may assist beneficiaries to improve financial stability as they return to work.

Not Applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Cooperative agreements are awarded to organizations to: (1) Provide statewide work incentives planning and assistance, including information on the availability of protection and advocacy services, to all Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries with disabilities, and to conduct ongoing outreach to those beneficiaries with disabilities and to their families that are potentially eligible to participate in State or Federal work incentives programs.

(2) Disseminate accurate information to beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) about work incentives programs and issues related to such programs, to enable them to make informed choices about working and whether or when to assign their Ticket to Work, as well as how available work incentives can facilitate their transition into the workforce.

Cooperative agreement funds may not be used for construction or major renovation of buildings.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants applying for cooperative agreement funds may include State or local governments (excluding any State administering the State Medicaid program), public or private organizations, or nonprofit or for-profit organizations (for-profit organizations may apply with the understanding that no cooperative agreement funds may be paid as profit to any awardee), as well as Native American tribal organizations that the Commissioner determines is qualified to provide work incentives planning and assistance to all SSDI and SSI beneficiaries with disabilities, within the targeted geographic area.

These may include Centers for Independent Living established under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, protection and advocacy organizations, Native American tribal entities, client assistance programs established in accordance with Section 112 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, State Developmental Disabilities Councils established in accordance with Section 124 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and State agencies administering the State program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Act.

The Commissioner may also award a cooperative agreement to a State or local Workforce Investment Board, a Department of Labor (DOL) One-Stop Career Center System established under the Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, or a State Vocational Rehabilitation agency.

Cooperative agreements may not be awarded to any individual, the Social Security Administration Field Offices, any State agency administrating the State Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Act, any entity that the Commissioner determines would have a conflict of interest if the entity were to receive a cooperative agreement under the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program or any organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 that engages in lobbying (in accordance with Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C.

1611).

Beneficiary Eligibility

WIPA projects serve beneficiaries who are age 14 and older, and receive any of the following benefits based on their own disabilities: ? Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits; ? Childhood Disability Benefits; ? Disabled Widow(er)s Benefits; ? SSI based on blindness or disability; ? Medicare under the Extended Period of Medicare Coverage (for former disability beneficiaries performing substantial work); ? Medicaid under Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act (for SSI beneficiaries ineligible for payment due to work income); ? A State supplementary SSI payment (even if the beneficiary is not due a Federal SSI payment); or ? Medicare coverage based on disability and Medicare qualified government employment.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs and administrative requirements for grantees will be determined in accordance with 2 CFR 200. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The standard application forms furnished by SSA must be used for this program. When cooperative agreement opportunities are available, SSA publishes a notice in the Federal Register soliciting cooperative agreement applications. Application packages will be provided at www.grants.gov. If extenuating circumstances prevent you from submitting an application through www.grants.gov please contact the Grants Management Team at Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG), Social Security Administration, Attention: Dionne Mitchell, 1540 Robert. M. Ball Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore Maryland 21235. To be considered for a cooperative agreement award, all applicants must complete the prescribed application forms, through www.grants.gov unless the applicant has received prior approval from OAG to submit a paper application to the Grants Management Team. The application shall be executed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization who will assume the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement. At least three independent reviewers prepare written assessments of each program relevant cooperative agreement application. Applications found irrelevant or unresponsive to program objectives are returned to the applicants.

Award Procedures

OAG provides a Notice of Cooperative Agreement Award as official notice for approved applications. The notice indicates award amount, the purpose of the award, award terms and conditions, the budget period, the anticipated project period, and the awardee's cost sharing requirement.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Social Security Act, Title 1, Section 1149, Public Law 106-170, 1860 Stat. 1887-1891.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Generally, 3 to 6 months after the closing date established in the Federal Register announcement.

Appeals

There are no formal appeal procedures. If an application is not approved, the reasons will be stipulated in the denial notice.

Renewals

Cooperative agreements can be continued via formal continuation application, which is subject to approval. If an application is recommended for approval for 2 or more budget periods, the awardee must submit a formal request for funding continuation each year. Continuation applications are evaluated prior to a recommendation of additional funding.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funds are usually granted for a period of 12 months. Funds, however, can be granted for a minimum of 3 months, and up to a maximum of 60 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Awardees receive notification from our online grants management system.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required.

Requests for Advance or Reimbursement (SF 270) and Federal Financial Reports (SF 425).

Quarterly Progress Reports.

No expenditure reports are required.

No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Grantees must follow 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements.

Records

Awardees must maintain financial records, supporting documents, statistical records and all other records pertinent to an award for 3 years after the end of the project. In the event of an audit, records must be maintained until all questions are resolved.

Financial Information

Account Identification

28-8704-0-7-999.

Obigations

(Salaries) FY 16 $19,583,013; FY 17 est $19,583,013; and FY 18 est $19,583,013

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range $100,000 to $300,000, average $235,940.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Dionne J. Mitchell Social Security Administration Office of Acquisition and Grants 1540 Robert M. Ball Building 6401 Security Boulevard , Baltimore, Maryland 21235 Email: dionne.mitchell@ssa.gov Phone: 4109659534

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.