Applicant Information Bulletin: School Year 2009-2010

Authority:  Section 738(a) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 USC 293b(a))

Discrimination Prohibited

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and its Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implementing regulation, 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 80, provide that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, and its HHS implementing regulation, 45 CFR Part 86, provide that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and its HHS implementing regulations, 45 CFR Parts 84 and 85, provide that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or any program or activity conducted by HHS.

Title III of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and its HHS implementing regulations, 45 CFR Parts 90 and 91, provide the general rule that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of age, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Paperwork Reduction Act Public Burden Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current OMB control number.  The current OMB control number for information collected through this application process is 0915-0150.  Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to HRSA Reports Clearance Office, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10-33, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

PRIVACY ACT NOTIFICATION STATEMENT

General

This information is provided pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579), as amended, for individuals supplying information for inclusion in a system of records.

Statutory Authority and Program Administration

The Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) is authorized by Section 738(a) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 United States Code Section 293b(a)), as amended.  The FLRP is administered by the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS) within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Purposes and Uses

The purpose of the program is to award loan repayment to eligible individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in exchange for service as faculty members at eligible health professions schools.  The information applicants provide will be used to evaluate their eligibility and suitability to participate in the FLRP and to determine the eligibility and amount of their educational loans.

A participant’s contract, application, required supplemental forms, supporting documentation, correspondence, and related data are maintained in a system of records to be used within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to monitor FLRP-related activities.  The information may also be disclosed outside the Department, as permitted by the Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act, to the Congress, the National Archives, the General Accounting Office, and pursuant to court order and various routine uses (see http://www.hrsa.gov/privacyact/sorn/09150058.htm). 

Effects of Nondisclosure

Disclosure of the information sought is voluntary; however, if not submitted, except for the replies to questions related to Race/Ethnicity (question 8 of the online application for FLRP), an application will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for an award under the announcement.

SPECIAL ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE

Electronic Submission of the Application and the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service Information System (BCRSIS) Banking Information

Individuals applying for this funding opportunity are required to electronically submit the application and BCRSIS banking information for the direct deposit of award disbursements no later than July 7, 2009,

5:00 p.m. ET.  A hard copy of the online application must be printed, signed and submitted by July 7, 2009 (postmark date).  A hard copy of the “BCRSIS Receipt of Submission” (confirmation of banking information submission) must be printed and submitted by July 7, 2009 (postmark date) to the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, Division of Applications and Awards, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857.

If you are unable to print a copy of the “BCRSIS Receipt of Submission”, please complete the following 2 steps:

• Contact the HRSA Call Center to log a help-ticket toll-free at 1-800-221-9393 (TTY: 1-877-897-9910), Monday-Friday (except Federal Holidays) 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
• Complete the Banking Update Form (by 5:00 p.m. ET on July 7, 2009) which may be found at https://www.fms.treas.gov/eft/1199a.pdf.  The completed form must be received or postmarked by July 7, 2009.  Please submit the completed form to:  Division of Applications and Awards, Faculty Loan Repayment Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857.

Only the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) staff can enter changes to the electronic banking information once it has been submitted through BCRSIS and a “BCRSIS Receipt of Submission” has been printed.  If changes are required, applicants must complete the Banking Update Form which may be found at https://www.fms.treas.gov/eft/1199a.pdf and mail the completed form to the Division of Applications and Awards, Faculty Loan Repayment Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857. 

Submission of Supplemental Forms/Documentation to Complete Application Package

In addition to submitting an application and the banking information electronically, a signed hard copy of the application and the “BCRSIS Receipt of Submission” as set forth above, there are required supplemental forms and supporting documentation, described in this Bulletin, which must be submitted by July 7, 2009 (postmark date) to the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, Division of Applications and Awards, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857.

Applications will undergo an initial review to determine the eligibility and completeness of the application package submitted in response to the July 7, 2009 deadline.  The FLRP will not accept submission or re-submission of incomplete, rejected, or otherwise delayed applications after the deadline.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete application package.

The Associate Administrator, BCRS, or his/her designee, may authorize an extension of published deadlines when justified by circumstances such as acts of nature (e.g., floods or hurricanes), widespread disruptions of mail service, or other disruptions, such as a prolonged blackout.  The authorizing official will determine the affected geographical area(s) and the length of the extension granted.

Changes to Applicant Contact and/or Employment Information

It is imperative that applicants promptly notify the FLRP by e-mail at flrp@hrsa.gov of any changes to their employment information (e.g., applicant is no longer employed by the school, applicant’s position changes to full or part-time, the school’s ability to provide loan repayments changes, etc.).  Any changes to the contact information (e.g., name change, e-mail address, mailing address, or telephone number) should be documented on the change of address form found in the Forms section of this Bulletin and faxed to the FLRP at 301-594-4981 or mailed to the FLRP, Division of Applications and Awards, at 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857.

Employment Changes during the Application Process

The applicant must contact the FLRP immediately by e-mail at flrp@hrsa.gov if there are any changes to the applicant’s employment status at the institution identified in the application during the application process and prior to July 7, 2009. 

A change in employment made before the application deadline of July 7, 2009 will be considered provided the new institution is an eligible health professions school, the position is primarily teaching, and the school completes the Employment Intention/Loan Repayment form agreeing to match the FLRP loan repayment award or requests and is granted a waiver of the matching requirement. 

Changes in employment that are not as set forth above, or made after application deadline of July 7, 2009, or does not result in the commencement of the position on or before September 30, 2009, will not be considered.  Applicants in any of these categories should withdraw their applications (see below).

Withdrawal of an Application Prior to Receiving a Contract Award

The FLRP contract is effective (becomes legally binding) on the day it is countersigned by the Secretary or his/her designee.  An applicant may withdraw his/her application anytime prior to the Secretary or his/her designee signing the contract by contacting flrp@hrsa.gov.  The FLRP projects that the Secretary or his/her designee will sign contracts during the period from July 2009 through September 2009. 

An applicant whose plans and/or circumstances change, such that the applicant is uncertain of his/her future ability to comply with the 2-year FLRP service obligation, should consider withdrawing his/her application.  Failure to do so could result in the contract being countersigned by the Secretary and the applicant incurring a legal obligation to provide the services or face monetary damages for default of the service obligation.  An individual who withdraws his/her application would be free to reapply to the FLRP during a future competitive cycle.

FLRP Contract Dates

Applicants become participants in the FLRP (i.e., the contract becomes effective) on the date the Secretary or his/her designee countersigns the FLRP contract.  An applicant’s signature alone does not constitute a contractual agreement.  The service obligation commences on the date the FLRP contract is countersigned by the Secretary or his/her designee or on the faculty member’s employment start date, whichever is later.

When an applicant’s employment contract start date precedes the effective date of the FLRP contract, the applicant/participant will not receive FLRP service credit for employment at the college or university prior to the effective date of the FLRP contract.  In addition, no loan repayments will be made for any professional service performed before the effective date of the contract.

Use of FLRP Award Disbursements

FLRP award disbursements will be made in one lump sum approximately 90 days after the effective date of the contract.  All loan repayments received by a participant must be used by the participant to repay balances for qualifying educational loans within 30 days of receipt of funds.  Submission of a payment history will be required within 45 days of making payment(s).  The payment history should be mailed to the FLRP, Division of Applications and Awards, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-37, Rockville, MD 20857.

FLRP Payments are Taxable

FLRP participants will receive a tax liability benefit equal to 39% of the HHS loan repayment award amount.  Loan repayment awards and the 39% tax liability benefit are regarded as income by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and are subject to Federal taxes.  FLRP will send the 39% tax liability benefit directly to the IRS, and this will represent the amount withheld by HHS to pay the participant’s Federal income tax and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax for the HHS benefits received.

Employment Verification

Every FLRP participant must submit a completed service obligation verification form for each 6 months of service.  The form must be completed, certified, and signed by the participant and an appropriate official at the school.  By signing this form, the school will verify the participant’s compliance/noncompliance with the service obligation during that 6-month period.  The form will also record the participant’s time spent away from the school during that 6-month period.  Participants who fail to submit completed 6 month service obligation verification forms will not receive service credit for that time period and may be recommended for default (jeopardizing receipt of future awards). 

Telephone Conferences for Applicants

The FLRP will conduct two (2) telephone conferences for applicants who may have questions during the Fiscal Year 2009 application cycle.  The telephone conferences will be held on May 21, 2009 and June 4, 2009.  The telephone conferences will be available for 2 hours from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm ET. 

If you are interested in participating in a telephone conference, please call 1-800-857-9672 and verbally state the participant passcode 2275.

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