National Council on Disability
Disparate Treatment of Puerto Rico Residents in Federal Programs
Overview Information
Notice of Funding Opportunity
NCD-20-02
May 11, 2020 – Announcement of Funding Opportunity for a Cooperative Agreement
Authority: Section 401, Title IV of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Application materials are available at: ncd.gov and grants.gov
You may also request application materials by writing to:
Amy Nicholas
Attorney Advisor
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004 or by e-mail request: anicholas@ncd.gov
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5:00 p.m. local time): June 15, 2020
Late applications will not be considered.
Deliver all materials via email to:
Maximum amount available for this project: $50,000.00
All potential applicants are eligible to apply
Cost sharing is not required
The estimated period of performance is 8 months
Project Summary
To examine what it means to be a citizen with a disability residing in Puerto Rico. The report will examine the disparate treatment of citizens with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico utilizing various federal programs in contrast to their counterparts residing in the states (and disabled citizens in other U.S. territories). The report will discuss Puerto Ricans with disabilities’ employment and poverty rates; educational attainment; access to healthcare, housing, transportation, and access and participation within the community; access to durable medical equipment, repairs, and medical supplies; and any additional costs incurred because of an individual’s disability that would not be incurred by a person with a disability residing in the states. The report will discuss the impact the Jones Act[1] has on the availability and cost of durable medical equipment, with a comparison of costs of that equipment on the mainland. The report will discuss in detail the disparate treatment of citizens with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico under certain federal programs in contrast to their counterparts residing on the mainland (and disabled citizens in other U.S. territories), such as Social Security Insurance (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and public housing. The final report will include recommendations born from the research findings and interviews from this report.
Agency Contact:
Amy Nicholas, Attorney Advisor, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004, telephone (202) 272-2008, e-mail: anicholas@ncd.gov
Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: 1
Anticipated Funding Amount: $50,000.00
This funding opportunity is contingent on fiscal year 2020 federal funding availability
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
Proposals must be submitted by the following date (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time): June 15, 2020.
Proposal Review Information
Review Criteria: National Council on Disability approved criteria. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
Award Administration Information
Award Conditions: Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
Background Narrative:
NCD’s role is to advise the President, Congress, and other policymakers on disability practices that enhance equal opportunity for people with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. NCD fulfills this role in part by releasing reports which evaluate the efficacy and legality of federal programs in relation to disability rights laws. In 2019, NCD held a Council meeting in Puerto Rico. The first day of the two-day event consisted of a town hall meeting where over 100 Puerto Ricans with disabilities discussed respective concerns and obstacles they faced residing in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico residents are American citizens yet are not afforded equal federal benefits as Puerto Ricans or other disabled citizens who live in the states. Topics discussed included the lack of services and the differing treatment citizens with disabilities on the island are faced with simply because of where they live. NCD’s Chair assured the residents of Puerto Rico that the town hall meeting was just the beginning of NCD’s discussion regarding the disparate treatment of people with disabilities. This report is intended to address the concerns expressed at the town hall meeting and provide recommendations and guidance to the President, Congress and federal agencies to improve living conditions and economic outcomes for people with disabilities residing in Puerto Rico.
Substantive Topics
Research and report in detail all federal benefit programs available to Puerto Rican residents with disabilities and describe in detail how they differ from the same or similar benefits available to people with disabilities residing in the states and other U.S. territories. For example, SSI, SSDI, SNAP, Medicaid, Section 8 housing, and housing vouchers. The preceding is not an exhaustive list. Programs exclusively available to people with disabilities in the states should also be included in this report. This report will also research and report in detail the impact the Jones Act has on the availability, pricing, and inventory of durable medical equipment (DME) and medical supplies in Puerto Rico.
Key Questions to Be Answered
The following questions should be addressed regarding the disparate treatment of federal programs such as Social Security Insurance (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and public housing. This is not an exhaustive list of programs:
How does eligibility differ?
How does the benefits coverage differ?
What are the differences in funding? (Look at monetary as well as human resources)
If a monetary benefit, is cost of living considered?
What is the availability of accessible transportation on the island?
What type of paratransit service is available on the island? If available, How does the service compare to paratransit programs in the states?
Of the managed-care companies on the island, how many of them provide transportation?
Do the requirements of the Jones Act inflate the price for durable medical equipment and medical supplies in comparison to the average prices of the same equipment on the mainland?
Are there enough DME dealer’s in Puerto Rico to support the needs of the disability community? If not, why not?
What is the average cost of medical supplies in Puerto Rico compared to the United States? (Prescription and nonprescription). For example, hearing aids, bathtub lifts, wheelchair van conversions.
The questions posed in this section are not intended to be an exhaustive list of topics to be researched and discussed in the report.
Requirements
- NCD wants to ensure there is stakeholder involvement in the findings and recommendations. The inclusion of people with disabilities must be integral to the planning, development, and execution of this project. At least one section of the report should focus on stakeholder input, but input should be integrated throughout.
- The report will be formatted as a standard NCD report with an executive summary. A cohesive, final report will incorporate the findings and conclusions that can be drawn from the examination and include specific recommendations.
- Any successful proposal must demonstrate knowledge of work in this area, including the prior work of NCD, and propose a plan for building on existing work so as to produce new information and not duplicate work already accomplished.
- NCD reports must be totally accessible to all people with disabilities at all iterative stages of its drafting and editing. All graphs and charts must have full text descriptions embedded as alt-text and ensure that it is Section 508 compliant. If you are drafting a report or paper for NCD, you must submit your drafts and final version in an electronic Word and PDF format.
Conclusion
This study will culminate in a final report which will incorporate the findings and conclusions that can be drawn from the examination, and include specific recommendations to improve access to and equal treatment of Puerto Rican residents to federal programs.
The deliverables for this project will include:
- A detailed preliminary framing paper and outline of the final report.
- A revised detailed framing paper and outline of the final report.
- An initial draft report incorporating the findings, conclusions, and recommendations that can be drawn from the examination.
- A second draft report which will incorporate the findings, conclusions, and recommendations that can be drawn from the examination and incorporating recommended revisions derived from NCD staff, Council members, and external peer reviews.
- A final report incorporating recommended revisions derived from NCD staff, Council members, and external peer reviews.
- Development of a 1-2 page “Report Highlights” document, which succinctly and in plain language encapsulates the report’s scope and purpose, major findings, and recommendations, and contains a link to the full report at the bottom. For an example of a Reports Highlights Page, refer to: https://ncd.gov/progressreport/2016/progress-report-october-2016
The final report must also document the methodology, findings, and recommendations and must include a separate section containing the recommendations, organized according to the entity to which they are directed. The final report must also include a transmission letter and executive summary. All assertions of fact must be substantiated in endnotes, and presented in the format of the Chicago Style Manual.
Any methodology used to obtain stakeholder input must allow for open-ended discussions between stakeholders, as opposed to soliciting answers to specific, predetermined questions. While the use of data from existing surveys is permitted, conducting surveys for purposes of this study is strongly discouraged. The inclusion of people with disabilities must be integral to the planning, development, and execution of this project. The report should also reflect NCD’s view that the disability community is heterogeneous, with diverse needs and perspectives, and those perspectives should be included.
Eligibility Information
All potential applicants are eligible to apply.
Cost-sharing is not required.
Other Eligibility Criteria: Proposals that merely offer to conduct a project in accordance with the requirements of the Government’s scope of work will not be eligible for award. Proposals that do not comply with NCD’s Document Access Requirements, as specified below, will not be considered for award.
Award Information
NCD expects to make 1 award with an anticipated funding amount of 40,000.00
PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Due Dates
Full proposals must be submitted by the following date (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s local time): June 15, 2020.
The proposal must be prepared in two parts: A 'Technical Proposal' and a 'Business Proposal. Each of the parts shall be separate and complete in itself so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently of evaluation of the other. The technical proposal must not contain reference to cost; however, resource information, such as data concerning labor hours and categories, materials, subcontracts, etc., must be contained in the technical proposal so that your understanding of the scope of the work may be evaluated. It must disclose your technical approach in sufficient detail to provide a clear and concise presentation that includes, but is not limited to, the requirements of the technical proposal instructions.
The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. You must submit a technical and business proposal via email/electronic Word file to:
You may, at your discretion, submit alternate proposals, or proposals which deviate from the requirements; PROVIDED, that you also submit a proposal for performance of the work, as specified in the statement of work. These proposals may be considered if overall performance would be improved or not compromised and if they are in the best interest of the Government. Alternate proposals, or deviations from any requirements of this funding opportunity, must be clearly identified.
The Government will evaluate proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this request for proposals.
It is understood that your proposal will become part of the official contract file.
This solicitation does not commit the government to contract for any work or services whatsoever. Respondents are advised that the United States (US.) Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this solicitation notice. All costs associated with responding to this solicitation notice will be solely at the responding party’s expense. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor grants.gov and ncd.gov sites for additional information.
Proposals which merely offer to conduct a program in accordance with the requirements of the Government’s scope of work will not be eligible for award. You must submit an explanation of the proposed technical approach in conjunction with the tasks to be performed in achieving the project objectives.
A detailed work plan must be submitted indicating how each aspect of the statement of work is to be accomplished. Your technical approach should be in as much detail as you consider necessary to fully explain your proposed technical approach or method. The technical proposal should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken.
The technical proposal must include information on how the project is to be organized, staffed, and managed. Information should be provided which will demonstrate your understanding and management of important events or tasks. You must explain how the management and coordination of consultant and/or subcontractor efforts will be accomplished.
The technical proposal must include a list of names and proposed duties of the professional personnel, consultants, and key subcontractor employees assigned to the project. Their resumes should be included and should contain information on education, background, recent experience, and specific requirement related or technical accomplishments. The approximate percentage of time each individual will be available for this project must be included. The proposed staff hours for each of the above individuals should be allocated against each task or subtask for the project.
The technical proposal must provide the general background, experience, and qualifications of the organization. Similar or related contracts, subcontracts, or grants should be included and contain the name of the customer, contract or grant number, dollar amount, time of performance, and the names and telephone numbers of the contracting officer’s technical representative or project officer and contracting/grants officer.
The technical proposal must contain a discussion of present or proposed facilities and equipment which will be used in the performance of the contract.
The technical proposal must be prepared and submitted in the following format:
1. Abstract (no more than 2 pages)
A two-page summary shall be provided abstracting the proposal contents (e.g., objectives, activities, expected outcomes) in language understandable to an informed layperson. The narrative should be limited to no more than 250 words.
2. Table of Contents
3. Introduction (no more than 20 pages)
Offerors shall summarize, in their own words, the purposes and objectives of the project to demonstrate their complete understanding of NCD’s intent and requirements. This section also should contain a specific statement of any interpretations, questions, qualifications, limitations, deviations, or exceptions to the Solicitation's scope of work and the extent to which the offeror’s proposal can be expected to meet the requirements set forth in the scope of work.
4. Procedural Plan (no more than 40 pages)
This section shall fully describe the theoretical and technical approaches the offeror will employ in complying with each task in the scope of work. While a general statement of strategy is appropriate, the offeror shall be specific in describing the manner in which the overall review will be conducted, and the intended approach to the design.
5. Management Plan and Schedule (no more than 15 pages)
The management plan shall show the feasibility of implementing the offeror’s resources. The offeror shall present a time chart that specifies the amount of time (in person-days) each staff member will commit to implementing each task. The plan shall present a clear description of the working relationships among personnel. Finally, the plan shall contain a method for ensuring the timely and successful completion of each work task.
6. Personnel
Personnel with major responsibilities shall be listed by name, title, position, academic background, relevant experience, responsibilities with the project, and the extent to which this commitment is assured. This section should include specific time commitments of staff to other projects, both Federal and non-Federal. Consultants who have agreed to serve on the project should be similarly identified and assurances of their commitment included. The Project Director shall be committed for no less than approximately 60 percent of the contract. Vitae for all principal personnel, including consultants, should be appended to the proposal. Each curriculum vitae should be limited to not more than two (2) pages and should emphasize areas of experience directly relevant to this work statement.
7. Organization Experience
This section shall describe the offeror’s pertinent experience and qualification in conducting work of a similar nature. Offerors shall offer evidence of not more than 5 previous related assignments, including the names and telephone numbers of client project offices who would be able to comment on the offeror’s performance of those assignments. Summaries (not to exceed one page) of related work shall be included. References to products resulting from these related activities shall also be included.
8. Resources/Facilities/Equipment
This section shall identify those resources (other than personnel), facilities, and equipment (e.g., library holdings, computer hardware, and software) available for use in conducting this project. Offeror should address accessibility for persons with disabilities.
9. Current Contractual Obligations
Each offeror will be required to outline both Federal and non-Federal contractual obligations existing during the course of his award for all projects involving personnel who will be assigned to this project. Such organizations/agencies must be identified by name and the percentage of work time allotted to these projects by personnel committed to the proposed project must be provided.
10. Issues and Associated Data Items
When responding to the Tasks, when identifying what should receive emphasis, careful consideration should be given to the issues identified, their associated data items, and the statement of products desired in the Final Report.
All information provided by NCD must be returned to NCD upon completion of the analysis and no later than 10 working days after the completion of the contract. The information may not be reproduced or released without the prior written permission of NCD.
11. Rights in Data, Copyright, and Disclosure
a. Data – The term data as used here includes written reports (progress, draft, and final), electronic format, and work of any similar nature that is required under any resulting Cooperative Agreement to perform this project. It does not include the contractor’s financial reports, or other information incidental to contractor administration. Data submitted to and accepted by the NCD under the cooperative agreement shall be the property of the NCD, and NCD shall have full and unlimited rights to use such data for any purpose in whatever manner deemed desirable and appropriate, including making it available to the general public. Such use shall be without any additional payment to the contractor. Data may be published as the property of NCD without giving authorship to the contractor.
b. Copyright – The contractor relinquishes any and all copyrights and/or privileges developed under any Cooperative Agreement. The contractor shall not include in the data any copyrightable matter without the written approval of NCD, unless the contractor provides the NCD with the written permission of the copyright owner for the NCD to use the matter.
c. Disclosure – The contractor agrees not to divulge or release any information, reports or recommendations developed, or obtained in connection with the performance of any Cooperative Agreement with NCD, and not otherwise available to the public, without the prior approval of the NCD.
d. Final approval of deliverables
All final deliverables are the product of NCD and require acceptance and approval by NCD. NCD reserves the right to make substantive edits to any final deliverables.
12. Award Information
The Government will make award to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, cost or price and other factors considered. For this solicitation, technical quality is more important than cost or price. As proposals become more equal in their technical merit, the evaluated cost or price becomes more important. As the technical merit and the evaluated cost or price become essentially equal, other factors may become a determining factor.
Upon notification of intent to award, the Contractor will be expected to:
*Develop and submit a timeline and deliverables schedule that will be used to guide the conduct of the study and monitor the work;
*Develop and submit a payment schedule chart to be used for installment payments of the award;
*Meet with select NCD staff and board members at a pre and post award meeting.
13. Reporting
Throughout the project, the Contractor and Contract Officer will conduct mutually agreed upon monthly teleconference calls and/or biweekly meetings, set-up and arranged for by the Contractor, to include other project staff members, NCD staff and, as appropriate, selected project advisors and NCD board members. The Contractor will also provide monthly electronic progress reports to the NCD contractor Officer. The contractor will also present to the full Council at a quarterly Council meeting and should factor the travel expenses into the project budget.
Business Proposal
The business proposal should contain a detailed budget for the project and the certifications and representations required by OMB Circular A-110.
Note: For each type of entity, there is a set of Federal principles for determining allowable costs. Allowability of costs shall be determined in accordance with the cost principles applicable to the entity incurring the costs. Thus, allowability of costs incurred by State, local or federally-recognized Indian tribal governments is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A–87, “Cost Principles for State and Local Governments.” The allowability of costs incurred by non-profit organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A–122, “Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations.”
The allowability of costs incurred by institutions of higher education is determined in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A–21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions.” The allowability of costs incurred by hospitals is determined in accordance with the provisions of appendix E of 45 CFR part 74, “Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development Under Grants and Contracts with Hospitals.” The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations and those non-profit organizations listed in Attachment C to Circular A–122 is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR part 31.
Technical Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation criteria will score proposals with a maximum of 100 points, divided as follows:
1. A clear understanding of the nature of the work (20 points)
The proposal presents a clear understanding of the tasks required and the importance, quality, and reliability of those tasks. The proposal will present the rationale/interpretation of the project approach.
2. Procedural Plan (30 points)
The proposal contains evidence of a fully described technical approach to comply with each of the tasks in the scope of work. The proposal is consistent with the goals, objectives, compliance requirements, and is practical in terms of producing needed information, analysis, and recommendations.
3. Management Plan and Schedule (20 points)
The degree to which the project team, including any use of consultants, is organized, managed, and motivated to accomplish effective and efficient implementation of all tasks to be completed. The proposal budget is appropriate to the administration of the project. The time frame is realistic. Plans and schedules to assure smooth cooperation with the NCD staff involved are evident. The proposal clearly identifies who will be key personnel and includes a table showing the number of person-days by tasks for each of the key personnel.
4. Personnel (15 points)
The proposal provides evidence of the specific qualifications and skills of staff and consultants to be assigned to this project, and their experience and familiarity with the topic, including relevant laws, regulations, procedures, and practices in the Federal Government. Skills in writing, and conducting research should also clearly demonstrated.
5. Organizational Experience (15 points)
The degree to which the overall experience and past performance of the offeror in executing similar projects should be described. Evidence of related assignments should be detailed. Offeror shall present evidence of related assignments, including the names and telephone numbers of previous project officers who would be able to comment on the offeror’s performance of those assignments.
Project Start Date
The projected start of the cooperative agreement is July 22, 2020. The projected first complete draft of the report is due to NCD by November 16, 2020. The projected final draft of the report is due to NCD by April 13, 2021.
Furthermore, the vendor will be expected to arrange and conduct monthly teleconference calls with NCD staff and board members, will provide monthly progress reports to NCD staff, and will also be expected to meet with select NCD staff and Board Members upon the awarding of the contract. The vendor is also responsible for reasonable accommodations at any meetings, events, forums, focus groups, etc. (i.e. sign language interpreters, CART reporters, and other such providers, as well as documents or other materials that are made available in public forums), associated with this agreement.
The contractor will also present to the full Council at a quarterly Council meeting and should factor the travel expenses into the project budget.
Finally, the vendor is expected to develop and submit a “timeline and deliverables and payment schedule” chart which will be used to guide the conduct of the research.
Formatting Guidelines
NCD reports must be totally accessible to all people with disabilities at all iterative stages of its drafting and editing. All graphs and charts must have full text descriptions embedded as alt-text and ensure that it is Section 508 compliant. If you are drafting a report or paper for NCD, you must submit your drafts and final version in an electronic Word and PDF format. You must adhere to NCD's formatting and style standards. Details regarding NCD’s additional formatting and style standards follow below. The final document must be professionally edited before submission.
Style Guide
NCD utilizes the Chicago Style Manual for its reports and papers and employs the author-date system of documentation. A copy of the manual can be viewed online with accompanying resources at: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html.
Citations
Within the Chicago Style Manual, NCD employs the author-date system of documentation. Examples of this citation style format (in-text and in the references) can be viewed at: http://www.lib.subr.edu/Chicago.pdf.
Accessibility
NCD reports must be totally accessible to all people with disabilities at all iterative stages of its drafting and editing. All graphs and charts must have full text descriptions embedded as alt-text and ensure that it is Section 508 compliant. If you are drafting a report or paper for NCD, you must submit your drafts and final version in an electronic Word and PDF format.
Contrast
Text and covers should be created and printed with the highest contrast possible. This includes text in all graphics, figures, tables, and charts.
Fonts
Use Arial, 12-point. Italics should be used sparingly, not for full sentences or paragraphs or recommendations. Do not use small caps.
Line Spacing
The body of the report or paper should be spaced with 1.5 line spacing.
The Letter of Transmittal, references, endnotes, appendices, etc. should be single-spaced.
Paper Size
Set paper size to 8.5" x 11".
Margins
Set standard one inch (1") margins on all sides.
Paragraphs
Use block style. Begin paragraphs without tabbing in. Text should be in single-column format. Use a double space between paragraphs.
Justification
Use left-justified (ragged right).
Smart Quotes and Apostrophes
Use smart quotes and apostrophes.
Chapters
Chapters should start on odd-numbered pages, which fall on the right side.
Headers and Footers
Delete unnecessary headers and footers.
Widows and Orphans
Do not have widows or orphans.
Web Addresses
Make all Web addresses hyperlinks.
Style Heads
Utilize Microsoft Word default style for headers (and subheaders) so that readers can easily track the progression of the report or paper and so that the report or paper can be made easily navigable with a table of contents.
Do not use caps or small caps in the headers. Double-space between headers and text.
Spacing after Periods
Use one space after a period at the end of a sentence and one space after colons and question marks.
Endnotes
All documents use endnotes in Arial. 12-point font and single spaced.
Page Numbering
Page numbering will be centered at the bottom of each page. Blank pages require page numbers. Begin ordinal page numbering on the Letter of Transmittal page, which is always page 1 (suppress page number of that page). All pages are numbered consecutively from 1-999 including appendices. Do not use roman numbering or alpha/numeric numbering in any parts of the document, including appendices.
Contents Page
Create a table of contents (TOC) using Microsoft Office Word’s TOC feature. This includes page numbers for chapters and major section headings. Type all text in regular font. Do not bold entire page.
NCD Editorial Style Requirements
General:
Use active voice (within reason)
Serial comma
Numbers: one-nine, 10 and above
As a general default, use people first language throughout, including but not limited to:
- “people with disabilities” [[not “persons” or “individuals with disabilities”]]
- “people without disabilities,” [[not disabled, handicapped, impaired, or nondisabled]]
- “people with [particular disability] or “a person with a disability, including, but not limited to:
- “people with intellectual disabilities” [[not intellectually disabled]]
- “people with mental illnesses” [[not people who are mentally ill]]
- “people with physical disabilities” [[not the mobility impaired]]
- “people with learning disabilities” [[not the learning disabled]]
- “people with a mental illnesses” [[not mentally ill people]]
Use current acceptable terminology including, but not limited to:
- “intellectual disability” [[not mental retardation or MR]]
- “seniors” or “people who are aging” [[not the elderly or the aged]]
- “youth” or “young people with disabilities” [[not disabled youth, etc.]]
Use terminology preferred by particular disability subpopulations:
- “Deaf and Hard of Hearing” as a noun, with capitalization [[not people who are deaf and hard of hearing]]
- “autistic” as an adjective or a noun [[not people who have autism]]
- “little people” or “little person” [[not dwarf / dwarves]]
NCD has determined that the terminology used in its 2000 report, “People Labeled with Psychiatric Disabilities,” best captures the identity and experiences of the population (also called people with mental illnesses,” “mental health consumers,” “psychiatric survivors,” and a number of other terms). However, because the field uses such a wide diversity of terms, including terms used by people with psychiatric disabilities themselves, NCD documents (papers, reports, and so forth) can include a variety of terminology used by people quoted herein. The exceptions are the need to edit and remove terms considered detrimental to the community, NCD’s mission, and ensuring the use of “people first” language.
Use [a bracket] to show language revisions/edits (including where the changes were made within otherwise quoted material) in order to meet NCD’s requirements identified in this document
Use “people from diverse cultures,” “people from diverse racial background,” “people of color” and so forth [[not minorities or minority groups]]
When referring to people who have been consistently or historically overlooked, segregated, disregarded, or simply not included, please consider use of generic terms like “marginalized” or “under-served.”
1990s (not 1990’s)
Punctuation NEVER comes after a closing quotation mark or an endnote/footnote number.
Due to or Because of? “Due to” modifies nouns and is generally used after some form of the verb to be (is, are, was, were, etc.). Jan's success is due to talent and spunk (“due to” modifies success). “Because of” should modify verbs. Ted resigned because of poor health (“because of” modifies resigned).
Generally, use “between” for two, and “among” for three or more.
Legal Cases/Bills/Laws, etc:
H.R. 2457
S. 1322
P.L. 106-515
Italicize names of court cases
Get rid of small caps used in notes
Word List:
Administration (presidential)
closed captioning
Congress, not the Congress
data indicates (treat data as singular)
decision making
Department (capped referring to a U.S. Department)
end-user
Executive Order
federal
Federal Government
governor
health care (n, um*)
home- and community-based (um)
interagency (closed up)
Internet
multi (close up)
nation
National Council on Disability [[not Disabilities]]
NCD, not the NCD
non (close up)
percent, not %, unless in tables or parentheses
Ph.D.
policymaker
the President
proactive
reauthorize
reenter
rulemaking
screen-reader
standalone
state
Supreme Court, the Court
website
workforce
workplace
Use population group names from current Census Bureau listing.
In titles, cap prepositions of 5 or more letters.
*um=unit modifier, meaning two words used as an adjective
PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION
Reviews of proposals submitted to NCD are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed project. These reviewers are selected by NCD staff charged with the oversight of the review process. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.
All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NCD who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal.
Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The NCD staff assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.
A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents.
Notice of Award
NCD will notify the applicant by telephone, e-mail, and/or letter. This notification will begin negotiations for a Cooperative Agreement. The letter is not authorization to begin performance. Notification of the award will be made to the submitting organization by Amy Nicholas, an NCD Attorney Advisor. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible. Verbatim copies of reviews, not included identifying names or information about proposal reviewers, will be made available upon request.
CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Inquiries regarding this study should be made to:
Amy Nicholas at anicholas@ncd.gov
ABOUT THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
Overview and Purpose
The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency comprised of a team of Presidential and Congressional appointees, an Executive Director appointed by the Chair, and a full-time professional staff. The purpose of NCD is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all people with disabilities regardless of the nature or significance of the disability and to empower people with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.
Specific Duties
The current statutory mandate of NCD includes the following:
• Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, policies, programs, practices, and procedures concerning individuals with disabilities conducted or assisted by federal departments and agencies, including programs established or assisted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, or under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, as well as all statutes and regulations pertaining to federal programs that assist such individuals with disabilities, to assess the effectiveness of such policies, programs, practices, procedures, statutes, and regulations in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities.
• Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, new and emerging disability policy issues affecting individuals with disabilities in the Federal Government, at the state and local government levels, and in the private sector, including the need for and coordination of adult services, access to personal assistance services, school reform efforts and the impact of such efforts on individuals with disabilities, access to health care, and policies that act as disincentives for individuals to seek and retain employment.
• Making recommendations to the President, Congress, the Secretary of Education, the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and other officials of federal agencies about ways to better promote equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society for Americans with disabilities.
• Providing Congress, on a continuing basis, with advice, recommendations, legislative proposals, and any additional information that NCD or Congress deems appropriate.
• Gathering information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.).
• Advising the President, Congress, the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the assistant secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services within the Department of Education, and the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on the development of the programs to be carried out under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
• Providing advice to the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration with respect to the policies and conduct of the administration.
• Making recommendations to the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on ways to improve research, service, administration, and the collection, dissemination, and implementation of research findings affecting people with disabilities.
• Providing advice regarding priorities for the activities of the Interagency Disability Coordinating Council and reviewing the recommendations of this council for legislative and administrative changes to ensure that such recommendations are consistent with NCD’s purpose of promoting the full integration, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities.
• Preparing and submitting to the President and Congress an annual report titled National Disability Policy: A Progress Report.
International
In 1995, NCD was designated by the Department of State to be the U.S. government’s official contact point for disability issues. Specifically, NCD interacts with the special rapporteur of the United Nations Commission for Social Development on disability matters.
Consumers Served and Current Activities
Although many government agencies deal with issues and programs affecting people with disabilities, NCD is the only federal agency charged with addressing, analyzing, and making recommendations on issues of public policy that affect people with disabilities regardless of age, disability type, perceived employment potential, economic need, specific functional ability, veteran status, or other individual circumstance. NCD recognizes its unique opportunity to facilitate independent living, community integration, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities by ensuring an informed and coordinated approach to addressing the concerns of people with disabilities and eliminating barriers to their active participation in community and family life.
NCD plays a major role in developing disability policy in America. In fact, NCD originally proposed what eventually became the ADA. NCD’s present list of key issues includes improving personal assistance services, promoting health care reform, including students with disabilities in high-quality programs in typical neighborhood schools, promoting equal employment and community housing opportunities, monitoring the implementation of the ADA, improving assistive technology, and ensuring that people with disabilities who are members of diverse cultures fully participate in society.
Statutory History
NCD was established in 1978 as an advisory board within the Department of Education (P.L. 95-602). The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-221) transformed NCD into an independent agency.
Location:
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW
Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004
For General Information:
202-272-2004 Voice
202-272-2074 TTY
202-272-2022 Fax
[1] 48 U.S.C. selects Social Security insurance §731
