Meeting of the Priority Setting & Resource Allocation Committee
Monday, November 4, 2024
By Zoom Videoconference
3:00 – 3:45
Members Present: Paul Carr (Co-chair), Marya Gilborn (Co-chair), Raffi Babakhanian, Joan Edwards, Billy Fields, David Klotz, Steve Hemraj, Scott Spiegler (for Guadalupe Dominguez Plummer, ex-officio), Stella Safo, MD, John Schoepp, Terry Troia
Member Absent: Matt Baney, Kyron Banks
Staff Present: Doienne Saab, Johanna Acosta, PhD, Adrianna Eppinger-Meiering (DOHMH); Gemma Barclay, Rosemarie Santos (Public Health Solutions)
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Introductions/Minutes
Mr. Carr and Ms. Gilborn opened the meeting, followed by introductions and a moment of silence. The minutes of the July 8, 2024 meeting were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item #2: GY 2024-2025 PSRA Workplan
Mr. Klotz reviewed the PSRA workplan for the year, where the Committee will develop: 1) GY 2025 spending scenario plan, 2) GY 2025 reprogramming plan (for use of accruals within the grant year), 3) GY 2024 into 2025 carryover plan (for use of unexpended funds from this year in the subsequent year), and 4) GY 2026 application spending plan (for a 5% increase request to HRSA).
The GY 2025 spending scenario plan is a methodology for the implementation of the actual grant award, which usually arrives two or three months after the beginning of the grant year. The methodology allows the Recipient to implement the award immediately upon receipt and not delay contract renewals. The Committee will develop options for a reduction up to 3.5%, as well as a flat-funding scenario to allocate uncommitted funds freed up during the current grant year (2023).
PSRA and the Council already approved several modifications in the GY 2025 application spending plan that will be implemented regardless of the award amount. A one-time enhancement of $931,957 to the Housing category that was done to transition clients from programs that ended in February 2024 will no longer be part of that category’s allocation. Also, the Committee agreed to reduce PSS TINBNC by $193,800, and to eliminate Health Education as a stand-alone line item as the service is included in the Behavioral Health categories (a savings of $292,695). Thus, in a flat funding scenario, there is a total of $1,418,474 in uncommitted funding, which can be reallocated per the GY 2025 application spending plan, which targets increases to Housing and Food & Nutrition Services. This amount may increase if there are other changes in the carrying cost of programs due to permanent reductions in contracts. Uncommitted funds can also be used to offset a reduction to the award.
Agenda Item #3: GY 2024 Estimated Unobligated Balance Request
Mr. Klotz explained that HRSA requires all EMAs to complete and submit by the end of December an “estimated unobligated balance request” (UOB). The document tells HRSA that the EMA will ask to use unspent funds from the current grant year (i.e., 2024 carryover) in the next grant year (2025). The UOB request states that next spring we will ask to carry over as much as 5% (the maximum allowed with no penalty). The UOB uses ADAP as a placeholder for the use of the carryover funds, but we are not required to spend the carryover for that purpose. We will know the actual amount of carryover next spring after closeout of the grant year, after which PSRA will develop an actual carryover plan for submission to HRSA.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the GY 2024 estimated unobligated balance request. The motion was adopted 9Y-0N.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
