Standing Announcement for Residential (Shelter and/or Transitional Foster Care) Services for Unaccompanied Children-LICENSED AND TEXAS-EXEMPT AND FLORIDA-DELICENSED ONLY | HHS 2022 ACF ORR ZU 0129

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2022 ACF ORR ZU 0129

This funding opportunity (HHS 2022 ACF ORR ZU 0129) is a standing notice from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, specifically the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Division of Unaccompanied Children Operations (ORR/DUCO). Its purpose is to expand or maintain the network of residential care providers that deliver temporary shelter and related child welfare services to unaccompanied children (UC) who have been placed in ORR custody. In practical terms, ORR is looking for organizations that can operate shelter programs such as group homes and transitional foster care placements, and that can do so in a way that meets federal requirements for safety, child welfare practice, and compliance.

The services covered by the award begin when ORR accepts a child for placement into a provider program and continue until the child is released from ORR custody, turns 18, or their immigration case reaches a final removal disposition. The programs funded through this announcement are expected to provide residential care in the least restrictive setting appropriate to each child, taking into account age and any specialized needs. While the text provided does not list every service component, the framing makes clear that ORR is funding full residential operations plus the broader set of child welfare-related supports that normally accompany that setting (for example, supervision and care, case coordination consistent with ORR requirements, and services necessary to meet applicable standards and policies).

A major eligibility and compliance theme in this opportunity is state licensing. As a general rule, residential care providers must be licensed by the relevant state licensing authority to provide residential, group, or foster care services for children. This announcement, however, is narrowly tailored to include specific exceptions involving Texas and Florida programs affected by state actions related to licensure. In Texas, a provider can be treated as exempt from the standard licensing expectation under this SNOFO if either: (1) it held an appropriate license as of August 30, 2021, but that license was rescinded under 26 Texas Administrative Code 745.115(1)(B), which temporarily exempted federally affiliated child-care facilities from Texas licensure requirements; or (2) it is currently licensed in Texas but is reasonably likely to have its license rescinded under that same TAC provision if it becomes federally affiliated through ORR grant funding. In Florida, a similar carve-out is described for programs impacted by Florida Executive Order 21-223. Florida-based providers may qualify for the exception if either: (1) they held an appropriate license as of September 28, 2021, but the Florida Department of Children and Families allowed the license to lapse or expire pursuant to the executive order by refusing to timely decide a renewal application or by denying it; or (2) they are currently licensed in Florida but are reasonably likely to have their license lapse or expire as a result of Executive Order 21-223. The emphasis here is that this standing announcement is not a general waiver of licensing; it is aimed at providers that are licensed, or that meet these very specific Texas and Florida exception conditions.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically signals an ongoing, substantial level of federal involvement compared with a standard grant, often through programmatic direction, monitoring, and required adherence to detailed federal policies and procedures. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding under the Income Security and Social Services activity area, with CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 93.676. The announcement anticipates up to 50 awards, with an award ceiling listed at $200,000,000 (which indicates that individual awards can be very large depending on the scale of services proposed and the needs ORR is trying to meet).

Eligibility is broad and includes most common public and private entity types, such as state, county, and municipal governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and certain tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profit entities); and other applicants as further clarified in the full announcement. Even with broad applicant categories, applicants must still be able to meet the residential-care purpose of the program and comply with the operational, staffing, and facility standards tied to ORR requirements and applicable law.

Several federal labor and contractor-type compliance obligations are explicitly called out. Entities funded under this SNOFO are subject to the Service Contract Act (SCA) and implementing regulations at 29 CFR Part 4, including the requirement to follow applicable wage determinations. The posting points applicants to SAM.gov wage determinations as the reference source. In addition, the award is subject to Executive Order 13658 on minimum wage for contractors (29 CFR Part 10) and Executive Order 13706 on paid sick leave for federal contractors (29 CFR Part 13). The announcement directs applicants to Department of Labor resources for details on minimum wage and paid sick leave requirements. The practical takeaway is that awardees should expect federal labor standards to apply to covered service employees and should budget and manage human resources accordingly.

On the child welfare and legal compliance side, awardees must comply with the Flores Settlement Agreement (Case No. CV 85-4544-RJK), as well as pertinent regulations, laws, and ORR policies, instructions, and procedures. ORR specifically flags the ORR Policy Guide and Manual of Procedures as central references that will shape program design and day-to-day operations. The opportunity encourages applicants to review ORR guidance materials on unaccompanied children because those policies will be critical to how a facility runs, how children are cared for, what documentation and reporting are required, and what standards apply to placement, services, and release processes.

Administratively, the opportunity was created on December 9, 2021, with an original closing date of February 1, 2022, and it notes that electronic applications were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the listed due date. It is framed as a standing announcement, meaning ORR uses it as an ongoing mechanism to solicit additional capacity, and applicants are instructed to refer to the published announcement for the most current details on closing dates and project periods, since those can be updated or structured in cycles.

Overall, the grant is designed to fund organizations capable of providing compliant, least-restrictive residential shelter or transitional foster care for unaccompanied children in ORR custody, with strong emphasis on meeting licensing-related conditions (including the narrow Texas and Florida exception pathways), adhering to federal labor standards, and operating fully within the Flores framework and ORR policy requirements.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Standing Announcement for Residential (Shelter and/or Transitional Foster Care) Services for Unaccompanied Children-LICENSED AND TEXAS-EXEMPT AND FLORIDA-DELICENSED ONLY" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.676.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 09, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 01, 2022 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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