§ 1397n–3 — Feasibility Study Funding

(a) The Secretary shall reserve a portion of the amount made available to carry out this division to assist States or local governments in developing feasibility studies to apply for social impact partnership funding under section 1397n–1 of this title. To be eligible to receive funding to assist with completing a feasibility study, a State or local government shall submit an application for feasibility study funding addressing the following: (1) A description of the outcome goals of the social impact partnership project. (2) A description of the intervention, including anticipated program design, target population, an estimate regarding the number of individuals to be served, and setting for the intervention. (3) Evidence to support the likelihood that the intervention will produce the desired outcomes. (4) A description of the potential metrics to be used. (5) The expected social benefits to participants who receive the intervention and others who may be impacted. (6) Estimated costs to conduct the project. (7) Estimates of Federal, State, and local government savings and other savings if the project is implemented and the outcomes are achieved as a result of each intervention. (8) An estimated timeline for implementation and completion of the project, which shall not exceed 10 years. (9) With respect to a project for which the State or local government selects an intermediary to operate the project, any partnerships needed to successfully execute the project and the ability of the intermediary to foster the partnerships. (10) The expected resources needed to complete the feasibility study for the State or local government to apply for social impact partnership funding under section 1397n–1 of this title. (b) Not later than 6 months after receiving an application for feasibility study funding under subsection (a), the Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships and the head of any Federal agency administering a similar intervention or serving a population similar to that served by the project, shall select State or local government feasibility study proposals for funding based on the following: (1) The recommendations made by the Commission on Social Impact Partnerships. (2) The likelihood that the proposal will achieve the desired outcomes. (3) The value of the outcomes expected to be achieved as a result of each intervention. (4) The potential savings to the Federal Government if the social impact partnership project is successful. (5) The potential savings to the State and local governments if the project is successful. (c) Not later than 30 days after selecting a State or local government for feasibility study funding under this section, the Secretary shall cause to be published on the website of the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships information explaining why a State or local government was granted feasibility study funding. (1) The Secretary may not provide feasibility study funding under this section for more than 50 percent of the estimated total cost of the feasibility study reported in the State or local government application submitted under subsection (a). (2) Of the total amount made available to carry out this division, the Secretary may not use more than $10,000,000 to provide feasibility study funding to States or local governments under this section. (3) The Secretary shall have the option to award no funding under this section. (e) Not later than 9 months after the receipt of feasibility study funding under this section, a State or local government receiving the funding shall complete the feasibility study and submit the study to the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships. (f) The Secretary may transfer to the head of another Federal agency the authorities provided in this section and any funds necessary to exercise the authorities.