(a) Approval criteria; provisions and assurances

No grant may be made under this part unless the eligible tribal organization submits an application to the Assistant Secretary which meets such criteria as the Assistant Secretary may by regulation prescribe. Each such application shall—

(1) provide that the eligible tribal organization will evaluate the need for supportive and nutrition services among older individuals who are Indians to be represented by the tribal organization;

(2) provide for the use of such methods of administration as are necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the program to be assisted;

(3) provide that the tribal organization will make such reports in such form and containing such information, as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably require, and comply with such requirements as the Assistant Secretary may impose to assure the correctness of such reports;

(4) provide for periodic evaluation of activities and projects carried out under the application;

(5) establish objectives consistent with the purposes of this part toward which activities under the application will be directed, identify obstacles to the attainment of such objectives, and indicate the manner in which the tribal organization proposes to overcome such obstacles;

(6) provide for establishing and maintaining information and assistance services to assure that older individuals who are Indians to be served by the assistance made available under this part will have reasonably convenient access to such services;

(7) provide a preference for older individuals who are Indians for full or part-time staff positions wherever feasible;

(8) provide assurances that either directly or by way of grant or contract with appropriate entities nutrition services will be delivered to older individuals who are Indians represented by the tribal organization substantially in compliance with the provisions of part C of subchapter III, except that in any case in which the need for nutritional services for older individuals who are Indians represented by the tribal organization is already met from other sources, the tribal organization may use the funds otherwise required to be expended under this paragraph for supportive services;

(9) provide that any legal or ombudsman services made available to older individuals who are Indians represented by the tribal organization will be substantially in compliance with the provisions of subchapter III relating to the furnishing of similar services;

(10) provide satisfactory assurance that fiscal control and fund accounting procedures will be adopted as may be necessary to assure proper disbursement of, and accounting for, Federal funds paid under this part to the tribal organization, including any funds paid by the tribal organization to a recipient of a grant or contract; and

(11) contain assurances that the tribal organization will coordinate services provided under this part with services provided under subchapter III in the same geographical area.

(b) Population statistics development

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For the purpose of any application submitted under this part, the tribal organization may develop its own population statistics, with approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in order to establish eligibility.

(c) Approval by Assistant Secretary

(1) The Assistant Secretary shall approve any application which complies with the provisions of subsection (a).

(2) The Assistant Secretary shall provide waivers and exemptions of the reporting requirements of subsection (a)(3) for applicants that serve Indian populations in geographically isolated areas, or applicants that serve small Indian populations, where the small scale of the project, the nature of the applicant, or other factors make the reporting requirements unreasonable under the circumstances. The Assistant Secretary shall consult with such applicants in establishing appropriate waivers and exemptions.

(3) The Assistant Secretary shall approve any application that complies with the provisions of subsection (a), except that in determining whether an application complies with the requirements of subsection (a)(8), the Assistant Secretary shall provide maximum flexibility to an applicant that seeks to take into account subsistence needs, local customs, and other characteristics that are appropriate to the unique cultural, regional, and geographic needs of the Indian populations to be served.

(4) In determining whether an application complies with the requirements of subsection (a)(11), the Assistant Secretary shall require only that an applicant provide an appropriate narrative description of the geographic area to be served and an assurance that procedures will be adopted to ensure against duplicate services being provided to the same recipients.

(d) Disapproval by Assistant Secretary

Whenever the Assistant Secretary determines not to approve an application submitted under subsection (a) the Assistant Secretary shall—

(1) state objections in writing to the tribal organization within 60 days after such decision;

(2) provide to the extent practicable technical assistance to the tribal organization to overcome such stated objections; and

(3) provide the tribal organization with a hearing, under such rules and regulations as the Assistant Secretary may prescribe.

(e) Funds per year

Whenever the Assistant Secretary approves an application of a tribal organization under this part, funds shall be awarded for not less than 12 months.