(a) The grant application review process shall consist of three steps:
  (1) initial screening;
  (2) peer review; and
  (3) council review and approval.
(b) Initial screening.
  (1) Program staff members shall review each grant application to determine whether the grant application complies with the requirements contained in this subchapter and the relevant NOFA published by the council. Grant applications that do not meet these requirements will not be eligible for review under this section.
  (2) A program staff member shall submit each grant application that meets the requirements described in subsection (b)(1) of this section to the peer review panel for review.
(c) Peer review.
  (1) Peer review panel members shall review each grant application that is submitted for review by program staff as described in subsection (b)(2) of this section.
  (2) Peer review panel members shall assign a score for the application based on the application's merit and accounting for the criteria in the relevant NOFA published by the council, and shall submit this information to a program staff member.
  (3) If a peer review panel member recommends changes to the grant funds amount requested by the grant applicant or to the goals and objectives or timeline for the proposed grant project, the recommended changes and explanation shall be submitted to a program staff member.
  (4) The peer review panel's scores, rankings and other information submitted for the council's consideration are recommendations and are advisory only.
(d) Council review and approval.
  (1) After receipt of the peer review scores and recommendations described in subsection (c) of this section, program staff members shall compile a list of grant applications reviewed by the peer review panel ranked in order by the final overall evaluation score. The final evaluation score is determined by averaging together the scores assigned by the peer review panel members under subsection (c)(2) of this section.
  (2) For each application, a program staff member shall submit to council members:
    (A) the grant application's final overall peer review evaluation score;
    (B) the grant application's peer review ranking;
    (C) a summary of the grant application;
    (D) other information submitted by the peer review panel for the council's consideration; and
    (E) any other information required for the council's consideration of the grant application.
  (3) In making grant award decisions, the council:
    (A) shall ensure that grant funds are allocated fairly and spent to remediate the opioid crisis in this state by using efficient and cost-effective methods in accordance with the opioid strategies approved by the council under Government Code, §403.509(a)(1) and §16.201 of this subchapter, and the grant issuance plan adopted by the council under §16.202 of this subchapter; and
    (B) may consider factors including:
      (i) a grant applicant's experience;
      (ii) a grant project's estimated timeline;
      (iii) matching funds or sustainability plan, if any;
      (iv) cost effectiveness, efficacy and overall impact of the grant project;
      (v) geographic location of the grant project;
      (vi) community partnerships; and
      (vii) any additional factors listed in the relevant NOFA published by the council.
  (4) The council shall vote on each grant application in accordance with Government Code, §403.509(c). The council may vote on multiple grant applications at one time.
  (5) If the council approves a grant award, the council shall specify the total amount of money approved to fund the grant project.
  (6) All grant funding decisions are final and are not subject to appeal.
  (7) The approval of a grant award shall not obligate the council to make any additional, supplemental, or other grant award.

Source Note: The provisions of this §16.208 adopted to be effective July 10, 2023, 48 TexReg 3700