(a) Timeline in awarding agreement
Not later than 6 months after receiving an application in accordance with section
1397n–1 of this title, the Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships, shall determine whether to enter into an agreement for a social impact partnership project with a State or local government.
(b) Considerations in awarding agreement
In determining whether to enter into an agreement for a social impact partnership project (the application for which was submitted under section
1397n–1 of this title) 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 consider each of the following:
(1) The recommendations made by the Commission on Social Impact Partnerships.
(2) The value to the Federal Government of the outcomes expected to be achieved if the outcomes specified in the agreement are achieved as a result of the intervention.
(3) The likelihood, based on evidence provided in the application and other evidence, that the State or local government in collaboration with the intermediary and the service providers will achieve the outcomes.
(4) The savings to the Federal Government if the outcomes specified in the agreement are achieved as a result of the intervention.
(5) The savings to the State and local governments if the outcomes specified in the agreement are achieved as a result of the intervention.
(6) The expected quality of the evaluation that would be conducted with respect to the agreement.
(7) The capacity and commitment of the State or local government to sustain the intervention, if appropriate and timely and if the intervention is successful, beyond the period of the social impact partnership.
(c) Agreement authority
(1) Agreement requirements
In accordance with this section, 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, may enter into an agreement for a social impact partnership project with a State or local government if the Secretary, in consultation with the Federal Interagency Council on Social Impact Partnerships, determines that each of the following requirements are met:
(A) The State or local government agrees to achieve one or more outcomes as a result of the intervention, as specified in the agreement and validated by independent evaluation, in order to receive payment.
(B) The Federal payment to the State or local government for each specified outcome achieved as a result of the intervention is less than or equal to the value of the outcome to the Federal Government over a period not to exceed 10 years, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the State or local government.
(C) The duration of the project does not exceed 10 years.
(D) The State or local government has demonstrated, through the application submitted under section
1397n–1 of this title, that, based on prior rigorous experimental evaluations or rigorous quasi-experimental studies, the intervention can be expected to achieve each outcome specified in the agreement.
(E) The State, local government, intermediary, or service provider has experience raising private or philanthropic capital to fund social service investments (if applicable to the project).
(F) The State or local government has shown that each service provider has experience delivering the intervention, a similar intervention, or has otherwise demonstrated the expertise necessary to deliver the intervention.
(2) Payment
The Secretary shall pay the State or local government only if the independent evaluator described in section
1397n–4 of this title determines that the social impact partnership project has met the requirements specified in the agreement and achieved an outcome as a result of the intervention, as specified in the agreement and validated by independent evaluation.
(d) Notice of Agreement Award
Not later than 30 days after entering into an agreement under this section the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register that includes, with regard to the agreement, the following:
(1) The outcome goals of the social impact partnership project.
(2) A description of each intervention in the project.
(3) The target population that will be served by the project.
(4) The expected social benefits to participants who receive the intervention and others who may be impacted.
(5) The detailed roles, responsibilities, and purposes of each Federal, State, or local government entity, intermediary, service provider, independent evaluator, investor, or other stakeholder.
(6) The payment terms, the methodology used to calculate outcome payments, the payment schedule, and performance thresholds.
(7) The project budget.
(8) The project timeline.
(9) The project eligibility criteria.
(10) The evaluation design.
(11) The metrics that will be used in the evaluation to determine whether the outcomes have been achieved as a result of each intervention and how these metrics will be measured.
(12) The estimate of the savings to the Federal, State, and local government, on a program-by-program basis and in the aggregate, if the agreement is entered into and implemented and the outcomes are achieved as a result of each intervention.
(e) Authority to transfer administration of agreement
The Secretary may transfer to the head of another Federal agency the authority to administer (including making payments under) an agreement entered into under subsection (c), and any funds necessary to do so.
(f) Requirement on funding used to benefit children
Not less than 50 percent of all Federal payments made to carry out agreements under this section shall be used for initiatives that directly benefit children.