Performance Based Contract Administration (PBCA) Program for the Administration of Project Based Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Contracts | Apply Online

Performance Based Contract Administration (PBCA) Program (FR-5600-NJ-33; CFDA 14.327) - FAQs

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This is a HUD discretionary funding competition under the Performance Based Contract Administration (PBCA) Program (Funding Opportunity Number FR-5600-NJ-33; CFDA 14.327). HUD uses cooperative agreements to fund public housing agencies (PHAs) to administer project-based Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts.

2) What is the purpose of the PBCA Program funding?

The funding supports PHAs that will carry out day-to-day contract administration for privately owned, HUD-assisted multifamily properties that receive project-based Section 8 rental subsidies. The model is intended to strengthen accountability and consistent oversight of subsidized housing contracts by tying payment to performance.

3) What type of agreement does HUD use for this program?

HUD uses cooperative agreements and engages the selected PHA through an Annual Contributions Contract (ACC), which establishes the formal relationship, responsibilities, and funding structure for administering the project-based Section 8 HAP contracts.

4) What is the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) in this context?

The ACC is the mechanism HUD uses to contract with a PHA to perform PBCA administrative work. It sets out the relationship between HUD and the PHA, including responsibilities and how administrative fees are handled. Exhibit A of the ACC includes detailed administrative fee rules (especially section 4) and performance measurement expectations via the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) (section 5).

5) What legal authority is referenced for this program?

The opportunity is grounded in the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. It references section 2 (policy related to helping states and local governments address shortages of decent, safe, and affordable housing while pushing responsibility and flexibility to high-performing PHAs). It also references section 8(b)(1) (authority for HUD to enter into ACCs with PHAs to administer Section 8 HAP contracts) and eligibility concepts tied to statutory definitions for project-based Section 8 programs (including section 3(b)(6)(A)).

6) Who is HUD looking for as applicants?

Eligibility is limited to qualified public housing agencies (PHAs). HUD specifies that the applicant must be a governmental entity recognized as a general or special purpose unit of government.

7) What kinds of government entities can qualify, based on the description?

The Responsible Local Official (RLO) must identify the applicant as an eligible government structure, such as a state, municipality, housing authority, or governmental public benefit corporation. The description also notes certain multi-state, interstate, and regional governmental entities, or instrumentalities, may be eligible.

8) Who makes the final determination of eligibility?

HUD makes the final determination about legal eligibility. This is especially important for applicants with complex organizational structures or intergovernmental arrangements.

9) What does a PBCA actually do under this program?

Under this opportunity, a selected PHA serves as a performance-based contract administrator for privately owned, HUD-assisted multifamily properties with project-based Section 8 rental subsidies. The PHA administers the project-based Section 8 HAP contracts under the ACC relationship with HUD.

10) What does "performance-based" mean in this funding model?

HUD ties payment of the Basic Administrative Fee Earned to whether the PHA meets defined quality and timeliness standards. Instead of paying a flat fee regardless of outcomes, HUD uses performance measures and periodic assessments to determine earned administrative fee payments.

11) What is the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS)?

The PRS is the scorecard HUD uses to measure how well the PHA is performing. It is included in section 5 of Exhibit A of the ACC and is used to evaluate whether the PHA meets required standards for the work.

12) How is performance measured under the PRS?

The PRS lays out eight Performance Based Tasks (PBTs). For each task, it specifies: the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL), the percentage of the administrative fee allocation tied to that task (Performance Based Allocation Percentage), the evaluation method HUD will use, and how often HUD will assess results and make payments.

13) How many performance-based tasks are included?

The PRS includes eight Performance Based Tasks (PBTs).

14) What is an Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)?

Based on the description, the AQL is the quality threshold specified in the PRS for each Performance Based Task that the PHA must meet as part of HUDs performance-based evaluation.

15) How does the administrative fee relate to performance?

Payment of the Basic Administrative Fee Earned is tied to meeting quality and timeliness standards. The PRS assigns a percentage of the administrative fee allocation to each Performance Based Task, linking fee earnings to measured performance outcomes.

16) Where are the detailed administrative fee rules described?

Administrative fee rules are described in Exhibit A of the ACC, particularly section 4.

17) How many awards did HUD anticipate making?

HUD anticipated making about 42 awards.

18) What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount was $260,000,000.

19) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is community development and housing.

20) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of award (based on the provided description).

21) When was the opportunity posted and created?

The timeline indicates the opportunity was posted on March 9, 2012, and created on April 23, 2012.

22) What were the closing dates and what changed?

The original closing date was April 10, 2012, and it was later extended to a current closing date of June 11, 2012.

23) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was June 17, 2012.

24) How were application materials provided?

Application materials were provided through an application package and instructions link. The description includes a note to download using the CFDA number only, reflecting how documents were indexed on HUD/grants portals at that time.

25) Who was the listed point of contact for questions or technical access issues?

The listed point of contact was Mr. Kerry E. Hickman, reachable at (202) 402-3885 (not toll-free).

26) What is the core goal of the program as described?

The opportunity aims to place administration of project-based Section 8 HAP contracts in the hands of capable PHAs and to pay them through an ACC structure that rewards meeting HUD-defined performance standards across eight core administrative task areas.