(a) Proposals for contracts under this subdivision shall be submitted in such form and manner and at such time as the Secretary acting through the Service may prescribe.

(b) The Secretary, acting through the Service shall select urban Indian organizations with which to contract under this subdivision whose proposals will in his judgment best promote the purposes of title V of the Act taking into consideration the following factors:

(1) The extent of the unmet health care needs of the urban Indians in the urban center involved determined on the basis of the latest available statistics on disease incidence and prevalence, life expectancy, infant mortality, dental needs, housing conditions, family income, unemployment statistics, etc.

(2) The urban Indian population which is to receive assistance in the following order of priority:

(i) 9,000 or more;

(ii) 4,500 to 9,000;

(iii) 3,000 to 4,500;

(iv) 1,000 to 3,000;

(v) Under 1,000.

(3) The relative accessibility which the urban Indian population to be served has to health care services, in the urban center. Factors to be considered in determining relative accessibility include:

(i) Cultural barriers;

(ii) Discrimination against Indians;

(iii) Inability to pay for health care;

(iv) Lack of facilities which provide free care to indigent persons;

(v) Lack of state or local health programs;

(vi) Technical barriers created by State and local health agencies;

(vii) Availability of transportation to health care services;

(viii) Distance between Indian residences and the nearest health care facility.

(4) The extent to which required activities under § 136.350(a) of this subdivision would duplicate any previous or current public or private health services projects in the urban center funded by another source. Factors to be considered in determining duplication include:

(i) Urban Indian utilization of existing health services funded by other sources;

(ii) Urban Indian utilization of existing health services delivered by an urban Indian organization funded by other sources.

(5) The appropriateness and likely effectiveness of the activities required in § 136.350(a) of this subdivision in the urban center involved.

(6) The capability of the applicant urban Indian organization to perform satisfactorily the activities required in § 136.350(a) of this subdivision and to contract with the Secretary.

(7) The extent of existing or likely future participation in the activities required in § 136.350(a) of this subdivision by appropriate health and health related Federal, State, local, and other resource agencies.

(8) Whether the city has an existing urban Indian health program.

(9) The applicant organization's record of performance, if any, in regard to any of the activities required in § 136.350(a) of this subdivision.

(10) Letters demonstrating local support for the applicant organization from both the Indian and non-Indian communities in the urban center involved.