[Federal Register: June 26, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 38047-38049]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26jn03-90]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 03125]
Mental Health of Humanitarian Aid Workers Program; Notice of
Availability of Funds
Application Deadline: July 28, 2003.
A. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
This program is authorized under sections 301, 307, and 317 of the
Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241, 2421, and 247b], as amended.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.
B. Purpose
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2003 funds for a cooperative agreement
program to design a program to mitigate the impact of stress and trauma
on humanitarian aid workers. Measurable outcomes from this program
would include a functional framework for stress and trauma prevention
measures in humanitarian aid organizations.
C. Eligible Applicants
Assistance will be provided to a public, private, for-profit, or
non-profit organization (including faith-based organizations) that has
an international capacity to plan programs to mitigate the impact of
traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
Competition is being limited to organizations with specific
capacity and experience working with humanitarian aid workers due to
the unusual nature of traumatic exposures that humanitarian aid workers
receive in the course of their work. This experience is paramount to
understanding the unique needs of this population.
Note: Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that
an organization described in section 501c(4) of the Internal Revenue
Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive
Federal funds constituting an award, grant or loan.
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D. Funding
Availability of Funds
Approximately $100,000 is available in FY 2003 to fund one award.
It is expected that the award will begin on or about September 1, 2003
and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project period
of up to three years. Funding estimates may change.
Continuation awards within an approved project period will be made
on the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required reports
and the availability of funds.
Use of Funds
1. Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes, including
personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Equipment may be purchased
if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives; however, prior
approval by CDC officials must be requested in writing.
2. All requests for funds contained in the budget, shall be stated
in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, CDC will not compensate foreign
grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the issuance of
supplemental awards.
3. The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic
organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and international
organizations, with the following exception: With the exception of the
American University, Beirut, and the World Health Organization,
Indirect Costs will not be paid (either directly or through sub-award)
to organizations located outside the territorial limits of the United
States or to international organizations regardless of their location.
4. The applicant may contract with other organizations under this
program; however the applicant must perform a substantial portion of
the activities (including program management and operations, and
delivery of prevention services for which funds are required.)
5. You must obtain annual audit of these CDC funds (program-
specific audit) by a U.S.-based audit firm with international branches
and current licensure/authority in-country, and in accordance with
International Accounting Standards or equivalent standard(s) approved
in writing by CDC.
6. A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, prior
to or post award, in order to review the applicant's business
management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S.
Federal funds.
Recipient Financial Participation
Matching funds are not required for this program.
E. Program Requirements
In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,
the recipient will be responsible for the activities listed in 1.
Recipient Activities, and CDC will be responsible for the activities
listed in 2. CDC Activities.
1. Recipient Activities
a. Identify and incorporate public health principles into the
planning of a program to mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on
humanitarian aid workers.
b. Design materials and strategies to facilitate the implementation
of programs to mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian
aid workers.
c. Plan, implement and support programs and/or strategies which
will highlight the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid
workers and raise the awareness in humanitarian organizations of the
need for prevention and mitigation programs.
d. Develop any required research protocols for Institutional Review
Board (IRB) review.
2. CDC Activities
a. Provide consultation, technical assistance and collaboration in
planning program activities.
b. Provide consultation, technical assistance and collaboration in
implementing program activities.
c. Prepare and present reports and materials related to activities
conducted under this program for wide distribution to the international
community.
d. Assist in the development of a research protocol for
Institutional Review Board (IRB) review by all cooperating institutions
participating in the research project. The CDC IRB will review and
approve the protocol initially and on at least an annual basis until
the research project is completed.
F. Content
Letter of Intent (LOI)
A LOI is not required for this program.
Applications
The Program Announcement title and number must appear in the
application. Use the information in the Program Requirements, Other
Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the
application content. Your application will be evaluated on the criteria
listed, so it is important to follow them in laying out your program
plan. The narrative should be no more than twenty pages, double-spaced,
printed on one side, with one-inch margins, and unreduced 12-point
font.
The narrative should consist of, at minimum, a plan, objectives,
methods, evaluation, and budget. The program plan should address
activities to be conducted over the entire three-year project period.
Provide a detailed budget and justification based on the funds
available.
G. Submission and Deadline
Application Forms
Submit the signed original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number
1920-0428). Forms are available at the following Internet address:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm
If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have
difficulty accessing the forms on-line, you may contact the CDC
Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section
(PGO-TIM) at: 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to you.
Submission Date, Time, and Address
The application must be received by 4 p.m. Eastern Time July 28,
2003. Submit the application to: Technical Information Management-
PA03125, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
Applications may not be submitted electronically.
CDC Acknowledgement of Application Receipt
A postcard will be mailed by PGO-TIM, notifying you that CDC has
received your application.
Deadline
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are received before 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Any
applicant who sends their application by the United States Postal
Service or commercial delivery services must ensure that the carrier
will be able to guarantee delivery of the application by the closing
date and time. If an application is received after closing due to (1)
carrier error, when the carrier accepted the package with a guarantee
for delivery by the closing date and time, or (2) significant weather
delays or natural disasters, CDC will upon receipt of proper
documentation, consider the application as having been received by the
deadline.
Any application that does not meet the above criteria will not be
eligible for competition, and will be discarded. The
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applicant will be notified of their failure to meet the submission
requirements.
H. Evaluation Criteria
Application
Applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that
will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified
objectives of the cooperative agreement. Measures of effectiveness must
relate to the performance goals stated in the purpose section of this
announcement. Measures must be objective and quantitative and must
measure the intended outcome. These measures of effectiveness must be
submitted with the application and will be an element of evaluation.
An independent review group appointed by CDC will evaluate each
application against the following criteria:
1. Scientific or Technical Approach (30 points). Provide evidence
of demonstrated scientific expertise involving the mitigation of
traumatic stress in humanitarian aid workers.
2. Methodology and Approach (30 points)
a. Provide evidence of demonstrated expertise in methodology for
the evaluation and development of programs that prevent and/or mitigate
the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
b. Demonstrate experience in providing staff training, strategic
planning, and logistical support to programs that prevent and/or
mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
3. Staff Experience and Capability (30 points). Provide evidence of
demonstrated technical expertise and professional capability of staff
in the field of psycho-social services and public health related to
humanitarian aid workers.
4. Understanding of the Project (10 points).
a. Demonstrated clarity, feasibility, and practicality of the
proposed plan to accomplish this project.
b. Demonstrated recognition of the potential difficulties in
performance and appropriateness and soundness of proposed solutions.
5. Budget Justification (not scored). The extent to which the
budget is clearly explained, adequately justified, and is reasonable
and consistent with the stated objectives and planned activities.
6. Human Subjects (not scored). The extent to which the applicant
complies with the Department of Health and Human Services Regulations
(45 CFR Part 46) regarding the protection of human subjects. An
application can be disapproved if the research risks are sufficiently
serious and protection against risks is so inadequate as to make the
entire application unacceptable.
I. Other Requirements
Technical Reporting Requirements
1. Provide CDC with an interim progress report, due no less than 90
days before the end of the budget period. This progress report will
serve as your non-competing continuation application, and must contain
the following elements:
a. Progress on Current Budget Period Objectives and Activities.
b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
c. New Budget Period Proposed Program Objectives and Activities.
d. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification.
2. Financial Status Reports are due within 90 days of the end of
the budget period.
3. Final financial reports and performance reports are due within
90 days after the end of the project period. Send all reports to the
Grants Management Specialist identified in the ``Where to Obtain
Additional Information'' section of this announcement.
Additional Requirements
The following additional requirements are applicable to this
program. For a complete description of each, see Attachment I of the
program announcement, as posted on the CDC web site.
AR-1--Human Subjects Review
AR-12--Lobbying Restrictions
AR-14--Accounting System Requirements
AR-15--Proof of Non-Profit Status
Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.
J. Where To Obtain Additional Information
This, and other CDC announcements, the necessary applications, and
associated forms can be found on the CDC web site, Internet address:
http://www.cdc.gov.
Click on ``Funding'' then ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements''.
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical
Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For business management and budget assistance, contact: Diane
Flournoy, Grants Management Specialist, Procurement and Grants Office,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road,
Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2072, E-mail address:
dmf6@cdc.gov. For program technical assistance, contact: Barbara Lopes Cardozo,
International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch, National Center for
Environmental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail
Stop F-48, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-
4138, E-mail address: BLopesCardozo@cdc.gov.
Dated: June 20, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-16150 Filed 6-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P