[Federal Register: August 20, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 161)]
[Notices]
[Page 50152]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20au03-61]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 03162]
Expansion of HIV/AIDS/STD Monitoring, Evaluation and Other
Program Support in the Government of Brazil; Notice of Intent to Fund
Single Eligibility Award
A. Purpose
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the
intent to fund fiscal year (FY) 2003 funds for a cooperative agreement
program for the improvement and expansion of HIV/AIDS/STD prevention
and support activities in Brazil. The Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance number for this program is 93.941.
B. Eligible Applicant
Assistance will be provided only to the Foundation for the
Scientific and Technological Development in Health (FIOTEC). The
Brazilian Government has conducted the National response to the HIV/
AIDS epidemic in Brazil primarily through the Ministry of Health
division referred to as the National Coordination of STDs and HIV (CN
DST-HIV). This coordination has been supported both by the Ministry of
Finance and two World Bank Loans/Grants, a third three-year loan is
currently being implemented FY 2003. The CN DST-HIV receives its only
funding directly from the Ministry of Finance, there is no fiscal unit
or mechanism to receive or manage direct funding from other donor
agencies.
In 1999, the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MOH) requested the
Global AIDS Program (GAP) to conduct a needs assessment of their
National AIDS Program. As a result of this assessment the Brazilian MOH
invited the Global Aids Program to provide technical assistance to the
National Coordination for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS
Program in Brazil (CN DST/AIDS). The CN DST-HIV implements its
strategic plan through a number of governmental and non-governmental
agencies, including Federal Universities. These partner organizations
often provide a variety of technical, programmatic and management
services to the National Coordination. One such organization is FIOTEC.
FIOTEC is a foundation that draws on the collective body of Health
Researchers from a group of research institutes called the Oswaldo Cruz
Foundation, or FIOCRUZ. There are a number of these institutes located
across the country working in close collaboration with Federal, State
and Municipal Health offices. These research institutes work in areas
of applied research of infectious diseases control and public health
management.
FIOTEC also is a management organization with a strong fiscal unit
that manages several international grant awards to the Governmental of
Brazil. The foundation has an established record of transparent fiscal
management with international grants that could avail its services to
manage this cooperative agreement. To date, HHS/CDC/GAP has not worked
with this foundation.
HHS/CDC/GAP and the CN DST-HIV are currently entering into a joint
collaboration, through a Memorandum of Understanding, that is designed
to assist them in building a Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and to
further scale up these activities at the State and Municipal levels of
Government.
As noted above, the CN DST/AIDS is the only organization that can
carry out these activities. However, the CN DST/AIDS has no financial
mechanism for the direct receipt of funds. It has no fiscal unit and
cannot enter into a direct cooperative agreement with GAP Brazil or any
other agency. Presently, the CN DST/AIDS receives funds from the
Ministry of Health in three ways (1) directly from the Ministry of
Finance (2) through an agreement with the United Nations, and (3)
through a cooperative agreement with MOH/FIOTEC.
FIOTEC/FIOCRUZ has been identified by the MOH/CN DST/AIDS as the
domestic organization to assist in this effort and would benefit in the
long term from CDC's expertise to institutionalize these methodologies
of Monitoring and Evaluation. Therefore, after much examination and
negotiation to find the best mechanism to initiate and manage this CDC
Cooperative Agreement--the Ministry of Health has determined that the
only mechanism to operationalize this Cooperative Agreement between
them and HHS/CDC/GAP is through FIOTEC.
C. Funding
Approximately $1,000,000 is available in FY 2003 to fund this
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before September
15, 2003, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a
project period of up to four years. Funding estimates may change. None
of these funds may be used to support travel to or from or activities
in Cuba.
D. Where to Obtain Additional Information
For general comments or 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 technical questions about this program, contact: William E.
Brady, Global AIDS Program (GAP), Brazil Country Team, National Center
for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Brazil-CDC AIDS Project Team, CN DST/AIDS, Brasilia,
Brazil, Telephone: 55-61 273-4851, e-mail: web0@cdc.gov.
Dated: August 14, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-21265 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P