[Federal Register: December 2, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 231)]
[Notices]
[Page 67566-67575]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02de03-157]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Prevention Projects for
Community-Based Organizations
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: 04064.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.939.
Key Dates
Letter of Intent Deadline: December 22, 2003.
Application Deadline: February 6, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under sections 301(a) and
317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241 and 42
U.S.C. 247b(k)(2)], as amended.
Purpose: The purpose of the program announcement is consistent with
CDC's Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) performance plan
and the CDC goal to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the
United States. Funds are available under this announcement for HIV
prevention projects for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).
This program announcement addresses the ``Healthy People 2010''
focus area of HIV Prevention.
Measurable outcomes of this program will be in alignment with one
(or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center
for HIV, STD and TB Prevention (NCHSTP):
[sbull] Decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring
or transmitting HIV.
[sbull] Increase the proportion of HIV-infected people who know
they are infected.
[sbull] Increase the proportion of HIV-infected people who are
linked to appropriate prevention, care, and treatment services.
[sbull] Strengthen the capacity nationwide to monitor the epidemic,
develop and implement effective HIV prevention interventions, and
evaluate prevention programs.
The specific objectives of this announcement are to:
[sbull] Reduce HIV transmission.
[sbull] Increase the proportion of individuals at high risk for HIV
infection who receive appropriate prevention services.
[sbull] Reduce barriers to early diagnosis of HIV infection.
[sbull] Increase the proportion of individuals at high risk for HIV
infection who become aware of their serostatus.
[sbull] Increase access to quality HIV medical care and ongoing
prevention services for individuals living with HIV.
[sbull] Address high priorities identified by the state or local
HIV prevention Community Planning Group (CPG).
[sbull] Complement HIV prevention activities and interventions
supported by state and local health departments.
Activities
Throughout this program announcement, you will be asked to adapt
and tailor CDC procedures, including Replicating Effective Programs
(REP) and Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) (see
Attachment I). This program announcement and all attachments for this
announcement are located on the CDC Web site http://www.cdc.gov. To
view CDC procedures, program announcement attachments and other
available technical assistance visit http://www2a.cdc.gov/hivpra/pa04064.html.
Definitions for terms used frequently throughout the
program announcement can be found in the Program Announcement Glossary
(see Attachment II). The terms defined below are used frequently
throughout the program announcement and are also included in the
Glossary.
For the purpose of this program announcement, an individual at high
risk for HIV infection is someone who has had unprotected sex or has
shared injecting equipment in a high-prevalence setting or with a
person who is living with HIV.
A high-prevalence setting is a geographic location or community
with an HIV seroprevalence greater than or equal to one percent.
An individual at very high risk for HIV infection is someone who
(within the past six months) has:
[sbull] Had unprotected sex with a person who is living with HIV.
[sbull] Had unprotected sex in exchange for money or drugs.
[sbull] Had multiple (greater than five) or anonymous unprotected
sex or needle-sharing partners.
OR
[sbull] Been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
If CDC funds your CBO, you will be responsible for one or more of
the following activities:
1. Conducting targeted outreach and providing Health Education/Risk
Reduction (HE/RR) for high-risk individuals.
2. Conducting targeted outreach and providing Counseling, Testing,
and
[[Page 67567]]
Referral (CTR) services for high-risk individuals.
3. Implementing one or more of the interventions below:
(a) Prevention for individuals living with HIV and their sex or
injecting drug-using partners who are HIV negative or unaware of their
HIV status.
(b) Prevention for individuals at very high risk for HIV infection.
(c) Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS).
You must also:
4. Set a baseline level, annual targets, and five year overall
target levels of performance for each core indicator identified by CDC
(see Attachment III for a description of program performance
indicators). If your CBO is funded, CDC will meet with you within 60
days to review the indicators. CDC will help you revise the indicators
if necessary. If you fail to achieve your target levels of performance,
CDC will work with you to improve performance. If your performance
fails to improve, CDC may reduce the award or defund your program.
5. Collect monitoring and evaluation data and report required data
to CDC's Program Evaluation and Monitoring System (PEMS) (see
Attachment IV for a description of PEMS).
6. Refer individuals living with HIV to prevention services and
medical care (including STD screening) if your CBO is unable to provide
them directly.
7. Refer individuals at very high risk for HIV infection to
prevention services if your CBO is unable to provide them directly.
8. Collaborate and participate in the HIV prevention community
planning process with your local health department.
9. Identify and address the capacity-building needs of your program
and participate in mandatory CDC-sponsored training.
In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in
program activities in addition to grant monitoring. If your CBO is
funded under this announcement, CDC involvement will include:
1. Providing assistance and consultation on program and
administrative issues directly or through partnerships with health
departments, national and regional minority organizations, contractors,
and other national and local organizations.
2. Working with you to assess your training needs and ensure that
those needs are met.
3. Disseminating current information, including best practices, in
all areas of HIV prevention.
4. Helping you to adopt effective intervention models through CDC
procedures, workshops, conferences, and other written materials.
5. Providing assistance and information on new rapid HIV testing
technologies.
6. Helping you establish partnerships with state and local health
departments, community planning groups, and other groups who receive
federal funding to support HIV/AIDS activities.
7. Ensuring that successful prevention interventions, program
models, and lessons learned are shared between grantees through
meetings, workshops, conferences, newsletter development, Internet, and
other avenues of communication.
8. Monitoring your success in program and fiscal activities,
protection of client privacy, and compliance with other organizational
requirements.
9. Developing program evaluation guidelines and protocols and
program monitoring systems (including indicators) and protocols.
10. Monitoring your progress toward achieving your target level of
performance for each core indicator, and by working with you if you
fail to achieve your target levels of performance.
11. Providing assistance with required program indicators.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
Approximate Total Funding: $49,000,000.
CDC anticipates the following distribution of funds: $12 million
for targeted outreach and health education/risk reduction; $14 million
for targeted outreach and counseling, testing and referral services
(CTR); and $23 million for prevention interventions.
Approximate Number of Awards: 160.
Approximate Average Award: $300,000.
Floor of Award Range: $100,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: June 1, 2004.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: Up to 5 years.
Continuation awards within an approved project period will be
determined by the availability of funds and the best interest of the
Federal Government. To be granted a continuation award, you must have:
[sbull] Completed all recipient requirements.
[sbull] Achieved your annual target levels of performance for each
core indicator.
[sbull] Submitted all required reports.
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
Applications may only be submitted by eligible CBOs, including
faith-based CBOs. CBOs may apply under one of the following categories:
Category A: Providing HIV prevention services to members of racial/
ethnic minority communities who are at high risk for HIV infection.
Category B: Providing HIV prevention services to members of groups
at high risk for HIV infection regardless of their race/ethnicity.
Other Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, your CBO must meet all criteria listed below. Your
CBO must:
A. Have tax-exempt status.
B. Be located in the area(s) where services will be provided or
have provided services in the area for at least three years.
C. Have discussed the details of your proposed CTR program with the
health department and have agreed to follow their guidelines for these
services if your CBO provides them (see Attachment V for a list of
requirements).
D. Not be a government or municipal agency, private or public
university or college, or private hospital.
E. Not be a 501(c) (4) organization.
Note: Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that
an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to
receive federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.
F. If applying under Category A, your CBO must:
1. Have proof that 85 percent of the persons your CBO has served in
each of the last three years were of racial/ethnic minority
populations.
2. Have provided HIV prevention services in each of the last three
years to your proposed high-risk population.
G. If applying under Category B, your CBO must:
1. Have proof that over 50 percent of the persons your program has
served in each of the last three years were from high-risk groups,
regardless of their race/ethnicity.
2. Have a program that has provided HIV prevention or care services
in each of the last three years to your proposed target population, or
have access to high-risk populations who do not have the services
funded under this announcement available in their geographic area, such
as transgender, drug-injecting women, and Native American populations.
Note: All information submitted with your application is subject
to verification during pre-decisional site visits.
[[Page 67568]]
This program announcement is limited to CBOs due to their
credibility among individuals living with HIV and those at very high
risk for HIV infection. CBOs have proven their ability to access hard-
to-reach populations (e.g., Intravenous Drug Users) that have
traditionally suffered exclusion from mainstream interventions and
agencies.
Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Letter of Intent (LOI)
Inform CDC that you plan to apply for funding by filling out the
form found in Attachment VI. Please fax, mail, or e-mail your LOI to us
by December 22, 2003. You may also complete this form online at: http://www2a.cdc.gov/hivpra/pa04064.html
.
Although a letter of intent is not required, this information will
assist CDC in planning for the review process.
Your LOI must contain:
[sbull] Your organization name, address, executive director.
[sbull] A description of your target population.
[sbull] A statement of your intent to apply and category under
which you are eligible to apply (e.g., Category A or Category B).
Your application should not accompany your LOI.
How to Obtain Application Forms: To apply for funding under this
program announcement, use application form PHS 5161-1. Application
forms and instructions are available on the CDC Web site, 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) staff at 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to
you.
This program announcement provides final guidance on application
format, content, and deadlines. If there are differences between the
application form instructions and the program announcement, adhere to
the guidance in the program announcement.
You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative
agreement from the federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711.
For more information, visit the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/pubcommt.htm
.
If your application form does not have a DUNS number field, please
write your DUNS number at the top of the first page of your
application, and/or include your DUNS number in your application cover
letter.
Application Content and Form of Submission
You must submit a signed original and two copies of your
application forms.
You must include a project narrative with your application forms.
Your narrative should address the activities that that your CBO will
conduct over the entire five-year project period.
Your narrative must be submitted in the following format:
There is a maximum limit of 40 single-spaced pages. If your
narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first 40 pages will be
reviewed.
[sbull] 12 point, unreduced font size.
[sbull] 8.5 by 11 inch paper.
[sbull] One-inch margins on each page.
[sbull] Printed only on one side of paper.
[sbull] Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not
bound in any other way.
This section of the program announcement defines program
requirements. You must describe your plans to address each requirement.
Your application will be reviewed based on your answers to the
questions in subsections A through I. Please answer each question with
complete sentences and provide all requested documents. If you fail to
provide the required documents, your application will not be considered
for review.
This section also lists the core program indicators that will be
used to measure your program's success. In your application, you are
required to make an effort to report on the baseline level for each
indicator, as well as projected one-year interim and five-year overall
target levels of performance. When you apply for funding continuation,
you will have the opportunity to revise your baseline, interim, and
overall levels of performance, as specified in the guidance for
completing your continuation application. In subsequent reports, you
will report on the progress your CBO has made toward achieving your
target level of performance for each core indicator.
When answering questions for subsections A-I, you must:
[sbull] Label your application using the subsection title and name
of the subsection (e.g., A. Eligibility) if applicable.
[sbull] Use the abbreviation N/A (not applicable), if a question or
subsection does not apply to your application.
A. Eligibility
Suggested length: ten pages or less.
This section will not count toward the 40 page limit of your
application, but it will determine if you are eligible for funding.
Place all documents requested in subsection A in Appendix A, labeled
Proof of Eligibility.
In your application, answer the following questions:
1. Are you applying under Category A: Providing HIV prevention
services to members of racial/ethnic minority communities who are at
high risk for HIV infection or Category B: Providing HIV prevention
services to members of groups at high risk for HIV infection regardless
of their race/ethnicity?
Note: For questions two through five, please provide
documentation. Proof of location, history, and service must include
at least one copy of a progress report describing services to the
population served, a letter from one of your funding organizations,
process monitoring data, service utilization data (which includes
client characteristics), or a newspaper article.
2. Does your CBO have a valid Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or state proof of incorporation as a non-
profit organization? If you answer yes, you must attach a copy of the
letter from the IRS or a copy of your state proof of incorporation. If
you answer no, you are not eligible to apply for funding under this
program announcement.
3. Are you located in the area in which services will be provided,
or have you provided services in that area for at least three years?
4. If your CBO is applying under Category A:
(a) What proportion of the individuals your organization has served
during each of last three years were members of racial/ethnic minority
populations?
(b) What evidence do you have that your CBO has provided HIV
prevention services in each of the last three years to your proposed
high-risk population?
5. If your CBO is applying under Category B:
(a) What evidence do you have that your program has provided HIV
prevention or care services to your proposed target population during
each of the last three years, or has access to high-risk populations
who do not have services available in the area?
[[Page 67569]]
(b) What proportion of individuals served by your program during
the last three years were from high-risk groups?
6. Is your organization a governmental or municipal agency, a
government-affiliated organization or agency (e.g., health department,
school board, public hospital), or a private or public university or
college?
7. Is your organization included in the category described in
section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engages in
lobbying activities?
8. If you plan to offer HIV counseling and testing or partner
counseling and referral services, have you discussed your proposed
program with the health department? Have you agreed to follow the
health department's guidelines for these services? Provide a letter
from the health department addressing each item included in the sample
letter. (Use Attachment VII).
9. Do you have voluntary counseling and testing, or care or
treatment services, available onsite? If not, please provide a letter
of intent to provide these services through another agency/agencies.
10. Is your organization applying as a single CBO, as a member of a
coalition, or as a lead organization in a coalition, e.g., a
collaborative contractual partnership? Please indicate which.
11. Is your organization currently funded under CDC Program
Announcement 99091, 99092, 99096, 00023, 00100, 01033, 01163 or 03003?
Please indicate which announcement(s).
B. Justification of Need
Suggested length: five pages.
Note: Contact your health department to obtain HIV/AIDS
statistics and HIV needs assessment data developed for the community
planning process. This information will help you answer the
questions in this section.
In your application, please answer the following questions:
1. What kind of services does your agency provide?
2. Which organizations provide similar services in your area?
3. Who is your proposed target population for this program
announcement? Complete Attachment VIII and include it in your
application as Appendix B.
4. What are the behaviors that place your target population at high
risk for HIV infection or for transmitting the virus?
5. How has your proposed target population been affected by the
HIV/AIDS epidemic? (e.g., HIV incidence or prevalence, AIDS incidence
or prevalence, AIDS mortality)
6. What history do you have serving this population? (Please
explain how long you have provided services, describe what kinds of
services have been provided, describe the outcomes of services you
provided, and describe your relationship with the community.)
7. How do your staff members reflect your proposed target
population? (Please describe, in aggregate, the characteristics of your
key program staff in terms of experience working with the target
population, gender, race/ethnicity, HIV serostatus, area of behavioral
risk expertise, or other relevant factors.)
8. How will you involve the target population when planning and
implementing your proposed services?
9. How will your proposed activities meet the needs of your target
population or improve available services?
10. What services do you plan to provide under this program
announcement? List all that apply in your application.
(a) Targeted outreach and HE/RR to high-risk individuals.
(b) Targeted outreach and CTR.
(c) Prevention interventions for individuals living with HIV and
their sex or injection drug-using partners.
(d) Prevention interventions for individuals at very high risk for
HIV infection.
(e) Partner counseling and referral services.
C. Targeted Outreach and Health Education/Risk Reduction for High-Risk
Individuals
Suggested length: five pages.
1. If you are applying for targeted outreach and HE/RR services,
you must conduct activities listed in sections F, G, H, and I. You must
also:
(a) Using CDC procedures including REP and DEBI, (see Attachment
I), implement targeted strategies to increase the number of high-risk
individuals who reduce their risk for HIV infection and consent to
testing. Your strategies should aim to reach high-risk individuals who
have not tested in the last six months or do not know their HIV
serostatus. Activities should be conducted in a setting that is
comfortable and accessible to your clients. Your strategies should also
improve access to other local HIV prevention services. The following
strategies will be supported:
(1) Targeted outreach.
(2) Individual-level interventions.
(3) Small group-level interventions.
(4) Referral networks.
(b) Offer voluntary HIV counseling and testing to each individual
identified through your program. If you do not conduct testing, you
must establish a formal agreement with another agency/agencies to
provide testing.
(c) Collect and report process and outcome monitoring data on the
services you provide, including core performance indicators, as
directed in the PEMS and the Evaluation Guidance.
2. In your application, please answer the following questions:
(a) How will you target your efforts to reach high-risk individuals
who have not been tested in the last six months or do not know their
HIV serostatus?
(b) How will you identify and address barriers to accessing your
target population?
(c) How will you involve your target population when planning and
implementing your proposed services?
(d) How will you ensure that your activities will reach individuals
at high risk for HIV infection who are unaware of their HIV serostatus
or are not receiving prevention or care services?
(e) How will you adapt and tailor relevant CDC procedures,
including REP and DEBI, into your existing or proposed program?
(f) How will you ensure access to voluntary HIV counseling and
testing services?
(g) What are your quality assurance strategies?
(h) How will you train, support, and retain staff to conduct
interventions?
(i) How will you ensure client confidentiality?
(j) How will you ensure that your services are culturally sensitive
and relevant?
(k) What are your baseline levels, projected one-year interim, and
five-year overall target levels of performance for the following core
program indicators?
(1) The mean number of outreach contacts required to get one person
with unknown or negative serostatus to access counseling and testing.
(2) The proportion of persons who access counseling and testing
from each of the following interventions: individual-level
interventions and group-level interventions.
(3) Proportion of persons that completed the intended number of
sessions for each of the following interventions: Individual-level
interventions and group-level interventions.
D. Targeted Outreach and Counseling, Testing, and Referral Services
(CTR)
Suggested length: seven pages.
1. If you are applying for targeted outreach and CTR, you must
conduct activities listed in sections F, G, H and I. You must also:
[[Page 67570]]
(a) Use CDC procedures, including REP and DEBI, (see Attachment I)
to provide counseling and voluntary HIV-testing services to high-risk
individuals identified through your outreach strategies. CDC encourages
recipients to use a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
waived rapid test when appropriate and to process confirmatory tests at
the state or local health department laboratory. (Research has shown
that the use of rapid HIV tests increases the number of individuals who
receive their results; and knowledge of HIV serostatus promotes safer
behaviors.) Your proposed activities must meet all local, state, and
federal requirements for HIV prevention counseling, testing, and
referral services. If required by state regulations, provide a letter
of intent from a physician stating his/her involvement in HIV-testing
activities. This letter must address each item included in the sample
letter (use Attachment VII).
Funding may be used to cover testing-related costs. You must share
your plans with the health department and obtain a letter of support to
be eligible for funding.
(b) Provide post-test prevention counseling services for persons
whose HIV test results are negative, but who are at ongoing very high
risk for HIV infection. You must also provide appropriate prevention
interventions for this population. If you cannot provide these services
directly, you must refer these individuals to appropriate prevention
interventions. Contact your health department to identify available
referral services in your area.
(c) Provide post-test counseling services for persons whose HIV
test results are positive. You must refer these individuals to the
health department for Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS).
(d) Establish a formal agreement with a laboratory and provide a
plan for ensuring training, oversight, quality assurance, and
compliance with CLIA requirements and relevant state and local
regulations applicable to waived testing, if you will be using a waived
rapid HIV test. Obtain a CLIA Certificate of Waiver or approval to
operate under that laboratory's CLIA certificate. Submit a letter of
support from the laboratory. Include this document as Appendix C.
(e) Implement strategies to reduce your target population's
barriers to accessing CTR services (e.g., economic barriers,
environmental barriers, cultural barriers, and social barriers).
(f) Collect and report counseling and testing data, including core
performance indicators, as directed in the PEMS and the Evaluation
Guidance, and follow required health department reporting procedures.
(g) Report confirmed HIV-positive tests to state and local health
departments, following all rules and regulations regarding HIV and AIDS
surveillance.
2. In your application, please answer the following questions:
(a) How will you ensure that counseling and testing activities will
reach high-risk individuals who have not tested in the last six months
or do not know their HIV serostatus?
(b) How will you identify and address your target population's
barriers to accessing voluntary HIV counseling and testing services?
(c) How will you ensure that clients receive their test results,
particularly clients who test positive?
(d) How will you ensure that individuals with initial HIV-positive
test results will receive confirmatory tests? (If you do not provide
confirmatory HIV testing, you must provide a letter of intent or
memorandum of agreement with an external laboratory documenting the
process through which initial HIV-positive test results will be
confirmed.)
(e) How will you involve the target population when planning and
implementing your proposed services?
(f) How will you adapt, tailor, and implement relevant CDC
procedures, including REP and DEBI?
(g) What are your quality assurance strategies?
(h) How will you train, support, and retain staff providing
counseling and testing?
(i) How will you ensure client confidentiality?
(j) How will you ensure that your services are culturally sensitive
and relevant?
(k) What are your baseline levels and projected one-year interim
and five-year overall target levels of performance for the following
core program indicators?
(1) Percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV-positive test
results among all tests funded by CDC and reported by your
organization.
(2) Percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV-positive test
results delivered to clients.
E. Prevention Interventions
Suggested length: seven pages.
1. If you are applying for funding to provide prevention services,
you must conduct activities listed in sections F, G, H, and I. You must
also:
(a) Implement one or more of the interventions below using standard
CDC procedures; including REP and DEBI (see Attachment I):
(1) Prevention interventions for individuals living with HIV, and
their sex and injection drug-using partners who are HIV negative or are
unaware of their HIV serostatus.
(2) Prevention interventions for seronegative individuals at very
high risk for HIV infection.
(3) Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS).
(b) If you want to provide PCRS, you must work with your health
department and meet all local, state, and federal requirements for
providing these services. Obtain a letter of agreement from your health
department which must also state that your CBO meets all local, state,
and federal requirements. This letter must address each item included
in the sample letter. (Use Attachment VII.)
(c) Collect and report process and monitoring data on these
services, including core performance indicators, as directed in the
PEMS and Evaluation Guidance.
2. In your application, for each service you plan to provide,
please answer the following questions:
(a) What are your proposed prevention interventions?
(b) How will you identify and offer services to individuals living
with HIV, and their sex and injection drug-using partners who are HIV
negative or who do not know their HIV status?
(c) How will you identify and offer services to individuals at very
high risk for HIV infection?
(d) Where will you provide prevention services? (Please describe
the setting.)
(e) How will you maintain and retain individuals in your prevention
intervention(s)?
(f) How will you coordinate prevention services with other case
management and/or treatment providers for individuals living with HIV?
(g) How will you ensure that prevention services do not duplicate
services provided by the Ryan White Care Act program?
(h) How will you address barriers related to partner counseling and
referral services?
(i) What are the qualifications of staff providing prevention
services?
(j) How will you involve the target population when planning and
implementing your proposed services?
(k) How will you adapt, tailor, and implement relevant CDC
procedures, including REP and DEBI?
(l) What are your quality assurance strategies?
[[Page 67571]]
(m) How will you train, support, and retain staff to provide these
interventions?
(n) How will you ensure services are culturally sensitive and
relevant?
(o) How will you ensure client confidentiality?
(p) What are your baseline levels, projected one-year interim, and
five-year target levels of performance for the following core program
indicators relevant to your program:
(1) Proportion of persons living with HIV and their sex and
injection drug-using partners who are HIV negative or who do not know
their HIV status that completed the intended number of sessions for
each of the prevention interventions supported by this program
announcement.
(2) Proportion of persons at very high risk for HIV infection who
completed the intended number of sessions for each of the prevention
interventions supported by this program announcement.
(3) Percent of HIV infected persons who, after a specified period
of participation in each of the prevention interventions supported by
the program announcement, report a reduction in sexual or drug-using
risk behaviors or maintain protective behaviors with seronegative
partners or with partners of unknown status.
(4) Percent of contacts with unknown or negative serostatus
receiving an HIV test after PCRS notification.
(5) Percent of contacts with a newly identified, confirmed HIV-
positive test among contacts who are tested.
(6) Percent of contacts with a known, confirmed HIV-positive test
among all contacts.
F. Evaluation and Monitoring Intervention Activities
Suggested length: five pages.
1. You must:
(a) Collect and report client-level data.
(b) Collect and report standardized process and outcome monitoring
data consistent with CDC requirements.
(c) Enter and transmit data for CDC-funded services on CDC's
browser-based system or describe plans to make a local system
compatible with CDC's system. (There is a description of PEMS in
Attachment IV.)
(d) Collect and report data consistent with CDC requirements to
ensure data quality and security and client confidentiality.
(e) Collaborate with CDC to assess the impact of HIV prevention
activities and participate in special projects upon request.
2. In your application, please describe your:
(a) Current system of data collection and methods for reporting HIV
prevention activities including data system specifications and data
management information systems.
(b) Capacity to collect and report client-level data for HIV
prevention services and the effect of those services on client HIV
risks and health service utilization.
(c) Plans to identify and address barriers and facilitators to the
collection of client-level demographic and behavioral characteristics.
(d) Plans to ensure that data quality and security are consistent
with CDC requirements and guidelines.
(e) Willingness to collaborate with CDC in the design and
implementation of other evaluation projects.
(f) Technical assistance needs to meet evaluation and monitoring
requirements.
(g) Baseline level, one-year interim, and five-year overall target
levels of performance for the following core indicator: proportion of
client records with the CDC-required demographic and behavioral risk
information.
G. Referral Activities
Suggested length: four pages.
1. For services not available through your organization, you must:
(a) Collaborate with other agencies to increase the number of
persons who receive comprehensive services including prevention,
testing, medical care, mental health, and drug abuse treatment.
(b) Develop a formal agreement such as a memorandum of
understanding with each collaborating agency serving persons identified
through your program within six months of funding.
(c) Track referral activities and their outcomes. You must document
the type of referral (e.g. mental health, housing), date of referral,
and outcome of referral (such as completion of first appointment).
(d) Collect and report data on referrals, including core
performance indicators, as directed in the PEMS and Evaluation
Guidance.
2. In your application, you must:
(a) Describe your plans to develop a referral network to ensure
that clients identified through your program have access to
comprehensive services including access to primary care, life-
prolonging medications, and essential support services that will
maintain HIV-positive individuals in systems of care.
(b) Provide documentation of any formal agreements with providers
and other agencies where your clients may be referred.
(c) Specify baseline levels, projected one-year interim, and five-
year overall performance levels for the following core indicator: The
mean number of outreach contacts required to get a person living with
HIV, and their sex and injection drug-using partners, or an individual
at very high risk for HIV infection, to access referrals made under
this program announcement.
H. Collaboration and Coordination With the HIV Prevention Community
Planning Process and Local Health Department
Suggested length: three pages.
1. You must:
(a) Collaborate and coordinate activities with the HIV prevention
CPG and local health department. Collaboration activities may include
participating in the needs assessment process, reviewing and commenting
on plans, presenting an overview of your project activities to the CPG
in their jurisdiction and making clients available for focus groups and
other planning activities. Coordination activities may include sharing
progress reports, program plans, and monthly calendars with state and
local health departments, CPGs, and other organizations and agencies
involved in HIV prevention activities serving your target population.
(b) Participate in the HIV prevention community planning process.
Participation may include involvement in workshops, attending meetings,
serving as a member of the CPG, and becoming familiar with and
utilizing information from the community planning process, such as the
epidemiologic profile, needs assessment data, and intervention
strategies. Membership in the CPG is not required, and it is determined
by the group's bylaws and selection criteria.
2. In your application, describe your plans to:
(a) Participate, collaborate, and coordinate with the HIV
prevention CPG.
(b) Participate, collaborate, and coordinate with the local health
department.
(c) Participate in the HIV prevention community planning process.
I. Capacity Building
Suggested length: four pages.
1. You must:
(a) Conduct a capacity-building needs assessment.
(b) Develop a comprehensive capacity-building plan based on the
outcomes of the needs assessment.
(c) Share any new CBA needs that develop during the project period
with your project officer.
(d) Attend a grantee orientation for administrative and
programmatic staff.
[[Page 67572]]
(e) Participate in any mandatory training conducted or sponsored by
CDC.
(f) Ensure that your CBO's financial manager attends a CDC-
sponsored financial training. If the financial manager leaves your
agency, his/her replacement must attend training within six months.
2. In your application, please answer the following questions:
(a) What are your immediate, intermediate and long term CBA needs;
and how do you plan to address them?
(b) How do you plan to share any new CBA needs that develop during
the project period with your project officer?
J. Guidance on Use of Funds
You must consider the following funding restrictions when you are
creating your project budget:
[sbull] Funds may be used to hire contractors or support coalition
partners to strengthen program activities. CDC encourages you to
develop coalitions with other prevention providers, medical providers,
and health departments to implement your proposed program; however,
your CBO, not the contract organization(s) or the coalition partner(s),
must conduct the largest portion of the activities (including managing
the program and activities) funded by this award.
[sbull] Funds cannot be used to provide medical or substance abuse
treatment.
If you are requesting indirect costs in your budget, you must
include a copy of your negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. If your
indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement must be less
than 12 months of age.
For budget guidance, visit the CDC Web site http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm
.
Submission Date, Time, and Address
LOI Deadline Date: December 22, 2003.
LOI Submission Address: Submit your LOI by express delivery
service, or e-mail to: William Bancroft, Public Health Analyst, CDC,
NCHSTP, DHAP, IR, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E58, Atlanta, GA 30333, Pa04064@cdc.gov.
Application Deadline Date: February 6, 2004.
Application Submission Address: Submit your application by mail or
express delivery service to: Technical Information Management--
PA 04064, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC
Procurement and Grants Office by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline
date. If you send your application by the United States Postal Service
or commercial delivery service, you must ensure that the carrier will
be able to guarantee delivery of the application by the closing date
and time. If CDC receives your application 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, you will be given the opportunity to
submit documentation of the carrier's guarantee. If the documentation
verifies a carrier problem, CDC will consider the application as having
been received by the deadline.
If your application does not meet the submission deadline, it will
not be eligible for review and will be discarded. You will be notified
that you did not meet the submission requirements.
CDC will not be sending postcards to confirm application receipt.
Please contact your mail carrier to confirm delivery. If you still have
questions, contact the PGO-TIM staff at 770-488-2700. Before calling,
please wait two to three days after the application deadline. This will
allow time for the applications to be processed and logged.
Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 12372
does apply to this program.
V. Application Review Information
Review Criteria: You 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.
There are 2 steps to the evaluation process.
Step One
In the first step of the evaluation process, your application will
be evaluated based on each item referenced in Section IV., entitled,
``Application and Submission Information.'' Your application will be
evaluated by an independent review panel assigned by CDC. The panel
will assign your application a score using scored evaluation criteria
as specified in Section V., entitled, ``Application Review
Information,'' and based on your responses to the questions in Section
IV., entitled, ``Application and Submission Information'' beginning
with B. Justification of Need. Your application will be ranked based on
this score. The highest-ranked applications will be considered for a
pre-decisional site visit (Step two).
Step Two
The second step of the review process is conducted via pre-
decisional site visits which are worth 100 points. To be considered for
funding, you must score at least 70 points during this process. If you
fail to reach 70 points, your CBO will be disqualified. CDC will invite
health department staff to participate in the site visit.
Criteria for Step One: Application Review
Your application will be evaluated on the following criteria:
A. Eligibility (not scored)
This section of your application will be reviewed to determine if
you are eligible for funding.
B. Justification of Need (200 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
description of:
[sbull] The target population's needs.
[sbull] How your proposed intervention meets the needs of the
jurisdiction's HIV Prevention Comprehensive Plan.
[sbull] Your experience and credibility in working with the
proposed target population.
C. Targeted Outreach and Health Education/Risk Reduction for High-Risk
Individuals (150 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
target levels of performance for each core indicator and your plans to:
[sbull] Increase the number of persons at high risk for HIV
infection who learn their HIV serostatus.
[sbull] Identify persons at high risk for HIV infection.
[sbull] Identify and address your target population's barriers to
accessing HE/RR.
[sbull] Involve the target population when planning and
implementing your program(s).
[sbull] Adapt and tailor CDC procedures, including REP and DEBI.
[sbull] Offer voluntary HIV counseling and testing to each
individual reached by your program.
[sbull] Ensure that individuals who consent to HIV testing receive
a test either through your CBO or via referral.
[sbull] Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance
strategies.
[sbull] Train, support, and retain staff.
[[Page 67573]]
[sbull] Ensure client confidentiality.
[sbull] Ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance of your
interventions.
D. Targeted Outreach and Counseling, Testing, and Referral Services
(CTR) (150 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
target levels of performance for each core indicator and your plans to:
[sbull] Identify high-risk individuals who have not tested within
the past six months or do not know their HIV serostatus for voluntary
counseling and testing.
[sbull] Identify and address your target population's barriers to
accessing counseling and testing services.
[sbull] Ensure clients receive their test results.
[sbull] Ensure confirmatory testing for positive initial test
results.
[sbull] Involve your target population when planning and
implementing your program(s).
[sbull] Adapt and tailor CDC procedures, including REP and DEBI, to
your existing or proposed services.
[sbull] Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance
strategies for counseling, testing, and referral services.
[sbull] Train, support, and retain staff.
[sbull] Ensure client confidentiality.
[sbull] Ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance of your
interventions.
E. Prevention Interventions (175 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
proposed target levels of performance for each core indicator and your
plans to:
[sbull] Identify and offer services to individuals living with HIV,
and their sex and injection drug-using partners who are HIV negative,
or who do not know their HIV status.
[sbull] Identify and offer services to individuals at very high
risk for HIV infection.
[sbull] Coordinate prevention services with other case management
and/or treatment providers for individuals living with HIV.
[sbull] Ensure that prevention services do not duplicate services
provided by the Ryan White Care Act program.
[sbull] Identify and address barriers to retaining persons in
interventions.
[sbull] Identify and address barriers to conducting your proposed
prevention interventions.
[sbull] Meet all local, State, and Federal requirements for HIV
prevention services.
[sbull] Involve your target population when planning and
implementing your program(s).
[sbull] Adapt and tailor relevant CDC procedures, including REP and
DEBI, to your existing services or proposed program.
[sbull] Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance
strategies for prevention interventions.
[sbull] Train, support, and retain staff.
[sbull] Ensure client confidentiality.
[sbull] Ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance of the prevention
interventions.
F. Evaluation and Monitoring Intervention Activities (100 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
target levels of performance for each core indicator and the
description of your:
[sbull] Current data collection and reporting systems.
[sbull] Capacity to collect and report client-level data.
[sbull] Plans to identify and address barriers to client-level
data.
[sbull] Plans to ensure data quality and security.
[sbull] Willingness to collaborate with CDC in special evaluation
and monitoring projects.
[sbull] Technical assistance needs to meet evaluation and
monitoring requirements.
G. Referral Activities (100 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your
baseline and projected target levels of performance for each core
indicator and your plans to:
[sbull] Identify and collaborate with other agencies to ensure
access to comprehensive services, including access to primary care,
life-prolonging medications, and essential support services that will
maintain HIV-positive individuals in systems of care.
[sbull] Track referral activities and outcomes of these activities.
[sbull] Develop formal agreements with your network of providers.
H. Collaboration and Coordination With the HIV Prevention Community
Planning Process and Local Health Department (75 Points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your plans
to:
[sbull] Collaborate and coordinate activities with the HIV
prevention Community Planning Group (CPG).
[sbull] Collaborate and coordinate activities with the health
department.
[sbull] Participate in the HIV prevention community planning
process.
I. Capacity Building (50 points)
This section of your application will be scored based on your plans
to:
[sbull] Conduct a comprehensive capacity-building needs assessment
of your agency.
[sbull] Work with CDC-coordinated capacity-building programs.
Step Two: Pre-Decisional Site Visit
The following areas will be evaluated during the visit:
A. Proposed Program (250 points)
The purpose of this section is to assess your CBO's ability to
effectively implement your proposed HIV prevention interventions. Your
score will be based on:
[sbull] Your implementation of CDC protocols and procedures,
including REP and DEBI.
[sbull] Your one-year and five-year overall target levels of
performance
[sbull] How your target population reflects the priorities
identified in the HIV Prevention Comprehensive Plan.
[sbull] How your interventions reflect the needs identified in the
your jurisdiction's HIV Prevention Comprehensive Plan.
B. Programmatic Infrastructure (200 points)
The purpose of this section is to assess your CBO's experience and
ability to identify and address the needs of your proposed target
population. This section will also assess your ability to effectively
and efficiently implement your proposed activities. Your score will be
based on your CBO's:
[sbull] Organizational structure and planned collaborations.
[sbull] Experience in developing and implementing effective and
efficient HIV prevention strategies and activities.
[sbull] Experience with governmental and non-governmental
organizations, including other national agencies or organizations,
state and local health departments, CPGs, and state and local non-
governmental organizations that provide HIV prevention services.
[sbull] Ability to secure meaningful input and representation from
members of the target population(s).
[sbull] Ability to provide culturally competent and appropriate
services that respond effectively to the characteristics of the target
population (characteristics may include cultural, gender, sexual
orientation, HIV serostatus, race/ethnicity, age, environmental,
social, and linguistic characteristics).
[sbull] Ability to adequately staff your program.
[sbull] Ability to collect and report process and monitoring data
on services provided and use them to plan future interventions and
improve available services.
[[Page 67574]]
C. Organizational Infrastructure (150 points)
The purpose of this section is to assess your CBO's ability to
effectively and efficiently sustain your proposed program. Your score
will be based on your CBO's:
[sbull] Organizational bylaws, mission, and vision.
[sbull] Composition, role, experience, and involvement of the board
of directors in administering the agency.
[sbull] Current fiscal systems to track available funding.
[sbull] Personnel process and procedures.
[sbull] Organizational protocols and procedures e.g., security,
confidentiality, and grievances.
[sbull] Organizational capacity for fundraising.
D. Health Department Review (100 points)
The purpose of this section is to gather feedback on your proposed
program plan from the health department. Your score will be based on
the health department's review of your:
[sbull] Review of the program plan (e.g., proposed target
population, proposed intervention(s), number of persons to be served,
and service location) and your consistency with the HIV Prevention
Comprehensive Plan.
[sbull] Rating of past experience with state/city-funded programs.
[sbull] Letter of support or non-support for funding from the
health department, addressed to CDC.
CDC's Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) will conduct a Recipient
Capability Assessment (RCA) to evaluate your CBO's ability to manage
CDC funds. This assessment will be conducted by either PGO staff or
another selected agency.
Review and Selection Process
In addition to your application content score and the outcome of
your pre-decisional site visit, the following factors may affect the
funding decision: Preference for funding will be given to ensure that:
[sbull] Funded CBOs are balanced in terms of targeted racial/ethnic
minority groups. (The number of funded CBOs serving each racial/ethnic
minority group may be adjusted based on the burden of infection in that
group as measured by HIV or AIDS reporting.)
[sbull] Funded CBOs are balanced in terms of targeted risk
behaviors. (The number of funded CBOs serving each risk group may be
adjusted based on the burden of infection in that group as measured by
HIV or AIDS reporting.)
[sbull] Funded CBOs are balanced in terms of geographic
distribution. (Consideration will be given to both high and lower
prevalence areas; the number of funded CBOs may be adjusted based on
the burden of infection in the jurisdiction as measured by HIV or AIDS
reporting.)
[sbull] Funded CBOs are balanced in terms of targeted gender. (The
number of funded CBOs serving each gender group may be adjusted based
on burden of infection in that group as measured by HIV or AIDS
reporting.)
[sbull] Funding opportunities are available for faith-based CBOs
and CBOs serving rural areas, incarcerated individuals, or high risk
populations who do not have the services funded under this announcement
available in their geographic area.
VI. Award Administration Information
Award Notices: If your CBO is funded, you will receive a Notice of
Grant Award (NGA) from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NGA
shall be the only binding, authorizing document between the recipient
and CDC. The NGA will be signed by an authorized Grants Management
Officer, and mailed to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the
application.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements: 45 CFR part 74 and
92.
For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the
National Archives and Records Administration at the following Internet
address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr-table-search.html.
The following additional requirements apply to this project:
[sbull] AR-4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions
[sbull] AR-5 HIV Program Review Panel Requirements
[sbull] AR-7 Executive Order 12372
[sbull] AR-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements
[sbull] AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
[sbull] AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
[sbull] AR-11 Healthy People 2010
[sbull] AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
[sbull] AR-14 Accounting System Requirements
[sbull] AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
Additional information on these requirements can be found on the
CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm
.
Reporting Requirements
1. You must provide CDC with an original, plus two copies of the
following reports:
(a) Your interim progress report, no later than February 15 of each
year. The progress report will serve as your non-competing continuation
application, and must contain the following elements:
(1) Current budget period activities objectives.
(2) Current budget period financial progress.
(3) New budget period proposed program activity objectives.
(4) Detailed line-item budget and justification.
(5) Baselines and target levels of performance for core and
optional indicators.
(6) New budget period proposed program activities.
(7) Additional requested information.
(b) The second semi-annual report will be due August 30 of each
year. Additional guidance on what to include in this report may be
provided approximately three months before the due date. It should
include:
(1) Baseline and actual level of performance on core and optional
indicators.
(2) Current budget period financial progress.
(3) Additional requested information.
(c) Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of
the budget period.
(d) Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days
after the end of the project period.
(e) Data reports of agency, financial, and HIV interventions
including, but not limited to, HIV individual and group level; PCM;
outreach; CTR; and/or partner CTR services are required 45 days after
the end of each quarter or as specified in the most recent evaluation
guidance. Project areas may request technical assistance. Submit data
to the Program Evaluation Research Branch electronically, and then send
an electronic notification of your data submission to the Grants
Management Specialist listed in the ``Agency Contacts'' section of this
announcement.
2. Submit any newly developed public information resources and
materials to the CDC National Prevention Information Network (formerly
the AIDS Information Clearinghouse) so that they can be incorporated
into the current database for access by other organizations and
agencies.
3. HIV Content Review Guidelines. (a) Submit the completed
Assurance of Compliance with the Requirements for Contents of AIDS-
Related Written Materials Form (CDC form--0.1113) with your application
as Appendix D. This form lists the members of your program review
panel. The form is included in your application kit. The
[[Page 67575]]
current Guidelines and the form may be downloaded from the CDC Web
site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm. Please include this
completed form with your application. This form must be signed by the
Project Director and authorized business officer.
(b) You must also include approval by the relevant review panel of
any CDC-funded HIV educational materials that you are currently using
by the relevant review panel. Use the enclosed form, ``Report of
Approval''. If you have nothing to submit, you must complete the
enclosed form ``No Report Necessary''. You must include either the
``Report of Approval'' or ``No Report Necessary'' with all progress
reports and continuation requests.
(c) Use a Web page notice if your Web site contains HIV/AIDS
educational information subject to the CDC content review guidelines.
4. Adhere to CDC policies for securing approval for CDC-sponsored
conferences. If you plan to hold a conference, you must send a copy of
the agenda to CDC's Grants Management Office.
5. If you plan to use materials using CDC's name, send a copy of
the proposed material to CDC's Grants Management Office for approval.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical
Information Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920
Brandywine Road, MS K14, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For program technical assistance, contact: Samuel Martinez, M.D.,
Health Scientist, CDC, NCHSTP, DHAP, IRS, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E58, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-639-5219, E-mail: Sbm5@cdc.gov.
For budget assistance, contact: Carlos Smiley, Grants Management
Officer, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, MS K14, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2722, E-mail: anx3@cdc.gov.
Dated: November 21, 2003.
Edward Schultz,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-29807 Filed 11-26-03; 11:20 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P