[Federal Register: May 14, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 94)]
[Notices]
[Page 26833-26836]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my04-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program (PFTP) in Infectious
Diseases
Announcement Type: Competing Continuation.
Funding Opportunity Number: 04108.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
Key Dates: Letter of Intent Deadline: June 1, 2004.
Application Deadline: June 14, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 301 and
317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241 and
247b(k)(2)], as amended.
Purpose: The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support
recipients in conducting a two- to three-year Postdoctoral Fellowship
Training Program in Infectious Diseases (PFTP) which provides a
combination of clinical training and basic laboratory or epidemiology
training in infectious diseases. The goal is to improve the ability of
the U.S. public health system to respond to the problem of infectious
diseases by increasing the number of academic infectious disease
physicians with demonstrated skills in the public health aspects of
infectious diseases and to provide them with the essential, pertinent
clinical and research skills.
PFTPs should be implemented as new distinct fellowship positions/
tracks in grantee's existing infectious disease postdoctoral training
program for physicians. PFTPs should be aimed at physicians with
training in infectious diseases who wish to pursue a career in academic
infectious diseases of public health importance. The objective is to
offer a combination of clinical and research training which will lead
to eligibility for certification in infectious diseases by the American
Board of Internal Medicine or the American Board of Pediatrics.
Specific areas of clinical concentration may include: Clinical
rotations in infectious diseases, infectious diseases in transplant
recipients, clinical microbiology, outpatient infectious diseases,
pediatric infectious diseases, or infectious disease pharmacology. The
recipient must be able to provide support for physicians of unusual
ability and promise or proven achievement by giving them an opportunity
to conduct clinical, laboratory, and epidemiologic research on
significant public health problems caused by infectious diseases.
Specific areas for research training may include: Viral and rickettsial
infections, nosocomial infections, antimicrobial resistance, vector-
borne infectious diseases, respiratory and food-borne bacterial
diseases, parasitic diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This program addresses the
``Healthy People 2010'' focus area(s) of Immunization and Infectious
Disease.
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the
following performance goal for the National Center for Infectious
Diseases (NCID): Protect Americans from infectious disease.
Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
As a distinct and separate track of recipient's existing
infectious disease postdoctoral fellowship program, conduct a two-to
three-year PFTP that combines clinical and basic laboratory or
epidemiologic research training in prevention and control of infectious
diseases of public health importance.
Design and conduct the PFTP such that upon completion of
the fellowship, fellows will become eligible for certification in
infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or the
American Board of Pediatrics.
Provide preceptors for training.
Develop a fellowship candidate application, review,
ranking, and selection process. Based on this process, select
applicants to be awarded two-to three-year PFTP fellowships.
Provide administrative support to fellows during their
tenure in the PFTP including the payment of stipends, professional
travel, etc. (see Availability of Funds for cost sharing requirements).
Monitor and evaluate the progress of fellows and progress
toward achieving program goals. To measure the overall success of the
PFTP, establish a mechanism to follow-up and report on fellows (e.g.,
where they work, in what field, etc.) periodically for up to five years
after they complete the PFTP.
In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in
the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.
CDC Activities for this program are as follows:
Some of the laboratory and epidemiologic training
component of the PFTP may occur at CDC facilities under CDC staff
preceptors. CDC may provide preceptors and/or facilities for training
that occurs at CDC facilities. It is not a requirement that any of the
training occur at CDC facilities or under the guidance of CDC staff.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
Approximate Total Funding: $150,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 2.
Approximate Average Award: $75,000 (This amount is for the first
12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs).
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $115,000.
Anticipated Award Date: July 1, 2004.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: Up to 5 years.
Throughout the project period, CDC's commitment to continuation of
awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of
satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required
reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best
interest of the Federal Government.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may only be submitted by university-affiliated schools
of medicine in the United States with infectious disease programs
accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME).
[[Page 26834]]
Only one application per eligible school of medicine will be
accepted.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Grantee cost-sharing is required under this program. CDC will
provide up to 50 percent of the total cost for items directly related
to the support of fellows such as stipends and professional travel. CDC
funds will not be provided for supplies and equipment, any costs of
research conducted by fellows as part of their training (except for
stipends), or for direct salaries/fringe, travel, space, etc., for
recipient's faculty or administrative personnel. CDC funds are not
intended to supplant recipient's existing infectious disease
fellowships, rather they are intended to support new/additional
fellowship opportunities that are consistent with the stated Purpose of
this grant program.
III.3. Other
If you request a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the
award range, your application will be considered non-responsive, and
will not be entered into the review process. You will be notified that
your application did not meet the submission requirements.
If your application is incomplete or non-responsive to the
requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the
review process. You will be notified that your application did not meet
submission requirements.
Eligibility is limited to university-affiliated U.S. schools of
medicine with infectious disease programs accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as these
are the only institutions that will have existing infectious disease
fellowships for physicians that this grant program seeks to enhance.
ACGME-accredited medical schools are the only institutions that can
prepare fellows for eligibility for certification in infectious
diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or American Board
of Pediatrics as required by this program.
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.
IV. Application and Submission Information
IV.1. Address To Request Application Package
To apply for this funding opportunity use application form PHS
5161. For hard-copy submission of application, application forms and
instructions are available on the CDC web site, at the following
Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm. To submit your
application electronically, please utilize the forms and instructions
posted for this announcement at http://www.grants.gov. 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.
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Letter of Intent (LOI): Your LOI must be written in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 1
Font size: 12-point unreduced
Single spaced
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
Page margin size: One inch
Printed only on one side of page
Written in plain language, avoid jargon
Your LOI must contain the following information:
Name of applicant institution
Point of contact name address, phone number, and E-mail
address
Application: You must submit a project narrative with your
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 10 If your narrative exceeds the
page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will
be reviewed.
Font size: 12 point unreduced
Single spaced
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
Page margin size: One inch
Printed only on one side of page
Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not
bound in any other way.
Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the
entire project period, and must include the following items in the
order listed:
Abstract
Provide a brief (less than two pages) summary of the proposed PFTP.
Abstract does NOT count toward the narrative page limitation.
Background and Need
Demonstrate an understanding of the background and need for the
PFTP. Discuss how your proposed PFTP track differs from existing
tracks/opportunities in your fellowship program and how your proposed
PFTP track meets the Purpose of this cooperative agreement program.
Capacity and Personnel
[ctrcir] Describe applicant's goals, objectives, and efforts to
promote the field of academic infectious diseases.
[ctrcir] Demonstrate applicant's experience in academic infectious
diseases education and training in general, including experience in
maintaining programs that lead to eligibility for certification in
infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or the
American Board of Pediatrics.
[ctrcir] Describe applicant's existing postdoctoral fellowship
training programs for physicians in infectious diseases. Describe
applicant's resources, facilities, and professional personnel that will
be involved in conducting the project.
Operational Plan
[ctrcir] Present a detailed and time-phased plan for establishing
and conducting the PFTP.
[ctrcir] Describe the proposed structure, timeline, and procedures
for the PFTP. Clearly address all Activities listed in Section I,
above.
[ctrcir] Identify key staff and their assigned responsibilities for
operating the PFTP.
[ctrcir] Present a plan for monitoring and evaluating the progress
of fellows during and after PFTP.
[ctrcir] Describe how you will ensure that all fellows become
eligible for certification in infectious diseases by the American Board
of Internal Medicine by the end of fellowship tenure.
Measures of Effectiveness (see Section V.1.--Evaluation
Criteria, below, for more information regarding measures of
effectiveness).
Budget (does NOT count towards page limitation)
Provide a line-item budget and accompanying detailed, line-by-line
justification that demonstrates the request is consistent with the
purpose and objectives of this program. Clearly indicate by line-item
both a) the full cost and b) the amount requested from CDC (see cost-
sharing requirement in Section III.2., above.).
Appendices: The following additional required information
should be included in the application appendices. The appendices will
not be counted toward the narrative page limit. This additional
information includes:
[ctrcir] Curriculum vitae for key professional personnel involved
with the project.
[ctrcir] Documentation of ACGME accreditation.
[ctrcir] If proposing that fellows conduct any of their laboratory
or epidemiologic training at CDC facilities and/or under the
preceptorship of CDC staff, include in the appendix letters of support
from the appropriate CDC scientist(s) that clearly indicates their
commitment to participate as described in your
[[Page 26835]]
application. If any training is to occur at CDC facilities, letters of
support also need to be co-signed by the CDC scientist's Division
Principal Management Officer and the letter must clearly indicate the
Division's willingness to provide space, supplies, use of equipment/
facilities, etc., for fellows during their training at CDC.
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, see 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.
Additional requirements that may require you to submit additional
documentation with your application are listed in section ``VI.2.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements.''
IV.3. Submission Dates and Times
LOI Deadline Date: June 1, 2004.
CDC requests that you send a LOI if you intend to apply for this
program. Although the LOI is not required, not binding, and does not
enter into the review of your subsequent application, the LOI will be
used to gauge the level of interest in this program, and to allow CDC
to plan the application review.
Application Deadline Date: June 14, 2004.
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 carriers guarantee. If the documentation
verifies a carrier problem, CDC will consider the application as having
been received by the deadline.
This announcement is the definitive guide on application submission
address and deadline. It supersedes information provided in the
application instructions. If your application does not meet the
deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and will be
discarded. You will be notified that your application did not meet the
submission requirements.
CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your application. If you
have a question about the receipt of your application, first contact
your courier. If you still have a question, 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 applications to be
processed and logged.
IV.4. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Your application is subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, as governed by Executive Order (EO) 12372. This order sets up
a system for state and local governmental review of proposed federal
assistance applications. You should contact your state single point of
contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert the SPOC to prospective
applications, and to receive instructions on your state's process.
Click on the following link to get the current SPOC list: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
.
IV.5. Funding Restrictions
Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your
budget, are as follows:
These awards will be training grants. For training grants,
recipient's indirect charges are limited to 8 percent of direct costs.
Also, see Section III.2., Cost Sharing for additional
funding restrictions.
Guidance for completing your budget can be found on the CDC Web
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm
.
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
LOI Submission Address: Submit your LOI by express mail, delivery
service, fax, or E-mail to: Greg Jones, M.P.A., Public Health Analyst,
Office of the Director, National Center for Infectious Diseases,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE.,
Mailstop C12, Atlanta, GA 30333, Fax: (404) 639-3106, E-mail:
GJJones@cdc.gov.
Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two hard
copies of your application by mail or express delivery service to:
Technical Information Management--PA 04108, CDC Procurement
and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341 or You may
submit your application electronically at: http://www.grants.gov.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Criteria
You are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will
demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of
the grant or 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.
Your application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
1. Background and Need (15 points): Does the applicant demonstrate
an understanding of the background and need for the PFTP? Do they
clearly demonstrate that their proposed PFTP adds positions to and does
not supplant existing positions in their fellowship program? Do they
demonstrate how the proposed PFTP meets the Purpose of this program
announcement?
2. Capacity:
a. Institutional (25 points): Does the applicant demonstrate that
they have been and are devoted to promoting the field of academic
infectious diseases, e.g., by conducting regular national meetings and
workshops devoted to current topics? Does the applicant document
experience in education and training in academic infectious diseases,
including documentation of relevant degree programs offered and
evidence of experience in successfully preparing students for
certification in infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal
Medicine or the American Board of Pediatrics? Does the applicant
demonstrate significant institutional experience in managing
postdoctoral fellowship training programs for physicians in the area of
infectious diseases? Do they document that they have a successful
existing postdoctoral fellowship program in infectious diseases that
will serve as the platform for the proposed PFTP fellowships?
b. Staff and administrative (25 points): Does the applicant
describe adequate resources and facilities (clinical,
[[Page 26836]]
academic, and administrative) for conducting the PFTP? Do they document
that their professional personnel involved in the PFTP are qualified
and have past experience and achievements related to that proposed? If
proposing that fellow's research be conducted at CDC facilities, does
the applicant include Letters of Support as described in Application
Content section IV.2., above (i.e., that are signed by the appropriate
CDC officials and that clearly indicate their commitment to participate
as proposed in the application).
3. Operational Plan (30 points): Is the applicant's proposed
operational plan clear and detailed and address all Activities listed
in Section I? Do they include a detailed time schedule or Gant chart
for the first year of the program? Does the applicant clearly indicate
specific staff that will be responsible for implementation and
operation of the PFTP? Does the applicant's plan meet the purpose and
goals of this cooperative agreement program?
4. Measures of Effectiveness (5 points): Does the applicant provide
measures of effectiveness as described in the paragraph above such that
effective ``outcome'' evaluation can be accomplished?
5. Budget (Not scored): Is the proposed budget reasonable, clearly
justified, and consistent with the intended use of grant funds?
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by the National
Center for Infectious Diseases. Incomplete applications and
applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will
not advance through the review process. Applicants will be notified
that their application did not meet submission requirements.
An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive
applications according to the criteria listed in the ``V.1. Criteria''
section above.
In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:
Preference will be given to competing continuation applications
over applications for programs not already receiving support under the
PFTP program.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Anticipated Award Date: July 1, 2004.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1. Award Notices
Successful applicants 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.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of
the application review by mail.
VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
45 CFR Part 74 and Part 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/cfr-table-search.html.
The following additional requirements apply to this project:
AR-7 Executive Order 12372
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2010
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-16 Security Clearance Requirement
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
.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the
following reports:
1. Interim progress report, no less than 90 days before the end of
the budget period. The progress report will serve as your non-competing
continuation application, and must contain the following elements:
a. Current Budget Period Activities Objectives.
b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
c. New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity Objectives.
d. Budget.
e. Additional Requested Information.
f. Measures of Effectiveness.
2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of
the budget period.
3. Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days
after the end of the project period.
These reports must be mailed to the Grants Management or Contract
Specialist listed in the ``Agency Contacts'' section of this
announcement.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical
Information Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For program technical assistance, contact: Greg Jones, M.P.A.,
Public Health Analyst, Office of the Director, National Center for
Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600
Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop C12, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: (404)
639-4180, Fax: (404) 639-3106, E-mail: GJJones@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Jeff Napier, Contract Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office,
2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2628, E-
mail: jxn1@cdc.gov.
Dated: May 10, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-10948 Filed 5-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P