[Federal Register: June 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 105)]
[Notices]
[Page 30927-30930]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn04-97]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Public Health Preparedness
Announcement Type: New, competitive cooperative agreement.
Funding Opportunity Number: 04209.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
Application Deadline: July 1, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: Sections 301(a) and 317(k)(2) of Public Health
Service Act.
Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announces the availability of fiscal year 2004 funds for a cooperative
agreement program to support Centers for Public Health Preparedness
(CPHP) responsible for improving the capacity of the public health
workforce to prepare for and respond to terrorism and other emerging
public health threats.
This program addresses the public health goals described in ``A
National Strategy for Terrorism Preparedness and Response: 2003-2008
Strategic Plan'', specifically Imperative five related to activities to
ensure a competent and sustainable workforce. Critical objectives under
this Imperative are to: (1) Increase the number and type of
professionals that comprise a preparedness and response workforce; (2)
deliver certification and competency-based training and education; (3)
recruit and retain the highest quality workforce; and (4) evaluate the
impact of training to assure learning has occurred.
Major goals of the CPHP Program are to: (1) Strengthen public
health workforce readiness through implementation of programs for life-
long learning; (2) strengthen capacity at State and local level for
terrorism preparedness and emergency public health response; and (3)
develop a network of academic-based programs contributing to national
terrorism preparedness and emergency response capacity, by sharing
expertise and resources across State and local jurisdictions.
Funded Centers are expected to work closely with State and local
health agencies to plan, implement, and evaluate activities in response
to the CDC Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism
(Announcement Number 99051).
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the
following CDC performance goal(s):
(1) Public Health Improvement: Increase the number of frontline
public health workers at the State and local level that are competent
and prepared to respond to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks,
and other public health threats and emergencies, and prepare frontline
State and local health departments and laboratories to respond to
current and emerging public health threats. Evaluate the impact on the
performance/preparedness of the frontline public health workforce
resulting from education and training programs implemented or supported
by CDC, including the CPHP system.
(2) Terrorism Preparedness Workforce Development: Increase the
number, type, and distribution of health professionals that comprise a
preparedness and response workforce. Ensure that clinicians in the
United States have access to training and information resources that
prepare them to diagnose, treat and/or refer for treatment persons
exposed to biological, radiological, chemical or mass trauma events
related to terrorism.
Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
Development, delivery, and evaluation of competency-based
training and education programs based on identified needs of State and
local public health agencies for building workforce preparedness and
response capabilities. These programs should be done with maximal
interaction and collaboration with State and local partners. Centers
may collaborate within the residing jurisdiction of their institution
or in any other jurisdictions, based on community needs and desire for
collaboration. The programs may utilize strategies such as: (1)
Preparing students through academic programs with a preparedness focus;
(2) re-training current public health employees in terrorism
preparedness and response; and (3) providing leadership training and
skill-building in preparedness and emergency response. Plans for
dissemination and delivery of education/training should be based as
much as possible on already developed tools and resources, so as to
minimize duplication and redundancy of materials and curricula. The
evaluation components planned should be robust enough to document
impact and outcome changes at the individual and institutional/agency
levels. Each Center should also develop educational programs and
supporting activities as requested by partners, which facilitate the
achievement of preparedness goals established to support CDC Program
Announcement number 99051. Eighty percent of proposed plans and budget
should be dedicated to these education and training activities.
Participation in overall Centers Network activities. Each
Center will: (1) Contribute to a Network inventory of preparedness
education products, courses, curricula, assessment and evaluation
tools. Results of impact evaluations and effectiveness of project
activities must also be shared with the Network; (2) facilitate the
identification of expertise and resources that can be accessed through
the Network to meet technical assistance (TA) and educational needs of
other Centers, or local, State, Federal, and other public health
partners; (3) confer as Network members to create and validate
terrorism and emergency preparedness discipline-specific competencies,
which can lead to national curricula standardized by discipline(s); and
(4) participate in the development of evaluation criteria to measure
the impact of learner skills/worker competencies that can be used
across the Network. Twenty percent of proposed plans and budget should
be dedicated to these Network activities.
Applicants that fully address the core activities may also submit
project plans for non-core activities such as:
Implementing scholarships and traineeships for
preparedness.
Leveraging additional resources for related projects and
activities.
Contributing unique subject matter expertise to the
Network in: (1) Specific content area(s) (e.g., psychosocial/mental
health preparedness, rural/border preparedness, etc.); (2) educational
processes or innovative delivery methodology; or (3) unique access to
particular target group(s).
Proposing programs and educational activities in
collaboration with tribal, national, and international partners, where
the need is clearly justified and work plans are feasible based on
expertise and previous experience.
Convening with other identified experts in the Network to
develop toolkits containing guidance and consistent information on
critical preparedness education topics.
[[Page 30928]]
In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff are substantially involved in
the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.
CDC Activities for this program are as follows:
TA to support training and education programs focused on
the public health workforce.
TA for assessing State and local public health
preparedness (in collaboration with CDC, OTPER, Division of State and
Local Preparedness).
TA in development of Network activities.
Development and/or delivery of information and educational
materials through collaboration with experts in the Network and in
collaboration with subject matter experts throughout CDC.
II. Award Information
Approximately $26,000,000 is available for awards in fiscal year
2004 for 21-25 Centers. The awards are expected to range between
$300,000 and $1,500,000. Institutions selected will receive funding on
or before September 1, 2004. These funds are to be used during a budget
time frame of 12 months within a project period of up to five years.
Funding estimates may change based on the availability of funds.
Continuing awards may be made in out years (i.e. 2005, 2006, 2007, and
2008) under this agreement. Funding after the first year is based on
the amount of funds available to CDC, and awardee's progress in meeting
goals and objectives.
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement. CDC involvement in this
program is described in the Activities Section above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
Approximate Total Funding: $ $26,000,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 21-25.
Approximate Average Award: $1,000,000. (This amount is for the
first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect
costs.)
Floor of Award Range: $300,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $ 1,500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2004.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: Five 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 be submitted by accredited Schools of Public
Health with expertise and experience in building capacity and providing
terrorism preparedness and emergency response education to students of
public health and to state and local public health workers. Preference
for funding will be given to Schools of Public Health with existing
Centers for Public Health Preparedness.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program. In-kind funding
or other financial support provided by your institution or state or
other partners should be documented in the proposal and budget, as this
demonstrates the level of support for your Center.
III.3. Other
CDC will accept and review applications with budgets greater than
the ceiling of the award range.
Funded Centers are expected to work closely with state and local
health agencies to implement work plans developed in response to CDC PA
number 99051.
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.
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. 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.
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Application: You must submit a project narrative with your
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 20 pages. If your narrative
exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page
limit will be reviewed. Budget and budget justification narrative will
not be counted in the page limit. (Please see guidance regarding
including CVs and other supporting documentation in the instructions
for appendices on page 11.)
Font size: 12 point unreduced.
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 broadly address activities to be conducted
over the entire project period, but focus should be on activities
proposed for Year one budget period. The narrative must include the
following items in the order listed: Problem Background and Need
Statement; Institutional Capacity; Operational Plan, including Goals,
Objectives, Methods, Timeline, Activities, and Logic Model; Evaluation
Plan and Performance Measures; and Budget with Narrative Justification.
Additional information may be included in the application
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative
page limit. This additional information could include: Curricula vitae
or resumes for proposed staff; letters of intent from partner
organizations; and brief summaries of educational materials, evaluation
tools, and existing impact evaluation reports.
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://
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.''
[[Page 30929]]
IV.3. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: July 1, 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 carrier's 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
Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.
IV.5. Funding restrictions
Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your
budget, are as follows:
Cooperative agreement funds may not be used for lobbying,
and generally are not to be used for purchases of food or furniture.
Indirect costs will be reimbursed at the eight percent
rate used for training and education grants. If you are requesting
indirect costs in your budget, you will be reimbursed at eight percent
of total allowable direct cost, exclusive of tuition and related fees,
and equipment, or at the actual indirect cost rate, whichever results
in a lesser dollar amount. If using other than the eight percent rate,
you must include a copy of your indirect cost rate agreement. If your
indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less
than 12 months of age.
Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
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
Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two hard
copies of your application by mail or express delivery service to:
Technical Information Management-PA 04209, CDC Procurement
and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.
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 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. Operational Plan: 40 percent
Does the applicant present clear goal(s) and measurable objectives
including: Scope of proposed education and training; location(s) of
target audience(s); and anticipated numbers of public health students,
public health professionals, and public health leaders to be reached
with education or training?
Applicant must include a program logic model, describing the
sequence of steps and processes leading to short-, intermediate-, and
long-term expected outcomes.
Applicant must describe a detailed operational plan outlining
specific methods, including strategies for reaching target audiences,
and for assuring non-duplication of existing materials. The plans must
include description of activities that are in alignment with the
requirement that 80 percent of activities must be focused on training
and education and 20 percent on the development of Network processes,
activities, and products.
Applicant must include a Year one timeline that is feasible given
proposed Center and Network activities.
Does the plan clearly outline the responsibilities of each of the
key personnel related to the Center and Network activities, and clear
descriptions of major roles for local, state, and other public health
partners in planning, implementation, and evaluation of Center
activities?
2. Institutional Capacity: 25 percent
Does the applicant demonstrate that it has the staff, expertise,
and facilities necessary to accomplish the program requirements,
including curricula vitae of key staff?
Documentation of experience and impact in conducting education and
training activities of a Center for Public Health Preparedness,
including evidence of past participant improvement in knowledge,
skills, and abilities.
Does the applicant demonstrate existing effective collaborations
with community, local, state, and other public health partners with
whom and to whom their program activities will be provided, including
letters of intent from participating agencies and organizations?
Description of the specific and unique areas of expertise the
applicant brings to the National Network.
3. Evaluation Plan: 25 percent
Does the applicant present a clear plan for monitoring progress
toward the stated goals and objectives, including specific evaluation
questions to be addressed, and plans to provide semi-annual and annual
evaluation data? In addition to process measures, program impacts and
outcome measures must be considered and effective data collection
methods described.
Experience in conducting and reporting evaluation activities of a
Center for Public Health Preparedness, i.e. conducting successful
process, outcome, and impact evaluation as a Center and reporting and
participating in overall evaluation activities as a member of the
Network.
Demonstration of consideration of cost-effectiveness and return-on-
investment principles for maximizing the economic value of activities,
e.g., describing the cost of activity including dissemination versus
the number of persons predicted to benefit.
4. Problem Background/Need: 10 percent
Does the applicant demonstrate a strong understanding of the need
for improving terrorism preparedness and
[[Page 30930]]
emergency response capability in the public health workforce?
Does the applicant illustrate a clear need, based on existing state
or local data, for the activities proposed in this cooperative
agreement program?
5. Budget: not weighted
Does the applicant present a detailed budget with a line-item
narrative justification and any other information to demonstrate that
the request for assistance is consistent with the purpose of this
cooperative agreement program?
Does the budget reflect alignment with requirement that it is 80
percent Center and 20 percent Network focused?
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by Public Health
Practice Program Office (PHPPO) staff, with input from the Office of
Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (OTPER). 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.
V.3. Anticipated Award Date
Awards will be made by September 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
CDC programs are administered under 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-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements.
AR-11 Healthy People 2010.
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions.
AR-20 Conference Support.
AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data.
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. Semi-annual progress reports, no more than 30 days after the end
of each semi-annual budget period.
2. Interim annual progress reports, 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. Measures of Effectiveness.
3. Annual Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the
end of the budget period.
4. 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: Dr. Joan Cioffi, Project
Officer, CDC Public Health Practice Program Office, 4770 Buford
Highway, NE., K-38, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 770-488-8118; e-mail:
jcioffi@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Sharon Robertson, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and
Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 770-
488-2748; e-mail: sqr2@cdc.go.
References
1. Guidance for fiscal year 2003 Continuation Funds for Public
Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism (Announcement
Number 99051). http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Planning/CoopAgreementAward/.
2. A National Strategy for Terrorism Preparedness and Response:
2003-2008 (draft, May 2003). http://www.bt.cdc.gov.
3. Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, MMWR,
September 17, 1999, vol. 48, No. RR-11, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4811a1.htm
, report includes guidance in program
evaluation, and includes logic models for describing program
strategy and goals.
4. Public Health Workforce Development. http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/workforce.
Web page includes reference documents
from CDC and partners.
Dated: May 21, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control.
[FR Doc. 04-12233 Filed 5-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P