[Federal Register: June 10, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 112)]
[Notices]
[Page 32578-32582]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jn04-104]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Laboratory Service Strengthening at Health Center IV and Above in
the Republic of Uganda
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: Program Announcement 04223.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.941.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: July 12, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under sections 301 and 307
of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241 and 242l], and
section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 U.S.C. 215lb,
as amended.
Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2004 funds for a
cooperative agreement program for Laboratory Service Strengthening at
Health Center IV and above in the Republic of Uganda. This program
addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus area of HIV.
The overall aim of this program is to improve the capacity of the
laboratories within the Uganda health system to offer HIV testing and
counseling, and other key tests related to opportunistic infections
diagnosis and the basic care package for people living with HIV, such
as TB screening. Strengthening laboratories to support provision of
antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not a deliberate part of this program
though the improvements made in facilities and personnel may provide
benefits to planned and future programs of ARV therapy.
The United States Government seeks to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS
in specific countries within sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Americas.
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) encompasses
HIV/AIDS activities in more than 75 countries and focuses on 14
countries, including Uganda, to develop comprehensive and integrated
prevention, care and treatment programs. CDC has initiated its Global
AIDS Program (GAP) to strengthen capacity and expand activities in the
areas of: (1) HIV primary prevention; (2) HIV care, support and
treatment; and (3) capacity and infrastructure development, including
surveillance. Targeted countries represent those with the most severe
epidemics and the highest number of new infections. They also represent
countries where the potential impact is greatest and where the United
States government agencies are already active. Uganda is one of those
countries.
CDC's mission in Uganda is to work with Ugandan and international
partners to develop, evaluate, and support effective implementation of
interventions to prevent HIV and related illnesses and improve care and
support of persons with HIV/AIDS.
Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services are available at a
large number of private and government clinics across the country, but
there are still many communities far from VCT providers. The most
recent Demographic and Health Survey in Uganda indicated that 70
percent of people would like to receive HIV testing but only 10 percent
reported that they had been tested. The absence of VCT, routine
counseling and testing (RCT), and TB screening at many existing health
facilities presents a major challenge in covering the whole population
of Uganda with these key services. If all Health Centers IV and above
can provide good quality laboratory services, this will represent a
major contribution to both the Uganda HIV/AIDS prevention and care
strategies.
The purpose of this program is to ensure that over five years all
laboratories at Health Center IV facilities and above are
rehabilitated, their staff provided with training and support
supervision, and quality assurance systems are established such that
these facilities are able to offer HIV testing to support VCT, TB
screening, and diagnosis of other common opportunistic infections (OI)
that is of reliable quality and is available without interruption. The
program may also support scholarships for the training of staff,
including HIV counselor training, for facilities lack of staff is a key
impediment to service delivery. It is expected that the program would
last five years and evolve gradually from a focus on rehabilitation and
refresher training to concentrate on supervision and quality assurance.
This program does not include any responsibility for financial support
of care provision.
The measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with
GAP goals to reduce HIV transmission and improve care of persons living
with HIV. They also will contribute to the PEPFAR goals, which are: (1)
Within five years treat more than two million HIV-infected persons with
effective combination anti-retroviral therapy; (2) care for seven
million HIV-infected and affected persons including those orphaned by
HIV/AIDS; and (3) prevent 10 million new infections. Specific
measurable outcomes of this program will be the percentage of units
that have functioning integrated VCT services, the number of clients
served with VCT and the number of persons trained in lab-related
activities.
Activities:
1. Awardee Activities.
Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
[[Page 32579]]
a. Identify project staffing needs; hire and train staff.
b. Identify vehicles, furnishings, fittings, equipment, computers
and other fixed assets procurement needs of the program and acquire
from normal sources.
c. Establish suitable administrative and financial management
structures and a project office, if required.
d. Conduct a comprehensive national assessment of laboratory
facilities and personnel from Health Center IV and above, taking into
account data already collected by the AIDS/HIV Integrated Model
District Program (AIM) and other stakeholders. Use this assessment for
the targeting and prioritizing of program activities.
e. Develop and implement a program of laboratory rehabilitation and
equipment based on an agreed basic standard.
f. Plan, develop and implement, in coordination with stakeholders,
an in-service training program for laboratory technicians focusing on
rapid HIV testing, screening for TB and other common OIs, skills and
practices required for good management of laboratory facilities and
other relevant topics identified by needs assessment.
g. Provide scholarships for the training of counselors and
laboratory staff for health units where under-staffing is found to be a
critical issue.
h. Work with stakeholders and relevant authorities to support the
development of improved supervision and quality assurance systems
within the public and private laboratory system.
i. Support the collection and analysis of data to assess the scale
of HIV counseling and testing and TB screening provision. Support
improved laboratory management, supervision, and quality assurance. The
data collection system should be integrated within the general Health
Management Information System (HMIS).
j. Ensure that the commodities supplies management system is
operational at the facilities level.
k. Ensure that the above activities are undertaken in a manner
consistent with the national HIV/AIDS strategic framework.
2. CDC Activities
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:
a. Provide technical assistance, as needed, in the development of
standards for laboratory facilities, training materials and programs,
and quality assurance systems.
b. Collaborate with the awardee, as needed, in the development of
an information technology system for tracking key laboratory activities
and in the analysis of data derived from those records.
c. Assist, as needed, in the evaluation of the program and in the
development of further appropriate initiatives.
d. Provide input, as needed, into the criteria for selection of
staff and non-staff implementing the program and of those receiving
either laboratory or counselor training.
e. Provide input into the overall program strategy.
f. Collaborate, as needed, with the awardee in the selection of key
personnel to be involved in the activities to be performed under this
agreement including approval of the overall manager of the program.
Technical assistance and training may be provided directly by CDC
staff or through organizations that have successfully competed for
funding under a separate CDC contract.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
CDC involvement in this program is listed in the Activities section
above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
Approximate Total Funding: $3,500,000. (This amount is for the
entire five year project period.).
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: $700,000. (This amount is for the first
12-month budget period, and includes only direct costs.).
Floor of Award Range: none.
Ceiling of Award Range: $700,000.
Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2004.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: 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 be submitted by public nonprofit organizations,
private nonprofit organizations, universities, colleges, research
institutions, hospitals, and faith-based organizations that meet the
following criteria:
1. Have at least three years of documented HIV/AIDS related
laboratory programming experience in Uganda.
2. Have demonstrated expertise in health system development and
management and knowledge of the health system in Uganda.
3. Have extensive knowledge in laboratory protocols relevant to the
program.
4. The organization must be based in Uganda.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this 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 below, it will not be entered into the review
process. You will be notified that your application did not meet the
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.
Content and Form of Submission
Application: You must submit a project narrative with your
application forms. Your narrative must be submitted in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 25. If your narrative exceeds the
page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will
be reviewed.
[[Page 32580]]
Font size: 12 point unreduced.
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.
Must be submitted in English.
Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the
entire project period, and should consist of, as a minimum, a plan,
objectives, activities, methods, and an evaluation framework.
A budget and budget justification highlighting any supplies
mentioned in the Program Requirements and any proposed capital
expenditure must also be included. The budget justification will not be
counted in the page limit stated above. Guidance for completing your
budget can be found on the United States government Website at the
following address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.
Additional information is optional and may be included in the
application appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the
narrative page limit. Additional information could include but is not
limited to: organizational charts, curriculum vitae, letters of
support, etc.
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
``Administrative and National Policy Requirements.''
IV.3. Submission Dates and Time
Application Deadline Date: July 12, 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 format,
content, and deadlines. 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. Use of Funds
Funds may be used for:
1. Assessment and rehabilitation of laboratory facilities including
provision of basic requisite utilities and equipment.
2. Assessment and training of laboratory staff on a national basis;
Provision of scholarships for the training of counselors and other
laboratory staff.
3. Evaluation and management of the activities.
Funds may not be used for any new construction. The purchase of
antiretrovirals (ARVs), reagents and laboratory equipment for ARV
treatment is not a permitted use of these funds. Recurrent supplies and
test kits will be available to laboratories through the normal medical
supplies system.
Funding Restrictions
Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your
budget, are as follows:
Antiretroviral Drugs--The purchase of ARVs, reagents, and
laboratory equipment for ARV treatment projects require pre-approval
from HHS/CDC officials.
Needle Exchange--No funds appropriated under this Act
shall be used to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles
or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug.
Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes,
including personnel, training, travel, supplies and services. Equipment
may be purchased and renovations completed, however, prior written
approval by CDC officials must be requested in writing.
All requests for funds contained in the budget shall be
stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, CDC will not compensate
foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the
issuance of supplemental awards.
The costs that are generally allowable in grants to
domestic organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and
international organizations, with the following exception: With the
exception of the American University, Beirut, the Gorgas Memorial
Institute, and the World Health Organization, Indirect Costs will not
be paid (either directly or through sub-award) to organizations located
outside the territorial limits of the United States or to international
organization regardless of their location.
The applicant may contract with other organizations under
this program, however, the applicant must perform a substantial portion
of the activities, including program management and operations, and
delivery of prevention and care services for which funds are requested.
Prostitution and Related Activities.
The U.S. Government is opposed to prostitution and related
activities, which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing, and
contribute to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons.
Any entity that receives, directly or indirectly, U.S. Government
funds in connection with this document (``recipient'') cannot use such
U.S. Government funds to promote or advocate the legalization or
practice of prostitution or sex trafficking. Nothing in the preceding
sentence shall be construed to preclude the provision to individuals of
palliative care, treatment, or post-exposure pharmaceutical
prophylaxis, and necessary pharmaceuticals and commodities, including
test kits, condoms, and, when proven effective, microbicides. A
recipient that is otherwise eligible to receive funds in connection
with this document to prevent, treat, or monitor HIV/AIDS shall not be
required to
[[Page 32581]]
endorse or utilize a multisectoral approach to combating HIV/AIDS, or
to endorse, utilize, or participate in a prevention method or treatment
program to which the recipient has a religious or moral objection. Any
information provided by recipients about the use of condoms as part of
projects or activities that are funded in connection with this document
shall be medically accurate and shall include the public health
benefits and failure rates of such use.
In addition, any foreign recipient must have a policy explicitly
opposing, in its activities outside the United States, prostitution and
sex trafficking, except that this requirement shall not apply to the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Health
Organization, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative or to any
United Nations agency, if such entity is a recipient of U.S. government
funds in connection with this document.
The following definitions apply for purposes of this clause:
Sex trafficking means the recruitment, harboring,
transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of
a commercial sex act. 22 U.S.C. 7102(9).
A foreign recipient includes an entity that is not
organized under the laws of any State of the United States, the
District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Restoration of
the Mexico City Policy, 66 FR 17303, 17303 (March 28, 2001).
All recipients must insert provisions implementing the applicable
parts of this section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities,'' in all
subagreements under this award. These provisions must be express terms
and conditions of the subagreement, acknowledge that each certification
to compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and Related
Activities,'' are a prerequisite to receipt of U.S. Government funds in
connection with this document, and must acknowledge that any violation
of the provisions shall be grounds for unilateral termination of the
agreement prior to the end of its term. In addition, all recipients
must ensure, through contract, certification, audit, and/or any other
necessary means, all the applicable requirements in this section,
``Prostitution and Related Activities,'' are met by any other entities
receiving U.S. Government funds from the recipient in connection with
this document, including without limitation, the recipients' sub-
grantees, sub-contractors, parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates.
Recipients must agree that HHS may, at any reasonable time, inspect the
documents and materials maintained or prepared by the recipient in the
usual course of its operations that relate to the organization's
compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities.''
All primary grantees receiving U.S. Government funds in connection
with this document must certify compliance prior to actual receipt of
such funds in a written statement referencing this document (e.g.,
``[Recipient's name] certifies compliance with the section,
`Prostitution and Related Activities.' '') addressed to the agency's
grants officer. Such certifications are prerequisites to the payment of
any U.S. Government funds in connection with this document.
Recipients' compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and
Related Activities,'' is an express term and condition of receiving
U.S. Government funds in connection with this document, and any
violation of it shall be grounds for unilateral termination by HHS of
the agreement with HHS in connection with this document prior to the
end of its term. The recipient shall refund to HHS the entire amount
furnished in connection with this document in the event it is
determined by HHS that the recipient has not complied with this
section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities.''
Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
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 Section--PA04223, 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. Understanding of the issues, principles and systems requirements
involved in improving laboratory performance in Health Center IV
facilities and above and in carrying out basic laboratory
rehabilitation in the context of Uganda. (25 points)
Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the technical,
managerial and other practical issues involved in delivering a cost
effective and relevant program of laboratory rehabilitation, in-service
training, and development of supervision and quality assurance systems
focusing on VCT and screening for TB and other common OIs throughout
Uganda?
2. Ability to carry out the proposal (25 points)
Does the applicant demonstrate the capability to achieve the
purpose of this proposal?
3. Personnel (20 points)
Are the personnel (including their qualifications, training,
availability, and experience) adequate to carry out the proposed
activities?
4. Work Plan (15 points)
Does the applicant describe activities which are realistic,
achievable, time-framed and appropriate to complete this program?
5. Administrative and Accounting Plan (15 points)
Is there a plan to account for, prepare reports, monitoring and
audit expenditures under this agreement, manage the resources of the
program and produce, collect and analyze performance data?
6. Budget (not scored)
Is the budget for conducting the activity itemized and well-
justified and consistent with stated activities and planned program
activities?
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by NCHSTP/GAP.
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 ``Criteria''
section above.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Award Date: September 1, 2004.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Grant Award (NGA)
from the
[[Page 32582]]
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-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
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. Technical Reporting Requirements
Provide CDC with original plus two copies of:
1. Semi annual progress reports, 30 days after the end of the
budget period.
2. 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. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification.
e. Additional Requested Information.
3. 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: Jonathan Mermin, MD,
MPH, Global Aids Program [GAP], Uganda Country Team, National Center
for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention [CDC], PO Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda. Telephone: +256-41320776,
e-mail: jhm@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Shirley Wynn, Contract Specialist, Procurement and Grants Office,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road,
Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: (770) 488-1515, e-mail address:
zbx6@cdc.gov.
Dated: June 4, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-13142 Filed 6-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P