[Federal Register: June 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 121)]
[Notices]
[Page 35364-35369]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn04-78]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Implementation of Programs for Prevention of Mother to Child HIV
Transmission Through Indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
in Kenya
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: PA 04262.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.941.
Key Dates:
Letter of Intent Deadline: Not required.
Application Deadline: July 26, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 307 and
317(k)(2)of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Sections 242l
and 247b(k)(2)] as amended and under Public Law 108-25 (United
States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of
2003) [22 U.S.C. 7601].
Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announces the availability for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 funds for a
cooperative agreement program to provide technical assistance and
funding to local organizations in Kenya to enable them to support the
implementation of a
[[Page 35365]]
Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission (PMTCT) program in
Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities and other facilities offering
Maternal and Child Health services (MCH).
This program should include HIV counseling and testing in the
antenatal clinics (ANC) and maternity wards, provision of prophylactic
antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, basic medical care including prevention and
treatment of opportunistic infections and anti-retroviral therapy (ART)
for HIV infected women and their families (PMTCT+).
The Global AIDS Program (GAP) has established field operations to
support national HIV/AIDS control programs in 25 countries. The CDC's
GAP exists to help prevent HIV infection, provide care and support, and
build capacity to address the global AIDS pandemic. GAP provides
financial and technical assistance through partnerships with
governments, community- and faith-based organizations, the private
sector, and national and international entities working in the 25
resource-constrained countries. CDC/GAP works with the Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA), the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace
Corps, the Departments of State, Labor and Defense, and other agencies
and organizations. These efforts complement multilateral efforts,
including UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Combat HIV, TB and Malaria, World
Bank funding, and other private sector donation programs.
The U.S. Government seeks to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in
specific countries within sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas
through the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Through this new initiative, CDC's GAP will continue to work with host
countries to strengthen capacity and expand activities in the areas of:
(1) Primary HIV prevention; (2) HIV care, support, and treatment; and
(3) capacity and infrastructure development, especially for
surveillance and training. Targeted countries represent those with the
most severe epidemics where the potential for impact is greatest and
where U.S. government agencies are already active. Kenya is one of
these targeted countries.
To carry out its activities in these countries, CDC is working in a
collaborative manner with national governments and other agencies to
develop programs of assistance to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The goal of the Kenya government PMTCT program is to increase
access of PMTCT services so as to reach at least 50 percent of all
health facilities by the end of 2005 and at least 80 percent by 2007.
This will require involvement of all sectors in implementation. To date
indigenous NGOs have contributed significantly in supporting
implementation in both government and non-government facilities. These
indigenous organizations bring special expertise to the process by
virtue of their knowledge of the Kenyan health systems and the local
culture. There is added advantage in working with these groups due to
their long and on-going presence on the ground and their intimate
direct experience of the effects of the epidemic.
CDC proposes to enhance the capacity of these organizations to
support the implementation of PMTCT programs in Kenya. CDC Kenya is
committed to strengthening and supporting indigenous NGOs to continue
to facilitate implementation of PMTCT services in various facilities in
Kenya.
The measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with
goals of the GAP to reduce HIV transmission and improve care of persons
living with HIV. They will also contribute to the goals of the PEPFAR
which are: (1) Within five years treat more than two million HIV-
infected persons with effective combination of anti-retroviral therapy
(ART); (2) care for seven million HIV-infected and affected persons
including those orphaned by HIV/AIDS; and (3) prevent ten million new
infections. Some of the specific measurable outcomes from this program
will be: (1) The number of antenatal and maternity clients receiving
counselling and testing; (2) number of HIV positive women and their
children who receive prophylactic antiretroviral drugs; (3) the number
of patients receiving basic care packages; (4) the number of new
patients served with anti-retroviral treatment and the number of
patients on ART receiving continuous care for more than 12 months; and
(5) the number of health care workers trained in PMTCT and PMTCT+
services.
Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
To provide technical assistance in program implementation
to managers of maternal and child health services at MOH facilities and
other facilities in Kenya.
To train service providers in HIV counseling and testing
in the ANC and maternity wards, on prophylactic anti-retroviral
regimens, in prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections and
on lifelong antiretroviral therapy for HIV infected women and their
families.
To provide supportive supervision and ensure that PMTCT
services are being implemented according to the national and
international standards.
Where necessary, to hire extra personnel to alleviate
problems of implementation due to staff shortages.
To enhance the capacity of health facilities to integrate
PMTCT data into the national reporting system.
To assist the facilities in report writing on the program.
To collaborate with the District health management teams
and local stakeholders including associations of people living with HIV
in sensitizing the communities on PMTCT through community education,
male involvement and establishment of community support structures.
To develop strategies to improve the capacity of the
facilities to maintain the PMTCT services independently.
Awardee will ensure that all of the above activities integrate into
the national HIV/AIDS strategy.
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:
Provide technical assistance in clinical, counseling and
laboratory issues, training, data management, and program monitoring
and evaluation.
Collaborate with the recipient, as needed, in the
development of an information technology system for medical record
keeping and information access and in the analysis of data derived from
those records.
Assist, as needed, in monitoring and evaluation of program
and in development of further appropriate initiatives.
Provide fiscal oversight and technical assistance in the
areas of financial management, administration, personnel management,
data management and other aspects of institution strengthening.
Monitor project and budget performance to ensure
satisfactory progress towards the goals of the project.
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: $5,000,000 (This amount is for the
entire project period.).
[[Page 35366]]
Approximate Number of Awards: Two to Three.
Approximate Average Award: $300,000 (This amount is for the first
12-month budget period, and includes only direct costs).
Floor of Award Range: $250,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: August 15, 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 only be submitted by indigenous Kenyan
organizations, indigenous universities or colleges, and indigenous
Kenyan faith-based organizations that meet the following criteria:
1. Have at least three years of documented experience in
implementing PMTCT programs in Kenya.
2. Have an existing program in Kenya because it is critical that
this activity commences quickly.
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.
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 include a project narrative with your
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 15. 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.
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches.
Double spaced.
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.
All pages should be numbered, and a complete index to the
application and any appendices must be included.
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, an evaluation framework, a budget
highlighting any supplies mentioned in the Program Requirements and any
proposed capital expenditure. The budget justification will not be
counted in the page limit state above. Guidance for completing your
budget can be found on the United States government Web site 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 vitas, 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 Times
Application Deadline Date: July 26, 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
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:
Funds may be used for: Hiring of staff needed to provide
services; Training service providers; Coordination of the program;
purchase of supplies, equipment, and commodities (including
antiretroviral drugs) needed to provide the services; renovation of
clinical facilities at site of program implementation; and
[[Page 35367]]
sensitization of the community on PMTCT services.
Antiretroviral Drugs--The purchase of antiretrovirals,
reagents, and laboratory equipment for antiretroviral treatment
projects require pre-approval from the GAP headquarters.
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 if deemed necessary to
accomplish program objectives; 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, 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 organizations
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.
An annual audit of these funds is required by a U.S. based
audit firm with international branches and current licensure/authority
in country, and in accordance with International Accounting Standards
or equivalent standard(s) approved in writing by CDC. The audit should
specify the use of funds and the appropriateness and reasonableness of
expenditures.
A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required
with the potential awardee, pre or post award, in order to review their
business management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of
U.S. Federal funds.
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 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-PA 04262, CDC Procurement and
Grants
[[Page 35368]]
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 the issues relating to the HIV prevalence in women
in Kenya, and developing a creative and innovative approach to
preventing mother to child HIV transmission (30 points).
Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the social,
behavioral, and contextual issues relating to the mother to child
transmission of HIV? Does the applicant demonstrate creative and
innovative ideas for addressing this problem?
2. Ability to carry out the proposal (25 points).
Does the applicant demonstrate the capability to achieve the
purpose of this proposal? Does the applicant have demonstrated ability
to set up and operate an intervention program in Ministry of Health
facilities in Kenya? Does the applicant have demonstrated ability to
set up and operate an intervention program in non-governmental
facilities?
3. Personnel (20 points).
Are the key technical personnel involved in this project qualified,
including evidence of at least three years experience in providing
PMTCT HIV interventions in health facilities in Kenya? Do the technical
personnel have demonstrated capacity for creative approaches to complex
problems?
4. Plans for Administration and Management of the Project (15
points).
Does the applicant describe activities, which are realistic,
achievable, time-framed and appropriate to complete this program?
5. Administrative and Accounting Plan (10 points).
Is there a plan to account for, prepare reports, monitor and audit
expenditures under this agreement, manage the resources of the program
and produce, collect and analyze performance data?
6. Budget (not scored, but evaluated).
Is the itemized budget for conducting the project, along with
justification, reasonable and consistent with stated objectives 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 the National
Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention (NCHSTP). 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.
No award will be made without the concurrence of the U.S. Embassy
and the CDC representative in Kenya.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Date
August 15, 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-4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions.
AR-6 Patient Care.
AR-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements.
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements.
AR-14 Accounting System 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. Reporting Requirements
You must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the
following reports:
1. In year one, quarterly progress reports, due 30 days after the
end of each quarter. In subsequent years, a semi-annual progress
report, due 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. Budget.
e. Additional Requested Information.
f. Measures of Effectiveness.
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: Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha,
MBChB, MMed, MPH, Senior Technical Advisor PMTCT, Global Aids Program
[GAP], Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], PO Box 606
Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya, Telephone: 256-20-271-3008, E-mail:
Dngacha@cdcnairobi.mimcom.net.
For budget assistance, contact: Diane Flournoy, Grants Management
Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road,
Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2072, E-mail: dmf6@cdc.gov.
VIII. Other Information
None.
[[Page 35369]]
Dated: June 18, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-14309 Filed 6-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P