[Federal Register: September 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 185)]
[Notices]
[Page 57298-57304]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24se04-69]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Emerging Infections Programs
Announcement Type: Competing Continuation.
Funding Opportunity Number: CI05-026.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
Key Dates:
Letter of Intent Deadline: October 11, 2004.
Application Deadline: November 1, 2004.
Executive Summary: The purpose of this program announcement is to
provide continued support to existing Emerging Infections Programs
(EIPs), or to develop new EIPs, as part of the national network. EIPs
are population-based centers which assess the public health impact of
and respond to emerging infections. Activities of the EIPs fall into
these general categories: (1) Active surveillance; (2) applied public
health epidemiologic and laboratory activities; and (3) implementation
and evaluation of pilot prevention/intervention projects. The EIPs
function as a collaborative network of public and private organizations
that have an interest in addressing infectious diseases health issues;
EIPs maintain sufficient flexibility to address infectious disease
health issues as they emerge. EIPs are strategically located to serve a
variety of geographical areas and diverse groups of people.
The following guiding principles motivate the work of the EIPs: (1)
EIPs aim to be a national resource for surveillance, prevention, and
control of emerging infectious diseases--EIP functions go beyond the
routine functions of health departments in ways that allow important
public health questions to be answered; (2) EIP activities address
important issues in infectious diseases, selected with regard to what
is appropriate for this population-based infrastructure; (3) EIPs
maintain sufficient flexibility for emergency response and to address
new problems as they arise; (4) training is a key function of the EIPs;
(5) EIPs develop and evaluate public health practices and transfer what
is learned to the public health community; and (6) EIPs give high
priority to activities that lead directly to prevention of disease.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under the Public Health
Service Act Sections 301(a)[42 U.S.C. 241(a)], 317(k)(1)[42 U.S.C.
247b(k)(1)], and 317(k)(2)[42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(2)], as amended.
Purpose: The purpose of the program is to assist in local, state,
and national efforts to conduct surveillance and public health
epidemiologic and laboratory activities in emerging infectious
diseases, and to pilot and evaluate methods for the prevention and
control of emerging infectious diseases. This program addresses the
``Healthy People 2010'' focus area(s) of Immunization and Infectious
Diseases.
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 diseases.
Research Objectives: The overall objective of the EIP cooperative
agreement is to assess the public health impact of and respond to
emerging infections. Activities of the EIPs fall into these general
categories: (1) Active surveillance; (2) applied public health
epidemiologic and laboratory activities; and (3) implementation and
evaluation of pilot prevention/intervention projects. Specific
objectives for research and other activities supported by this
cooperative agreement are outlined in the individual Activities, below.
Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
(a) Functions and structure for EIP--Establish and operate an EIP
to further local, State, and national efforts to address emerging
infectious diseases.
(1) Establish each EIP activity in a defined population, which
could include either an entire State or a geographically defined area
(or areas) within a State. The population base may vary for various
activities. For certain activities, the population base may be defined
by a healthcare delivery system such as a health maintenance
organization (HMO). To accomplish the objectives of certain EIP
activities, a minimum population base of approximately 1,500,000 may be
necessary.
[[Page 57299]]
(2) Provide effective scientific leadership, coordination, and
execution of EIP activities.
(3) Provide effective management to support operation of the EIP.
(4) Organize the EIP so that it maintains the flexibility to
respond to new health problems as they emerge.
(5) Operate the EIP so that it can function effectively as part of
a national network of EIPs. Collaborate with CDC and other EIPs,
through the EIP steering group and other EIP working groups, to
establish priorities, to coordinate and monitor projects, and to assure
that important emerging infections issues are appropriately addressed.
(6) Ensure that site representatives attend and participate in EIP
Steering Group Meetings and other required EIP meetings.
(7) As a part of certain EIP projects, provide specimens such as
disease-causing isolates or serum specimens to appropriate
organizations (which may include, but is not limited to CDC) for
laboratory evaluation (e.g., molecular epidemiologic studies,
evaluation of diagnostic tools).
(8) Manage, analyze, and interpret data from EIP projects; publish
and disseminate important public health information stemming from EIP
projects in collaboration with CDC and other EIP sites.
(9) Monitor and evaluate scientific and operational accomplishments
and progress in achieving the purpose of this program.
(10) If a proposed project involves research on human participants,
ensure appropriate IRB review.
(11) Information systems used or developed through this cooperative
agreement should conform to the Public Health Information Network
(PHIN) standards, the goal of which is the creation of standards-based,
interoperable public health information systems. For more information
on PHIN, the PHIN architecture, PHIN messaging, and PHIN standards,
functions, and specifications, see the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/phin.
CDC will work with EIP sites to evolve EIP
information systems to conform to PHIN standards.
(b) Partnerships--Develop the EIP as a partnership between the
health department and other public and private organizations that have
an interest in addressing public health issues relating to emerging
infectious diseases, e.g., local public health agencies, academic
institutions, health care providers, infection control professionals,
clinical laboratories, other Federal and state government agencies, and
research organizations. Build and draw upon these relationships for the
conduct of specific EIP activities.
(c) Tools and Capacities--Develop and utilize a set of tools or
capacities to conduct EIP activities, e.g., active laboratory-based
surveillance; medical records review for surveillance or studies; case-
control studies; selected laboratory testing of isolates or specimens;
surveys (e.g., of laboratories, providers, public); collection of
isolates of disease-causing agents in the context of surveillance;
network of infection control professionals; and analyses of hospital
admission or discharge data.
(d) General EIP Activities--Activities of the EIPs generally fall
into three categories:
(1) Active population-based surveillance projects. These may
include collection and submission of disease-causing infectious agents
to state, CDC, or other laboratories. For example, the surveillance
case definition for the condition might involve detection of a positive
culture or a drug resistant isolate in a microbiology laboratory, a
serologic test result, a histopathologic finding, or a clinical
syndrome, depending upon the disease or condition under surveillance.
The specific approach to surveillance could also vary depending on the
disease or condition under surveillance. Surveillance should be
comprehensive (e.g., may include audits to assure complete reporting)
with active case-finding.
(2) Applied epidemiologic and applied laboratory projects. Examples
of potential projects include: Evaluation of illnesses often not
specifically diagnosed for which information about trends and etiology
are important (e.g., pneumonia); evaluation of clinical outcomes or
risk factors for drug resistant infections; evaluation of the role of
human genomics in disease causation and individual susceptibility; and
evaluation of the efficacy of pneumococcal and meningococcal conjugate
vaccines.
(3) Implementation and evaluation of pilot prevention/intervention
projects for emerging infectious diseases. Examples might include,
e.g., evaluation of the impact of Group B Streptococcus prevention
guidelines, or evaluation of the role of human genomics in public
health investigations.
(e) Specific EIP activities--All applicants should propose
activities 1-5; additional activities may be proposed
(6-12) at the discretion of the applicant. Each application
will be evaluated as a whole (see Criteria for evaluation in Section
V.1 below). Therefore, any additional activity proposals should be
commensurate with the applicant's capacity and should be designed to
enhance the applications as whole. Applicants are invited to consult
with CDC programs in planning their proposed activities. [For details
about these activities, see Appendices posted on the CDC Web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.]
(1) Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) and related
activities--ALL applicants should propose this activity. CDC expects to
provide support for ABCs activities in all EIPs, although some ABCs
activities are expected to be conducted only in certain sites. For more
details, see Appendix 1 posted on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm
.
(2) Active population-based laboratory surveillance for food-borne
diseases (FoodNet) and related activities--ALL applicants should
propose this activity. CDC expects to provide support for FoodNet
activities in all EIPs, although some FoodNet activities are expected
to be conducted only in certain sites. For more details, see Appendix 2
posted on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm
.
(3) Surveillance for respiratory diseases and syndromes--ALL
applicants should propose this activity. CDC expects to provide support
for five to nine EIPs for one or more aspects of this activity. For
more detailed guidance, see Appendix 3 posted on the CDC Web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(4) Flexible Response to Emerging Problems--ALL applicants should
propose this activity. Each EIP will be expected to participate in a
workgroup to review newly emerging infectious disease issues on short
notice and contribute to rapid study design, initiation, and
completion. For more details, see Appendix 4 posted on the CDC Web
site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(5) EIP rapid population-based survey capacity--ALL applicants
should propose this activity. CDC expects to provide support for
population-based survey capacity in all EIP sites. For detailed
guidance on applying for this activity, see Appendix 5 posted on the
CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(6) Integrated hepatitis surveillance--Applicants may choose to
propose some or all components of this activity, and CDC may provide
some support for each of the components. For detailed guidance and
specific eligibility criteria for this activity, see Appendix 6 posted
[[Page 57300]]
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(7) Surveillance for encephalitis syndrome--Applicants may choose
to propose this activity. CDC expects to provide support for up to
three EIPs for this activity. For more details, see Appendix 7 posted
on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(8) Surveillance for Unexplained Deaths (UNEX)--EIPs that are
currently conducting UNEX may choose to propose to continue this
activity. Any proposal for syndrome surveillance, e.g., respiratory
syndromes, should be proposed and managed as part of the corresponding
EIP syndrome activity, not separately as part of this activity. For
more details, see Appendix 7 posted on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm
.
(9) Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS)--Applicants along
the U.S./Mexico Border may propose this activity. For more details, see
Appendix 7 posted on the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm
.
(10) Incorporate a training activity into the operation of the
EIP--Any applicant may propose this activity. See Appendix 7 for
details.
(11) Prepare for and engage in activities to assess human genomics
risk factors into acute public health investigations--Any applicant may
propose this activity. CDC may provide support for one to three sites
for this activity. For more details, see Appendix 7 posted on the CDC
Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grantmain.htm.
(12) Site-specific EIP activity--Applicants may propose other
activities of local interest or concern that are consistent with EIP
objectives and guiding principles.
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 general coordination for the EIPs as a network.
(b) Assist in developing collaborative relationships and facilitate
multi-site collaboration as needed to support the successful completion
of the project.
(c) Provide consultation, scientific and technical assistance in
the operation of the EIP and in designing and conducting individual EIP
projects. (Examples include, participating in protocol development,
helping with study design, assisting in the development of information
systems, data analysis and dissemination of results, coordinating and
facilitating communications among EIPs).
(d) Participate in analysis and interpretation of data from EIP
projects. Participate in the dissemination of findings and information
stemming from EIP projects.
(e) Assist in monitoring and evaluating scientific and operational
accomplishments of the EIP and progress in achieving the purpose and
overall goals of this program.
(f) If needed, perform laboratory evaluation of specimens or
isolates (e.g., molecular epidemiologic studies, evaluation of
diagnostic tools) obtained in EIP projects and integrate results with
other data from EIP projects.
(g) If a proposed project involves research with human subjects and
CDC scientists will be co-investigators in that research, assist in the
development of a research protocol for IRB review by all institutions
participating in the research project. The CDC IRB will review and
approve the project initially and on, at least, an annual basis until
the research project is completed.
(h) Consult with sites to assist evolution of EIP-related
information systems to conform to Public Health Information Network
(PHIN) standards.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. CDC involvement in this
program is listed in the Activities Section above.
Mechanism of Support: U01.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2005.
Approximate Total Funding: $19,600,000.
Approximate Number of Awards: 9.
Approximate Average Award: $2,400,000. (This amount is for the
first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect
costs.)
Floor of Award Range: $1,400,000.
Ceiling of Award Range: $3,500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: December 29, 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 state governments or their Bona
Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of
Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of
Palau).
A Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state
as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in
lieu of a state application. If you are applying as a bona fide agent
of a state or local government, you must provide a letter from the
state or local government as documentation of your status. Place this
documentation behind the first page of your application form.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program.
III.3. Other
CDC will accept and review applications with budgets greater than
the ceiling of the award range.
Special 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.
Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See
``Section IV.3. Submission Dates and Times'' for more information on
deadlines.
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.
Individuals Eligible To Become Principal Investigators or Co-Principal
Investigators
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary
to carry out the proposed EIP activities is invited to work with their
institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from
underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with
disabilities are always encouraged to apply for CDC programs.
IV. Application and Submission Information
IV.1. Address To Request Application Package
To apply for this funding opportunity use application form PHS 398
(OMB number 0925-0001 rev. 5/2001). Forms and instructions are
available in an
[[Page 57301]]
interactive format on the CDC Web site, at the following Internet
address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm.
Forms and instructions are also available in an interactive format
on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Web site, at the following
Internet address: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
.
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)
A letter of intent is requested to help plan the application
review, but it is not mandatory. Your LOI must be written in the
following format:
Maximum number of pages: 2.
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 include the following information:
Number and title of this Program Announcement (PA).
Name of Applicant (i.e. State Health Department or bona
fide agent).
If you are applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local
government, you must provide a letter from the state as documentation
of your status at the time of application.
Name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the
Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator.
Brief description of your eligibility and intent to apply.
Application
Follow the PHS 398 application instructions for content and
formatting of your application. If the instructions in this
announcement differ in any way from the PHS 398 instructions, follow
the instructions in this announcement. For further assistance with the
PHS 398 application form, contact PGO-TIM staff at (770) 488-2700, or
contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714, e-mail:
GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Your research plan should address activities to be conducted over
the entire project period, focusing in detail on the first year and
summarizing plans for subsequent years.
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. Your DUNS number must be entered
on line 11 of the face page of the PHS 398 application form. 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
.
This announcement uses just-in-time concepts.
This announcement uses the non-modular budgeting format.
In place of the format specified for the Research Plan in PHS Form
398, use the following format:
Maximum number of pages: 35 single-spaced (excluding
budget, budget narrative, appendices, and required forms).
If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages
which are within the page limit will be reviewed. Materials or
information that should be included in the narrative will not be
reviewed if placed in the appendices.
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 address activities to be conducted over the
entire project period, and must include the following items in the
order listed:
(1) Capacity to carry out the functions and responsibilities of an
EIP.
(2) Operational plan for the EIP in general and for specific EIP
activities. (Include descriptions of populations for each proposed
activity.)
(3) Measures of Effectiveness (Include Measures for each of the
specific EIP activities proposed.)
(4) Human Subjects.
Additional information may be included in the application
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative
page limit. This additional information includes:
Documentation of bona fide agent status.
Letters of support (Do not solicit or include letters of
support from CDC personnel.)
Curricula vitas.
Detailed budget justification (i.e., supporting budget
information outlined in ``Budget and Budget Narrative'' below.)
Documentation of relevant accomplishments, such as
abstracts, manuscripts, or bibliographies, may be included in
appendices.
Budget and Budget Narrative
This part of the application does not count toward the narrative
page limit. For each line-item (as identified on the PHS Form 398, Page
4), show both Federal and non-Federal (e.g., State funding) shares of
total cost for the EIP. For each staff member listed under the
Personnel line item, indicate their specific responsibilities relative
to each of the proposed projects. All other line-items should also be
clearly justified. In addition to the budget justification, provide an
estimate of the budget for each separate activity or project (e.g.,
FoodNet, ABCs, etc. as outlined above in Section I, Activities, section
(e)). If requesting funds for any contracts, provide the following
information for each proposed contract: (1) Name of proposed
contractor; (2) breakdown and justification for estimated costs; (3)
description and scope of activities to be performed by contractor; (4)
period of performance; and (5) method of contractor selection (e.g.
sole-source or competitive solicitation).
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
October 11, 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
November 1, 2004.
Explanation of Deadlines
Applications must be received in the CDC Procurement and Grants
Office by 4 p.m. eastern standard 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
[[Page 57302]]
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
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:
Funds relating to the conduct of research will not be
released until the appropriate assurances and Institutional Review
Board approvals are in place.
Continuation awards within an approved project period will
be made on the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required
reports and the availability of funds.
If you are requesting indirect costs in your budget, 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.
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
LOI Submission Address
Submit your LOI by express mail, delivery service, fax, or e-mail
to: Angela Slaughter, National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1600 Clifton Rd, NE.,
Mailstop D-59, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: (404) 371-5357, e-mail
address: aslaughter@cdc.gov.
Application Submission Address
Submit the original and four hard copies of your application by
mail or express delivery service to: Technical Information Management--
CI05-026, 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
Applicants 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.
The goals of CDC-supported research are to advance the
understanding of biological systems, improve the control and prevention
of disease and injury, and enhance health. In the written comments,
reviewers will be asked to evaluate the application in order to judge
the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial
impact on the pursuit of these goals.
Your application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
(1) Capacity to carry out the functions and responsibilities of an
EIP. (50 points)
(a) Does the applicant demonstrate a clear understanding of the
objectives of the EIP in the following aspects?
(i) Background and objectives of this cooperative agreement
program.
(ii) The roles and responsibilities of participation in the EIP
network.
(iii) The requirements, responsibilities, problems, constraints,
and complexities that may be encountered in establishing and operating
the EIP.
(b) EIP functions and structure.
(i) To what extent does the applicant's plan for establishing and
operating the EIP clearly describe the proposed organizational and
operating structure/procedures; and clearly identify the roles and
responsibilities of all participating agencies, organizations,
institutions, and individuals?
(ii) To what extent does the applicant describe how the EIP as a
whole will be established in a defined population with a minimum
population base of approximately 1,500,000 persons?
(iii) To what extent does the applicant clearly describe how the
EIP, or its design for the EIP, is flexible and able to swiftly address
new public health challenges in infectious diseases?
(iv) Does the applicant plan to provide effective scientific
leadership and coordination, and adequate administrative
infrastructure, to manage an EIP?
(v) Does the applicant demonstrate ability to operate the EIP so it
can function effectively as part of a national network of EIPs?
(vi) To what extent does the applicant describe plans for
collaboration with CDC and other EIP sites in the establishment and
operation of the EIP and individual EIP projects, including project
design/development (e.g., protocols), management and analysis of data,
and synthesis and dissemination of findings?
(c) Partnerships.
(i) To what extent does the applicant demonstrate ability to
develop and maintain strong cooperative relationships with public and
private, local and regional, medical, public health, laboratory,
academic, and community organizations? Does the applicant provide
sufficient evidence of its ability to solicit and secure programmatic
collaboration and support from such organizations?
(ii) Are the applicant's partnerships with necessary and
appropriate organizations adequate for establishing and operating the
proposed EIP and for conducting individual EIP projects?
(d) EIP tools and capacities.
To what extent does the applicant demonstrate past experience and
documentation of accomplishments in conducting active surveillance,
applied epidemiologic research, applied laboratory research, and
prevention research, in general, and on emerging infectious diseases,
including antimicrobial resistant, food-borne and waterborne, and
currently or potentially vaccine preventable diseases? Is a list of
relevant papers and abstracts included in an appendix?
[[Page 57303]]
(2) Operational Plan for the EIP in general and for specific EIP
activities. (40 points)
(a) General EIP Activities:
(i) To what extent is the quality of the proposed projects (as
requested in the Application Content section above), taken as a whole,
consistent with EIP guiding principles, public health needs, intent of
this program, feasibility, methodology/approach, and collaboration/
participation of partner organizations? Does the proposal include clear
descriptions of the population bases for each project, and include
descriptions of race and ethnic distributions and descriptions of
various special populations as they relate to the proposed activities,
such as the rural or inner-city poor, under-served women and children,
the homeless, immigrants and refugees, and persons infected with HIV?
(ii) Does the applicant demonstrate support from non-applicant
participating agencies, institutions, organizations, laboratories,
individuals, and consultants included in the operational plan? Does the
applicant provide (in an appendix) letters of support which clearly
indicate collaborators' commitment to participate in the EIP and define
their roles?
(iii) Does the applicant clearly identify key professional
personnel to be assigned to the EIP and EIP projects as well as key
professional personnel from other participating or collaborating
institutions, agencies, and organizations outside of the applicant's
agency that will be assigned to EIP activities? (Is curriculum vitae
for each person included in an appendix?) Is there a clear
identification of participants' respective roles in the management and
operation of the EIP? Do participants have adequate experience in
conducting work comparable to that described in this announcement?
(iv) For projects involving human subjects research, does the
application adequately address the CDC Policy requirements regarding
the inclusion of women, ethnic, and racial groups in the proposed
research? This includes: (1) The proposed plan for the inclusion of
both sexes and racial and ethnic minority populations for appropriate
representation; (2) The proposed justification when representation is
limited or absent; (3) A statement as to whether the design of the
study is adequate to measure differences when warranted; and (4) A
statement as to whether the plans for recruitment and outreach for
study participants include the process of establishing partnerships
with community(ies) and recognition of mutual benefits.
(b) Specific EIP Activities:
(i) What is the quality of each proposed project with respect to
planned approach and methodology, as well as consistency with EIP
guiding principles, public health needs, intent of this program, and
collaborations?
(ii) For each proposed activity, is there a clear definition of the
geographic area and population base in which the activity will operate
(different activities may use different populations)?
(iii) For each proposed activity, is there evidence of support from
non-applicant participating agencies, institutions, organizations,
laboratories, individuals, consultants, etc., included in the
operational plan? Does the applicant provide (in an appendix) letters
of support which clearly indicate collaborators' commitment to
participate in the EIP and define their roles?
(iv) For each proposed activity, does the applicant clearly
identify key professional personnel to be assigned to the EIP and EIP
projects as well as key professional personnel from other participating
or collaborating institutions, agencies, and organizations outside of
the applicant's agency that will be assigned to EIP activities (provide
a curriculum vitae for each in an appendix). Clear identification of
participants' respective roles in the management and operation of the
EIP? Do participants have adequate experience in conducting work
comparable to that proposed in this announcement?
(3) Measures of Effectiveness (10 points)
(a) Does the applicant provide measures of effectiveness for each
proposed activity that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the
cooperative agreement objectives identified in Section B ``Purpose'' of
this program announcement?
(b) Are the measures objective and quantitative, and do they
adequately measure the intended outcome of each activity?
(4) Budget (not scored)
Is the line-item budget detail broken out for each activity (or
project) and contract, clearly justified, and consistent with the
purpose and objectives of this program? Does the applicant show both
Federal and non-Federal (e.g., State funding) shares of total cost for
the EIP?
(5) Human Subjects (not scored)
Does the application adequately address the requirements of Title
45 CFR Part 46 for the protection of human subjects? (Not scored;
however, an application can be disapproved if the research risks are
sufficiently serious and protection against risks is so inadequate as
to make the entire application unacceptable.)
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by National
Centers for Infectious Diseases (NCID) Office of Surveillance.
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 against the evaluation criteria. In addition, the
following factors may affect the funding decision:
Funding preference may be given to approved applications
that would enhance the geographic diversity of the network to achieve
appropriate geographic representation in the EIPs.
Funding preference may also be given to competing
continuation applications over applications for programs not already
receiving support under this cooperative agreement.
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-1 Human Subjects Requirements
AR-2 Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and
Ethnic Minorities in Research
AR-7 Executive Order 12372
[[Page 57304]]
AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2010
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-22 Research Integrity
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, (use form PHS 2590, OMB Number 0925-
0001, rev. 5/2001 as posted on the CDC Web site) 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 including report
specifically on progress towards stated Measures of Effectiveness from
the current budget period (i.e., previous application).
(b) Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
(c) New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity and Objectives.
(d) Budget.
(e) Measures of Effectiveness.
(f) Additional Requested Information
(2) Financial status report and annual progress 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: Catherine Rebmann,
National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), 1600 Clifton Rd, NE., Mailstop D-59,
Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone (404) 371-5363, e-mail address:
csr9@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Lynn Walling, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants
Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: (770) 488-
2612, e-mail: lqw5@cdc.gov.
VIII. Other Information
This and other CDC funding opportunity announcement can be found on
the CDC Web site, Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov. Click on
``Funding'' then ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements.''
Visit these websites for additional information about the EIPs:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol9no7/03-0083.htm, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/osr/site/eip/index.htm,
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/osr/site/eip/publications.htm.
Dated: September 20, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-21474 Filed 9-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P