[Federal Register: June 14, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 113)]
[Notices]
[Page 34483-34487]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14jn05-71]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease--Nationwide Education and Communication
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: AA109.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
Key Dates: Letter of Intent Deadline: June 24, 2005.
Application Deadline: July 14, 2005.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(2).
Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is an incurable brain
disorder that occurs with an incidence of one case per million
annually. The majority of patients die within six months of illness
onset. The disease causes damage to the brain leaving patients
completely dependent on their caregivers for the most basic needs of
daily living. In 1996, a variant form of CJD emerged in the United
Kingdom, which was causally linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE). Over 170 variant CJD cases have been identified worldwide,
including one case in the United States.
Purpose: The purpose of this program is to enhance national
surveillance for CJD and its emerging variants by (1) facilitating
interaction of researchers with family members of CJD patients (2)
increasing awareness about CJD and (3) increasing the number of
autopsies of suspected CJD cases. This program addresses the ``Healthy
People 2010'' focus area of Infectious Diseases.
Increasing awareness about CJD can be achieved by facilitating
dialogue among CJD researchers, family members, and health care
professionals. Increasing awareness empowers CJD families to make the
appropriate decisions about the care of their loved ones. Learning more
about prion diseases through autopsy study of CJD cases would assist in
the surveillance of potentially emerging forms of the disease and would
facilitate the development of a pre-mortem diagnostic test or treatment
for CJD. Increasing autopsy rates is critical because CJD can only be
confirmed after an autopsy. 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.
[[Page 34484]]
This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by
CDC/ATSDR. If research is proposed, the application will not be
reviewed. For the definition of research, please see the CDC web site
at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/opspoll1.htm
.
Activities
Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
Educate family members of CJD patients nationwide by
maintaining a toll-free helpline and preparing necessary fact sheets
through which family members of CJD patients can obtain guidance and
advice from experienced and trained persons about the disease, related
infection control issues, the need for autopsy, and necessary care for
patients. Assure that personnel managing the helpline have first-hand
experience with the disease, its impacts on surviving family members,
and sensitivity regarding post-mortem care.
Sponsor a national conference annually during the project
period that would bring together family members and professionals
working on CJD. Design the conference to educate families regarding
surveillance and treatment of CJD and to facilitate dialogue between
researchers working on CJD and family members. These discussions help
researchers to gain more knowledge about the social impacts of the
disease and exchange ideas on potential areas of research.
Through the nationwide helpline, fact sheets, national
conference, and other educational efforts, increase awareness about the
state-of-the art CJD diagnostic services provided free of charge by the
National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, provide guidance
on home and post-mortem care for CJD patients, and communicate the
importance of the need to conduct autopsy of suspected CJD cases to
facilitate surveillance of the disease.
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:
Monitor the implementation of program activities.
Provide input in and support the development of education
materials as necessary.
Monitor the provision of guidance and information support
by the applicant.
Participate in the national conference as needed.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
CDC involvement in this program is listed in the Activities Section
above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2005.
Approximate Total Funding: $50,000 (This amount is an estimate, and
is subject to availability of funds.)
Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
Approximate Average Award: $50,000 per year (This amount is for the
first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect
costs.)
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $50,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-
month budget period.)
Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2005.
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 and private non-profit
organizations and by governments and their agencies, such as:
Public non-profit organizations
Private non-profit organizations
Universities
Colleges
Research institutions
Hospitals
Community-based organizations
Faith-based organizations
Federally recognized Indian tribal governments
Indian tribes
Indian tribal organizations
State and local 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 Marianna
Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)
Political subdivisions of States (in consultation with
States)
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 special
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.
Applicants must document eligibility by providing proof of
501(c)(3) status or letters of support in an application appendix.
This program is not designed or intended to support
research, therefore no research will be supported under this
cooperative agreement. Any applications proposing research will be
considered non-responsive.
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
.
To submit your application electronically, please utilize the forms
and instructions posted for this announcement at http://www.grants.gov.
If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have
difficulty accessing the forms on-line, you may contact the CDC
Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section
(PGO-TIM) staff at: 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to
you.
[[Page 34485]]
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Letter of Intent (LOI): Your LOI must be written in the following
format:
Maximum number of pages: 1
Font size: 12-point unreduced
Single spaced
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
Page margin size: One inch
Printed only on one side of page
Written in plain language, avoid jargon
Your LOI must contain the following information:
Name of the organization
Previous experience related to the announcement
Name and contact information for point of contact
Application: You must submit a project narrative with your
application forms. The 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.
Font size: 12 point unreduced
Single spaced
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
Page margin size: One inch
Printed only on one side of page
Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not
bound in any other way.
Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the
entire project period, should clearly address the Evaluation Criteria
in Section V.1., below, and must include the following items in the
order listed: Background and Need, Capacity, Objectives, Operational
Plan, Evaluation Plan, Collaborations, Budget and budget justification
(budget not included in page limit).
Additional information may be included in the application
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative
page limit. This additional information includes:
Curriculum Vitaes, Resumes, Organizational Charts, 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 ``VI.2.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements.''
IV.3. Submission Dates and Times
LOI Deadline Date: June 24, 2005.
CDC requests that you submit an LOI if you intend to apply for this
program. Although the LOI will not be evaluated, and does not enter
into 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: July 14, 2005.
Explanation of Deadlines: LOIs and Applications must be received in
the CDC Procurement and Grants Office by 4 p.m. eastern time on the
deadline date. If you submit your LOI or application by the United
States Postal Service or commercial delivery service, you must ensure
that the carrier will be able to guarantee delivery by the closing date
and time. If CDC receives your submission 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 submission as having
been received by the deadline.
This announcement is the definitive guide on LOI and application
content, submission address, and deadline. It supersedes information
provided in the application form instructions. If your submission does
not meet the deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and
will be discarded. You will be notified that you did not meet the
submission requirements.
CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your submission. If you
have a question about the receipt of your LOI or application, first
contact your courier. If you still have a question, contact the PGO-
TIMS staff at: 770-488-2700. Before calling, please wait two to three
days after the submission deadline. This will allow time for
submissions 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 not be used for research.
Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.
Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes,
including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Equipment may be
purchased if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives.
Funding provided for conference support may not be used
for purchasing meals.
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.
Guidance for completing your budget can be found on the CDC Web
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm
.
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
LOI Submission Address: Submit your LOI by express mail, delivery
service, fax, or E-mail to: Ermias Belay, M.D., Project Officer,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for
Infectious Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop A-39, Atlanta, GA
30333, Telephone: 404-639-4655; Fax: 404-639-3838, E-mail:
EBelay@cdc.gov.
Application Submission Address
You may submit your application electronically at: http://www.grants.gov
, OR submit the original and two hard copies of your
application by mail or express delivery service to:
Technical Information Management--AA109, CDC Procurement and Grants
Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
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
[[Page 34486]]
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:
Applicant's Operational Plan for This Cooperative Agreement (40 Points)
Is the plan adequate to carry out the proposed objectives? Does the
plan thoroughly address all project goals and awardee activities for
the entire project period? Is an adequate timeline in place? Does the
applicant demonstrate they have working knowledge of or have
collaborative experience with the National Prion Disease Pathology
Surveillance Center to be able to educate others about the diagnostic
services provided by the center? Does the applicant demonstrate ability
to organize a successful national conference with a high attendance of
family members and CJD researchers?
Applicant Organizational History, Description of Capacity (30 Points)
Does the organization's mission and values emphasize CJD support
services for families? Does the applicant demonstrate that the needs of
CJD families have been and will remain at the forefront of the
organization's priorities? Does the applicant demonstrate a history of
implementing programs for CJD families? Does the applicant demonstrate
ability to advocate among family members of CJD patients for the need
for the more sensitive issue of autopsy and post-mortem care of CJD
patients to facilitate surveillance of the disease? Does the applicant
provide evidence that suggests they possess the necessary experience,
required level of sensitivity, and trust by family members to be able
to confidentially advise, educate, and provide support to family
members of CJD patients? Does the applicant demonstrate the capacity to
create a five-year plan for the services outlined in this program
announcement? Does the organization possess the appropriate community
relationships needed to effectively render CJD support services?
Methods (15 Points)
Are the proposed methods feasible for dealing with CJD families?
Does the methodology include a family centered approach? Are these
methods sensitive to the emotional state of CJD families? To what
extent will these methods accomplish the program goals?
Applicant's Staffing and Management (10 Points)
Can the organization demonstrate that its front line/help line
staff has the appropriate understanding of CJD family needs to speak
with families on a regular basis? Do the staff members have previous
experience working with CJD families? As described, will the staff have
enough experience in communicating with the general public such as
family members of CJD patients to be able to accomplish the program
goals?
Evaluation Plan and Measures of Effectiveness (5 Points)
Does the applicant provide measures of effectiveness as described
in the opening paragraph of this Section V.1., above such that
effective ``outcome'' evaluation can be accomplished? Does the
applicant propose a plan to effectively evaluate the following
measures?
Success in creating clear and effective educational
materials.
Success in the organization of a national conference with
the participation of CJD researchers and family members.
The number of family members successfully counseled using
the toll-free helpline.
Budget and Justification (Reviewed, but not scored)
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by NCID.
Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the
eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process.
Applicants will be notified that their application did not meet
submission requirements.
An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive
applications according to the criteria listed in the ``V.1. Criteria''
section above. The objective review panel will consist of CDC employees
from outside the funding center who will evaluate the technical merit
of applications for the purpose of advising the awarding official. As
part of the review process, all applications will:
Undergo review by a primary, secondary and tertiary
reviewer using only the Evaluation Criteria included in this Program
Announcement, above.
Receive a vote of approval or disapproval and if approved,
a score based on the points for the Evaluation Criteria, above.
Receive a second programmatic level review by Division
senior staff based on rank order of scores.
VI. Award Administration Information
Anticipated Award Date: August 1, 2005.
VI.1. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA) from the
CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NoA shall be the only binding,
authorizing document between the recipient and CDC. The NoA will be
signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer, and mailed to the
recipient's 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-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2010
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
AR-20 Conference Support
AR-23 States and Faith-Based Organizations
AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data
Additional information on these requirements can be found on the
CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm
.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the
following reports:
1. Interim progress report, due no less than 90 days before the end
of the budget period. The progress report will serve as your non-
competing continuation application, and must contain the following
elements:
a. Current Budget Period Activities Objectives.
b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
c. New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity Objectives.
d. Budget.
e. Measures of Effectiveness.
f. Additional Requested Information.
2. Financial status report and annual progress report, no more than
90 days after the end of each budget period.
[[Page 34487]]
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
We encourage inquiries concerning this announcement.
For general questions, 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: Ermias Belay, M.D.,
Project Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National
Center for Infectious Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop A-39,
Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-639-4655; Fax: 404-639-3838, E-mail:
EBelay@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Sharron P. Orum, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and
Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-
488-2716, E-mail: SOrum@cdc.gov.
VIII. Other Information
This and other CDC funding opportunity announcements can be found
on the CDC Web site, Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov. Click on
``Funding'' then ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements.''
Dated: May 27, 2005
William P. Nichols,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 05-11693 Filed 6-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P