[Federal Register: February 25, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 37)]
[Notices]
[Page 9329-9335]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25fe05-85]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cooperative Agreement Program to Increase the Knowledge and
Skills of Disadvantaged Minority Students Under-Represented in the
Areas of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Occupational Safety and
Health
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: RFA 05053.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: March 28, 2005.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 317(k)(2)
of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Section 247b(k)(2), as
amended. In addition, the program is authorized under Presidential
Executive Orders related to advancing opportunities for higher
education and strengthening capacity of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, (TCUs),
and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Purpose: The purpose of the program is to increase the knowledge,
skills, and research training of disadvantaged minority students
including racial and ethnic minorities who are under-represented in the
areas of biostatistics and epidemiology, and occupational safety and
health. Specifically, the program is intended to assist a minority
institution of higher education (MIHE) to:
(1) Develop an undergraduate research training and internship
program for disadvantaged minority students.
(2) Increase the knowledge and skills of disadvantaged minority
undergraduate students in two categories of specialization: category
I--epidemiology and biostatistics, and category II--occupational safety
and health.
(3) Expand the educational and applied public health research
training and skills development opportunities and experiences in the
two fields of specialization (epidemiology and biostatistics, and
occupational safety and health) for disadvantaged minority students who
are interested in pursuing public health careers.
(4) Develop and implement a public health science curriculum at an
MIHE.
(5) Foster linkages and collaboration among students and faculty in
developing epidemiological and analytical knowledge base for the health
status of disadvantaged minority students in America.
(6) Increase the number of disadvantaged minority students with
advanced degrees in epidemiology, biostatistics,and occupational safety
and health.
This program addresses the following ``Healthy People 2010'' focus
area(s): Access to Quality Health Services, Educational and Community-
Based Programs, and Public Health Infrastructure. This program also
addresses the performance of executive agency actions under Executive
Orders 13256, 13230, and 13270 in order to advance the development of
the Nation's full human potential and to advance equal opportunity in
higher education, to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs,
respectively, to provide the highest quality education, and to increase
opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from
Federal programs. The program also addresses the Occupational Health
and Safety Act of 1970, which assures safe and healthful working
conditions for working men and women and provides research,
information, education, and training in the field of occupational
safety and health. In addition, the program addresses the Department's
priority activity to eliminate disparities in health, including
striving for racial and ethnic parity in the health professions.
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one
(or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the Office of
Minority Health:
Goal 1: Prepare disadvantaged minority medical, veterinary,
pharmacy, and graduate students for careers in public health.
Goal 2: Support HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs by increasing the number of
funding mechanisms and the number of minority-serving institutions
receiving support.
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: a.
Internship Programs: The recipient should plan and manage an
undergraduate summer internship program for disadvantaged minority
students that emphasizes the two categories of specialization: Category
I--training in biostatistics and epidemiology where plans will be
developed to train students at CDC Centers, Institute, and Offices
(CIOs) and other locations as appropriate, and Category II--
occupational safety and health where plans will be developed to train
students in the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) laboratories. Examples of activities that may be undertaken,
include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Establish criteria for competitive selection of prospective
students for both categories of specialization for the summer
internship program that is consistent with the goals and objectives of
the cooperative agreement. For example, a criteria for competitive
selection might include the requirement for completion of one or more
courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, or occupational safety and
health; grade of B or above in overall course work; likelihood of the
student to pursue a career in public health, research experience, other
academic performance; and performance on personal interviews.
2. Identify and recruit undergraduate minority students who have
successfully completed at least the sophomore year in college and who
have expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the health sciences,
occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, environmental
sciences, engineering, physics, social and behavioral sciences, or
mathematics.
3. Provide mechanisms for supporting the participation of students
in the summer internship program with the requirement that students
should be available to participate fully in the program activities.
4. Provide adequate technical assistance and consultants, (e.g.,
computer analysis, biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational safety and
health), to assist the students in successfully completing the
requirements of the internship program.
5. Establish and maintain a database with demographic information
on previous years' interns for the purpose of evaluation.
[[Page 9330]]
6. Establish a mechanism to award three semester (or equivalent)
credit hours to research interns upon successful completion of research
projects that is consistent with recipient academic policies and
procedures.
7. Maintain a liaison with the category II specialization,
occupational safety and health.
b. Educational Support and Curriculum Development: The recipient
should develop and implement an educational support curriculum that
includes, at a minimum, a Public Health Sciences Curriculum that
emphasizes epidemiology, biostatistics, occupational safety and health,
and related academic courses, including practicum. The public health
sciences curriculum should be consistent with the institutional
policies and procedures of the recipient, and include at least one
semester (or equivalent) of biostatistics and epidemiology. In
implementing the public health sciences curriculum developed under this
agreement, the recipient should:
1. Collaborate among, and across the recipient institution's
educational departments to demonstrate the cross disciplinary
advantages of public health practice, and the importance of integrative
and multi-disciplinary approaches to improving the health status and
quality of life of disadvantaged minority persons.
2. Demonstrate how the public health sciences curriculum and
educational support will enhance opportunities for disadvantaged
minority students to obtain advanced degrees in epidemiology,
biostatistics, and occupational safety and health from graduate
programs housed within schools of public health or medicine.
3. Develop, plan and provide other educational support for
encouraging the pro-active recruitment of undergraduate students
majoring in disciplines other than biology, chemistry, community
health, or pre -medicine to increase their knowledge of public health
practice.
4. Establish a mechanism to award three (3) semester (or
equivalent) credit hours to students who enroll and complete each of
the public health sciences curriculum courses.
c. Research Training and Skills Development: The recipient should
develop plans and approaches to make applied public health research
training projects (e.g., community assessments, programs and materials
evaluation) an integral part of the public health sciences curriculum.
The recipient should describe its existing and/or anticipated
resources, (e.g., computer resources, and faculty members with
applicable research experiences) which will ensure hands-on analytic
research training and participation for the undergraduate students.
d. Public Health Sciences Advisory Group: The recipient should
establish a Public Health Sciences Advisory Group to advise the
recipient on the implementation of the cooperative agreement program.
Examples of activities that the Public Health Advisory Group might
perform include the following:
1. Serve as liaison between the recipient institution and the
public health education, training and research program.
2. Review applications and/or interview prospective interns.
3. Review proposals or research project descriptions submitted by
the CDC to be analyzed by the students during the summer internship,
and
4. Evaluate the public health sciences program on operating
aspects, such as education, training and research components, and make
suggestions for overall program improvement.
e. Staffing and Management: The recipient should provide adequate
staffing and management resources for the successful implementation of
the cooperative agreement. For example, the following positions might
be identified as key staff: Principal Investigator (PI), Executive
Director (ED), Educational Program Coordinator, Occupational Safety and
Health Coordinator, and Research Training Coordinator. The recipient
should ensure that qualifications of key personnel are consistent with
personnel policies and practices of the institution.
f. Evaluation Plan: The recipient is required to evaluate the
management and performance of the students, including specific measures
of a successful program and the frequency/time-frame for the
evaluations (i.e., process and outcome evaluations). The recipient
shall develop a computerized tracking system used as an evaluation tool
for following-up the future professional activities of the students who
have participated in this cooperative education program.
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. As needed, collaborate with the recipient, and provide
consultation, assistance and support in planning, implementing and
evaluating all aspects of the cooperative agreement.
b. As needed, collaborate with the recipient to establish criteria
for evaluating both short- and long-term success of the public health
sciences education, training, and research programs.
c. As needed, provide consultation and advice to the key program
staff regarding administrative planning and program evaluation for
program development in future years.
d. As needed, provide computer equipment (hardware and requisite
software) to the computer, statistical, biostatistics, and the
occupational safety and health consultants, interns and Public Health
Science Institute faculty.
e. As needed, provide access to data sets, CDC mainframe computer,
personal computers, word processors, research activities and other
facilities that would be beneficial to program participants.
f. As needed, provide on-site office space and mentors to instruct
the summer interns in the analysis of data sets.
g. As needed, provide meeting and office space at CDC for the
summer participants, the coordinators, and the consultants for
activities to be carried out during the summer internship program.
h. As needed, provide staff to give seminars to students who are
selected for the internship program.
i. As needed or requested, provide technical support to assist the
recipient in curriculum development and implementation of public
health-related courses.
j. Collaborate in program planning and consultation with
participants in the summer research program.
k. As needed or requested, provide applied public health research
opportunities to allow students hands-on research experience and skills
development training.
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: $200,000. (This amount is an estimate
for the category I specialization biostatistics and epidemiology, and
is subject to availability of funds. In addition, depending on
availability of funds, approximately $150,000 will be available to fund
the category II specialization occupational safety and health.)
Approximate Number of Awards: One.
Approximate Average Award: $200,000. (This amount is for the first
12-month budget period, and includes
[[Page 9331]]
both direct and indirect costs for the Category I specialization only.)
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $200,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-
month budget period for the Category I specialization only.)
Anticipated Award Date: May 30, 2005.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: Five years.
Throughout the project period, CDC's commitment to continuation of
awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of
satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required
reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best
interest of the Federal Government.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by any institutions of higher
education that are designated as HBCUs, TCUs, HSIs, or those
institutions of higher education whose total minority student
enrollment exceeds 51 percent. Only MIHEs that offer undergraduate
courses in community/allied health, computer sciences, mathematics,
and/or biostatistics and epidemiology in their curriculum are eligible
to apply. Competition is limited to MIHEs under this program
announcement because there is a critical shortage of both disadvantaged
minority students and minority professionals to plan, monitor, and
evaluate the public health policies and programs that target the
heterogeneous minority population groups in the U.S.
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.
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.
IV. Application and Submission Information
IV.1. Address To Request Application Package
To apply for this funding opportunity use application form PHS
5161-1. Application forms and instructions are available on the CDC Web
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm
.
Electronic Submission: CDC strongly encourages you to submit your
application electronically by utilizing the forms and instructions
posted for this announcement on http://www.Grants.gov, the official Federal
agencywide E-grant Web site. Only applicants who apply online are
permitted to forego paper copy submission of all application forms.
Paper Submission: 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: Electronic Submission: You may submit your application
electronically at: http://www.grants.gov. Applications completed online
through Grants.gov are considered formally submitted when the applicant
organization's Authorizing Official electronically submits the
application to http://www.grants.gov. Electronic applications will be
considered as having met the deadline if the application has been
submitted electronically by the applicant organization's Authorizing
Official to Grants.gov on or before the deadline date and time.
It is strongly recommended that you submit your grant application
using Microsoft Office products (e.g., Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel,
etc.). If you do not have access to Microsoft Office products, you may
submit a PDF file. Directions for creating PDF files can be found on
the Grants.gov Web site. Use of file formats other than Microsoft
Office or PDF may result in your file being unreadable by our staff.
CDC recommends that you submit your application to Grants.gov early
enough to resolve any unanticipated difficulties prior to the deadline.
You may also submit a back-up paper submission of your application. Any
such paper submission must be received in accordance with the
requirements for timely submission detailed in Section IV.3. of the
grant announcement. The paper submission must be clearly marked:
``BACK-UP FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION.'' The paper submission must
conform with all requirements for non-electronic submissions. If both
electronic and back-up paper submissions are received by the deadline,
the electronic version will be considered the official submission.
Paper Submission: If you plan to submit your application by hard
copy, submit the original and two hard copies of your application by
mail or express delivery service. Refer to section IV.6. Other
Submission Requirements for submission address.
You must submit a project narrative with your application forms.
The narrative must be submitted in the following format:
Maximum number of pages: 40
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
Double 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, and must include the following items in the
order listed:
1. Executive Summary
The applicant should provide a concise, one to three page executive
summary that clearly describes:
A. Eligibility, including: (a) Status as an eligible MIHE whose
total minority student enrollment exceeds 51 percent.
(b) Letter certifying percent of minority student enrollment.
(c) Description of undergraduate courses in community/allied
health, computer sciences, mathematics, and/or biostatistics and
epidemiology, and (d) Experience and capacity as an MIHE to provide
knowledge, skills research training in the two categories of
specialization, (i.e., category I--epidemiology and biostatistics, and
category II-occupational safety and health.)
B. The need for implementing a program to increase the knowledge,
skills, and research training in category I--epidemiology and
biostatistics, and category II-occupational safety and health among
disadvantaged minority students.
C. The major proposed goals, objectives and activities for
[[Page 9332]]
implementing the program as well as total requested amount of Federal
funding for each category of specialization.
D. Applicant's capability to implement the program.
2. Capacity (not more than 12 pages)
a. Describe ability to address the identified need.
b. Describe efforts and relevant experience that support the
activities proposed to accomplish the objective for which the applicant
is applying, including:
(1) current and previous experience related to the proposed program
activities,
(2) activities related to operating internship programs for at
least the last 10 years;
(3) activities related to curriculum development,
(4) current and previous experience related to fostering linkages
and collaboration among students and faculty, fostering integrative and
multi-disciplinary approaches to improving health status, and
(5) current and previous experience with increasing the
participation of disadvantaged minority students in public health
careers.
c. Submit a copy of the project's management hierarchy, and
describe how that structure supports the proposed program activities.
3. Operational Plan (Not more than 20 pages)
a. Goals--List goals that specifically relate to program
requirements that indicate where the program will be at the end of the
projected five-year period.
b. Objectives-List objectives that are specific, measurable, and
feasible to be accomplished during the projected 12-month period. The
objectives should directly relate to the project goals and recipient
activities.
c. Describe in narrative form and display on a timetable, specific
activities that are related to each objective. Indicate when each
activity will occur as well as when preparations for activities will
occur. Also, indicate who will be responsible for each activity and
identify staff who will work on each activity. The applicant's proposal
should include multiple subparts detailing its approach to fulfill the
following program requirements:
(1) Internship Program
The applicant must describe a methodology for planning and managing
summer internship activities (for example: recruitment strategies,
program operations, and program and course scheduling in each category
of specialization, i.e., category I--biostatistics and epidemiology,
and category II--occupational safety and health, and establishing a
data base of previous years' interns); the applicant must document a
10-year track record of implementing public health internship and
fellowship programs for minority students; the applicant must describe
its history of collaborating with CDC on public health training
programs for minority students; the applicant must submit documentation
of dedicated servers and a computer laboratory suitable for research
training and data analysis.
(2) Educational Support and Curriculum Development-The applicant's
application must describe a plan to develop and implement a public
health sciences curriculum that emphasizes the category I
specialization--epidemiology and biostatistics, and category II
specialization-occupational safety and health, as well as related
academic courses. The applicant must describe its prior experience in
providing training programs for minority students in epidemiology,
biostatistics and occupational safety and health. Consistent with the
educational and administrative policies of the recipient, the
application should also describe how the recipient will accomplish the
following: (a) Encourage undergraduate students majoring in disciplines
other than biology, chemistry, community health, and pre-medicine to
increase their knowledge of public health practice; (b) demonstrate how
the curriculum and educational support will enhance opportunities for
minority students to obtain advanced degrees in epidemiology,
biostatistics, and occupational safety and health; (c) encourage
interdepartmental activities that provide integrative and multi-
disciplinary approaches, knowledge and skills to improve health status;
(d) describe how the recipient will incorporate a practicum to give
students hands-on research experience in each category of
specialization, i.e., category I--biostatistics and epidemiology, and
category II--occupational safety and health; (e) describe parameters
for establishing a mechanism to award three semester (or equivalent)
credit hours to students who enroll and complete each of the public
health science curriculum courses and internship programs.
(3) Research Training and Skills Development
The applicant must describe their plans and approaches to make
applied public health research projects an integral part of the public
health sciences curriculum. Each applicant must describe its existing
and/or anticipated resources (e.g., computer resources and faculty
members with applicable research experiences) which will ensure hands-
on-analytic research training for the undergraduate students.
(4) Public Health Advisory Group
The applicant must include a description of plans to establish a
Public Health Advisory Group to advise on the implementation of the
cooperative agreement program.
(5) Staffing and Management
The applicant must describe the proposed staffing for the project
and provide job descriptions for existing and proposed positions. See
proposed definition of key personnel in the section on program
requirements.
(a) Submit curriculum vitae (limited to 2 pages per person) for
each professional staff member named in the application and document
expertise and other sources of support for implementing public health
internship/fellowship programs for minority students.
(b) Submit job descriptions illustrating the level of
organizational responsibility for professional staff who will be
assigned to the project.
(c) Submit an outline of the hierarchy of a management plan which
shall assure fiscal and programmatic accountability in accordance with
the terms of this cooperative agreement. The management plan should
clearly identify the officials who will manage this program and their
specific responsibilities.
(d) Submit evidence of the MIHE's location in the south and in
proximity to the CDC.
(6) Evaluation Plan (Not more than 5 pages).
The applicant must describe a plan that evaluates the program's
effectiveness in meeting its objectives. For each of the types of
evaluation listed below, specify the evaluation question to be
answered, data to be obtained, the type of analysis, to whom it will be
reported, and how data will be used to improve the program. Indicate in
the plan the projected staff and time lines to be used.
(a) Process evaluation--Evaluate the program's progress in meeting
objectives and conducting activities during the budget period.
(b) Outcome evaluation. Assess the effectiveness of proposed
activities, including training sessions and documents developed in
attaining goal(s) at the completion of the one year budget period and
the five year project period.
[[Page 9333]]
(c) Computerized Tracking System. Applicants are required to
develop a computerized tracking system to evaluate the effectiveness of
the program in achieving its goals and objectives.
(7) Budgets and Accompanying Justifications.
The applicant must provide a detailed budget and line-item
justification of all operating expenses for each category of academic
specialization: Category I--epidemiology and biostatistics, and
Category II--occupational safety and health. The budgets should be
consistent with the stated objectives and planned activities of the
project.
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
Application Deadline Date: March 28, 2005.
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 submit your 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 application content,
submission address, and deadline. It supersedes information provided in
the application 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.
Electronic Submission: If you submit your application
electronically with Grants.gov, your application will be electronically
time/date stamped which will serve as receipt of submission. In turn,
you will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when CDC receives the
application. All electronic applications must be submitted by 4 p.m.
Eastern Time on the application due date.
Paper Submission: CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your
paper 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-TIM 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
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 may not be used for research.
Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.
Funds may not be used for construction costs.
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
Application Submission Address: Electronic Submission: CDC strongly
encourages applicants to submit electronically at: http://www.Grants.gov.
You will be able to download a copy of the application
package from http://www.Grants.gov, complete it offline, and then
upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. E-mail
submissions will not be accepted. If you are having technical
difficulties in Grants.gov they can be reached by E-mail at http:http://www.support@grants.gov">
//www.support@grants.gov or by phone at 1-800-518-4726 (1-800-518-
GRANTS). The Customer Support Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
Paper Submission: If you chose to submit a paper application,
submit the original and two hard copies of your application by mail or
express delivery service to: Technical Information Management--RFA
05053, 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 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:
--Internship Programs (25 points): Did the applicant explain the
extent to which it will develop and implement a competitive
undergraduate summer internship program that emphasizes biostatistics,
epidemiology, and occupational safety and health? Did the applicant
document at least a ten-year track record in implementing public health
internship and fellowship programs for minority students? Were
recruitment strategies identified for undergraduate students who have
successfully completed at least the sophomore year in college and
expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the health sciences,
occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, environmental
sciences, engineering, physics or
[[Page 9334]]
mathematics? Did the applicant provide mechanisms for supporting
students during the summer internship program? Does the candidate
document that adequate technical assistance (e.g., computer analysis,
biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational safety and health) will be
provided? Has the applicant established a mechanism to award the
students three (3) semester (or equivalent) credit hours for successful
completion of research projects? Does the applicant document a history
of collaborating with CDC on public health training programs for
minority students? Does the applicant document the presence of
dedicated servers and a computer laboratory suitable to support
research training and data analysis?
--Educational Support and Curriculum Development (20 points): Did
the applicant submit a plan which explains how an educational support
curriculum will be developed that includes at a minimum a public health
sciences curriculum emphasizing two categories of specialization, i.e.,
category I--epidemiology and biostatistics, and category II--
occupational safety and health, as well as related public health
academic courses, including practicum? Did the applicant document prior
experience with training programs for minority students in
epidemiology, biostatistics, and occupational safety and health? Does
the plan explain how the recipient will collaborate among and across
educational departments to demonstrate the cross-disciplinary
advantages of public health practice, and the importance of integrative
and multi-disciplinary approaches to improving the health status and
quality of life of disadvantaged minorities? Does the plan explain how
the recipient will develop, plan and provide other educational support
for encouraging the proactive recruitment of undergraduate students
majoring in disciplines other than biology, chemistry, community
health, or pre-medicine to increase their knowledge of public health
practice? Has the applicant explained how it will award students three
(3) semester (or equivalent) credit hours for completing public health
course work?
--Staff and Management (20 points): Do staff members have adequate
expertise and other sources for the successful implementation of the
cooperative agreement training programs? Did the applicant document its
location in the South and in proximity to CDC?
--Research Training and Skills Development (15 points): Did the
applicant describe an approach to developing applied health research
training projects (e.g., community assessments, programs, and materials
evaluation, etc.) as an integral part of the public health sciences
curriculum, including existing and/or anticipated resource needs?
--Public Health Sciences Advisory Group (10 points): Did the
applicant explain the process for establishing a Public Health Sciences
Advisory Group to help guide the implementation of the public health
curriculum, the internship program, and activities related to research
training and skills development?
--Evaluation Plan (10 points): Is a process established for
evaluating the management and performance of the students who
participate in the summer internship programs? Does this process
include a reasonable plan for obtaining data and reporting results? Is
there a description included of how a computerized tracking system will
be developed and used as an evaluation tool for tracking and using
programmatic results to enhance professional development of
disadvantaged minority students in public health?
--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 program responsiveness by the
Office of Minority Health (OMH). 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 application review will be performed by CDC
employees within the agency's CIOs. In addition, the following factors
may affect the funding decision:
(a) Funding preference will be given to MIHEs who have a recent
history of collaborating with the CDC on public health student training
programs.
(b) Preference will be given to institutions with at least a 10-
year track record of implementing public health internship and
fellowship programs for minority students.
(c) Preference will be given to MIHEs with training programs for
undergraduate minority students in epidemiology, biostatistics and
occupational safety and health.
(d) Preference will be given to MIHEs located in the south and
within proximity to the CDC.
(e) Preference will be given to MIHEs with dedicated servers and a
computer laboratory suitable to support research training and data
analysis.
(f) Funding preference will be given to institutions that have
appropriate staff expertise and other sources of support for
implementing public health internship and/or fellowship programs.
CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank
order.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Anticipated Award Date: May 30, 2005.
VI. Award Administration Information
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 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 Parts 74 and 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. An
additional Certifications form from the PHS5161-1 application needs to
be included in your Grants.gov electronic submission only. Refer to
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/PHS5161-1-Certificates.pdf. Once the
form is filled out attach it to your Grants.gov submission as Other
Attachments Form.
The following additional requirements apply to this project:
AR-7 Executive Order 12372.
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements.
AR-11 Healthy People 2010.
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
AR-16 Security Clearance Requirement
AR-21 Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business
Additional information on these requirements can be found on the
CDC Web site at the following Internet
[[Page 9335]]
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 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 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: Yvonne Lewis, Project
Officer, CDC Office of Minority Health, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-67,
Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-498-2336, E-mail: YLewis@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Mattie Jackson, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and
Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, MS K-69, Atlanta, GA 30341,
Telephone: 770-488-2696, E-mail: MJackson2@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.''
OMH Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/omh/.
Dated: February 17, 2005.
William P. Nichols,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 05-3639 Filed 2-24-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P