U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

Title: Promoting Science-based Approaches to the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy, HIV, and STI: Enhancing the Capacity Building Provided by National Non-governmental Organizations

Announcement Type: Competing Supplement

Funding Opportunity Number:  DP06-60101SUPP08

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.938

Key Dates: July 21, 2008

 

I.          Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose: The purpose of this announcement is to provide supplemental support to grantees funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) under the following categories of Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) #DP06-601:

·        Category 1:  Preventing HIV Infections by Providing Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) to State and Local Education Agencies

·        Category 2:  Preventing HIV Infections by Providing CBA to State and Local Health Agencies

 

Awardees will be expected to focus teen pregnancy prevention efforts on up to nine (9) state education agencies (SEA) and one (1) tribal government (TG) that are located in states that have programs funded by the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) under Program Announcement (PA) #AA004 Part E.  CDC plans to significantly enhance the work of NGO projects to assist targeted SEA and TG in expanding their efforts related to teen pregnancy prevention.  This work will be accomplished in collaboration with the Promoting Science-based Approaches to Teen Pregnancy, HIV, and STI (PSBA) project of DRH.

 

The goal of this project is to provide CBA to SEA and TG that work to improve the likelihood that schools will implement effective evidence-based prevention programs, policies, and practices to avoid, prevent, and reduce sexual risk behaviors among students that contribute to teen pregnancy, HIV infection, and STI (including curriculum-based teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention education).  One approach that is encouraged is employment of strategies that promote youth development.  This purpose will be accomplished through effective CBA approaches including technical assistance; professional development and follow-up support; guidance on implementing evidence-based approaches to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention; and/or youth development strategies related to #DP06-601.  This initiative will build on proven successful interventions including current state- and tribal government-based efforts, and it will enable recipients of CBA to focus on localities and/or youth populations with the highest teen pregnancy rates.      

 

Activities:

Awardee activities for this program are as follows:

CDC Activities include, but are not limited to the following activities:

·        Provide and periodically update information related to the purposes or activities of this program announcement.

·        Coordinate with national, state, and local education, health, social service, and other relevant agencies and organizations to plan and implement strategies designed to prevent health risks among youth and promote positive health, social, and academic outcomes.

·        Provide assistance to grantees with program planning to: (a) assure consistency of their operational plan with the intent of the program announcement, including refinement and use of logic models, SMART objectives, evaluation reports and other public tools and resources; and (b) avoid duplication of activities by grantees funded within the same category.

·        Provide assistance with evaluation of program activities, including reviewing and providing feedback on operational plans and linking grantees to additional evaluation technical assistance.

 

II.        Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement

Award Mechanism:  Competing Supplement (Limited Competition)

 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2008

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $205,000

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $205,000 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds. This figure includes all direct and indirect costs.)

Approximate Number of Awards: Up to 5

Approximate Average Award: $40,000 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: $30,000

Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $60,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2008

Budget Period Length: 12 months

Project Period Length: 1 year

 

III.       Eligibility Information

 

1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity are grantees funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) under the following categories of Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) #DP06-601:

·        Category 1:  Preventing HIV Infections by Providing Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) to State and Local Education Agencies

·        Category 2:  Preventing HIV Infections by Providing CBA to State and Local Health Agencies

2. Other:

If a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range is requested, the application will be considered non-responsive and will not be entered into the review process.  The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the submission requirements.

3. Special Requirements:

If the application is incomplete or non-responsive to the special requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the review process.  The applicant will be notified the 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

 

1. Address to Request Application Package

To apply for this funding opportunity use the application package posted on Grants.gov

Electronic Submission:

CDC requires grantees to submit their request for supplemental funding through www.Grants.gov.  If you encounter any difficulties submitting your request through www.Grants.gov, please contact CDC’s Technical Information Management Section at (770) 488-2700 prior to the submission deadline.  If you need further information regarding the application process, please contact Cynthia Thompson at (770) 488-2714.  For programmatic information, please contact Victor Medrano, NGO Team Lead at (770) 488-6159.

The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov.  Applicants are able to complete it off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the www.Grants.gov website.  E-mail submissions will not be accepted.  If the applicant has technical difficulties in www.Grants.gov, customer service can be reached by E-mail at http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport or by phone at 1-800-518-4726 (1-800-518-GRANTS).  The Customer Support Center is open from 7:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. 

2. Application:

A Project Abstract must be submitted with the application forms.  The abstract must be submitted in the following format:
  • Maximum of one page.
  • Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
  • Single spaced
  • Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
  • Page margin size: One inch

 

The Project Abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public.  It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed.  It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader.  This Abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information. 

 

A project narrative must be submitted with the application forms.  The narrative must be submitted in the following format:

  • Maximum number of pages: 15.  If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.
  • Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
  • Double spaced
  • Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
  • Page margin size: One inch
  • Number all pages of the application sequentially from page 1 (Application Face Page) to the end of the application, including charts, figures, tables, and appendices.
  • Printed only on one side of page.
  • Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not bound in any other way.

 

The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed:

 
  • Background
    • Describe your organization’s previous capacity building assistance work with SEA and TG, including technical assistance, professional development and follow-up support, and/or guidance on youth development strategies related to evidence-based approaches to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention.  Include the name, location, and type of organizations; a synopsis of the CBA provided and how it relates to building the specific capacities; and evaluation results.
  • Plan/Methods

Include a workplan with the following elements (a workplan template is available at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/FOA-801/doc/Workplan%20Template.doc):
    • Year One goals (broad statements of program purpose describing the expected long-term effect(s) of a program), in this case addressing the program’s effects in promoting teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention for youth.
    • Program objectives written in SMART format (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased); rationale for each proposed objective; primary person/agency responsible for accomplishing the objective; measures of objective accomplishments; and data sources to measure objective accomplishment.
    • Activities planned to address each proposed objective, noting the primary person/agency responsible for accomplishing each activity.
    • Describe how your organization will work with targeted SEA/TG and state PSBA coalitions to assess needs prior to providing CBA.
    • Describe how your organization would expect to provide CBA to establish or expand partnerships between the targeted SEA/TG and the state PSBA coalition.
    • Describe how your organization will provide technical assistance, professional development and follow-up support, and/or guidance on youth development strategies to build the capacity of targeted SEA/TG to increase the number of schools that implement effective evidence-based prevention programs, policies, and practices to avoid, prevent, and reduce sexual risk behaviors among students that contribute to teen pregnancy, HIV infection, and STI (including curriculum-based teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention education).
    • Distinguish between your current DP06-601 workplan and the new work under this supplement.
    • Provide a Gantt chart illustrating the timeline of activities (the order and timing of key project activities) as they relate to the proposed goals and objectives.
  • Evaluation
    • Provide an evaluation plan for this supplement that is complementary to and consistent with the overall evaluation plan of your organization’s FOA #DP06-601 project, and that is sufficiently rigorous to assess achievement of the desired outcomes.
    • Provide process and outcome evaluation indicators for each measurable objective of the proposed plan.  The indicators and measures must be in alignment with the DASH program goals. 
    • Provide a data collection, analysis, and management plan.
    • Describe a plan to disseminate data findings and evaluation results.
  • Collaboration
    • Describe how you will collaborate with other NGO partners funded through this supplemental announcement and NGO partners funded by DRH.

o       Provide tools, resources, training materials, professional development, consultation, follow-up support, and evaluation services to help the PSBA project and SEA/LEA partners to implement effective policies, practices, and programs to prevent and reduce sexual risk behaviors among students that contribute to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI. 

o       Demonstrate the integration of teen pregnancy prevention activities with school-based HIV and STI prevention efforts.  This would include collaborating with coordinated school health programs to achieve stronger integration and promote the use of evidence-based prevention strategies.

  • Project Staff
    • For anticipated project staff, including consultants and contractors, identify their specific roles (e.g., project leadership, management and supervision, planning, technical assistance, professional development and follow-up support, evaluation, staff support).  
    • Attach CV’s of existing and newly proposed staff, consultants, and contractors as an appendix. 
    • Include an organizational chart and describe the management and staffing of your organization generally and as it relates to this project.

 

Applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the proposed goals and objectives.  Measures of effectiveness must be in alignment with the goals of the supplement outlined in the Purpose section of this announcement and should also be in alignment with the DASH program goals.  Indicators and measures must be as objective as possible, quantitative and qualitative, and must measure the intended outcome(s).  The measures of effectiveness must be submitted with the application and will be an element of evaluation of the application.

 
  • Budget and Justification (Does not count against narrative page limit.)
    • Provide a detailed budget and line-item justification for all operating expenses that are consistent with the proposed program objectives and activities. Include any staff or trainee travel and attendance for one person to attend the annual grantee meeting, location to be determined.
    • The recommended guidance for completing a detailed justified budget can be found on the CDC Web site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm

 

Additional information may be included in the application appendices.  The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.  This additional information includes:
  • Letters of support from SEA or TG that your organization has worked with in the past 3-5 years (limited to a total of three).
  • Curriculum vitae of existing and newly proposed staff, consultants, and contractors as an appendix.

The applicant must submit all application attachments using a PDF file format when submitting via www.Grants.gov.  Directions for creating PDF files can be found on the www.Grants.gov website.  Use of file formats other than PDF may result in the file being unreadable by staff.

3.      Submission Dates and Times

 

Application Deadline Date: July 21, 2008

 Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC Procurement and Grants Office by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Your application will be electronically time/date stamped, which will serve as receipt of submission.  Applicants will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when HHS/CDC receives the application. 

This announcement is the definitive guide on application content, submission address, and deadline.  It supersedes information provided in the application instructions.  If the application submission does not meet the deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and will be discarded by HHS/CDC.  The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the submission requirements. 

4. Other Submission Requirements

If requesting indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement is required.  If the indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 months of age. 

 

V. Application Review Information

 

1. Criteria

The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
  • Background (10 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe its organization’s previous capacity building assistance work with SEA and TG, including technical assistance, professional development and follow-up support, and/or guidance on youth development strategies related to evidence-based approaches to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention?  (5 points) 
    • To what extent does the applicant include the name, location, and type of organizations; a synopsis of the CBA provided and how it relates to building the specific capacities; and evaluation results?  (5 points)
  • Plan/Methods (35 points)
    • Does the applicant provide Year One goals (broad statements of program purpose describing the expected long-term effect(s) of a program), in this case addressing the program’s effects in promoting teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention for youth?  (3 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant provide program objectives written in SMART format (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased); rationale for each proposed objective; primary person/agency responsible for accomplishing the objective; measures of objective accomplishments; and data sources to measure objective accomplishment?  (5 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant provide activities planned to address each proposed objective, noting the primary person/agency responsible for accomplishing each activity?  (5 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe how its organization will work with targeted SEA/TG and state PSBA coalitions to assess needs prior to providing CBA?  (4 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe how its organization would expect to provide CBA to establish or expand partnerships between the targeted SEA/TG and the state PSBA coalition?  (4 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe how its organization will provide technical assistance, professional development and follow-up support, and/or guidance on youth development strategies to build the capacity of targeted SEA/TG to increase the number of schools that implement effective evidence-based prevention programs, policies, and practices to avoid, prevent, and reduce sexual risk behaviors among students that contribute to teen pregnancy, HIV infection, and STI (including curriculum-based teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI prevention education)?  (9 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant distinguish between its current DP06-601 workplan and the new work under this supplement?  (3 points)
    • Does the applicant provide a Gantt chart illustrating the timeline of activities (the order and timing of key project activities) as they relate to the proposed goals and objectives?  (2 points)
  • Evaluation (20 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant provide an evaluation plan for this supplement that is complementary to and consistent with the overall evaluation plan of its organization’s FOA #DP06-601 project, and that is sufficiently rigorous to assess achievement of the desired outcomes?  (5 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant provide process and outcome evaluation indicators for each measurable objective of the proposed plan?  To what extent are the indicators and measures in alignment with the DASH program goals?  (5 points) 
    • To what extent does the applicant provide a data collection, analysis, and management plan?  (5 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe a plan to disseminate data findings and evaluation results?  (5 points)
  • Collaboration (20 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant describe how it will collaborate with other NGO partners funded through this supplemental announcement and NGO partners funded by DRH?  (7 points)

o       To what extent does the applicant provide tools, resources, training materials, professional development, consultation, follow-up support, and evaluation services to help the PSBA project and SEA/LEA partners to implement effective policies, practices, and programs to prevent and reduce sexual risk behaviors among students that contribute to teen pregnancy, HIV, and STI?  (6 points) 

o       To what extent does the applicant demonstrate the integration of teen pregnancy prevention activities with school-based HIV and STI prevention efforts?  (7 points)

  • Project Staff (15 points)
    • To what extent does the applicant identify the specific roles of staff proposed for this project (e.g., project leadership, management and supervision, planning, technical assistance, professional development, and follow-up support, evaluation, staff support)?  (7 points)
    • Does the applicant include CV’s of existing and newly proposed staff, consultants, and contractors?  (4 points)
    • Does the applicant include an organizational chart that describes the management and staffing of its organization generally and as it relates to this project?  (4 points)
  • Budget and Justification (Not scored; does not count against narrative page limit.)
    • To what extent does the applicant provide a detailed and clear budget and justification that is consistent with the proposed program objectives and activities?

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff and for responsiveness jointly by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and PGO. Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process.  Applicants will be notified the 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.
  • Applications will be reviewed objectively by CDC professional staff from inside and outside the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [NCCDPHP].  Applications will not be objectively reviewed by CDC professional staff from inside the funding Team.
  • Each application will be reviewed by a primary, secondary, and tertiary reviewer.
  • Responsive applications will be reviewed and then ranked by score according to the criteria described in this program announcement.
  • The applicant with the highest score will be referred to the Director, NCCDPHP, who will make the final decision.
  • All applicants will receive a written report summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of their application.

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Dates

September 30, 2008

 

VI.       Award Administration Information

 

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 emailed to the program director and a hard copy mailed to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application. Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review by mail.

 2. Reporting Requirements

The applicant must adhere to the reporting requirements established under Funding Opportunity Announcement #DP06-601.

 

VII. Agency Contacts

CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement.

For general questions, contact:

            Technical Information Management Section

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Procurement and Grants Office

            2920 Brandywine Road

            Atlanta, GA 30341

            Telephone: 770-488-2700

 

For program technical assistance, contact:

            Victor Medrano, NGO Team Lead

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health

    4700 Buford Highway NE, MS K-31

            Telephone: (770) 488-6159

            E-mail: vmedrano@cdc.gov

 

For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:

    Barbara Rene Benyard

    Grants Management Specialist

    Department of Health and Human Services

            CDC Procurement and Grants Office

            2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

            Atlanta, GA 30341

            Telephone: (770) 488-2757

            E-mail: bnb8@cdc.gov

 

 

  

CDC Home Page: http://www.cdc.gov

CDC Funding Web Page: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/FOAs.htm  

CDC Forms Web Page: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/app_and_forms.shtm