U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Addressing the Public Health Consequences of War: Innovative Approaches to Reproductive Health, Water and Sanitation, and Health Information

Announcement Type: New – Type 1

Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA- EH08-803

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.269 - Complex Humanitarian Emergency and War-Related Injury Public Health Activities

Key Dates:

Application Deadline: June 2, 2008

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 307 and 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Section 242l and 247b(k)(2)], as amended.

Purpose: The purpose of the program is to provide support in the fields of reproductive health, water and sanitation, and health information to populations affected by war and complex humanitarian emergencies. This program addresses the “Healthy People 2010” focus area(s) of Maternal, Infant, and Child Health, and Environmental Health.

Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Environmental Health: “Prevent or reduce illness, injury, and death related to environmental risk factors.”

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. 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/science/regs/hrpp/researchDefinition.htm

Activities:

Awardee activities for this program are as follows:

Reproductive Health: Successful vendor will complete one or more of the following activities in order to provide specific services to the identified population: (1) conduct population based reproductive health surveys in complex humanitarian emergencies using accepted science-based methods; (2) assess the capacity of international and non-governmental agencies serving the reproductive health care needs of conflict-affected populations; (3) identify gaps in health service delivery strategies between emergency humanitarian agencies and the development community in order to create sustainable reproductive health care services in complex emergencies; (4) make recommendations to improve reproductive health interventions while building capacity in complex humanitarian emergencies; (5) assist CDC in developing consensus within the international humanitarian community on reproductive health indicators, based on established practices and field manuals; (6) Assist CDC in developing improved methods for data collection and dissemination related to reproductive health in complex humanitarian emergencies.
Water and Sanitation: Successful vendor will complete one or more of the following activities in order to provide specific services to the identified population: (1) conduct population based water and sanitation surveys in complex humanitarian emergencies using accepted science-based methods; (2) assess the capacity of international and non-governmental agencies serving the water and sanitation needs of conflict-affected populations; (3) identify gaps in water and sanitation strategies between emergency humanitarian agencies and the development community in order to create sustainable water and sanitation services in complex emergencies; (4) make recommendations to improve water and sanitation interventions while building capacity in complex humanitarian emergencies; (5) assist CDC in developing consensus within the international humanitarian community on water quality and sanitation indicators, based on established practices and field manuals; (6) assist CDC in developing improved methods for data collection and dissemination related to water and sanitation in complex humanitarian emergencies; (7) conduct evaluations of new and emerging technologies and trends related to water quality and sanitation in complex emergencies.
Health information innovation and service: Health data and Health Information Systems (HIS) lay the foundation for public health decision-making in emergencies. Accurate and reliable health information informs evidence-based policy formulation, leads to better management of health programs and, ultimately, drives the actions that improve health programs in conflict and post-conflict settings. It is also a crucial tool for the surveillance of existing and emerging infectious disease. Successful recipient will build on existing work by IERHB and UNHCR to develop a comprehensive HIS which includes ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data in refugee camps. This surveillance system, a pilot of which has been operating in Tanzania since 2004, currently collects data on 119 conditions including watery and bloody diarrhea, malaria, fever of unknown origin, and infant mortality rates. This data is analyzed and used to describe and monitor health events, set priorities, and to assist in the planning, implementation and evaluation of public health interventions and programs. Successful recipient will work with IERHB to expand HIS to other countries in the Horn of Africa harboring refugees, such as Ethiopia and Kenya. Successful recipient will collaborate with IERHB to develop an HIS that can be used world-wide as a standard system. Regional and local adaptations will be made to suit the needs of local and international partners and will include country specific disease indicators.
Health Information Imagery, Mapping and Population Estimates: The lack of population data and current imagery in complex humanitarian emergencies can be crucial impediments to rapid disaster health planning and response. The absence of data on population size, composition and location impedes the ability of the humanitarian community, including first responders, to accurately plan, acquire and effectively distribute public health supplies and services. Successful recipient will work closely with IERHB to evaluate the potential use of remote aerial surveillance using unmanned aerial vehicles and/or modular photographic devices to assist in conducting rapid population estimates and imagery collection during complex emergencies. In addition, successful vendor may assist IERHB in developing geographic information systems and related mapping products in complex emergencies. Successful vendor may also work with CDC to develop a high resolution modular imaging device that can produce georeferenced and orthorectified images for rapid mosaic, analysis and distribution. The resulting photographic map of a disaster-affected population will then be processed to estimate population density and guide the public health response.
Humanitarian Information Centers: Humanitarian Information Centers (HIC) support the co-ordination of humanitarian assistance through the provision of information products and services. Successful vendor will operate or support one or more HICs whose work may include, but will not be limited to, the following activities:
- Provide orientation material to humanitarian actors, either in written, graphic and/or verbal form;
- Provide a range of information services such as maps, contacts lists, meetings schedules etc;
- Develop and promote standards to facilitate data and information sharing;
- Collect and maintain data on Who’s doing What Where in the humanitarian community;
- Collect, maintain and make available a range of data sets from all sources, processing and disseminating this data as appropriate to support humanitarian operations;
- Collect and maintain data for a Survey of Surveys to develop a master list of assessments planned, underway and completed by all partner agencies;
- Establish document management and archive facilities for the storage and retrieval of relevant documentation relating to the emergency and the humanitarian response;
- Develop and deploy Geographic Information Systems in key humanitarian sectors;
- Create a framework and strategy for information management in the field, liaising with other organizations;
- Advise other organizations on information management issues;
- Provide technical support to improve of the information management capacity of the humanitarian community, including working with key partner organizations;
- Provide physical space for the humanitarian community (include meeting space, mailboxes, notice-boards and connectivity for humanitarian actors);
- Engage with local actors to support and develop existing information infrastructures.

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:

Reproductive Health: IERHB will provide guidance in the development and execution of technical assistance programs for any population based reproductive health surveys conducted by vendor in complex humanitarian emergencies; (2) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on the assessment of the capacity of international and non-governmental agencies serving the reproductive health care needs of conflict-affected populations; (3) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on the identification of gaps in health service delivery strategies between emergency humanitarian agencies and the development community in order to create sustainable reproductive health care services in complex emergencies; (4) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on recommendations to improve reproductive health interventions while building capacity in complex humanitarian emergencies; (5) IERHB will provide proactive guidance and feedback to assist vendor in developing consensus within the international humanitarian community on reproductive health indicators, based on established practices and field manuals; (6) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on developing improved methods for data collection and dissemination related to reproductive health in complex humanitarian emergencies.
Water and Sanitation: Successful vendor will complete one or more of the following activities: (1) IERHB will provide guidance in the development and execution of population-based water and sanitation surveys in complex humanitarian emergencies; (2) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on the assessment of the capacity of international and non-governmental agencies serving the water and sanitation needs of conflict-affected populations; (3) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback on any effort to identify gaps in water and sanitation strategies between emergency humanitarian agencies and the development community in order to create sustainable water and sanitation services in complex emergencies; (4) IERHB will provide active guidance and feedback related to recommendations to improve water and sanitation interventions while building capacity in complex humanitarian emergencies; (5) IERHB will provide proactive guidance and feedback to assist vendor in developing consensus within the international humanitarian community on water quality and sanitation indicators, based on established practices and field manuals; (6) IERHB will provide proactive guidance and feedback to assist vendor in developing improved methods for data collection and dissemination related to water and sanitation in complex humanitarian emergencies; (7) IERHB will provide direct guidance and feedback on the conduct of evaluations of new and emerging technologies and trends related to water quality and sanitation in complex emergencies.
Health Information Systems: IERHB will continue to lead in the field of health information system development for complex humanitarian emergencies. This will include continued technical assistance and guidance in the development of pilot HIS systems in Tanzania and across the Horn of Africa, and active participation in meetings and conferences with UNHCR, WHO and other partners in the humanitarian community. IERHB will also provide expert feedback and guidance on the development of all future HIS systems through frequent meetings and discussions with the successful vendor. IERHB will provide expert feedback and guidance on any systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data in refugee camps conducted by successful vendor.
Health Information Imagery and Population Estimates: CDC will provide active guidance, direction and feedback on all contractor efforts to develop a modular photographic device to collect rapid imagery in complex emergencies. CDC GRASP staff will work closely with vendor to identify imagery requirements to build mosaic imagery. CDC will continue to develop methods that will allow for rapid population estimates in emergencies, based on mosaic imagery. Such methods will be based on previous published work by CDC to conduct rapid population estimates among displaced populations in Chad, Thailand, Kenya and New Orleans.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.

CDC’s involvement in this program is listed in the Activities Section above.

Award Mechanism: U38 (Cooperative Agreements to Develop or Improve Facets of the Public Health Information)

Fiscal Year Funds: 2008 - 2012

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $ 250,000

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $ 1,250,000 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) Amount includes direct and indirect costs. Indirect costs are excluded for international award recipients.

Approximate Number of Awards: 5

Approximate Average Award: $ 50,000 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes direct and indirect costs. Indirect costs are excluded for international award recipients.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: None

Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $250,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-month budget period and includes direct and indirect costs. Indirect costs are excluded for international award recipients.)

Anticipated Award Date: August 31, 2008

Budget Period Length: 12 Months

Project Period Length: 5 year

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

Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:

· Established international non-governmental organizations or other international organizations with a presence in at least 5 countries and at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in the fields of water and sanitation, reproductive health, health information, disaster mapping or remote imagery and population estimates in complex humanitarian emergencies.

· Universities, colleges and research institutions with at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in the fields of water and sanitation, reproductive health, health information, or remote imagery and population estimates in complex humanitarian emergencies.

Competition is limited for the following programmatic reasons:

· This program builds on work that CDC/NCEH/EEHS/IERHB has been developing for more than a decade. Over that time, successful IERHB technical partners with proven experience in their respective fields have been almost exclusively non-governmental organization with a presence in at least 5 countries, international organizations, universities, colleges and research institutions. It is important to maintain this consistency, and ensure that the successful grant recipient has the related capacity and experience to continue the effort.

· Successful grant recipient must have a demonstrable record and existing staff, both domestically and internationally, trained in public health and science related to reproductive health, water and sanitation, and health information. NCEH/EEHS/IERHB has worked with numerous organizations in the complex humanitarian emergencies, and believes that only those non-governmental organizations, international organizations, universities, colleges or research institutions with a proven track record of at least 5 years on-the-ground experience would be qualified to complete the required tasks.

· Successful grant recipient must have a significant global presence, allowing it to coordinate with local governments and international organizations in the implementation of projects related to landmine survivors.

· The limited duration of this grant requires that a successful vendor begin work immediately upon receipt of the award. NCEH/EEHS/IERHB believes this can only be accomplished by an established non-governmental organization, international organization, university, college, or research institution with experience operating in complex humanitarian emergencies.

· Successful grant recipient must have an intimate knowledge of the non-governmental and international organizations involved in reproductive health, water and sanitation, and health information in complex humanitarian emergencies. NCEH/EEHS/IERHB believes that the most experienced potential grant recipients are those which have established themselves as active participants in the international non-governmental community as providers of support to individuals, families, and communities affected by disasters. This essential connection will provide the successful grant recipient the resources and contacts to implement the program with the support of professional networks.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing or 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 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.

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 a grant, loan, or an award.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

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

Electronic Submission:

CDC strongly encourages the applicant to submit the application electronically by utilizing the forms and instructions posted for this announcement on www.Grants.gov, the official Federal agency wide E-grant Web site. Only applicants who apply on-line are permitted to forego paper copy submission of all application forms.

Registering your organization through www.Grants.gov is the first step in submitting applications online. Registration information is located in the “Get Registered” screen of www.Grants.gov. While application submission through www.Grants.gov is optional, we strongly encourage you to use this online tool.

Please visit www.Grants.gov at least 30 days prior to filing your application to familiarize yourself with the registration and submission processes. Under “Get Registered,” the one-time registration process will take three to five days to complete; however, as part of the Grants.gov registration process, registering your organization with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) annually, could take an additional one to two days to complete. We suggest submitting electronic applications prior to the closing date so if difficulties are encountered, you can submit a hard copy of the application prior to the deadline.

Foreign organizations must include a NATO Commercial and Governmental Entity (NCAGE) Code to complete their Grants.gov registration. Instructions for obtaining an NCAGE Code may be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/NATO_Commercial_and_Governmental_Entity_12-18-06.doc.

Paper Submission:

Application forms and instructions are available on the CDC Web site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/app_and_forms.shtm

If access to the Internet is not available, or if there is difficulty accessing the forms on-line, contact the CDC Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section (PGO-TIMS) staff at 770-488-2700 and the application forms can be mailed.

IV.2. Content and Form of Submission

Letter of Intent (LOI):

A letter of intent is not applicable to this funding opportunity announcement.

Application:

A Project Abstract must be submitted with the application forms. All electronic project abstracts must be uploaded in a PDF file format in the “Mandatory Documents” section of the “Other Documents” section of the web page when submitting via Grants.gov. The abstract must be submitted in the following format, if submitting a paper application:

Maximum of 2-3 paragraphs.

Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
Submissions must be in English
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. All electronic narratives must be uploaded in a PDF file format in the “Mandatory Documents” section of the “Other Documents” section of the web page when submitting via Grants.gov. The narrative must be submitted in the following format, if submitting a paper application:

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.
Budget may be included in appendix, and is not included in the 25-page limit

Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman
Double spaced
Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
Page margin size: One inch
Printed only on one side of page.
Number all narrative pages; not to exceed the maximum number of pages.
Paper application should be 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: Plan, Objectives, Methods, Timeline, Staff, Understanding, Need, and Performance Measures.

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 Vitas
Organizational Charts

Additional information submitted via Grants.gov should be uploaded in a PDF file format, and should be named:

Curriculum Vitas
Organizational Charts

No more than 5 electronic attachments should be uploaded per application.

The agency or organization is 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 the Dun and Bradstreet website or call 1-866-705-5711.

Additional requirements that may request submission of additional documentation with the application are listed in section “VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.”

IV.3. Submission Dates and Times

Application Deadline Date: June 2, 2008

Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC Procurement and Grants Office by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

Applications may be submitted electronically at www.Grants.gov. Applications completed on-line through Grants.gov are considered formally submitted when the applicant organization’s Authorizing Organization Representative (AOR) electronically submits the application to www.Grants.gov. Electronic applications will be considered as having met the deadline if the application has been successfully submitted electronically by the applicant organization’s AOR to Grants.gov on or before the deadline date and time.

When submission of the application is done electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), the application will be electronically time/date stamped and a tracking number will be assigned, which will serve as receipt of submission. The AOR will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when HHS/CDC receives the application.

If submittal of the application is by the United States Postal Service or commercial delivery service, the applicant must ensure that the carrier will be able to guarantee delivery by the closing date and time. The applicant will be given the opportunity to submit documentation of the carrier’s guarantee, if HHS/CDC receives the submission after the closing date 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. If the documentation verifies a carrier problem, HHS/CDC will consider the submission as having been received by the deadline.

If a hard copy application is submitted, HHS/CDC will not notify the applicant upon receipt of the submission. If questions arise on the receipt of the application, the applicant should first contact the carrier. If the applicant still has questions, contact the PGOTIMS staff at (770) 488-2700. The applicant should wait two to three days after the submission deadline before calling. This will allow time for submissions to be processed and logged.

This announcement is the definitive guide on LOI and 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. The application face page will be returned by HHS/CDC with a written explanation of the reason for non-acceptance. The applicant will be notified the application did not meet the submission requirements.

IV.4. Intergovernmental Review of Applications

The 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. Contact the state single point of contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert the SPOC to prospective applications and to receive instructions on the State’s process. Visit the following Web address 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 the budget, are as follows:

Recipients may not use funds for research.
Recipients may not use funds for clinical care.
Recipients may only expend funds for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services, such as contractual.
Awardees may not generally use HHS/CDC/ATSDR funding for the purchase of furniture or equipment. Any such proposed spending must be identified in the budget.
The direct and primary recipient in a cooperative agreement program must perform a substantial role in carrying out project objectives and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provider who is ineligible.

Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.
Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Recipients may purchase equipment and complete minor renovations depending upon the funding used for the activities under this RFA, if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives in accordance with applicable federal law and HHS/CDC policy; however, recipients must request prior approval by HHS/CDC officials in writing and conduct procurements in a transparent and competitive manner.
The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and international organizations, with the following exception: With the exception of the American University, Beirut and the World Health Organization, Indirect Costs will not be paid (either directly or through sub-award) to organizations located outside the territorial limits of the United States or to international organizations regardless of their location.
The applicant may contract with other organizations under this program; however the applicant must perform a substantial portion of the activities (including program management and operations, and delivery of prevention services for which funds are required.)
All requests for funds contained in the budget, shall be stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, CDC will not compensate foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the issuance of supplemental awards.
Foreign recipients are subject to audit requirements specified in 45 CFR 74.26(d). A non-Federal audit is required, if during the recipients fiscal year, the recipient expended a total of $500,000.00 or more under one or more HHS awards (as a direct recipient and/or as a sub-recipient). The recipient either may have (1) A financial related audit (as defined in the Government Auditing Standards, GPO stock #020-000-00-265-4) of a particular award in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, in those case where the recipient receives awards under only one HHS program; or, if awards are received under multiple HHS programs, a financial related audit of all HHS awards in accordance with Government Auditing Standards; or (2) An audit that meets the requirements contained in OMB Circular A-133.
A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, prior to or post award, in order to review the applicant’s business management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S. Federal funds.

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. The indirect cost rate agreement should be uploaded as a PDF file with “Other Attachment Forms” when submitting via Grants.gov.

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.

IV.6. Other Submission Requirements

A letter of intent is not applicable to this funding opportunity announcement.

Application Submission Address:

Electronic Submission:

HHS/CDC strongly encourages applicants to submit applications electronically at www.Grants.gov. 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 Grants.gov Web site. E-mail submissions will not be accepted. If the applicant has technical difficulties in Grants.gov, customer service can be reached by E-mail at support@grants.gov 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.

HHS/CDC recommends that submittal of the application to Grants.gov should be prior to the closing date to resolve any unanticipated difficulties prior to the deadline. Applicants may also submit a back-up paper submission of the 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 to 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.

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

AND/OR

Paper Submission:

Applicants should submit the original and two hard copies of the application by mail or express delivery service to:

Technical Information Management - FOA EH08-803

Department of Health and Human Services

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

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. The measures of effectiveness must be submitted with the application and will be an element of evaluation.

The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:

· Plan (20 Points): Is the plan adequate to carry out the proposed objectives? How complete and comprehensive is the plan for the entire project period? Does the plan include quantitative process and outcome measures?

· Objectives (10 Points): Do the proposed objectives appropriately address the purpose and required activities of this Cooperative Agreement?

· Methods (15 Points): Are the proposed methods feasible? To what extent will they accomplish the program goals?

· Timeline (15 Points): Does the applicant present a clear and reasonable timeline for accomplishing the program goals?

· Staff (15 Points): Do the staff members have appropriate academic and professional experience to achieve the program goals? Are staff roles clearly defined? As described, will the staff be sufficient to accomplish the program goals?

· Understanding (10 Points): Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the public health issue being addressed by this program? Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the peer-reviewed literature and tools applicable to this program?

· Need (10 Points): To what extent does the applicant justify the need for this program within the target community?

· Performance Measures (5 Points): Does the applicant adequately identify and address performance measures as related to CDC and HHS public health objectives?

· Budget (SF 424A) and Budget Narrative (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 jointly by NCEH/EEHS/IERH 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. The objective review panel will be comprised of CDC employees, other federal employees and external experts.

In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:

Maintaining geographic diversity and preference to organizations in certain geographic areas.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement Award Dates

August 31, 2008

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 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.

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Successful applicants must comply with the administrative requirements outlined in 45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92, as appropriate. The following additional requirements apply to this project:

AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-13 Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control Activities

AR-14 Accounting System Requirements
AR-20 Conference Support
AR-24 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Requirements
AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data
AR-26 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

(Public Law 89-665, 80 Stat. 915)

AR-27 Conference Disclaimer and Use of Logos

Additional information on the requirements can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/Addtl_Reqmnts.htm.

CDC Assurances and Certifications can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/foamain.shtm

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

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

The applicant must provide CDC with an annual interim progress report via www.grants.gov:

1. The interim progress report is due no less than 90 days before the end of the budget period, The progress report will serve as the non-competing continuation application, and must contain the following elements:

a. Standard Form (“SF”) 424S Form.

b. SF-424A Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.

c. Budget Narrative.

d. Project Narrative.

Additionally, the applicant must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the following reports:

2. Annual progress report, due no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period.

3. Financial status report and annual progress report, no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period.

Final performance and Financial Status reports, no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.

These reports must be submitted to the attention of the Grants Management Specialist listed in the “VII. Agency Contacts” section of this announcement.

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, MS E-14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770-488-2700

For program technical assistance, contact:

Ben Sklaver, Project Officer

Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

4770 Buford Highway, NE

Mailstop F60

Atlanta Georgia 30341

Telephone: 770-488-0683

E-mail: bfu2@cdc.gov

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

Randolph B. Williams, Grants Management Specialist

Department of Health and Human Services

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS K75

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: (770) 488-8382

E-mail: RB Williams@cdc.gov

CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at: TTY 770-488-2783.

VIII. Other Information

Other CDC funding opportunity announcements can be found on the CDC Web site, Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/FOAs.htm.

Applicants may access the application process and other awarding documents using the Electronic Research Administration System (eRA Commons). A one-time registration is required for interested institutions/organizations at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the eRA Commons.

1. Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons

To find out if an organization is already eRA Commons-registered, see the "List of Grantee Organizations Registered in eRA Commons.”
Direct questions regarding the eRA Commons registration to:
eRA Commons Help Desk
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Business hours M-F 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email commons@od.nih.gov

2. Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.

The individual designated as the PD/PI on the application must also be registered in the eRA Commons. It is not necessary for PDs/PIs to register with Grants.gov.
The PD/PI must hold a PD/PI account in the eRA Commons and must be affiliated with the applicant organization. This account cannot have any other role attached to it other than the PD/PI.
This registration/affiliation must be done by the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) or their designee who is already registered in the eRA Commons.
Both the PD/PI and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the eRA Commons since both hold different roles for authorization and to view the application process.

Note that if a PD/PI is also an HHS peer-reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on any grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.

Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in the eRA Commons. HHS/CDC strongly encourages applicants to register to utilize these helpful on-line tools when applying for funding opportunities.

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