U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Public Health Conference Support Program
Announcement Type: This Program Announcement updates and supersedes CDC-PA-HM07-701 published May 8, 2006; CDC-PA-05031-A2 published May 8, 2006; Amendment CDC-PA-05031-A and original PA 05031 published November 3, 2004.
Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-PA-HM08-801
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: 93.283 and 93.945.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.161.
Key Dates:
Letter of Intent Deadline:
Cycle A: November 9, 2007
Cycle B: February 1, 2008
Application Deadline:
Cycle A: December 10, 2007
Cycle B: March 3, 2008
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program is authorized under section 317(k) (2) (c) and (d) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 247b (k) (2) (c) and (d)]. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) program is authorized under sections 104 (i) (14) and (15) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), [42 U.S.C. 9604(i) (14) and (15)].
Purpose:
The CDC/ATSDR announce the pending availability of appropriated fiscal year (FY) 2008 funds for the CDC/ATSDR Public Health Conference Support Program. This program addresses the "Healthy People 2010" focus areas of Access to Quality Health Services; Arthritis; Osteoporosis; Chronic Back Conditions; Cancer; Diabetes; Disability and Secondary Conditions; Educational and Community-Based Programs; Environmental Health; Food Safety; Health Communication; Heart Disease and Stroke; Injury and Violence Prevention; Maternal, Infant and Child Health; Medical Product Safety; Mental Health and Mental Disorders; Nutrition and Overweight; Physical Activity and Fitness; Public Health Infrastructure; Respiratory Diseases; and Vision and Hearing.
Subject areas associated with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are not covered by this announcement. Information about NIOSH subject areas can be located by accessing the web site http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html.
HIV Conferences and HIV subject matter are not permitted under this announcement at this time.
This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC/ATSDR. If research is proposed, the application will not be reviewed and the applicant will be notified. For the definition of research, visit the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/opspoll1.htm
This announcement is only for conferences planned to occur within the date range of May 1, 2008 through September 30, 2010.
Applicants can submit an application for a single conference for a one-year project period or an applicant can submit an application for a two-year project period when a series of two annual conferences of the same conference title are proposed. A series is proposed as the exact same focus area, submitted under the exact same topic area, conducted on an annual basis more than one time during the project period.
The applicant can submit applications annually for up to the two remaining years of this announcement for a series of two conferences, of the same conference title, held annually or the applicant can submit one application for the two years of proposed annual conferences, which must be of the same conference title.
An applicant can apply for funding for more than one different conference during the project period. However, each application can only be submitted under one topic area selected from those listed in Attachment I, i.e., a single application cannot be submitted under several topic areas, nor can an application be submitted for funding in a current year, whether for one year or a series, if an application for a series containing the same information was awarded in a prior year and the award project period has not yet completed. (See Attachment I for the specific topic areas.)
Conference support by CDC/ATSDR creates the appearance of CDC co-sponsorship, where there will be active participation by CDC/ATSDR in the development and approval of the conference agenda to ensure there are no subjects that would be contradictory to the goals of the Government or be an improper use of funds, including portions that are not funded by CDC/ATSDR. CDC/ATSDR funds will be expended only for approved portions of the conference.
The mission of CDC is to protect people’s health, through health promotion, prevention of injury, disability, and disease, and preparedness.
CDC is meeting its overall goal of dissemination and implementation of new cost-effective intervention strategies through conference support funding. The purpose of conference support funding is to provide partial support for specific non-Federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention, education programs, and applied research.
The mission of ATSDR is to prevent both exposure and adverse human health effects that diminish the quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.
ATSDR's systematic approaches are needed for linking applicable resources in public health with individuals and organizations involved in the practice of applying such research. Mechanisms are also needed to shorten the time frame between the development of disease prevention and health promotion techniques and their practical application. ATSDR believes that conferences and similar meetings that permit individuals to engage in hazardous substances and environmental health research (applied), education, and application (related to actual and/or potential human exposure to toxic substances) are critical for the development and implementation of effective programs to prevent adverse health effects from hazardous substances.
Conferences supported under this program announcement must be specific to one of the topic areas listed in Attachment I, and measurable outcomes of the conferences must be in alignment with one or more of the following goals and/or performance measures:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR):
Goal 1. Prevent ongoing and future exposures and resultant health effects from hazardous waste sites and releases.
Performance Measure 1. Increase EPA’s, state regulatory agencies’, or private industries’ acceptance of ATSDR’s recommendations at sites with documented exposures.
Goal 2. Determine human health effects associated with exposures to superfund-related priority hazardous substances.
Performance Measure 2. Fill data needs related to the 275 priority hazardous substances.
Performance Measure 3. Annually, conduct studies to determine the health impact of hazardous substances.
Goal 3. Mitigate the risks of human health effects at toxic waste sites with documented exposures.
Performance Measure 4. Document the reduced occurrence or risk of health effects by selecting for each urgent or public health hazard site the best or most appropriate measure for that site: (outcome)
Comparative morbidity/mortality rates
Biomarker tests
Levels of environmental exposures
Behavior change of community members and/or health professionals
Performance Measure 5. Annually, maintain the highest standard for emergency response.
Goal 4. Build and enhance effective partnerships.
Performance Measure 6. Leverage academic, industry, and other partners to fill priority data gaps. (efficiency)
National Center of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD):
Priority 1. Develop and implement comprehensive research-to-practice initiatives that promote early identification, referral, and intervention for prioritized health conditions.
Priority 2. Identify major new factors leading to healthy birth outcomes.
Priority 3. Conduct research on the natural history of secondary conditions throughout the lifespan to identify promising interventions.
Priority 4. Develop and implement a comprehensive research-to-practice initiative designed to promote preconception care services.
Priority 5. Promote evidence-based strategies for optimal child development.
Priority 6. Conduct activities to prevent and reduce complications experienced by persons with blood disorders including issues unique to women.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP):
Goal 1. Increase early detection of breast and cervical cancer by building nationwide programs in breast and cervical cancer prevention, especially among high-risk, underserved women.
Goal 2. Expand community-based breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to low income, medically underserved women. For women diagnosed with cancer or pre-cancer, ensure access to treatment services.
Goal 3. Reduce cigarette smoking among youth.
Goal 4. Support prevention research to develop sustainable and transferable community-based behavioral interventions.
Goal 5. Increase the capacity of state cardiovascular health programs to address prevention of cardiovascular disease at the community level.
Goal 6. Reduce death and disability due to heart disease and stroke and eliminate disparities.
Goal 7. Increase the capacity of state diabetes control programs to address the prevention of diabetes and its complications at the community level.
Goal 8. Improve the quality of state-based cancer registries.
Goal 9. Help states monitor the prevalence of major behavioral risks associated with premature morbidity and mortality in adults to improve the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion and disease prevention programs.
Goal 10. Decrease levels of obesity, or reduce the rate of growth of obesity, in communities through nutrition and physical interventions.
National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH):
Goal 1. Determine human health effects associated with environmental exposures.
Performance Measure 1. Assess exposure of the U.S. population to environmental chemicals, including nutritional indicators. (output)
Performance Measure 2. Develop new laboratory methods to measure human exposure to additional priority chemicals and nutritional indicators. (output)
Performance Measure 3. Ensure that laboratory quality standards are maintained in certified or participating laboratories for tests such as lipids, newborn screening, those predictive of type 1 diabetes, blood lead, cadmium, mercury, and nutritional factors. (output)
Performance Measure 4. Increase the number of public health actions developed using environmental public health tracking data that prevent or control potential adverse health effects from environmental exposures. (output)
Performance Measure 5. Complete assessments examining the possible association between a health effect and an environmental exposure and/or hazard. (output)
Performance Measure 6. Complete studies to determine the harmful health effects of environmental hazards. (output)
Performance Measure 7. Provide laboratory measurements for studies of exposure and health effects, genetic susceptibility, and nutritional factors related to disease, and risk factors for selected chronic diseases. (output)
Goal 2. Prevent or reduce illnesses, injury, and death related to environmental risk factors.
Performance Measure 8. Reduce asthma hospitalizations in states funded by NCEH to implement comprehensive asthma control programs. (outcome)
Performance Measure 9. Eliminate elevated blood levels in children under age six. (outcome) *Non- detectable by NHANES
Performance Measure 10. Provide timely and appropriate public health services to fulfill requests related to complex humanitarian emergencies. (output)
Performance Measure 11. Provide support services to survivors of traumatic limb loss in less developed countries. (output)
Performance Measure 12. Assure that chemical warfare stockpiles housed at federal facilities are disposed of without any serious injuries or death from chemical agents. (outcome)
Performance Measure 13. Provide guidance, consultation, and technical assistance to state and local health departments and tribal governments to improve environmental public health services programs. (output)
Performance Measure 14. Train environmental public health services professionals via CDC-supported programs. (output)
Performance Measure 15. Increase the capacity of state health departments to anticipate and prevent the spread of illness/disease outbreaks from food, water, and air contaminants/vectors. (outcome)
Goal 3. Build and enhance effective partnerships to improve environmental health capacity.
Performance Measure 16. Provide assistance to 20 partners. (output)
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC):
Goal 1. Reduce the risk of youth violence.
Goal 2. Reduce violence against women.
Goal 3. Enhance the capacity of states to implement effective rape prevention and education programs.
Goal 4. Reduce the number and severity of head injuries in CDC funded projects by increasing bicycle helmet use.
Goal 5. Improve the timelines and quality of data used to determine the medical and social impact of traumatic brain injury.
Goal 6. Reduce the incidence of residential fire-related injuries and deaths by increasing functional smoke alarms on every habitable floor.
Goal 7. Increase external input on the research priorities, policies, and procedures related to the extramural research supported by CDC.
Goal 8. Provide online access to injury prevention data.
Goal 9. Improve the uniformity, quality, and accessibility of emergency department data for public health surveillance in several states; ultimately developing the capacity to improve data in all states through development of guidelines, recommendations, or technical assistance.
Office of Global Health (OGH):
Goal 1. To strengthen global capacity to detect, investigate, and monitor disease and injury, as well as their causes, and to respond appropriately to problems as they are identified.
Goal 2. To work with countries to establish and maintain effective public health systems, including trained workforces, and collection and use of essential information for effective public health policies and programs.
Goal 3. To collaborate with countries and other international partners in developing, implementing, and evaluating prevention and control strategies to address important public health problems.
Goal 4. To assist countries and other global partners to conduct applied research that will provide new information needed to improve the effectiveness of global public health policies and programs.
Goal 5. To promote the free flow of accurate technical information on global health problems and to share lessons learned in their control and prevention.
National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM):
Goal 1. Ensure that CDC has the necessary data about its customers to develop health marketing and communication interventions products, and programs that address customers’ health information needs.
Goal 2. Ensure that CDC employs innovative and rigorous strategies for reaching its customers based on health marketing and communication research.
Goal 3. Provide value-added health marketing and communication support to ensure that the best available health information is rapidly and reliably disseminated and adopted as effective practice and policy.
Goal 4. Ensure efficient, integrated use of CDC functions that contribute to the creation, delivery, and communication of health information and products, with a focus on those that eliminate health disparities.
Goal 5. Ensure that CDC’s customers have effective, real-time access to needed health and safety information through appropriate health information dissemination channels.
Goal 6. Produce science-based health messages that are accessible, understandable, and relevant to intended audiences by incorporating health literacy, cultural communication, and language factors.
Goal 7. Facilitate two-way communication and engagement with CDC and its traditional and emerging partners, including national and international public heath system partners, public sector partners, and private sector partners.
Goal 8. Enhance the capacity of CDC and its national and international partners to rapidly and accurately communicate critical information about infectious, occupational, environmental, and terrorist threats; monitor the health of communities; and assist in the detection of emerging public health problems.
Goal 9. Promote and facilitate health marketing and communication efforts to measure progress toward agency goals and evaluate the impact of agency programs.
Goal 10. Promote and facilitate the development of public health marketing and communication leadership and training opportunities among students, professionals, and researchers.
Activities:
Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
· Manage all activities related to program content (e.g., objectives, topics, attendees, session design, workshops, special exhibits, speaker’s fees, agenda composition, and printing). Many of these items may be developed in concert with assigned CDC project personnel.
· Provide draft copies of the agenda and proposed secondary activities to CDC/ATSDR for approval. CDC/ATSDR will initially restrict ninety percent of the total funds awarded for the proposed conference pending its approval of a full, final agenda. After CDC/ATSDR approves the full, final agenda, it will release the total amount that was restricted via a letter to the grantee. Because conference support by CDC/ATSDR creates the appearance of CDC/ATSDR co-sponsorship, there will be active participation by CDC/ATSDR in the development and approval of those portions of the agenda supported by CDC funds. CDC/ATSDR funds will not be expended for non-approved portions of meetings. In addition, CDC/ATSDR will reserve the right to approve or reject the content of the full agenda, press events, promotional materials (including press releases), speaker selection, and site selection. CDC/ATSDR reserves the right to terminate co-sponsorship if it does not concur with the final agenda.
· Determine and manage all promotional activities (e.g., title, logo, announcements, mailers, press, etc.). CDC must review and approve any materials with reference to CDC/ATSDR involvement or support.
· Manage all registration processes with participants, invitees, and registrants (e.g., travel, reservations, correspondence, conference materials and handouts, badges, registration procedures, etc.).
· Plan, negotiate, and manage conference site arrangements, including all audio-visual needs.
· Develop an assessment plan that will determine the benefits of conference attendance by participants. This should include, but not be limited to, what test instruments/questionnaires will be constructed so as to determine whether participants benefited from attending the conference, enhanced their knowledge of the subject matter of the conference, that conference subject matter reinforced information they had been exposed to previously, whether they would use information from the conference in conducting the day to day activities in their workplace, whether they would mentor co-workers with the information they obtained at the conference to more effectively accomplish the public health objectives of their respective organizational programs, or whether they would mentor co-workers with conference information to address public health issues that may be part of the co-worker daily activities. The assessment plan should be provided to CDC/ATSDR along with the application and required evaluation plan as described in section V.1. Criteria.
· Administer the assessment plan to participants during their attendance at the conference, evaluate the information, and include evaluated information as part of the reporting requirements described in section VI.3. Reporting Requirements.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant
Award Mechanism: U13
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2008
Approximate Total Funding: $2.6 million dollars (These amounts are estimates, and are subject to availability of funds.)
Approximate Number of Awards: 70 to 100
Approximate Average of Awards: It is expected that the average award range for a one-year project period will be $20,000 to $75,000 for CDC and $8,000 for ATSDR. It is expected that the average award range for a two-year project period will be $20,000 to 100,000. (These amounts, for the first 12-month budget and two-year budget periods, would be inclusive of only the direct costs.)
Floor of Award Range: None
Ceiling of Award Range: None
Anticipated Award Date: Approximately 30 - 60 days before the date of the conference.
Budget Period Length: 12-month budget period for each cycle.
Project Period Lengths: CDC Conference Support awards will be in two categories: awards with a one-year project period and awards with a two-year project period.
Continuation of awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress and conference assessment 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:
A Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application. If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a letter from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Place this documentation behind the first page of the application form.
Only conferences planned for May 1, 2008 through September 30, 2010 are eligible to apply under this announcement.
III.2 Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program.
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.
· The applicant must propose a conference that matches only one topic area identified in the "Topic Areas of Programmatic Interest" as listed in Attachment I of this program announcement, i.e., a single application cannot be submitted under several topic areas, nor can an application be submitted for funding in a current year, whether for one year or a series, if an application for a series containing the same information was awarded in a prior year and the award project period has not yet completed. Each application must address one specific topic area for the first 12-month budget. Applications for a two-year project period must address the same topic area of focus for years one and two. A separate application must be submitted to address different topic areas of focus. Applications that do not comply with this requirement will be determined to be non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
· Both the topic area number and the title of the topic area must be listed on the application for the application to be considered. Otherwise, the application will be determined to be non-responsive and will not be reviewed. Provide this information on the application cover sheet and in Block 13, “Title” of the SF-424.
· A Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is required in order to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the Federal government. See section “IV.2. Content and Form of Submission, Application” for information on how to obtain this number.
· Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See section "IV.3. Submission Dates and Times" for more information on deadlines.
· Title 2 of the United States Code Section 1611 states that an organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.
· Conference organizers may use CDC/ATSDR's name only in accurate public relations for the conference, meaning information that is true and factual. CDC/ATSDR involvement in the conference does not necessarily indicate support for the organizer’s general policies, activities, products, or the content of speakers’ presentations.
· All conferences co-sponsored under this announcement shall be held in facilities that are fully accessible to the public as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).
IV. Application and Submission Information
IV.1. Address to Request Application Package
Electronic Submission Only:
Submit applications electronically at www.Grants.gov. The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov. Applicants are able to complete the application off-line and then upload and submit it via the Grants.gov web site. If the applicant has technical difficulties in Grants.gov, customer service can be reached by e-mail at http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport or by telephone at 1-800-518-4726. The Customer Support Center is open from 7:00a.m. to 9:00p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
Registering through www.Grants.gov is the first step in submitting applications online. Registration information is located in the “Get Registered” screen. The one-time registration process will take three to five days to complete, so please visit www.Grants.gov to become familiar with the registration and submission processes at least 30 days prior to filing an application. Electronic applications should be submitted well before the closing date in order to allow the applicant time to resolve issues prior to the deadline should difficulties in electronic filing occur.
All application attachments must be submitted using a PDF file format. 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.
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Letter of Intent (LOI):
Submission of a LOI is optional and not required for this Program Announcement. However, it is requested that applicants send a LOI if they intend to apply for this funding opportunity. The optional LOI is not binding and does not enter into the review of the subsequent application. The LOI is used to gauge the level of interest in this program and allow CDC/ATSDR staff to plan the application review.
If the optional LOI is submitted, it must be written in the following format:
· Maximum number of pages: One to two typewritten pages
· Font size: 12-point unreduced, Times New Roman
· Double spaced
· Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
· Page margin size: One inch
· Written in plain English language, avoid jargon
The optional LOI must contain the following information:
· Both the project topic area number and title of the topic area of programmatic interest (only one topic area per application)
· Name of the organization
· Primary contact person's name
· Mailing address
· Telephone number and, if available, fax and e-mail
· Title of the proposed conference-include the term "conference", "symposium", or similar designation
· Date(s) of conference-inclusive dates of the conference (A conference series would be a conference with the same topic title conducted annually more than one time over subsequent years.)
· Location of city, state, and physical facilities required for the conduct of the meeting
· Total conference cost and total requested from CDC (must be less than 100 percent)
· Intended audience, approximate number, and profession of persons expected to attend
· Brief overview of the proposed conference content
Application:
A one-page cover sheet is required containing the same information as described above for the LOI, with the exception of intended audience and brief overview. Those two items shall be covered in detail as part of the Project Narrative. Submit the cover sheet as “Other Mandatory Documents” in PDF file format. (The cover sheet will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.)
The application must contain the topic area number and the title of the topic area of programmatic interest to be considered (see Attachment I for the specific topic areas). If the application does not contain this information, it will be considered non-responsive and will not be entered into the review process. Provide this information on the application cover sheet and on the SF-424 in Block 15, under “Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.”
A Project Abstract must be submitted with the application. 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. (The Project Abstract will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.)
A Project Narrative must be submitted with the application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following format:
· Maximum number of pages: 12 pages for a one-year application and 18 pages for a two-year application. If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed. The Budget Narrative is not counted toward the Project Narrative page limit; however, it is to follow the Project Narrative.
· Font size: 12-point unreduced, Times New Roman
· Double spaced
· Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
· Page margin size: One inch
Sequentially numbered narrative pages from page 1 to the end of the narrative.
· Written in plain English language, avoid jargon
The Project Narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed. These are required narrative items and are not to be attached as appendices:
· A brief background of the organization - include the organizational history, purpose, and previous experience related to the proposed conference topic. Provide information on your last three conferences that address when and where each conference was held.
· A clear statement of the need for and purpose of the conference. This statement should also describe any problems the conference will address or seek to solve, and the action items or resolutions it may stimulate.
· An elaboration on the conference objectives and target audience. A list should be included of the principal areas or topics to be addressed. If a series of conferences are proposed for a two-year project period, provide information on proposed conferences for both years one and two.
· A proposed or final agenda.
· A step-by-step timeline and detailed operation plan of major conference planning activities necessary to attain specified objectives.
· A clear description of the evaluation plan and how it will assess the accomplishments of the conference objectives - include in the appendices a sample of the evaluation instrument that will be used.
· Budget plan and justification - A detailed and clearly justified budget narrative that is consistent with the purpose, objectives, and operation plan of the conference for FY 2008. Applications that are part of a two-year project period must submit a detailed budget and justification for year one and a categorical budget consistent with budget form SF-424a for year two that describes the financial resources needed over the two-year project period. Include the share requested from this grant as well as those funds from other sources, including organizations, institutions, conference income, and/or registration fees. (The budget plan, budget narrative, and budget forms will not be counted toward the narrative page limit. Do not sequentially number this section.)
Guidance for completing a detailed, justified budget can be found on the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm
Additional information is to be submitted as application appendices. Submit appendices as “Other Attachments Document” in PDF file format. (The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit.) This additional information should include but is not limited to:
· Biographical sketches for the individuals responsible for planning and implementing the conference. Experience and training related to conference planning and implementation as it relates to the proposed topic should be noted. (Limit biographical sketches to a maximum of four pages per individual.)
· Letters of endorsement or support for the sponsoring organization and its capability to perform the proposed conference activity.
· Sample of the conference Evaluation Instrument(s).
Submission of brochures, pamphlets, booklets, or videos as appendices should be avoided.
Executive summaries are not required for this program announcement.
The applicant 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 www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711.
Additional requirements that may necessitate submission of additional documentation with the application are listed in section "VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements."
IV.3. Submission Dates and Times
LOI Deadline Dates:
Cycle A: November 9, 2007
Cycle B: February 1, 2008
If the optional LOI is submitted, it is to be transmitted by e-mail only and sent directly to the program contact person listed under the agency, center or office of the selected topic area. The LOI must be submitted by the deadline date posted above and must contain the information outlined under section IV.2.
Application Deadline Dates:
Cycle A: December 10, 2007
Cycle B: March 3, 2008
Each year the applicant must meet the posted deadline dates in the program announcement to be eligible for funding in FY 2008 and 2009.
Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be submitted to the CDC Procurement and Grants Office by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
Applications completed through www.Grants.gov are considered formally submitted when the applicant organization’s Authorizing Official electronically submits the application to www.Grants.gov. Electronic applications will be considered as having met the deadline if the application has been submitted successfully by the applicant organization’s Authorizing Official to Grants.gov on or before the deadline date and time.
The application will be electronically time/date stamped, which will serve as receipt of submission. Applicants will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when CDC receives the application.
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 successfully meet the deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and the applicant will be notified that submission requirements were not met.
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. To get the current SPOC list go to 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:
· Funds may be used for direct cost expenditures: Salaries; speaker fees (for services rendered); rental of necessary conference-related equipment; registration fees; and transportation costs (not to exceed economy class fare) for non-Federal individuals.
· Funds may not be used for travel cost or payment of a Federal employee. Travel for Federal employees will be supported by the employees’ Federal agency.
· Funds may not be used for the purchase of equipment; payments of honoraria (for conferring distinction); alterations or renovations; organizational dues; novelty items or souvenirs; entertainment or personal expenses; food or snack breaks; or per diem or expenses for local participants (other than local mileage).
· Funds may not be used for reimbursement of indirect costs.
· Funds may be used for only those parts of the conference specifically supported by CDC/ATSDR as documented in the grant award.
· CDC/ATSDR will not fund 100 percent of any conference proposed under this announcement. Part of the cost of the proposed conference must be supported with funds other than Federal funds.
CDC/ATSDR will not fund a conference after it has taken place.
· 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.
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
LOI Submission Address: Submit the optional LOI by e-mail only directly to the contact person listed under the agency, center or office for the topic area selected from Attachment I.
Application Submission Address: Electronic Submission Only
Submit applications electronically at www.Grants.gov. The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov as described in section “IV Application and Submission Information,” and in section “IV.1 Address to Request Application Package.”
If your conference dates fall between May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009, you should apply under Cycle A under this announcement for year one budget period. If your conference dates fall between August 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009, you should apply under Cycle B under this announcement for year one budget period.
If your conference dates fall between May 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010, you should apply under Cycle A under this announcement for year two budget period. If your conference dates fall between August 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010, you should apply under Cycle B under this announcement for year two budget period.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Criteria
Conferences must be specific to the Topic Area selected from Attachment I and measurable conference outcomes in alignment with one or more of the relevant goals or performance measures listed under section I Funding Opportunity Description, Purpose.
Applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the grant. 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.
Section 1.a., criterion is ATSDR specific
Section 1.b., criterion is CDC specific
Section 1.c., and all other sections in these criteria are applicable to both CDC and ATSDR.
The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
· Proposed Program and Technical Approach (25 Points)
1.a. The public health significance of the proposed conference, including the degree to which the conference can be expected to influence the prevention of exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases and other sources of pollution present in the environment (Applicable to ATSDR applications only).
1.b. The applicant’s description of the proposed conference as it relates to specific non-Federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention information/education programs, including the public health need of the proposed conference and the degree to which the conference can be expected to influence public health practices. Evaluation will also be based on the extent of the applicant's collaboration with other organizations serving the intended audience (Applicable to all CDC applications except ATSDR).
1.c. The applicant’s description of conference objectives in terms of quality, specificity, and the feasibility of the conference based on the operational plan.
· Conference Objectives (25 points)
a. The overall quality, reasonableness, feasibility, and logic of the designed conference objectives, including the overall work plan and timetable for accomplishment.
b. The likelihood of accomplishing conference objectives as they relate to disease prevention and health promotion goals, and the feasibility of the project in terms of the operational plan.
· Qualifications of Program Personnel (20 points)
Evaluation will be based on the extent to which the application has described:
a. The extent to which the application provides evidence of the qualifications, experience, and commitment of the principal staff person, and his/her ability to devote adequate time and effort to provide effective leadership.
b. The extent to which the application provides evidence of the competence of associate staff persons, discussion leaders, speakers, and presenters to accomplish conference objectives.
c. The extent to which the application demonstrates the knowledge of nationwide and educational efforts currently underway which may affect, and be affected by, the proposed conference.
· Evaluation Methods (20 points)
Evaluation instrument(s) for the conference should adequately assess increased knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the target audience.
· Applicant's Capability (10 points)
a. The applicant’s capability includes the adequacy of the applicant's resources (additional sources of funding, organization's strengths, staff time, proposed physical facilities, etc.) available for conducting conference activities.
b. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates a history (at least three years) of managing conferences.
· Budget Justification and Adequacy of Facilities (not scored)
The proposed budget will be evaluated on the basis of its reasonableness, concise and clear justification, and consistency with the intended use of grant funds. The application will also be reviewed as to the adequacy of existing or proposed facilities and resources for conducting conference activities.
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 the relevant agency, center or office 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. Findings will be presented by three reviewers, all of whom will be Department of Health and Human Services employees from outside the funding program division. The panel votes to approve or disapprove based on the information presented and each application is scored and ranked.
Applications will be funded in order by score and rank as determined by the review panel. CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank order.
In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:
· Availability of funds
· Relevance to program priorities
Applications received in subsequent budget periods that are part of a series will be technically reviewed by an assigned CDC/ATSDR project officer, providing the application is consistent with the scope of this program announcement and the originally approved application. Any application proposed in a series where the scope of the application is not consistent with the original application will be reviewed by an objective review panel according to the evaluation criteria.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
The anticipated announcement dates should occur in March 2008 for Cycle A and June 2008 for Cycle B. Award dates will be 30-60 days before a conference begins.
Earliest Possible Award Dates:
Cycle A - March 17, 2008
Cycle B – June 16, 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/ATSDR. The NoA will be signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer and e-mailed 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 Parts 74 and 92, as appropriate. The following additional requirements apply to this project:
· AR-7 Executive Order 12372
· AR-8 Public Health Systems Reporting Requirements
· AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
· AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
· AR-11 Healthy People 2010
· AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
· AR-13 Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control Activities
· AR-14 Accounting System Requirements
· AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
· AR-20 Conference Support
· AR-21 Small, Minority and Women Owned Businesses
· AR-23 States and Faith-Based Organizations
· AR-26 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
· AR-27 Conference Disclaimer and Use of Logos
Additional information on these requirements can be found on the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/Addtl_Reqmnts.htm
For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the National Archives and Records Administration at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
If a NoA is received, the applicant will be required to electronically submit the following reports to CDC:
1. Interim progress report, 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:
· Current Budget Period Activities Objectives
· Current Budget Period Financial Progress
· New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity Objectives
· Budget
· Measures of Effectiveness
· Assessment Plan for Conference Attendees, as described in Section I, Awardee Activities
· Additional Requested Information
2. Financial status report, due no later than 90 days after the end of the budget period/project.
VII. Agency Contacts
Inquiries concerning this announcement are encouraged. However, the following personnel cannot assist with determinations as to whether proposed conference subjects are in alignment with the program announcement goals, nor with Topic Area selection or suggestions regarding the narrative writing of applications. To do so would provide undo advantage prior to objective review competition. Other inquiries are welcome.
For program technical assistance, contact:
Refer to “Attachment I Topic Areas of Programmatic Interest and Contact Information” to locate the contact person listed for the relevant center.
For general questions, contact:
Technical Information Management Section
Procurement and Grants Office
2920 Brandywine Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
Email: PGOTIM@cdc.gov
Telephone: 770-488-2700
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Kaleema O. McLean,
Grants Management Specialist
CDC Procurement and Grants Office
2920 Brandywine Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
Email: fya3@cdc.gov
Telephone: 770-488-2742
CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at TTY 770-488-2783.
VIII. Other Information
This and other CDC funding opportunity announcements can be found on the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/FOAs.htm.
A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section related to this program announcement is available at the bottom of Attachment I.
ATTACHMENT I for Program Announcement
CDC-PA-HM08-801
TOPIC AREAS OF PROGRAMMATIC INTEREST AND CONTACT INFORMATION:
Proposed conferences must be specific to the selected Topic Area, and measurable conference outcomes must be in alignment with one or more of the relevant goals or performance measures listed under section I Funding Opportunity Description, Purpose. Applicants must independently make determinations regarding conference subject suitability based on careful study of the information provided in this program announcement.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) - LaShonda Billingsley, LBillingsley@cdc.gov
ATSDR-100.1 Health effects of hazardous substances in the environment
ATSDR-100.2 Disease and toxic substance exposure registries
ATSDR-100.3 Hazardous substance removal and remediation
ATSDR-100.4 Emergency Response to toxic and environmental disasters
ATSDR-100.5 Risk communication, health education, or workforce development
ATSDR-100.6 Environmental disease surveillance
ATSDR-100.7 Investigation and research on hazardous substances in the environment (pertaining to applied research only)
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) – Ann Cole, ZLR5@cdc.gov
NCBDDD-300.1 Birth Defects
NCBDDD-300.2 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
NCBDDD-300.3 Disabilities: Issues related to people with disabilities; health promotion and intervention for persons with disabilities; secondary conditions; and aging and disability
NCBDDD-300.4 Newborn and Childhood screening: Hearing, metabolic, genetic, developmental
NCBDDD-300.5 Hearing Loss, early interventions, genetic causes
NCBDDD-300.6 Mental Retardation
NCBDDD-300.7 Child Development
NCBDDD-300.8 Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities
NCBDDD-300.9 Hereditary Blood Disorders
NCBDDD-300.10 Folic Acid and Neural Tube Defects
NCBDDD-300.11 Pediatric Genetic Conditions
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) – Vivian Bryant, VBryant@cdc.gov
NCCDPHP-400.1 Chronic Disease Prevention in Global Context
NCCDPHP-400.1.1 Health Promotion in Global Context
NCCDPHP-400.2 Cardiovascular
NCCDPHP-400.2.1 Stroke
NCCDPHP-400.3 Obesity
NCCDPHP-400.3.1 Physical Activity
NCCDPHP-400.4 Aging
NCCDPHP-400.4.1 Arthritis
NCCDPHP-400.5 Cancer
NCCDPHP-400.5.1 Breast & Cervical Cancer
NCCDPHP-400.5.2 Ovarian
NCCDPHP-400.5.3 Prostate
NCCDPHP-400.5.4 Cancer Registry
NCCDPHP-400.6. Diabetes
National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) – LaShonda Billingsley, LBillingsley@cdc.gov
NCEH-500.1 Emergency and Environmental Health Services
NCEH-500.1.1 Lead Poisoning
NCEH-500.1.2 Environmental Health Services
NCEH-500.1.3 Chemical Weapons Elimination
NCEH-500.1.4 Refugee Health
NCEH-500.1.5 Vessel Sanitation
NCEH-500.1.6 Build Environment/Healthy Community Design
NCEH-500.2 Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
NCEH-500.2.1 Air Pollution and Respiratory Health
NCEH-500.2.2 Environmental Health Tracking
NCEH-500.2.3 Environmental Hazards (e.g., radiation, algal blooms)
NCEH-500.3 Laboratory Sciences (e.g., newborn screening, air toxicants, clinical chemistry, toxicology, molecular biology)
NCEH-500.4 Emergency Preparedness and Response (e.g., chemical, radiological, global climate change)
NCEH-500.5 International Environmental Health
NCEH-500.6 Environmental Health Communication, Marketing, Workforce Development and Policy
NCEH-500.7 Environmental Health Information Systems
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) - Robin Forbes, RForbes@cdc.gov
NCIPC-800.1 Unintentional Injuries Prevention
NCIPC-800.2.1 National level conferences that focus on preventing violence before it occurs (primary prevention)
NCIPC-800.3 Acute Injury Care
NCIPC-800.4 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
NCIPC-800.5 Injury Related Disability
NCIPC-800.6 Preparedness and Response for Injuries Resulting from Mass Causality Events and/or Terrorist Attacks
NCIPC-800.7 Impact Biomechanics
Office of Global Health (OGH) - Stirling Close, SClose@cdc.gov
OGH-1200.1 Management Training for Global Health
OGH-1200.2 Field Epidemiology Training Programs for International Health
National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM) - Karen Harney, KHarney@cdc.gov
NCHM-1500.1 Public Health Partnership/Relationship Development and Management: for example, development, implementation and evaluation of toolkits promoting partnerships at federal, state and community levels
NCHM-1500.2 Public Health Infrastructure Improvement: for example, competent, well trained public health workforce, accessible information and communication systems, and capable public health agencies prepared for threats to the health of the public
NCHM-1500.3 Public Health Systems Monitoring and Evaluation
NCHM-1500.4 Distance-Based Learning Technologies and Best Practices
NCHM-1500.5 Emergency and Risk Communication
NCHM-1500.6 Clear Communication: Health Literacy, Cultural Communication, and Language: for example, the identification of cross-cultural media and technology
NCHM-1500.7 Health Information Dissemination Methods: for example, training for key individuals in communication skills, selection of appropriate channels, the identification of key spokespersons, printed materials, timely reporting of critical information, and effective interaction with the media
NCHM-1500.8 Health Marketing and Communication Research and Evaluation (pertaining to applied research only)
NCHM-1500.9 Health Marketing and Communication Interventions and Programs
NCHM-1500.10 Health Information Production
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Associated with Program Announcement CDC-PA-HM08-801 Public Health Conference Support Grant
1. QUESTION: Is it possible to apply for more than one topic area of programmatic interest for consideration of one conference support request?
ANSWER: No, for each conference support request, only one topic area of programmatic interest can be selected. A request for support of a particular conference subject cannot be submitted under several topic areas, even if the subject of the conference may be related to or cross-cutting over multiple topic areas.
2. QUESTION: Can CDC/ATSDR personnel assist me with conference subject decisions and Topic Area selection?
ANSWER: No, CDC/ATSDR personnel can only provide clarification on the contents requirements of the application. CDC/ATSDR personnel cannot provide assistance in determining whether your conference subject is “a match,” or with Topic Area selection, or with the writing of the application. To do so would be providing unfair advantage to that applicant prior to objective review. Applicants are responsible for making determinations regarding suitability of their conference subject(s). If an applicant is unable to make an independent determination as to suitability, the likelihood of clear-cut competition should also be considered.
3. QUESTION: Can funds be requested for support of a non-HIV portion of an HIV conference?
ANSWER: Yes, if that part of the conference is specifically non-HIV material. However, CDC/ATSDR will withdraw financial support if this portion of the conference crosses the boundary to HIV material. HIV conferences and HIV subject matter are covered under another Program Announcement and are not permitted under this announcement.
4. QUESTION: What is the difference between partnerships
and infrastructure?
ANSWER: The term partnerships refers to the relationships established between your agency/organization and other agencies/organizations. For example, your organization is a city-level Public Health agency. You may have established agreements with the other city-level Public Health agencies within your county to treat people from your catchment area if they are traveling through the catchment area of another Public Health agency.
Within this announcement, the term infrastructure refers to improvements within your agency/organization. These improvements can be physical, such as a new satellite office, or they can be functional, such as hiring a fulltime CPA to handle your costs and expenditures rather than assigning a staff person, who may be good with numbers, an additional duty to keep your agency’s books.
5. QUESTION: What is the difference between the Assessment Plan and the Evaluation Plan?
ANSWER: These terms are often used interchangeably, but within this announcement these terms have distinct and different meanings. The Assessment Plan is the section in which the applicant shall explain the construction of the test instruments or questionnaires that will be used in the evaluation section. This construction should describe what form(s) of test instruments/questionnaires will be used (for example, true or false, multiple choice, five-point Likert scale, short answer, etc.). Even though the specific questions do not need to be stated, the principal variables that will be evaluated by the applicant should be. Examples of principal variables could be as follows: prior knowledge/skills of the subject manner, knowledge/skills learned in the conference, attitude shifts created by the conference, measures of post conference training, etc.
Evaluation Plan, on the other hand, is the section where the applicant would detail the analyses of the data obtained by the administration of the various test instruments/questionnaires constructed within the Assessment Plan section. Within this section, the applicant would relate how the test instruments/questionnaires are to be used: pre- posttests, six months after the conference, immediately after presentation, at the end of the conference, etc. Also, this section should include data tables demonstrating the data variables (scores) within an organized, logical manner. The various statistical models to be used (T-test, Analysis of Variance, etc.) shall be identified as well as the anticipated results of the mathematical manipulation (Is the score significant or not? At what level of significance?). There should be some discussion of what the data is expected to show, e.g., do the participants actually change their behavior patterns six months after the conference? Is there a significant attitude shift? Are newly acquired skills used after the conference? Etc.
6. QUESTION: What is the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)?
ANSWER: This act states that a building must be accessible to the handicapped, which includes ramps, wide elevators, and restrooms with handrails. The act also addresses accommodations for persons with sensory impairments as well as persons with physical disabilities or mobility limitations.
7. QUESTION: What percentage of funds for the conference must come from non Federal Funds?
ANSWER: Technically, at least 1% of the funds must come from non Federal sources. This amount can include donated facilities and donated time by the applicant. However, it is preferred that an applicant show its ability to build partnerships with other organizations that can donate funds to the conference.
8. QUESTION: Do I include the entire budget for the conference or just the budget for the amount I am requesting?
ANSWER: Include the entire budget. Include the share requested from this grant as well as those funds from other sources, such as organizations; institutions; in-kind donations; conference income; registration fees; etc. The entire budget should be reflected on the SF-424a (“Federal” and “Other”) as well as in the budget plan and justification.
9. QUESTION: Are there any prohibited items for the budget request?
ANSWER: Yes, items that may not be included are food items of any kind, indirect costs, and honoriums. This is not an exclusive list.
10. QUESTION: Can I draw down all of the money at one time once I have received a Notice of Grant Award (NoA)?
ANSWER: Yes, if you have sent in the following information to the Grants Management Specialist: CVs or resumes of the person/persons arranging the conference, CVs or resumes of the principal speakers, and a Final Agenda for the entire conference. Without these items, only 10% of the funding can be drawn down.
11. QUESTION: When are the Final Reports due and what is required?
ANSWER: The Final Reports include a Final Progress Report and a Final Financial Status Report (FSR) which are due 90 days after the project end date. However, it is preferred that the FSR be sent as soon as all allotted funds have been expended. The final progress report should be in an Executive Summary format indicating: when and where the conference was held, what was the purpose, who participated, how the conference was organized, and what the conference accomplished. Lessons learned, objectives met, and audiences reached will indicate the scope and depth of the conference. It is preferred that Final Reports be completed and submitted soon after the conclusion of the conference.
12. QUESTION: Can the Federal Government rescind this award for any reason?
ANSWER: Yes, the Federal Government can and does reserve the right to withdraw funding if the part of the conference that CDC/ATSDR is funding could be viewed as contradictory to the goals of the Federal Government or as an improper use of funds.
13. QUESTION: What is an Approved but Unfunded letter (ABU)?
ANSWER: It is a letter sent by CDC to each applicant that did not get funded even though the application was approved through objective review. The letter states whether the minimum requirements were met for the announcement and why the application was not funded. CDC keeps ABU applications for 12 months or until the conference date has passed, whichever comes first, in case funds become available to make an award.
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