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93.231 EPIDEMIOLOGY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

FEDERAL AGENCY
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION
Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Title II, Section 214(a)(1), Public Law 94-437, as amended; Public Law 102-573.

OBJECTIVES
To develop epidemiology centers and public health infrastructure through the augmentation of existing programs with expertise in epidemiology and a history of regional support. Activities should include, but not be limited to, development of surveillance for disease conditions, epidemiological analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of surveillance data, investigation of disease outbreaks, development and implementation of epidemiological studies, development and implementation of disease control and prevention programs, and coordination of activities with other public health authorities in the region. Proposed activities which cover large population and/or geographical areas that do not necessarily correspond with current Indian Health Service (IHS) administrative areas are encouraged.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE
Project Grants.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS
Grant funds may be used to develop and conduct activities to achieve epidemiology programs. The recipient activities will coordinate and participate in projects, investigations, or studies of national scope; and share surveillance and other data collected. IHS activities will convene workshops/meetings; provide technical assistance and consultation; provide training; conduct site visits; and coordinate all epidemiological activities on a national basis.

Applicant Eligibility
Any federally recognized Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in Section 4(d) and 4(e) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, as amended. An intertribal consortia or Indian organization, if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving Indian health, and it is representative of the tribes or urban Indian communities in which it is located. An urban Indian organization is defined as a nonprofit corporate body situated in an urban center eligible for services under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, as amended.

Beneficiary Eligibility
American Indians and Alaska Natives will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation
The applicant must provide documentation of: (1) Nonprofit status; (2) tribal resolution(s); and (3) letters of support and collaboration with regional IHS, State, or university organizations. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 (State, local, and Indian tribal governments). OMB Circular No. A-122 (nonprofit organizations), and applicable grant administration regulations 45 CFR 74 and 45 CFR 92.

Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure
The preferred method for receipt of applications is electronic submission through Grants.gov. However, should any technical problems arise regarding the submission, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). If you require additional assistance please contact Michelle G. Bulls, Grants Policy Officer; Telephone: (301) 443-6528 at least fifteen days prior to the application deadline. To submit an application electronically, please use the http://www.Grants.gov apply site. Download a copy of the application package, on the Grants.gov website, complete it offline and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us, as furnished by Public Health Service (PHS) and required by 45 CFR 92 (State and local governments), and OMB Circular No. A-110 (nonprofit organizations) must be used for cooperative agreements under this program.

Award Procedure
Cooperative agreements are made based on results of a competitive review process.

Deadlines
For specific information on the application deadline, contact the Division of Grants Operations. Telephone: (301) 443-5204.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Approximately 120 days.

Appeals
None.

Renewals
None.

Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Cooperative agreements will be awarded for project periods of up 3 years. Within the project period, a continuation application must be submitted via grants.gov annually on a non- competitive basis for each year of support.

Reports
Reporting requirements are consistent with 45 CFR 92 for Indian tribes and with 45 CFR 74 for nonprofit organizations. Semi- annual and final program progress reports will be required.

Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records
DHHS and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their authorized representatives, shall have the right of access to any books, documents, papers, or other records of a grantee, subgrantee, contractor, or subcontractor, which are pertinent to the grant in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for 3 years after the end of a budget period. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the records has been started before the expiration of the 3 year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3 year period, whichever is later.

Account Identification
75-0390-0-1-551.

Obligations
(Grants) FY 07 $5,816,700; FY 08 $6,000,000; and FY 09 est. not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$399,500 to $540,000; $469,750.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In fiscal year 2005 11 projects were funded. It estimated that up to 12 projects will be funded in fiscal years 2006 and 12 in 2007.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE
Public Law 94-437, Section 214(a)(1), as amended by Public Law 102-573; 45 CFR 92 and 45 CFR 74; authorizes the cooperative agreement grant awards. PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000 (Rev. April 1, 1994).

Regional or Local Office
Not applicable.

Headquarters Office
Program Contact: Dr. James Cheek; Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention, Indian Health Service, Headquarters West, 5300 Homestead Road, NE; Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110; Telephone: (505) 248-4132. For Grants Management Contact: Ms. Kimberly Pendleton; Senior Grants Management Officer, Division of Grants Operations, Indian Health Service; 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP, Suite 360; Rockville, Maryland 20852; Telephone: (301) 443-5204. (Telephone numbers are not toll-free).

Web Site Address
http://www.ihs.gov

RELATED PROGRAMS
None.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS
(1) The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board has established a Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center in Portland, Oregon to serve the 39 federally-recognized tribes who are its members plus the two urban Indian organizations in the Portland Area of the Indian Health Center; and (2) The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is establishing a new Alaska Native Epidemiology Center in Anchorage, Alaska, which will enhance the ability of Alaska Native health provider agencies to assess long-term changes in the health status of Alaska's 100,000 native people.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS
Selection criteria are introduction, current capacity and project objectives, approach and results and benefits, project evaluation, organization capabilities and qualifications, and budget. Consideration will be given to applicants: (1) Proposing to provide services to large regions consisting of more than a single IHS administrative area; and (2) demonstrating evidence of past and current epidemiological activities.


General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)