Billing Code: 4163-18-P
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator
Announcement Type: New
Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-PS08-801
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: August 31, 2007
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 301 and 317N of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. section 241 and 247b-15), as amended. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.
Purpose:
The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to improve the delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services in health-care settings and public health programs that serve adults at risk for viral hepatitis. The primary goals of these activities are to decrease the incidence of new infections of hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (primary prevention) and to decrease risks for chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, in persons with chronic HBV infection or chronic HCV infection (secondary prevention).
Adults in the United States continue to be at risk for HAV, HBV, and HCV infections and their sequelae. Despite effective vaccines to prevent both HAV and HBV infections and known behavioral changes necessary to prevent HCV infection (e.g., avoiding injection-drug use) approximately 42,000 persons were newly infected with HAV, 51,000 with HBV, and 20,000 with HCV in 2005. The majority of new infections are among adults, and are occurring as a result of ongoing risk behaviors, and low hepatitis A and B vaccine coverage among at-risk adults. In addition, although the incidence of new HBV and HCV infections has markedly declined in the past 15 years, approximately 1.25 million persons are living with chronic HBV infection and 3 million persons are living with chronic HCV infection. Persons with chronic viral hepatitis need essential prevention services and medical management to decrease risks for chronic liver disease, however many are not aware of their infection or the serious consequences of chronic HBV or HCV and are not counseled or receiving needed care. Activities under this program announcement are intended to integrate primary and secondary viral hepatitis prevention services (and messages) into clinical services and prevention programs serving adults at risk for viral hepatitis to reduce infection and disease caused by viral hepatitis and to improve the health of adults in the United States.
This program addresses the “Healthy People 2010” focus area(s): Prevent disease, disability and death from infectious diseases, including vaccine-preventable diseases. (Infectious Disease and Emerging Antimicrobial Resistance, Vaccination Coverage and Strategies).
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the following performance goal(s) for the HHS/CDC/Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases:
Goal 1: Protect Americans from Infectious Diseases –Hepatitis C, Liver Disease and Viral Hepatitis
Goal 2: Increase the Proportion of HIV-Infected People Who are Linked to Appropriate Prevention Care, and Treatment Services
Goal 3: Strengthen the Capacity Nationwide to Monitor the Epidemic, Develop and Implement Effective HIV Prevention Interventions, and Evaluate Prevention Programs.
Goal 4: Reduce the Number of Indigenous Cases of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases.
This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by HHS/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.
PART A
Activities:
Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
(1) Establish and maintain an Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator (AVHPC) with the technical expertise necessary for the management and coordination of activities directed toward prevention of viral hepatitis infections including the identification, counseling and referral for medical management of persons with chronic HBV or HCV infection and integration of viral hepatitis prevention services into health care and public health services for adults at risk for viral hepatitis. The position of the AVHPC should be aligned within the grantee’s health department organizational structure to work collaboratively and effectively with other programs that provide services for adults at risk, including STD and HIV prevention and treatment, immunization, drug addiction treatment and outreach, correctional health, and immigrant and refugee health.
(2) Where feasible, develop or, as appropriate, update a viral hepatitis prevention plan to guide the delivery and coordination of recommended viral hepatitis prevention services, training and educational activities, and community-level prevention messages.
(3) When feasible and where resources exist integrate the following core viral hepatitis prevention services into health-care services and other programs serving adults at risk according to existing CDC recommendations:
(a) Testing to identify persons with chronic HCV infection and services for HCV-positive persons (HCV testing and services) including counseling about how to prevent further harm to their liver and how to avoid transmitting HCV to others, hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination if appropriate and referral for medical evaluation of chronic liver disease, management of co-infections and possible treatment (MMWR 1998;47(RR-19):1-38);
(b) Hepatitis B vaccination for unvaccinated persons as recommended by CDC (MMWR 2006;55);
(c) Testing to identify persons with chronic HBV infection and services for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive persons (HBV testing and services), including counseling about preventing further harm to their liver and transmission of HBV to others, hepatitis B vaccination of susceptible household, sex, and needle-sharing contacts, hepatitis A vaccination if chronic liver disease is present; and referral for medical evaluation of chronic liver disease and possible treatment (MMWR 2006;55);
(d) Hepatitis A vaccination as recommended by CDC (MMWR 2006;55(RR-7):1-23);
(e) Counseling regarding viral hepatitis prevention for at-risk adults;
(f) Training for professionals serving at-risk adults, including viral hepatitis disease burden and transmission, and delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services;
(g) Referral for substance abuse treatment for persons who use injection- or non-injection illicit drugs (http://www.cdc.gov/IDU/facts/WorkingTogetherFin.pdf);
(h) Services for HIV-infected persons, including hepatitis A and B vaccination of all susceptible persons, and testing to identify persons with chronic HCV infection or chronic HBV infection (MMWR 2004;53(RR-15);1-112).
(4) Collaborate with public health programs (e.g., STD, HIV, immunization, correctional health, substance abuse treatment, syringe exchange) and medical organizations serving primary and specialty medical care providers to design and implement effective viral hepatitis prevention interventions as part of comprehensive HIV/STD/viral hepatitis prevention services for at-risk populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), injection- and non-injection illegal drug users, high-risk heterosexuals, and incarcerated persons. Collaboration with these service providers also should be designed to increase delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services to persons with past risk behaviors such as injecting drug use and/or diagnosed chronic hepatitis. Collaboration and integration of services should be tailored to the needs of targeted populations and to the service setting as follows:
(a) STD Control Programs. STD control programs have extensive experience as clinical service providers to at risk adult populations. The AVHPC should work with STD program staff to include viral hepatitis prevention services for appropriate persons (e.g., hepatitis A vaccination for MSM and for injection- and non-injection illegal drug users, hepatitis B vaccination for all unvaccinated persons, and HCV testing and services for injection-drug users, and HBV testing and services for injection-drug users) as a routine part of STD prevention activities according to existing CDC recommendations (2006 STD Treatment Guidelines);
(b) HIV Prevention Programs. The AVHPC should work with HIV prevention programs to integrate viral hepatitis prevention messages into HIV counseling and testing, behavioral interventions, and community outreach activities. HIV prevention programs targeting MSM, injection- and non-injection illegal drug users, and high-risk heterosexuals should include viral hepatitis prevention messages and should provide recommended viral hepatitis prevention services or formal referral linkages to these services. The AVHPC should work collaboratively with HIV Prevention Community Planning Groups (CPG) to ensure that planning group members are made aware of the behavioral risks and recommended interventions for viral hepatitis. CPGs should be encouraged to incorporate viral hepatitis prevention services into their comprehensive HIV prevention plans (e.g., HCV testing and services for injection-drug users, HBV testing and services for injection-drug users, hepatitis A vaccination for MSM and for injection- and non-injection drug users, and hepatitis B vaccination for MSM, injection-drug users and high-risk heterosexuals). The AVHPC should also collaborate with health department and community-based HIV prevention service providers serving at-risk populations to promote viral hepatitis education, training, screening, and vaccination services;
(c) HIV Treatment Providers. HIV treatment providers should provide viral hepatitis prevention services as part of comprehensive HIV care. Collaboration with medical care facilities providing HIV treatment services should be directed towards ensuring that all clients receive recommended services, including hepatitis A and B vaccination of susceptible persons, HCV and HBV testing, and care. (MMWR 2004;53(RR15):1-112);
(d) Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities. Substance abuse treatment facilities offer a unique opportunity to access injection- and non-injection drug users who are at high risk of viral hepatitis. The AVHPC should work with state and local drug and alcohol treatment agencies and the programs they fund and those funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to implement viral hepatitis prevention services for injection- and non-injection illegal drug users (e.g., hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination for all unvaccinated persons, HCV testing and services for injection-drug users, and HBV testing and services for injection-drug users). Appropriate referral for substance abuse treatment should also be part of all HCV testing programs;
(e) Outreach Programs. Most state and local agencies conduct a variety of outreach programs to provide prevention services to injection drug users. The AVHPC should encourage these outreach programs to implement viral hepatitis prevention services for injection-drug users, including hepatitis A and B vaccination, HCV testing and services, HBV testing and services, as well as referral for substance abuse treatment;
(f) Correctional Health Facilities. HBV and HCV infections are common among incarcerated populations. The AVHPC should work with state department of corrections staff and other correctional health-care providers to implement viral hepatitis prevention services for inmates in correctional facilities and others under the jurisdiction of the correctional system (e.g., hepatitis A vaccination for MSM and for injection- and non-injection illegal drug users, hepatitis B vaccination for all unvaccinated adults, and HCV testing and services for injection-drug users and HBV testing and services for injection-drug users according to existing CDC recommendations (MMWR 2003;52(RR-1):1-36).;
(g) Immigrant and Refugee Health Programs. Immigrant and refugee health programs provide an opportunity to provide services to persons who were at high risk for viral hepatitis in their country of origin. In particular, the AVHPC should work with these programs to implement HBV testing and services for foreign-born persons from HBV-endemic countries;
(h) Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Programs. HBsAg-positive pregnant women are identified through routine HBsAg testing of all pregnant women. The AVHPC should work with perinatal hepatitis B prevention programs to implement viral hepatitis prevention services for pregnant women identified to be HBsAg positive;
(i) Primary Care and Specialty Medical Settings. Implementation of viral hepatitis prevention services in primary care and specialty medical settings is important because at-risk adults unaware of their HCV or HBV infection often receive care in these settings. These settings are particularly important to reach persons infected with HCV following exposures in the distant past. The AVHPC should work with medical organizations to educate providers about the benefits of identifying patients at risk for viral hepatitis and methods to implement and support delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services in their settings and practices.
(4) Monitor and evaluate delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services, including:
(a) Number and type(s) of setting where viral hepatitis prevention services are implemented
(b) Number of persons identified to be at risk for viral hepatitis by risk population in settings where viral hepatitis prevention services are implemented (e.g., injection- and non-injection drug users, MSM, high risk heterosexuals, foreign-born persons from HBV-endemic countries, and incarcerated persons)
(c) HCV testing and services, including:
· the number of persons tested for chronic HCV infection,
· the numbers of 1) HCV-positive and 2) HCV-negative persons who receive their test results
· the number of HCV-positive persons with HIV coinfection
· the numbers of HCV positive persons who 1) receive counseling, 2) referral for medical evaluation, and 3) the number of active IDUs referred for substance abuse treatment as appropriate.
(d) HBV testing and services, including:
· the number of persons tested for chronic HBV infection
· the numbers of HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative persons who receive test results
· the number of HBsAg-positive persons with HIV coinfection
· the numbers of HBsAg-positive persons who receive 1) counseling, 2) referral for medical evaluation, or 3) referral for substance abuse treatment
· the number of susceptible household, sex, and needle-sharing contacts of HBsAg-positive persons identified and the number of these contacts who received prevaccination testing and hepatitis B vaccination
(e) Hepatitis B vaccination, including:
· the number of persons who receive dose 1, dose 2, and dose 3 of hepatitis B vaccine
· the number of persons who receive prevaccination susceptibility testing in situations when such testing is indicated.
(f) Hepatitis A vaccination, including:
· the number of persons who receive dose 1 and dose 2 of hepatitis A vaccine
· the number of persons who receive prevaccination susceptibility testing in situations when such testing is indicated.
(g) Impact of hepatitis prevention activities on existing health-care service delivery.
PART B
Up to two awardees will work with the HHS/CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) to provide guidance and technical assistance to strengthen programmatic capacity and support activities of the Adult Viral Hepatitis Coordinators (AVHPC) in establishing and maintaining programs to promote delivery of primary and secondary viral hepatitis prevention services to adults at risk, including: (1) testing to identify persons with chronic HCV infection; (2) testing to identify persons with chronic HBV infection; (3) hepatitis B vaccination for unvaccinated persons in appropriate risk groups and settings; (4) hepatitis A vaccination for persons in appropriate risk groups; (5) counseling regarding viral hepatitis prevention to at-risk adults; (6) referral for substance abuse treatment for persons who use injection- or non-injection illegal drugs; and (7) services for HCV-positive persons, HBsAg-positive persons, and HIV-infected persons.
The awardee(s) will work under the direction of HHS/CDC/DVH program staff to assess and provide the technical assistance needs of AVHPCs, including:
(1) Providing technical assistance for AVHPCs to successfully implement viral hepatitis prevention services in health-care settings serving adults at risk;
(2) Providing guidance and information to AVHPCs to improve delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services and collaboration among other public health programs that provide services for adults at risk (e.g., STD and HIV prevention and treatment, drug treatment, correctional health);
(3) Providing a forum (electronic media, conference calls, etc.) for AVHPCs to share information and discuss strategies to improve services;
(4) Supporting DVH in convening AVHPC meetings;
(5) Supporting development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to prevent viral hepatitis for at-risk adults;
(6) Providing education and training materials to facilitate delivery of viral hepatitis prevention services; and
(7) Assisting new AVHPCs in developing and implementing viral hepatitis prevention programs.
In a cooperative agreement, HHS/CDC staff are substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.
HHS/CDC activities for Part A and Part B of this program are as follows:
(1) Provide technical assistance as needed in the design and implementation of interventions to evaluate and improve integration of recommended viral hepatitis prevention services into existing programs and health care delivery systems that deliver other prevention services to at risk adults;
(2) Coordinate regular meetings of AVHPCs to plan, present, and evaluate program activities; and
(3) Collaborate in the dissemination of successful findings and experiences.
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement
CDC’s involvement in this program is listed in the Activities Section above.
Award Mechanism: U51 - Infectious Disease Assessments of Prevention, Control & Elimination
Fiscal Year Funds: FY08
Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: Part A - $5,000,000
Part B - $200,000
Approximate Total Project Period Funding: Part A - $25,000,000
Part B - $1,000,000
This amount is an estimate and is subject to availability of funds. Direct and Indirect costs are included.
Approximate Number of Awards: Part A – 54 awards
Part B – 2 awards
Approximate Average Award: Part A - $50,000
Part B - $100,000
This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs
Floor of Individual Award Range: Part A - $5,000
Part B - $50,000
Ceiling of Individual Award Range: Part A - $150,000
Part B - $200,000
Anticipated Award Date: November 1, 2007
Budget Period Length: 12 months
Project Period Length: 5 years
Throughout the project period, HHS/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.1. Eligible Applicants
Part A
Eligible applicants that can apply for Part A of this funding opportunity are listed below:
State and local governments or their Bona Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau).
Official public health agencies of city governments with jurisdictional populations greater than 1,500,000 or county governments with jurisdictional populations greater than 8,000,000 (based on 2000 Census data).
Justification for limited eligibility:
FOA PS08-801 “Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator” will provide assistance
to state, territorial, and the largest local public health departments to address adult viral hepatitis prevention in their jurisdictions. This cooperative agreement puts forward and expands the viral hepatitis prevention activities initiated under Program Announcement (PA) 01022 “Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases”. PA 01022 established a focus in health departments responsible for the management, networking, and technical expertise required for successful integration of hepatitis C prevention and control activities into existing disease surveillance activities and programs for the prevention of blood borne viral infections. State health departments have worked on integration activities including: identifying public health and clinical activities in which HCV counseling and testing should be incorporated; ensuring training of health care professionals in effective hepatitis prevention activities; developed the capacity to provide HCV testing through public health or private diagnostic laboratories; identifying the resources for hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination of at-risk persons; identifying sources for appropriate medical referral of HCV positive persons; ensuring appropriate surveillance for HCV infection which links to evaluation program activities; developing state or city hepatitis plans and evaluating the effectiveness of HCV prevention activities.
Due to this ongoing effort, state health departments are uniquely qualified to accomplish the purpose of FOA PS08-801.
Part B
Eligible applicants that can apply for Part B of this funding opportunity are listed below:
· Public nonprofit organizations
· Private nonprofit organizations
· For profit organizations
· Small, minority, and women-owned businesses
· Universities
· Colleges
· Research institutions
· Hospitals
· Community-based organizations
· Faith-based organizations
· Federally recognized Indian tribal governments
· Indian tribes
· Indian tribal organizations
· State and local governments or their Bona Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)
· Political subdivisions of States (in consultation with States)
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.
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program.
III.3. Other
If a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range is requested, the application will be considered non-responsive and will not be entered into the review process. The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the submission requirements.
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.
IV.1. Address to Request Application Package
To apply for this funding opportunity use application form HHS 5161-1.
Electronic Submission:
HHS/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 an applicant 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, applicants are strongly encouraged to use this online tool.
Please visit www.Grants.gov at least 30 days prior to filing an application to become familiar 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. HHS/CDC suggests submitting electronic applications prior to the closing date so if difficulties are encountered, a hard copy of the application can be submitted prior to the deadline.
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/forms.htm
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-TIM) staff at 770-488-2700 and the application forms can be mailed.
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Letter of Intent (LOI): Not Required
Application:
A Project Abstract must be submitted with the application forms. The abstract must be submitted in the following format:
The Project Abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader. This Abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.
A project narrative must be submitted with the application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following format:
If the narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.
The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed:
Background and Need; Plan, Methods; Objectives; Timeline; Performance Measures; and Budget Justification. The budget justification will not be counted in the stated page limit.
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/resumes for assigned staff, an organizational chart, and letters of support.
Additional information submitted via Grants.gov should be labeled:
· Appendix A-Curriculum Vitas; Appendix B-Resumes; etc.
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 submittal of additional documentation with the application are listed in section “VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.”
Application Deadline Date: August 31, 2007
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 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 electronically by the applicant organization’s Authorizing Official to Grants.gov on or before the deadline date and time.
If submittal of the application is done electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), the application will be electronically time/date stamped, 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 PGO-TIM 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, and will be discarded by HHS/CDC. 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:
IV.5. Funding Restrictions
Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing the budget, are as follows:
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.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
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 an 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 early 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.
OR
Paper Submission:
Applicants should submit the original and two hard copies of the application by mail or express delivery service to:
2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14
Atlanta, GA 30341
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.
PART A
Applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:
1. Background and Need (10 points)
a. Extent to which the applicant demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject area and of the purpose and objectives of this cooperative agreement.
2. Capacity (40 points)
Extent to which the applicant provides evidence of ability to provide all recommended and appropriate viral hepatitis prevention services to individuals at risk for viral hepatitis. This includes:
a. Description of population served by existing health care settings and public health program(s) and access to additional populations at risk for viral hepatitis (e.g., MSM, injection drug users [IDUs], sex partners of IDUs, heterosexuals at high risk) that may accept viral hepatitis prevention services. (20 points)
b. Extent to which applicant documents experience of proposed personnel, either direct or collaborating, in providing viral hepatitis prevention and control activities and services (e.g., training, testing, counseling, vaccination, clinical services). (20 points)
3. Objectives and Technical Approach (50 points)
a. Extent to which the applicant describes objectives of the proposed project which are (1) consistent with the purpose and goals of this cooperative agreement; (2) measurable and time-phased; and (3) consistent with published CDC guidelines on prevention and control of hepatitis C (MMWR 1998;47 [No. RR-19], hepatitis B (MMWR 2006; 55 [No.RR-16] and hepatitis A (MMWR 199;48 [No.RR-12]. (25 points)
b. Extent and quality of operational plan proposed for implementing the project including maximizing the use of existing resources and staff to implement viral hepatitis prevention services, which clearly and appropriately addresses all “Recipient Activities” in the application. (25 points)
4. Budget and Justification (Reviewed, but not scored)
PART B
Applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:
1. Background and Need (20 Points)
Extent to which the applicant demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject area and responds to the purpose and objectives of this cooperative agreement, including collaboration in all aspects of the agreement with CDC program staff and other relevant organizations.
2. Capacity (30 Points)
Extent to which the applicant provides evidence of adequate resources, facilities, experience (both technical and administrative), and access to target audiences for conducting the activities. This should include:
a. Documentation that professional personnel involved are qualified and have past experience and achievements related to the proposed activities; this can include experience of either direct or collaborating personnel in providing viral hepatitis or other communicable disease education and/or training in prevention and control activities. (15 points)
b. Inclusion of original letters of support from appropriate non-applicant organizations, individuals, institutions, public health departments, etc. needed to carryout proposed activities and the extent to which such letters clearly indicate the author’s commitment to participate as described. (15 points)
3. Objectives and Technical Approach (50 points)
a. Extent to which the applicant describes objectives of the proposed project which are (1) consistent with the purpose and goals of this cooperative agreement; (2) measurable and time-phased; and (3) consistent with published CDC guidelines on prevention and control of hepatitis C (MMWR 1998;47 [No. RR-19], hepatitis B (MMWR 2006; 55 [No.RR-16] and hepatitis A (MMWR 199;48 [No.RR-12]. (25 points)
b. Extent and quality of operational plan proposed for implementing the project including maximizing the use of existing resources and staff to implement viral hepatitis prevention services, which clearly and appropriately addresses all “Recipient Activities” in the application. (25 points)
4. Budget and Justification (Reviewed, but not scored)
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff and for responsiveness jointly by NCHHSTP 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 consist of CDC employees from outside the funding division who will evaluate the technical merit of the application for the purpose of advising the awarding official. As part of the review process, the application will:
In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:
Funding preference will be given to applicants previously funded under either of the following announcements: (1) FOA 01022 – Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (project period 1/1/01-12/31/06; (2) FOA C107-701- Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (project period 1/1/07-10/31/07).
CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank order.
V.3. Anticipated Announcement Award Dates
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 HHS/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:
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.
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 HHS/CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the following reports:
1. Interim progress report, due no less than 90 days before the end of the budget period. The progress report will serve as the non-competing continuation application, and must contain the following elements:
a. Current Budget Period Activities Objectives
b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress
c. New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity Objectives
d. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification
e. Measures of Effectiveness
f. Additional Requested Information
2. Financial status report due 90 days after the end of the budget period.
The reports must be mailed to the Grants Management Specialist listed in the “VII. Agency Contacts” section of this announcement.
HHS/CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement.
For general questions, contact:
CDC Procurement and Grants Office
2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14
Atlanta, GA 30341
Telephone: 770-488-2700
For program technical assistance, contact:
Wendy Watkins, Project Officer
CDC, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, Mail Stop G-37
Telephone: 404-718-8540
E-mail: Dwatkins1@cdc.gov
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Roslyn Curington, Grants Management Specialist
CDC Procurement and Grants Office
2920 Brandywine Road, Mail stop: E-14
Telephone: 404-639-8321
E-mail: RCurington@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.
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