[Federal Register: March 4, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 43)]
[Notices]
[Page 10233-10237]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04mr04-61]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Technical Assistance and Training for Immunization Coalitions and
Immunization Information Dissemination
Announcement Type: New.
Funding Opportunity Number: 04085.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.185.
Key Dates:
Application Deadline: May 3, 2004.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: Section 317(k)(1) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(1)).
Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2004 funds for a
cooperative agreement program for Technical Assistance and Training for
Immunization Coalitions and Immunization Information Dissemination. The
purpose of the program is to provide support for immunization
coalitions and for the dissemination of immunization information to
enhance the effectiveness of disease prevention programs that reduce
the annual burden of vaccine preventable diseases. This program
addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of Health
Communications and Immunization and Infectious Diseases.
Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the
following performance goal for the National Immunization Program (NIP):
Reduce the number of indigenous cases of vaccine-preventable diseases;
and ensure that two year-olds are appropriately vaccinated.
Activities: Awardee activities will enhance the ability of public
and private sector organizations along with local, state, and national
agencies to deliver programs that reduce the annual toll inflicted by
vaccine preventable diseases. It is anticipated that up to two projects
that support technical assistance and training for immunization
coalitions and up to two projects that disseminate immunization
information will be funded. Both types of projects need to have a
national scope and focus. These projects will use proven and
potentially promising or emerging coalition building and information
dissemination methodologies and strategies to promote vaccination
across the lifespan (i.e., childhood, adolescent and adult immunization
recommendations and best practices). Both program components shall
foster cooperation, collaboration, and communication between public and
private organizations, Federal government agencies, state and local
health departments, NIP partners and grantees, and others in their
efforts to increase immunization coverage and reduce vaccine-
preventable diseases.
This announcement has two program categories--applicants may
respond to a single category or to both categories. However, only one
category can be
[[Page 10234]]
addressed in an application. Entities submitting proposals for both
program components must submit two separate and complete applications--
one application for the technical assistance and training component and
a separate application for the information dissemination component.
Category I: Technical Assistance and Training for Immunization
Coalitions
Awardee activities for this category are as follows:
[sbull] Support the development, operation, and/or evaluation of
immunization coalitions including partnerships and community groups to
enhance childhood, adolescent, and adult vaccination efforts at the
local, regional, and national level through the development of
immunization networks, partnership formation, and coalition building.
[sbull] Provide training and technical assistance in the areas of
communication and health education strategies (e.g., social marketing,
health and risk communications, and media relations) in the support of
immunization coalitions.
[sbull] Network with private providers and public health entities/
organizations to identify and promote successful programs and effective
immunization strategies and tactics, including case examples,
educational materials, media strategies, minority and hard-to-reach
outreach efforts, and public relations strategies and disseminate them
to coalition members and others at the local, state, and national
level.
[sbull] Support existing immunization coalitions by providing
consultation on the implementation of successful strategies, policies,
and programs designed to improve the disease prevention capacity and
immunization program efforts of these groups.
[sbull] Provide immunization coalitions and others with technical
assistance through the use of information transfer, skills building,
technical consultation, technical services, and technology transfer to
enhance the abilities of these coalitions to reduce vaccine-preventable
diseases.
[sbull] Develop communication processes to ensure rapid, effective
dialog across and among coalition constituencies.
Category II: Information Dissemination
Awardee activities for this category are as follows:
[sbull] Develop and distribute immunization information using
print, electronic, video, and digital formats on technical immunization
guidelines, recommendations, and information, that are effective and
culturally and linguistically appropriate for target audience(s).
[sbull] Distribute appropriate, readable, and useful technical
immunization guidelines, educational materials, and information about
successful immunization programs to national, state, and local health
care providers, advocacy groups, private providers, and public health
organizations, including state and local health departments and other
NIP partners.
[sbull] Develop systems to increase communication among
immunization providers at all levels to insure the rapid and successful
dialogue between immunization providers.
[sbull] Provide education on advances in the field of immunization
to inform diverse health care professionals of advances in the science
of vaccine preventable diseases in order to ensure a technically
competent immunization workforce.
[sbull] Develop process and impact evaluation measures to assure
the delivery of credible, science-based information in understandable
and effective formats consistent with the needs of the target
audiences.
In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in
the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.
CDC Activities for this program are as follows:
[sbull] As appropriate, link funded applicants to a coordinated
network of other NIP funded national organizations.
[sbull] Provide consultation and technical assistance in planning,
implementing, and evaluating the activities of grantees. CDC may
provide consultation both directly and indirectly through other
partners, including health departments and contractors.
[sbull] Provide up-to-date scientific information on disease
surveillance, immunization coverage, and vaccine technology, as well as
risk communication, and findings from formative communications
research.
[sbull] Assist in the design and implementation of program
evaluation activities.
[sbull] Assist recipients in collaborating and exchanging
information with State and local health departments, and other Federal
agencies.
[sbull] Facilitate the transfer of successful program models and
``lessons learned'' through convening meetings of grantees and
communication between project officers.
[sbull] Monitor the recipient's performance of program activities,
and compliance with requirements.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. CDC involvement in this
program is listed in the Activities Section above.
Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
Approximate Total Funding: $682,200.
Approximate Number of Awards: A maximum of two projects in Category
I and two projects in Category II.
Approximate Average Award: ranging from $100,000 to $400,000.
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $500,000.
Anticipated Award Date: June 1, 2004.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: Four years.
Throughout the project period, CDC's commitment to continuation of
awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of
satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required
reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best
interest of the Federal Government.
III. Eligibility Information
III.1. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by public and private nonprofit
organizations and by governmental agents such as:
[sbull] Public nonprofit organizations
[sbull] Private nonprofit organizations
[sbull] Universities
[sbull] Colleges
[sbull] Research institutions
[sbull] Hospitals
[sbull] Community-based organizations
[sbull] Faith-based organizations
[sbull] Federally recognized Indian tribal governments
[sbull] Indian tribes
[sbull] Indian tribal organizations
III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required for this program.
III.3. Other
CDC will accept and review applications with budgets greater than
the ceiling of the award range.
If your application is incomplete or non-responsive to the
requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the
review process. You will be notified that your application did not meet
submission requirements.
In addition, to be eligible to apply, an organization must:
a. Have at least a three year record of providing similar technical
assistance, services, or information dissemination about topics related
to immunization in the United States, as demonstrated by
[[Page 10235]]
letters of support, agency annual reports, previous Memoranda of
Agreement, or a listing of previous grants with a similar focus.
b. Be able to operate nationally, as demonstrated by language in
its bi-laws or letters of incorporation, or a letter from the Board of
Directors stating that the organization operates nationally.
c. Have at least a three year record of operating nationally, as
demonstrated by the date on the bi-laws or letters of incorporation,
agency annual reports, previous Memoranda of Agreement, or a listing of
previous grants with a national focus.
Note: Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that
an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to
receive Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.
IV. Application and Submission Information
IV.1. Address To Request Application Package
To apply for this funding opportunity use application form PHS
5161. Application forms and instructions are available on the CDC Web
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm
.
If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have
difficulty accessing the forms on-line, you may contact the CDC
Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section
(PGO-TIM) staff at: 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to
you.
IV.2. Content and Form of Submission
Application: You must submit a project narrative with your
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following
format:
[sbull] Maximum number of pages: 35. If your narrative exceeds the
page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will
be reviewed.
[sbull] Font size: 12 point unreduced
[sbull] Spacing: Double spaced
[sbull] Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
[sbull] Page margin size: One inch
[sbull] Printed only on one side of page
[sbull] Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not
bound in any other way.
Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the
entire project period, and must include the following items in the
order listed here:
[sbull] Background and need
[sbull] Organizational history and capacity
[sbull] Program plan (including time phased, measurable objectives;
methods or strategies; timelines; and staffing plan)
[sbull] Performance measures and evaluation plan
[sbull] Budget justification (will 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:
[sbull] Proof of eligibility
[sbull] Curriculum Vitaes or Resumes
[sbull] Organizational Charts
[sbull] Letters of Support
You are 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 http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711.
For more information, see the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/pubcommt.htm
.
If your application form does not have a DUNS number field, please
write your DUNS number at the top of the first page of your
application, and/or include your DUNS number in your application cover
letter.
Additional requirements that may require you to submit additional
documentation with your application are listed in section ``VI.2.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements.''
IV.3. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: May 3, 2004.
Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC
Procurement and Grants Office by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline
date. If you send your application by the United States Postal Service
or commercial delivery service, you must ensure that the carrier will
be able to guarantee delivery of the application by the closing date
and time. If CDC receives your application after closing 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, you will be given the opportunity to
submit documentation of the carriers guarantee. If the documentation
verifies a carrier problem, CDC will consider the application as having
been received by the deadline.
This announcement is the definitive guide on application submission
address and deadline. It supersedes information provided in the
application instructions. If your application does not meet the
deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and will be
discarded. You will be notified that your application did not meet the
submission requirements.
CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your application. If you
have a question about the receipt of your application, first contact
your courier. If you still have a question, contact the PGO-TIM staff
at: 770-488-2700. Before calling, please wait two to three days after
the application deadline. This will allow time for applications to be
processed and logged.
IV.4. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Your 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. You should contact your state single point of
contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert the SPOC to prospective
applications, and to receive instructions on your state's process.
Click on the following link to get the current SPOC list: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
.
IV.5. Funding Restrictions
Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your
budget, are as follows:
[sbull] These federal funds may not supplant or duplicate existing
finding.
[sbull] The applicant must perform a substantial portion of the
program activities and cannot serve merely as a fiduciary agent.
Applications requesting funds to support only managerial and
administrative functions will not be accepted.
[sbull] These federal funds may not be used to support the cost of
developing applications for other funding.
If you are requesting indirect costs in your budget, you must include a
copy of your indirect cost rate agreement. If your indirect cost rate
is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 months of
age. Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
Guidance for completing your budget can be found on the CDC Web
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm
.
[[Page 10236]]
IV.6. Other Submission Requirements
Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two hard
copies of your application by mail or express delivery service to:
Technical Information Management-PA 04085, CDC Procurement and
Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.
V. Application Review Information
V.1. Criteria
You 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. These measures of effectiveness must be
submitted with the application and will be an element scored by the
review panel.
Your application will be evaluated against the following criteria
by an independent review group appointed by CDC:
a. Program Plan (30 points):
Category I Applications--Is the applicant's action plan to access
and engage major agencies, private and public sector public health
organizations, professional health associations, volunteer groups, and
other organizations across the country feasible and appropriate? Does
the applicant demonstrate their capability to successfully interact
with these organizations to provide training and technical assistance
and facilitate the sharing of information and ideas across a network of
immunization coalitions?
Category II Applications--Does the applicant describe a feasible
and appropriate action plan to identify immunization issues and new
developments (e.g., new recommendations), communicate with, and reach,
targeted populations, translate technical immunization information into
appropriate new formats, develop and disseminate effective immunization
material and information, and establish and implement a national
immunization information/dissemination network?
Category I and Category II Applications--Are stated objectives
specific, realistic, and time-phased? Are the proposed methods (i.e.
strategies and activities) feasible? Will the proposed methods
accomplish the program goals? Are program priorities and timelines for
implementation of program efforts appropriate?
b. Organizational History and Capability (25 points): Is the
applicant's ability to accomplish stated goals and objectives
demonstrated based on relevant past experience, a sound management
structure, and staff qualifications? Are staff roles and
responsibilities defined and appropriate? Has the applicant played a
role as an international, national, or regional immunization entity?
Are the applicant's past and current training and technical assistance
experiences, knowledge, and expertise documented and relevant? Does the
applicant demonstrate that they have the capacity to achieve stated
goals and objectives--including developing culturally appropriate
public health interventions? Applicants that have made previous
noteworthy contributions to address life long immunization needs will
be considered more significant.
Category I Applicants--Must have two years of demonstrated history
in coalition development and training and technical assistance at the
local, regional, or national level for the purpose of promoting public
health initiatives; this experience must be documented in the proposal
(use appendix if necessary).
Category II Applicants--Must have two years of demonstrated history
of producing and disseminating written and electronic health or disease
prevention information such as websites, newsletters, media kits,
posters, brochures, or information sharing kits and document this
experience in the proposal (use appendix if necessary).
Category I and Category II Applicants--Must have two years of
documented history working with and accessing major agencies, private
and public sector public health organizations, professional health
associations, volunteer groups, and other organizations across the
country, and demonstrate their capability to successfully interact with
other organizations to promote immunization across the lifespan.
Must have at least two years experience working in all of the
following areas: Childhood immunization, adolescent immunization, and
adult immunization.
c. Coordination and collaboration (20 points): Does the applicant
describe strategies to develop and maintain a national network of
immunization coalitions or a national information sharing network? Does
the applicant plan to coordinate these activities with state and local
immunization programs, existing immunization coalitions, provider
organizations, and other appropriate agencies? Does the applicant
describe how it will avoid duplication of services and communicate with
other NIP funded organizations? Does the applicant describe any formal
or informal partners or contractors? Does the applicant provide letters
of support or letters of intent to document this effort?
d. Background and Need (15 points): Does the applicant demonstrate
an understanding of immunization-related topics and issues, including
infant, childhood, and adult immunization recommendations, immunization
barriers and strategies for addressing them, evidence-based
communication and education strategies for communicating vaccine
benefits and risks, and problems associated with under-immunization?
Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of the
cooperative agreement?
e. Evaluation Plan (10 points): Does the applicant describe methods
to evaluate the proposed plan, including process and impact evaluation?
Have quantitative and qualitative measures been identified for
assessing the achievement of program objectives, determining the health
effect on the population, and monitoring the implementation of proposed
activities?
f. Budget and Justification (not scored): Is the proposed budget
adequately justified, reasonable, and consistent with proposed project
activities and this program announcement?
V.2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by NIP.
Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the
eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process.
Applicants will be notified by mail that their 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.
VI. Award Administration Information
VI.1. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Grant Award (NGA)
from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NGA shall be the only
binding, authorizing document between the recipient and CDC. The NGA
will be
[[Page 10237]]
signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer, and 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
45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92
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.
The following additional requirements apply to this project:
[sbull] AR-7 Executive Order 12372.
[sbull] AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements.
[sbull] AR-11 Healthy People 2010.
[sbull] AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions.
[sbull] AR-14 Accounting System Requirements.
[sbull] AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status.
Additional information on these requirements can be found on the CDC
Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm
.
VI.3. Reporting Requirements
You must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the
following reports:
1. Interim progress report, no less than 90 days before the end of
the budget period. The progress report will serve as your non-competing
continuation application, and must contain the following elements:
a. Description of progress made during the current budget period on
program activities and objectives.
b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
c. New Budget Period Proposed Program Activities and measurable
Objectives.
d. Budget.
e. Additional Requested Information.
f. Measures of Effectiveness.
2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of
the budget period.
3. Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days
after the end of the project period.
These reports must be mailed to the Grants Management or Contract
Specialist listed in the ``Agency Contacts'' section of this
announcement.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical
Information Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For program technical assistance, contact: Kari Sapsis, Project
Officer, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS E-05, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-
639-8837, E-mail: ksapsis@cdc.gov.
For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:
Peaches Brown, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants
Office,2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-
2738,E-mail: prb0@cdc.gov.
Dated: February 27, 2004.
Edward Schultz,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-4808 Filed 3-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P