[Federal Register: May 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 27078-27082]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19my03-70]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 03077]
Community-Based Interventions To Reduce Motor Vehicle-Related
Injuries; Notice of Availability of Funds
Application Deadline: July 3, 2003.
A. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
This program is authorized under sections 317, and 301 of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b and 241). The Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.136.
B. Purpose
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2003 funds for a cooperative agreement
study to tailor, implement, and evaluate community-based interventions
with demonstrated effectiveness to reduce motor vehicle-related
injuries.
This study addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus area of
Injury and Violence Prevention.
``Healthy People 2010: Health Objectives for the Nation'' has set
an objective of reducing motor vehicle-related fatalities to no more
than 9.2 per 100,000 persons from a baseline of 15.6 per 100,000
persons in 1998. To meet this objective, the nation must improve the
safety of motor vehicle travel, community-by-community, state-by-state.
Deterrence of alcohol-impaired driving and increasing the proper use of
occupant restraints are among the most important measures to further
reduce motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths.
The purpose of the study is to tailor, implement, and evaluate
community-based interventions with demonstrated effectiveness for
preventing motor vehicle-related injuries within the following areas:
(1) Reduce alcohol-impaired driving among high risk groups; (2)
increase safety belt use among low-use groups; and (3) increase the use
of child safety seats, with an emphasis on booster seats.
In addition, the study should gather information on the process of
tailoring and implementing evidence-based community interventions such
as defining how the interventions were tailored, barriers to
implementation, and how the various evaluation activities were
undertaken.
This study will require the formation of coalitions of public
health departments, transportation and traffic safety agencies,
Governors' highway safety representatives, law enforcement, and
academic evaluation experts. These coalitions will work with community
leaders, groups, and organizations (e.g., policy makers, safety
advocates, schools, youth organizations, local media, health care
providers, and social service agencies) to tailor, implement, and
evaluate at least two selected community-based interventions.
Measurable outcomes of the study will be in alignment with the
following research priorities in transportation safety from the
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) Research
Agenda: (1) Evaluate strategies to implement and disseminate known,
effective interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving and test the
effectiveness of new, innovative strategies; (2) develop and evaluate
interventions that address the proper and consistent use of measures to
protect child occupants in motor vehicles; (3) develop methodologies
for and evaluate the effectiveness of various means to translate
transportation safety research findings into public policy. The study
is expected to widely disseminate the outcomes through traditional
mechanisms, such as professional and peer-reviewed journal
publications.
C. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by state or local health departments
or their bona fide agents, including the District of Columbia,
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Federated States of
Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau.
Other required eligibility criteria include the following:
1. The applicant should provide evidence that there is an unmet
need in their community for these interventions. The intent of the
study is not to support existing activities. This can be done by
describing the target groups for the selected interventions and
documenting the size of the problem in these groups.
2. The applicant should provide evidence of effective and well-
defined collaborative relationships within the performing organization
and among the coalition members that will ensure implementation of the
proposed activities. At a minimum, the coalition must include the
recipient state or local health department, a state or local highway
safety department representative, the state Governor's highway safety
representative or designee, local law enforcement, and a university-
based evaluation expert. Documentation, such as letters of
collaboration, describing the specific commitments and responsibilities
that will be undertaken by the coalition members and community
organizations must be included.
3. The applicant and its collaborative team should provide evidence
of prior experience in tailoring, implementing, and evaluating
community-based interventions. This experience must be documented by
including publications such as those from peer-reviewed journal
articles or technical reports in the appendix of the application.
4. The recipient should provide evidence of access to target
populations and experience with accessing community leaders and
community-level groups.
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.
D. Funding
Availability of Funds
Approximately $450,000 is available in FY 2003 to fund
approximately 2 awards. It is expected that the average award will be
$225,000, ranging from $200,000 to $250,000. It is expected that the
awards will begin on or about September 15, 2003, and will be made for
a 12-month budget period within a project period of up to four years.
Funding estimates may change.
Continuation awards within an approved project period will be made
on the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required reports
and the availability of funds.
Funding Preferences
Applicants will be expected to implement and evaluate at least two
community-based interventions with demonstrated effectiveness during
the four-year project period. Preference will be given to applicants
who propose implementing at least one community-based intervention from
the following list of interventions that have strong evidence of
effectiveness according to the ``The Guide to Community Preventive
Services''. (See www.thecommunityguide.org or
[[Page 27079]]
Attachment 1. All Attachments referenced in this announcement are
posted with the announcement on the CDC Web site.):
a. Sobriety checkpoints to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. Key
components of the intervention: officer training in appropriate
practices; implement or increase the frequency of sobriety checkpoints
(or roving patrols if checkpoints are not feasible); develop a strategy
for publicizing checkpoints through earned media (e.g., news stories)
and/or paid media.
b. Enhanced enforcement campaigns to increase safety belt and child
safety seat use. Key components of the intervention: Implement or
increase the frequency of citations for violations of the law, safety
belt and/or child safety seat checkpoints (or roving patrols if
checkpoints are not feasible); develop a strategy for publicizing the
enhanced enforcement efforts through earned media (e.g., news stories)
and/or paid media.
c. Efforts to increase possession and use of child safety seats and
booster seats. Key components of the intervention: Distribution of
child safety seats and/or booster seats among low use groups; education
on appropriate use.
Key components of the chosen interventions must be included in
implementation.
Applicants may choose to implement one or more interventions with
demonstrated effectiveness to reduce motor vehicle-related injuries
that are not on the above list. Applicants who select interventions
that are not included in the list above, but have been systematically
reviewed in the peer-reviewed literature, must cite the review and
summarize its findings in the application.
E. Program Requirements
In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,
the recipient will be responsible for the activities listed in 1.
Recipient Activities, and CDC will be responsible for the activities
listed in 2. CDC Activities.
1. Recipient Activities
a. Establish the coalition that will help tailor, implement, and
evaluate the selected interventions. At a minimum, the coalition must
include the recipient state or local health department, a state or
local highway safety department representative, the state Governor's
highway safety representative or designee, local law enforcement, and
an evaluation expert or academic researcher who has published in the
peer-review literature.
b. Collect or obtain and analyze baseline measures that will guide
the planning process and serve as the pre-intervention measures of
effectiveness (e.g., alcohol-related crashes, safety belt use, booster
seat use).
c. If the recipient proposes to implement enhanced enforcement
campaigns to increase safety belt use or to strengthen child safety
seat laws or booster seat laws, the recipient must first determine
baseline use rates for safety belts, child safety seats, and booster
seats using, at a minimum, a comparison of observed use rates
determined from observational surveys in the intervention and control
communities before and after implementation of the intervention
activities.
d. If the recipient proposes to implement sobriety checkpoints to
reduce alcohol-impaired driving, the recipient must first determine
rates of alcohol-impaired driving using appropriate survey methods
before and after implementation of the intervention. Direct assessment
of driver blood alcohol content levels in roadside surveys is the
preferred method. However, an acceptable method for baseline
measurement would be the number of pre- and post-intervention nighttime
single vehicle crashes.
e. Develop a detailed plan for the tailoring of the intervention
for their community, for implementation, and for evaluation of the
selected evidence-based interventions to reduce motor vehicle-related
injuries. Obtain approval for the plan from each coalition member and
the CDC.
f. Implement and evaluate the selected interventions. Sufficient
resources should be allocated for a rigorous evaluation.
g. Attend and participate in technical assistance, planning, and
project briefing meetings coordinated by the CDC. (Travel to CDC for
one meeting per year.)
h. Submit required reports on time.
Activities should be specifically tailored to stimulate community
ownership and investment in sustaining the intervention, if effective,
beyond the funding period. Collaboration with ongoing activities such
as ``Safe Communities'' and existing coalitions such as ``SAFE KIDS''
is encouraged.
The first year of the study will include several activities:
Establishing the coalition; evaluating the perceptions of stakeholders
regarding barriers to implementation and perceived benefits of the
intervention; collecting and analyzing baseline information (e.g.,
alcohol-related crashes, DUI arrests, safety belt use), and developing
a detailed plan for implementing and evaluating two or more
interventions.
At the end of Year I, noncompetitive continuation funding will be
available for Year II, contingent upon successful progress in Year I
and a detailed budget for implementing and evaluating the selected
interventions. Years two through four will be dedicated to
implementing, sustaining, and evaluating the selected interventions.
The evaluation should include systematic and detailed process data
regarding any unanticipated barriers that were encountered in
implementing the interventions.
2. CDC Activities
a. Provide technical assistance and guidance in the tailoring,
implementation, and evaluation of the selected interventions.
b. Review plans for the tailoring, implementation, and evaluation
of the selected interventions.
c. Assist in ensuring human subjects assurances are in place as
needed.
d. Assist in analysis and dissemination of results including the
preparation of manuscripts.
e. Facilitate technical assistance and planning meetings and
briefings to CDC.
F. Content
Letter of Intent (LOI)
A LOI is required for this program. The narrative should be no more
than two single-spaced pages, printed on one side, with one-inch
margins, and unreduced 12-point font. The letter should identify the
announcement number, the name of the principal investigator, and
briefly describe the scope and intent of the proposed study. The letter
of intent does not influence review or funding decisions, but the
number of letters received will enable CDC to plan the review more
effectively and efficiently.
Application
The Program Announcement title and number must appear in the
application. Use the information in the Program Requirements and
Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the application content. Your
application will be evaluated on the criteria listed, so it is
important to follow them in laying out your program plan. The narrative
portion of the application must not exceed 25 pages.
Applications should follow the PHS-5161 application and should
include the following information:
1. The project's focus justifying the intervention needs and
describing the scientific basis for the program, the
[[Page 27080]]
expected outcome, and the relevance of the findings to reduce injury
morbidity, mortality, disability, and economic losses.
2. Specific, measurable, and time-framed objectives.
3. A detailed plan describing the methods that will achieve the
objectives, including their sequence.
4. A description of the roles and responsibilities of the principal
investigator.
5. A description of all project staff regardless of their funding
source. It should include their title, qualifications, experience,
percentage of time each will devote to the project, as well as that
portion of their salary to be paid by the cooperative agreement.
6. A description of those activities related to, but not supported
by the cooperative agreement.
6. A description of those activities related to, but not supported
by the cooperative agreement.
7. A description of the involvement of other entities that will
relate to the proposed project, if applicable. It should include
letters of organizational commitments of support and a clear statement
of their roles.
8. A detailed budget for the cooperative agreement.
9. An explanation of how the research findings will contribute to
the national effort to reduce the morbidity, mortality and disability
caused by injuries.
A. Submission and Deadline
Letter of Intent (LOI) Submission
The LOI must be received by 4 p.m. eastern time on or before June
9, 2003. Submit the LOI to: Stephen Lester, Grants Management
Specialist, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
Telephone: 770-488-1998.
Application Forms
Submit the signed original and two copies of PHS-5161 application.
Forms are available at the following Internet address: 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) at: 770-488-2700.
Submission Date, Time, and Address
The application must be received by 4 p.m. eastern time July 3,
2003. Submit the application to: Technical Information Management--
PA03077, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
Applications may not be submitted electronically.
CDC Acknowledgement of Application Receipt
A postcard will be mailed by PGO-TIM, notifying you that CDC has
received your application.
Deadline
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are received before 4 p.m. eastern time on the deadline date. Any
applicant who sends their application by the United States Postal
Service or commercial delivery services must ensure that the carrier
will be able to guarantee delivery of the application by the closing
date and time. If an application is received 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, CDC will upon receipt of proper
documentation, consider the application as having been received by the
deadline.
Any application that does not meet the above criteria will not be
eligible for competition, and will be discarded. The applicant will be
notified of their failure to meet the submission requirements.
H. Evaluation Criteria
Application
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. These measures of effectiveness must be
submitted with the application and will be an element of evaluation.
Eligible applications will be evaluated individually against the
following criteria by an independent peer review special emphasis panel
(SEP) appointed by CDC that will review the scientific merit of the
applications. This will be the primary review of applications. These
SEP reviewers will review all applications for scientific merit using
current National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria (a scoring system
of 100-500 points) to evaluate the methods and scientific quality of
the application. All categories are of equal importance, however, the
application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged
likely to have a major scientific impact.
Factors to be considered will include:
1. Significance
Applicant has described how this study will advance scientific
knowledge of how to tailor, implement, and evaluate community-based
interventions for preventing motor vehicle-related injuries.
2. Approach (for Tailoring, Implementing, and Evaluating the Selected
Interventions)
The extent to which the applicant's work plan and timetable
includes:
a. The identification of representatives to be named as members of
the coalition, including a description of the areas of expertise
covered by each; the specific roles and responsibilities of each in
implementing this cooperative agreement; methods for making decisions;
etc.
b. Memorandum of agreement and understanding or letters of support
from these collaborating organizations as an appendix, and the extent
to which these letters indicate that the applicant and the other
collaborating organizations have established a ``working partnership''
which specifies the active roles each will have in the study.
c. Plans for collecting or obtaining and analyzing baseline (pre-
intervention) and follow-up data for the measures of effectiveness.
d. A description of the process used in selecting the interventions
to be implemented.
e. A description of the process to be used in preparing the
detailed plan for tailoring, implementing and evaluating the selected
interventions.
f. Initial plans to rigorously evaluate the interventions including
appropriate measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the
accomplishment of the identified objectives of the cooperative
agreement. Measures should be objective and quantifiable and measure
the intended outcome.
g. Plans to train and support staff regarding the responsibilities
of this cooperative agreement, and the availability of staff and
facilities to carry out this cooperative agreement.
h. Acknowledgement of potential problem areas and plans to consider
alternative tactics.
3. Investigator
The extent to which the applicant has documented that the principal
investigator is appropriately trained and well-suited to carry out the
study.
[[Page 27081]]
4. Environment
The extent to which the applicant and proposed collaborators have
documented:
a. Their history and current capacity to provide a leadership
function in convening and facilitating the work of the coalition.
b. Their history and current capacity to provide a leadership
function in the tailoring, implementation, and evaluation of the
selected community-based interventions to reduce motor vehicle-related
injuries.
c. Their history and current capacity to present findings at
national conferences and prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts.
d. A willingness to attend and participate in technical assistance
and planning meetings and related travel to Atlanta coordinated by the
CDC for all cooperative agreement recipients.
e. Their organizational capacity to realize the objectives of the
cooperative agreement.
f. Their management operation, structure and/or organization. An
organizational chart of the applicant's organization should be included
as an appendix. Additionally, the applicant should include within their
management plan the specific role and mechanisms to be established to
ensure effective coordination, communication and shared decision making
among the involved agencies/organizations.
g. A staffing plan for the project, noting existing staff as well
as additional staffing needs. The responsibilities of individual staff
members including the level of effort and allocation of time for each
project activity by staff position should be included. The specific
staff positions within the other involved state level agencies, both
in-kind and funded, should be described.
h. Resumes, biosketches, and/or position descriptions (i.e. for
current staff, in-kind, and proposed positions to be funded under this
cooperative agreement) should be included as an appendix. This should
include the use of consultants, as appropriate.
i. A continuation plan in the event that key staff leave the
project, how new staff will be smoothly integrated into the project,
and assurances that resources will be available when needed for this
project.
j. Previous experience of project staff to submit required reports
on time.
5. Ethical Issues
What provisions have been made for the protection of human subjects
and the safety of the research environments? How does the applicant
plan to handle issues of confidentiality and compliance with mandated
reporting requirements, (e.g., suspected child abuse)? Does the
application adequately address the requirements of 45 CFR part 46 for
the protection of human subjects? (An application can be disapproved if
the research risks are sufficiently serious and protection against
risks is so inadequate as to make the entire application unacceptable.)
The degree to which the applicant has met the CDC Policy requirements
regarding the inclusion of women, ethnic, and racial groups in the
proposed research. This includes:
a. The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial and
ethnic minority populations for appropriate representation.
b. The proposed justification when representation is limited or
absent.
c. A statement as to whether the design of the study is adequate to
measure differences when warranted.
d. A statement as to whether the plans for recruitment and outreach
for study participants include the process of establishing partnerships
with communities and recognition of mutual benefits. Is there evidence
of effective working relationships between the applicant and community
organizations? Does the applicant describe experience in developing
community partnerships and the community's current and anticipated
capacity to carry out the proposed activities?
6. Study Samples
Are the samples rigorously defined to permit complete independent
replication at another site? Have the referral sources been described,
including the definitions and criteria? What plans have been made to
include women and minorities and their subgroups as appropriate for the
scientific goals of the research? How will the applicant deal with
recruitment and retention of subjects?
7. Dissemination
a. Plans to present findings to local, state, regional, and
national audiences.
b. Plans to prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts based on the study.
8. Measures of Effectiveness
Are the measures set forth in the application in accordance with
CDC's performance plans? How adequately has the applicant addressed
these measures?
The SEP will also examine the appropriateness of the proposed study
budget and duration in relation to the proposed research and the
availability of data required for the study.
The secondary review will be conducted by the Science and Program
Review Subcommittee (SPRS) of the Advisory Committee for Injury
Prevention and Control (ACIPC). ACIPC Federal agency experts will be
invited to attend the secondary review and will receive modified
briefing books (i.e., abstracts, strengths and weaknesses from summary
statements, and project officer's briefing materials). ACIPC Federal
agency experts will be encouraged to participate in deliberations when
applications address overlapping areas of research interest so that
unwarranted duplication in federally funded research can be avoided and
special subject area expertise can be shared. The NCIPC Division
Associate Directors for Science (ADS) or their designees will attend
the secondary review in a similar capacity as the ACIPC Federal agency
experts to assure that research priorities of the announcement are
understood and to provide background regarding current research
activities. Only SPRS members will vote on funding recommendations, and
their recommendations will be carried to the entire ACIPC for voting by
the ACIPC members in closed session. If any further review is needed by
the ACIPC, regarding the recommendations of the SPRS, the factors
considered will be the same as those considered by the SPRS.
The subcommittee's responsibility is to develop funding
recommendations for the NCIPC Director based on the results of the
primary review, the relevance and balance of proposed research relative
to the NCIPC programs and priorities, and to assure that unwarranted
duplication of federally funded research does not occur. The secondary
review committee has the latitude to recommend to the NCIPC Director,
to reach over better ranked proposals in order to assure maximal impact
and balance of proposed research. The factors to be considered will
include:
1. The results of the primary review including the application's
priority score as the primary factor in the selection process.
2. The relevance and balance of proposed research relative to the
NCIPC programs and priorities.
3. The significance of the proposed activities in relation to the
priorities and objectives stated in Healthy People 2010, the Institute
of Medicine report, Reducing the Burden of Injury, and the NCIPC Injury
Research Agenda.
4. Budgetary considerations including the extent to which the
budget is
[[Page 27082]]
reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent with the intended use of
funds.
I. Other Requirements
Technical Reporting Requirements
Provide CDC with original plus two copies of:
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. 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. Additional Requested Information.
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.
Send all reports to the Grants Management Specialist identified in
the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information'' section of this
announcement.
Additional Requirements
The following additional requirements are applicable to this
program. For a complete description of each, see Attachment II of the
program announcement, as posted on the CDC Web site.
AR-1 Human Subjects Requirements
AR-2 Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and Ethnic
Minorities in Research
AR-7 Executive Order 12372 Review
AR-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements
AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2010
AR-13 Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control
Activities
AR-20 Conference Support
J. Where To Obtain Additional Information
This and other CDC announcements, the necessary applications, and
associated forms can be found on the CDC Web site, Internet address:
http://www.cdc.gov.
Click on ``Funding'' then ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements''.
For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical
Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146. Telephone: 770-488-2700.
For business management and budget assistance, contact: Stephen
Lester, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146. Telephone: 770-488-1998. E-mail address:
SVL3@cdc.gov. For program technical assistance, contact: Tim Groza, MPA, Project
Officer, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS K-63,
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. Telephone: 770-4676. E-mail address:
tgroza@cdc.gov.
Dated: May 13, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-12398 Filed 5-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P