Technology Improvement Award
Call for Applications (CFAs)
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region (NN/LM GMR), under contract with the National Library of Medicine (NLM)
, announces the availability of Technology Improvement
Awards for the purchase, installation, and/or upgrading
of information technologies that enhance access to health
information.
Up to $4,900 is available for costs associated with upgrading technology. NN/LM GMR Technology Improvement Award applications not funded may be resubmitted in subsequent years. A minimum of five awards will be offered in the 2009/2010 contract year (May 2009-April 2010).
If you have questions regarding this award or require assistance with the application, contact
Max Anderson, Technology Coordinator.
Email Max
or send an email to 
. To contact the GMR by phone, call 1-800-338-7657 and press one (1) for the Regional Network Office.
Awards will be announced on GMRLIST and in The Cornflower, the GMR blog.
A list of previous Technology Improvement Award Recipients is available.
Purpose
A Technology Improvement Award may be used to improve knowledge-based information services to health professionals and health care consumers through the application of appropriate technologies; to improve the adequacy of Internet connections in NN/LM GMR libraries; or to introduce National Library of Medicine (NLM) services to a hospital that previously lacked access to these services.
Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from NN/LM GMR Full and Affiliate Members.
Suggested Projects
- Purchasing equipment and/or software to assist library professionals in delivering health information over the Internet, e.g. scanner, Web server.
- Paying for Internet access for one year and/or wiring and installation of new connections;
- Upgrading or purchasing computer equipment to enhance library services;
- New technology that enhances user access to electronic health information.
Application Submission Instructions/Requirements:
The respondent must complete the Technology Award Application.
Attachments, such as resumes, letters of support and equipment
quotes may be sent by fax to 312-996-2226 or attached to an email
to in PDF format. Please use the title of your project as the
subject line of the email.
The GMR staff will acknowledge your application when received and will respond within five (5) weeks of receipt.
For needs assessment and/or evaluation plans, applicants should follow the guidelines established in Measuring the Difference: Guide to Planning and Evaluating Health Information and the three supplemental planning and evaluation booklets published in 2006 found on the NN/LM Outreach Evaluation Resource Center website.
Cost Application Instructions
Total cost must not exceed $4,900.
Funding will be processed on a cost reimbursement basis. This award is not a grant or subcontract. Line item invoices must be submitted for reimbursement of expenditures. Reimbursement takes an average of four (4) weeks.
Personnel, library collections and indirect costs are not allowable.
For IT/Computer Hardware, please include the following as part of your cost proposal:
- For IT/Computer Hardware under $3,000, submit catalog pricing. List equipment type (printer, scanner, etc.), brand name and model number.
- For IT/Computer Hardware of $3,000 or more, submit three (3) vendor
quotes (preferably valid for 60 days, minimum of 30 days). Quotes may include General Service
Administration (GSA) price lists (Reference: http://www.gsa.gov
). Vendor quotes are
necessary to determine price reasonable for purchase of over $3,000 or more. The absence of competitive quotes
must be documented and justified. An institutional policy that outlines preferred vendor requirements
is an example of such documentation.
are requested, the following statement must
appear in the budget justification:
The recipient of the funding agrees that there is a legitimate purpose for the personal appeal items and use of the items by the Subcontractor(s) will be managed in accordance with policy. Items will not be used in a way that would discredit the NN/LM, the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or the applicable Institution.
Please provide the above information via PDF file emailed to
or
fax to 312-996-2226. Please make the name of your project the subject of the email.
Period of Performance
We recommend that a period of performance should not exceed six (6) months, however exceptions will be made for more complex projects.
Application Review Process
Applications are reviewed by the GMR staff and the Regional Advisory Council. Questions and comments from these review bodies may be sent to the applicant for clarification and revision of the application. The merits of each application will be carefully evaluated, based on responsiveness to the RFP and the thoroughness and feasibility of the technical approach proposed. Applicants must submit information sufficient to evaluate the application based on the criteria listed below.
Evaluation Criteria
IDENTIFICATION OF NEED
Application describes why the technology is needed and how it will improve access to health information
for health professionals and/or consumers.
50 points
METHODOLOGY AND TECHNICAL APPROACH
Methods are logical and feasible and strategies for evaluation of the project are included.
35 points
EXPERIENCE OF RESPONDENT AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Adequate evidence is provided about the qualifications of the personnel and
organizational resources available to assure successful completion of the project. Documentation includes
resumes, letters of support and equipment quotes.
15 points
Total Possible Points: 100
Reporting Requirements
All reports must be submitted in electronic format: RTF or PDF for publication on the NN/LM website. Recipients will be asked to report on the experience in The Cornflower, the GMR blog, and agree to allow the NN/LM-GMR to republish reports and materials. Reports must be submitted to the GMR within thirty (30) days of completion of the project.
Additional Requirements
Publications Resulting from NN/LM Funded Projects
As of April 7, 2008, final peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funds must be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication. The NIH Public Access Policy (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ) ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PubMed Central (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ ) upon acceptance for publication.
To help advance science and improve human health, the Policy (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm ) requires that these papers are accessible to the public on PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication. The NIH Public Access site should be consulted for additional information: (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ).
508 Compliance
If a website is developed under this award, the website must adhere to Section 508 compliance. Resources for this compliance include the National Library of Medicine Web Applications/Site Development Guidelines (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/web/documentation/index.html ) and Summary of Section 508 Standards (http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=11 ).
Credit Statement
The awardee shall acknowledge the support of the National Library of Medicine whenever publicizing the work under this award in any media by including an acknowledgment substantially as follows:
This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3503 with the University of Illinois at Chicago.
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