[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 19 (Monday, January 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5683-5687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2171]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement Number 514]
RIN 0905-ZA85


Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency Virus 
Prevention Training Centers

Introduction

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds for cooperative agreements 
to continue the Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency 
Virus (STD/HIV) Prevention Training Centers (PTCs) program. The 
objective of these awards is to support innovative professional 
training programs in integrated STD and HIV client management within a 
national network of STD/HIV PTCs to achieve a comprehensive prevention 
strategy, including clinical, health behavioral, and partner counseling 
interventions.
    The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the 
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 
2000,'' a PHS-led national activity to reduce morbidity and mortality 
and improve the quality of life. This announcement is related to the 
priority areas of STDs and HIV infection. (For ordering a copy of 
``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section ``Where to Obtain Additional 
Information.'')

Authority

    This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act 
section 318 (42 U.S.C. 247c), section 301 (42 U.S.C. 241), section 311 
(42 U.S.C. 243), and section 317 (42 U.S.C. 247b), as amended. 
Regulations governing Grants for STD Research Demonstrations and Public 
and Professional Education are codified in Part 51b, Subparts A and F 
of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations.

Smoke-Free Workplace

    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients 
to provide a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-use of all 
tobacco products, and Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, 
prohibits smoking in certain facilities that receive Federal funds in 
which education, library, day care, health care, and early childhood 
development services are provided to children.

Elibigle Applicants

    Eligible applicants are the official public health agencies of 
State and local governments or their bona fide agents. This includes 
the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the 
Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the 
Republic of Palau, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments. 
Applicants from local public health agencies must document the 
concurrence of the State or territorial health agency.

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $5.6 million is available in FY 1995 to fund 
approximately ten awards for a 12-month budget period within a 5-year 
project period. All applicants must compete for Part I (Clinical 
Services Training). Part II (Health Behavior Training) and Part III 
(Partner Counseling Training) are elective. Up to $4 million will be 
available to fund 10 awards in Part I. It is expected that the average 
award for Part I will be $375,000, ranging from $300,000 to $450,000. 
For Part II, up to $1 million will be available to fund up to 4 awards 
with an anticipated average award of $250,000. For Part III, up to 
$600,000 will be available to fund up to 4 awards with an anticipated 
average award of $150,000. Funding estimates may vary and are subject 
to change.
    Part I establishes the funding for this cooperative agreement; 
Parts II and III build upon Part I. Only applicants funded under Part I 
can receive awards under Part II or Part III. Separate funding will be 
established for awards made under Part I, Part II and Part III for each 
recipient. Awards are expected to be made on or about April 1, 1995.
    Continuation awards within the project period will depend on 
satisfactory progress and the availability of funds. Progress will be 
determined by site visits by CDC representatives, progress reports, and 
the quality of future program plans.

Use of Funds

    Cooperative agreement funds may be used to support personnel, 
equipment, and supplies necessary for professional training, including 
distance learning activities. Funds may not be used to lease space; 
maintain central registries; provide diagnostic and treatment 
facilities and services; develop literature for the general public; 
provide disease intervention services or HIV counseling and testing: or 
to pay other expenses [[Page 5684]] normally supported by the 
applicant. Unless specifically approved, funds may not be used for 
substantial renovation of facilities. Federal funds may not be used to 
replace training support.
    In-kind contributions, such as space and reduced service fees, may 
be considered in the total program costs.
    Program income in the form of participant registration fees may be 
collected to offset the costs of conducting training as specified in 
this announcement. Program income may support the costs of designing 
and delivering additional courses directly related to the objectives of 
PTCs and as determined by the assessment of training needs. 
Registration fees should be reasonable, i.e., they should not prohibit 
the participation of the training audience.
    Any materials developed in whole or in part with PHS funds shall be 
subject to a nonexclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license to the 
government to reproduce, translate, publish, or otherwise use and 
authorize others to use for government purposes.

Purpose

    The purpose of this training cooperative agreement is to: (1) 
Explore and provide innovative educational methods for health 
professionals in public, private, and community sectors, (2) augment 
the capacity to reach minority populations in need of services and 
improve health benefits for women, infants, and adolescents, (3) 
facilitate integrated prevention efforts by building upon the 
interrelationships between HIV and other STDs at biologic, behavioral, 
and epidemiologic levels, (4) support a comprehensive disease 
prevention strategy through clinic-based and community-based 
activities, (5) anticipate the emerging health care reform demands to 
maintain a knowledgeable, skilled, sensitive, responsive, and 
productive national work force, and (6) prepare, through experiential 
activities, persons who are studying to be health practitioners.
    Training will be accomplished by: (1) Establishing regional 
training centers coordinated with CDC to participate in a national 
network of quality training instruction in the procedures and 
guidelines for integrated STD and HIV client management such as: (a) 
the principles and techniques of diagnosis and treatment, (b) 
behavioral intervention strategies to prevent or reduce behaviors that 
place persons at risk, and (c) partner counseling including referral 
and notification; (2) offering clinic-based and community-based 
training experiences with clients in a public health setting; (3) 
developing capacity in communities by enlisting graduate school faculty 
and experts from the community to work in interdisciplinary 
partnerships with health departments in the planning, production, 
delivery, and evaluation of training; (4) using advances in 
communications technology in innovative distance learning 
methodologies; and (5) designing analytic methods for educationally 
relevant and cost-effective training.

Program Requirements

    The recipient will be responsible for conducting activities under 
A., and the CDC will be responsible for conducting activities under B., 
below:

A. Recipient Activities

    1. Administration: (a) Select a person with management and 
educational experience and credentials and give that person primary 
responsibility and authority to manage and coordinate all training 
activities; (b) organize a PTC steering committee to facilitate clinic-
based, community-based, and regional training; and (c) ensure that PTC 
staff are qualified and work collaboratively without duplication of 
administrative expense.
    2. STD/HIV program-related issues: Maintain liaison with regional, 
State, local, and community-based STD and HIV prevention programs and 
initiatives (e.g., Prevention of Infertility, HIV Prevention Community 
Planning) and other health professional training programs in the PHS 
region to determine training needs, to assess educational resources, 
and to design, deliver, and evaluate training.
    3. Professional Training: (a) Contract with the experts in the 
community and graduate schools for faculty, subject experts, behavioral 
scientists with field experience, and education and evaluation 
consultants for assistance in designing or writing training needs 
assessments, educational objectives, curriculum content, instructional 
design, state-of-the-art delivery methods, and course evaluation. 
Graduate schools include a local school of medicine and other schools 
(in the PHS region) offering academic disciplines such as nursing, 
social work, psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, and public 
health. (b) Establish innovative arrangements with universities such as 
graduate assistantships for student academic involvement in PTC 
activities.
    4. Model Clinic and Community-based Services: Provide a setting 
with (a) a public health STD clinic which follows CDC guidelines for 
integrated STD and HIV client medical management, clinic operation, 
client-centered counseling, and partner counseling, including 
elicitation, referral, and notification; (b) community-based 
interventions based on behavior change theory, and (c) clinic-based and 
community-based training with clients.
    5. Distance Learning: Explore, develop, and deliver distance 
learning products and accompanying documentation. The products should 
be regional or national in scope and usable by other PTCs and training 
agencies. Distance learning includes off-site conferences, satellite 
broadcasts, remote video instruction, self-study modules, computer-
based training, interactive computer disks, train-the-trainer, and 
Internet transmission.
    6. Accreditation: (a) Acquire and award continuing medical 
education (CME) credit and continuing education units (CEU) that meet 
the needs of most course participants, (b) maintain a regional course 
registration database, including required CME and CEU documentation, 
and (c) coordinate participant data collection with CDC.
    7. Evaluation: (a) Determine and measure successful process 
indicators, immediate training benefits (impact), and long-range 
benefits in STD/HIV prevention (especially for women, infants, 
adolescents, and minority populations); and (b) Analyze training costs 
including the cost- effectiveness of distance learning.
    8. National Prevention Training Network Participation: Individually 
and through meetings, participate with all STD/HIV Prevention Training 
Centers and CDC in sharing materials and evaluating training.
    9. Collaboration: In collaboration with CDC: (a) meet with 
technical experts on subject matter and educational theory in the 
development of courses (including needs assessment, curriculum design, 
and evaluation), and (b) Public Health Training Network (PHTN) and 
distance learning coordinators (DLC) in the marketing of distance 
learning courses using CDC Wonder.
    10. Technical assistance: Collaborate with CDC in course 
preparation and delivery by PTC professionals to train staff in health 
departments or nongovernmental organizations in support of national 
STD/HIV prevention activities.

B. CDC Activities

    1. Technical Assistance: (a) Provide STD/HIV subject matter, 
educational, and technical experts to assist and advise in the 
development of the curriculum; advise on course objectives, 
instructional design, and delivery; and [[Page 5685]] ensure that 
evaluation is consistent with desired training outcomes, and (b) be 
available to the recipient upon request to co-teach selected courses on 
clinical, behavioral, and partner counseling.
    2. Distance Learning Assistance: Assist in: (a) providing 
information on the PHTN, DLCs, and resources; (b) scheduling regional 
and national training through CDC Wonder; and (c) establishing an 
electronic communication network among the PTCs, the Division of STD/
HIV Prevention grantees, CDC, and graduate school partners.
    3. Program Reviews: Conduct site visits: (a) for new recipients, to 
review clinical and community-based capabilities; (b) to advise on 
instructional design; (c) to provide technical assistance in defining 
and resolving problems; and (d) to monitor program implementation, 
project management, and analysis.
    4. Ensure Training Network Integrity: Provide guidelines, 
curriculum, training aids, and software developed by CDC, the PTCs, or 
other agencies that provide direction for professional intervention 
approaches that preserve client dignity and confidentiality.
    5. National Prevention Training Network: Through yearly (or more 
frequent) PTC conferences and training meetings, augment the network 
capacity of PTC network partners by sharing new curricula and distance 
learning strategies.
    6. Communication: Through publications, correspondence, narrative 
reports, and electronic communication, keep CDC and PTC staff informed 
of national issues that affect training and program management.
    7. Evaluation: Coordinate and support a national course 
registration database, provide adequate staff database training, and 
analyze and publish cumulative data on the training effectiveness of 
the national network of PTCs.

Evaluation Criteria

    Applications requesting funds to support administrative functions 
only will be considered nonresponsive. Only information in the 
application will be considered. Applications will be evaluated 
separately for each part according to the following criteria (maximum 
100 points).

1. Quality of Plan

    a. Administration: The quality of the plan for committing to 
regional or national training, providing leadership and direction, 
describing duties of personnel, continuing or expeditiously beginning 
training according to a schedule, committing a person to act as medical 
school liaison for prescribed duties, obtaining high quality behavioral 
science expertise, recruiting faculty who are skilled and experienced 
in interactive instruction, and making cost-efficient and quality 
arrangements for faculty from graduate schools. (10 points)
    b. Training Needs Assessment: The quality of the description of 
contacts with STD and HIV prevention programs and initiatives in the 
training area, the training partners, and the specific health 
professional audiences identified for training. (10 points)
    c. Objectives: The extent to which training objectives are 
specific, measurable, time-phased, and realistic. (10 points)
    d. Clinical and Community-based Capability: The ability to support 
training opportunities with clients reflecting regional disease trends 
yet providing diverse clinical experiences (e.g., census, disease, sex, 
age, and race or ethnicity) as evidenced by descriptions of the local 
STD/HIV morbidity, laboratory tests, clinic hours, patient flow, 
staffing, significant records, profiles of clients, and prevention 
programs. (10 points)
    e. Training Capability: The quality of the applicant's ability to 
perform training as evidenced by descriptions of training locations, 
equipment, storage and security, computer capabilities, distance 
learning capabilities, the plan to involve graduate students, the plan 
for updating staff, the plan for printing training materials, and the 
design of library. (10 points)
    f. Training Courses: The quality of the plan to deliver training as 
evidenced by a schedule of proposed training courses (including 200 
hours of clinical, Part 1; 100 hours of behavioral intervention, Part 
II; 500 hours of partner counseling, Part III), assurance of training 
experience with clients, distance learning plans, outlines and 
objectives for courses, assurance of distribution of training products, 
and an intent to collaborate with CDC. (10 points)

2. Innovation

    The degree to which the applicant proposes innovative, feasible 
approaches such as: (a) using existing resources to avoid duplication 
and minimize costs, (b) determining the needs of potential participants 
that complement HIV/STD prevention programs, (c) designing distance-
learning strategies appropriate to needs and audiences, (d) maximizing 
the impact of training experiences, (e) using a variety of effective 
training techniques, (f) making arrangements for graduate students to 
be academically involved in PTC activities, and (g) working with new 
partners. (20 points)

3. Strength of Training Evaluation

    The quality of the applicant's plans to (a) acquire and commit the 
expertise to perform quality evaluation (e.g., contracts with a local 
graduate school), (b) maintain records electronically, (c) coordinate 
data collection and system maintenance consistent with a national PTC 
course registration database, (d) determine whether course offerings 
match needs assessment, (e) assess student gains in knowledge and 
skills, (f) assess the application of skills and abilities after 
participants return to their workplaces, (g) determine training 
benefits for STD/HIV prevention, and (h) develop training cost-benefit 
models. (20 points)

4. Budget

    Consideration also will be given to the reasonableness of the 
budget request, the amount of program income toward total project 
costs, amount and nature of in-kind contributions, the proposed use of 
project funds, and the need for financial support. The level of support 
will depend on the availability of funds. (not scored)

Funding Priorities

    Consideration will be given in Part I to applicants who have 
established training and clinical capabilities and to funding one PTC 
in each of the 10 Public Health Service (PHS) Regions; in Part II to 
applicants with demonstrated experience in community-based 
interventions and experience in working with behavioral scientists; and 
in Part III to applicants with experience in current partner counseling 
techniques and with a wide geographic distribution of the applicants.
    Interested person are invited to comment on the proposed funding 
priority. All comments received on or before February 24, 1995, will be 
considered before the funding priority is established. If the funding 
priority should change as a result of any comments received, a revised 
Announcement will be published in the Federal Register prior to the 
final selection of awards.
    Written comments should be addressed to: Elizabeth M. Taylor, 
Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and 
Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 
East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Mailstop E-16, Atlanta, Georgia 
30305.
[[Page 5686]]

Executive Order 12372 Review

    Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. E.O. 12372 sets 
up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal 
assistance applications. Applicants (other than federally recognized 
Indian tribal governments) should contact their State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the prospective 
applications and receive any necessary instructions on the State 
process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the 
applicant is advised to contact the SPOC for each affected State. A 
current list of SPOCs is included in the application kit. If SPOCs have 
any State process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, 
they should send them to Elizabeth M. Taylor, Grants Management 
Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry 
Road, NE., Room 300, Mailstop E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305, not later than 
60 days after due date for receipt of applications. The Program 
Announcement Number and Program Title should be referenced on the 
document. CDC does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State 
process recommendations it receives after that date. Indian tribes are 
strongly encouraged to request tribal government review of the proposed 
application. If tribal governments have any tribal process 
recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, they should forward 
them to Elizabeth M. Taylor, Grants Management Officer, Grants 
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, 
Mailstop E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305. This should be done no later than 60 
days after the application deadline date. The granting agency does not 
guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for tribal process 
recommendations it receives after that date.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number is 93.978, 
Sexually Transmitted Disease Research, Demonstrations, and Public 
Information and Education Grants, and 93.941, HIV Demonstration, 
Research, Public and Professional Education Projects.

Other Requirements

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Projects that involve the collection of information from 10 or more 
individuals and funded by the cooperative agreement will be subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.

Confidentiality

    Applicants must have in place systems to ensure the confidentiality 
of patient records.

HIV/AIDS Requirements

    Recipients must comply with the document entitled, Content of AIDS-
Related Written Materials, Pictorials, Audiovisuals, Questionnaires, 
Survey Instruments, and Educational Sessions (June 1992)(a copy is in 
the application kit). To meet the requirements for a program review 
panel, recipients are encouraged to use an existing program review 
panel, such as the one created by the State health department's HIV/
AIDS Prevention Program. If the recipient forms its own program review 
panel, at least one member must also be an employee (or a designated 
representative) of a State or local health department. The names of the 
review panel members must be listed on the Assurance of Compliance form 
CDC 0.1113, which is also included in the application kit. The 
recipient must submit the program review panel's report that indicates 
all materials have been reviewed and approved.
    Before funds can be used to develop HIV/AIDS-related materials, 
determine whether suitable materials are already available at the CDC 
National AIDS Clearinghouse.

Application Submission and Deadline

    The application for Part I (excluding legally required assurance 
pages and forms, and budget justification) including the programmatic 
narrative content, illustrations, and examples should not exceed 40 
(8\1/2\''  x  11'') pages, single spaced, single sided and with 1-inch 
margins, 12 cpi font, and numbered on each page. Applications for Parts 
II and III should not exceed 20 pages each. The programmatic narrative 
content should also be submitted in electronic format on a 3.5'' double 
sided, high-density diskette, in WordPerfect 5.1 or ASCII. On or before 
February 24, 1995, submit the original and two copies of the 
application (Form PHS 5161-1--OMB Number 0937-0189) and one electronic 
copy on disk to Elizabeth M. Taylor, Grants Management Officer, Grants 
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, 
Mailstop E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305.
    1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the 
deadline if they are:
    A. Received on or before the deadline or
    B. Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
submission to the independent review committee. (Applicants must 
request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a 
legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. 
Private metered postmarks will not be acceptable proof of timely 
mailing.)
    2. Late Applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria in 
1.A. or 1.B. are considered late applications and will not be 
considered in the current competition and will be returned to the 
applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

    A complete program description, information on application 
procedures, an application package, and business management technical 
assistance may be obtained from Manuel Lambrinos, Grants Management 
Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry 
Road, NE., Room 300, Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6777, FAX 
(404) 842-6513. Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from 
Robert B. Emerson, Clinical Services Training Coordinator, Training and 
Education Branch, Division of STD/HIV Prevention, National Center for 
Prevention Services (NCPS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), 1600 Clifton Road, NE., MS E-02, Atlanta, GA 30333, telephone 
(404) 639-8357, FAX (404) 639-8609, (Bitnet or Internet 
[email protected]).
    Please refer to Announcement 514 ``STD/HIV Prevention Training 
Centers'' when requesting information or submitting an application.
    Potential applicants may obtain a copy of ``Healthy People 2000'' 
(Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or ``Healthy People 2000'' 
(Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) referenced in the 
``Introduction'' through the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing [[Page 5687]] Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone 
(202) 783-3238.

    Dated: January 24, 1995.
Joseph R. Carter,
Acting Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 95-2171 Filed 1-27-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P