[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15293-15294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7210]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


National Organ Transplant Act; Grants to Increase Organ Donation

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of the availability of grant funds.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces that fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds are available for grants for 
assistance to organ procurement organizations and other private 
nonprofit entities to develop and implement a plan to increase the 
number of organ donors from non-donor hospitals that have 
characteristics similar to donor hospitals. The grants are authorized 
by Sections 371 and 374 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as 
amended. Funds are appropriated under Pub. L. 103-333.

DATES: To receive consideration, grant applications must be received by 
the close of business May 22, 1995.
    Applications will be considered as meeting the deadline if they are 
either: (1) Received on or before the deadline date; or (2) postmarked 
on or before the deadline date and received in time for submission to 
the review committee. A legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier 
or U.S. Postal Service will be accepted in lieu of a postmark. Private 
metered postmarks will not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. 
Hand delivered applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. May 22, 1995. 
Applications received after the deadline will be returned to the 
applicant.

ADDRESSES: Grant applications and additional information regarding 
business, administrative or fiscal issues related to the awarding of 
grants under this Notice may be requested from Ms. Glenna Wilcom, 
Grants Management Officer (BHRD), Parklawn Building, Room 7-15, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, telephone (301) 443-2280. 
Applicants for grants will use Form PHS 5161-1 (revised
7/92), approved under OMB Control Number 0937-0189. Completed 
applications must be mailed to the office of the Grants Management 
Officer (BHRD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information relating to 
technical or program issues may be obtained from Mr. Remy Aronoff, 
Chief, Operations and Analysis Branch, Division of Organ 
Transplantation, Parklawn Building, Room 7-18, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 443-7577.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Objective

    Section 371 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act authorizes a 
program of grants and special projects for the purpose of increasing 
the number of organ donors.
    The principal purpose of this grant program is to increase the 
availability of donor organs in this country. In past years, the 
program has attempted to further this objective primarily through 
support of public and professional education projects. This year, the 
grant program will focus on increasing the number of organ donors from 
non-donor hospitals that have characteristics similar to donor 
hospitals. Research conducted by Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and 
Public Health, under contract to HRSA's Division of Organ 
Transplantation, indicates that approximately 850 hospitals with organ 
donor capability did not have a solid organ donor from their hospital 
in any of the years 1991, 1992, or 1993. A hospital was considered to 
have donor capability if it had a staff neurologist, an 
anesthesiologist, an operating room, and an intensive care unit. These 
services were considered essential for the identification and 
determination of brain death, and the maintenance and procurement of 
organs. An additional criterion was bed capacity of 50 beds or more.
    In 1992, 29,499 patients were on the transplant waiting list. That 
same year, [[Page 15294]] a total of 14,068 organs were recovered for 
transplant from 4,277 cadaveric donors. Also during that year 2,564 
patients died while waiting for an organ. In the last 2 years the 
cadaveric donor rate has increased slightly from approximately 4,500 to 
4,800 donors per year. Currently there are over 37,000 people 
registered on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network's 
transplant waiting list.
    In an effort to improve the procurement process and the organ donor 
rate at the 850 hospitals mentioned above, two (2) grants will be 
awarded for projects which focus on increasing donation at these 
hospitals; in particular, hospitals with 150 beds or more. The grantee 
will be required to develop and implement a methodology with the 
objective of producing at least one solid organ donor at no fewer than 
50 percent of the identified hospitals located in the designated organ 
procurement organization (OPO) service area.

Availability of Funds

    Pending the availability of funds, up to $100,000 is available for 
the grant program in fiscal year (FY) 1995. Two (2) grants for $50,000 
each will be awarded. Applicants are requested to propose a two-year 
plan specifying the work to be done each year. Funding for the second 
year (an additional $50,000) will be contingent on the availability of 
funds and progress toward objectives. Based on the applications 
received, the program may decide to award just one grant in this fiscal 
year for an amount not to exceed $100,000. See the Application 
Evaluation Criteria section for additional information on funding.

Eligible Applicants

    The grant program is open to organ procurement organizations (OPOs) 
and other private nonprofit entities involved with organ donation and 
transplantation.
    Joint applications of two or more eligible entities may be 
submitted, e.g., an OPO and a non-OPO, or two OPOs. In such instances, 
one entity must be designated as the grantee institution on the 
application. If a non-OPO wishes to apply for a grant under this grant 
program, it must have a written cooperative agreement with the 
designated OPO for the non-donor hospitals identified in the project. 
Preference will be given to those proposals involving a large number of 
hospitals that have the greatest potential of generating at least one 
solid organ donor.

Additional Information

    A listing of non-donor hospitals having characteristics similar to 
donor hospitals within individual OPO service areas is available upon 
request. Copies of the study by Anne Klassen of the Johns Hopkins 
School of Hygiene and Public Health are also available. Requests should 
be directed to Mr. Remy Aronoff or Ms. Philomena Green at (301) 443-
7577.

Application Evaluation Criteria

    Grant applications will be evaluated by a review committee 
according to the following criteria:
     Consistency with the program objective and the extent to 
which the program objective will be met through the proposed project;
     Appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed method(s);
     Appropriateness of the work plan and schedule for 
organizing and completing the project;
     Capability of the organization to complete the project as 
proposed;
     Adequacy of supporting documentation justifying the 
proposal;
     Reasonableness of the budget; and
     Qualifications of the project director and staff.
    Final funding decisions for these grants are the responsibility of 
the Director, BHRD. Preference will be given to those proposals 
involving a large number of non-donor hospitals that have the greatest 
potential of generating at least one solid organ donor. This means 
approved applications involving a large number or percentage of the 
non-donor hospitals in an individual OPO service area may be considered 
for funding ahead of approved applications involving a smaller number 
or percentage of non-donor hospitals in an individual OPO service area.

Allowable Costs

    The basis for determining the allowability and allocability of 
costs charged to PHS grants is set forth in 45 CFR part 74, subpart Q. 
The three separate sets of cost principles prescribed for recipients of 
grants for OPOs and other private nonprofit entities are: OMB Circular 
A-21 for institutions of higher education; 45 CFR part 74, Appendix E 
for hospitals; and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit organizations.

Other Award Information

    Grants awarded under this Notice are subject to the provisions of 
Executive Order 12372, as implemented by 45 CFR part 100, which allows 
States the option of setting up a system for reviewing applications 
within their State for assistance under certain Federal programs. The 
application packages made available by HRSA will contain a listing of 
States that have chosen to set up such a review system and will provide 
a point of contact in the State for the review. Applicants (other than 
federally recognized Indian tribes) should contact their State Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) and follow the SPOC's instructions prior to the 
submission of an application. For proposed projects serving more than 
one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each 
affected State. The SPOC has 60 days after the application deadline 
date to submit its review comments. The granting agency does not 
guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for State process 
recommendations it receives after that date.
    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients 
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all 
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect 
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
    The Public Health Service urges applicants to submit work plans 
that address specific objectives of Healthy People 2000. 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) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-783-3238).
    The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this 
program is 93.134.

    Dated: March 20, 1995.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-7210 Filed 3-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P