[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40292-40294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20097]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement Number 98102]


Asthma Surveillance With an Emphasis on Children; Notice of 
Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1998

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the 
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH) announce the availability of fiscal year 
(FY) 1998 funds for cooperative agreements for asthma surveillance 
activities.
    The purpose of this project is to build a model framework for 
asthma surveillance with a particular focus on asthma in children. The 
specific objectives are:
    1. To further develop, refine, and document asthma surveillance 
activities focused on (but not exclusive to) children;
    2. To document and evaluate surveillance activities as to the 
source of data, effort needed to access the data, accuracy, cost, use 
of the data, and value of the data to contribute to development of a 
model asthma surveillance plan; and
    3. To prepare reports, visuals, and examples of use of previously 
collected data to be used within the State and as models for other 
health agencies.
    This announcement is related to the priority area of Environmental 
Health.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are State health agencies or major local health 
agencies with a population base greater than 1,000,000 persons with 
asthma surveillance and multiple data sources analyzed that address the 
population of the entire State or jurisdiction. This eligibility 
includes health agencies or other official organizational authority 
(agency or instrumentality) of the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the 
United States.
    Eligible applicants may enter into contracts and consortia 
agreements and understandings as necessary to meet the requirements of 
the program and strengthen the overall application. The intent to use 
the above mechanisms must be stated in the application and the nature 
and scope of work of these mechanisms requires the approval of CDC and 
NHLBI.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $400,000 will be available in FY 1998 to support this 
program with an average award of $65,000. It is expected that up to 6 
awards will begin on or about September 30, 1998, and will be made for 
a 12-month budget and project period. Funding estimates may change.

D. Cooperative Activities

    In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program, 
the recipient will be responsible for the activities under 1. Recipient 
Activities, and CDC and NHLBI will be responsible for the activities 
under 2. CDC and NHLBI Activities.
    1. Recipient Activities:
    a. Using existing data from previously analyzed data sources, 
prepare presentations of the asthma-related data (e.g. as reports, 
visuals, press releases) focusing primarily on children with asthma for 
use within the State and as examples for all States;
    b. Demonstrate the usefulness of data collected for the purpose of 
planning and evaluating intervention program activities and for 
educating persons affected by asthma, the media, and the general 
public;
    c. Document the source, effort, cost, use, sensitivity and other 
measures of data accuracy, representativeness, timeliness of the data; 
and the contribution of the data source to the State's total asthma 
surveillance effort;
    d. Document lessons learned in the conduct of asthma surveillance 
activities; and
    e. Participate through workshops, conference calls, and 
correspondence with other grantees in the development of (1) a model 
asthma surveillance strategy for States and (2) an asthma prevalence 
questionnaire.
    2. CDC and NHLBI Activities:
    a. Collaborate with the recipient in all stages of the project and 
coordinate joint activities among all grantees;
    b. Provide programmatic technical assistance as appropriate;
    c. Convene meetings of all grantees and facilitate documentation of 
an asthma surveillance model and an asthma prevalence questionnaire; 
and
    d. Work with participants to prepare reports summarizing the 
project.

E. Application Content

    Use the information in the Cooperative Activities, Other 
Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the 
application content. Applications will be evaluated on the criteria 
listed, so it is important to follow them in laying out the program 
plan. The narrative should be no more than 20 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced 12 point or 
12 pitch font.
    All graphics, maps overlays, etc., should be in black and white and 
meet the above criteria. Include each of the following sections:
1. Description of Problem
    Describe what is known of the asthma problem in the State or 
jurisdiction, focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on children; the 
challenges experienced to date, specific to asthma surveillance in your 
State, experiences with similar problems related to surveillance of 
other diseases/conditions, and a brief description of success in 
addressing them.
2. Program Purpose
    For each of the elements cited in the program purpose, provide 
specific objectives that are realistic, time-phased, measurable.
3. Program Plan
    Submit a plan that describes how the project objectives will be 
achieved. The plan must address the following topics:
    a. Briefly describe what state-wide data are currently available; 
what have already been analyzed, and how those

[[Page 40293]]

data have been presented and used to date (note: Examples might be 
included as appendices.);
    b. Describe plans for new presentation of the data;
    c. Describe your ability to evaluate a surveillance system as 
presented in ``Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems'', 
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) supplement S-5, Vol. 37, 
May 6, 1998; and
    d. Document assurance of ability to travel to Atlanta and to 
participate in surveillance model building activities.
4. Management and Staffing Plan
    Identify the principal investigator, e.g., an epidemiologist, who 
will oversee project activities and participate in model-building 
activities and a health educator/program specialist for data use 
activities.
5. Evaluation
    Describe how progress made toward meeting objectives will be 
evaluated and documented.
6. Budget
    Grant funds should be used to supplement asthma surveillance 
resources in the State and can include items such as personnel, 
equipment, printing, etc.

F. Application Submission and Deadline

1. Applications
    The original and 2 copies of the application PHS Form 5161-1 
(revised 5/96) must be submitted to David Elswick, 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, Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305, on or before 
August 31, 1998.
    2. Deadlines: Applications shall be considered as meeting the 
deadline above if they are either: (1) Received on or before the 
deadline date; or (2) sent on or before the deadline date and received 
in time for submission to the independent review group. (Applicants 
should request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a 
legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal 
Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of 
timely mailing.)

G. Evaluation Criteria

    The application will be reviewed and evaluated according to the 
following criteria:
    1. Quantity and quality of existing asthma surveillance efforts 
(maximum 40 points).
    The extent to which existing asthma surveillance data and data 
sources covering the entire State or jurisdiction have been documented; 
the quantity and quality of data sources; the understanding of the 
data, and experience in the use of the data.
    2. Measurable Objectives and Plan (maximum 20 points).
    The consistency of the measurable objectives, which should include 
a particular focus on asthma in children, with the stated purpose of 
the cooperative agreement; the anticipated ability to meet the 
objectives according to the specified time table, and the adequacy of 
the applicants plan to carry out the proposed activities.
    3. Management and Staffing Plan (maximum 20 points).
    The extent to which the proposal has described the qualifications 
and commitment of the applicant, and the qualifications and level of 
effort of the key project staff.
    4. Understanding the Problem (maximum 10 points).
    Evidence of the applicant's understanding of the problem (asthma 
and asthma surveillance) and the purpose of the cooperative agreement.
    5. Proposed Evaluation Plan (maximum 10 points).
    The adequacy of the applicant's plan to monitor progress toward 
meeting the objectives of the project.
    6. Budget (not scored).
    The extent to which the budget is reasonable, adequately justified, 
and consistent with the intended use of the cooperative agreement 
funds.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with the original and two copies of:
    1. Semi-annual progress reports including the following for each 
goal or activity involved in the study: (a) A comparison of actual 
accomplishments to the objectives established for the period; (b) the 
reasons for slippage if objectives were not met; (c) other pertinent 
information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of 
unexpectedly high costs for performance; and
    2. Final financial status report and a final progress report are 
due no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.
    Send all reports to: David Elswick, Grants Management Specialist, 
Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Room 300, Mailstop E-13, 255 East 
Paces Ferry Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30305.
    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each, see Addendum 1 in the 
application kit.

AR98-9  Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR98-8  Public Health System Reporting Requirements
AR98-10  Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR98-11  Healthy People 2000
AR98-12  Lobbying Restrictions
AR98-7  Executive Order 12372

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, 
sections 301 and 317 (42 U.S.C. 241 and 246). The Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance number assigned to this project is 93.283.

J. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    To receive additional written information call 1-888-GRANTS4. You 
will be asked to leave your name, address, and phone number and will 
need to refer to Announcement 98102. You will receive a complete 
program description, information on application procedures, and 
application forms. CDC will not send application kits by facsimile or 
express mail. Please refer to announcement number 98102 when requesting 
information and submitting an application.
    If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained by 
contacting: David Elswick, Grants Management Specialist, Grants 
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 98102, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Room 300, 255 East 
Paces Ferry Road, NE., MS E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305-2209, telephone 
(404)842-6803.
    See also the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov
    A copy of the ``Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems'' 
may be obtained from the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/
preview/mmwrhtml/00001769.htm. Programmatic technical assistance can 
be obtained from Leslie Boss, Air Pollution and Respiratory Health 
Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National 
Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Mailstop F-39, 4770 Buford Highway, NE., Atlanta, Georgia, 
30341-3724, telephone (770) 488-7329.


[[Page 40294]]


    Dated: July 22, 1998.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-20097 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P