[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46793-46796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23624]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement 99014]


Grants for Injury Control Research Centers; Notice of 
Availability Of Funds for Fiscal Year 1999

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces that 
grant applications are being accepted for Injury Control Research 
Centers (ICRCs) for fiscal year (FY) 1999.
    This program announcement addresses the priority areas of Violent 
and Abusive Behavior and Unintentional Injuries.
    The purposes of this program are:
    1. To support injury prevention and control research on priority 
issues as delineated in: Healthy People 2000; Injury Control in the 
1990's: A National Plan for Action; Injury in America; Injury 
Prevention: Meeting the Challenge; and Cost of Injury: A Report to the 
Congress;
    2. To support ICRCs which represent CDC's largest national 
extramural investment in injury control research and training, 
intervention development, and evaluation;
    3. To integrate collectively, in the context of a national program, 
the disciplines of engineering, epidemiology, medicine, biostatistics, 
public health, law and criminal justice, and behavioral and social 
sciences in order to prevent and control injuries more effectively;
    4. To identify and evaluate current and new interventions for the 
prevention and control of injuries;
    5. To bring the knowledge and expertise of ICRCs to bear on the 
development and improvement of effective public and private sector 
programs for injury prevention and control; and
    6. To facilitate injury control efforts supported by various 
governmental agencies within a geographic region.

B. Eligible Applicants

    This announcement will provide funding for applicants in regions 
which do not have funded ICRCs and for applicants in regions which have 
funded centers which must re-compete for funding.
    Eligible applicants are limited to organizations in Region 2 (New 
Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands), Region 3 (Delaware, 
District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West 
Virginia), Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee), Region 5 (Illinois, 
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin), Region 6 
(Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas), Region 9 
(Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada) and Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, 
Oregon, and Washington).
    Eligible applicants include all nonprofit and for-profit 
organizations in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10. Thus, universities, 
colleges, research institutions, hospitals, other public and private 
organizations, State and local health departments, and small, minority 
and/or women-owned businesses are eligible for these grants. Non-
academic applicant institutions should provide evidence of a 
collaborative relationship with an academic institution.

    Note: ICRC grant awards are made to the applicant institution/
organization, not the Principal Investigator.
    Note: Effective January 1, 1996, Public Law 104-65 states that 
an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 which engages in lobbying activities shall not 
be eligible to receive Federal funds constituting an award, grant 
(cooperative agreement), contract, loan, or any other form.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $3,750,000 is expected to be available FY 1999 to 
fund a combination of new and re-competing research center projects, 
depending on the outcome of the review process.
    It is expected that the awards will begin on or around September 1, 
1999, and will be made for a 12 month budget period within a project 
period of up to three years for new research centers and five years for 
re-competing research centers.
    Funding estimates may vary and are subject to change. Continuation 
awards within the project period will be made

[[Page 46794]]

on the basis of satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.
    New research center awards will not exceed $500,000 per year (total 
of direct and indirect costs) with a project period not to exceed three 
years. Depending on availability of funds, re-competing research center 
awards may range from $750,000 to $1,500,000 per year (total of direct 
and indirect costs) with a project period not to exceed five years. The 
range of support provided is dependent upon the degree of 
comprehensiveness of the center in addressing the phases of injury 
control (i.e., Prevention, Acute Care, and Rehabilitation) as 
determined by the Injury Research Grants Review Committee (IRGRC).
    Incremental levels within this range for successfully re-competing 
research centers will be determined as follows:

Core funding (included in figures below)--Up to $750,000
One phase funded ICRC--Up to $1,000,000

(addresses one of the three phases of injury control)
Two phase funded ICRC--Up to $1,250,000
(addresses two of the three phases of injury control)
Comprehensive ICRC--Up to $1,500,000
(addresses all three phases of injury control)
    The existing funded centers in Regions 1, 3, 7, and 8 may submit 
proposals for supplemental awards to expand/enhance existing projects, 
to add a new phase(s) to an existing ICRC grant, or to add biomechanics 
project(s) that support one or more phases. The request should not 
exceed $250,000 per phase (total of direct and indirect costs) per 
year. Funding is subject to program need and the availability of funds.

    Note: The ``Core'' projects, consistent with an ICRC's 
demonstrated strengths, can relate to any of the phases of injury 
control, i.e., prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation, as well 
as biomechanics, and/or epidemiology. These projects (generally 3-5 
major projects of 1-5 year's duration) are expected to progress to 
the level of development to allow for submission for additional and/
or alternative funding.

    Funding preference will be given to re-competing Injury Control 
Research Centers. These centers, established and on-going, serve as a 
resource for Injury Control related issues for their States and 
regions.

    Note: The ICRC model as described in the preceding paragraphs 
remains valid. It is not anticipated that funding will be available 
to provide any phase funding for re-competing research centers in 
FY99. Re-competing research center awards will be for core funding 
only. If additional funds become available, an announcement will be 
made soliciting supplemental phase funding proposals or special 
emphasis projects from existing ICRC's.

D. Program Requirements

    The following are applicant requirements:
    1. Applicants must demonstrate and apply expertise in at least one 
of the three phases of injury control (prevention, acute care, or 
rehabilitation) as a core component of the center. Applicants may 
choose not to support additional phases with core funding. 
Comprehensive ICRCs must have all three phases supported by core 
funding.
    2. Applicants must document ongoing injury-related research 
projects or control activities currently supported by other sources of 
funding.
    3. Applicants must provide a director (Principal Investigator) who 
has specific authority and responsibility to carry out the project. The 
director must report to an appropriate institutional official, e.g., 
dean of a school, vice president of a university, or commissioner of 
health. The director must have no less than 30 percent effort devoted 
solely to this project with an anticipated range of 30 to 50 percent.
    4. Applicants must demonstrate experience in successfully 
conducting, evaluating, and publishing injury research and/or 
designing, implementing, and evaluating injury control programs.
    5. Applicants must provide evidence of working relationships with 
outside agencies and other entities which will allow for implementation 
of any proposed intervention activities.
    6. Applicants must provide evidence of involvement of specialists 
or experts in medicine, engineering, epidemiology, law and criminal 
justice, behavioral and social sciences, biostatistics, and/or public 
health as needed to complete the plans of the center. These are 
considered the disciplines and fields for ICRCs. An ICRC is encouraged 
to involve biomechanicists in its research. This, again, may be 
achieved through collaborative relationships as it is no longer a 
requirement that all ICRCs have biomechanical engineering expertise.
    7. Applicants must have established curricula and graduate training 
programs in disciplines relevant to injury control (e.g., epidemiology, 
biomechanics, safety engineering, traffic safety, behavioral sciences, 
or economics).
    8. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to disseminate injury 
control research findings, translate them into interventions, and 
evaluate their effectiveness.
    9. Applicants must have an established relationship, demonstrated 
by letters of agreement, with injury prevention and control programs or 
injury surveillance programs being carried out in the State or region 
in which the ICRC is located. Cooperation with private-sector programs 
is encouraged.
    10. Applicants should have an established or documented planned 
relationship with organizations or individual leaders in communities 
where injuries occur at high rates, e.g., minority communities.
    Grant funds will not be made available to support the provision of 
direct care. Studies may be supported which evaluate methods of care 
and rehabilitation for potential reductions in injury effects and 
costs. Studies can be supported which identify the effect on injury 
outcomes and cost of systems for pre-hospital, hospital, and 
rehabilitative care and independent living.
    Eligible applicants may enter into contracts, including consortia 
agreements (as set forth in the PHS Grants Policy Statement, dated 
April 1, 1994), as necessary to meet the requirements of the program 
and strengthen the overall application.

E. Application Content

    Applications for support of an ICRC should follow the PHS-398 (Rev. 
5/95) application and Errata sheet, and should include the following 
information:
    1. Face page
    2. Description (abstract) and personnel
    3. Table of contents
    4. Detailed budget for the initial budget period: The budget should 
reflect the composite figures for the grant as well as breakdown 
budgets for individual projects within the grant.
    5. Budget for entire proposed project period including budgets 
pertaining to consortium/contractual arrangements.
    6. Biographical sketches of key personnel, consultants, and 
collaborators, beginning with the Principal Investigator and core 
faculty.
    7. Other support: This listing should include all other funds or 
resources pending or currently available. For each grant or contract 
include source of funds, amount of funding (indicate whether pending or 
current), date of funding (initiation and termination), and 
relationship to the proposed program.
    8. Resources and environment.
    9. Research plan including:
    a. A proposed theme for the ICRC's injury control activities. The 
proposed activities should be clearly described in terms of need, 
scientific basis, expected

[[Page 46795]]

interactions, and anticipated outcomes, including the expected effect 
on injury morbidity and mortality. In selecting the theme, applicants 
should consider the findings in Injury In America and the Year 2000 
Objectives for the Nation.
    A comprehensive ICRC can address all three phases of injury control 
within a single theme. For example, an ICRC with a rehabilitation theme 
can address prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation within the 
overall theme of rehabilitation.
    b. A detailed research plan (design and methods) including 
hypothesis and expected outcome, value to field, and specific, 
measurable, and time-framed objectives consistent with the proposed 
theme and activities for each project within the proposed grant.
    Include for each project in the research plan section of the 
application: These core projects should be described in enough detail 
to allow for a thorough review (limited to 10-15 pages) but are not 
expected to be at the fully developed level of detail of an 
``Individual Research Grant (RO1).''
     Title of Project.
     Project Director/Lead Investigator,
     Institution(s).
     Categorization as to ``Prevention, Acute Care, 
Rehabilitation, or Biomechanics.''
     Categorization as to ``Major Project, Developmental 
Project, Pilot Project, etc.''
     Categorization as to ``New or Ongoing Project.''
     Cost/Year (Estimate).
     Research Training? Names, Degrees of Persons Trained or in 
Training.
     Key Words.
     Brief Summary of Project (Abstract).
    c. A detailed evaluation plan which should address outcome and 
cost-effectiveness evaluation as well as formative, efficacy, and 
process evaluation.
    d. A description of the core faculty and its role in implementing 
and evaluating the proposed programs. The applicant should clearly 
specify how disciplines will be integrated to achieve the ICRC's 
objectives.
    e. Charts showing the proposed organizational structure of the ICRC 
and its relationship to the broader institution of which it is a part, 
and, where applicable, to affiliate institutions or collaborating 
organizations. These charts should clearly detail the lines of 
authority as they relate to the center or the project, both 
structurally and operationally. ICRC's should report to an appropriate 
organizational level (e.g. dean of a school, vice president of a 
university, or commissioner of health), demonstrating strong 
institution-wide support of ICRC activity and ensuring oversight of the 
process of interdisciplinary activity.
    f. Documentation of the involved public health agencies and other 
public and private sector entities to be involved in the proposed 
program, including letters that detail commitments of support and a 
clear statement of the role, activities, and participating personnel of 
each agency or entity.
    An applicant organization has the option of having specific salary 
and fringe benefit amounts for individuals omitted from the copies of 
the application which are made available to outside reviewing groups. 
To exercise this option: on the original and five copies of the 
application, the applicant must use asterisks to indicate those 
individuals for whom salaries and fringe benefits are not shown; the 
subtotals must still be shown. In addition, the applicant must submit 
an additional copy of page four of Form PHS-398, completed in full, 
with the asterisks replaced by the salaries and fringe benefits. This 
budget page will be reserved for internal staff use only.

F. Submission and Deadline

    Submit the original and five copies of PHS 398 (OMB Number 0925-
0001) and adhere to the instructions on the Errata Instruction sheet 
for PHS 398). Forms are in the application kit.
    On or before November 12, 1998, submit to: Lisa T. Garbarino, 
Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and 
Grants Office, Announcement #99014, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), Room 300, 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30305-2209.
    Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they 
are received at the above address on or before the deadline date; or 
sent on or before the deadline date, and received in time for the 
review process. 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

    Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by CDC staff for 
completeness and responsiveness as outlined under the previous heading 
Program Requirements. Incomplete applications and applications that are 
not responsive will be returned to the applicant without further 
consideration.
    Applications which are complete and responsive may be subjected to 
a preliminary evaluation (triage) by the Injury Research Grants Review 
Committee (IRGRC) to determine if the application is of sufficient 
technical and scientific merit to warrant further review by the IRGRC; 
CDC will withdraw from further consideration applications judged to be 
noncompetitive and promptly notify the principal investigator/program 
director and the official signing for the applicant organization. Those 
applications judged to be competitive will be further evaluated by a 
dual review process.
    Awards will be made based on priority scores assigned to 
applications by the IRGRC, programmatic priorities and needs determined 
by a secondary review committee (the Advisory Committee for Injury 
Prevention and Control), and the availability of funds.

1. Review by the Injury Research Grants Review Committee (IRGRC)

    Peer review of ICRC grant applications will be conducted by the 
IRGRC, which may recommend the application for further consideration or 
not for further consideration. As a part of the review process, 
applicants may be asked to travel to CDC for a meeting with the 
committee.
    Factors to be considered by IRGRC include:
    a. The specific aims of the application, e.g., the long-term 
objectives and intended accomplishments.
    b. The scientific and technical merit of the overall application, 
including the significance and originality (e.g., new topic, new 
method, new approach in a new population, or advancing understanding of 
the problem) of the proposed research.
    c. The extent to which the evaluation plan will allow for the 
measurement of progress toward the achievement of stated objectives.
    d. Qualifications, adequacy, and appropriateness of personnel to 
accomplish the proposed activities.
    e. The soundness of the proposed budget in terms of adequacy of 
resources and their allocation.
    f. The extent of consultation, technical assistance, and training 
in identifying, implementing, and/or evaluating intervention/control 
measures that will be provided to public and private agencies and 
institutions, with emphasis on State and local health departments.
    g. Details of progress made in the application if the applicant is 
submitting a re-competing application. Documented examples of success

[[Page 46796]]

include: development of pilot projects; completion of high quality 
research projects; publication of findings in peer reviewed scientific 
and technical journals; number of professionals trained; provision of 
consultation and technical assistance; integration of disciplines; 
translation of research into implementation; impact on injury control 
outcomes including legislation, regulation, treatment, and behavior 
modification interventions.

2. Review by CDC Advisory Committee for Injury Prevention and Control 
(ACIPC)

    Factors to be considered by ACIPC include:
    a. The results of the peer review.
    b. The significance of the proposed activities as they relate to 
national program priorities and the achievement of national objectives.
    c. National and programmatic needs and geographic balance.
    d. Overall distribution of the thematic focus of competing 
applications; the nationally comprehensive balance of the program in 
addressing the three phases of injury control (prevention, acute care, 
and rehabilitation); the control of injury among populations who are at 
increased risk, including racial/ethnic minority groups, the elderly 
and children; the major causes of intentional and unintentional injury; 
and the major disciplines of injury control (such as biomechanics and 
epidemiology).
    e. Budgetary considerations, the ACIPC will establish annual 
funding levels as detailed under the heading, Availability of Funds.

3. Applications for Supplemental Funding for Existing CDC Injury 
Centers

    Existing CDC Injury Centers may submit an application for 
supplemental awards to support research work or activities. 
Applications should be clearly labeled to denote their status as 
requesting supplemental funding support. These applications will be 
reviewed by the IRGRC and the ACIPC.

4. Continued Funding

    Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the 
basis of the availability of funds and the following criteria:
    a. The accomplishments of the current budget period show that the 
applicant's objectives as prescribed in the yearly work plans are being 
met;
    b. The objectives for the new budget period are realistic, 
specific, and measurable;
    c. The methods described will clearly lead to achievement of these 
objectives;
    d. The evaluation plan allows management to monitor whether the 
methods are effective by having clearly defined process, impact, and 
outcome objectives, and the applicant demonstrates progress in 
implementing the evaluation plan;
    e. The budget request is clearly explained, adequately justified, 
reasonable, and consistent with the intended use of grant funds; and
    f. Progress has been made in developing cooperative and 
collaborative relationships with injury surveillance and control 
programs implemented by State and local governments and private sector 
organizations.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements
    Provide CDC with original plus two copies of:
    1. Progress report annually;
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period; and
    3. Final financial status report and performance report, no more 
than 90 days after the end of the project period.
    Send all reports to: Lisa T. Garbarino, Grants Management 
Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Room 300, 255 East 
Paces Ferry Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305-2209.
    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each see Addendum 1 in the 
application kit.

AR98-1--Human Subjects Certification
AR98-2--Requirements for inclusion of Women and Racial and Ethnic 
Minorities in Research
AR98-9--Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR98-10--Smoke-Free Workplace Requirement
AR98-11--Healthy People 2000
AR98-12--Lobbying Restrictions
AR98-13--Prohibition on Use of CDC funds for Certain Gun Control 
Activities
AR98-20--Conference Activities within Grants/Cooperative Agreements

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under Sections 301, 391, 392, 393, and 
394 of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 241, 280b, 280b-1, 
280b-1a, and 280b-2], as amended. Program regulations are set forth in 
42 CFR Part 52. The catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 
93.136.

J. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    To receive additional written information and to request an 
application kit, call 1-888-GRANTS4 (1-888-472-6874). You will be asked 
to leave your name and address and will be instructed to identify the 
Announcement number of interest. A complete program description and 
information on application procedures are contained in the application 
package.
    If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from Lisa T. Garbarino, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE, Mailstop E-13, 
Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6796 or Internet address: 
[email protected].
    Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from Tom 
Voglesonger, Office of Research Grants, National Center for Injury 
Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), 4770 Buford Highway, NE, Mailstop K-58, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, 
telephone (770) 488-4265 or Internet address: [email protected].
    See also the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov
    Please refer to Announcement 99014 when requesting information and 
submitting an application.

    Dated: August 27, 1998.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-23624 Filed 9-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P