[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22868-22870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10616]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 99088]


State Grants To Support the Evaluation of 5 A Day Nutrition 
Programs; Notice of Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in partnership 
with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) announces the availability of 
fiscal year (FY) 1999 funds for a grant program to support the 
evaluation of 5 A Day Nutrition Programs. This program addresses the 
``Healthy People 2000'' priority area of Nutrition (please see 
background section included in appendix).
    The purpose of the program is to support State efforts to evaluate 
5 A Day nutrition intervention programs.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are the official public health agencies of 
States 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, that are licensed 
by NCI for the 5 A Day Program; and have established, clearly-defined, 
measurable, long-range 5 A Day for Better Health projects in a specific 
community channel (e.g., supermarkets, schools, etc.).

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $535,000 is available in FY 1999, to fund 
approximately 7 awards. It is expected that the average award will be 
$75,000, ranging from $55,000 to $90,000. It is expected that the 
awards will begin on or about September 30, 1999, and will be made for 
a 12-month budget period within a project period of up to 1 year. 
Funding estimates may change.

Recipient Financial Participation

    Awards under this announcement will not be sufficient to fully 
support an applicant's proposed activities, but are meant to be used in 
conjunction with other resources--whether direct funding or in-kind 
contributions--that the applicant may have available.

D. Program Requirements

    Applicants should propose an evaluation plan for a clearly defined, 
established, long-range effort (e.g., sustainable after program funding 
under this announcement ends) in one or more specific community 
channels in accordance with the following definitions:

1. Clearly Defined Objectives

    Intervention objectives are clearly stated; activities necessary to 
accomplish objectives are described, to include who is responsible for 
each activity and when they will be accomplished; and work is done 
within a specific channel with a defined target audience.

2. Established 5 A Day Program

    The applicant has a developed, ongoing 5 A Day Program. Evaluating 
pretested or piloted interventions is desirable.

3. Evaluation Plan

    Clear, measurable evaluation objectives and expected outcomes are 
defined with appropriate statistical power. Use of current theoretical 
frameworks to guide the evaluation study is desirable. A combination of 
process and impact objectives is also desirable, with outcome 
objectives where feasible. In designing the study, consideration should 
be given to the

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number of individuals or groups needed to detect realistic changes in 
post-intervention outcome measures when compared with pre-intervention 
measures. Sample sizes should give adequate power (80 percent) to 
detect these changes. If the appropriate design expertise does not 
exist within the State health department, inclusion of an organization 
with the necessary design expertise on the project team, such as a 
university affiliate, is recommended.

4. Long Range Sustainability

    The program is not just a single activity at one point in time, but 
sustained effort and on-going program plans involving appropriate 
behavior change strategies that are capable of continuing after funding 
under this announcement ends. Programs including environmental 
approaches and administrative changes are encouraged.

5. Program Emphasis Will be Placed on

    (a) Evaluation of a community intervention's impact on knowledge, 
attitude, awareness and behavioral change in minority-based population 
groups (such as elderly, young children or low-income groups, and 
ethnic groups such as, but not exclusive to, American Indians, Asians, 
Pacific Islanders, African Americans or Hispanics) which have low fruit 
and vegetable intakes or have a disproportionately greater risk for 
cancer;
    (b) Testing the effects of culturally sensitive and linguistically 
appropriate strategies within a community intervention designed to 
increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in minority 
population subgroups and promote other related lifestyle behaviors 
which are recognized covariates that influence fruit and vegetable 
consumption; or
    (c) Evaluation of communication channels (radio, tv, print media) 
which target the specific minority population subgroups identified as 
part of 5 A Day-based community intervention campaigns.

E. Application Content

    Use the information in the Program Requirements, Other 
Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the 
application content. Your application will be evaluated on the criteria 
listed, so it is important to follow them in laying out your program 
plan. The narrative should be no more than 10 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced font and must 
contain the following information:

1. Background

    Provide a brief but clear description of a current project in one 
or more specific community channels including project goals and 
objectives, target group, methodology of intervention, and length of 
time of the current project.

2. Program Plan

    Provide a realistic, time phased, and specific work plan including 
evaluation goals, objectives, methods, and outcomes to be achieved 
during the 12-month period; and a clear plan to evaluate the current 
long-range effort in a particular channel or channels and assess the 
impact of those activities with measures of process and outcomes 
related to the targeted audience. Examples of potential evaluation 
projects might include but are not limited to the following:
    a. Evaluation of the process and impact of instituting a community 
neighborhood 5 A Day project targeting for example minority, elderly, 
youth, or low-income groups and its effect on perceived barriers, 
attitudes, beliefs, dietary behaviors and fruit and vegetable 
consumption.
    b. Evaluation of innovative measurement techniques appropriate for 
targeted minority audiences and their perceptions/response to the 
current 5 A Day Program recommendations of 5 to 9 servings of fruits 
and vegetables daily.
    c. Evaluate the impact of a 5 A Day media and/or education campaign 
on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of targeted minority community 
members, with a focus on issues of awareness translating to action/
behavioral stages of change and changes in fruit and vegetable 
consumption. (e.g. food assistance program like Women Infant Children 
(WIC) or other community-based program combined with a media 
intervention).
    d. Evaluate an intervention that promotes healthy dietary choices 
(5 A Day) and physical activity in a defined community setting with a 
focus on the effect of affiliated environmental change(s) on behavior.

3. Capacity

    Document the expertise of the evaluation team by including the 
curriculum vitae (limited to 1 page attachment per person) for key 
members of the team. If sufficient evaluation expertise is not 
available in the State health department, States are strongly 
encouraged to work with an academic institution in the design, data 
collection, and analysis activities for this evaluation. For 
interventions involving administrative changes, describe the 
infrastructure that is or will be in place to support the 
administrative change once made in the defined setting.

4. Human Subjects

    Documentation that human subject assurances are met, either through 
copies of approved protocols or notation of the institutional review 
committee that will review the project. Should human subjects review be 
required, the proposed work plan should incorporate time lines for such 
development and review activities.

5. Women, Racial, and Ethnic Minorities

    Describe and provide for the inclusion of women, ethnic, and racial 
groups in the proposed research to include:
    a. The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial and 
ethnic minority populations for appropriate representations.
    b. The proposed justification when representation is limited or 
absent.
    c. A statement whether the design of the study is adequate to 
measure differences when warranted.

6. Budget

    Provide a detailed budget and line-item justification that is 
consistent with the stated objectives, purpose, and planned activities 
of the project. (Not to be counted as part of the 10 page narrative.)
    An original and two copies of the application are required. Pages 
should be numbered, and an index to the application and appendix must 
be included. The original and each copy of the application must be 
submitted unstapled and unbound. Materials that should be part of the 
basic plan will not be accepted if placed in the appendix. Appendix 
material should not exceed 25 pages. Please do not include reports (or 
portions thereof), journal articles, mass media articles, or 
presentations of national statistical data.

F. Submission and Deadline

Application

    Submit the original and two copies of CDC Form 0.1246(E). Forms are 
in the application kit. On or before June 28, 1999, submit the 
application to: Lucy Picciolo, Grants Management Specialist, Grants 
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 99088, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Room 3000, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-4146.
    Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline 
if they are either:
    (a) Received on or before the deadline date; or

[[Page 22870]]

    (b) Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
submission to the review panel. (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 shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)
    Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria in 
(a) or (b) above are considered late applications, will not be 
considered, and will be returned to the applicant.

G. Evaluation Criteria

    Each application will be evaluated individually against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC.
    Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to the 
following criteria:

1. Background: (25 Points)

    The degree to which the applicant clearly describes a long-range, 
clearly defined, measurable project, including a description of the 
intervention targeted population, method, and community channel(s).

2. Program Plan: (40 Points)

    The adequacy of the applicant's plan to carry out the evaluation 
within the 12-month time period, including the specific objectives, 
methods, and measures to be used in the evaluation.

3. Capacity: (30 Points)

    The capabilities of the personnel (including consultants where 
appropriate) to carry out the evaluation.

4. Women, Racial, and Ethnic Minorities (5 Points)

    The degree to which the applicant has met the CDC Policy 
requirements regarding the inclusion of women, ethnic, and racial 
groups in the proposed research.
    This includes:
    a. The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial and 
ethnic minority populations for appropriate representations.
    b. The proposed justification when representation is limited or 
absent.
    c. A statement whether the design of the study is adequate to 
measure differences when warranted.

5. Human Subjects: (Not Weighted)

    Whether or not exempt from the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) regulations, are procedures adequate for the protection 
of human subjects? Recommendations on the adequacy of protections 
include: (1) Protections appear adequate and there are no comments to 
make or concerns to raise, (2) protections appear adequate, but there 
are comments regarding the protocol, (3) protections appear inadequate 
and there are concerns related to human subjects, or (4) disapproval of 
the application is recommended because the research risks are 
sufficiently serious and protection against the risks are inadequate as 
to make the entire application unacceptable.
    Does the application adequately address the requirements of Title 
45 CFR Part 46 for the protection of human subjects?

____Yes  ____No

Comments:--------------------------------------------------------------

6. Budget: (Not Weighted)

    The extent to which the applicant provides a detailed budget and 
line-item justification that is consistent with the evaluation plan.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with original plus two copies of
    1. Annual progress report; The progress reports must include the 
following for each program, function, or activity involved: (1) A 
comparison of the actual accomplishments to the goals established for 
the period; (2) the reasons for slippage if established goals were not 
met; and (3) other pertinent information including, when appropriate, 
analysis and explanation of unexpectedly high costs for performance.
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period; and
    3. Final financial status and performance reports, no more than 90 
days after the end of the project period.
    Send all reports to: Lucy Picciolo, Grants Management Specialist, 
Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, 
Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each, see Attachment I in the 
application kit.

AR-1  Human Subjects Requirements
AR-2  Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and Ethnic 
Minorities in Research
AR-7  Executive Order 12372 Review
AR-9  Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10  Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11  Healthy People 2000
AR-12  Lobbying Restrictions

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under section 301 (a) and 317(k)(2) [42 
U.S.C. 241 (a) and 247b (k)(2)] of the Public Health Service Act, as 
amended. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.

J. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    Please refer to Program Announcement [99088] when you request 
information. For a complete program description, information on 
application procedures and business management assistance, contact: 
Lucy Picciolo, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, 
Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 99088, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, 
GA 30341-4146, Telephone (770) 488-2757, Email address [email protected].
    See also the CDC home page on the Internet in order to find 
information on application procedures and an application package: 
http://www.cdc.gov.
    For program technical assistance, contact: Sarah Kuester, MS, RD, 
Public Health Nutritionist, Division of Nutrition and Physical 
Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health 
Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 3005 
Chamblee-Tucker Road, Room 5157, Atlanta, GA, 30341-4133, Telephone 
(770) 488-6019, Fax (770) 488-6000, Email address: [email protected].
    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.

    Dated: April 22, 1999.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 99-10616 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P