[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26417-26418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12207]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 99075]


Cooperative Agreement for a Laboratory Medicine Sentinel 
Monitoring Network; Notice of Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 1999 funds for a cooperative agreement 
for a Laboratory Medicine Sentinel Monitoring Network. This program 
addresses the ``Healthy People 2000'' priority area of Surveillance and 
Data Systems. The purposes of the program are to develop data 
collection networks and provide information about the practice of 
laboratory medicine in hospitals, physician offices, and independent 
laboratories.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided only to the health departments of 
States or their bona fide agents, including the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, federally 
recognized Indian tribal governments, the Federated States of 
Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of 
Palau. In consultation with States, assistance may be provided to 
political subdivisions of States. We are limiting eligibility to State 
health departments because:
    1. They are uniquely qualified due to the role they play in 
coordinating CLIA-associated activities within the states;
    2. They possess the experience with laboratory issues that can 
facilitate the recruitment of network members; and
    3. To provide assistance to these organizations and to implement 
long term laboratory medicine monitoring programs.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $300,000 is available in FY 1999 to fund three 
awards. It is expected that the average award will be $100,000, ranging 
from $80,000 to $120,000. 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 3 years. Funding estimates may 
change.
    Continuation awards within an approved project period will be made 
on the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required reports 
and the availability of funds.

D. Funding Preferences

    Preference may be given to State health departments with existing 
laboratory networks (data collection networks comprised of clinical 
laboratories which periodically monitor and report on issues related to 
the delivery of clinical laboratory medicine and quality assurance 
programs associated with them). Additional preference may be given to 
achieve an even geographic distribution of sites or to a site that 
primarily includes a rural population.

E. Program Requirements

    In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program, 
the recipient will be responsible for the activities listed under 1. 
(Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for those 
activities listed under 2. (CDC Activities).

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Solicit laboratories to voluntarily participate in the 
Monitoring Networks so that representatives of each laboratory type 
(hospital, physician office, and independent) and complexity level 
(waived, PPM, moderate and high) can participate in the total network.
    b. Provide leadership in the design and evaluation of 
questionnaires for periodic reporting of laboratory operational 
characteristics and problems (especially those that impact patient 
care, including QC and QA practices, and the methods that are used by 
the network participants during the period of the study).
    c. Provide leadership in collecting and sharing raw data within the 
network.
    d. Periodically send the developed questionnaires to network 
participants for them to gather and submit the response data back, and 
enter, analyze, and summarize the data for the participants in a 
statistically valid manner.
    e. Distribute reports to network members for self-evaluation and 
improvement. Make information available to other laboratories in the 
region.
    f. Prepare manuscripts for peer-review publications.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Collaborate in identifying those areas of laboratory medicine 
that have public health concerns.

[[Page 26418]]

    b. Provide technical assistance with questionnaire development, 
data gathering devices, statistical analysis, and writing summaries of 
the results.
    c. Collaborate in the development of a defined data set standard 
for transmission of raw data.

F. 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 20 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and with type no smaller 
than 12 point CPI, on 8.5'' x 11'' paper.

G. Submission and Deadline

    Submit the original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number 0937-
0189). Forms are in the application kit.
    On or before July 12, 1999, submit the application to the Grants 
Management Specialist identified in the ``Where to Obtain Additional 
Information'' section of this announcement.

1. Deadline

    Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they 
are either:
    (a) Received on or before the deadline date; or
    (b) Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
the independent review group. (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.)

2. 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.

H. Evaluation Criteria

    Each application will be evaluated individually against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC.

1. Goals and Objectives (20 Points)

    a. The extent to which the applicant describes its understanding of 
the objectives of the proposed cooperative agreement, the relevance of 
its proposal to the stated objectives, and any unique characteristics 
of populations to be studied.
    b. The extent to which the applicants goals and objectives are 
time-phased, measurable, specific, and achievable.

2. Project Management and Staffing (30 Points)

    a. The extent to which the applicant describes its ability to 
provide staff, knowledge, and other resources required to perform the 
responsibilities in this project.
    b. The extent to which the applicant describes its qualifications 
and time allocations of key personnel to be assigned to this project 
and the facilities and equipment, and other resources available for 
performance of this project.

3. Plan of Operation (30 Points)

    a. The extent to which the applicant describes the methods to be 
used in carrying out the responsibilities of this project, including 
the ability to provide the representative participants in the 
laboratory group or groups they will monitor.
    b. The extent to which the applicant describes the steps to be 
taken in the planning and implementation of this project.

4. Evaluation Plan (20 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant describes its schedule for 
accomplishing the activities to be carried out in this project and 
methods for evaluating the accomplishments.

5. Proposed Budget (Not Scored)

    The extent to which the budget is reasonable, clearly justified, 
and consistent with the intended use of funds.

I. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with the original plus two copies of
    1. Progress reports (semiannual);
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period; and
    3. Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days 
after the end of the project period.
    Send all reports to the Grants Management Specialist identified in 
the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information'' section of this 
announcement.
    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each, see Addendum 1.

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

J. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under section 317(k)(3) of the Public 
Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. section 247b(k)(3)], as amended. The 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.

K. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This and all other CDC Announcements may be found and downloaded 
from the CDC homepage. Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov (click on 
funding).
    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.
    If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from: Ricky Willis, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 99075, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road, Suite 3000, 
Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: (770) 488-2719, E-
mail address: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance contact: Marianne K. Simon, Health 
Scientist, Division of Laboratory Systems, Public Health Practice 
Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford 
Highway, N.E., Mailstop G-23, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: (770) 488-
8125, E-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: May 10, 1999.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 99-12207 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P