[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26969-26970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12441]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 99109]


Addressing Asthma from a Public Health Perspective

    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 
program titled ``Addressing Asthma from a Public Health Perspective''. 
This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2000'' priority area of 
Environmental Health.
    The purpose of this program is to provide the impetus to begin 
development of program capacity to address asthma from a public health 
perspective with the purpose to bring about: (1) A focus of asthma-
related activity within the agency; (2) an increased understanding of 
asthma-related data and its application to program planning through 
development of an ongoing surveillance system; (3) an increased 
recognition within the public health structure of the state or 
territory of the potential to use a public health approach to reduce 
the burden of asthma; (4) linkages of the health agency to the many 
agencies and organizations addressing asthma in the population; and (5) 
participation in intervention program activities.

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.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $600,000 is available in FY 1999 to fund 
approximately three awards. It is expected that the average award will 
be $200,000 and will begin on or about September 30, 1999 for a 12-
month budget period within a project period of up to three 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. Program Requirements

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

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Develop an asthma surveillance system and begin the statewide 
intervention program;
    b. Develop and organize collaborative linkages with appropriate 
agencies and organizations statewide to together (1) systematically 
describe the asthma problem in the state; (2) identify available 
resources; (3) in conjunction with collaborative agencies/
organizations, develop a plan and begin implementation of that plan.
    c. Evaluate all activities and document lessons learned;

2. CDC 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.

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 30 double-spaced typewritten 
pages, printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced font 
(10 or 12 point font only). Should graphics, maps overlays, etc. be 
used, they 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 and efforts to date to begin to systematically address the 
problem;
2. Collaborative Relationships
    Describe experiences with collaborative relationships around asthma 
or with other chronic or environmentally-related disease problems 
requiring extensive collaborative relationships both within and outside 
of the agency;
3. Program Purpose
    Provide specific objectives for the proposed activity that are 
realistic, time-phased, measurable and reflect the three-year period of 
this solicitation. (Note that a statewide approach is encouraged; if a 
focus on only a part of the state's population is desired, that choice 
must be explained and justified.)
4. Management and staffing plan
    Describe the qualifications and roles of a trained public health 
professional(s) to serve as asthma coordinator for the agency's program 
and develop asthma surveillance activities, and a supervisor who will 
assure support for the project staff. Include a plan to expedite 
filling of the staff position(s) and assure that they have been or will 
be approved by the applicant's personnel system. Where current staff 
already fill these roles and federal resources are not to be used for 
their support, information on the position and the qualifications of 
the person filling the position should be provided. Other support-level 
positions may also be proposed.
5. Program Plan
    Submit a plan that describes how the project objectives will be 
achieved. Each objective should be clearly related to a specific 
objective in #3 above. The plan must address the following topics:
    a. Describe the primary roles and responsibilities for the project 
staff over the three-year grant period, also specific staff activities 
that will contribute to meeting each objective;
    b. Describe the organizational location of the proposed staff, 
their relation to the state's ``asthma contact'', and the support 
within the organizational structure for the activities defined for the 
project staff;
    c. Describe existing or planned collaborative relationships and 
specifically define the approach to be used (particularly the role of 
the asthma coordinator) to establish/further develop these 
relationships. (Examples of collaborating groups: voluntary 
organizations; key medical care groups such as managed care 
organizations, major (particularly pediatric) urgent care facilities 
and hospitals; key city/county health agencies; and school groups; 
state level professional organizations. Demonstration of

[[Page 26970]]

partnerships with the clinical community is essential.) Letters of 
support from specific groups, including a statement of their intention 
to collaborate, will considerably strengthen the application. Note that 
grant funds should be used to leverage asthma program development in 
the state along with resources from other collaborative agencies and 
organizations.
    d. Document assurance of ability of project staff to travel to 
Atlanta to participate in the National Asthma Conference and a pre-
conference grantees meeting and willingness to share innovations, 
information, data, and materials.
6. Evaluation
    Describe how progress made toward meeting objectives will be 
evaluated and documented.
7. Budget
    Provide a detailed first year budget for the cooperative agreement 
with future annual projections if relevant. Include costs for key 
project staff to travel to Atlanta for four days each year.

F. Submission and Deadline

Application

    Submit the original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number 0937-
0189). Forms are in the application kit. On or before July 19, 1999, 
submit the application to the Grants Management Specialist identified 
in the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information'' section of this 
announcement.
    Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline 
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 
orderly processing. (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 objective review group appointed by CDC:
1. Description of the problem (20 Points)
    The extent to which the agency's commitment to addressing asthma is 
demonstrated by accomplishments to date in understanding the problem;
    2. Collaborative agreements (20 Points)
    The appropriateness of organizations and agencies identified and 
their level of commitment as demonstrated by the content of the letters 
of support.
3. Measurable Objectives and Plan (25 Points)
    The extent to which objectives are measurable with the stated 
purpose of the cooperative agreement, the extent to which the role of 
the asthma coordinator is defined and is appropriate in relation to the 
stated objectives; the ability to meet the objectives according to the 
specified time table, and the adequacy of the applicant's plan to carry 
out the proposed activities.
4. Management and Staffing Plan (20 Points)
    The extent to which the role of proposed staff is defined and has 
identified adequate qualifications of and level of commitment for the 
proposed staff; and the level of organizational support available to 
the project staff.
5. Proposed Evaluation Plan (15 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 original plus two copies of--
    1. Annual progress reports;
    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 Attachment I in the 
application package.

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 and 317 of the Public 
Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. section 241 and 247b], as amended. The 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.293.

J. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    You may download Program Announcement 99109 and application forms 
from the CDC home page address on the Internet, http://www.cdc.gov 
(click on ``Funding''). If you do not have Internet access, 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 be instructed to identify the announcement number of 
interest. If you have questions after reviewing the contents of the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from: Sharron P. Orum, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 99109, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 Brandywine Rd., Rm 3000, 
Atlanta, GA 30041 telephone 770-488-2716, Email address: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Leslie P. Boss, Air 
Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MS F-
39, 4770 Buford Hwy, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, 770-488-7329.

    Dated: May 12, 1999.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 99-12441 Filed 5-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P