[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69769-69774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32289]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 00028]


Cooperative Agreement Program to Increase Knowledge and Skills of 
Under-Represented Minority Students in the Areas of Biostatistics, 
Epidemiology, and Occupational Safety and Health; Notice of 
Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2000 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program to increase knowledge, skills and research training of under-
represented minority students in the areas of biostatistics, 
epidemiology and occupational health and safety. For the purposes of 
this agreement, under-represented minority students are African 
American/Black American, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaska 
Native students. This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2000'' 
priority area of Educational and Community-based Programs, Clinical 
Preventive Services, and Surveillance and Data (Objective 21.8), which 
proposes to increase the proportion of all persons with degrees in 
health professions, including allied and associated health fields, and 
the number of degrees awarded to members of under-represented racial 
and ethnic minority groups. In addition, the program addresses the 
performance of executive agency actions under Executive Order 12876, to 
advance the development of human potential, to strengthen the capacity 
of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), to provide 
quality education, and to increase opportunities to participate in and 
benefit from Federal programs.
    The purpose of the program is to provide under-represented minority 
undergraduate students with training in two categories of 
specialization: Category I--biostatistics and epidemiology in Atlanta, 
GA, and Category II--occupational safety and health in Cincinnati, OH, 
Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA and Spokane, WA. Specifically, the 
program is intended to assist an HBCU to:
    (1) Develop an undergraduate research training and internship 
program for African American and other under-represented minority 
students.
    (2) Increase the knowledge and skills of African American and other 
under-represented undergraduate minority students in both categories of 
specialization, (i.e., epidemiology, biostatistics and occupational 
safety and health);
    (3) Expand the educational and applied public health research 
training and skills development opportunities and experiences in the 
two fields of specialization (epidemiology, biostatistics, and 
occupational safety and health) for under-represented minority students 
who are interested in pursuing public health careers;
    (4) Develop and implement a public health science curriculum at an 
HBCU,
    (5) Foster linkages and collaboration among students and faculty in 
developing epidemiological and analytical knowledge bases for the 
health status of minority and under-served populations in America;
    (6) Increase the number of African Americans and other under-
represented minority populations with advanced degrees in epidemiology, 
biostatistics, and occupational safety and health.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education that are 
designated as HBCUs. Only HBCUs which meet the following criteria are 
eligible to apply under this announcement: (1) have a predominantly 
black and other minority student enrollment of at least 51 percent, and 
(2) offer undergraduate courses in community/allied health,

[[Page 69770]]

computer sciences, mathematics, and/or biostatistics and epidemiology 
in their curriculum. Competition is limited to HBCUs under this program 
announcement because there is a critical shortage of both minority 
students and minority professionals to plan, monitor, and evaluate the 
public health policies and programs that target the heterogeneous 
minority population groups in the U.S.

    Note: Public Law 104-65 states that an organization described in 
section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engages 
in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds 
constituting an award, grant, cooperative agreement, contract, loan, 
or any other form.

C. Availability of Funds

    It is anticipated that a minimum of $200,000 will be available in 
FY 2000, to fund one award. It is expected that the award will begin on 
or about January 28, 2000, and will be made for a 12-month budget 
period within a project period of up to five years for Category I 
specialization, epidemiology and biostatistics, and for Category II 
specialization, occupational safety and health. 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 develop and 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 
listed under 2. (CDC Activities).

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Educational Support and Curriculum Development: The recipient 
should develop and implement an educational support curriculum that 
includes, at a minimum, a Public Health Sciences Curriculum that 
emphasizes epidemiology, biostatistics, occupational safety and health, 
and related academic courses, including practicum. The public health 
sciences curriculum should be consistent with the institutional 
policies and procedures of the grantee, and include at least one 
semester (or equivalent) of biostatistics and epidemiology. In 
implementing the public health sciences curriculum developed under this 
agreement, the grantee should:
    (1) Collaborate among, and across the recipient institution's 
educational departments to demonstrate the cross-disciplinary 
advantages of public health practice, and the importance of integrative 
and multi-disciplinary approaches to improving the health status and 
quality of life of African Americans and other minorities.
    (2) Demonstrate how the public health sciences curriculum and 
educational support will enhance opportunities for minority students to 
obtain advanced degrees in epidemiology, biostatistics, and 
occupational safety and health from graduate programs housed within 
schools of public health or medicine.
    (3) Develop, plan and provide other educational support for 
encouraging the pro-active recruitment of undergraduate students 
majoring in disciplines other than biology, chemistry, community 
health, or pre-medicine to increase their knowledge of public health 
practice.
    (4) Establish a mechanism to award three (3) semester (or 
equivalent) credit hours to students who enroll and complete each of 
the public health sciences curriculum courses.
    b. Internship Programs: The recipient should plan and manage an 
undergraduate summer internship program for African Americans and other 
under-represented minorities that emphasizes the two categories of 
specialization: Category I--training in biostatistics and epidemiology 
where plans will be developed to train students at CDC laboratories in 
Atlanta, GA; and Category II--occupational safety and health where 
plans will be developed to train students in National Institute of 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) laboratories in Cincinnati, OH, 
Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA or Spokane, WA. Examples of activities 
that may be undertaken, include, but are not limited to the following:
    1. Establish a criteria for competitive selection of prospective 
students for both categories of specialization for the summer 
internship program that is consistent with the goals and objectives of 
the cooperative agreement. For example, a criteria for competitive 
selection might include the requirement for completion of one or more 
courses in biostatistics, epidemiology, or occupational safety and 
health; grade of B or above in overall course work; likelihood of the 
student to pursue a career in public health, research experience, other 
academic performance; and performance on personal interviews.
    2. Identify and recruit undergraduate students who have 
successfully completed at least the sophomore year in college and who 
have expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the health sciences, 
occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, environmental 
sciences, engineering, physics, social and behavioral sciences, or 
mathematics.
    3. Provide mechanisms for supporting the participation of students 
in the summer internship program with the requirement that students 
should be available to participate fully in the program activities.
    4. Provide adequate technical assistance and consultants, (e.g., 
computer, biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational safety and health), 
to assist the students in successfully completing the requirements of 
the internship program.
    5. Establish and maintain a data base with demographic information 
on previous years' interns for the purposes of evaluation.
    6. Establish a mechanism to award three (3) semester (or 
equivalent) credit hours to research interns upon successful completion 
of research projects that is consistent with grantee academic policies 
and procedures.
    7. Maintain a liaison with the category II specialization, 
occupational safety and health.
    c. Public Health Sciences Advisory Group: The recipient should 
establish a Public Health Sciences Advisory Group to advise on the 
implementation of the cooperative agreement program. Examples of 
activities which the Public Health Advisory Group might perform include 
the following:
    1. Serve as liaison between the grantee institution and the public 
health education, training and research program.
    2. Review applications and/or interview prospective interns.
    3. Review proposals or research project descriptions submitted by 
the CDC to be analyzed by the students during the summer internship, 
and
    4. Evaluate the public health sciences program on operating 
aspects, such as education, training and research components, and make 
suggestions for overall program improvement.
    d. Research Training and Skills Development: The grantee should 
develop plans and approaches to make applied public health research 
projects (e.g., community assessments, programs and materials 
evaluation, etc.) an integral part of the public health sciences 
curriculum. The grantee should describe its existing and/or anticipated 
resources, (e.g., computer resources, and faculty members with 
applicable research experiences) which will ensure hands-on analytic 
research training and participation for the undergraduate students.
    e. Staffing and Management: The grantee should provide adequate 
staffing

[[Page 69771]]

and management resources for the successful implementation of the 
cooperative agreement. For example, the following positions might be 
identified as key staff: Principal Investigator (PI), Executive 
Director (ED), Educational Program Coordinator, Occupational Safety and 
Health Coordinator, and Research Coordinator. The grantee should ensure 
that qualifications of key personnel are consistent with personnel 
policies and practices of the institution.
    f. Evaluation Plan: The grantee is required to evaluate the 
management and performance of the students, including specific measures 
of a successful program and the frequency/time-frame for the 
evaluations (i.e., process and outcome evaluations). The recipient 
shall develop a computerized tracking system used as an evaluation tool 
for following-up the future professional activities of the students who 
have participated in this cooperative education program.

2. CDC Activities

    The CDC is responsible for the following activities:
    a. As requested, collaborate with the recipient, and provide 
consultation, assistance and support in planning, implementing and 
evaluating all aspects of the cooperative agreement.
    b. As requested, collaborate with the grantee to establish criteria 
for evaluating both short-and long-term success of the public health 
sciences education, training, and research programs.
    c. As requested, provide consultation and advice to the key program 
staff regarding administrative planning and program evaluation for 
program development in future years.
    d. As needed, provide computer equipment (hardware and requisite 
software) to the computer, statistical, biostatistic, and the 
occupational safety and health consultants, interns and Public Health 
Science Institute faculty.
    e. As needed, provide access to data sets, CDC mainframe computer, 
personal computers, word processors, research activities and other 
facilities that would be beneficial to program participants.
    f. As needed, provide on-site office space and mentors to instruct 
the summer interns in the analysis of data sets.
    g. As needed, provide meeting and office space at CDC for the 
summer participants, the coordinators, and the consultants for 
activities to be carried out during the summer internship program.
    h. As needed, provide staff to give seminars to students who are 
selected for the internship program.
    i. As needed or requested, provide technical support to assist the 
recipient in curriculum development and implementation of public 
health-related courses.
    j. Collaborate in program planning and consultation with 
participants in the summer research program.
    k. As needed or requested, provide applied public health research 
opportunities to allow students hands-on research experience and skills 
development training.
    l. As needed, provide clerical support, necessary equipment, 
supplies, and other resources required for student recruitment and 
administration of the summer internship program by the Occupational 
Safety and Health Coordinator located at one of the NIOSH facilities.

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 40 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced font. 
Attachments should be limited to essential documentation.
    The requirements under this cooperative agreement are consistent 
with the purpose/activities as enumerated above. It is anticipated, 
therefore, that each applicant will submit a proposal that addresses 
each of the following areas:

1. Executive Summary

    The applicant should provide a concise, 1-3 page executive summary 
that clearly describes:
    a. Eligibility, including: (a) Status as a Historically Black 
College and University, (b) Percent of students enrollment of African 
American and other minority students, (c) Description of undergraduate 
courses in community/allied health, computer sciences, mathematics, 
and/or biostatistics and epidemiology, and (d) Experience and capacity 
as an HBCU to provide knowledge, skills, and research training in the 
two categories of specialization, (i.e., category I--epidemiology and 
biostatistics, and category II--occupational safety and health.)
    b. The needs for implementing a program to increase the knowledge, 
skills and research training in category I--epidemiology and 
biostatistics, and category II--occupational safety and health among 
African American and other minority students.
    c. The major proposed goals, objectives and activities for 
implementing the program as well as total requested amount of Federal 
funding for each category of specialization.
    d. Applicant's capability to implement the program.

2. Capacity (not more than 12 pages)

    a. Describe ability to address the identified need.
    b. Describe efforts and relevant experience that support the 
activities proposed to accomplish the objective for which the applicant 
is applying, including:
    (1) current and previous experience related to the proposed program 
activities,
    (2) activities related to operating internship programs;
    (3) activities related to curriculum development,
    (4) current and previous experience related to fostering linkages 
and collaboration among students and faculty, fostering integrative and 
multi-disciplinary approaches to improving health status, and
    (5) current and previous experience with increasing the 
participation of minority students in public health careers.
    c. Submit a copy of the project's management hierarchy, and 
describe how that structure supports the proposed program activities.

3. Operational Plan (Not more than 20 pages)

    a. Goals. List goals that specifically relate to program 
requirements that indicate where the program will be at the end of the 
projected five-year period.
    b. Objectives. List objectives that are specific, measurable, and 
feasible to be accomplished during the projected 12-month period. The 
objectives should directly relate to the project goals and recipient 
activities.
    c. Describe in narrative form and display on a timetable, specific 
activities that are related to each objective. Indicate when each 
activity will occur as well as when preparations for activities will 
occur. Also, indicate who will be responsible for each activity and 
identify staff who will work on each activity. The applicant's proposal 
should include multiple subparts detailing its approach to fulfill the 
following program requirements:

[[Page 69772]]

(1) Educational Support and Curriculum Development
    The applicant's application must describe a plan to develop and 
implement a public health sciences curriculum that emphasizes the 
category I specialization--epidemiology and biostatistics, and category 
II specialization--occupational safety and health, as well as related 
academic courses. However, consistent with the educational and 
administrative policies of the grantee, the application should also 
describe how the grantee will accomplish the following: (a) encourage 
undergraduate students majoring in disciplines other than biology, 
chemistry, community health, and pre-medicine to increase their 
knowledge of public health practice; (b) demonstrate how the curriculum 
and educational support will enhance opportunities for minority 
students to obtain advanced degrees in epidemiology, biostatistics, and 
occupational safety and health; (c) encourage interdepartmental 
activities that provides integrative and multi-disciplinary approaches, 
knowledge and skills to improve health status; (d) describe how the 
grantee will incorporate a practicum to give students hands-on research 
experience in each category of specialization, i.e., category I--
biostatistics and epidemiology, and category II--occupational safety 
and health; (d) describe parameters for establishing a mechanism to 
award three (3) semester credit hours to students who enroll and 
complete each of the public health science curriculum courses and 
internship programs.
(2) Internship Program
    The applicant must describe a methodology for planning and managing 
summer internship activities (for example: recruitment strategies, 
program operations, and program and course scheduling in each category 
of specialization, i.e., category I--biostatistics and epidemiology, 
and category II--occupational safety and health, and establishing a 
data base of previous years' interns);
(3) Research Training and Skills Development
    The applicant must describe their plans and approaches to make 
applied public health research projects an integral part of the public 
health sciences curriculum. Each applicant must describe its existing 
and/or anticipated resources (e.g., computer resources and faculty 
members with applicable research experiences) which will ensure hands-
on-analytic research training for the undergraduate students.
(4) Public Health Advisory Group
    The applicant must include a description of plans to establish a 
Public Health Advisory Group to advise on the implementation of the 
cooperative agreement program.
(5) Staffing and Management
    The applicant must describe the proposed staffing for the project 
and provide job descriptions for existing and proposed positions. See 
proposed definition of key personnel in the section on program 
requirements.
    (a) Submit curriculum vitae (limited to 2 pages per person) for 
each professional staff member named in the application.
    (b) Submit job descriptions illustrating the level of 
organizational responsibility for professional staff who will be 
assigned to the project.
    (c) Submit an outline of the hierarchy of a management plan which 
shall assure fiscal and programmatic accountability in accordance with 
the terms of this cooperative agreement. The management plan should 
clearly identify the officials who will manage this program and their 
specific responsibilities.
(6) Evaluation Plan (Not more than 5 pages)
    The applicant must describe a plan that evaluates the program's 
effectiveness in meeting its objectives. For each of the types of 
evaluation listed below, specify the evaluation question to be 
answered, data to be obtained, the type of analysis, to whom it will be 
reported, and how data will be used to improve the program. Indicate in 
the plan the projected staff and time lines to be used.
    a. Process evaluation. Evaluate the program's progress in meeting 
objectives and conducting activities during the budget period.
    b. Outcome evaluation. Assess the effectiveness of proposed 
activities, including training sessions and documents developed in 
attaining goal(s) at the completion of the one year budget period and 
the five year project period.
    c. Computerized Tracking System. Applicants are required to develop 
a computerized tracking system to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
program in achieving its goals and objectives.
(7) Budget and Accompanying Justification
    The applicant must provide a detailed budget and line-item 
justification of all operating expenses for each category of academic 
specialization, (i.e., category I--epidemiology and biostatistics, and 
category II--occupational safety and health.) The budget should be 
consistent with the stated objectives and planned activities of the 
project.

F. Submission and Deadline

    Submit the original and two copies of the application (PHS Form 
5161-1). Forms are available at the following Internet address: 
www.cdc.gov/. . . Forms, or in the application kit. Pages must be 
numbered clearly, and a complete table of contents of the application 
and its appendices must be included. Applicant should begin each 
separate section on a new page. The original and each copy of the 
application set must be submitted unstapled and unbound. All materials 
must be typewritten, single spaced, using an unreduced type not less 
than 12 point (10 characters per inch) on 8\1/2\'' x 11'' paper, with 
at least a 1'' margin, including headers and footers, and printed on 
one side only.
    On or before January 14, 2000, the application should be submitted 
to: Brenda D. Hayes, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, (Program Announcement: 00028), 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), 2920 Brandywine 
Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146. Telephone: 770-488-2741. 
Email: bkh4cdc.gov.
    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 submission 
to the objective review group. (Applicants must request a legibly dated 
receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private 
metered postmarks will 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 in the current competition 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:

a. Educational Support and Curriculum Development (20 points)

    The extent to which the applicant submits a plan which explains how 
it will develop and implement an educational support curriculum at an 
HBCU that does the following:

[[Page 69773]]

    (1) Includes at a minimum a public health sciences curriculum 
emphasizing two categories of specialization, i.e., category I--
epidemiology and biostatistics, and category II--occupational safety 
and health, as well as related public academic courses, including 
practicum.
    (2) Explains how the recipient will collaborate among and across 
educational departments to demonstrate the cross-disciplinary 
advantages of public health practice, and the importance of integrative 
and multi-disciplinary approaches to improving the health status and 
quality of life of African Americans and other minorities.
    (3) Explains how the recipient will develop, plan and provide other 
educational support for encouraging the proactive recruitment of 
undergraduate students majoring in disciplines other than biology, 
chemistry, community health, or pre-medicine to increase their 
knowledge of public health practice.
    (4) Explains how the recipient will award students three semester 
and/or credit hours for completing public health course work.

b. Internship Programs (25 Points)

    The extent to which the recipient explains how it will develop and 
implement a competitive undergraduate summer internship program that 
emphasizes two categories of specialization:
    (1) Category I--training in biostatistics, epidemiology, and 
category II--training in occupational safety and health.
    (2) Identifies recruitment strategies for undergraduate students 
who have successfully completed at least the sophomore year in college 
and expressed an interest in pursuing a career in the health sciences, 
occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, environmental 
sciences, engineering, physics or mathematics.
    (3) Provides mechanisms for supporting students during the summer 
internship program.
    (4) Provides adequate technical assistance (e.g., computer, 
biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational safety and health) to ensure 
student's success in the internship program.
    (5) Establishes a data base of the interns.
    (6) Establishes a mechanism to award the students three credit 
hours for successful completion of research projects.

C. Public Health Sciences Advisory Group (10 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant explains a process for 
establishing a Public Health Sciences Advisory Group to help guide the 
implementation of the public health curriculum, the internship program, 
and activities related to research training and skills development.

d. Research Training and Skills Development (15 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant describes a plan and approaches 
to make applied health research projects (e.g., community assessments, 
programs, and materials evaluation, etc.) an integral part of the 
public health sciences curriculum, including existing and/or 
anticipated resource needs, (e.g., computer resources and faculty with 
applicable research experiences.)

e. Staffing and Management (20 points)

    The extent to which the applicant submits an adequate staffing and 
management plan for the successful implementation of the cooperative 
agreement.

f. Evaluation Plan (10 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant submits a plan (i.e., process and 
outcome evaluations) for evaluating the management and performance of 
the students who participate in the summer internship programs, 
presents a reasonable plan for obtaining data, reporting results, and 
includes a description of how a computerized tracking system will be 
developed and used as an evaluation tool for tracking and using 
programmatic results to enhance professional development of African 
American and other under-represented minorities in public health.

g. Budget (not scored)

    The extent to which the applicant provides a detailed and clear 
budget narrative consistent with the stated objectives, planned 
activities and goals of the project. The proposed budget must address 
the two categories of specialization. The proposed budget should 
include provisions for inflation adjustments for each subsequent year 
following year one of the award.

H. Other Requirements

    Technical Reporting Requirements Provide CDC with original plus two 
copies of annual progress reports not more than 60 days at the end of 
the project year, and a financial status report, no more than 90 days 
after the end of the budget period. Send all reports to: Brenda D. 
Hayes, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, 
Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, 
Atlanta, GA 30341-4146. Telephone: 770-488-2741. Email: [email protected].
    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each, see Attachment I in the 
application kit.

(AR-12) Lobbying Restrictions
(AR-1) Human Subjects Requirements
(AR98-2) 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-15) Proof of Non-Profit Status
(AR-16) Security Clearance Requirement

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under Sections 301(a) and 317 (k) (2) 
[42 U.S.C. 241 (a) and 247b (k) (2) of the Public Health Service Act, 
as amended. In addition, the program is authorized under Presidential 
Executive Orders related to under-represented minority students: 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Executive Order 12876 of 
November 1993. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 
93.283.

J. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    Please refer to Program Announcement 00028 when you request 
information. For a complete program description, information on 
application procedures, an application package, and business management 
technical assistance, contact: Brenda D. Hayes, Grants Management 
Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office 
Program Announcement 00028, 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, 
GA 30341-4146. Telephone: 770-488-2741. Email address [email protected].
    See also the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov.
    For program technical assistance, contact: Yvonne H. Lewis, 
Minority Health Program Specialist, Office of the Associate Director 
for Minority Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
1600 Clifton Road, M/S D-39, Atlanta, GA 30333. Telephone: 404-639-
7220. Email address: [email protected].

    See also the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov.


[[Page 69774]]


    Dated: December 8, 1999.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 99-32289 Filed 12-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P