[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 130 (Thursday, July 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41672-41674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17011]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 00138]


Youth-Focused HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Development and 
Technical Assistance Collaboration With Countries Targeted by the 
Leadership and Investment in Fighting the Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative; 
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 for HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Development and Technical 
Assistance Collaboration with Countries Targeted by the LIFE 
(Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic) Initiative.
    In July 1999, the Administration announced the LIFE Initiative to 
address the global AIDS pandemic. The LIFE Initiative, an effort to 
expand and intensify the global response to the growing AIDS pandemic 
and its serious impact, is part of the United States (U.S.) 
Government's participation in the International Partnership Against 
HIV/AIDS in Africa (IPAA). A central feature of the LIFE Initiative is 
a $100 million increase in U.S. support for sub-Saharan African 
countries and India, which are working to prevent the further spread of 
HIV and to care for those affected by this devastating disease. This 
additional funding is a critical step by the U.S. Government in 
recognizing the impact that AIDS continues to have on individuals, 
families, communities, and nations and responding to the imperative to 
do more. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its 
agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is 
administering $35 million of the $100 million allocated to the LIFE 
Initiative by the U.S. Congress.
    The purpose of the program is to support HIV/AIDS prevention 
program development and technical assistance for countries designated 
by the U.S. Congress under the LIFE Initiative. At present, those 
countries are Botswana, Cote D'Ivoire, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, 
Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Nigeria, 
Senegal, Zambia and India. The countries targeted represent those with 
the most severe epidemic and the highest number of new infections. They 
also represent countries where the potential for impact is greatest and 
where U.S. government agencies are already active.
    The goals of the program are to address and support three program 
elements of the LIFE initiative: Primary Prevention, Capacity and 
Infrastructure Development, and Community and Home-Based Care and 
Treatment. The program described in this announcement calls for the 
delivery of HIV/AIDS prevention program development and technical 
assistance to the LIFE countries through a variety of recipient 
activities. The technical assistance will enhance the skills of LIFE 
country national AIDS program officials in strategic planning, 
evaluation, and communication relating to youth HIV/AIDS prevention 
care programs.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided only to a non-profit non-governmental 
organization. The eligible applicant must meet these criteria:
    1. Have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), as 
evidenced by an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determination letter.
    2. Have youth representation on their governing body, board, or on 
an advisory committee.
    3. Have a minimum of one year documented experience in operating 
and centrally administering a coordinated program to serve youth with 
HIV prevention education and services within a major portion or region 
(multi-state or multi-territory) of the United States.

    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

    Approximately $1 million is available in FY 2000 to support one 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or about September 
30, 2000, 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.

Use of Funds

    Funds received from this announcement will not be used for the 
purchase of antiretroviral drugs for treatment of established HIV 
infection, occupational exposures, and non-occupational exposures 
and will not be used for the purchase of machines and reagents to 
conduct the necessary laboratory monitoring for patient care.

    Applicant may contract with other organizations under this 
cooperative agreement, however, applicant must perform a substantial 
portion of the activities (including program management and operations 
and delivery of prevention services) for which funds are requested.

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 listed under 
2. CDC Activities.

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Provide technical assistance to national AIDS control programs 
in LIFE countries on how to collect, synthesize, and disseminate global 
youth-focused best-practices information. This will also help the 
youth-serving organizations (YSOs) and non-governmental organizations 
working with national AIDS control programs in the LIFE countries to 
meet the needs of young people. Activities could include, but are not 
limited to, peer education, adolescent development, adolescent sexual 
and reproductive health issues, and youth development as a prevention 
strategy.
    b. Identify and implement peer-to-peer training opportunities and 
technical assistance needs for young people and their providers from 
national AIDS control programs in LIFE countries. This peer-to-peer 
training and technical assistance will help LIFE country public health 
providers plan, implement, and evaluate HIV/AIDS prevention and care 
programs to meet the in-country needs of young people. Such peer-to-
peer technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, 
identifying and facilitating training experiences for young people or 
their providers from LIFE countries; bringing young people or their 
providers from LIFE countries to the U.S. to participate in 
conferences, meetings, and/or developmental experiences; and/or agency 
or its approved representatives embarking on temporary assignments in 
LIFE countries. Topics may include but are not limited to counseling 
and testing with young people, how to make HIV/AIDS medical services 
youth accessible, mother-to-child transmission, contraception supply 
and accessibility for youth, and development for vulnerable youth.

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    c. Provide public health officials, young people, youth-serving 
providers from national AIDS control programs, NGOs and YSOs in LIFE 
countries with technical assistance throughout the project period on 
developing and implementing strategic youth-focused HIV/AIDS prevention 
and care plans. Such plans will consist of goals and measurable 
objectives. This technical assistance will include how to monitor 
implementation of objectives in order to assess effectiveness and how 
to determine the timing and content of mid-course corrections to 
accomplish objectives.
    d. Provide public health officials from national AIDS control 
programs, YSOs, and young people in LIFE countries with technical 
assistance, working with such officials to identify local HIV/AIDS 
prevention and care program and policy issues as they are evolving, and 
helping to determine how to use this feedback to refine and improve HIV 
prevention and care plans and programs.
    e. Provide partnering organizations in LIFE countries with 
technical assistance to develop systems for timely distribution and 
dissemination of youth-specific HIV/AIDS program and policy information 
for continuing modification and improvement of AIDS control policies.
    f. Develop and sustain, beyond project period, a communications 
systems to keep all stakeholders (officials from LIFE country national 
AIDS control programs, U.S. partners, CBOs, young people, YSOs, CDC, 
and others) informed of project progress and to share technical 
assistance and capacity building information.
    g. Document, monitor, and record outcome indicators of successful 
activities under this cooperative agreement and include such evaluation 
information in the required annual progress reports.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Provide technical advice to partners and national AIDS control 
programs of LIFE countries on development of systems to identify and 
improve youth-focused HIV/AIDS program and policy issues.
    b. Provide consultation, scientific and technical assistance to 
partners and national AIDS control programs of LIFE countries on 
planning, operating, analyzing, and evaluating youth-focused HIV 
prevention programs.
    c. Provide program and policy information to partners and national 
AIDS control programs of LIFE countries for rapid dissemination, 
coordination, and implementation of youth-focused HIV prevention 
efforts.
    d. Assist in assessing program operations and evaluating overall 
effectiveness of programs.

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 20 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced font. Pages 
should be numbered and a complete index to the application and its 
appendixes must be included. Begin each separate section on a new page. 
The original and each copy of the application set must be submitted 
unstapled and unbound. The following format should be used when 
developing your narrative.

Format

1. Abstract
2. Justification of Need
3. Organizational Capacity
4. Staffing Plans
5. Collaboration
6. Management and Evaluation Plan
7. Budget

F. 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 August 21, 2000, 
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:
    (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 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.)
    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 reviewed and evaluated against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC:

1. Justification of Need (20 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant demonstrates understanding of the 
requirements, problems, objectives, complexities, and interactions 
required of the cooperative agreement.

2. Organizational Capacity (30 Points)

    a. Degree to which the applicant provides evidence of an ability to 
carry-out the proposed project and the extent to which the applicant 
institution documents the capability to achieve objectives similar to 
those of this project.
    b. Degree to which applicant has developed their expertise, 
services, and experience in youth-oriented HIV prevention, rather than 
just adapting such resources from an adult to a youth perspective.
    c. Degree to which applicant has established mechanisms for 
communicating youth-focused HIV/AIDS prevention information in LIFE 
countries.
    d. Degree to which proposed objectives are clearly stated, 
realistic, measurable, time-phased, related to the purpose of this 
project.

3. Staffing Plan (20 Points)

    Extent to which professional personnel involved in this project are 
qualified, including evidence of past achievements relevant to this 
project.

4. Collaboration (10 Points)

    a. Degree to which applicant possess established networks of 
contacts and knowledge of youth-serving HIV prevention institutions, 
people, and resources in order to identify people and programs for 
technical assistance and capacity building in LIFE countries.
    b. Degree to which applicant has already developed national and 
global networks among officials in governments, non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) 
throughout the U.S. and in the LIFE countries.

5. Management and Evaluation Plan (20 Points)

    Extent to which applicant demonstrates the adequacy of plans for 
administering and evaluating the project.

6. Budget (Not Scored)

    Extent to which project budget is reasonable.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with the original plus two copies of

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    1. Annual progress reports;
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period;
    3. Final financial report 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 kit.

AR-4  HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions
AR-9  Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10  Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-12  Lobbying Restrictions

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under section 317(k) (2) of the Public 
Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 247b(k)(2). The Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance number is 93.941, HIV Demonstration, Research, 
Public and Professional Education Projects.

J. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This and other CDC [ATSDR] announcements can be found on the CDC 
home page Internet: http://www.cdc.gov. Click on ``Funding'', then 
``Grants and Cooperative Agreements.''
    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: Annie H. Camacho, Grants Management Specialist, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Procurement and Grants Office, 
Room 3000, 2920 Brandywine Road, Mailstop E-15, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, 
Telephone: (770) 488-2735, Email: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Leo Weakland, Deputy 
Coordinator, Global AIDS Activity (GAA), National Center for HIV, STD, 
and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-07, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone number 
(404) 639-8016, Email address: [email protected].

    Dated: June 29, 2000.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
(CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-17011 Filed 7-5-00; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P