[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27501-27503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12416]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 01090]


Building Environmental Health Services Capacity in State and 
Local Departments of Public Health; Notice of Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2001 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program for ``Building Environmental Health Services Capacity in State 
and Local Departments of Public Health.'' This program addresses the 
``Healthy People 2010'' priority areas of environmental health, public 
health infrastructure, and education and community-based programs. The 
purpose of the program is for state and local public health departments 
to plan, implement, expand, and evaluate their environmental public 
health activities built on a framework that is based on the ten 
Essential Public Health Services (see: www.health.gov/phfunctions/public.htm), ten Essential Environmental Health Services, and Core 
Competencies for Effective Practice of Environmental Health (see 
Addendum).

B. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by state and local health departments 
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.

    Note: Title 2 of the United States Code, Chapter 26, Section 
1611 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.


[[Page 27502]]



C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $1,000,000 is available in FY 2001 to fund 
approximately five awards. It is expected that the average award will 
be $200,000, ranging from $150,000 to $250,000. It is expected that the 
awards will begin on or about September 30, 2001, and will be made 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 towards the development of the 
model demonstration program 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 listed under 1. 
(Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for the activities 
listed under 2. (CDC Activities).

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Create a comprehensive, state-of-the-art environmental health 
services program built on the framework of the ten Essential Public 
Health Services, ten Essential Environmental Health Services, and the 
Core Competencies for Effective Practice of Environmental Health.
    b. Train, where necessary, health department staff and others who 
are responsible for implementing and carrying out the activities 
associated with building and expanding capacity to deliver 
comprehensive, state-of-the-art environmental public health services, 
based on the ten Essential Public Health Services, ten Essential 
Environmental Health Services, and the Core Competencies for Effective 
Practice of Environmental Health.
    c. Plan, conduct, and coordinate the environmental health services 
with other health department units (e.g., epidemiology, chronic 
disease, etc.), governmental agencies (i.e., Environmental Protection 
Agency) and community-based organizations (CBOs) (e.g., environmental 
health advocacy groups, environmental justice organizations) that will 
result in the development, reorganization, or expansion of the health 
department's environmental health services program based on the ten 
Essential Public Health Services, ten Essential Environmental Health 
Services, and the Core Competencies for Effective Practice of 
Environmental.
    d. Carry out process and outcome evaluations for the program 
undertaken.
    e. Disseminate findings.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Provide technical assistance and consultation, if necessary, to 
the award recipient to refine the project plan, data and information 
collection and analysis instruments.
    b. Provide technical consultation, as requested, on systems 
planning and program development.

E. Application Content

    Use the information in the Program Requirements, Other 
Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the 
application content. The application will be evaluated on the 
Evaluation Criteria listed, so it is important to follow them in 
developing the program plan. The narrative should be no more than 30 
double-spaced pages, printed on one side, with one-inch margins, and no 
more than a 12-point Courier font. Number each page consecutively and 
provide a complete table of contents. The total number of pages should 
not exceed 60, including the appendix. The application must be 
submitted unstapled and unbound. In developing the application, the 
applicant must also include a one-page, double-spaced abstract that 
describes the project. It should be placed before the budget and 
narrative sections.
    The application should:
    1. Describe the applicant's agency and its position within the 
governmental structure;
    2. Describe how the project will be administered, including job 
descriptions for all project positions and the curriculum vitae of all 
key administrative and technical staff;
    3. Describe its operational plan, with long- and short-range 
objectives and provide a realistic timetable to build or expand 
capacity to deliver comprehensive, state-of-the-art environmental 
health services. The plan should be based on the ten Essential Public 
Health Services, ten Essential Environmental Health Services, and Core 
Competencies for Effective Practice of Environmental Health.
    4. Contain a comprehensive evaluation scheme to measure process and 
outcome. The outcome evaluation should focus on the: (1) Reduction of 
environmentally related risk factors known to contribute to disease, 
and/or (2) the impact on incidence and prevalence of environmentally 
induced illness and disease.

F. Submission and Deadline

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    A one-page letter of intent (LOI) is requested to enable CDC to 
determine the level of interest in the announcement. Include name, 
address, and telephone number for key contact, and provide a brief 
description of the proposed project.
    The LOI is requested on or before June 16, 2001. Submit the LOI to 
the Grants Management Specialist identified in the ``Where to Obtain 
Additional Information'' section of this announcement.

Application

    Submit the original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number 0937-
0189). Forms are available at the following Internet address: 
www.cdc.gov or in the application kit. On or before July 16, 2001, 
submit the application to the Grants Management Specialist identified 
in the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information'' section of the 
application.

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 
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 evaluated individually against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC.

1. Understanding the Problem (15 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant understands the public health, 
social, and economic consequences of inadequate environmental health 
services in their community based upon health and demographic 
indicators.

2. Objectives and Methods (15 Points)

    a. The extent to which the applicant has developed sound, feasible 
objectives that are consistent with the activities described in this 
announcement and are specific, measurable, and time-framed.

[[Page 27503]]

    b. The extent to which the applicant describes the specific 
activities and methods to achieve each objective.
    c. The extent to which the proposed time-table for developing the 
demonstration model is clearly defined. It should include a tentative 
work plan and time table for the remaining years of the proposed 
project.

3. Program Development Plan (30 Points)

    a. The extent to which the applicant's program development plan is 
clear, feasible, scientifically sound, and describes the approach and 
activities necessary to carry out the health department's role in 
providing essential environmental health services under the three core 
functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance.
    b. The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated its ability 
to develop a comprehensive, state-of-the art environmental health 
program based on the ten Essential Public Health Services, ten 
Essential Environmental Health Services, and the Core Competencies for 
Effective Practice of Environmental Health. Each element will be 
specifically evaluated in terms of how it applies directly to the 
provision or delivery and improvement of environmental health services.

4. Coordination and Collaboration (10 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant involves collaborators in the 
development of the demonstration model. This includes describing its 
relationship with other health department components and government 
agencies, academia, and CBOs as evidenced by letters of support, 
memoranda of agreement, and other documented evidence.

5. Project Management and Staffing (15 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant documents skills, ability, and 
experience of key health department staff who will be responsible for 
developing, implementing, and carrying out the requirements of the 
demonstration model. Specifically, the applicant should: (a) Describe 
health department staff roles in the development and implementation of 
the model, their specific responsibilities and their level of effort 
and time commitment. It should provide assurances that positions to be 
filled by the applicant's personnel system will be done within 
reasonable time after receiving funding.

6. Program Evaluation (15 Points)

    a. The evaluation plan should describe useful and appropriate 
strategies and approaches to monitor and improve the quality, 
effectiveness, and efficiency of the demonstration model.
    b. The extent to which the applicant proposes to measure the 
overall impact of the demonstration model in terms of its contribution 
to improving the delivery of environmental health services, as may be 
evidenced by the reduction of environmentally related risk factors 
known to contribute to disease, and/or the impact on incidence and 
prevalence of environmentally induced illness and disease.

7. Budget Justification (Not Scored)

    The extent to which the budget is clearly explained, adequately 
justified, and is reasonable and consistent with the stated objectives 
and planned activities.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements
    Provide CDC with the original plus two copies of:
    1. Semi-annual progress reports which are due within 30 days of the 
end of each six-month reporting period;
    2. The financial status report which is due no more than 90 days 
after the end of the budget period; and
    3. The final financial and performance reports which are due 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 of the 
announcement.

AR-7--Executive Order 12372 Review
AR-9--Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10--Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11--Healthy People 2010
AR-12--Lobbying Restrictions

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

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

J. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This and other CDC announcements can be found on the CDC home page 
Internet address: www.cdc.gov by clicking on ``Funding'' then ``Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements.''
    To obtain additional information, contact: Virginia Hall-Broadnax, 
Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and 
Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop E-
13, 2920 Brandywine Road, Suite 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone 
number: (770) 488-2761, Email address: [email protected].
    For scientific technical assistance, contact: Patrick O. Bohan, 
Acting Chief, Environmental Health Services, Division of Emergency and 
Environmental Health Services, National Center for Environmental 
Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail Stop: F-30, 
4770 Buford Highway, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30341-2724, Telephone: 
(770) 488-7303, Email: [email protected].
    For programmatic assistance, contact: Jerry M. Hershovitz, Special 
Assistant to the Director for Program Development, Division of 
Emergency and Environmental Health Services, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail 
Stop: F-30, 4770 Buford Highway, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30341-2724, 
Telephone: (770) 488-4542, Email: [email protected].

    Dated: May 11, 2001.
John L. Williams
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-12416 Filed 5-16-01; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P