[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27511-27514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12422]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 01131]


National Programs That Build the Capacity of Schools To Prevent 
Foodborne Illness Through Coordinated School Health Programs; 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 National Programs That Build the Capacity of Schools to 
Prevent Foodborne Illness and Other Important Health Problems Through 
Coordinated School Health Programs. This program addresses the 
``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of Educational and Community-Based 
Programs.
    The purpose of this program is to develop a national program to 
build the capacity of state and local education and health agencies, 
and others to prevent foodborne illness and other important health 
problems as part of a coordinated school health program.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided to national organizations that are 
private health, education, or social service agencies (professional, or 
voluntary); qualify as a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity; have the capacity 
and experience to assist their local affiliates; and have affiliate 
offices or local, state, or regional membership constituencies in a 
minimum of ten states and territories.
    National organizations that are funded currently by CDC/Division of 
Adolescent and School Health (DASH) under program announcements 99023, 
97065, 00026, 00081, 00109, 00719, 98885, 99072, 00079 or 00618 are not 
eligible for this program announcement. A listing of CDC/DASH funded 
national organizations that are not eligible to apply is provided in 
Appendix I.

    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.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $168,000 is available in FY 2001 to fund one award. 
It is expected that the awards will begin on or about August 15, 2001, 
and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project period 
of up to four years. Funding estimates may change.
    Priority will be given to organizations whose direct constituencies 
are directors, administrators and managers of school food service 
programs. Affiliate offices and local, state, or regional membership 
constituencies may not apply in lieu of, or on behalf of, their parent 
national office.
    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 shall be responsible for conducting activities under 
section 1 (Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for 
conducting activities under section 2 (CDC Activities) as listed below:

1. Recipient Activities

    a. Collaborate with constituents; state and local education, 
health, agriculture, and social service agencies; non-governmental 
partners; and federal government agencies to implement a national 
strategy to prevent foodborne illness as part of coordinated school 
health programs.
    b. Establish specific, measurable, and realistic goals, objectives 
and evaluation measures to reduce and/or manage school foodborne 
illness outbreaks.
    c. As a part of the National Food Safety Initiative, establish an 
operational plan that includes collaborating with federal and state 
agencies and others engaged in food safe schools program-related 
activities, and developing or using existing discipline-specific 
training materials that build the capacity of school food service 
personnel to implement the school food service component of a model 
coordinated school food safety schools program, and to integrate that 
component with other components.
    d. Participate in quarterly meetings of the National Coalition for 
Food Safe Schools.
    e. Developing or using existing discipline-specific training 
materials for accompanying a model coordinated school food safe schools 
program for constituents.
    f. Disseminating programmatic information through appropriate 
methods, such as:
    1. Sharing materials that would reduce school foodborne illness or 
manage an outbreak through a variety of mechanisms (e.g. 
clearinghouses, conferences and/or workshops, newsletters, annual 
progress reports, etc.);
    2. Sharing project-related news and information with state and 
local education and health agencies, national organizations, and others 
through the Internet, other computer networks, the mail and at 
workshops and conferences.
    g. Educating and enabling school food service managers, decision 
makers and others who are members of the national organizations to act 
individually and collectively to support locally determined programs to 
reduce/manage school foodborne illness outbreaks.
    h. Educating and enabling families, media, businesses, and others 
in the community to act individually and collectively to support 
coordinated school health programs to reduce/manage school foodborne 
illness outbreaks.
    i. Building the capacity of community agencies and parents to 
establish and/or maintain programs that reduce/manage school foodborne 
illness outbreaks;
    j. Providing technical assistance and training to professionals and 
parents to use proven, effective strategies and programs to prevent 
behaviors that place elementary through college-aged young people at 
risk for foodborne illness.
    k. Participating in national conferences to promote model food safe 
schools programs.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Coordinate with national, state, and local education, health and 
social service agencies as well as other relevant organizations in 
planning and conducting national strategies designed to prevent 
foodborne illness through the development and implementation of a 
national food safe schools program.
    b. Assist with programmatic consultation and guidance related to 
program planning, implementation, and evaluation; assessment of program 
objectives; and dissemination of successful strategies, experiences, 
and evaluation reports.
    c. Participate in planning meetings with national, state, and local 
education agencies and other appropriate agencies to address issues and 
program activities related to improving coordinated school health 
programs; and strengthen the

[[Page 27512]]

capacity of postsecondary institutions and youth-serving agencies to 
prevent foodborne illness through coordinated food safe schools 
programs.
    d. Assist with the evaluation of program activities.

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 twenty (20) double-spaced 
pages, printed on one side, with one-inch margins, and unreduced font.

1. Background (No More Than 4 Pages)

    a. Describe your organization's current structure (mission, goals 
and its membership or affiliates and their geographic representation). 
Describe how that structure can support food safe schools programs that 
are part of a coordinated school health program, including the 
potential role of your organization's primary constituency in a food 
safe schools initiative. Identify current gaps in the existing 
structure and implementation of school-based food safety programs, and 
discuss how your constituency can enhance the state and local education 
agencies' ability to deliver an optimal food safe schools program.
    b. Describe your organization's experience in assisting the state 
education, health and agriculture departments' current school food 
safety program. Include in your description, experience assisting these 
agencies' use of existing protocols, training, and educational 
materials available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related to food safety and 
foodborne illness outbreaks. Describe barriers within state and local 
education agencies to reporting foodborne illnesses and outbreaks and 
indicate how your organization and constituency can build that 
capacity.
    c. Describe your organization's experience in developing and 
implementing policy related to food safety programs and reporting 
school-based foodborne outbreaks. Discuss potential limitations to 
existing policies and describe, if any, the need for new policies that 
address school food safety and the prevention of foodborne illness.
    d. Describe your organization's experience in developing and 
implementing model policy, curricula, training programs, surveillance 
activities, and evaluation protocols. Describe your organization's 
experience providing technical assistance and training. Priority will 
be given to organizations whose direct constituencies are directors, 
administrators and managers of school food service programs.

2. Operational Plan (No More Than 8 Pages)

    a. Provide long-term (four-year) goals and short-term (one-year) 
objectives for the proposed project that build the capacity of 
coordinated food safe schools programs nationwide. The objectives 
should be specific, time-phased, measurable, and realistic. The 
proposed objectives should compliment ongoing activities related to 
``From Farm to Table: A National Food Safety Initiative'' (see the U.S. 
government food safety information gateway website http://www.foodsafety.gov for more information on activities related to the 
National Food Safety Initiative).
    b. Submit a plan that proposes first year activities to build the 
capacity of your organization and others to support and/or implement a 
model food safe schools program designed to prevent foodborne illness 
in schools. Include a time-line for the completion of each component or 
major activity that describes who will do what by when. Examples of 
acceptable activities can include, but are not limited to the Recipient 
Activities described in section D Program Requirements.

3. Administration and Management (No More Than 2 Pages)

    a. Describe how the proposed professional staff will contribute to 
the overall food safe schools program. Describe how the current or 
proposed placement of each staff will assure that program 
implementation among state education, health, and agriculture agencies, 
their affiliates, and partners is coordinated with your organization's 
constituents.
    b. Demonstrate that existing or proposed professional staff have or 
will have the necessary background and qualifications for the proposed 
responsibilities. Indicate how your organization can ensure that for 
each professional working on the project, their position description 
requires the appropriate level of education and experience related to 
the level of responsibility and expected duties. A curriculum vitae (no 
more than two pages for each staff) should be included in an appendix 
to the application for existing staff who are assigned to this project.
    c. In an appendix to the application, provide an organizational 
chart that identifies lines of communication, accountability, 
reporting, authority, and describes management and control systems 
within your organization.

4. Collaboration (No More Than 2 Pages)

    a. Describe the organization's current collaboration with states' 
health, education, and agricultural departments. Describe your 
organization's collaboration with other federal agencies, national non-
profit organizations, foundations, community-based groups, and others 
who have an interest in or whose mission includes food safety programs, 
whether their efforts are school-based or not. Discuss how your 
collaborative relationship can strengthen this project. Indicate who 
you propose to collaborate with to implement the proposed Operational 
Plan. Include letters of participation and support documenting these 
anticipated collaborations. In particular, describe how the proposed 
activities compliment or build on the existing food safety programs.
    b. Describe collaborative activities or anticipated relationships 
with other national organizations who support coordinated school health 
programs. Include letters of participation and support documenting 
these anticipated collaborations. In particular, describe how your 
organization can compliment the activities of existing national 
organizations and how their expertise can support this proposed 
project.

5. Evaluation Plan (No More Than 2 Pages)

    Describe plans to evaluate progress in meeting objectives and 
conducting activities during the budget period. Specify what data will 
be obtained and present a plan that includes how the data will be 
obtained, disseminated, and used to improve the program. Indicate in 
the plan who will do what and when.

6. Budget and Justification (No More Than 2 Pages)

    Provide a detailed budget and line-item justification for all 
operating expenses that are consistent with proposed objectives and 
planned activities. The budget should include funds for travel to two 
CDC meetings during the budget year.

F. Submission and Deadline

    Submit the original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number 0920-
0428). Forms are available in the application kit and at the following 
Internet address: http://forms.psc.gov/
    On or before June 15, 2001 submit the application to the Grants 
Management

[[Page 27513]]

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 
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 are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing).
    Late: Applications which do not meet the criteria in 1. or 2. above 
will be returned to the applicant.

G. Evaluation Criteria

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

1. Background and Need (30 Points)

    a. (10 points) The extent to which the applicant describes the 
current organizational structure, how that structure can support food 
safe schools programs, and identifies current gaps in the existing 
structure of education agencies that decreases the agencies' ability to 
deliver an optimal food safe schools program.
    b. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant discusses barriers 
within education agencies to using existing resources that contribute 
to the prevention of foodborne illnesses and describes experience 
assisting state agencies' use of existing protocols, training, and 
educational materials.
    c. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant describes 
experience in developing policy related to food safety programs and 
reporting school-based foodborne outbreaks, discusses gaps in existing 
policy and discusses a proposal for new policy.
    d. (10 points) The extent to which the applicant describes 
experience in supporting, developing and implementing model policy, 
curricula, training programs, surveillance activities, and evaluation 
protocol and describes the organization's experience providing 
technical assistance and training. Priority will be given to 
organizations whose direct constituencies are directors, administrators 
and managers of school food service programs.
    2. Operational Plan (30 Points)
    a. (15 Points) The extent to which the applicant provides long-term 
(four-year) and short-term (one-year) objectives for the proposed 
project that build the capacity of food safe schools programs 
nationwide. The objectives must be specific, time-phased, measurable, 
and realistic. The proposed objectives should compliment ongoing 
activities related to ``From Farm to Table: A National Food Safety 
Initiative'' (see the U.S. government food safety information gateway 
website, http://www.foodsafety.gov, for more information on activities 
related to the National Food Safety Initiative).
    b. (15 points) The extent to which the applicant submits a plan 
that builds the capacity of its constituents and others to assist state 
and local education agencies in establishing a model food safe schools 
program designed to prevent foodborne illness and includes a time-line 
for the completion of each component or major activity that describes 
who will do what by when. The extent to which the proposed activities 
are comparable to the identified Recipient Activities described in 
Section D Program Requirements.

3. Administration and Management (15 Points)

    a. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant provides job 
descriptions for existing and proposed professional positions and 
describes how the proposed professional staff will contribute to the 
overall food safe schools program. The extent to which the applicant 
describes how the current or proposed placement of each staff will 
assure that program implementation is coordinated with the 
organization's constituents and partners.
    b. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that 
existing or proposed staff have or will have the necessary background 
and qualifications for the proposed responsibilities. The extent to 
which the applicant provides a curriculum vitae for existing staff who 
are assigned to this project.
    c. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant provides an 
organizational chart that identifies lines of communication, 
accountability, reporting, authority, and describes management and 
control systems within the organization and discusses how the proposed 
placement of the project in the organization will increase its 
likelihood of success.

4. Collaboration (20 Points)

    a. (15 points) The extent to which the applicant describes current 
collaboration with health, education, and/or agricultural agencies, the 
organization's collaboration with other federal agencies, national non-
profit organizations, foundations, community-based groups, and others 
who have an interest in or whose mission includes food safety programs, 
and discusses how the current collaborative relationships can 
compliment the proposed project. The extent to which the applicant 
indicates proposed collaborative relationships that will support the 
proposed operational plan and includes letters of participation and 
support documenting these anticipated collaborations especially with 
proposed activities.
    b. (5 points) The extent to which the applicant describes 
collaborative activities or anticipated relationships with other 
national organizations who support model food safe schools programs, 
and includes letters of participation and support documenting these 
anticipated collaborations. The extent to which the applicant describes 
how the organization can compliment the activities of existing 
organizations and how their expertise can support this proposed 
project.

5. Evaluation Plan (5 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant describes their plan to evaluate 
progress in meeting objectives and conducting activities during the 
budget period including their ability to describe: (a) What data will 
be obtained; (b) how the data will be obtained; (c) how evaluation 
information will be disseminated; (d) how the evaluation data will be 
used to improve the program; and (e) who will implement the evaluation 
plan and when.

6. Budget and Justification (Not Scored)

    The extent to which the budget is reasonable and consistent with 
the purposes and activities of the program.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements
    Provide CDC with original plus two copies of:
    1. Annual progress report.
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period.
    3. Final financial report and performance report, 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.


[[Page 27514]]


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 2010
AR-12--Lobbying Restrictions
AR-14--Accounting System Requirements
AR-15--Proof of Non-Profit Status

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under sections 301(a), 311(b) and (c), 
and 317 (k)(2) [42 U.S.C. 241(a), 243(b) and (c), and 247(b)(K)(2)] of 
the Public Health Service Act, as amended. The Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance number is 93.938.

J. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This and other CDC announcements can be found on the CDC home page 
Internet address http://www.cdc.gov Click on ``Funding'' then ``Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements.''
    If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from: Cynthia Collins, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Office, Program Announcement 01131, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), 2920 Brandywine Rd, Rm 3000, MS E-18, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30341-4146, Telephone: (770) 488-2757, Email: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Mary Vernon Smiley, 
Chief, Special Populations Section, Program Development and Services 
Branch, Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for 
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Program Announcement 
01131, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, 
NE MS K-31, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-6199, Email: 
[email protected].

    Dated: May 11, 2001.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-12422 Filed 5-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P