[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28173-28174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12813]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 01084]


Improving Environmental 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 improving environmental health programs. This program 
addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of Environmental 
Health and Public Health Infrastructure. The purpose of the program is 
to identify methods that can be employed to strengthen collaborative 
linkages and better coordinate and integrate programs between 
environmental regulatory, environmental public health, and related 
environmental functions and programs in State, local, and Tribal 
governments as well as the private sector, academia, volunteer and 
advocacy groups, and others; to strengthen existing post-employment 
training and professional credentialing programs for the nation's 
environmental health workforce; and to develop a model plan for 
implementing these methods within the recipient's organization and that 
can be used as a model for similar organizations.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private nonprofit 
organizations and by governments and their agencies; that is, 
universities, colleges, research institutions, hospitals, other public 
and private nonprofit organizations, State and local governments 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, the Federated 
States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the 
Republic of Palau, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments, 
Indian tribes, or Indian tribal organizations.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $125,000 is available in FY 2001 to fund one award. 
It is expected that the award will begin about September 1, 2001, and 
will be made for a 12-month budget period within a one year project 
period. Funding estimates may change.

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. Identify a representative sample of a cross section of 
environmental health practitioners representing both regulatory and 
public health perspectives that are employed by the private sector; 
academia; State and local government; Indian Tribes or Nations; and 
professional, volunteer, and advocacy organizations.
    b. Develop a series of focus group questions that can serve to 
elicit information about: strengthening linkages among environmental 
health, environmental regulatory, and private sector professionals; and 
strengthening post-employment training and professional credentialing 
programs for environmental professionals in these sectors.
    c. Organize and conduct up to four focus group discussions made up 
of the environmental health professionals referenced in D.1.a. above in 
up to four geographically representative locations in the United 
States.
    d. Disseminate focus group findings in a report that defines 
methods to be employed by the recipient organization to improve 
coordination among the multiple disciplines, missions, and regulatory 
and public health perspectives represented within the environmental 
health field and that can be employed to strengthen existing programs 
that train, credential, and enhance the professional status of the 
environmental health workforce.
    e. Develop and implement a system to evaluate the effectiveness of 
this project.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Provide technical assistance as needed regarding sampling and 
other methodologic issues associated with the conduct of this project.
    b. Provide the recipient with source documents as needed to develop 
focus group questions.
    c. Assist in developing and disseminating the report of focus group 
findings and related strategies and recommendations.
    d. Assist in conducting the project evaluation.

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 15 double-spaced pages, 
printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced font. The 
narrative should consist of, at a minimum, a Plan, Objectives, Methods, 
Evaluation, and Budget.

F. Submission and Deadline

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/od/pgo/forminfo.htm, or in the application kit.
    On or before July 27, 2001, 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 
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 (1) or (2) 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.

[[Page 28174]]

1. Project Plan (30 points)

    The extent to which the applicant demonstrates an understanding of 
the nature of the problem to be addressed. This specifically includes 
profile of the recipient's employees or members by professional 
discipline (e.g., sanitarian, environmental engineer) and employer 
category (e.g., State regulatory agency, local health department) from 
which focus group samples will be drawn; a description of the barriers 
that currently affect coordination and collaboration between 
environmental regulatory, environmental public health, and other 
related agencies and organizations; a description of the applicant's 
current credentialing and training programs for environmental health 
professionals and the need for such programs to be expanded and 
strengthened; and a plan for incorporating project findings into the 
recipient's current programmatic, credentialing, and training 
activities.

2. Project Objectives and Activities (30 points)

    The specificity, measurability, and feasibility of objectives and 
proposed activities, including a schedule for implementing proposed 
activities, and a description of the responsibilities and time 
allocations of proposed staff in accomplishing those activities.

3. Organizational Qualifications and Experience (30 points)

    Evidence of the applicant's ability to provide staff, space, 
equipment, and other resources required to accomplish the goals and 
objectives of the project, including descriptions of the names and 
qualifications of professional staff to be assigned to the project and 
the facilities, space, and equipment available for this project.

4. Evaluation (10 points)

    Appropriateness of the methods to be used to monitor the 
implementation of proposed project activities.

5. Budget Justification (not scored)

    Extent to which the budget is reasonable, clearly justified, and 
consistent with the intended use of cooperative agreement funds.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with original plus two copies of:
    1. Semi-annual progress reports, no more than 30 days after the end 
of the report period;
    2. 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 kit.

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 section 317(k)(2) of the Public 
Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. section 247b(k)(2)], 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--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: Nancy Pillar, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, 
Telephone number: (770) 488-2721, Email address: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Mr. Kent Taylor, Office 
of Planning Evaluation, and Legislation, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 
Buford Highway, NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717, Telephone: (770) 488-7250, 
Email address: [email protected].

    Dated: May 16, 2001.
Henry S. Cassell, III,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-12813 Filed 5-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P