[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 125 (Thursday, June 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34449-34451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16248]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 01111]


Global Malaria Prevention and Control 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 Global Malaria Prevention and Control. This program 
addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of Immunization and 
Infectious Diseases.
    The purpose of the program is to expand the involvement of 
organizations in the global Roll Back Malaria (RBM) effort and to 
foster endemic-country action in malaria prevention and control program 
implementation and the relevant ancillary activities (e.g., baseline 
evaluation, strategy development, training, monitoring and evaluation, 
focused operations research to further the program implementation). See 
Attachment 2 for more background information.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided to public and private nonprofit 
organizations and their agents, including public and nonprofit faith-
based organizations.

    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 $500,000 is available in FY 2001 to fund 
approximately three awards. It is expected that the average award will 
be $125,000, ranging from $100,000 to $150,000. 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 as evidenced by required reports 
and the availability of funds.

Funding Preference

    Funding preference will be given to organizations proposing to work 
in sub-Saharan African countries with the greatest number of malaria 
deaths.

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

    The applicant and their partner(s) in the malaria-endemic country 
must:
    a. Enhance local capacity for implementing methods that will reduce 
malaria transmission and the morbidity and mortality from malaria 
infection in the partner malaria-endemic country. Applicants, in 
collaboration with the partner country, should analyze the partner 
country's current infrastructure for RBM implementation (per Attachment 
3) and develop strategies that will address the priority implementation 
needs. In countries where such an analysis has already been done, 
applicants should propose to carry out through collaboration with a 
partner organization in the partner country the priority malaria 
prevention activities identified through the infrastructure analysis.
    Priority program areas are listed below and are examples of 
activities that would be appropriate to propose under this 
announcement. Some of these activities may have been

[[Page 34450]]

addressed or are currently being addressed by the partner country's 
government or other partner organizations, in which case, the applicant 
should not duplicate existing efforts. Details and example activities 
for each are provided as attachments in the application kit.
    1. Public health capacity building for government or institutions 
contributing to malaria prevention and control (Attachment 4)
    2. Increase the public's access to effective antimalarial drugs and 
appropriate management of malaria illness to reduce malaria-associated 
mortality or the severity and duration of malaria illness. (Attachment 
5)
    3. Reduce exposure to malaria, particularly among young children 
and pregnant women, through the use of proven malaria control 
interventions. (Attachment 6)
    4. Prevention of malaria and its adverse consequences during 
pregnancy. (Attachment 7)
    5. Assess RBM program progress (Attachment 8)
    6. Operations research (Attachment 9)
    b. Attend and participate in an annual meeting of grantee 
representatives to present, discuss, and evaluate program activities.
    c. If a proposed project involves research on human participants, 
ensure appropriate Independent Review Board (IRB) review.

2. CDC Activities

    a. Provide consultation and assistance with training curricula and 
materials as necessary and appropriate for in-country training 
programs.
    b. Provide consultation and assistance as needed to further the 
efforts of cooperative agreement recipients and their country partners 
in RBM planning and assessment.
    c. Provide consultation and assistance on methods for treatment of 
malaria, enhancing local capacity to increase use of insecticide 
treated bed nets, or prevention of malaria and its adverse consequences 
during pregnancy.
    d. Provide consultation and assistance on operations research study 
designs that may be carried out by one or more cooperative agreement 
recipients.
    e. Assist in the development of a research protocol for IRB by all 
cooperating institutions participating in the research project. The CDC 
IRB will review and approve the protocol initially and on at least an 
annual basis until the research project is completed.
    f. Participate in an annual meeting of grantee representatives to 
present, discuss, and evaluate program activities.

E. Content

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    An LOI is requested for this program. The narrative should be no 
more than two single-spaced pages, printed on one side, with one inch 
margins, and unreduced font. Your letter of intent will be used to plan 
the independent review group. The letter should include the following 
information (1) name and address of the organization and the proposed 
partner country and organization(s); (2) name, address and, telephone 
number of a contact person; (3) a brief description of the past and 
anticipated collaboration between the applicant and partner 
organization(s) in the partner country.

Applications

    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.
    Applicants must include evidence that they have notified the 
appropriate agency or Ministry of Health (MOH) in the government of the 
international or partner country. Applicant must receive concurrence 
from the appropriate agency or MOH in the government before an official 
award is made.
    Applicants must show an established relationship with a partner 
organization(s) in the country they propose for their project. A letter 
with the partner's letterhead documenting the partner's agreement to 
collaborate on the respective activities must be included after the 
face page of the application. Without this letter(s), the application 
will be deemed non-responsive and returned.

F. Submission and Deadline

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    On or before July 15, 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 five copies of PHS-398 (OMB Number 0925-
0001) (adhere to the instructions on the Errata Instruction Sheet for 
PHS 398). Forms are available in the application kit and at the 
following Internet address: www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm.
    On or before August 13, 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 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 criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC.

1. Background and Need (15 Points)

    a. The extent to which the malaria situation in the partner 
malaria-endemic country is well established as an important cause of 
morbidity and mortality across the country;
    b. The extent to which the existing malaria control program and its 
prevention and control strategies are clearly described;
    c. The extent to which existing surveillance, monitoring and 
evaluation methods and capability are clearly described;
    d. The extent to which gaps and priorities in malaria prevention 
and control implementation are clearly described.

2. Collaborative Arrangement(s) (25 Points)

    a. The extent to which the description of past and current 
collaboration between the applicant and partner organization in the 
partner country reflects an effective working relationship that will 
support the proposed activities;
    b. The extent to which the collaboration will include the 
organization responsible for policy and implementation of malaria 
prevention and control in the target area;
    c. Formal letters of support are provided for this application from 
appropriate groups (Ministry of Health, University, etc.) within the 
malaria-endemic country to demonstrate the appropriate and necessary 
cooperation for malaria prevention and control program support.

[[Page 34451]]

    d. The extent to which plans for representation at the annual 
meeting of awardees reflect the intent to actively collaborate with 
other awardees through this meeting.

3. Plan of Operation (45 Points)

    a. The extent to which the application provides evidence that key 
personnel have the ability and program skills to develop and carry out 
the proposed activities;
    b. The extent to which the applicant and malaria-endemic partners 
have demonstrated a collaborative review of the priority needs for 
malaria in the malaria-endemic country;
    c. The extent to which the applicant clearly defines objectives and 
justifies these objectives in relation to the proposed focus of the 
plan to address priority issues for the malaria-endemic country RBM 
program;
    d. The adequacy of the plan to carry out major project components 
(e.g., in both the applicant and malaria-endemic country: leadership, 
staffing, administrative coordination, planning, and measurement 
activities), including a timetable that provides major milestones for 
implementing activities;
    e. The degree to which the plan is consistent with malaria 
prevention best practices and RBM principles;
    f. If capacity building for public health in malaria is proposed, 
the extent to which the planned activities relate to capacity 
improvements that will benefit RBM activities in the partner country;
    g. The degree to which the applicant has met the CDC Policy 
requirements regarding the inclusion of women, ethnic, and racial 
groups in the proposed research. This includes:
    (1) The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial 
and ethnic minority populations for appropriate representation.
    (2) The proposed justification when representation is limited or 
absent.
    (3) A statement as to whether the design of the study is adequate 
to measure differences when warranted.
    (4) A statement as to whether the plans for recruitment and 
outreach for study participants include the process of establishing 
partnerships with community(ies) and recognition of mutual benefits.

4. Evaluation Plan (15 Points)

    The extent to which (a) the applicant describes a detailed plan for 
monitoring the implementation of the activities and evaluating the 
extent to which the proposed activities strengthen local and national 
capacity for malaria prevention and control, and (b) the monitoring and 
evaluation plan builds on existing monitoring and evaluation systems in 
the project area and can demonstrate progress towards RBM objectives.

5. Budget (Not Scored)

    The extent to which the budget is detailed, clear, justified, 
describes in-kind or other project support, and is consistent with the 
proposed program activities.

6. Human Subjects (Not Scored)

    Does the application adequately address the requirements of Title 
45 CFR Part 46 for the protection of human subjects? (Not scored; 
however, an application can be disapproved if the research risks are 
sufficiently serious and protection against risks is so inadequate as 
to make the entire application unacceptable.)

H. Other Requirements

    Technical Reporting Requirements Provide CDC with original plus two 
copies of--
    1. annual progress reports;
    2. financial Status Report (FSR), no more than 90 days after the 
end of the budget period; and
    3. 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 of the 
announcement in the application kit.
AR-1  Hunman Subjects Requirements
AR-2  Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and Ethnic 
Minorities in Research
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
AR-22  Research Integrity

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under sections 301(a), 307, and 
317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. sections 241(a), 
2421, and 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 obtain business management technical assistance, contact: Merlin 
Williams, 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: 770-488-2765, Email address: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Richard W. Steketee, MD, 
MPH or Craig Leutzinger, Division of Parasitic Diseases, National 
Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 770-488-
7760, Fax: 770-488-7761, Email address: [email protected] or [email protected].

    Dated: June 22, 2001.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-16248 Filed 6-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P