[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38707-38708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18465]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 01143]


HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Prevention and Medical Support and 
Treatment in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; 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 
with the Vietnam Ministry of Health's (MOH) National AIDS Standing 
Bureau (NASB) for improvement, expansion and evaluation of HIV/AIDS 
and, as relevant, other emerging infections surveillance, prevention 
and medical support and treatment in Vietnam.
    The United States Government (USG) seeks to reduce the impact of 
HIV/AIDS in specific countries with sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the 
Americas through its Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic 
(LIFE) initiative. To carry out this initiative, CDC has organized its 
Global AIDS Program (GAP) to strengthen capacity and expand activities 
in the areas of (1) HIV prevention; (2) HIV care, support and 
treatment; and (3) capacity and infrastructure development, especially 
for HIV/AIDS surveillance activities.
    Targeted countries represent those with the most severe epidemics 
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. Vietnam is one of these targeted 
countries.
    As a key partner in the USG LIFE Initiative, CDC is working in a 
collaborative manner with national governments and other agencies to 
develop programs of assistance to address the HIV/AIDS epidemics in 
LIFE Initiative countries. In particular, CDC's mission in Vietnam is 
to strengthen and make more effective the HIV prevention and medical 
support and treatment efforts to prevent HIV infection and associated 
illness and death from AIDS. CDC is also planning to increase its 
support for assessment and research efforts in Vietnam for tuberculosis 
(TB), sexually transmitted infections (STI) and other emerging 
infections.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided only to the MOH, which will provide the 
funding to the NASB or other designated agency depending on the program 
goal (e.g., NITBRP, NIDV, NIHE, etc.). The MOH and its agencies are the 
only appropriate and qualified organizations to conduct a specific set 
of activities supportive of the CDC Global AIDS Program and its 
emerging diseases program in Vietnam because:
    1. The MOH is uniquely positioned, in terms of legal authority and 
credibility among Vietnamese citizens, to collect crucial data on HIV/
AIDS prevalence and incidence, as well as other health information, 
among Vietnamese citizens.
    2. The MOH already has established mechanisms to access health 
information, enabling it to immediately become engaged in the 
activities listed in this announcement.
    3. The purpose of this announcement is to build upon the existing 
framework of health information and activities that the MOH itself has 
collected or initiated.
    4. The MOH has been mandated by the National Assembly of Vietnam to 
coordinate and implement activities necessary for the control of 
epidemics, including HIV/AIDS, TB, STI and other emerging infections.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $2,250,000 is available in 2001 to fund this 
agreement. Of the $2,250,000, approximately $2,000,000 will be for HIV/
AIDS and approximately $250,000 for TB and emerging infections. 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 
five years. Annual funding estimates may change. Continuation of awards 
within the 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

Antiretroviral Drugs

    Funds received from this announcement will not be used for the 
purchase of antiretroviral drugs for treatment of established HIV 
infection (with the exception nevirapine in PMTCT cases and with prior 
written approval), 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.
    Applicants may contract with other organizations under these 
cooperative agreements, however, applicants must perform a substantial 
portion of the

[[Page 38708]]

activities (including program management and operations and delivery of 
prevention services for which funds are requested.
    The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic 
organizations are likewise allowable to foreign institutions and 
international organizations, with the following exceptions:
    Indirect Costs: With the exception of the American University, 
Beirut, the Gorgas Memorial Institute, and the World Health 
Organization, indirect costs will not be paid (either directly or 
through a sub-award) to organizations located outside the territorial 
limits of the United States or to international organizations 
regardless of their location.
    All requests for funds, including the budget contained in the 
application, shall be stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, 
the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will not compensate 
foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the 
issuance of supplemental awards.

Needle Exchange

    No funds appropriated under this Act shall be used to carry out any 
program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic 
injection of any illegal drug.

D. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This and other CDC announcements can found on the CDC home page 
internet address--http://www.cdc.gov. Click on ``Funding'' then 
``Grants and Cooperative Agreements.''
    If you have any questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from: Dorimar Rosado, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Room 3000, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, 
Telephone: (770)-488-2782, E-mail: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Gary West, MPA, Deputy 
Director, Global AIDS Program, National Center for HIV, STD and TB 
Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road, NE, Mailstop E-41, Telephone: (404) 639-4268 E-mail: 
[email protected]

    Dated: July 19, 2001.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-18465 Filed 7-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P