[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 105 (Friday, May 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38118-38120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13634]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 02100]


University Technical Assistance Projects in Support of the Global 
AIDS Program; Notice of Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global AIDS 
Program (GAP) announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2002 funds 
for a cooperative agreement program for providing technical assistance 
to ministries of health and other organizations working on HIV/AIDS 
prevention and HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs in 25 countries in 
Africa, the Caribbean, South America and Asia that are participating in 
CDC's Global AIDS Program (GAP). This program addresses the 
international goal and objectives contained in CDC's Five-Year HIV 
Prevention Strategic Plan:
    Goal: Reduce HIV transmission and improving HIV/AIDS care and 
support in partnership with resource-constrained countries.
    Objectives:
    1. Decrease sexually transmitted HIV infections.
    2. Develop the capacity of partners in host countries for 
prevention and care efforts.
    3. Expanding and strengthening HIV/STD/TB surveillance programs.
    4. Improve basic scientific knowledge of HIV and the safety and 
efficacy of newly developed biomedical interventions.
    5. Decrease HIV infections transmitted from mother to child.
    6. Increase access to improved HIV care and support, including 
prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections.
    7. Decrease parenterally transmitted HIV infections.
    Additional information on the strategic plan is available at: 
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs.htm#prevention.
    Future iterations of this program announcement will reflect the 
results of the current process GAP is undertaking to identify 
priorities in accomplishing the goal and objectives of the strategic 
plan.
    The purpose of this program is to augment and expand CDC's efforts 
to provide technical assistance to GAP countries in the development, 
implementation and evaluation of HIV prevention programs, care and 
treatment programs and the necessary infrastructure (e.g., laboratory 
services) to support prevention and care programs and services.

B. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under sections 301(a) and 317 (k)(2) of 
the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. section 241 (a) and 247 
(k)(2)], as amended. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 
is 93.943. There are no matching requirements for this program 
announcement.

C. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants include universities and colleges, based in the 
U.S. that have medical schools or colleges, schools of nursing, and/or 
schools or departments of public health; with at least one year of 
experience in providing technical assistance to an international public 
health project or a governmental or non-governmental organization 
working on a public health problem in a foreign country. Applications 
may be submitted by public and private universities in the U.S. 
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.

D. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $4,000,000 is available in FY 2002 to fund 
approximately five awards. It is expected that the average award will 
be $750,000, ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000. It is expected that 
the awards will begin on or about September 30, 2002 and will be made 
for a 12-month budget period within a project period of up to five 
years. Funding estimates may change.
    Continuation awards within an approved project period will be made 
in the basis of satisfactory progress as evidenced by required reports 
and the availability of funds.

E. 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 activities 
listed under ``2. CDC activities.''
    Activities eligible for support include providing faculty, staff 
and students to work in cooperation with CDC and host country 
governments to assist in:
    1. Recipient Activities:

[[Page 38119]]

    a. Design, conduct and evaluate training activities relevant to 
HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment and/or program infrastructure 
development.
    These training activities should mostly be conducted within the 
host country, but proposals could also be made for short-term training 
within the United States of key country program staff in areas critical 
to their program responsibilities. Examples of other supportable 
activities include designing and assisting in implementing ``train-the-
trainer'' programs, developing curricula and training materials in the 
appropriate language, providing technical assistance regarding 
behavioral science and science-based interventions for populations at 
risk, blood safety, and developing and implementing informatics 
systems.
    b. Design, implement, and evaluate strategies to expand the scope 
of successful HIV prevention, care and treatment, or infrastructure 
development projects to have an impact on large populations and be 
sustained beyond the project period.
    Examples of supportable activities include expanding successful 
pilot projects to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV or 
provide home and community-based health care into national programs, 
and developing national-level community empowerment models to guide 
local responses to HIV prevention and care.
    c. Operational research with the goals of assessing HIV prevention 
or relevant care and treatment needs and providing findings that can be 
used to design and develop new or innovative program efforts or 
services.
    d. Conduct reviews and program evaluation activities of HIV 
prevention or care and treatment program progress, services and 
achievements.
    Such reviews may assess the entire country program effort or be 
focused on specific components.
    e. Provide technical assistance in implementing HIV prevention, 
care and treatment programs, in infrastructure and capacity development 
to support such programs, and in monitoring and evaluation at program 
and/or national levels.
    2. CDC Activities
    a. Provide information to recipients regarding GAP goals, progress, 
country needs and other information relevant to the recipient's 
activities.
    b. Facilitate coordination with other organizations both domestic, 
international and in GAP countries who are working with CDC on HIV 
prevention and care activities.
    c. Where needed, provide consultation, training and technical 
support to University Staff participating to help them prepare to meet 
programmatic needs of GAP.

F. Content

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    A LOI is required for this program. The narrative should be no more 
than three single-spaced pages, printed on one side with one-inch 
margins, and unreduced font. Your letter of intent will be used to 
determine eligibility and pre-application technical assistance needs, 
and should include a brief description of the university, its 
international programs and/or experience a brief summary of the 
proposed activities.

Application

    Applicants are required to provide Measures of Effectiveness that 
will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified 
objectives of the cooperative agreement. Measures of Effectiveness must 
relate to the performance goal (or goals) as states in section ``A. 
Purpose'' of this announcement. Measures must be objective and 
quantitative and must measure the intended outcomes. These Measures of 
Effectiveness will be submitted with the application and will be an 
element of evaluation. Use the information in the Program Requirements, 
Other Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria 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 25 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 and Evaluation 
Plan and Budget.
    Eligible universities may submit proposals that involve projects 
related to HIV prevention, care and treatment and/or program 
infrastructure development. Universities should describe international 
experience relevant to the proposed HIV/AIDS-related activities, 
history of collaboration with host governments or other in-country 
organizations on such activities and what capabilities and resources 
they can marshal to work with and augment the efforts of CDC. As 
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is integral to all GAP activities, 
universities should include in their proposals their specific 
experience with M&E activities (including M&E at project and/or 
national levels; use of quantitative and/or qualitative methods; 
utilization of M&E data). Proposals may indicate countries for which 
activities may be targeted or needed, but CDC may request the 
University to work with it on projects in other countries with greater 
or more relevant needs.

G. Submission and Deadline

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    On or before July 8, 2002, 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 0920-
0428). Forms are available in the application kit and at the following 
Internet address: www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm.
    On or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time, July 30, 2002, submit the 
application to:
    Technical Information Management, PA #02100, Procurement and Grants 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 
Brandywine Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
    Deadline: Letters of Intent and applications will be considered as 
meeting the deadline if they are received on or before 5 p.m. Eastern 
Time on the deadline date. Applicants sending applications by the 
United States Postal Service or commercial delivery services must 
ensure that the carrier will be able to guarantee delivery of the 
application by the closing date and time. If an application is received 
after closing due to (1) carrier error, when the carrier accepted the 
package with a guarantee for delivery by the closing date and time, or 
(2) significant weather delays or natural disasters, CDC will upon 
receipt of proper documentation, consider the application as having 
been received by the deadline.
    Applications that do not meet the above criteria will not be 
eligible for competition and will be discarded.

H. Evaluation Criteria

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    The letter of intent will be reviewed only to ensure that the 
applicant is an eligible university that has a medical school or 
college, school of nursing, and/or school or department of public 
health and to determine needs for pre-application technical assistance.

Application

    Each application will be evaluated individually against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC. The 
criteria below will be applied in reviewing and

[[Page 38120]]

evaluating your proposal. For example, if you propose to provide 
support to design and assist in the implementation of a voluntary HIV 
prevention counseling and testing program (VCT), your proposal should 
specify the capabilities, experience, degree that the proposed VCT 
program would enhance CDC efforts and be feasible, innovative and 
relevant to country needs.
    1. The degree that the applicant university has demonstrated that 
it has the relevant capabilities to provide technical assistance and 
augment CDC's efforts to provide technical support to GAP country 
programs. (20 points)
    2. Past experience of the university in developing or providing 
technical assistance and related support to HIV/AIDS or relevant public 
health programs. Both the applicant's relevant international and 
domestic experience will be considered. (20 points)
    3. The degree that the proposal of the applicant university, if 
implemented, addresses identified priorities CDC's planned technical 
assistance to GAP countries, and is likely to enhance and be well 
coordinated with GAP's activities, and the need for geographic (Africa, 
Asia and South America/Caribbean regions) and programmatic (prevention, 
care and treatment, infrastructure development foci) balance within the 
GAP program. (20 points)
    4. The degree that the proposed activities are feasible, innovative 
and relevant to country needs. (15 points)
    5. Past experience of the university in developing and implementing 
appropriate monitoring and evaluation procedures and/or in providing 
technical assistance on M&E activities at program and/or national 
levels The applicant's relevant domestic and international experience 
will be considered. (15 points)
    6. The extent that the applicant is willing to provide university 
resources (both financial and in kind) to support the project. (10 
points)
    7. The extent that the budget is reasonable, clearly justified, 
consistent with the intended use of funds, and allowable. All budget 
categories should be itemized. (not scored)
    8. Does the application adequately address the requirements of 
Title 45 CFR part 46 for the protection of human subjects? (not scored)
______Yes ______No    Comments:
    An application can be disapproved if research risks are 
sufficiently serious and protection against risks is deemed 
insufficient.
    Applications under consideration for funding will be provided to 
the appropriate CDC country office and the host country Ministry of 
Health for additional review.
    These reviews will focus on the degree to which the proposal is 
needed, is consistent with country priorities and the National AIDS 
Control Plan, and coordinated with and nonduplicative of other 
activities. Findings from this review will be used to make final 
funding decisions and as the basis of negotiations concerning the final 
program plan.
    Pre-application Technical Assistance:
    Pre-application technical assistance can be obtained through three 
means: (1) Applicants may call CDC at (404) 639-8016 and talk with a 
CDC representative to obtain background information; (2) The CDC Global 
AIDS Program website www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/gap will include background 
information relevant to applicants and (3) for those applicants who 
provide an LOI, CDC will hold a pre-application technical assistance 
workshop and based on volume of calls and inquiries audio conference 
calls may be scheduled prior to the application due date. Information 
on the date and location of the workshop will be provided directly to 
each applicant who submits an LOI and posted on the CDC website.

I. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    Provide CDC with original plus two copies of the following:
    1. Annual progress report.
    2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period.
    3. Final financial status and performance reports, no more than 90 
days after the end of the project period.
    4. Applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness to 
evaluate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the 
cooperative agreement. These measures must be objective and 
quantitative and must measure the intended outcome.
    The submission of these measures will be a data element to be 
submitted with, or incorporated into the annual progress reports.
    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 this 
announcement.

AR-1 Human Subjects Requirements
AR-4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions
AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-14 Accounting System Requirements

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.''
    For business management technical assistance, contact:
    Dorimar Rosado, Grants Management Specialist, International & 
Territories Acquisition and Assistance Branch, Procurement and Grants 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine 
Road, Room 3000, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: (770) 488-2782, 
email address: [email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Gary R. West, Global 
AIDS Program, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, 1600 
Clifton Road, Mailstop E-07, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone number: 404-
639-8016, email address: [email protected].

    Dated: May 24, 2002.
Sandra R. Manning, CGFM,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 02-13634 Filed 5-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P