[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 139 (Friday, July 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47550-47554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18375]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Request for Grant Applications for a Demonstration Project for 
the Medical Reserve Corps, Citizens Corps, USA Freedom Corps

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Surgeon 
General.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To provide funding for a demonstration project to demonstrate 
approaches to establishment of community-based, citizen volunteer 
Medical Reserve Corps units. Small grants will provide funding to 
community-based organizations, under the terms of cooperative 
agreements. The small grants will facilitate start-up of Medical 
Reserve Corps units and provide information to the Federal Government 
that will provide insights into best practices in such areas as: (1) 
Structure and organization, (2) recruitment and verification of 
credentials, (3) community-level partnership building, (4) competency 
levels for effective action, (5) training, (6) risk assessment, and (7) 
strategy development and planning.


    Authority: This program is authorized by Section 301 of the 
Public Health Service Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C.; and, funded under 
Pub. L. 107-116, Title II, January 10, 2002.

    The community-based, volunteer Medical Reserve Corps units are 
intended to supplement existing community emergency medical response 
systems as well as contribute to meeting the public health needs of the 
community throughout the year. They are not intended to replace or 
substitute for local, existing emergency response systems. The Medical 
Reserve Corps should help provide surge capacity during the initial 
hours following an emergency before assistance from other geographic 
localities may arrive.
    The Medical Reserve Corps will provide an organized framework which 
will attract volunteers and provide them with skills needed to work 
effectively in emergency situations. It will help to ensure that the 
volunteers from Medical Reserve Corps units are deployed locally in a 
manner that is fully planned and coordinated with broader emergency 
response plans of the communities in which they are located. Moreover, 
the Medical Reserve Corps will serve as a mechanism for helping to 
ensure that volunteers have appropriate credentials for assignments 
which they will undertake when the Medical Reserve Corps is activated. 
The Medical Reserve Corps will help facilitate not only coordinated 
action but provide a greater predictability in volunteer resource 
capability when and where such services are needed.
    The establishment of community-based volunteer Medical Reserve 
Corps units throughout the Nation will help meet the goal of enabling 
communities in the United States to be better prepared to respond to 
emergencies and urgent public health needs. It is anticipated that 
these community-based Medical Reserve Corps units will grow in number 
and in quality across the country.
    The Medical Reserve Corps demonstration project grants programs 
will be supported through the cooperative agreement mechanism. This 
will enable a collaborative relationship between the grantee, the local 
Medical Reserve Corps unit and the Department of Health and Human 
Services' (HHS) Office of the Surgeon General. The Office of the 
Surgeon General will coordinate, through a private-sector 
contractor(s), technical assistance needed for the implementation, 
conduct, and assessment of program activities. The Office of the 
Surgeon General will provide necessary oversight of the program.
    Specifically, the Federal Government plans to support the 
development of Medical Reserve Corps units by:
    1. Developing and disseminating a guide, entitled Medical Reserve 
Corps--A Guide for Local Officials, for

[[Page 47551]]

communities that are planning to develop a Medical Reserve Corps unit;
    2. Establishing and maintaining a website where Medical Reserve 
Corps core documents (e.g., Medical Reserve Corps--A Guide for Local 
Officials), training information, and a newsletter will be readily 
accessible;
    3. Producing a monthly Medical Reserve Corps newsletter which will 
inform Medical Reserve Corps units and others of progress nationally on 
this initiative, best practices, shared experiences of Medical Reserve 
Corps units, and meeting notices;
    4. Providing, through one or more government contractors, short-
term technical assistance to successful applicants and/or Medical 
Reserve Corps units. Such technical assistance could include, for 
example, assistance with assessing training needs, development of 
training plans, assistance with planning and implementing drills 
(tabletop and/or field), development of supply and equipment 
acquisition plans, and development of operational plans;
    5. Convening at least one meeting, in each of the HHS' ten regions 
in which Medical Reserve Corps unit officials may participate in-person 
or via appropriate and available communication systems; and,
    6. Recommending evaluation approaches to Medical Reserve Corps 
units.

Background

    During his January 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush 
called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years--the equivalent 
of 4,000 hours of their time--to provide volunteer service to others. 
To help every American answer the call to service, he created the USA 
Freedom Corps, and charged it with strengthening and expanding service 
opportunities for them to protect our homeland, to support our 
communities, and to extend American compassion around the World. The 
USA Freedom Corps in a coordinating council, similar to the National 
Economic Council or National Security Council, that relies upon the 
Federal agencies and departments that are a part of the coordinating 
council to carry out policies and programs.
    At the same time that he formed the USA Freedom Corps, the 
President created the Citizen Corps initiative to offer Americans new 
opportunities to get involved in their communities through emergency 
preparation and response activities. The Citizen Corps initiative 
includes several new and existing programs that share the common goal 
of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to crime, 
natural disasters and other emergencies. The programs include: 
Community Emergency Response Teams, under the direction of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency; Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police 
Service, and Operation TIPS, under the direction of the Department of 
Justice (DOJ); and, the Medical Reserve Corps, under the broad guidance 
and support of the Department of Health and Human Services.
    At the local level, these Citizen Corps programs will be 
coordinated by Citizen Corps Councils supported by FEMA.

DATES:  To be considered for review, applications must be received by 
August 23, 2002. Applications that do not meet the deadline will be 
considered late and will be returned to the applicant.

ADDRESSES:  Applications must be prepared using Form PHS 5161-1 
(revised July 2000). This form is available in Adobe Acrobat format at 
the following Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/orminfo/htm. Form PHS 
5161-1 (revised July 2000) includes U.S. Government Standard Form (SF) 
424, the required face page for grant applications submitted for 
Federal assistance and SF 424 A, a budget format for non-construction 
projects.
    Complete applications should be submitted to: Ms. Karen Campbell, 
Grants Management Officer, Division of Management Operations, Office of 
Minority Health, Office of Public Health and Science, Rockwall II 
Building, Suite 1000, 5515 Security Lane, Rockville, MD 20852. Ms. 
Campbell can be reached by, telephone at: (301) 594-0758.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding programmatic 
information related to preparation of grant applications should be 
directed in writing to Ms. Linda Vogel, Senior Public Health Advisor, 
Office of the Surgeon General, Office of Public Health and Science, 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Room 18-66, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, e-mail: [email protected].
    Information on budget and business aspects of the application may 
be obtained from Ms. Karen Campbell, Grants Management Officer, 
Division of Management Operations, Office of Minority Health, Office of 
Public Health and Science, Rockwall II Building, Suite 1000, 5515 
Security Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, telephone: (301) 594-0758.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Availability of Funds

    The Office of the Surgeon General anticipates making up to 100 
awards in fiscal year 2002. Awards of amounts up to $50,000 (for direct 
and indirect costs) for up to a three-year period will be made. The 
actual number and dollar amount of the awards will depend on the number 
of approved applications received.

Matching Requirements

    The applicant is not required to match or share project costs, if 
an award is made.

Period of Support

    The start date for the cooperative agreement will be September 30, 
2002. Support may be requested for a project period not to exceed three 
years. Grantees will be eligible for awards up to $50,000 (total 
amount) per year. Noncompeting continuation awards of up to $50,000 
will be made in fiscal years 2003 and 2004, subject to satisfactory 
performance and the availability of funds.

Eligible Applicants

    The Medical Reserve Corps small grants program applicant must be a 
public or private nonprofit community-based organization. Applicants 
may be an entity of the local government or a local nonprofit (501C.3 
status), non-government organization. If a local Citizen Corps Council 
has 501C.3 status, the Citizen Corps Council can be the applicant.
    Faith-based organizations that meet the definition of a private 
nonprofit community-based organization are eligible to apply for these 
Medical Reserve Corps small grants. Tribes, tribal organizations, and 
local affiliates of national, state-wide, or regional organizations 
that meet the definition of a private nonprofit, community-based 
organizations are eligible to apply.
    To ensure wide geographic distribution of local Medical Reserve 
Corps units, applications will be accepted from organizations in all of 
the American States and Territories.
    Only one grant will be awarded per community. If more than one 
application is received for the same community, the Office of the 
Surgeon General will contact local officials to make a determination of 
which application should be given priority. For communities where more 
than one group/organization is planning/developing a local citizen 
volunteer Medical Reserve Corps unit, it is recommended that these 
groups work together to submit one application.

[[Page 47552]]

Program Goals

    The goals of the Medical Reserve Corps demonstration grants program 
are to:
    1. Demonstrate whether medical response capacity in communities can 
be strengthened through the establishment of Medical Reserve Corps 
units consisting of citizen volunteers who represent a broad range of 
medical/health professions;
    2. Demonstrate whether ``surge'' capacity can be created at the 
community level to deal with emergency situations which have 
significant consequences for the health of the population;
    3. Demonstrate whether the Medical Reserve Corps does enable 
current and/or retired health professionals and related support 
personnel in communities to obtain additional training needed to work 
effectively and safely during emergency situations;
    4. Demonstrate whether the Medical Reserve Corps approach does 
provide an effective organizational framework, with a command and 
control system, within which appropriately trained and credentialed 
citizen volunteers can put their skills in health and medicine to use 
effectively (including prearranged assignments) when there is an 
emergency;
    5. Demonstrate whether the Medical Corps approach facilitates 
coordination of local citizen volunteer services in health/medicine 
with other response programs of the community/county/state during an 
emergency; and
    6. Demonstrate whether the Medical Reserve Corps approach does 
provide cadres of health professionals, from within their home 
communities, who contribute to the resolution of public health problems 
and needs throughout the year.

Project Requirements

    Medical Reserve Corps units should: (1) Be established and operate 
within the overall community plans for emergency preparedness and 
response and for public health improvement; (2) be comprised of citizen 
volunteers from within the community, including the immediate 
surrounding area; (3) have an organizational framework with a command 
and control system and have operational policies and procedures; (4) 
have a plan of action that is consistent with the risks and 
vulnerabilities of the community; (5) be fully coordinated and 
appropriately integrated into the existing emergency planning and 
response programs of the community; (6) develop strategies for 
activation of the local Medical Reserve corps unit(s), training of 
Medical Reserve Corps members to achieve needed competency standards, 
building working relationships/partnerships within the community, 
communications and logistics during emergencies, and practicing/
drilling before emergencies occur; and (7) develop plans for additional 
functions, beyond emergency response, to promote public health in the 
community.

Application Requirements

    In addition to the eligibility criteria cited above and use of the 
form PHS 5161-1 (revised July 2000) and found at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo/htm, successful candidates will address the following 
criteria in the narrative of their applications and provide the noted 
documentation:
     Documentation that the applicant is a unit of local 
government or community-based, nonprofit organization;
     Draft action plan, including initial measurable 
milestones, for establishment of a citizen volunteer Medical Reserve 
Corps unit, including goals, objectives, and time lines;
     Documentation of the existence of a planning body for the 
Medical Reserve Corps, including the name of the chair or lead 
organization, and the principals of the organizations;
     Specification of any arrangements or agreements with other 
local public or private organizations [e.g., Citizen Corps Council, 
Mayor's office, city Council, County Commission, County Chief 
Executive, Fire Department, Department of Health, Chief of Emergency 
Response for the Community, community hospital(s), Red Cross, local 
medical society and/or other health professions organizations, local-
based government hospitals (VA, Indian Health Service), Rotary, Lions 
and Kiwanis Clubs] for the purposes of planning, establishing, and 
utilization of a local Medical Reserve Corps unit(s);
     Demonstration of linkages and/or understanding of existing 
emergency medical response entities in the community (e.g., minutes of 
a planning meeting in which there was substantive involvement of other 
key community stakeholders, including NGOs);
     Demonstration of a linkage with local government health 
and emergency response authorities;
     A proposed budget which is consistent with the approved 
types of expenditures set forth below;
     Other letter(s) of support are optional.

Use of Grant Funds

    Applicants may request funds for the following types of allowable 
expenses, subject to Federal Government regulations regarding non-
allowable expenses in Federal assistance programs:
    1. Organizing a Medical Reserve Corps, including establishment of a 
leadership and management structure;
    2. Implementation of mechanisms to assure appropriate integration 
and coordination with existing local emergency response and health 
assets and capabilities;
    3. Recruiting volunteers for the Medical Reserve corps;
    4. Assessing the community's risks and vulnerabilities;
    5. Development of plans to develop, organize and mobilize the 
Medical Reserve Corps in response not only to urgent needs but also to 
address other public health needs in the community;
    6. Training for leadership and preparedness; and
    7. Training in specific skills.

Review of Applications

    Applications will be screened upon receipt. Those that are judged 
to be incomplete or arrive after the deadline will be returned without 
review or comment. Applications will be reviewed for conformity with 
the applicant eligibility criteria. HHS will contact in writing all 
applicants which do comply with the applicant eligibility criteria to 
advise them of this finding. Accepted applications will be reviewed for 
technical merit in accordance with HHS policies.
    Applications will be evaluated by a technical review panel composed 
of experts in the fields of emergency medical response, medicine, 
public health, program management, community service delivery, and 
community leadership development. Consideration for award will be given 
to applicants that best demonstrate progress toward establishment of a 
local citizen volunteer Medical Reserve Corps unit. Additionally, 
applications that best demonstrate the development of plausible 
strategies, including a time line, for organizing, recruitment for, and 
making operational a citizen volunteer Medical Reserve corps unit that 
is linked to other community-based programs and players for emergency 
response will rank more highly than those applications which do not. 
Applicants which have a linkage or plan a linkage with the community's 
Citizen Corps Council (if one has been established) should address that 
point, as applicable and appropriate.

[[Page 47553]]

Organization of Application

    Applicants are required to submit an original ink-signed and dated 
application and two (2) photocopies. All pages must be numbered clearly 
and sequentially beginning with the Project Profile. The application 
must be typed double-spaced on one side of plain 8\1/2\"x11" white 
paper, using at least a 12 point font, and contain 1" margins all 
around.
    The Project Summary and Project Narrative must not exceed a total 
of ten double-spaced pages, excluding any appendices. The original and 
each copy must be stapled and/or otherwise securely bound. An outline 
for the minimum information to be included in the ``Project Narrative'' 
section and related appendices is presented below.

I. Background (location, responsible organization/body, linkages 
within community)
II. Objectives
III. Summary of existing relevant community resources
IV. Strategy/plans with time line (can be in sequenced, bullet form)
V. Key project staff and current structure
VI. Evaluation--how progress will be measured
VII. Statement of willingness to contribute written information on 
local Medical Reserve Corps unit experiences, particularly what has 
worked well and lessons learned, to the Office of the Surgeon 
General for sharing with other communities establishing Medical 
Reserve Corps
VIII. Statement of willingness to discuss with the designed Office 
of the Surgeon General Medical Reserve Corps project staff the types 
technical assistance which the Medical Reserve Corps organizers 
believe they may need, with a view toward possible utilization of 
the Office of the Surgeon General technical assistance contract 
which was awarded for this purpose.

Application Review Criteria

    The technical review of applications will consider the following 
factors:

Factor 1: Implementation Plan--45%

    This section should discuss:
    1. Brief summary of existing community resources and linkages to 
deliver coordinated emergency medical response services in a large 
scale (for the locality) emergency.
    2. The role the Medical Reserve Corps will most likely play in 
relationship to existing services, including local health department, 
fire department, community hospital(s), Red Cross and other NGO's; and, 
if an officially recognized Citizen Corps Council has been established 
in the community, the nature of any linkage to the Citizen Corps 
Council.
    3. The proposed plan and time line for establishment of a Medical 
Reserve Corps, ranging from established of a planning/steering group, 
organizational meetings, goals and objectives, development of 
organizational structure, policies and procedures, recruitment, liaison 
and partnership building, training, etc.
    Although components of a Medical Reserve Corps do not necessarily 
have to be in place at the time the application is submitted, the 
applicant must discuss/describe the resources available to support 
these components and plans for phasing in the components of the action 
plan and the relationship of the plans to existing programs/
institutions in the community/county/area.

Factor 2: Management Plan--20%

    Applicant organization's capability to manage the project as 
determined by the availability and qualifications of the proposed staff 
(may be either volunteer or hired).
    Applicant organization's listing of partners in the establishment 
and utilization of the citizen volunteer Medical Reserve Corps and 
their relationships and the mechanism(s) that will be utilized to 
convene the partners for constructive planning and implementation.

Factor 3: Evaluation Plan--10%

    A clear but brief statement of program goals and how progress 
toward meeting those goals will be assessed.
    A clear statement that the grant recipient is willing to contribute 
information on the progress, lessons learned, best practices, etc. to 
the Office of the Surgeon General at 6-month intervals.

Factor 4: Supporting Documentation--10%

    Adequacy of supporting documentation that the Medical Reserve Corps 
planning group is appropriately connected to local government entities 
(e.g., Mayor's office, City Council, County Executive, County Council, 
Fire Department, Department of Emergency Planning and Response) and 
appropriate local organizations such as the Citizen Corps Council (if 
one has been officially established), American Red Cross, civic 
organizations (e.g., Kiwanis, Rotary, Siroptomist, Lions, Clubs); 
veterans organizations, health professions organizations, and faith-
based groups, etc.

Factor 5: Background--10%

    Adequacy of demonstrated knowledge of emergency medical response/
care systems, and utilization of volunteers.

Factor 6: Technical Assistance--5%

    A clear statement that the applicant, if awarded a grant, would 
communicate reasonable technical assistance needs, including 
justification, to the project focal point in the Office of the Surgeon 
General for possible fulfillment through one of the Office of the 
Surgeon General's technical assistance contracts.
    This information will enable the Office of the Surgeon General to 
develop an understanding of the technical assistance most needed by 
communities in developing their Medical Reserve Corps unit(s).

Award Criteria

    Funding decisions will be made by the Office of the Surgeon General 
and will be based on the recommendations adn ratings of the technical 
review panel.

Reporting and Other Requirements

General Reporting Requirements

    A successful applicant under this notice will submit: (1) Progress 
reprots; (2) an annual Financial Status Report; and (3) a final 
progress report and Financial Status Report in the format established 
by the Office of the Surgeon General, in accordance with provisions of 
the general regulations which apply under 45 CFR part 74.51-74.52, with 
the exception of State and local governments to which CFR part 92, 
subpart C reporting requirements apply.
    The Office of the Surgeon General has established the following 
requirements for inclusion in the annual and/or final report(s):
     A summary of the status of development of the Medical 
Reserve Corps (not to exceed 5 pages in the main report), including the 
major activities and accomplishments, objectives met and not met, and 
lessons learned;
     Copy of organizational chart and brief narrative 
description of the structure of the Medical Reserve Corps, including 
its line-of-command;
     Copy of policies and procedures (e.g. scope of operations, 
criteria for mobilization and demobilization) for the local Medical 
Reserve Corps;
     Copy of risk/vulnerability assessment (a copy of such an 
assessment prepared by other entities in the community and to which the 
Medical Reserve Corps is linked may be submitted);
     Resource availability and needs assessment; and
     Copy of database of appropriately credentialed volunteers 
who are committed to participate as members of the Medical Reserve 
Corps.

[[Page 47554]]

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is subject to the Public Health Systems Reporting 
Requirements. Under these requirements, a community-based non-
governmental applicant must prepare and submit a Public Health System 
Impact Statement (PHSIS). The PHSIS is intended to provide information 
to State and local health officials to keep them apprized on proposed 
health services grant applications submitted by community-based non-
governmental organizations within their jurisdictions.
    Community-based non-governmental applicants are required to submit, 
no later than the Federal due date for receipt of the application, the 
following information to the head of the appropriate State and local 
health agencies in the area(s) to be impacted: (a) A copy of the face 
page of the application (SF 424); and (b) a summary of the project 
(PHSIS), not to exceed one page, which provides: (1) A description of 
the population to be served; (2) a summary of the services to be 
provided; and (3) a description of the coordination planned with State 
or local health agencies. Copies of the letters forwarding the PHSIS to 
these authorities must be contained in the application materials 
submitted to the Office of the Surgeon General.

State Reviews

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 which allows States the option of setting up a system for 
reviewing applications from within their States for assistance under 
certain Federal programs. The application kit available under this 
notice will contain a list of States which have chosen to set up a 
review system and will include a State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 
in the State for review. Applications (other than federally recognized 
Indian tribes) should contact their SPOCs as early as possible to alert 
them to the prospective applications and receive any necessary 
instructions on the State process. For proposed projects serving more 
than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each 
affected State. The due date for State process recommendations is 60 
days after the application deadline established by the OMH Grants 
Management Officer.
    The Office of the Surgeon General does not guarantee that it will 
accommodate or explain its responses to State process recommendations 
received after that date. (See ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs'' Executive Order 12372 and 45 CFR part 100 for a description 
of the review process and requirements).

Provision of Smoke-Free Workplaces and Non-Use of Tobacco Products 
by Recipients of PHS Grants

    HHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and to promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In 
addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits 
smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a 
facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, 
health care, or early childhood development services are provided to 
children.

Definitions

    For the purposes of this small-grant program, the following 
definitions are provided:
    Citizen Corps Council: A Citizen Corps Council established at the 
community or county level within the overall frame work of the Citizen 
Corps, USA Freedom Corps. The Citizen Corps Council structure falls 
within the overall purview of FEMA.
    Community-based: The focus of control and decision making powers 
are located at the community level, representing the service area of 
the community or a significant segment of the community.
    County-based: The focus of control and decision making powers, 
insofar as the scope of this program is concerned, are located at the 
county level, representing the service area of the county or a 
significant segment of the county.
    Non-governmental organization (NGO): A nonprofit, non-governmental 
organization having 501(c)(3) status.
    Office of Minority Health (OMH): The Office of Minority Health, 
Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, 
Department of Health and Human Services, which is serving as the great 
management organization for this announcement.

    Dated: July 17, 2002.
Kenneth P. Moritsugu,
RADM, Acting Surgeon General, Public Health Service.
[FR Doc. 02-18375 Filed 7-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-28-M