[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 123 (Thursday, June 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38047-38049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16150]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 03125]


Mental Health of Humanitarian Aid Workers Program; Notice of 
Availability of Funds

    Application Deadline: July 28, 2003.

A. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    This program is authorized under sections 301, 307, and 317 of the 
Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241, 2421, and 247b], as amended. 
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.

B. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2003 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program to design a program to mitigate the impact of stress and trauma 
on humanitarian aid workers. Measurable outcomes from this program 
would include a functional framework for stress and trauma prevention 
measures in humanitarian aid organizations.

C. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided to a public, private, for-profit, or 
non-profit organization (including faith-based organizations) that has 
an international capacity to plan programs to mitigate the impact of 
traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
    Competition is being limited to organizations with specific 
capacity and experience working with humanitarian aid workers due to 
the unusual nature of traumatic exposures that humanitarian aid workers 
receive in the course of their work. This experience is paramount to 
understanding the unique needs of this population.

    Note: Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that 
an organization described in section 501c(4) of the Internal Revenue 
Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive 
Federal funds constituting an award, grant or loan.


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D. Funding

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $100,000 is available in FY 2003 to fund one award. 
It is expected that the award will begin on or about September 1, 2003 
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.

Use of Funds

    1. Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes, including 
personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Equipment may be purchased 
if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives; however, prior 
approval by CDC officials must be requested in writing.
    2. All requests for funds contained in the budget, shall be stated 
in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, CDC will not compensate foreign 
grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the issuance of 
supplemental awards.
    3. The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic 
organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and international 
organizations, with the following exception: With the exception of the 
American University, Beirut, and the World Health Organization, 
Indirect Costs will not be paid (either directly or through sub-award) 
to organizations located outside the territorial limits of the United 
States or to international organizations regardless of their location.
    4. The applicant may contract with other organizations under this 
program; however the applicant must perform a substantial portion of 
the activities (including program management and operations, and 
delivery of prevention services for which funds are required.)
    5. You must obtain annual audit of these CDC funds (program-
specific audit) by a U.S.-based audit firm with international branches 
and current licensure/authority in-country, and in accordance with 
International Accounting Standards or equivalent standard(s) approved 
in writing by CDC.
    6. A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, prior 
to or post award, in order to review the applicant's business 
management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S. 
Federal funds.

Recipient Financial Participation

    Matching funds are not required for this program.

E. Program Requirements

    In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program, 
the recipient will be responsible for the activities listed in 1. 
Recipient Activities, and CDC will be responsible for the activities 
listed in 2. CDC Activities.
1. Recipient Activities
    a. Identify and incorporate public health principles into the 
planning of a program to mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on 
humanitarian aid workers.
    b. Design materials and strategies to facilitate the implementation 
of programs to mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian 
aid workers.
    c. Plan, implement and support programs and/or strategies which 
will highlight the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid 
workers and raise the awareness in humanitarian organizations of the 
need for prevention and mitigation programs.
    d. Develop any required research protocols for Institutional Review 
Board (IRB) review.
2. CDC Activities
    a. Provide consultation, technical assistance and collaboration in 
planning program activities.
    b. Provide consultation, technical assistance and collaboration in 
implementing program activities.
    c. Prepare and present reports and materials related to activities 
conducted under this program for wide distribution to the international 
community.
    d. Assist in the development of a research protocol for 
Institutional Review Board (IRB) review 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. Content

Letter of Intent (LOI)

    A LOI is not required for this program.

Applications

    The Program Announcement title and number must appear in the 
application. 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 twenty pages, double-spaced, 
printed on one side, with one-inch margins, and unreduced 12-point 
font.
    The narrative should consist of, at minimum, a plan, objectives, 
methods, evaluation, and budget. The program plan should address 
activities to be conducted over the entire three-year project period. 
Provide a detailed budget and justification based on the funds 
available.

G. Submission and Deadline

Application Forms

    Submit the signed original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (OMB Number 
1920-0428). Forms are available at the following Internet address: 
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm
    If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have 
difficulty accessing the forms on-line, you may contact the CDC 
Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section 
(PGO-TIM) at: 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to you.

Submission Date, Time, and Address

    The application must be received by 4 p.m. Eastern Time July 28, 
2003. Submit the application to: Technical Information Management-
PA03125, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine 
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146.
    Applications may not be submitted electronically.

CDC Acknowledgement of Application Receipt

    A postcard will be mailed by PGO-TIM, notifying you that CDC has 
received your application.

Deadline

    Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they 
are received before 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Any 
applicant who sends their application 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.
    Any application that does not meet the above criteria will not be 
eligible for competition, and will be discarded. The

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applicant will be notified of their failure to meet the submission 
requirements.

H. Evaluation Criteria

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 goals stated in the purpose section of this 
announcement. Measures must be objective and quantitative and must 
measure the intended outcome. These measures of effectiveness must be 
submitted with the application and will be an element of evaluation.
    An independent review group appointed by CDC will evaluate each 
application against the following criteria:
    1. Scientific or Technical Approach (30 points). Provide evidence 
of demonstrated scientific expertise involving the mitigation of 
traumatic stress in humanitarian aid workers.
    2. Methodology and Approach (30 points)
    a. Provide evidence of demonstrated expertise in methodology for 
the evaluation and development of programs that prevent and/or mitigate 
the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
    b. Demonstrate experience in providing staff training, strategic 
planning, and logistical support to programs that prevent and/or 
mitigate the impact of traumatic stress on humanitarian aid workers.
    3. Staff Experience and Capability (30 points). Provide evidence of 
demonstrated technical expertise and professional capability of staff 
in the field of psycho-social services and public health related to 
humanitarian aid workers.
    4. Understanding of the Project (10 points).
    a. Demonstrated clarity, feasibility, and practicality of the 
proposed plan to accomplish this project.
    b. Demonstrated recognition of the potential difficulties in 
performance and appropriateness and soundness of proposed solutions.
    5. Budget Justification (not scored). The extent to which the 
budget is clearly explained, adequately justified, and is reasonable 
and consistent with the stated objectives and planned activities.
    6. Human Subjects (not scored). The extent to which the applicant 
complies with the Department of Health and Human Services Regulations 
(45 CFR Part 46) regarding the protection of human subjects. 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.

I. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

    1. Provide CDC with an interim progress report, due no less than 90 
days before the end of the budget period. This progress report will 
serve as your non-competing continuation application, and must contain 
the following elements:
    a. Progress on Current Budget Period Objectives and Activities.
    b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
    c. New Budget Period Proposed Program Objectives and Activities.
    d. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification.
    2. Financial Status Reports are due within 90 days of the end of 
the budget period.
    3. Final financial reports and performance reports are due within 
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.

Additional Requirements

    The following additional requirements are applicable to this 
program. For a complete description of each, see Attachment I of the 
program announcement, as posted on the CDC web site.

AR-1--Human Subjects Review
AR-12--Lobbying Restrictions
AR-14--Accounting System Requirements
AR-15--Proof of Non-Profit Status
    Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

J. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    This, and other CDC announcements, the necessary applications, and 
associated forms can be found on the CDC web site, Internet address: 
http://www.cdc.gov.
    Click on ``Funding'' then ``Grants and Cooperative Agreements''.
    For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical 
Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For business management and budget assistance, contact: Diane 
Flournoy, Grants Management Specialist, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2072, E-mail address: 
[email protected].
    For program technical assistance, contact: Barbara Lopes Cardozo, 
International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch, National Center for 
Environmental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail 
Stop F-48, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-
4138, E-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: June 20, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-16150 Filed 6-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P