[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 50152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21265]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 03162]


Expansion of HIV/AIDS/STD Monitoring, Evaluation and Other 
Program Support in the Government of Brazil; Notice of Intent to Fund 
Single Eligibility Award

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
intent to fund fiscal year (FY) 2003 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program for the improvement and expansion of HIV/AIDS/STD prevention 
and support activities in Brazil. The Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance number for this program is 93.941.

B. Eligible Applicant

    Assistance will be provided only to the Foundation for the 
Scientific and Technological Development in Health (FIOTEC). The 
Brazilian Government has conducted the National response to the HIV/
AIDS epidemic in Brazil primarily through the Ministry of Health 
division referred to as the National Coordination of STDs and HIV (CN 
DST-HIV). This coordination has been supported both by the Ministry of 
Finance and two World Bank Loans/Grants, a third three-year loan is 
currently being implemented FY 2003. The CN DST-HIV receives its only 
funding directly from the Ministry of Finance, there is no fiscal unit 
or mechanism to receive or manage direct funding from other donor 
agencies.
    In 1999, the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MOH) requested the 
Global AIDS Program (GAP) to conduct a needs assessment of their 
National AIDS Program. As a result of this assessment the Brazilian MOH 
invited the Global Aids Program to provide technical assistance to the 
National Coordination for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS 
Program in Brazil (CN DST/AIDS). The CN DST-HIV implements its 
strategic plan through a number of governmental and non-governmental 
agencies, including Federal Universities. These partner organizations 
often provide a variety of technical, programmatic and management 
services to the National Coordination. One such organization is FIOTEC.
    FIOTEC is a foundation that draws on the collective body of Health 
Researchers from a group of research institutes called the Oswaldo Cruz 
Foundation, or FIOCRUZ. There are a number of these institutes located 
across the country working in close collaboration with Federal, State 
and Municipal Health offices. These research institutes work in areas 
of applied research of infectious diseases control and public health 
management.
    FIOTEC also is a management organization with a strong fiscal unit 
that manages several international grant awards to the Governmental of 
Brazil. The foundation has an established record of transparent fiscal 
management with international grants that could avail its services to 
manage this cooperative agreement. To date, HHS/CDC/GAP has not worked 
with this foundation.
    HHS/CDC/GAP and the CN DST-HIV are currently entering into a joint 
collaboration, through a Memorandum of Understanding, that is designed 
to assist them in building a Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and to 
further scale up these activities at the State and Municipal levels of 
Government.
    As noted above, the CN DST/AIDS is the only organization that can 
carry out these activities. However, the CN DST/AIDS has no financial 
mechanism for the direct receipt of funds. It has no fiscal unit and 
cannot enter into a direct cooperative agreement with GAP Brazil or any 
other agency. Presently, the CN DST/AIDS receives funds from the 
Ministry of Health in three ways (1) directly from the Ministry of 
Finance (2) through an agreement with the United Nations, and (3) 
through a cooperative agreement with MOH/FIOTEC.
    FIOTEC/FIOCRUZ has been identified by the MOH/CN DST/AIDS as the 
domestic organization to assist in this effort and would benefit in the 
long term from CDC's expertise to institutionalize these methodologies 
of Monitoring and Evaluation. Therefore, after much examination and 
negotiation to find the best mechanism to initiate and manage this CDC 
Cooperative Agreement--the Ministry of Health has determined that the 
only mechanism to operationalize this Cooperative Agreement between 
them and HHS/CDC/GAP is through FIOTEC.

C. Funding

    Approximately $1,000,000 is available in FY 2003 to fund this 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before September 
15, 2003, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a 
project period of up to four years. Funding estimates may change. None 
of these funds may be used to support travel to or from or activities 
in Cuba.

D. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    For general comments or 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 technical questions about this program, contact: William E. 
Brady, Global AIDS Program (GAP), Brazil Country Team, National Center 
for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Brazil-CDC AIDS Project Team, CN DST/AIDS, Brasilia, 
Brazil, Telephone: 55-61 273-4851, e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: August 14, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-21265 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P