[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61814-61817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27335]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

[CFDA 93-145, HRSA 04-076]


Cooperative Agreement for a Twinning Center (CATC)

AGENCIES: Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health, 
Department of Health and Human Services; United States Agency for 
International Development.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds for a 
Cooperative Agreement for the establishment of a Twinning Center (TC) 
to support twinning and volunteer activities as part of the 
implementation of the President's International Mother and Child HIV 
Prevention Initiative (Initiative). The Cooperative Agreement will be 
awarded for a 5-year project period.
    Program Purpose: The purpose of this funding is to support the 
President's Initiative, focusing on the reduction/prevention of mother-
to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS. This 5-year Initiative, 
through a combination of improving care, prophylaxis of HIV-positive 
mothers, and building healthcare delivery capacity is expected to reach 
up to one million women annually and reduce mother-to-child HIV 
transmission by 40 percent within those 5 years in 14 targeted 
countries in Africa and the Caribbean. This is a unified government 
initiative, coordinated and implemented by a PMTCT Interagency Steering 
Committee, led by the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator in the 
Department of State, that include as members the Offices of National 
AIDS Policy (ONAP) and Management and Budget in the White House, the 
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the 
Department of State, and the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) and its component agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
    Fourteen countries and one regional office in the Caribbean were 
initially selected to be part of the Initiative, based on high HIV 
burden, limited country resources, and host government and civil 
society commitment to fighting the HIV epidemic and scaling up PMTCT 
programs. The President's Initiative is intended to complement other 
bilateral and international support efforts, including support through 
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. In addition, 
the Initiative represents specific U.S. Government assistance to help 
the Initiative countries reach the United Nations General Assembly 
Special Session on AIDS' goals for reducing mother-to-child HIV 
transmission.
    A long term goal of the President's Initiative is capacity building 
in clinics and communities to deliver PMTCT. Two of the strategies 
outlined by the President for human and institutional capacity building 
are twinning and volunteer activities, which will be implemented 
through a TC and a Volunteer Health-Care Corps (VHC), although other 
strategies, including other forms of training, will be employed. The 
volunteer activities under this program will exist within the twinning 
partnerships, although the TC will also coordinate with the activities 
of target country volunteers outside of the twinning activities. The 
goal of the TC is to strengthen human and organizational capacity 
through twinning and healthcare volunteers to rapidly expand the pool 
of trained providers, managers, and allied health staff delivering 
quality HIV/AIDS services to HIV-infected pregnant women and HIV-
exposed infants in 14 target countries in Africa and the Caribbean. The 
TC will work collaboratively with HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau, CDC, USAID, 
and ONAP to assist in the implementation of the President's Initiative 
at the country level. The guiding principle for the TC and VHC is that 
the implementation of this program will be based on the needs of the 
targeted country as identified by the USAID/CDC field offices' human 
resources plan.
    The definition of ``twinning'' for the purposes of this Notice of 
Availability of Funds (NOAF)for a Cooperative Agreement for a Twinning 
Center (CATC) is the definition developed by the Canadian Interagency 
Coalition on AIDS and Development in its publication Beyond Our 
Borders: A Guide to Twinning for HIV/AIDS Organizations: A formal, 
substantive collaboration between two similar organizations. ``Formal'' 
means there is an agreement or contract, verbal or

[[Page 61815]]

written. ``Substantive'' means the interaction between the twinning 
partners is significant and lasts for a period of time. 
``Collaboration'' means that the partner organizations work together on 
a specific project or exchange information and skills.
    A centrally-funded TC will broker and facilitate relationships 
between twinning partners, plan and fund logistics for the VHC, and 
fund in-country twinning partners. The twinning plan will build upon 
existing relationships between U.S. and target country institutions as 
well as initiate new twinning partnerships.
    Eligible Applicants: Public or nonprofit private entities, 
including schools and academic health sciences centers, community-based 
organizations, and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for 
the CATC. Eligible organizations for twinning funding assistance at the 
in-country level will depend on the specific twinning activity, but may 
include hospitals, health clinics, training/educational institutions, 
and non-government organizations, including community- and faith-based 
organizations. Applicants for the TC must have domestic and 
international experience providing technical assistance to HIV/AIDS 
service organizations.
    Authorizing Legislation: Department of Health and Human Services: 
Section 307 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 42 U.S.C. 242l. 
United States Agency for International Development: Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961, as amended, and Executive Order 11223.
    Availability of Funds: Funds are available under the appropriation 
included in Pub. L. 107-116 for International HIV/AIDS activities. It 
is estimated that up to $150,000,000 for up to 5 years may be available 
to support the TC and twinning activities in the 14 target countries, 
with $2,000,000 for the TC and up to $2,000,000 for twinning activities 
in the 14 countries during the first year. There will be 2 separate 
awards to the same recipient for these activities: funding for target 
country twinning activities will be awarded by USAID, and funding for 
the provision of technical assistance activities by the TC will be 
awarded by HRSA/DHHS. Funding awards will be made during the first or 
early second quarter of the Federal fiscal year 2004 (calendar year 
October 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004). The TC will be funded for a 12-
month budget period, with a project period of up to 5 years. 
Continuation awards for the TC after the first year will be made based 
upon satisfactory performance and the availability of Federal funds. 
Funding for in-country twinning activities funded by USAID will be made 
on a specific project basis, with funding for 1 year and a project 
period of up to 5 years. Continuation funding for specific twinning 
activities will be based upon satisfactory performance of existing 
twinning partnerships, initiation of new twinning partnerships, and 
availability of Federal funds.
    Application Deadline: Applications for this cooperative agreement 
must be received in the HRSA Grants Application Center (GAC) by close 
of business December 29, 2003. Applications shall be considered as 
meeting the deadline if they are either (1) received on or before the 
deadline date or (2) postmarked on or before the deadline date, and 
received in time for submission to the objective review panel. One 
original and two copies of an application will be required. A legible 
dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service will 
be accepted instead of a postmark. Private metered postmarks will not 
be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Grant applications postmarked 
after the deadline will be returned.
    Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
above are considered late applications. Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) shall notify each late applicant that its 
application will not be considered in the current competition.
    The Chief Grants Management Officer (CGMO) or a higher level 
designee may authorize an extension of published deadlines when 
justified by circumstances such as acts of God (e.g., floods or 
hurricanes), widespread disruptions of mail service, or other 
disruptions of services, such as a prolonged blackout. The authorizing 
official will determine the affected geographical area(s).
    Electronic Submission: HRSA encourages applicants to submit 
applications on-line. To register and/or log-in to prepare your 
application, go to https://grants.hrsa.gov/webexternal/login.asp. For 
assistance in using the on-line application system, call 877-GO4-HRSA 
(877-464-4772) between 8:30 am to 5:30 pm ET or e-mail 
[email protected].
    Application narratives and spreadsheets will need to be created 
separately and submitted as attachments to the application. You will be 
prompted to ``upload'' your attachments at strategic points within the 
application interface. The following document types will be accepted as 
attachments: WordPerfect (.wpd), Microsoft Word (.doc), Microsoft Excel 
(.xls), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Portable Document Format (.pdf).
    To look for funding opportunities, go to http://www.hrsa.gov/grants 
and follow the links.
    DUNS Number: Beginning October 1, 2003, applicants will be required 
to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or 
cooperative agreement from the Federal Government. If applicants are 
submitting an application on or after October 1, 2003 a DUNS number is 
required. To obtain a DUNS number, access www.dunandbradstreet.com or 
call 1-866-705-5711. Please include DUNS number next to OMB Approval 
Number on the application face page. Applications will not be reviewed 
without a DUNS number.
    Additionally, the applicant organization will be required to 
register with the Federal Government's Central Contractor Registry 
(CCR) in order to do business with the Federal Government, including 
electronic. Information about registering with the CCR can be found at 
http://www.hrsa.gov/grants.htm.
    Where to Request and Send an Application: To prepare and submit an 
application, organizations must obtain: (1) the CATC Program Guidance 
and (2) the official Federal grant application kit required for these 
cooperative agreements, PHS Form 5161-1, along with 2 separate budgets 
(one budget for the HRSA-funded activities and one budget for the 
USAID-funded activities) using Standard Form (SF) 424. The Program 
Guidance is available on the HIV/AIDS Bureau Web site at the following 
Internet address: http://www.hab.hrsa.gov/grant.htm. The PHS Form 5161-
1 is available at the following Internet address: http://forms.psc.gov/forms/PHS/phs.html. The SF 424 is available at the following Internet 
addresses: http://forms99.psc.gov/Forms/sf-424_2.htm (instructions for 
HRSA budget) and http://www.usaid.gov/procurement_bus_opp/procurement/forms/SF-424/ (instructions for USAID budget). For those 
organizations who do not have access to the Internet, hard copies of 
the Program Guidance, PHS Form 5161-1 and SF 424 may be obtained from 
the HRSA GAC. You can reach the HRSA GAC toll-free at (877) 477-2123, 
fax (877) 477-2345, or e-mail: [email protected]. Please request the 
Office of Management and Budget Catalogue of Federal Domestic 
Assistance Number 93-145, HRSA 04-076 and Program Code CATC.
    Notification of Letter of Intent: Letters of intent will be used by 
the Funding Agencies to estimate the number of applications which will 
be submitted.

[[Page 61816]]

This will help determine the number and types of reviewers which will 
be required for the objective review. Therefore applicants must submit 
a one-page letter of intent. This letter must identify the applicant 
organization, its intent to apply, and briefly describe the proposal to 
be submitted.

ADDRESSES: All Cooperative Agreement applications should be mailed or 
delivered to: HRSA Grant Application Center, 901 Russell Avenue, Suite 
450, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879. Applications sent to any other 
address will be returned.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information on the TC and 
the HRSA/DHHS technical assistance portion of the Cooperative Agreement 
may be obtained from Thurma Goldman, MD, MPH, HIV/AIDS Bureau, at (301) 
443-1993; fax (301) 443-9645; e-mail: [email protected]; mail HIV/AIDS 
Bureau, HRSA 5600 Fishers Lane, Parklawn Building, Room 7-13, 
Rockville, Maryland 20857.
    Additional information on the twinning activity funding portion of 
the Cooperative Agreement may be obtained from Mr. Eduardo G. Elia, 
USAID, Contracts Specialist, M/OP/GH/POP, at (202) 712-0901; fax (202) 
216-3132; e-mail [email protected]; mail USAID, M/OP/GH/POP, Ronald 
Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, RRB 7.09-133, 
Washington, DC 20523-7100.
    Pre-Application Technical Assistance Conference Call: There will be 
a pre-application technical assistance conference call with potential 
applicants approximately 3 weeks after publication of the Notice of 
Availability of Funds (NOAF) for the CATC. The conference call will be 
with HRSA and USAID officials familiar with the NOAF requirements. The 
purpose of the call will be to answer questions which potential 
applicants may have about the application guidance or questions about 
completing the application. All questions to be discussed at the 
conference call must be submitted in advance of the call to HRSA, by 
fax, e-mail, or regular mail. Questions should be submitted to: Thurma 
Goldman, M.D., M.P.H., Program Director, Global HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS 
Bureau, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-13, Rockville, MD 20857, at 
(301-443-1993; fax: 301/443-9645; e-mail: [email protected]. To find 
out the exact date and time of the technical assistance conference 
call, and timeframe for submission of questions, please call the HRSA's 
HIV/AIDS Bureau main office on (301) 443-1993.
    Technical Oversight of the Cooperative Agreements: The TC 
Cooperative Agreement will be managed by two Project Officers. The 
USAID Project Officer will provide oversight and technical management 
of the Cooperative Agreement activities associated with the award and 
monitoring of funds for the actual expenses of the in-country twinning 
partners and volunteer activities. The HRSA Project Officer will 
provide oversight and technical management of the activities associated 
with the operation and management of the TC and VHC and the provision 
of technical assistance to the twinning partners (including the 
identification of organizations and partnerships and proposed 
activities) and VHC.
    Guidance for the CATC will be provided by a Technical Assistance 
Group, which will be subordinate to the PMTCT Interagency Steering 
Committee, comprised of members of the Presidential Initiative Human 
Resources Workstream. Guidance will be provided to the TC via the USAID 
and HRSA Project Officers. The Guidance will provide overall direction 
for the TC's goals and objectives in the development and implementation 
of partnerships.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cooperative Agreements are a type of Federal 
assistance that involves a substantial level of government 
participation in funded activities. Under the cooperative agreement, 
HRSA and USAID require that certain activities be planned jointly and 
include approval from HRSA, USAID, and the TC Technical Assistance 
Group. HRSA and USAID responsibilities will be in the following areas:
    (a) Provide consultation and technical assistance in planning, 
operation, and evaluation activities, including the identification and 
selection of in-country partners;
    (b) facilitate the coordination and collaboration among program 
partners, such as USAID, CDC and their field offices or missions, and 
the TAG and TC;
    (c) facilitate efforts in the provision of technical assistance and 
training in twinning to specified individuals and organizations;
    (d) participate, as appropriate, in the planning and implementation 
of any meetings, training activities, or workgroups conducted during 
the period of the cooperative agreement;
    (e) provide technical assistance to the TC to increase its capacity 
to succeed in this international collaboration;
    (f) maintain an ongoing dialogue with the TC concerning program 
plans, policies, and other issues which have major implications for any 
activities undertaken by the applicants under the cooperative 
agreement;
    (g) review, provide comments, recommendations, and approvals for 
documents, curricula, program plans, budgets, work to be contracted 
out, key personnel (including consultants and contractors), workplan 
revisions, etc. prior to printing, dissemination or implementation;
    (h) provide feedback to the TC on quarterly and other reports; and
    (i) serve as the official interface between the TAG and the TC.
    Detailed information on grantee responsibilities is provided in the 
application guidance.
    The applicant receiving the award will be required to submit 
quarterly reports, a mid-term report during the 30th month of the 
project, and a final report at the end of the project.
    The applicant receiving the award will not be required to match or 
share in project costs. Any matching or cost sharing will not be 
considered as part of the selection decision.
    This program is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
as implemented by 45 CFR part 100. Executive Order 12372 allows States 
the option of setting up a system for reviewing applications from 
within their States for assistance under certain Federal programs. 
Application packages made available under this Guidance will contain a 
listing of States which have chosen to set up such a review system and 
will provide a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for the state's review. 
Information on states affected by this program and State Points of 
Contact may also be obtained from the Grants Management Specialist 
cited in the application guidance, as well as at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. All applicants other than 
federally recognized American Indian tribes should contact their SPOCs 
as early as possible to alert them to prospective applications and 
receive any necessary instruction on the State process used under this 
Executive Order.
    The activities proposed to be implemented through this award are 
not considered to be research activities.
    Non-Federal reviewers will participate in the review of submitted 
applications. Applicants have the option of omitting from the 
application copies (but not from the original) specific salary rates or 
amounts for individuals specified in the application budget and Social 
Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may 
include summary salary information.

[[Page 61817]]

    Review Process: Applications submitted in response to this NOAF 
will be reviewed for threshold criteria and technical merit by an 
Objective Review Committee. Each application must address and apply for 
both aspects of the TC: (A) Brokering, facilitation, and management of 
twinning partners; and (B) funding of in-country twinning and volunteer 
activity. The threshold criteria are: (1) Program Approach and 
Implementation Plan for Building Human and Organizational Capacity (30 
points), (2) Institutional Capability and Past Performance (20 points), 
(3) Personnel Capability and Experience (20 points), (4) Program 
Evaluation and Quality Improvement (15 points), and (5) Clarity and 
Justification of the Budget (15 points). Technical Merit criteria are 
more completely defined in the Application Kit.

    Dated: October 20, 2003.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-27335 Filed 10-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P