[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75246-75256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31972]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


HIV Prevention Projects for the Pacific Islands

    Announcement Type: New.
    Funding Opportunity Number: 04069.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.943.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: February 2, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: This program is authorized under sections 301(a) and 
317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C., 241 and 
247b(k)(2).
    Purpose: The purpose of the program is to support HIV prevention 
projects in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Island Jurisdictions. HIV 
prevention programs in these jurisdictions face unique challenges and 
circumstances. These jurisdictions often lack sufficient resources, 
program infrastructure, and technical support to fully implement a 
comprehensive HIV prevention program and to ensure that critical 
prevention program components are implemented and sustained. These 
island nations deal with many challenging dynamics that include 
reaching and supporting prevention activities in locations separated by 
vast expanses of ocean, highly mobile populations, a lack of primary 
health care providers and facilities, variable economic and social 
conditions, and the challenge of adequately managing the migration and 
movement of regional and international visitors and workers. This 
program addresses the Healthy People 2010 focus area of HIV infection.
    The majority of HIV transmission is by persons unaware of their 
infection; one quarter of the people in the United States who are 
infected with HIV do not yet know they are infected. Knowledge of their 
HIV status would allow these people to receive the benefits of improved 
treatment and care, as well as ongoing prevention services that can 
help them avoid infecting others.
    CDC is refocusing some HIV prevention activities to reduce the 
number of new HIV infections in the United States (``Advancing HIV 
Prevention: New Strategies for a Changing Epidemic--United States,'' 
MMWR 2003; 52(15): 329-332). This new initiative will put more emphasis 
on counseling, testing, and referral for the estimated 180,000 to 
280,000 persons who are unaware of their HIV infection; partner 
notification, including partner counseling and referral services; and 
prevention services for persons living with HIV to prevent further 
transmission once they are diagnosed with HIV. In addition, since 
perinatal HIV transmission can be prevented, CDC is strengthening 
efforts to promote routine, universal HIV screening as a part of 
prenatal care. All of this will be accomplished through four 
strategies: (1) Making HIV screening a routine part of medical care; 
(2) creating new models for diagnosing HIV infection, including the use 
of rapid testing; (3) improving and expanding prevention services for 
people living with HIV; and (4) further decreasing perinatal HIV 
transmission.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the 
following performance goals for the National Center for HIV, STD and TB 
Prevention (NCHSTP):
    1. Decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring or 
transmitting HIV infection by delivering targeted, sustained, and 
evidence-based HIV prevention interventions, including prevention of 
perinatal HIV transmission.
    2. Increase, through voluntary counseling and testing, the 
proportion of HIV-infected people who know they are infected, focusing 
particularly on populations with high rates of undiagnosed HIV 
infection by: Incorporating HIV rapid and other test technology where 
applicable; reconfiguring counseling and testing resources to increase 
the efficiency of such services; increasing the number of providers who 
routinely provide HIV screening in health care settings; and increasing 
the number of partners who receive partner counseling, testing, and 
referral services.

[[Page 75247]]

    3. Increase the proportion of HIV-infected people who are linked to 
appropriate prevention, care, and treatment services.
    4. Strengthen the capacity of health department/ministry of health 
and community-based efforts to implement effective HIV prevention 
programs and to evaluate them.
    To ensure quality programs and measure progress, applicants are 
required to report on a set of core program performance indicators 
appropriate for their program activities. (In this and other documents, 
these may also be referred to as core indicators, program indicators, 
performance indicators, or simply indicators). Each jurisdiction will 
set annual target levels of performance for each indicator.
    Funded jurisdictions are accountable for achieving their target 
levels of performance. If a jurisdiction fails to achieve its target, 
CDC will work with the grantee to determine how to improve performance. 
CDC actions could include technical assistance, placing conditions or 
restrictions on the award of funds or, with chronic failure to improve, 
a reduction in funds.
    Activities:
    Awardee activities for this program are as follows: Recipients will 
implement a comprehensive HIV prevention program that includes the 
following components:
    a. HIV prevention program planning and implementation using a 
formal process that involves meaningful community input and involvement
    b. HIV prevention activities:
    (1) HIV prevention counseling, testing, and referral services (CTR)
    (2) Partner notification, including partner counseling and referral 
services (hereafter known as PCRS) with strong linkages to prevention 
and care services
    (3) Prevention for HIV-infected persons
    (4) Health education and risk reduction (HE/RR) activities
    Information on HIV prevention methods (or strategies) can include 
abstinence, monogamy, i.e., being faithful to a single sexual partner, 
or using condoms consistently and correctly. These approaches can avoid 
risk (abstinence) or effectively reduce risk for HIV (monogamy, 
consistent and correct condom use).
    (5) Public information programs
    (6) Perinatal transmission prevention
    c. Evaluation of major program activities, interventions, and 
services, including data collection on interventions and clients served
    d. Collaboration and coordination with other related programs
    e. Laboratory support
    f. Core HIV/AIDS epidemiologic and behavioral surveillance
    g. Quality assurance
    h. Capacity-building activities are a recommended component of a 
comprehensive HIV prevention program and should be implemented 
depending upon program needs and availability of resources.
    In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in 
the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.
    CDC Activities for this program are as follows:
    a. Provide consultation, technical assistance (TA), and support of 
capacity-building assistance in all aspects of grantee's comprehensive 
HIV prevention program, including (during the first year of this five-
year project period) extensive support and assistance to design, 
develop, and implement a new model for HIV prevention planning and 
implementation that will incorporate community input and involvement
    b. Work with grantees to assess training needs and provide training 
to managers, supervisors, and staff of CTR, outreach, or other 
prevention programs, either directly or through its network of TA 
providers and STD/HIV prevention training centers
    c. Disseminate current information, including best practices, in 
all areas of HIV prevention; facilitate the adoption and adaptation of 
effective intervention models through workshops, conferences, and 
written materials; and provide TA in the development and evaluation of 
new or innovative prevention models
    d. Develop intervention and program evaluation guidelines and 
program monitoring systems (including core program indicators)
    e. Facilitate coordination of activities among other CDC-funded 
programs, health departments/ministries of health, community-based 
organizations (CBOs), national/international capacity-building 
assistance (CBA) providers, international governmental and non-
governmental agencies and organizations, and care providers and 
recipients of Ryan White CARE Act funds
    f. Monitor progress toward achieving target levels of performance 
for each core program indicator, provide feedback, and take appropriate 
steps when target levels of performance are not met

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. CDC involvement in this 
program is listed in the Activities Section above.
    Fiscal Year funds: 2004.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,624,005.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 6.
    Approximate Average Award: $270,667.
    Floor of Award Range: $130,330.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $541,759.
    Anticipated Award Date: April 1, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: 12 months.
    Project Period Length: Five years.
    Throughout the project period, CDC's commitment to continuation of 
awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of 
satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required 
reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best 
interest of the Federal Government.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by the six health departments/
ministries of health of the United States Affiliated Pacific Island 
Jurisdictions: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall 
Islands, and Republic of Palau.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required for this program.

III.3. Other

    CDC will accept and review applications with budgets greater than 
the ceiling of the award range.

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

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

    To apply for this funding opportunity use application form CDC 
1246. Forms and instructions are available on the CDC Web site, 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) staff at: 770-488-2700. Application forms can be mailed to 
you.

[[Page 75248]]

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    You must submit a signed hard copy original and two copies of your 
application.
    You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the Federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access: http://www.dnb.com/AU/index.asp?event=countrymenu&country=au
     Or: http://www.dunandbradsteet.com.
    You may call the Dun and Bradstreet Australia office at: 61 3 9828 
3448.
    For more information, see the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/pubcommt.htm.
    If your application form does not have a DUNS number field, please 
write your DUNS number at the top of the first page of your 
application, and/or include your DUNS number in your application cover 
letter.
    You must include a project narrative with your application forms. 
Your narrative must be submitted in the following format:
    [sbull] Maximum number of pages: 50 pages. If your narrative 
exceeds the page limit, only the first pages, which are within the page 
limit, will be reviewed.
    [sbull] Font size: 12 point unreduced;
    [sbull] Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches;
    [sbull] Page margin size: one inch;
    [sbull] Printed only on one side of page;
    [sbull] Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips; not 
bound in any other way.
    [sbull] The Program Announcement title and number must appear in 
the application.
    [sbull] Sequentially number all pages in the application and 
attachments, and include a Table of Contents reflecting major 
categories and corresponding page numbers.
    [sbull] Provide only those attachments directly relevant to this 
application.
    Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the 
entire project period.
    The following information describes program requirements and asks 
you to describe, in your application, how you will address the 
requirements. This section also includes core program performance 
indicators that are required for specific program activities. These 
indicators will be used to help measure program performance. In your 
application, you are required to report on the base-line level for each 
indicator, as well as a one-year interim target and a five-year overall 
target level of achievement (a technical guide, CDC Technical 
Assistance Guidelines for Health Department HIV Prevention Program 
Performance Indicators, is available to assist you in understanding and 
responding to the core program performance indicators). In subsequent 
progress reports, you will be required to report on progress in 
achieving target levels of performance for each core program 
performance indicator.
    If your HIV prevention program cannot currently carry out aspects 
of a required HIV program activity and, as a result, limits your 
ability to formulate core program performance indicator baselines and 
targets, please provide a detailed description of the current status of 
your jurisdiction's ability to implement that particular program 
activity. In addition, please also describe your jurisdiction's needs 
in terms of program capacity development or technical assistance to 
implement this required HIV program activity.

a. HIV Prevention Program Planning and Implementation Using Community 
Input and Involvement

    (1) As part of activities covered under this announcement, grantees 
will work with CDC to create and implement a suitable model that has 
been specifically developed considering the existing HIV prevention 
capacity and resources in the Pacific. Most of the activities related 
to the development of this new model must occur during the first year 
of the five-year project period.
    (2) Attend and participate in CDC sponsored and supported 
consultations and activities provided to develop and construct a new 
model for community involvement in HIV prevention program planning and 
implementation. These events will take place in the Pacific and in 
other locations, as well as through facilitated teleconferences and 
meetings. Ensure that adequate funds are provided to support the 
development of this new HIV prevention program planning and 
implementation model and that your program is sufficiently represented 
during all phases of the development process
    (3) Once a model for community input and involvement has been 
developed and formalized, all funded grantees must ensure that this 
process is implemented and supported. Reporting and evaluation 
requirements regarding the implementation of this required component 
would be defined and clarified during the five-year project period.
    In your application:
    Describe your jurisdiction's current process for ensuring that 
community involvement and input is part of HIV prevention program 
planning and implementation. Describe barriers, challenges and 
limitations in the current process or model. Describe ideas or 
suggestions for a new model that might achieve or increase community 
involvement in HIV prevention program planning and implementation.

b. HIV Prevention Activities

    There are two overall HIV prevention core program performance 
indicators. Specify a base-line level for the following two core 
program performance indicators:
    [sbull] Indicator A.1: Number of newly diagnosed HIV infections;
    [sbull] Indicator A.2: Proportion of HIV/AIDS cases 13-24 years of 
age diagnosed each year among all HIV/AIDS cases.
(1) HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral (CTR) Services
    All jurisdictions must provide counseling, testing, and referral 
services with a focus on diagnosing as many new cases of HIV as 
possible and implementing HIV CTR strategies that increase 
opportunities for HIV testing in populations at high risk for HIV 
infection.
    (a) Provide HIV CTR services. These services must be consistent 
with CDC's most current HIV CTR guidelines (``CDC Revised Guidelines 
for HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral,'' MMWR 2001, 50 [RR-19]; 1-
58) and should be implemented in order to diagnose as many new HIV 
infections as possible.
    (b) Provide opportunities for persons to receive anonymous HIV CTR 
services, unless prohibited by law or regulation.
    (c) Ensure that appropriate HIV CTR services are provided in 
settings most likely to reach persons who are likely to be infected, 
but who are unaware of their status. Settings should include community 
outreach and other non-traditional sites. These services should include 
use of rapid and other test technologies (i.e., oral fluid-based test 
technology), where applicable.
    (d) Provide opportunities for high-risk individuals who test HIV-
negative to receive appropriate and effective HIV prevention 
interventions and risk reduction counseling. Information on HIV 
prevention methods (or strategies) can include abstinence, monogamy, 
i.e., being faithful to a single sexual partner, or using condoms 
consistently and correctly. These approaches can avoid risk 
(abstinence) or effectively reduce risk for HIV (monogamy, consistent 
and correct condom use).

[[Page 75249]]

    (e) Ensure that clients receive test results, particularly those 
who test positive.
    (f) Provide support (e.g., financial, technical assistance, 
training, and coordination) to health care providers to increase the 
identification of HIV-positive persons through strengthening current 
CTR services or creating new services. Work with departments of 
corrections to encourage and, when appropriate, support routine 
voluntary HIV screening and referral in correctional facilities. 
Strengthen outreach into communities to increase the number of HIV 
infections diagnosed by increasing the number of high-risk persons 
participating in HIV counseling, testing, and referral services.
    (g) Collect and report HIV CTR data as will be specified in the new 
Program Evaluation and Monitoring System (PEMS), including core program 
performance indicators. Report HIV CTR activities on a quarterly basis 
as specified in the Technical Reporting Section of this Announcement.
    (h) Seek opportunities to integrate and enhance HIV CTR and STD 
services.
    (i) Collect and report data that will provide useful and accurate 
information on the status and function of the HIV counseling, testing, 
and referral system. Ensure that there is sufficient capacity to 
collect and store electronic data and that data are secure.
    In your application:
    (a) Describe your plan to provide HIV CTR services, including:
    [sbull] How you will establish or improve efforts to identify newly 
infected persons and to test persons most at risk for HIV.
    [sbull] How you will improve the provision of test results 
(especially positive results).
    [sbull] How you will expand the availability of HIV CTR services, 
especially in areas where testing is not currently available and where 
high-risk populations would seek testing.
    [sbull] Your plan for providing referrals and tracking the 
completion of referrals for persons with positive test results.
    [sbull] How you will provide HIV prevention interventions and risk 
reduction counseling for high-risk persons who have negative HIV test 
results.
    [sbull] How you will work with medical care entities to encourage 
and support routine HIV screening in high prevalence settings.
    (b) Specify a base-line level, one-year interim target, and five-
year overall target level of performance for each of the following core 
program performance indicators:
    [sbull] Indicator B.1: Percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV-
positive test results among all tests reported by CDC-funded HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral sites.
    [sbull] Indicator B.2: Percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV-
positive test results returned to clients.
(2) Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS)
    All recipients must:
    (a) Ensure that PCRS is a high priority within the jurisdiction's 
HIV prevention activities. These services must be consistent with the 
most current PCRS guidelines as found in HIV Partner Counseling and 
Referral Services Guidance (December 30, 1998).
    (b) Provide PCRS for HIV-infected persons who have been tested 
anonymously or confidentially in CDC-funded sites. Ideally, PCRS should 
be offered to all persons with positive test results, regardless of 
where they were tested. Make a good faith effort to notify sexual or 
needle-sharing partners. PCRS efforts should be documented. Collaborate 
with the STD program and other health care providers to provide PCRS.
    (c) Develop a plan to implement new techniques and approaches to 
increase PCRS, using such things as social networks and incentives.
    (d) Collect and report PCRS data consistent with core data elements 
as will be specified in PEMS, including core program indicators.
    In your application:
    (a) Describe your current system for providing HIV Partner 
Counseling and Referral Services. Also describe your plan to provide 
PCRS for individuals who travel and migrate across jurisdictions within 
the Pacific, Hawaii, and the U.S. mainland, and how you will address 
the provision of PCRS for clients coming to or from non-health 
department/non-ministry of health settings.
    (b) Specify a base-line level, one-year interim target, and five-
year overall target level of performance for each of the following core 
program performance indicators:
    [sbull] Indicator C.1: Percent of contacts with unknown or negative 
serostatus who receive an HIV test after PCRS notification
    [sbull] Indicator C.2: Percent of contacts with a newly identified, 
confirmed HIV-positive test among contacts that are tested
    [sbull] Indicator C.3: Percent of contacts with a known, confirmed 
HIV-positive test among all contacts
(3) Prevention for HIV-Infected Persons
    All recipients must:
    (a) Provide prevention services to persons infected with HIV/AIDS. 
These services could include individual or group HIV risk reduction and 
prevention counseling.
    (b) Provide HIV risk reduction counseling to HIV-positive persons 
when they are given their test results, and continue to seek 
opportunities to provide HIV risk reduction counseling and 
interventions to HIV-positive individuals at intervals following the 
initial disclosure of test results.
    Information on HIV prevention methods (or strategies) can include 
abstinence, monogamy, i.e., being faithful to a single sexual partner, 
or using condoms consistently and correctly. These approaches can avoid 
risk (abstinence) or effectively reduce risk for HIV (monogamy, 
consistent and correct condom use).
    (c) Work with primary care providers in the community that serve 
persons with or at risk for HIV to integrate HIV prevention services 
into care and treatment services.
    (d) Collect and report data on prevention for HIV-positives, 
including core indicators, as will be specified in PEMS.
    In your application:
    (a) Describe your plan to provide prevention services for people 
living with HIV/AIDS. Describe how you will provide ongoing HIV risk 
reduction counseling and other interventions to HIV-positive persons.
    (b) Describe how you will encourage primary care providers to 
integrate prevention and care services.
(4) Health Education and Risk Reduction Services (HE/RR)
    This includes individual, group, community, and structural level 
interventions as well as outreach for high-risk seronegative and 
seropositive individuals.
    All recipients must:
    (a) Provide HE/RR services or fund providers that:
    [sbull] Target those most at risk for transmitting or acquiring HIV 
infection.
    [sbull] Implement interventions that are based on logic model, 
scientific theory, or have evidence of demonstrated or probable outcome 
effectiveness (see CDC's Compendium of HIV Prevention Interventions 
with Evidence of Effectiveness, 1999).
    [sbull] Are carried out and directed by written procedures or 
protocols.
    [sbull] Are acceptable to and understood by the target population, 
i.e., they are culturally appropriate.
    (b) Develop a plan for how you will work to establish or expand 
community capacity to provide, or assist the health

[[Page 75250]]

department or ministry of health to implement, HIV prevention 
interventions and activities.
    (c) Collect and report data on HE/RR activities including core 
indicators as will be specified in PEMS.
    In your application:
    (a) Identify and list priority populations and the HE/RR activities 
and interventions that will be funded and carried out for each 
prioritized population in the first year of the five-year project 
period. This prioritization process should consider all epidemiologic 
data and other evidence that is known about HIV/AIDS in the 
jurisdiction, and ensure that HIV positive individuals are the priority 
for prevention efforts.
    (b) Describe your plan to establish and develop community capacity 
to assist with or provide HIV prevention services and interventions. 
Identify any existing providers, by prioritized populations and 
interventions that are currently funded or will be funded in this 
project period.
    (c) Specify base line, one-year interim target, and five-year 
overall target levels of performance for the following core program 
indicator:
    [sbull] Indicator H.3: the mean number of outreach contacts 
required to get one person to access any of the following services: 
counseling and testing, STD screening and testing, individual level 
interventions (ILI), or group level interventions (GLI)
(5) Public Information Programs
    All recipients must:
    (a) Develop public information programs and campaigns based on 
local needs with the involvement and input of the community.
    (b) Collect and report data on public information activities as 
will be specified in PEMS.
    In your application:
    Describe your plan to develop and carry out HIV prevention public 
information programs. Describe the basic approach and messages that 
will be developed, including how and where the information will be 
disseminated. Describe how you will collect and analyze information to 
determine the scope and reach of public information programs, and how 
you intend to evaluate program components in order to guide and adjust 
future activities. Complete this section only if you are requesting 
program funds to support public information programs.
(6) Perinatal Transmission Prevention
    All recipients must:
    (a) Work with all health-care providers to promote routine, 
universal HIV screening to all of their pregnant patients. The 
Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all pregnant 
women in the United States be tested for HIV infection (see ``Revised 
Recommendations for HIV Screening of Pregnant Women,'' MMWR 2001; 50 
(RR19); 59-86 and ``Advancing HIV Prevention: New Strategies for a 
Changing Epidemic--United States,'' MMWR 2003; 52 (15); 329-332).
    (b) Work with organizations, institutions and health care workers 
that provide prenatal and postnatal care for HIV-infected women to 
ensure that these women are receiving the appropriate HIV prevention 
counseling, testing, and therapies needed to reduce the risk of 
perinatal transmission.
    In your application:
    (a) Describe the current system of perinatal care that exists 
within the jurisdiction, including:
    [sbull] Who provides the care.
    [sbull] How this care is monitored and managed.
    [sbull] How you will work with health care providers to promote 
routine, universal HIV screening to their pregnant patients.
    [sbull] How you will work with organizations and institutions that 
provide prenatal and postnatal care for HIV-infected women to ensure 
that they are receiving the appropriate HIV prevention counseling, 
testing, and therapies needed to reduce the risk of transmission.
    (b) Specify base-line level, one-year interim target, and five-year 
overall target levels of performance for the following core program 
indicator:
    [sbull] Indicator D.1: Proportion of women who receive an HIV test 
during pregnancy.

 c. Evaluation

    All recipients must:
    (1) Conduct program evaluation. Follow the requirements for the new 
Program Evaluation and Monitoring System (PEMS) that will be specified 
in a forthcoming HIV program evaluation guidance. PEMS will be 
developed and implemented during the course of this five-year project 
period.
    (2) Collect and report data for the core program performance 
indicators and for HIV prevention activities as specified in this 
Program Announcement and in a forthcoming HIV prevention program 
evaluation guidance. Respond only to the indicators that are 
specifically noted and required in this Program Announcement. For each 
core indicator, provide the information as specified on the indicator 
reporting form (see CDC Technical Assistance Guidelines for Health 
Department HIV Prevention Program Performance Indicators and as posted 
on a CDC Web site).
    (3) Describe current HIV program evaluation activities that address 
the following topics:
    [sbull] How your jurisdiction will meet the minimum data 
requirements for counseling, testing, and referral.
    [sbull] Your current system of data collection and reporting of HIV 
prevention activities, including data system specifications and data 
management information systems.
    [sbull] Procedures for ensuring that data quality and data security 
are consistent with CDC guidelines.
    For 2005 and beyond, develop and implement a comprehensive 
evaluation plan that includes all of the above elements and addresses 
issues to be specified in a forthcoming HIV prevention program 
evaluation guidance. This future evaluation plan should include the 
following:
    [sbull] A system for collection of process monitoring data, 
including client-level information.
    [sbull] Data entry into CDC's browser-based system or a local 
system that is compatible with CDC's requirements, as outlined in the 
most current evaluation guidance.
    [sbull] Adherence to HIV program evaluation reporting requirements 
for community input and involvement in the HIV prevention program 
planning and implementation model and process that will be developed 
during the first year of the five-year project period.
    (4) Identify the prioritized populations and prevention activities 
funded under this cooperative agreement.
    (5) Collect and report data consistent with the CDC requirements to 
ensure client confidentiality and security.
    (6) Use either the CDC data system or compatible local systems to 
report data electronically as specified in the most recent evaluation 
guidance.
    In your application:
    (1) Describe your evaluation of HIV prevention activities for the 
first year of the five-year project period.
    (2) Provide copies of your local data collection instruments, local 
program evaluation and data management system functions and 
specifications, and any jurisdiction-wide uniform data reporting forms, 
if they exist.
d. Collaboration and Coordination
    All recipients must:
    Coordinate and collaborate with other Pacific Islands (especially 
those covered under this program announcement), agencies, 
organizations, and providers to strengthen HIV prevention and care 
activities and minimize duplication of

[[Page 75251]]

effort in the jurisdiction. Meaningful coordination and collaboration 
efforts are characterized by joint participatory planning to address 
common areas of service need; development of recommendations for 
program planning and implementation; development of relevant policy 
and/or legislative initiatives; identification of specific steps for 
furthering collaborative efforts within defined time-frames; and 
outcomes that reflect HIV prevention program goals. At a minimum, 
recipients are expected to coordinate and collaborate with the 
following:
(1) STD Prevention Programs
    (a) Support efforts to identify persons with STDs that may 
facilitate the transmission of HIV infection.
    [sbull] STD diagnosis is funded primarily through the STD 
prevention cooperative agreement. However, HIV prevention funds may be 
used to augment STD detection services if there is a documented 
opportunity to enhance HIV prevention efforts, e.g., encourage and 
offer screening for syphilis in areas experiencing syphilis outbreaks.
    [sbull] Funds may be used to underwrite the cost of STD treatment, 
as it relates to HIV prevention, only on a case-by-case basis, and only 
after approval by CDC.
    [sbull] When feasible, HIV counseling and testing sites, including 
outreach settings, should offer STD diagnostic services and referrals 
for STD treatment.
    (b) Whenever appropriate, incorporate STD prevention messages into 
HIV prevention messages.
    (c) Collaborate with STD programs to provide PCRS.
(2) HIV/AIDS Care Programs
    To ensure early treatment and coordinate health education and risk 
reduction services for HIV-positive individuals, jurisdictions are 
encouraged to collaborate with providers and planners of care services 
for persons living with HIV/AIDS, particularly those funded by the 
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through its Ryan 
White CARE Act programs. These programs include Title I Planning 
Councils; Title II consortia, Special Projects of National 
Significance, HIV/AIDS CBOs, and community groups; Title III Early 
Intervention Services Programs; and, Title IV Programs serving 
children, youth, women and their families. For a list of currently 
funded CARE Act Programs and for more information on the Ryan White 
CARE Act, please go to http://hab.hrsa.gov/.
(3) Other Programs
    Collaboration and coordination should also occur with the 
following:
    [sbull] Substance abuse prevention and treatment programs and other 
drug treatment or detoxification programs.
    [sbull] Juvenile and adult criminal justice, correctional, and 
parole systems and programs.
    [sbull] Hepatitis prevention programs--Support local efforts to 
integrate viral hepatitis services into existing public health programs 
serving persons at risk for multiple infections (including HIV, STDs, 
and hepatitis A, B, and C).

--When possible, HIV prevention services should include screening for 
hepatitis viruses, e.g., hepatitis A and B in men who have sex with men 
(MSM) and hepatitis B and C in injection drug users, and provide or 
link those needing immunizations for hepatitis A and B to such 
services. HIV funds may be used for hepatitis testing, but not 
immunizations against hepatitis A or B.

--Collaborate with Hepatitis Coordinators in your jurisdiction to 
integrate services where feasible.

    [sbull] TB clinics and programs.
    [sbull] Public mental health departments and community mental heath 
centers.
    [sbull] Family planning and women's health programs, including 
providers of services to women in high-risk situations.
    [sbull] Educational agencies: Schools, boards of education, 
universities' schools of public health, and schools of nursing.
    [sbull] Other community groups, businesses, and faith-based 
organizations.
    In your application:
    Describe your plans to collaborate and coordinate HIV prevention 
services and activities with the jurisdictions, programs and groups 
listed above. Also, describe the intended outcomes of your 
collaboration and coordination efforts, and your plan to strengthen 
these activities over the five-year project period.

e. Laboratory Support

    All recipients should:
    Use program funds to support the cost of HIV testing for specimens 
obtained via counseling and testing activities, including rapid tests 
and CD4 and viral load tests. Grantees must ensure that their testing 
laboratories provide tests of adequate quality, report findings 
promptly, and participate in a laboratory performance evaluation 
program for HIV 1 antibody testing. Grantees are encouraged to consider 
using a regional lab to maximize cost effectiveness and test quality. 
Jurisdictions should establish set protocols for the collection, 
maintenance, testing, tracking, and shipment of specimens that need 
laboratory confirmation. Grantees should develop and utilize testing 
methods and procedures that ensure the most effective testing outcomes. 
Grantees must ensure that adequate resources and supplies are available 
to ensure the safety of the blood supply in the jurisdiction. 
Jurisdictions are encouraged to consider the use of oral fluid-based 
and rapid HIV test kits.
    In your application:
    Briefly describe all laboratory support activities funded under 
this announcement. Describe your current or proposed methods for 
testing and confirmation of HIV and tell us also how you would expand 
testing options if laboratory capacity were enhanced and stabilized in 
the Region. Include in this description a detailed algorithm of how HIV 
tests are collected and processed, and how decisions are made to 
determine needs for confirmation.

f. HIV/AIDS Epidemiologic and Behavioral Surveillance

    All recipients must:
    (1) Respond to the surveillance data needs of HIV prevention 
program managers and planning bodies, including analysis, 
interpretation, and presentation of surveillance data; preparation of 
the epidemiologic profiles; and other reports for use in the support of 
the implementation and evaluation of HIV prevention activities. 
Although the Surveillance Cooperative Agreement can provide support to 
jurisdictions to meet surveillance needs, funds under this announcement 
may be used to help support unmet HIV/AIDS surveillance activities as 
described above. Funds may also be used to address data gaps or unmet 
state or local needs for supplemental surveillance, HIV incidence 
surveillance, or behavioral surveillance.
    (2) Collaborate with surveillance programs to collect data needed 
for HIV incidence surveillance efforts.
    (3) Collaborate with CDC for surveillance activities.
    (4) For jurisdictions not yet reporting HIV or AIDS to CDC, 
determine the steps that are necessary to ensure that accurate, 
confidential and timely reporting of HIV and AIDS cases can be made to 
CDC.
    In your application:
    Describe any surveillance activities you expect to conduct with 
support provided through this program announcement. Complete this 
section

[[Page 75252]]

only if you are requesting program funds to support this activity.

g. Quality Assurance

    Recipients should develop, implement, and maintain quality 
assurance plans in the following program areas:
    (1) CTR and PCRS:
    (a) Counseling--Conduct routine, periodic assessments to ensure 
that the counseling being provided includes the recommended, essential 
counseling elements. Quality assurance elements may include (but are 
not limited to) the following components: training and continuing 
education; supervisor observation with feedback to counselors; case 
conferences; counselor or client satisfaction evaluations; and periodic 
evaluation of space, flow, and time concerns.
    (b) HIV Testing--Develop and implement a quality assurance system 
for all CTR and PCRS activities and providers, with special attention 
to ensuring that HIV-positive clients learn their test results. Develop 
and implement a quality assurance system for implementing HIV rapid 
testing.
    (c) Referral--Develop and implement a mechanism for assessing the 
proportion of HIV-positive persons referred for additional services who 
complete their referrals. Review data and improve process as necessary.
    (d) PCRS--Develop, implement, and maintain a system to assess the 
PCRS program and improve its function, e.g., improving the percentage 
of persons who receive PCRS, the quality of PCRS interview sessions, 
and the successful notification of partners.
    (2) Health Education and Risk Reduction (HE/RR) Activities:
    (a) Develop and implement a mechanism to ensure HE/RR activities 
are appropriate, understandable and acceptable for the specific 
populations served.
    (b) Develop and maintain a mechanism to ensure the consistency, 
accuracy, and relevance of information provided to the public through 
various information dissemination channels, including information about 
referral services.
    (c) Develop or use standard procedures or protocols for 
interventions implemented by the health department/health ministry or 
by any subcontracted providers.
    (d) Actively monitor services and programs provided by individuals 
or entities outside of the health department or health ministry. This 
activity will help to identify training and technical assistance needs 
and to ensure that interventions are implemented as planned and that 
program objectives are met.
    (e) Use feedback from client satisfaction surveys or other 
evaluation tools to assess the services provided, including prevention 
services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
(3) Policies, Procedures, and Training
    (a) Develop comprehensive written quality assurance policies and 
procedures to ensure that all HIV prevention activities are delivered 
in an appropriate, competent, consistent, and sensitive manner.
    (b) Make quality assurance policies and procedures available to all 
program staff (health department/health ministry and any subcontracted 
providers).
    (c) Deliver training to all staff providing HIV prevention 
activities, especially those staff providing CTR, PCRS, and HE/RR 
(health department/health ministry and subcontracted providers).
    (d) Train all managers to ensure that quality assurance policies 
and procedures are followed (health department/health ministry and 
subcontracted providers).
    (4) Data Collection--Develop, implement, and maintain a system to 
assess the quality of data collection:
    In your application:
    Describe your quality assurance efforts regarding HIV CTR, PCRS, 
HE/RR, public information campaigns, data collection, training, program 
procedures, and any other relevant programmatic areas for which you 
have quality assurance plans.

h. Recommended Program Activities

    This section describes capacity building, a program component that 
is not required through this program announcement. However, capacity 
building is recommended to improve the overall quality of your HIV 
prevention program and should be implemented depending upon program 
needs and availability of resources. Capacity building activities are 
as follows:
    (1) Conduct a capacity building needs assessment for the 
jurisdiction's health department/health ministry HIV prevention service 
providers and other prevention agencies/partners including community-
based organizations. This assessment should look at the capacity to 
provide outreach testing, PCRS, and prevention for people living with 
HIV.
    (2) Develop a comprehensive capacity-building plan based on the 
assessment.
    (3) Provide capacity-building assistance, based on the needs 
assessment, to HIV prevention service providers, and other prevention 
agencies/partners. Create linkages with national and international 
capacity-building assistance providers (CBAs), where necessary and 
appropriate. Capacity-building assistance may include, but should not 
be limited to:
    (a) Strengthening organizational infrastructure, including 
financial management and compliance with grant regulations.
    (b) Enhancing the design, implementation, and evaluation of HIV 
prevention interventions.
    (c) Developing community infrastructure.
    (d) Developing and implementing a new model for HIV prevention 
program planning that utilizes community involvement and input.
    (4) Provide capacity-building assistance to staff of health 
department/health ministry HIV prevention programs and other staff.
    (5) Provide capacity-building assistance to establish or develop 
community-based agencies or organizations to provide outreach testing 
and PCRS, including the use of rapid tests.
    (6) Increase the capacity of medical providers to provide routine 
HIV testing, including the use of rapid HIV tests.
    (7) Provide capacity-building assistance to develop, pilot, and 
sustain prevention interventions for persons living with HIV/AIDS and 
other prioritized target populations.
    In your application:
    (1) Describe your capacity-building activities in the areas listed 
above.
    (2) Discuss your plans to strengthen your capacity-building 
activities over the five-year project period of this program 
announcement.
    (3) Discuss how you will assess (initially, as well as ongoing) 
capacity-building needs throughout the project period.

i. Additional Information To Be Addressed in the Application Content

(1) Other Activities
    All recipients must ensure that appropriate health department/
ministry of health staff attends CDC-sponsored meetings, i.e., the 
National HIV Prevention Conference, the United States Conference on 
AIDS, and any mandatory training sessions addressing specific HIV 
prevention program requirements under this cooperative agreement.
    In your application:
    (a) Budget funds provided through this cooperative agreement for 
three persons to attend at least three CDC-

[[Page 75253]]

sponsored conferences or meetings each year. Also, for the first year 
of this project period, budget funds for meetings/activities related to 
the development of a new model for HIV prevention program planning and 
implementation.
    (b) Describe any other planned travel or attendance at conferences 
or meetings not previously addressed.
(2) Summarize Unmet Needs
    In your application:
    Summarize any HIV prevention needs that will remain unmet even if 
the total application is funded. Provide an estimate of funds required 
to meet these needs.
(3) Management and Staffing Plan
    All recipients must have the staff and infrastructure to implement 
the components of a comprehensive HIV prevention program for their 
jurisdiction. Recipients must maintain appropriate staffing to fulfill 
their responsibility to support programs and services provided directly 
by the health department/ministry of health or through community-based 
organizations or efforts; provide evaluation, and quality assurance; 
and support a community-driven process for HIV prevention program 
planning and implementation that will guide the disbursement and 
monitoring of funds.
    In your application:
    Describe your management and staffing plans to conduct or support 
the essential components of your comprehensive HIV prevention program. 
Please include an organizational chart that reflects the current 
management structure and a description of the roles, responsibilities, 
and relationships of all staff in the program, regardless of funding 
source. Identify the positions supported through this cooperative 
agreement and those funded through other sources, as well as any 
unfunded staffing needs.

j. Budget Information

    In accordance with Form CDC 0.1246, http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm (http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forms/01246.pdf), provide a 
line item budget and narrative justification for all requested costs 
that are consistent with the purpose, objectives, and proposed program 
activities. Within this budget, please provide documentation for each 
cost category.
    (1) Line item breakdown and justification for all personnel, i.e., 
name, position title, annual salary, percentage of time and effort, and 
amount requested.
    (2) Line item breakdown and justification for all contracts, 
including: (a) Name of contractor, (b) period of performance, (c) 
method of selection (i.e., competitive or sole source), (d) description 
of activities, (e) target population and (f) itemized budget.
    (3) Requests for any new Direct Assistance Federal assignees 
include:
    [sbull] Justification for request.
    [sbull] The number of assignees requested.
    [sbull] A description of the position and proposed duties.
    [sbull] The ability or inability to hire locally with financial 
assistance.
    [sbull] An organizational chart and the name of the intended 
supervisor.
    [sbull] The availability of career-enhancing training, education, 
and work experience opportunities for the assignee(s).
    [sbull] Assignee access to computer equipment for electronic 
communication with CDC.
    (4) Use of Funds/Funding Priorities: Funds may not be used to 
supplant other funds available for HIV prevention. Funds may not be 
used to provide direct patient medical care, e.g., ongoing medical 
management and provision of medications.
    (5) Carryover Funds: Carryover funds are available only from the 
previous 12-month budget period. Carryover funds are not available 
after the end of the five-year project period.

IV.3. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Deadline Date: February 2, 2004.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC 
Procurement and Grants Office by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline 
date. If you send your application by the United States Postal Service 
or commercial delivery service, you must ensure that the carrier will 
be able to guarantee delivery of the application by the closing date 
and time. If CDC receives your application 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, you will be given the opportunity to 
submit documentation of the carriers guarantee. If the documentation 
verifies a carrier problem, CDC will consider the application as having 
been received by the deadline.
    This program announcement is the definitive guide on application 
format, content, and deadlines. It supersedes information provided in 
the application instructions. If your application does not meet the 
deadline above, it will not be eligible for review, and will be 
discarded. You will be notified that you did not meet the submission 
requirements.
    CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your application. If you 
have a question about the receipt of your application, first contact 
your courier. If you still have a question, contact the PGO-TIM staff 
at: 770-488-2700. Before calling, please wait two to three days after 
the application deadline. This will allow time for applications to be 
processed and logged.

IV.4. Intergovernmental Review of Applications

    Your application is subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, as governed by Executive Order (EO) 12372. This order sets up 
a system for state and local governmental review of proposed federal 
assistance applications. You should contact your state single point of 
contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert the SPOC to prospect 
applications, and to receive instructions on your state's process. 
Click on the following link to get the current SPOC list: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html

IV.5. Funding Restrictions

    Funds may not be used to supplant other funds available for HIV 
prevention. Funds may not be used to provide direct patient medical 
care, e.g., ongoing medical management and provision of medications.
    Funds may be used to underwrite the cost of STD treatment, as it 
relates to HIV prevention, only on a case-by-case basis, and only after 
approval by CDC.
    HIV funds may be used for hepatitis testing, but not immunizations 
against hepatitis A or B.
    Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.

IV.6. Other Submission Requirements

    Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two copies 
of your application by mail or express delivery service to: Technical 
Information management--PA 04069, CDC Procurement and Grants 
Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341.
    Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Criteria: You 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

[[Page 75254]]

``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. Compliance with core program performance 
indicators will fulfill the above requirement.
    Your application will be evaluated against the criteria listed 
below. All criteria are weighted equally.
1. HIV Prevention Program Planning and Implementation Using Community 
Input and Involvement
    Does the applicant describe their jurisdiction's current process 
for ensuring that community involvement and input is part of HIV 
prevention program planning and implementation. Describe barriers, 
challenges and limitations in the current process or model. Describe 
ideas or suggestions for a new model that might achieve or increase 
community involvement in HIV prevention program planning and 
implementation.
2. HIV Prevention Activities
    (a) Does the applicant describe their plan to provide HIV CTR, 
including:
    [sbull] How the applicant will establish or improve efforts to 
identify newly infected persons and to test persons most at risk for 
HIV.
    [sbull] How the applicant will improve the provisions of test 
results (especially positive results).
    [sbull] How the applicant will expand the availability of HIV CTR 
services, especially in areas where testing is not currently available 
and where high risk populations would seek testing.
    [sbull] Does the applicant have a plan for providing referrals and 
tracking the completion of referrals for persons with positive test 
results?
    [sbull] How the applicant will work with medical care entities to 
encourage and support routine HIV screening in high prevalence 
settings.
    (b) Does the applicant specify a base-line level, one-year interim 
target, and five-year overall target level of performance for each of 
the following core program indicators?
    [sbull] Indicator B.1: Percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV-
positive test results among all tests reported by CDC-funded HIV 
Counseling, testing, and referral sites.
    [sbull] Indicator B.2: percent of newly identified, confirmed HIV 
positive test results returned to clients.
3. Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS)
    (a) Does the applicant describe their current system for providing 
HIV Partner Counseling and Referral Services? Also, do they describe 
their plan to provide PCRS for individuals who travel and migrate 
across jurisdictions within the Pacific, Hawaii, and the U.S. mainland, 
and how will they address the provision of PCRS for clients coming to 
or from non-health department/non-ministry of health settings.
    (b) Does the applicant specify a base-line level, one-year interim 
target, and five-year overall target level of performance for each of 
the following core program indicators?
    [sbull] Indicator C.1: Percent of contacts with unknown or negative 
serostatus who receives an HIV test after PCRS notification.
    [sbull] Indicator C.2: Percent of contacts with a newly identified, 
confirmed HIV-positive test among contacts who are tested.
    [sbull] Indicator C.3: Percent of contacts with a known, confirmed 
HIV-positive test among all contacts.
4. Prevention for HIV-Infected Persons
    (a) Does the applicant describe their plan to provide prevention 
services for people living with HIV/AIDS? Does the applicant describe 
how they will provide ongoing HIV risk reduction counseling and other 
interventions to HIV positive persons?
    (b) Does the applicant describe how they will encourage primary 
care providers to integrate prevention and cares services?
5. Health Education and Risk Reduction Services (HE/RR)
    (a) Does the applicant Identify and list priority populations and 
the health education/risk reduction activities and interventions that 
will be funded and carried out for each prioritized populations in the 
first year of the five-year project period? (Use Draft Priority 
Population Summary Worksheet.) This priorization process should 
consider all epidemiologic data and other evidence that is known about 
HIV/AIDS in the jurisdiction, and ensure that HIV positive individuals 
are the priority for prevention efforts.
    (b) Does the applicant describe their plan to establish and develop 
community capacity to assist with or provide HIV prevention services 
and interventions? Identify any existing providers, by prioritized 
populations and interventions that are currently funded or will be 
funded in this project period.
    (c) Specify base-line, one year-year interim target, and five-year 
overall target levels of performance for the following core program 
indicator:
    [sbull] Indicator H.3: The mean number of outreach contacts 
required to get one person to access any of the following services: 
counseling and testing, STD screening and testing, individual level 
interventions (ILI), or group level interventions (GLI).
6. Public Information Programs
    (a) Does the applicant describe their plan to develop and carry out 
HIV prevention public information programs? Do they describe the basic 
approach and messages that will be developed, including how and where 
the information will be disseminated? Does the applicant describe how 
they will collect and analyze information to determine the scope and 
reach of public information programs, and how they intend to evaluate 
program components in order to guide and adjust future activities?
7. Perinatal Transmission Prevention
    (a) Does the applicant describe the current system of perinatal 
care that exists within the jurisdiction, including:
    [sbull] Who provides the care.
    [sbull] How this care is monitored and managed.
    [sbull] How they will work with health care providers to promote 
routine, universal HIV screening to their pregnant patients.
    [sbull] How they will work with organizations and institutions that 
provide prenatal and postnatal care for HIV-infected women to ensure 
that they are receiving the appropriate HIV prevention counseling, 
testing, and therapies needed to reduce the risk of transmission.
    (b) Does the applicant specify base-line level, one-year interim 
target, and five-year overall target levels of performance for the 
following core program indicator:
    [sbull] Indicator D.1: Proportion of women who receive an HIV test 
during pregnancy.
8. Evaluation
    (a) Does the applicant describe their plan for evaluation of HIV 
prevention activities for the first year of the five-year project 
period?
    (b) Does the applicant provide copies of their local data 
collection instruments, local program evaluation and data management 
system functions and specifications, and any jurisdiction-wide uniform 
data reporting forms, if they exist.

[[Page 75255]]

9. Collaboration and Coordination
    Does the applicant describe their plans to collaborate and 
coordinate HIV prevention services and activities with the 
jurisdictions, programs and groups listed in this announcement? Also, 
how do they describe the intended outcomes of their collaboration and 
coordination efforts, and their plan to strengthen these activities 
over the five-year project period?
10. Laboratory Support
    Does the applicant briefly describe all laboratory support 
activities funded under this announcement? Does the applicant describe 
their current or proposed methods for testing and confirmation of HIV, 
and describe also how they would expand testing options if laboratory 
capacity were enhanced and stabilized in the region? Did they include 
in this description a detailed algorithm of how HIV tests are collected 
and processed, and how decisions are made to determine needs for 
confirmation?
11. HIV/AIDS Epidemiologic and Behavioral Surveillance
    Does the applicant describe any surveillance activities they expect 
to conduct with support provided through this program announcement? 
[Note to applicant: Complete this only if you are requesting program 
funds to support this activity.]
12. Quality Assurance
    Does the applicant describe their quality assurance efforts 
regarding HIV CTR, PCRS, HE/RR, public information campaigns, data 
collection, training, program procedures, and any other relevant 
programmatic areas for which they have quality assurance plans?
13. Capacity-Building Activities (Recommended Activity Based on 
Availability of Resources)
    (a) Does the applicant describe their capacity-building activities 
in the areas listed?
    (b) Does the applicant discuss their plans to strengthen their 
capacity-building activities over the five-year project period of this 
program announcement?
    (c) Does the applicant discuss how they would assess (initially, as 
well as ongoing) capacity-building needs throughout the project period?
14. Other Activities
    (a) Does the applicant budget funds through this cooperative 
agreement for three persons to attend at least three CDC-sponsored 
conferences or meetings each year? Also, for the first year of this 
project period, does the applicant budget funds for meetings/activities 
related to the development of a new model for HIV prevention program 
planning and implementation?
    (b) Does the applicant describe any other planned travel or 
attendance at conferences or meetings not previously addressed?
15. Unmet Needs
    Does the applicant summarize any HIV prevention needs that will 
remain unmet even if the total application is funded? Do they provide 
an estimate of funds required to meet these needs?
16. Management and Staffing Plan
    Does the applicant describe their management and staffing plan to 
conduct or support the essential components of their comprehensive HIV 
prevention program? Does the applicant include an organizational chart 
that reflects the current management structure and a description of the 
roles, responsibilities, and relationships of all staff in the program, 
regardless of funding source? Does the applicant identify the positions 
supported through this cooperative agreement and those funded through 
other sources, as well as any unfounded staffing needs?

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    As all eligible applicants will be funded, applications will 
undergo a Technical Acceptability Review.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Date

    Award Date: April 1, 2004.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

    Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Grant Award (NGA) 
from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NGA shall be the only 
binding, authorizing document between the recipient and CDC. The NGA 
will be signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer, and mailed 
to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review by mail.

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92
    For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the 
National Archives and Records Administration at the following Internet 
address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html
    The following additional requirements apply to this project:

AR-4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions
AR-5 HIV Program Review Panel Requirements
AR-7 Executive Order 12372 Review
AR-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements
AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2010
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
AR-14[cent]Accounting System Requirements
AR-16 Security Clearance Requirement
AR-20 Conference Support
    Additional information on these requirements can be found on the 
CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide CDC with a hard copy original, plus two copies of 
the following reports:
    1. Data reports of HIV interventions (including individual and 
group level); outreach; health communication/public information; HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral; partner counseling and referral 
service; are required 45 days after the end of each quarter or as 
specified in the most recent evaluation guidance. Project areas may 
request technical assistance to achieve this. Data should be submitted 
directly to the Program Evaluation Research Branch.
    2. This program requires progress reports on a semi-annual basis. 
The first progress report (an original plus two copies) for each 
calendar year is due by April 1 of the following year. You will receive 
specific guidance on what to include at least three months before the 
due date. Generally, your report should include the following:
    a. Base-line and actual level of performance on core and optional 
indicators
    b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress
    c. Additional Requested Information
    3. The second report (an original and two copies), which is the 
interim progress report, is due by September 30 of each year. It should 
include:
    a. Current Budget Period Financial Progress
    b. Base-line and target level for core and optional indicators
    c. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification
    d. Additional Requested Information
    4. Provide CDC with a Financial Status Report (original and two 
copies),

[[Page 75256]]

no more than 90 days after the end of each budget period.
    5. Provide CDC with your final financial and performance reports 
(original and two copies), no more than 90 days after the end of the 
five-year project period.
    6. Submit any newly developed public information resources and 
materials to the CDC National Prevention Information Network (formerly 
the AIDS Information Clearinghouse) so that they can be incorporated 
into the current database for access by other organizations and 
agencies.
    Submit hard copies of materials to: CDC National Prevention 
Information Network, Attention Database Services, PO Box 6003, 
Rockville, MD 20849-6003; or submit electronic copies of materials by 
email to: [email protected]; Subject: Database Services, For more 
information call: 1-800-458-5231.

7. HIV Content Review Guidelines

    a. Submit completed Assurance of Compliance with the Requirements 
for Contents of AIDS-Related Written Materials Form (CDC form-0.1113) 
with your application. This form, which lists the members of your 
program review panel, can be downloaded from the CDC Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm. The Program Director and authorized 
business/fiscal official must sign this form. In addition, you must 
certify that your program review panel represents a reasonable cross-
section of the community in which the program is based.
    b. You must also include with your application documentation of 
approval/disapproval by your program review panel of any HIV 
educational materials that you are currently using. Use the form, 
Report of Approval/Disapproval for this purpose. This form is attached 
to this announcement as posted on the CDC Web site. If you have 
previously sent this information to CDC, it is not necessary to send it 
again. If you have nothing to submit, you must complete the enclosed 
form, No Report Necessary. Either the Report of Approval/Disapproval or 
No Report Necessary must be included with your application, all 
progress reports, and all continuation requests. In addition to using 
the Report of Approval/Disapproval, you must certify that accountable 
jurisdictional health officials independently review the federally-
funded HIV prevention materials for compliance with Section 2500 of the 
Public Health Service Act, and approve the use of such materials in 
their jurisdiction for directly and indirectly funded organizations.
    c. Ensure that a Web page notice be used for those grantees whose 
Web sites contain HIV/AIDS educational information subject to the CDC 
content review guidelines. Contact your project officer for a copy of 
this guidance.
    8. Address your organization's compliance with CDC policies for 
securing approval for CDC sponsorship of conferences. If you plan to 
hold a conference, you must send a copy of the agenda to CDC's 
Procurement and Grants Office.
    9. If you plan to use materials using CDC's name, send a copy of 
the proposed material to CDC's Procurement and Grants Office for 
approval.

    Note: Send all reports (except for items 1 and 6) to the Grants 
Management Specialist identified in the ``Agency Contacts'' section 
of this announcement.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical 
Information Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 
Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For program technical assistance, contact: Victoria Rayle, Project 
Officer, Prevention Program Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E58, 
Telephone: 404-639-4274, E-mail: [email protected].
    For budget assistance, contact: Jamie Legier, Grants Management 
Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2635, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: December 22, 2003.
Sandra R. Manning,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-31972 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P