[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16549-16553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7023]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Delivering Environmental Health Services

    Announcement Type: New.
    Funding Opportunity Number: 04113.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
    Key Dates:
    Letter of Intent Deadline: April 29, 2004.
    Application Deadline: June 1, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Section 301 and 317 of the Public Health Service Act, 
[42 U.S.C., section 241 and 247(b)], as amended.


[[Page 16550]]


    Purpose: This program announcement is for state and local public 
health departments, and tribal health agencies to implement or expand, 
and evaluate their environmental public health activities built on a 
framework that is based on the Ten Essential Public Health Services, 
the Ten Essential Environmental Services, Core Competencies of 
Effective Practice of Environmental Health (See Addendum), and CDC's A 
National Strategy to Revitalize Environmental Public Health Services, 
published September, 2003. (See: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/Docs/NationalStrategy2003.pdf) This program addresses the ``Healthy People 
2010'' focus area of environmental health, public health 
infrastructure, and education and community-based programs.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the 
following performance goal for the National Center for Environmental 
Health (NCEH): Increase the capacity of state, local, tribal and 
territorial health departments to deliver environmental health services 
to their communities.

Activities:

    Awardees activities for this program are as follows:
     Implement a comprehensive environmental health 
services program built on the framework of the Ten Essential Public 
Health Services, the Ten Essential Environmental Services, Core 
Competencies of Effective Practice of Environmental Health, and CDC's A 
National Strategy to Revitalize Environmental Public Health Services;
     Implement interventions to address environmental 
issues related to delivering an environmental health service (i.e. air, 
water, waste management, integrated pest management/vector control, and 
food). Interventions for up to two of the five environmental health 
service areas may be addressed in the proposal.
     Demonstrate the ability to improve the 
environmental health of the community through the development, 
reorganization, or expansion of the delivery of environmental health 
services utilizing a systems-based problem solving approach to disease 
outbreaks and/or exposure investigation.
     Integrate and/or coordinate the delivery of 
environmental health services with other health department units (e.g., 
epidemiology, chronic disease, laboratory, etc.), state agencies, 
governmental agencies, and community-based organizations.
     Develop and implement an evaluation program to 
measure capacity building outcomes and demonstrate the effectiveness of 
interventions developed to enhance the delivery of environmental health 
services.
     Develop partnerships with academic institutions 
such as accredited environmental health programs or schools of public 
health to assist and support environmental research or program 
evaluation, if necessary.
     Utilize resources available through the CDC's 
Environmental Health Services Program to assist in fulfilling the 
requirements of this cooperative agreement.
     Analyze, document and disseminate findings.
    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:
     Provide technical assistance and consultation to 
the award recipient to refine the project plan, data and information 
collection, and analysis instruments.
     Support systems-approach planning.
     Review the use of data and information 
collection resources and analysis instruments.
     Assist awardees with background information and 
in forming collaborative interactions.
     Assist awardees with preparation, review and 
clearance of manuscripts.
     Evaluate effectiveness and quality of 
environmental health services related to awardees activities.

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: $1,400,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 7-14.
    Approximate Average Award: $100,000--$200,000.
    (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes 
both direct and indirect costs.)
    Floor of Award Range: None.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $200,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: 12 months.
    Project Period Length: Three 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 governments and their agencies, 
such as:
     Federally recognized Indian tribal governments
     Indian tribes
     Indian tribal organizations
     State and local governments or their Bona Fide 
Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of 
Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of 
Palau)
     Political subdivisions of States (in 
consultation with States)
    A Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state 
as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in 
lieu of a state application. If you are applying as a bona fide agent 
of a state or local government, you must provide a letter from the 
state as documentation of your status. Place this documentation behind 
the first page of your application form.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required for this program.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements

    If you request a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the 
award range, your application will be considered non-responsive and 
will not be entered into the review process. You will be notified that 
your application did not meet the submission requirements.
    This announcement is for submission of proposals that are not 
research. If your application contains research, it will be considered 
non-responsive to the announcement.
    If your application is incomplete or non-responsive to the 
requirements listed below, it will not be entered into the review 
process. You will be notified that your application did not meet the 
submission requirements.

    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.


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IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address To Request Application Package

    To apply for this funding opportunity use application form PHS 
5161. Application 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.

IV.2. Content and Form of Submission

Letter of Intent (LOI)
    Your LOI must be written in the following format:
     Maximum number of pages: One page.
     Font size: 12-point unreduced.
     Single spaced.
     Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches.
     Page margin size: One inch.
     Printed only on one side of page.
     Written in plain language, avoid jargon.
    Your LOI must contain the following information:
     Name, address, and telephone number for key 
contact.
     Brief description of the proposed project.
    Application: You must include a project narrative with your 
application forms. Your narrative must be submitted in the following 
format:
     Maximum number of pages: 25
    If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages 
which are within the page limit will be reviewed.
     Font size: 12 point unreduced.
     Single spaced.
     Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches.
     Page margin size: One inch.
     Printed only on one side of page.
     Held together only by rubber bands or metal 
clips; not bound in any other way.
    Your narrative should address activities to be conducted over the 
entire project period, and must include the following items in the 
order listed:
     Describe the applicant's agency and its position 
within the governmental structure.
     Describe how the project will be administered, 
including job descriptions for all projects positions.
     Describe the project's operational plan to 
address an environmental health services issue(s) and simultaneously 
implement activities necessary to enhance the overall capacity of the 
environmental health services program. The operational plan should 
include the following components: (1) Description of an identified 
environmental health issue(s) `` i.e. water quality, air quality, food 
safety, vector control, etc; or the current state of the environment 
health services program in the community; (2) description of assessment 
activities used to determine or identify the environmental issue or 
current state of the program; (3) description of the proposed 
intervention to address the environmental health issue or activities to 
enhance the capacity of the environmental health program; (4) 
description of the use or integration of the ten essential 
environmental health services and core competencies to address the 
issue(s); (5) integration of intra and interdepartmental state and 
local partnerships with accredited academic institutions and/or other 
environmental health programs for assistance and support, if necessary; 
(6) long and short range objectives, timelines and schedules for 
completion, and expected long and short range measurable outcomes; and 
(7) description of the methodology for sustainability efforts of the 
activities or interventions supported by this cooperative agreement 
beyond the funded three year period.
     Describe the project's evaluation plan to 
measure the process and outcomes. The evaluation plan should address 
measures for both short-term or intermediate outcomes, and long term 
outcomes. Short-term or intermediate outcomes may relate to specific 
activities and/or processes. Long term outcomes should focus on the (1) 
reduction of environmentally related risk factors known to contribute 
to disease, and/or (2) the impact on incidence and prevalence of 
environmentally induced illness and disease; and (3) a decrease in 
morbidity and mortality related to environmental causes or incidents.
     Budget Justifications.
    Additional information may be included in the application 
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative 
page limit. This additional information includes:
     Up to 30 pages of appendices may be included in 
the application. This may include: Curriculum Vitaes, Resumes, 
Organizational Charts, Letters of Support, etc.
    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.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711.
    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.
    Additional requirements that may require you to submit additional 
documentation with your application are listed in section ``VI.2. 
Administrative and National Policy Requirements.''

IV.3. Submission Dates and Times

    LOI Deadline Date: April 29, 2004.
    CDC requests that you send a LOI if you intend to apply for this 
program. Although the LOI is not required, not binding, and does not 
enter into the review of your subsequent application, the LOI will be 
used to gauge the level of interest in this program, and to allow CDC 
to plan the application review.
    Application Deadline Date: June 1, 2004.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the CDC 
Procurement and Grants Office by 4:00 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 
submission address and deadline. 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 your application did not meet the 
submission requirements.
    CDC will not notify you upon receipt of your application. If you 
have a

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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

    Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

IV.5. Funding Restrictions

    Funding restrictions, which must be taken into account while 
writing your budget, are as follows: None.
    If you are requesting indirect costs in your budget, you must 
include a copy of your indirect cost rate agreement. If your indirect 
cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 
months of age.
    Guidance for completing your budget can be found on the CDC Web 
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.

IV.6. Other Submission Requirements

    LOI Submission Address: Submit your LOI by express mail, delivery 
service, fax, or E-mail to: Daneen Farrow-Collier, CDC/NCEH, 4770 
Buford Highway, F-28, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-4945, Fax: 
770-488-7310, E-mail: [email protected].
    Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two hard 
copies of your application by mail or express delivery service to: 
Technical Information Management-PA 04113, 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 ``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.
    Your application will be evaluated against the following criteria:
1. Understanding of the Problem (25 Points)
    Does the applicant understand the public health, social and 
economic consequences of the inadequate environmental health service in 
their community based upon health and demographic indicators? Are the 
needs based on disease burden by age, gender and racial/ethnic groups, 
mortality rates, incidence, program experience, existing capacity, and 
infrastructure?
2. Objectives and Methods (25 points)
    a. Has the applicant developed sound, feasible objectives that are 
consistent with the activities described in this announcement, and are 
specific, measurable and time-framed?
    b. Does the applicant describe the specific activities and methods 
to achieve each objective?
    c. Are the proposed timeline and schedules feasible? The timeline 
should include a tentative work plan for the duration of the project.
    d. Can the proposed activities or the project be sustained beyond 
the funded period?
    e. Can the intent and desired outcomes for the proposed activities 
be succinctly stated?
3. Program Evaluation (20 points)
    a. The evaluation plan should describe useful and appropriate 
strategies and approaches to monitor and improve the quality, 
effectiveness, and efficiency of the project.
    b. Does the applicant propose to measure the process and the 
overall impact of the project in terms of its contribution to improving 
the delivery of environmental health services? This may be evidenced by 
the reduction of environmentally related risk factors known to 
contribute to disease; decrease in morbidity and mortality; and/or the 
impact on incidence and prevalence of environmentally induced illness 
and disease.
4. Implementation of CDC's Strategy To Revitalize Environmental Public 
Health Services (10 points)
    Has the applicant's operation plan incorporated components of CDC's 
Strategy to Revitalize Environmental Public Health Services into 
developing an intervention or enhancing capacity? Specifically, does 
the plan implement all ten of the essential environmental health 
services into the project?
5. Coordination and Collaboration (10 points)
    Has the applicant involved collaborators as a resource in the 
implementation of the project? This includes describing its 
relationship with other health department components and governmental 
agencies, academia, and community-based organizations as evidenced by 
letters of support, memoranda of agreement, and other documented 
evidence. The applicants may include up to ten letters of commitment 
(dated within the last three months) from key partners, participants, 
and community leaders that detail their participation in and support of 
the proposed activities.
6. Project Management and Staffing (10 points)
    Does the applicant document skills, abilities, and experiences of 
key health department staff who will be responsible for developing, 
implementing, and carrying out the requirements of the project? 
Specifically, the applicant should describe health department staff 
roles in the development and implementation of the project, their 
specific responsibilities, and their level of effort and time 
commitment. Applicants should provide assurances that those positions 
to be filled by the applicant's personnel system will be done within a 
reasonable time after receiving funds.
7. Budget Justification (Not Scored)
    Is the budget clearly explained, adequately justified, and 
reasonable and consistent with the stated objectives and planned 
activities?

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement 
and Grants Office (PGO) staff and for responsiveness by NCEH. 
Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the 
eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process. 
Applicants will be notified that their application did not meet 
submission requirements.
    An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive 
applications according to the criteria listed in the ``V.1. Criteria'' 
section above.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

    September 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

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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-2 Requirements for Inclusion of Women and 
Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Research
     AR-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements
     AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
     AR-11 Healthy People 2010
     AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
     AR-14 Accounting System Requirements
     AR-20 Conference Support
     AR-21 Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business
     AR-22 Research Integrity
     AR-23 States and Faith-Based Organizations
     AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data
    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 an original, plus two hard copies of the 
following reports:
    1. Interim progress report, no less than 90 days before the end of 
the budget period. The progress report will serve as your non-competing 
continuation application, and must contain the following elements:
    a. Current Budget Period Activities Objectives.
    b. Current Budget Period Financial Progress.
    c. New Budget Period Program Proposed Activity Objectives.
    d. Detailed Line-Item Budget and Justification.
    e. Additional Requested Information.
    f. Measures of Effectiveness.
    2. Financial status report and annual progress report, no more than 
90 days after the end of the budget period.
    3. Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days 
after the end of the project period.
    These reports must be sent to the Grants Management Specialist 
listed 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:
    Daneen Farrow-Collier, Project Officer, CDC/NCEH, 4770 Buford 
Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-4945, Fax: 770-488-7310, 
E-mail: [email protected]">d[email protected].
    For budget assistance, contact: Mildred Garner, Grants Management 
Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2745, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: March 24, 2004.
Edward Schultz,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-7023 Filed 3-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P