[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 94 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26833-26836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10948]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program (PFTP) in Infectious 
Diseases

    Announcement Type: Competing Continuation.
    Funding Opportunity Number: 04108.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
    Key Dates: Letter of Intent Deadline: June 1, 2004.
    Application Deadline: June 14, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 301 and 
317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. 241 and 
247b(k)(2)], as amended.

    Purpose: The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support 
recipients in conducting a two- to three-year Postdoctoral Fellowship 
Training Program in Infectious Diseases (PFTP) which provides a 
combination of clinical training and basic laboratory or epidemiology 
training in infectious diseases. The goal is to improve the ability of 
the U.S. public health system to respond to the problem of infectious 
diseases by increasing the number of academic infectious disease 
physicians with demonstrated skills in the public health aspects of 
infectious diseases and to provide them with the essential, pertinent 
clinical and research skills.
    PFTPs should be implemented as new distinct fellowship positions/
tracks in grantee's existing infectious disease postdoctoral training 
program for physicians. PFTPs should be aimed at physicians with 
training in infectious diseases who wish to pursue a career in academic 
infectious diseases of public health importance. The objective is to 
offer a combination of clinical and research training which will lead 
to eligibility for certification in infectious diseases by the American 
Board of Internal Medicine or the American Board of Pediatrics.
    Specific areas of clinical concentration may include: Clinical 
rotations in infectious diseases, infectious diseases in transplant 
recipients, clinical microbiology, outpatient infectious diseases, 
pediatric infectious diseases, or infectious disease pharmacology. The 
recipient must be able to provide support for physicians of unusual 
ability and promise or proven achievement by giving them an opportunity 
to conduct clinical, laboratory, and epidemiologic research on 
significant public health problems caused by infectious diseases. 
Specific areas for research training may include: Viral and rickettsial 
infections, nosocomial infections, antimicrobial resistance, vector-
borne infectious diseases, respiratory and food-borne bacterial 
diseases, parasitic diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and 
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This program addresses the 
``Healthy People 2010'' focus area(s) of Immunization and Infectious 
Disease.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the 
following performance goal for the National Center for Infectious 
Diseases (NCID): Protect Americans from infectious disease.
    Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
     As a distinct and separate track of recipient's existing 
infectious disease postdoctoral fellowship program, conduct a two-to 
three-year PFTP that combines clinical and basic laboratory or 
epidemiologic research training in prevention and control of infectious 
diseases of public health importance.
     Design and conduct the PFTP such that upon completion of 
the fellowship, fellows will become eligible for certification in 
infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or the 
American Board of Pediatrics.
     Provide preceptors for training.
     Develop a fellowship candidate application, review, 
ranking, and selection process. Based on this process, select 
applicants to be awarded two-to three-year PFTP fellowships.
     Provide administrative support to fellows during their 
tenure in the PFTP including the payment of stipends, professional 
travel, etc. (see Availability of Funds for cost sharing requirements).
     Monitor and evaluate the progress of fellows and progress 
toward achieving program goals. To measure the overall success of the 
PFTP, establish a mechanism to follow-up and report on fellows (e.g., 
where they work, in what field, etc.) periodically for up to five years 
after they complete the PFTP.
    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:
     Some of the laboratory and epidemiologic training 
component of the PFTP may occur at CDC facilities under CDC staff 
preceptors. CDC may provide preceptors and/or facilities for training 
that occurs at CDC facilities. It is not a requirement that any of the 
training occur at CDC facilities or under the guidance of CDC staff.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
    Approximate Total Funding: $150,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 2.
    Approximate Average Award: $75,000 (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: $115,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: July 1, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: 12 months.
    Project Period Length: Up to 5 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 only be submitted by university-affiliated schools 
of medicine in the United States with infectious disease programs 
accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education 
(ACGME).

[[Page 26834]]

    Only one application per eligible school of medicine will be 
accepted.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Grantee cost-sharing is required under this program. CDC will 
provide up to 50 percent of the total cost for items directly related 
to the support of fellows such as stipends and professional travel. CDC 
funds will not be provided for supplies and equipment, any costs of 
research conducted by fellows as part of their training (except for 
stipends), or for direct salaries/fringe, travel, space, etc., for 
recipient's faculty or administrative personnel. CDC funds are not 
intended to supplant recipient's existing infectious disease 
fellowships, rather they are intended to support new/additional 
fellowship opportunities that are consistent with the stated Purpose of 
this grant program.

III.3. Other

    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.
    If your application is incomplete or non-responsive to the 
requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the 
review process. You will be notified that your application did not meet 
submission requirements.
    Eligibility is limited to university-affiliated U.S. schools of 
medicine with infectious disease programs accredited by the 
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as these 
are the only institutions that will have existing infectious disease 
fellowships for physicians that this grant program seeks to enhance. 
ACGME-accredited medical schools are the only institutions that can 
prepare fellows for eligibility for certification in infectious 
diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or American Board 
of Pediatrics as required by this program.

    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 PHS 
5161. For hard-copy submission of application, application forms and 
instructions are available on the CDC web site, at the following 
Internet address: www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm. To submit your 
application electronically, please utilize the forms and instructions 
posted for this announcement at www.grants.gov. 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: 1
     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 of applicant institution
     Point of contact name address, phone number, and E-mail 
address
    Application: You must submit a project narrative with your 
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following 
format:
     Maximum number of pages: 10 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:
     Abstract
    Provide a brief (less than two pages) summary of the proposed PFTP. 
Abstract does NOT count toward the narrative page limitation.
     Background and Need
    Demonstrate an understanding of the background and need for the 
PFTP. Discuss how your proposed PFTP track differs from existing 
tracks/opportunities in your fellowship program and how your proposed 
PFTP track meets the Purpose of this cooperative agreement program.
     Capacity and Personnel
    [ctrcir] Describe applicant's goals, objectives, and efforts to 
promote the field of academic infectious diseases.
    [ctrcir] Demonstrate applicant's experience in academic infectious 
diseases education and training in general, including experience in 
maintaining programs that lead to eligibility for certification in 
infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine or the 
American Board of Pediatrics.
    [ctrcir] Describe applicant's existing postdoctoral fellowship 
training programs for physicians in infectious diseases. Describe 
applicant's resources, facilities, and professional personnel that will 
be involved in conducting the project.
     Operational Plan
    [ctrcir] Present a detailed and time-phased plan for establishing 
and conducting the PFTP.
    [ctrcir] Describe the proposed structure, timeline, and procedures 
for the PFTP. Clearly address all Activities listed in Section I, 
above.
    [ctrcir] Identify key staff and their assigned responsibilities for 
operating the PFTP.
    [ctrcir] Present a plan for monitoring and evaluating the progress 
of fellows during and after PFTP.
    [ctrcir] Describe how you will ensure that all fellows become 
eligible for certification in infectious diseases by the American Board 
of Internal Medicine by the end of fellowship tenure.
     Measures of Effectiveness (see Section V.1.--Evaluation 
Criteria, below, for more information regarding measures of 
effectiveness).
     Budget (does NOT count towards page limitation)
    Provide a line-item budget and accompanying detailed, line-by-line 
justification that demonstrates the request is consistent with the 
purpose and objectives of this program. Clearly indicate by line-item 
both a) the full cost and b) the amount requested from CDC (see cost-
sharing requirement in Section III.2., above.).
     Appendices: The following additional required information 
should be included in the application appendices. The appendices will 
not be counted toward the narrative page limit. This additional 
information includes:
    [ctrcir] Curriculum vitae for key professional personnel involved 
with the project.
    [ctrcir] Documentation of ACGME accreditation.
    [ctrcir] If proposing that fellows conduct any of their laboratory 
or epidemiologic training at CDC facilities and/or under the 
preceptorship of CDC staff, include in the appendix letters of support 
from the appropriate CDC scientist(s) that clearly indicates their 
commitment to participate as described in your

[[Page 26835]]

application. If any training is to occur at CDC facilities, letters of 
support also need to be co-signed by the CDC scientist's Division 
Principal Management Officer and the letter must clearly indicate the 
Division's willingness to provide space, supplies, use of equipment/
facilities, etc., for fellows during their training at CDC.
    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 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: June 1, 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 14, 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 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 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 prospective 
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

    Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your 
budget, are as follows:
     These awards will be training grants. For training grants, 
recipient's indirect charges are limited to 8 percent of direct costs.
     Also, see Section III.2., Cost Sharing for additional 
funding restrictions.
    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: Greg Jones, M.P.A., Public Health Analyst, 
Office of the Director, National Center for Infectious Diseases, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., 
Mailstop C12, Atlanta, GA 30333, Fax: (404) 639-3106, 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 04108, CDC Procurement 
and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341 or You may 
submit your application electronically at: www.grants.gov.

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 grant or 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. Background and Need (15 points): Does the applicant demonstrate 
an understanding of the background and need for the PFTP? Do they 
clearly demonstrate that their proposed PFTP adds positions to and does 
not supplant existing positions in their fellowship program? Do they 
demonstrate how the proposed PFTP meets the Purpose of this program 
announcement?
    2. Capacity:
    a. Institutional (25 points): Does the applicant demonstrate that 
they have been and are devoted to promoting the field of academic 
infectious diseases, e.g., by conducting regular national meetings and 
workshops devoted to current topics? Does the applicant document 
experience in education and training in academic infectious diseases, 
including documentation of relevant degree programs offered and 
evidence of experience in successfully preparing students for 
certification in infectious diseases by the American Board of Internal 
Medicine or the American Board of Pediatrics? Does the applicant 
demonstrate significant institutional experience in managing 
postdoctoral fellowship training programs for physicians in the area of 
infectious diseases? Do they document that they have a successful 
existing postdoctoral fellowship program in infectious diseases that 
will serve as the platform for the proposed PFTP fellowships?
    b. Staff and administrative (25 points): Does the applicant 
describe adequate resources and facilities (clinical,

[[Page 26836]]

academic, and administrative) for conducting the PFTP? Do they document 
that their professional personnel involved in the PFTP are qualified 
and have past experience and achievements related to that proposed? If 
proposing that fellow's research be conducted at CDC facilities, does 
the applicant include Letters of Support as described in Application 
Content section IV.2., above (i.e., that are signed by the appropriate 
CDC officials and that clearly indicate their commitment to participate 
as proposed in the application).
    3. Operational Plan (30 points): Is the applicant's proposed 
operational plan clear and detailed and address all Activities listed 
in Section I? Do they include a detailed time schedule or Gant chart 
for the first year of the program? Does the applicant clearly indicate 
specific staff that will be responsible for implementation and 
operation of the PFTP? Does the applicant's plan meet the purpose and 
goals of this cooperative agreement program?
    4. Measures of Effectiveness (5 points): Does the applicant provide 
measures of effectiveness as described in the paragraph above such that 
effective ``outcome'' evaluation can be accomplished?
    5. Budget (Not scored): Is the proposed budget reasonable, clearly 
justified, and consistent with the intended use of grant funds?

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement 
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by the National 
Center for Infectious Diseases. 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.
    In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:
    Preference will be given to competing continuation applications 
over applications for programs not already receiving support under the 
PFTP program.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Anticipated Award Date: July 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-7 Executive Order 12372
     AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
     AR-11 Healthy People 2010
     AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
     AR-16 Security Clearance Requirement
    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. Budget.
    e. Additional Requested Information.
    f. Measures of Effectiveness.
    2. Financial status 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 mailed to the Grants Management or Contract 
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: Greg Jones, M.P.A., 
Public Health Analyst, Office of the Director, National Center for 
Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 
Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop C12, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: (404) 
639-4180, Fax: (404) 639-3106, E-mail: [email protected].
    For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact: 
Jeff Napier, Contract Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 
2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2628, E-
mail: [email protected].

    Dated: May 10, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-10948 Filed 5-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P