[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29950-29953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11871]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


National Spina Bifida Information and Resource Development Center

    Announcement Type: New.
    Funding Opportunity Number: 04215.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
    Dates:
    Letter of Intent Deadline: June 10, 2004.
    Application Deadline: June 25, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

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

    Purpose: The purpose of the program is to prevent the recurrence of 
pregnancies affected by Neural Tube Defects (NTDs), expand local 
programs for those affected by spina bifida, promote research proposal 
development (not implementation), and expand information resources.
    This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus area(s) of 
Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Disability and Secondary 
Conditions.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one 
(or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center 
on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities: increasing consumption 
of folic acid among women of reproductive age to prevent serious birth 
defects, improving care, and improving the lives of people with spina 
bifida.
    Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows: 
Applicants should provide evidence of the capacity to effectively 
address the following activities:
    a. Evaluate the effectiveness of education materials previously 
developed for supplementation by assessing reported knowledge, 
consumption and subsequent pregnancy outcomes of the target audience.
    b. Develop training for health care providers (HCP) designed to 
increase the number of women receiving counseling about consuming 
adequate levels of folic acid.
    c. Develop and implement a plan to evaluate the efficacy and 
effectiveness of this project.
    d. Implement a pilot program to support the development of 
competencies among professionals in developing proposals for submission 
to Federal and other funding agencies to further spina bifida research 
consistent with evidence-based research priorities.
    e. Evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot development program 
designed to develop competency in professionals related to proposal 
development for research in spina bifida.
    f. Implement and evaluate a program for self-determination to 
improve the quality of life of individuals with spina bifida and their 
families.
    g. Expand a national resource center for spina bifida information 
and dissemination.
    h. Develop an evaluation plan for tracking the volume, kinds of 
requests, and responses to requests and inquiries made to the Resource 
Center for use in enhancing the effectiveness and responsiveness of the 
Center.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant.
    Fiscal Year Funds: Fiscal Year 2004.
    Approximate Total Funding: $950,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: One.
    Approximate Average Award: $950,000. This amount is for the first 
12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.
    Floor of Award Range: Minimum award $900,000.
    Ceiling of Award: $950,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: 12 months.
    Project Period Length: Two 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

    Assistance will be provided only to applicants that are well-
established national, nonprofit organizations with state chapters that 
have expertise in: (1) Developing health education messages for women 
at risk of having a NTD-affected pregnancy; (2) developing State 
chapters to improve the health of individuals with spina bifida and 
their families; and (3) developing a central resource information and 
education center about spina bifida.
    To be eligible, applicants must:
    1. Demonstrate that the organization's mission is explicitly 
committed to the prevention of NTDs specifically spina bifida, and the 
health and well being of individuals with spina bifida and their 
families as demonstrated by submission of the charter, articles of 
incorporation, or other governing documents.
    2. Demonstrate that the organization is a nonprofit and recognized 
as tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and 
this may be demonstrated through inclusion of your Internal Revenue 
Service determination letter.
    3. Demonstrate the organization has capacity and experience in 
providing health education to women who are at risk of having a NTD-
affected pregnancy, and this may be demonstrated through letters of 
support.
    4. Demonstrate that the organization has a national membership and 
a national network of State and local chapters; this may be done 
through a letter from the organization's leadership which describes the 
national network.
    5. Demonstrate the presence and functions of a national information 
and resource center that is capable of expansion.
    This information should be placed directly behind the face page 
(first page) of your application. Applications that do not include the 
above information will be determined as non-responsive and will be 
returned without review.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required for this 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

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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.

    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. 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): CDC requests that you send a LOI if you 
intend to apply for this program. Your LOI will be used to gauge the 
level of interest in this program, and to allow CDC to plan the 
application review. Your LOI must be submitted in the following format:
     Maximum number of pages: Two.
     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.
    Content: Your LOI must contain the following information: Name, 
address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator; names of 
other key personnel; participating institutions; number and title of 
the program announcement.
    Application: You must submit a project narrative with your 
application forms. The narrative must be submitted in the following 
format:
     Maximum number of pages: 35. 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.
     Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches.
     Page margin size: One inch.
     Printed only on one side of page, double spaced.
     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 which 
correspond to the evaluation criteria: Plan, Methods, Objectives, 
Timeline, Staff, Understanding, Need, Performance Measures, Budget 
Justification, etc. The budget justification will not be counted 
against the stated page limit.
    Additional information may be included in the application 
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative 
page limit. This additional information may include: curriculum vitae, 
resumes, organizational charts, letters of support, graphic 
presentations of time-bounded work plans, etc.
    Applicants must submit a separate typed abstract of their proposal 
consisting of no more than two single-spaced pages. Applicants should 
also include a table of contents for the project narrative and related 
attachments.
    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 the following Web site: 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: June 10, 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 25, 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 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: Grant funds may be used to

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support personnel services, supplies, equipment, travel, subcontracts, 
and other services directly related to project activities consistent 
with the approved scope of work. Grant funds cannot be used to supplant 
other available applicant or collaborating agency funds, for 
construction, for purchase of facilities or space, or for patient care. 
Grant funds cannot be used for individualized services (direct patient 
support) such as for wheelchairs, medical appliances, or assistive 
technology unless specifically approved by the funding agency. Grant 
funds cannot be used for the conduct of research.
    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: Lisa T. Garbarino, Public Health Analyst, 
National Center on Birth Defects, and Developmental Disabilities, 1600 
Clifton Road, Mailstop: E-87, Atlanta, GA 30333. Telephone (404) 498-
3979, fax (404) 498-3060, 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--PA04215, 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 identified objectives of the 
grant. 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.
    Each application will be evaluated individually against the 
following criteria by an independent review group appointed by CDC.
1. Scope of Proposal (30 Points)
    This addresses the applicant's capacity to fully and effectively 
carry out project activities on a national scale as noted in the 
Announcement. This includes how well the activities proposed will 
achieve project goals and how the applicant anticipates and utilizes 
innovative and valued approaches in meeting all requirements of the 
Announcement. This also includes how well the applicant accounts for 
working with collaborating entities and partners toward meeting the 
purpose of the project.
2. Description of Objectives (25 Points)
    This assesses whether the proposed goals and objectives are clearly 
stated, realistic, time-phased, adequately detailed, capable of 
tracking, and related to the purpose of the project. It includes how 
well the goals and objectives encompass all relevant components of the 
work required under the Announcement with attention to individual, 
interdependent, and synergistic relationships among all elements of the 
Program Requirements.
3. Project Personnel (20 Points)
    This includes an evaluation as to whether all personnel proposed to 
be involved in this project are fully qualified, with evidence of 
experience and evidence in past activities and achievements appropriate 
to a project of this magnitude and scope. It also includes whether the 
stated responsibilities for requested personnel and the proposed 
staffing functions will assure adequate progress toward meeting all 
goals and objectives.
4. Understanding of the Problem (15 Points)
    This includes how well the applicant demonstrates full 
understanding of the range of work requirements, potential problems, 
and complexities of the project. It also covers how well the applicant 
provides background information for the tasks envisioned such that 
framework and foundation described directly demonstrates that the plan 
proposed to conduct the project will be effective and successful.
5. Evaluation (10 Points)
    This includes the review of the applicant's evaluation plan for the 
design and management of the individual and multiple initiatives 
proposed in the conduct of the project. This includes the funding 
agency's review of the applicant's planning protocol for new activities 
as well as the applicant's capacity to assess and monitor the 
performance and success of ongoing activities implemented over the life 
of the project.
6. Budget (Not Scored)
    How well does the applicant provide justification for budget 
expenditures as well as appropriateness to activities proposed in the 
application? The budget will be evaluated for the extent that it is 
reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent with the intended use of 
the 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 on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. 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 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 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-1 Human Subjects Requirements.
     AR-2 Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and 
Ethnic Minorities in Research.
     AR-7 Executive Order 12372.

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     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-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status.
     AR-22 Research Integrity.
     AR-24 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 
Requirements.
     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

    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 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 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: Lisa T. Garbarino, 
Public Health Analyst, National Center on Birth Defects and 
Developmental Disabilities, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-87, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Telephone: (404) 498-3979, e-mail: [email protected].
    For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact: 
Sylvia Dawson, Grants Management Specialist, Procurement and Grants 
Office, CDC, 2920 Brandywine Road, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30341. 
Telephone: (770) 488-2771, e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: May 20, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-11871 Filed 5-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4183-18-P