[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40373-40376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15062]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Program Evaluation Monitoring System; Training and Technical 
Assistance

    Announcement Type: Competitive Supplement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: PA 04019 Supplement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.939.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: August 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 42 
U.S.C. 247b(k)(2).

    Purpose: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
announces the availability of funds for one cooperative agreement for 
Focus Area 2 under Program Announcement 04019, Capacity Building 
Assistance (CBA) to strengthen interventions for HIV prevention by the 
provision of technical assistance and training that improves the 
capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) and health departments 
(HDs) to use a program evaluation monitoring system designed for HIV 
prevention interventions targeting high-risk racial/ethnic minority 
individuals of unknown serostatus, including pregnant women, and people 
of color who are living with HIV/AIDS and their partners. These funds 
are specifically intended to develop and implement a national 
integrated program evaluation monitoring system (PEMS) technical 
assistance and training for CBOs in the evaluation of their HIV 
prevention interventions targeting high risk seronegatives and HIV-
positive racial/ethnic minority individuals.
    This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus area of 
HIV infection, CDC's Government Performance and Results Act Performance 
Plan, the goals of CDC's HIV Prevention Strategic Plan through 2005 at 
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/partners/psp.htm and Advancing HIV Prevention: 
New Strategies for a Changing Epidemic at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5215.pdf.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one 
(or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center 
for HIV, STD and TB Prevention:
    1. Strengthen the capacity to develop and implement effective HIV 
prevention interventions.
    2. Increase the proportion of HIV infected individuals who know 
they are infected.
    3. Increase the proportion of HIV infected people who are linked to 
appropriate prevention, care, and treatment services.
    4. Decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring or 
transmitting HIV infection.
    Priority funding considerations require the applicant to submit an 
application that includes a plan to enhance the ability of CBOs funded 
under program announcement 04064 to implement and maintain their PEMS, 
by delivering training and technical assistance. No other application 
preference factors will be applied to the review and selection process. 
The plan must address each of the following performance goals:
     Strengthen the capacity of community based organizations 
and health departments to develop and implement effective HIV 
prevention interventions by training them to use a monitoring system 
that provides feedback data for program improvement and modification.
     Increase the proportion of HIV infected individuals who 
know they are infected by training community based organizations and 
health departments to collect client-level data through a monitoring 
system that allows tracking and referral elements to be gathered.
     Increase the proportion of HIV infected people who are 
linked to appropriate prevention, care, and treatment services by 
training community based organizations and health departments to 
effectively use the tracking and referral capabilities of a national 
monitoring system.
     Decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring 
or transmitting HIV infection by training community based organizations 
and health departments to assess data collected by a monitoring system 
for prevention program improvement.
    Applications must ensure quality programming and measurement of 
progress based on core performance indicators specific to Focus Area 2 
through:
    1. Measuring the proportion of CDC-funded CBOs receiving program 
evaluation monitoring system training.
    2. Measuring the proportion of CDC-funded health departments 
receiving program evaluation monitoring system training.
    3. Measuring the proportion of CBOs that report agreement with the 
timeliness in completion of program evaluation monitoring system 
technical assistance and training.
    4. Measuring the proportion of health departments that report 
agreement with the timeliness in completion of program evaluation 
monitoring system technical assistance and training.
    5. Measuring the proportion of CBO and health department technical 
assistance and training action plans completed according to scheduled 
delivery in a timely manner.
    6. Measuring the proportion of CBOs that report agreement that 
program evaluation monitoring system technical assistance or training 
met their needs.
    7. Measuring the proportion of health departments that report 
agreement that program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance or training met their needs.
    8. Measuring the proportion of CDC-funded CBOs, by racial/ethnic 
minority population served, receiving program evaluation monitoring 
system needs assessments.
    Applicants process objectives and activities considered responsive 
to Focus Area 2 that must be addressed in the program plan are:

[[Page 40374]]

    a. Provision of ongoing program evaluation monitoring system 
technical assistance and training for CBOs in the evaluation of 
effective HIV prevention interventions for high risk seronegatives and 
HIV-positive racial/ethnic minority individuals using the PEMS 
software.
    b. Provision of program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training that measures the diffusion of effective 
behavioral interventions, including training, cultural adaptation of 
curricula, and promotion of ``boxed'' interventions from CDC.
    c. Provision of program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training that measures the expected outcomes of regional 
consultant pool capacity building assistance activities.
    d. Provision of program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training for CBOs and health departments to help them 
deliver effective and efficient prevention interventions.
    These activities must be conducted in collaboration with the CDC, 
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. These activities may benefit from 
collaboration with Deloitte and ORC/MACRO, and other contractors 
working to ensure that CBOs have the skills and access to technical 
assistance necessary to implement and maintain PEMS.
    Activities: Specific activities that must be conducted by 
applicants are as follows:
    A. Use of logic modeling for program planning and conducting 
program evaluation monitoring system technical assistance and training.
    B. Inclusion of input from CBOs and health departments about the 
proposed program evaluation monitoring system technical assistance and 
training, including people living with HIV/AIDS.
    C. Incorporation of cultural competency and linguistic and 
educational appropriateness into all program evaluation monitoring 
system technical assistance and training.
    D. Collaboration with CDC, CDC-funded CBA and Technical Assistance 
(TA) providers, and contractors to plan and deliver program evaluation 
monitoring system technical assistance and training that is (1) 
consistent with CDC expectations (as provided in other trainings for 
grantees); and (2) to avoid duplication of services (as provided by 
other contractors).
    E. Undertake a systems approach in the delivery of a nationally 
structured program evaluation monitoring system technical assistance 
and training.
    F. Implement a plan for developing and maintaining ongoing 
relationships with CBOs and health departments.
    G. Develop protocols that respond to reactive requests for program 
evaluation monitoring system technical assistance and training 
following procedures provided by CDC.
    H. Refer all other capacity building assistance requests, which 
fall outside of program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training to the CDC capacity building assistance 
coordinator for appropriate assignment.
    I. Participate in a CDC-coordinated capacity building assistance 
network to enhance communication, coordination, cooperation, and 
training.
    J. Identify the internal training needs of program evaluation 
monitoring system technical assistance and training program and staff.
    K. Implement a quality assurance strategy that ensures the delivery 
of high quality program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training services.
    L. Develop a strategy for marketing program evaluation monitoring 
system technical assistance and training services.
    M. Report planned program evaluation monitoring system technical 
assistance and training events to the Capacity Building Branch (CBB) 
Training Calendar for dissemination to CBOs and health departments to 
be provided by CDC.
    N. Facilitate the dissemination of information about program 
evaluation monitoring system through peer-to-peer interactions, 
meetings, workshops, conferences, and communications with CDC project 
officers.
    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. Providing consultation and technical assistance in designing, 
planning, developing, operating, and evaluating activities (such as 
progress reporting, submitting information for the training calendar) 
based on CDC's standards and expectations. CDC may provide consultation 
and technical assistance both directly from CDC and indirectly through 
prevention partners, such as health departments, national and regional 
minority partners, CBA partners, trainers, contractors, and other 
national organizations.
    B. Monitoring the performance of program and fiscal activities 
through progress reports, data reporting, site visits, conference 
calls, and compliance with federally mandated requirements, such as 
protection of client privacy.
    C. Assisting in the development of collaborative efforts with state 
and local health departments, HIV prevention community planning groups, 
CBOs that receive direct funding from CDC, and other federally 
supported organizations providing HIV/AIDS services.
    D. Conducting an overall evaluation of the program.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Competitive Supplement to existing Cooperative 
Agreement. CDC involvement in this program is listed in the Activities 
Section above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2004.
    Approximate Total Funding: $1,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Award: $1,000,000 (This amount is for the first budget 
period, and pending availability of funds, each of the subsequent four 
periods until project end.).
    Floor of Award Range: None.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $1,000,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: July 15, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: Budget periods will coincide with budget 
periods for PA04019 funding. The current budget period ends March 31, 
2005. All subsequent budget periods will be 12 months in length.
    Project Period Length: Four years, eight months.
    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

    Eligibility is restricted to funded organizations under Program 
Announcement 04019 who currently have received awards serving African 
American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, or American 
Indian/Alaska Native HIV prevention providers and stakeholders in Focus 
Area 2, Strengthening HIV Prevention Interventions.

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 total funding 
amount, your application will not be eligible for review. You will be 
notified that you did not meet the submission requirements.


[[Page 40375]]


    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. Forms are available on the CDC Web site, at the following 
Internet address: www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm.
    If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have 
difficulty accessing the forms online, 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

    Application: You must include a project narrative with your 
application forms. Your narrative must be submitted in the following 
format:
     Maximum number of pages: 12 pages (excluding budget, 
appendices and attachments). If your narrative exceeds the page limit, 
only the first 12 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:
A. Abstract
    Provide a one-page abstract summarizing your proposed activities 
for the next 8 months (August through March). Include a description of 
your overall strategy or approach to accomplish the goals and 
activities of this supplemental announcement.
B. Proposed Plan
    1. Describe your specific plan for accomplishing the goals and 
activities of this supplemental announcement. Include objectives for 
all the activities listed under the ``Purpose'' section. List specific, 
time-phased, realistic and measurable objectives.
    2. Describe program activities designed to meet proposed 
objectives, indicate the approximate dates by which activities will be 
accomplished, and identify program staff responsible for conducting 
activities. You must provide activities for all of your proposed 
objectives.
    3. List and describe the evaluation experts or doctoral students 
and CDC and other agency staff whom you intend to partner with to 
conduct the activities identified in this supplemental announcement.
    4. Describe relationships proposed for these (listed in 
3.) and any additional collaboration with CBAs or consultants 
proposed.
C. Plan of Evaluation
    Outline your plan for evaluation (including timeline) and summarize 
how this strategy will be quality assured and evaluated. Identify 
process and outcome objectives and describe the methods that will be 
used to determine whether these objectives have been met.
    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 information may be included in the application 
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative 
page limit. This additional information includes:
    Include the following: (1) Memoranda of intent, agreement, or 
letters of support from collaborators, and (2) letters of support from 
community-based HIV prevention projects or other CBA providers as 
appropriate.

IV.3. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Deadline Date: August 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 carrier's 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.
    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

    Funding restrictions, which must be taken into account while 
writing your budget are as follows:
     Submit an original and two copies of the Standard Form 
424A and a detailed budget that includes line item details, itemization 
of unit cost breakdowns, and justifications. Please utilize the 
enclosed Budget guidelines for direction. Break all budget line items 
down to the level of detail proscribed in the guidelines.
     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 must be less 
than 12 months of age.

[[Page 40376]]

    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

    Application Submission Address: Submit the original and two hard 
copies of your application by mail or express delivery service to: 
Technical Information Management-PA 04019 Supplement, 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) The extent to which the applicant's overall strategy and 
specific plan is likely to accomplish the goals and activities of this 
supplemental announcement. (30 points).
    (2) The extent to which the proposed objectives are specific, 
measurable, realistic, time-phased and consistent with the goals and 
activities of this supplemental announcement (25 points).
    (3) The extent to which the applicant's proposed plan expands or 
enhances the existing Focus Area 2 activities funded under program 
announcement 04019 (15 points).
    (4) The extent to which the applicant describes and documents 
support and intended collaboration from evaluation experts and other 
evaluation contractors as appropriate (15 points).
    (5) The extent to which the evaluation plan will measure the 
achievement of program objectives and monitor the implementation of 
proposed activities (15 points).
    (6) Budget (not scored). The extent to which the budget is 
reasonable, itemized, clearly justified, and consistent with the 
intended use of funds.

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    An objective review panel will evaluate your application according 
to the criteria listed above. A technical review of each application, 
listing strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations, will be conducted 
by a content expert from the Program Evaluation and Research Branch, 
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. This technical review will be provided 
to objective panel reviewers as an optional technical source of 
information to be considered during the scoring phase of the objective 
review process. The highest ranked application from the objective 
review process will be recommended to the Capacity Building Branch, 
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention for supplemental award.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

    If your application is to be funded, you 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 or 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
     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 Accounting System Requirements
     AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
     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

    The reporting requirements will be on a trimester schedule (every 4 
months). Awardee will be required to submit an original, plus two 
copies of three reports during the budget year as follows:
    1. Initial progress report (within or on 30 days after the 
completion of the first 4 months of the budget period).
    2. Interim progress report (within or on 30 days after the 
completion of the 8 month of the budget period), this report will also 
serve as the continuation application for determining satisfactory 
progress for the current year and funding for the next budget year, 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; and (e) Additional 
Requested Information.
    3. Final progress report (within or on 30 days after the completion 
of the 12 month of the budget period).
    4. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period.
    5. Final financial and performance reports, no more than 90 days 
after the end of the project period.

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: Keith Yamaguchi, Project 
Officer, Capacity Building Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC 
National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS 
E-40, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: (404) 639-3858, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    For budget assistance, contact: Betty Vannoy, Grants Management 
Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, 
Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: (770) 488-2897, e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: June 28, 2004.
Alan A. Kotch,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-15062 Filed 7-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P