[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42178-42183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15913]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Immediate Relief To Decrease Unsafe Injections in Selected 
Countries in Africa and the Caribbean Under the President's Emergency 
Plan for AIDS Relief

    Announcement Type: New.
    Funding Opportunity Number: 04212.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.943.
    Key Dates:
    Application Deadline: August 13, 2004.
    Executive Summary: President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
has called for immediate action to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa 
and the Caribbean. An important aspect of the President's bold vision 
is to prevent at least seven million HIV infections. This funding 
opportunity responds to the President's call for rapid, accountable, 
and sustainable action. An important aspect of the President's 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the providing of assistance 
to ensure the elimination of unsafe medical injections and other 
related unsafe medical practices, including occupational exposure to 
blood. The focus of this announcement is seven countries in Africa and 
the Caribbean heavily affected by HIV/AIDS: Botswana, C[ocirc]te 
d'Ivoire, Haiti, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania.
    Transmission of HIV and hepatitis in the health care setting can 
occur through unsafe injections and other unsafe medical practices, 
including occupational exposure to blood. The persons most at risk of 
infection through unsafe injections are the injection recipients, 
health care workers through contaminated needles and syringes, and the 
wider community through exposure to contaminated sharps waste.
    Estimates of the global burden of disease from unsafe injections 
suggests that, in the year 2000, unsafe injections around the world 
accounted for five percent of HIV infections, 32 percent of hepatitis B 
virus infections, 40 percent of hepatitis C virus infections, 28 
percent of liver cancers, and 24 percent of cirrhosis cases (World 
Health Organization (WHO), 2003). While such estimates have 
limitations, the data suggests that injection overuse and unsafe 
injection practices contribute towards contaminated, and often 
unnecessary, injections in the formal and informal health sector, and 
therefore constituting a significant mode of transmission for HIV and 
hepatitis. Concern about the negative outcomes of unsafe injections, 
including transmission of blood-borne pathogens, abscess formation, 
etc., has focused attention on scaling up interventions to stop the 
inappropriate and unsafe use of injection equipment.
    This announcement provides funding to implement a National 
Injection Safety Plan in each of the seven countries, and expects 
demonstrable, measurable results within the first year of the award. An 
additional intent is to develop sustained indigenous capacity to 
continue these programs after the project ends.
    Measurable outcomes of this program will be in alignment with the 
following performance goal for President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS 
Relief (PEPFAR): Prevent seven million HIV infections in 15 focus 
countries heavily afflicted by AIDS.
    This initiative is a coordinated effort led by the Office of the 
Global AIDS Coordinator at the Department of State and involves various 
U.S. Federal Government agencies including the Department of State, 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Defense, 
the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Peace Corps.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: This program is authorized under Sections 301(a) and 
307 of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. Sections 241 (a) and 
242l], as amended, and under Public Law 108-25 (United States 
Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003) 
[22 U.S.C. 7601].

    Purpose: This announcement is intended to fund the rapid 
implementation of a safe-injection program that covers the entire 
population of each country, using each country's National Injection 
Safety Plan. The focus of this announcement is seven countries in 
Africa and the Caribbean heavily affected by HIV/AIDS: Botswana, 
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire, Haiti, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania. 
We expect demonstrable, measurable results within the first year of the 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The implementation 
of these National Injection Safety Plans includes management, 
operations, and monitoring activities. The awardee will work to 
coordinate activities with the U.S. Government Mission, the Ministry of 
Health (MOH), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as 
appropriate, in each country.
    All applicants should propose and budget for activities in all 
seven countries. The final determination of country assignment and 
funding will be determined at the time of award.
    This funding announcement is intended to build on work recently 
performed during the initial rapid implementation of safe-injection 
activities under PEPFAR. The principal tasks of that rapid 
implementation phase were as follows:
    1. Perform an initial assessment of the current injection practices 
within each country.
    2. Develop a National Injection Safety Plan for the safe and 
appropriate use of injections.
    3. Design and field-test a project to enhance injection safety in 
selected area(s) of each country that would address improving provider 
skills, improve procurement and management of safe injection equipment 
and supplies, increase managers' awareness and skills, and advocate for 
reducing demand for injections and knowledge about injection safety 
among the general public.
    4. Develop and implement an advocacy strategy for wider public 
understanding and support for the development of the National Injection 
Safety Plan.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the 
priorities of PEPFAR, a five-year initiative to turn the tide in 
combating the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. The PEPFAR is intended to 
address the goal of

[[Page 42179]]

preventing seven million new infections (60 percent of the projected 
new infections in the target countries). By addressing injection 
safety, PEPFAR can help to reduce the spread of HIV and other 
infectious diseases and reduce the fear of infection among health care 
workers, thereby lessening stigma among health care workers and 
discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.
    Activities: Awardee activities for this program are as follows: 
Using each country's National Injection Safety Plan to be provided by 
HHS/CDC, the awardee(s) will expand the piloted activities to implement 
an injection-safety program that covers the total population of each 
country. The awardee will implement a program that aims to improve 
injection practices through the following components: (a) Training, 
support, and capacity-building of health care providers, as well as 
program and facility managers; (b) improving logistics supply and 
distribution systems that ensure availability of safe injection 
equipment; (c) reducing the frequency of unnecessary injections through 
advocacy and behavior change; and (d) management of sharps waste.

1. Training, Support, and Capacity

     Train and educate health care workers in safer medical 
practices, including safe injection practices, universal precautions, 
selection of appropriate waste-management options, and decreasing 
unnecessary medications, particularly injections.
     Develop and/or update institutional service-delivery 
policies, standards, guidelines, job descriptions, monitoring tools, 
etc., to reflect management practices in safe injections and in the 
waste management of sharps waste (in accordance with national or 
international standards).
     Assist and train health care workers and logisticians in 
safe-injection commodity forecasting, financing, procurement, 
logistics, and supply management to ensure that both sterile, single-
use injection devices for injection and reconstitution and safety boxes 
are available in health care facilities in sufficient quantities for 
the number of injections administered.
     Advise and assist program managers and facility 
administrators to direct, supervise and monitor activities to improve 
injection safety within their areas.
     Develop a mechanism to review progress and lessons learned 
between the National Injection Safety Plan group and personnel from the 
pilot project.

2. Equipment, Supplies, and Commodity Management

     Procure appropriate commodities for safe injection 
practices and ensure that all health care facilities have sufficient 
quantities of all commodities, including single-use injection 
equipment, gloves, diluent, soap, and safety boxes, preferably using 
existing distribution systems, when appropriate.
     Develop and strengthen existing systems for reliable 
commodity management, including selection, forecasting, procurement, 
and distribution, of injection equipment matched with needs for 
injectable medications and safety boxes in sufficient quantities for 
the number of injections administered.
     Ensure ``bundling'' of injectable vaccines, injectable 
contraceptives, and tuberculosis medicines in donor-supported programs 
with single-use needles and syringes that include reuse-prevention 
features and safety boxes.
     To decrease unnecessary injections, ensure oral 
formulations of commonly used medications are available at the health 
facilities. This might require revision of the essential drug list.
     Ensure inclusion of injection equipment on essential drug 
lists on a facility and/or national level.

3. Reducing Unnecessary Injections Through Advocacy and Behavior Change

     Using each country's National Injection Safety Plan, the 
awardee(s) will attempt to increase public support for injection safety 
among the main target audiences, which include: program managers, 
health facility administrators, professional associations, health 
workers, pharmacies, training institutions including medical schools, 
and the general public.
     The awardee will work with non-governmental organizations 
NGOs to integrate community-based activities to decrease the use of 
unsafe injections and increase knowledge of injection safety.

4. Sharps Waste Management

     Develop and strengthen systems to support proper disposal 
of sharps at the level of this intervention. (The awardee would not 
directly support capital costs for waste management. The awardee's role 
would be limited to technical assistance in assessment, planning and 
leveraging support from other external agencies for items such as 
incinerators.) This should be done in accordance with national policies 
for safe management of health care waste, if such a policy exists. If 
such a policy does not exist, these activities should be done in 
accordance with international standards (http://www.injectionsafety.org 
and the SIGN Injection Safety Toolkit).
     Forecast and provide sufficient quantities of puncture-
proof sharps containers (e.g. safety boxes) and related materials, such 
as kerosene, matches for burning, etc., to meet the disposal needs of 
injection equipment across the curative, immunization, and 
contraceptive sectors within the institution. In a cooperative 
agreement, HHS/CDC staff is substantially involved in the program 
activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring. HHS/CDC will 
work under the guidance and supervision of the Office of the Global 
AIDS Coordinator at the Department of State.
    HHS/CDC activities for this program are as follows:
     Provide scientific and technical assistance in refining 
the operational plan.
     Provide ongoing technical assistance in addressing 
problems encountered in implementing your plan.
     Assist in assessing program operations and in evaluating 
overall effectiveness of your program.
     Staff in both headquarters (HHS/CDC Atlanta, HHS/CDC in 
country, and the HHS Office of Global Health Affairs in Washington) and 
in the designated countries will assure that other related U.S. 
Government (USG) activities are well coordinated with national programs 
in each country.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. HHS/CDC involvement in this 
program is listed in the Activities Section above.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2004.
    Approximate Total Funding: $7,000,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Two.
    Approximate Average Award: $3,500,000 (This amount is for the first 
12-month budget period, and includes direct costs).
    Floor of Award Range: None.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $7,000,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2004.
    Budget Period Length: 12 months.
    Project Period Length: Five years.
    Throughout the project period, HHS/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.

[[Page 42180]]

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

    Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit and 
for-profit organizations may submit applications, such as:
     Public non-profit organizations;
     Private non-profit organizations;
     For-profit organizations;
     Universities; and
     Faith-based organizations.

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 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 HHS/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 HHS/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. You must submit a narrative in the following format:
     Maximum number of pages: 30 (Note: Appendices and budget 
narrative are not included in the page total). 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
     Double-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 proposal should address activities to be conducted 
over the entire project period. Proposals should detail the 
implementation of the methodologies put forward in the program 
description, showing the phasing or dates by which planned activities 
would be carried out. The implementation plan shall include the 
following:
     Description of the need for National Injection Safety 
Plans in the seven countries and the anticipated outcome on HIV 
prevention.
     Description of the rationale and technical approach for 
expanding the use of proven best practices in injection safety in the 
following countries: Botswana, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire, Haiti, Kenya, 
Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania.
     Description of all planned activities in the first 12 
months, including:
    a. Sequence of tasks and location for intervention.
    b. Timeframes for implementing each activity.
    c. Involvement of alliances/partners/twinning.
    d. Procurement and distribution plan, including estimated equipment 
needs and plans for use of existing country mechanisms.
    e. Sustainability plan.
     Management Plan
    a. Proposed lines of responsibility, authority, and communication 
through which tasks will be managed.
    b. Procedure to ensure quality control and cost control.
     Organizational Structure and Staffing Plan, including:
    a. Key personnel plan.
    b. Other long and short-term staff required for implementing each 
activity.
    c. Demonstrated capabilities, specific local experiences, 
education, and qualifications for each member of the key personnel 
plan.
    d. List of alternates for key personnel plan.
    e. Subcontractor staffing plans.
    f. Plan for proposed project team to interface with the applicant's 
corporate structure, possible sub-contractors, and HHS/CDC's management 
structure.
     Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, showing how:
    a. Outcomes will be measured.
    b. Outcomes will contribute to results.
     The applicants shall provide information regarding their 
past experience in working with other organizations on similar types of 
projects.
    Applicants may include additional information in the application 
appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative 
page limit. This additional information includes the following:
     Curriculum Vitas or Resumes;
     Organizational Charts; and
     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 www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711.
    For more information, see the HHS/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

    Application Deadline Date: August 13, 2004.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be received in the HHS/
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 HHS/CDC receives your application after 
closing because of: (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, HHS/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

[[Page 42181]]

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.
    HHS/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

    Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

IV.5. Funding Restrictions

    Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing your 
budget, are as follows:
     Funds may be used only for activities associated with 
decreasing unsafe injections.
     Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes, 
including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Equipment may be 
purchased if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives; 
however, prior approval by HHS/CDC officials must be requested in 
writing.
     All requests for funds contained in the budget shall be 
stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, HHS/CDC will not 
compensate foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through 
the issuance of supplemental awards.
     The costs that are generally allowable in grants to 
domestic organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and 
international organizations, with the following exception: With the 
exception of the American University, Beirut, and the World Health 
Organization, Indirect Costs will not be paid (either directly or 
through sub-award) to organizations located outside the territorial 
limits of the United States or to international organizations 
regardless of their location.
     The applicant may contract with other organizations under 
this program; however, the applicant must perform a substantial portion 
of the activities (including program management and operations, and 
delivery of prevention services for which funds are required).
     You must obtain an annual audit of these HHS/CDC funds 
(program-specific audit) by a U.S.-based audit firm with international 
branches and current licensure/authority in-country, and in accordance 
with International Accounting Standards or equivalent standard(s) 
approved in writing by HHS/CDC.
     A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, 
prior to or post award, in order to review the applicant's business 
management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S. 
Federal funds.
     U.S. Government funds may be used for direct costs such as 
salaries; necessary travel; operating costs, including supplies, fuel, 
utilities, etc.; staff training costs, including registration fees and 
purchase and rental of training related equipment; and purchase of HIV-
testing reagents, test kits, and laboratory equipment for HIV testing.
     No funds appropriated under this solicitation shall be 
used to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles or 
syringes for the hypodermic use of any illegal drug.
     In accordance with 45 CFR Part 74.81, no HHS funds may be 
paid as profit to any recipient, even if the recipient is a commercial 
organization. Profit is any amount in excess of allowable direct and 
indirect costs.
    The U.S. Government is opposed to prostitution and related 
activities, which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing, and 
contribute to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. Any entity that 
receives, directly or indirectly, U.S. Government funds in connection 
with this document (``recipient'') cannot use such U.S. Government 
funds to promote or advocate the legalization or practice of 
prostitution or sex trafficking. Nothing in the preceding sentence 
shall be construed to preclude the provision to individuals of 
palliative care, treatment, or post-exposure pharmaceutical 
prophylaxis, and necessary pharmaceuticals and commodities, including 
test kits, condoms, and, when proven effective, microbicides. A 
recipient that is otherwise eligible to receive funds in connection 
with this document to prevent, treat, or monitor HIV/AIDS shall not be 
required to endorse or utilize a multisectoral approach to combating 
HIV/AIDS, or to endorse, utilize, or participate in a prevention method 
or treatment program to which the recipient has a religious or moral 
objection. Any information provided by recipients about the use of 
condoms as part of projects or activities that are funded in connection 
with this document shall be medically accurate and shall include the 
public health benefits and failure rates of such use.
    In addition, any foreign recipient must have a policy explicitly 
opposing, in its activities outside the United States, prostitution and 
sex trafficking, except that this requirement shall not apply to the 
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Health 
Organization, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative or to any 
United Nations agency, if such entity is a recipient of U.S. Government 
funds in connection with this document.
    The following definitions apply for purposes of this clause:
     ``Sex trafficking'' means the recruitment, harboring, 
transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of 
a commercial sex act. 22 U.S.C. 7102(9).
     A ``foreign recipient'' includes an entity that is not 
organized under the laws of any State of the United States, the 
District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Restoration 
of the Mexico City Policy, 66 FR 17303, 17303 (March 28, 2001).
    All recipients must insert provisions implementing the applicable 
parts of this section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities,'' in all 
subagreements under this award. These provisions must be express terms 
and conditions of the subagreement, acknowledge that each certification 
to compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and Related 
Activities,'' are a prerequisite to receipt of U.S. government funds in 
connection with this document, and must acknowledge that any violation 
of the provisions shall be grounds for unilateral termination of the 
agreement prior to the end of its term. In addition, all recipients 
must ensure, through contract, certification, audit, and/or any other 
necessary means, all the applicable requirements in this section, 
``Prostitution and Related Activities,'' are met by any other entities 
receiving U.S. government funds from the recipient in connection with 
this document, including without limitation, the recipients' sub-
grantees, sub-contractors, parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates. 
Recipients must agree that HHS may, at any reasonable time, inspect the 
documents and materials maintained or prepared by the recipient in the 
usual course of its operations that relate to the organization's 
compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities.''
    All primary grantees that receive U.S. Government funds in 
connection with this document must certify compliance prior to actual 
receipt of such funds in a written statement referencing this document 
(e.g., ``[Recipient's name]

[[Page 42182]]

certifies compliance with the section, `Prostitution and Related 
Activities.' '') addressed to the agency's grants officer. Such 
certifications are prerequisites to the payment of any U.S. Government 
funds in connection with this document.
    Recipients' compliance with this section, ``Prostitution and 
Related Activities,'' is an express term and condition of receiving 
U.S. Government funds in connection with this document, and any 
violation of it shall be grounds for unilateral termination by HHS of 
the agreement with HHS in connection with this document prior to the 
end of its term. The recipient shall refund to HHS the entire amount 
furnished in connection with this document in the event it is 
determined by HHS that the recipient has not complied with this 
section, ``Prostitution and Related Activities.''
    Guidance for completing your budget can be found on the HHS/CDC Web 
site, at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.
    Applicants should budget for activities in all seven countries. The 
final determination of funding and country assignment will be 
determined at the time of award.

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 04212, 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. Current Capability (Total: 45 Points)
    a. Experience in the area of safe injections (15 points)--Does the 
applicant and each of its partnering organizations have experience 
working in the area of medical injection safety in developing 
countries?
    b. Experience in the area of infection-control practices (15 
points)--Does the applicant and each of its partnering organizations 
have experience working in the area of infection control practices in 
developing countries?
    c. Staffing and management (15 points)--Is the size of the 
organization adequate for the project? Is the current staffing and 
management capacity of the applicant adequate for the project?
2. Feasibility of Plan (Total: 40 Points)
    a. Technical approach (6 points)--Is the technical approach sound 
and reasonable?
    b. Staffing and management (8 points)--Is the proposed staffing and 
management plan reasonable?
    c. Equipment and supplies management and distribution (8 points)--
Does the applicant have a sound and reasonable plan for managing and 
distributing safe injectable materials and supplies?
    d. Training (6 points)--Does the applicant have the resources and a 
reasonable plan to develop a comprehensive training program in the 
reduction of unsafe medical injections and in infection control 
practices?
    e. Monitoring and evaluation (6 points)--Is the monitoring and 
evaluation plan feasible? Does the plan measure important indicators?
    f. Sustainability (6 points)--Is the plan for sustainability 
reasonable and feasible?
3. Measures of Effectiveness (Total: 10 Points)
    Are the measures of effectiveness reasonable?
4. Plans for Collaboration (Total: 5 Points)
    Is there a plan or strategy for effectively collaborating with the 
Ministries of Health and local health-care providers?

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    The Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff will review your 
application for completeness, and the HHS/CDC National Center for HIV, 
STD and TB Prevention (NCHSTP) will review it for responsiveness. 
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:
     Geographic distribution and population of all seven 
countries--to ensure that funding is not concentrated in any one 
catchment area.
     Percentage of staff who are citizens of the country in 
which services will be provided.
     No award will be made without the concurrence of the U.S. 
Embassy and the CDC representative in the country under consideration.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    September 1, 2004.

VI. Award Administration Information

VI.1. Award Notices

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

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92
    For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the 
National Archives and Records Administration at the following Internet 
address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html.
    The following additional requirements apply to this project:
     AR-4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions
     AR-5 HIV Program Review Panel Requirements
     AR-6 Patient Care
     AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
     AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
     AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
     AR-15 Proof of Non-Profit Status
     AR-16 Security Clearance Requirement
     AR-23 States and Faith-Based Organizations
    Additional information on these requirements can be found on the 
HHS/CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm.

[[Page 42183]]

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

    You must provide HHS/CDC with an original, plus two 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. Semi-annual progress report, due seven months after the 
beginning of each budget period. This report should contain the 
following elements:
    a. Progress on Achieving Objectives.
    b. Modification or New Activities.
    3. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of 
the budget period.
    4. 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, HHS/CDC Procurement and 
Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, 
GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For program technical assistance, contact:
    Kenneth Clark, M.D., MPH, Project Officer, National Center for HIV, 
STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, MS 
E04, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-639-8057, E-mail: [email protected].
    For budget assistance, contact:
    Diane Flournoy, Contract Specialist, HHS/CDC Procurement and Grants 
Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2920 Brandywine 
Road, Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2072, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: July 8, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 04-15913 Filed 7-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P