[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61846-61853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23618]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Environmental Health Specialist Network

    Announcement Type: New.
    Funding Opportunity Number: RFA EH 05013.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283.
    Key Dates:
    Letter of Intent Deadline: November 22, 2004.
    Application Deadline: December 20, 2004.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: Section 301 (42 U.S.C. 241) and section 317(k)(2) [42 
U.S.C. 247b(k)(2)] of the Public Health Services Act, as amended.
    Purpose: The purpose of this program is to help State health 
departments improve the practice of environmental health service 
programs by establishing a network of environmental health specialists 
(EHSs) who collaborate with epidemiologists and laboratorians to 
identify and prevent environmental factors contributing to foodborne 
and/or waterborne illness and disease outbreaks. This announcement 
expands the EHS Network (EHS-Net) from a project of FoodNet, a 
component of CDC's Emerging Infections Program, to an independent 
program that includes drinking water safety (see Appendix A, as posted 
on the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/EHSNet/default.htm).
    This announcement covers:
    1. Food Safety (i.e., retail food safety)
    2. Water Safety (i.e., private and small drinking water systems not 
regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act [SDWA])
    Guiding principles for the EHS-Net can be found in Appendix B, as 
posted on the CDC Web site.
    This program addresses ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of 
Environmental Health, Food Safety, and Public Health Infrastructure. 
The program also addresses all goals of CDC's ``Strategy To Revitalize 
Environmental Public Health Services in the United States'', located at 
http: //www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/default.htm.
    Measurable outcomes of the program will align with the following 
performance goal for the National Center for Environmental Health 
(NCEH): Increase the capacity of State and local health departments to 
deliver environmental health services in the community.
    Research Objectives:
    Research objectives of the network are to: (1) Monitor risk factors 
and prevention policies in foodborne and/or waterborne outbreaks and 
during routine (non-outbreak) environmental evaluations (i.e., 
inspections); (2) conduct applied behavioral, environmental 
epidemiologic, and laboratory research on factors contributing to 
disease transmission; (3) evaluate food safety and/or drinking water 
safety service programs and their activities; (4) implement and 
evaluate pilot prevention and intervention projects; and (5) develop 
and disseminate the results of network activities and projects to the 
environmental and public health communities.
    Activities:
    Awardee activities for this program are as follows:
     Staffing
    1. Establish and maintain a full-time senior staff position in the 
agency's food safety and/or drinking water safety program (i.e., one 
full-time equivalent per program), with full responsibility for 
implementation and coordination of activities of the EHS-Net related to 
food safety and/or drinking water safety (non-SDWA regulated systems). 
The person in this position must report directly to a senior 
environmental health service program official who has agency (State 
and/or local) authority to participate in EHS-Net activities. The 
person in this position also must have demonstrated leadership skills; 
technical knowledge and program experience with the food safety and/or 
drinking water safety program; knowledge and understanding of the 
appropriate State environmental health program (food safety and/or 
drinking water safety); and communication skills necessary to 
effectively promote and facilitate network activities. The person will 
be involved in study design, data analysis and interpretation, and 
publication of results. The person also will be responsible for the 
accuracy, quality, and timely reporting of all data submitted to CDC's 
EHS-Net Web-based information system (See Appendix A, as posted on the 
CDC Web site).
    2. Identify an existing staff position in the health agency's 
program with responsibilities and organizational authority for 
foodborne and/or

[[Page 61847]]

waterborne disease surveillance. The individual should know and 
understand the epidemiology and surveillance of foodborne and/or 
waterborne disease; demonstrate the leadership ability to inform and 
guide decisions concerning specific activities of the network; have the 
ability to lead and coordinate proposed activities; and possess a 
knowledge of the agency's environmental service program (food and/or 
drinking water). The individual should be active in study design, data 
analysis and interpretation, and publication of results.
    3. Existing staff position(s) in State and/or local agencies with 
responsibility for carrying out specific EHS-Net activities also may be 
identified. These persons should have the technical program experience 
needed to implement proposed activities; an understanding of the State 
food and/or drinking water program; and the communication skills 
necessary to effectively implement proposed activities.
     State Agency Collaboration and Planning
    1. Strengthen the partnership between the health agency and other 
State agencies responsible for food safety and/or drinking water safety 
(i.e., departments of agriculture; agencies for institutional care, 
education, and environmental protection; etc.) by establishing an 
interagency plan that identifies complementary responsibilities and 
support functions to carry out planned EHS-Net activities. The 
interagency plan should address policies and programs, technical 
assistance, and resources; and identify participating local agencies.
    2. Establish the EHS-Net in a defined area, which could include 
either an entire State or a geographically defined area (or areas) 
within a State that represents both rural and urban communities. 
Geographically defined areas may be represented as cities, counties, 
townships, parishes, or districts as defined by the public health 
agency or other partnering agency. Within this geographically defined 
area, local health agencies and/or other local agencies with regulatory 
responsibility for food safety and/or drinking water safety must be 
identified as partners.
    3. Within the geographically defined area, develop partnerships 
with local agencies and others to provide in-kind assistance or other 
cost-sharing support to complement the basic assistance obtained from 
CDC to support network activities.
    4. Establish and/or sustain effective partnerships with other 
public or private organizations interested in addressing environmental 
health services issues related to their effectiveness in preventing 
disease (e.g., universities, schools of public health, standard-setting 
organizations, multi-jurisdictional commissions with environmental 
responsibilities, community-based organizations, other Federal and 
State government agencies, research organizations, non-governmental 
organizations and foundations).
     Organize the network to:
    1. Maintain the ability to accommodate changes in specific 
activities and priorities as the public health system's need for 
information changes, or as new and/or reemerging health problems or 
environmental issues emerge.
    2. Include both rural and urban populations.
    3. Have the capacity to conduct multiple, concurrent projects.
    4. Enlist participation of local public health departments and 
other public or private organizations with a role in protecting the 
public's health.
     Operate the network to function effectively as part of a 
national network of EHSs. Collaborate with CDC and other EHS sites, 
through the EHS-Net steering committee and EHS working groups, to 
establish priorities, coordinate and monitor projects, and ensure that 
projects address existing and emerging infections issues.
     Propose and conduct activities in collaboration with CDC 
and appropriate partner agencies or organizations. Collaborate with CDC 
and other network sites to finalize protocols for network activities. 
Collaborate with CDC and other network sites to develop mutually agreed 
upon standardized protocols.
    1. Categories of food safety activities:
    (a) Monitoring of risk factors and prevention policies for 
foodborne disease in outbreak investigations and during routine (non-
outbreak) environmental evaluations (i.e., inspections). This involves 
improving the data collection instrument and actual data collection and 
reporting data collected to CDC through the EHS-Net Web-based 
information system (see Appendix A, as posted on the CDC Web site). 
This also may involve collection of food and/or environmental surface 
samples and submission to State, CDC, or other laboratories.
    (b) Applied behavioral, environmental epidemiologic, and laboratory 
research. Examples of potential behavioral projects include development 
of projects to evaluate barriers and facilitators for implementation of 
intervention strategies by food workers or managers; barriers and 
facilitators for EHSs as risk communicators and risk managers; barriers 
and facilitators for food safety programs in enforcing regulatory 
requirements; and development and evaluation of training materials or 
prevention messages for EHSs, industry, or the public. Examples of 
potential environmental epidemiologic projects include descriptive 
epidemiology projects to determine the level of control of risk factors 
and status of food safety policies, and other studies to determine what 
factors and policies or combination prevent outbreaks of foodborne 
disease. Examples of potential laboratory research may include 
development or evaluation of environmental sampling techniques for 
norovirus or other pathogens of interest; development or evaluation of 
pathogen-specific environmental sampling techniques or policies for 
investigations of foodborne outbreaks, or for use during routine 
evaluations to establish baseline levels of pathogen-specific 
contamination; or projects to assess the route of pathogen-specific 
cross-contamination.
    (c) Evaluation of food safety programs and their activities. 
Potential projects would attempt to assess the effectiveness of food 
safety programs and/or specific activities in reducing disease in the 
population served. Implementation and evaluation of pilot prevention 
and intervention projects (i.e., evaluation of integrated communication 
projects designed to increase hand washing by food workers in 
restaurants, or evaluation of hand washing behaviors and the impact on 
infectious diseases in institutional food service). Potential projects 
could include evaluation of the effects of food workers' or managers' 
food safety training programs on active manager control of risk factors 
to foodborne outbreaks.
    2. Propose and conduct these specific network activities for food 
safety:
    (a) Ongoing EHS-Net data collection activity in restaurants, and 
propose implementation of a similar activity in institutional 
foodservice settings (e.g., nursing homes, schools, day care centers, 
prisons) and in retail grocery stores (see Appendix A, as posted on the 
CDC website).
    (b) Ongoing activity to establish a denominator number of 
restaurants, day care centers, nursing homes, hospitals, State or local 
prisons, jails, schools, retail grocery stores, and other food service 
establishments in the State or designated geographic area.
    (c) Improved reporting of contributing factors to foodborne 
outbreaks through CDC's Electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System.

[[Page 61848]]

    3. Categories of drinking water safety activities:
    (a) Monitoring risk factors and prevention policies for waterborne 
disease in outbreak investigations and during routine (non-outbreak) 
environmental evaluations (i.e., inspections), especially for small, 
non-SDWA systems. This may involve development of data collection 
instruments, actual data collection, and reporting data collected to 
CDC through the EHS-Net web-based information system (see Appendix A, 
as posted on the CDC Web site). This activity also may involve 
collection of water samples for submission to State, CDC, or other 
laboratories.
    (b) Applied behavioral, environmental epidemiologic, and laboratory 
research. Examples of potential behavioral projects may include 
evaluation of the barriers and facilitators to private well testing 
programs, either by owners or through other means, or evaluation of 
programs designed to introduce private well testing during property 
transfers. Examples of potential environmental epidemiologic projects 
include defining the actual public health impacts of drinking water 
from largely unregulated sources by linking water quality to levels of 
exposure or illness or by linking other factors (such as extreme storm 
events) to health outcomes. Examples of potential laboratory research 
may include development or evaluation of sampling techniques for 
norovirus or other pathogens of interest in drinking water.
    (c) Evaluation of drinking water programs and their activities, 
especially as related to small systems not regulated under the SDWA. 
Potential projects could include evaluation of barriers or facilitators 
to improving drinking water from non-SDWA sources (such as lack of 
laboratory capacity to evaluate drinking water quality; lack of 
standards and guidelines for construction, maintenance, and monitoring 
of small systems, especially private wells; and fragmented 
responsibility and insufficient resources for oversight of small 
systems). Potential projects could include evaluation of existing or 
new programs to improve drinking water quality from small systems 
through testing or other monitoring; public awareness campaigns; 
implementation of standards and guidelines related to small systems; or 
development and implementation of targeted training and education for 
private well owners and operators of small drinking water systems.
     As part of network activities, collect and submit samples 
(i.e., food, water, or environmental samples) to designated 
laboratories for evaluation. Laboratories may include State, Federal, 
or academic facilities, as appropriate for the study proposed and 
approved by the EHS-Net.
     Manage, analyze, and interpret data from network 
activities; and publish and disseminate results.
    In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in 
the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring. CDC 
Activities for this program are as follows:
     Provide general coordination for the EHS-Net.
     Serve as the primary contact for and seek input from the 
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 
other Federal agencies with expertise in food safety and drinking water 
safety program areas and interest in EHS-Net activities.
     Seek input from participating food and drinking water 
programs to determine training needs of EHSs. Identify existing 
training resources. Develop unique training opportunities through 
partnerships within CDC, with other Federal agencies, and within the 
EHS-Net. Work with participating environmental health service programs 
to develop methods for effectively communicating the role of the EHS in 
protecting the health of their communities.
     Provide technical assistance by participating in outbreak 
evaluations as requested by participating States.
     Provide consultation, and scientific and technical 
assistance in the operation of the EHS-Net, and in designing, 
implementing, and evaluating individual EHS-Net projects.
     Assist with analysis and interpretation of data from EHS-
Net projects.
     Participate in the dissemination of findings and 
information stemming from EHS-Net projects.
     Assist in monitoring and evaluation of scientific and 
operational accomplishments of the EHS-Net and progress in achieving 
the purpose and overall goals of this program by conducting conference 
calls, site visits, hosting meetings of participants and conducting a 
process evaluation of the EHS-Net.
     If needed, perform laboratory evaluation of samples 
collected in conjunction with EHS-Net projects and integrate results 
with data from other EHS-Net projects.
     Assist in the development of research protocols for 
Institutional Review Board (IRB) review by all institutions 
participating in any research project involving human subjects and CDC 
scientists as co-investigators. CDC project managers will ensure that 
all relevant organizational IRBs have given their written approval. The 
CDC IRB will review and approve the protocol initially and at least 
annually until the research project is completed.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award:
    This award is a Cooperative Agreement. CDC involvement in this 
program is listed in the Activities Section above.
    Mechanism of Support: U01.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2005.
    Approximate Total Funding: Up to $2,100,000 will be available in 
2005.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 14.
    Food Safety will involve a total number of 10 awards, eight of 
which will be targeted to existing awardees and two to new applicants. 
A total of four awards for Drinking Water Safety will be targeted 
exclusively for existing awardees.
    Approximate Average Award: $100,000 (This amount is for the first 
12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)
    Floor of Award Range: $75,000.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $150,000 per program (food program/drinking 
water program).
    Anticipated Award Date: March 30, 2005.
    Budget Period Length: 12 Months.
    Project Period Length: 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

    Existing EHS-Net awardees may apply for both food safety and 
drinking water safety awards; new applicants may apply only for food 
safety awards.
    Existing EHS-Net awardees are State infectious disease programs 
currently funded by CDC through the Emerging Infection Program (EIP), 
program announcement number 00011, and participating in the existing 
EHS-Net project under the EIP's FoodNet program with a current EHS-Net 
project period that expires December 31, 2004. Those states are 
California, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New York, 
Oregon, and Tennessee.

[[Page 61849]]

    New applicants are State infectious disease programs located in 
public health agencies in the 50 States.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required. Applicants must demonstrate in-
kind or other cost-sharing arrangements with partnering State and local 
agencies and with other partnering agencies or organizations as a 
demonstration of the capacity to carry out program activities. See V.1. 
Criteria.

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.
    Special 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.
     Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See 
section ``IV.3. Submission Dates and Times'' for more information on 
deadlines.
     CDC requires that you submit a LOI if you intend to apply 
for this program. The LOI will be used to gauge the level of interest 
in this program, and allow CDC to plan the application review. Although 
the LOI will not be evaluated, and does not enter into review of your 
subsequent application, failure to submit a timely LOI will preclude 
you from submitting an application.
     Funding preferences for existing EHS-Net awardees will be 
for those sites that: demonstrate, through their application, success 
in implementing EHS-Net activities related to food safety while part of 
the EHS-Net project under CDC's FoodNet project; demonstrate future in-
kind or other cost-sharing arrangements with local agencies identified 
as partners; demonstrate leveraging of existing funding received from 
CDC or other Federal agencies for food safety and/or drinking water 
safety-related projects; and apply to expand their activities to 
include drinking water safety.
     For drinking water safety, funding preference will be 
given to applicants who have the capacity to address water safety 
issues related to small water systems (including private wells) that 
are not regulated under the SDWA.
     Funding preferences for new applicants will be given to 
applicants who: demonstrate leveraging of existing funding received 
from CDC or other Federal agencies for food-related projects; 
demonstrate in-kind or other cost-sharing arrangements with local 
agencies or organizations to support this project; and demonstrate 
existing successful working relationships between the infectious 
disease program and the environmental health service program (food 
safety).

    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.

    Individuals Eligible To Become Principal Investigators: Any 
individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry 
out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to 
develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented 
racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are 
always encouraged to apply for CDC programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address To Request Application Package

    To apply for this funding opportunity, use application form PHS 398 
(OMB number 0925-0001 rev. 5/2001). Forms and instructions are 
available in an interactive format on the CDC Web site, at the 
following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm.
    Forms and instructions also are available in an interactive format 
on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Web site at the following 
Internet address: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html.
    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 Application Submission

    Letter of Intent (LOI): Your LOI must be written in the following 
format:
     Maximum number of pages: Five pages.
     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.
     Written in plain language; avoid jargon.
    Your LOI must contain the following information:
     Descriptive title of the proposed research
     Name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the 
Principal Investigator.
     Names of other key personnel.
     Participating institutions.
     Number and title of this announcement.
    Application: Follow the PHS 398 application instructions for 
content and formatting of your application. If the instructions in this 
announcement differ in any way from the PHS 398 instructions, follow 
the instructions in this announcement. For further assistance with the 
PHS 398 application form, contact PGO-TIM staff at 770-488-2700, or 
contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714, e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Your research plan should address activities to be conducted over 
the entire project period.
    You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the Federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. For more information, see the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/pubcommt.htm. If your application form does 
not have a DUNS number field, please write your DUNS number at the top 
of the first page of your application, and/or include your DUNS number 
in your application cover.
    This announcement uses the modular budgeting as well as non-modular 
budgeting formats. See: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm for additional guidance on modular budgets. Specifically, 
if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of 
$250,000 or less, use the modular budget format. Otherwise, follow the 
instructions for the non-modular budget research grant applications.
    You must submit a project narrative with your application forms. 
Each narrative must be submitted in the following format:
     Maximum number of pages:
    36--If applying for both food and water safety. If your narrative 
exceeds the page limit, only the first 36 pages which are within the 
page limit will be reviewed.
    18--If applying for only food safety. If your narrative exceeds the 
page limit,

[[Page 61850]]

only the first 18 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
     Held together only by rubber bands or metal clips, not 
bound in any other way
    The application should include only one section for each item 
listed below. If applying for both food and drinking water safety, 
provide separate staffing plans and budgets. The application must 
include the following items in the order listed:
    (1) Background (not more than 6 pages if applying for food and 
water safety; not more than 3 pages if applying for food safety):
    Describe the background and objectives of this cooperative 
agreement. Describe the responsibilities, problems, constraints, and 
complexities that may be encountered in establishing and operating the 
EHS-Net. Describe the roles and responsibilities of participants in the 
EHS-Net. Describe the designated geographic area for this cooperative 
agreement and its population.
    (2) Capacity (not more than 10 pages if applying for food and water 
safety; not more than 5 pages if applying for food safety):
    (1) Describe your agency's authority to conduct food and/or 
waterborne disease surveillance activities. Describe your agency's 
authority, and the authority of other partners, to conduct outbreak 
investigations and routine environmental evaluations (i.e., inspections 
or surveys). Describe the food and/or water safety program's authority 
to evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory requirements, programs, and 
activities in preventing disease and developing new disease prevention 
strategies.
    (2) Describe the organizational structure of the health agency's 
disease surveillance programs (foodborne and/or waterborne disease), 
and how that structure supports environmental health service programs 
(food safety and/or drinking water safety). Describe the organizational 
structure of the food and/or water safety program.
    (3) For food safety programs, identify the State or local agency 
with responsibility for restaurants, retail grocery stores, schools, 
day care centers, nursing homes, hospitals, mobile food units, State 
and local prisons, and other food service establishments, and the way 
they will participate in this cooperative agreement.
    (4) For drinking water safety programs, identify the State or local 
agency or organization(s) with responsibility for private and small 
drinking water systems and describe how these various agencies or 
organizations will participate in this cooperative agreement.
    (5) Characterize your agency's and your significant partner's 
relationship with local environmental health service programs (food 
safety and/or drinking water safety).
    (6) Characterize the role of the specific local environmental 
health services programs (food and/or drinking water), or other public 
health-related programs or agencies, that will be participating as 
active partners in this cooperative agreement.
    (7) Describe how the health agency's disease surveillance program 
uses existing CDC or other Federal, State, or local funds to support 
foodborne or waterborne disease surveillance, and how this program 
announcement can be synergistically linked to existing activities.
    (8) Describe any current or past activities of the health agency's 
disease surveillance program to assist an environmental health service 
program(s) to improve or assess prevention efforts.
    (3) Operational Plan (not more than 10 pages if applying for food 
and water safety; not more than 5 pages if applying for food safety):
    Using the examples of activities described above as a guide, 
describe the operational plan for the EHS-Net in the State.
    (1) For food safety, propose the three specific activities 
identified under the previously listed awardee activities.
    (2) Propose optional activities on the basis of local interest, 
concern, or expertise, and in keeping with the guiding principles of 
the EHS-Net.
     Project Management and Staffing Plan (not more than 10 
pages if applying for food and water safety; not more than 5 if 
applying for food safety):
    Provide a separate, clearly labeled project management and staffing 
plan for food safety and/or drinking water safety. Indicate staff 
credentials, training, and skills to ensure staff can carry out 
recipient activities.
    Coordination between all participating programs should be fully 
described in the project management and staffing plans. All applicants 
should describe communication with staff working in related programs in 
other agencies. Each project management and staffing plan should 
include the following supporting documents in an application appendix:
    (1) For organizational structure provide:
    (a) A description of the proposed program management and control 
systems. Include an organizational chart that indicates placement of 
the proposed full-time senior staff position in the agency and show 
lines of authority, communication, accountability, and reporting.
    (b) A description of proposed staffing for network activities and 
job descriptions for existing and proposed positions that illustrate 
the staff's level of responsibility for implementing activities.
    (c) A description of the business office responsible for monitoring 
Federal funds and how the office will work with proposed program 
management and staff. Identify the business staff person who will carry 
out these responsibilities.
    (2) Include curriculum vitae (limited to two pages per person) for 
existing staff.
    (3) Provide letters from all outside agencies or partners 
identified in the operational plan that describe their expertise, 
capacity, and commitment to fulfill their proposed responsibilities.
     Budget and Budget Justification (not included in narrative 
page limit):
    Provide a separate, detailed budget and budget justification for 
food safety and/or drinking water safety. Each budget and justification 
should immediately follow its corresponding staffing plan described 
under Project Management and Staffing Plan above. All applicants 
applying for both food safety and drinking water safety should provide 
a budget summary page that displays each separate program budget, as 
well as a total budget by object class category. Each budget and budget 
justification should include the following:
    (1) A detailed line-item budget for food safety and/or drinking 
water safety. The budget justification should describe and justify 
individual budget items that make up the total amount of funds 
requested in each object class category for the first 12-month budget 
period (January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005).
    (2) Travel: Participation is essential in the EHS-Net steering 
committee and CDC-sponsored training workshops for the EHS-Net. Travel 
for network implementation should be justified and related to 
implementation of activities. The annual travel budget should include 
travel funds for appropriate EHS-Net participants (including, at least, 
the senior EHS from the food and/or drinking water program and one 
appropriate infectious disease program representative) to participate 
in a one-week CDC-sponsored orientation meeting for FY2005 and one two-
three day CDC-sponsored EHS-Net steering

[[Page 61851]]

committee meeting each year. Participation in non-CDC-sponsored 
professional meetings (e.g., Conference for Food Protection, 
International Association of Food Protection educational conference, 
National Rural Water Association, National Environmental Health 
Association) may be requested, but must be directly relevant to EHS-Net 
activities. Participation may include the presentation of papers, 
poster sessions, or exhibits on EHS-Net activities.
    (3) Indirect Costs: If indirect costs are requested, include a copy 
of your agency's current negotiated Federal Indirect Cost Rate 
Agreement.
    (4) Any cost sharing or in-kind support must be presented as a 
percentage of total requested costs and an amount.
     Evaluation Plan (not included in narrative page limit): 
Include in the evaluation plan a process evaluation of the network to 
determine the effectiveness of participation by outside agencies and 
other partners.
    Additional information may be included in the application 
appendices. The appendices will not count toward the narrative page 
limit. This additional information includes:
     Curricula Vitaes.
     Resumes.
     Organizational Charts.
     Letters of Support.
    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: November 22, 2004.
    CDC requires that you submit a LOI if you intend to apply for this 
program. The LOI will be used to gauge the level of interest in this 
program, and allow CDC to plan the application review. Although the LOI 
will not be evaluated, and does not enter into review of your 
subsequent application, failure to submit a timely LOI will preclude 
you from submitting an application.
    Application Deadline Date: December 20, 2004.
    Explanation of Deadlines: LOIs and 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 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 LOI and 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 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 to 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:
     CDC will assist applicants in the development of research 
protocols for Institutional Review Board (IRB) review by all 
institutions participating in any research project involving human 
subjects and CDC scientists as co-investigators. CDC project managers 
will ensure that all relevant organizational IRBs have given their 
written approval. The CDC IRB will review and approve the protocol 
initially and at least annually until the research project is 
completed.
     Funds may not be used for data entry personnel because 
data collection activities are to be carried out by State and/or local 
EHSs and entered into the CDC EHS-Net Web-based information system.
     Federal funds awarded under this program announcement may 
not be used to supplant State or local funds.
     Awards will not allow reimbursement of preaward costs.
    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 old.
    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 or delivery 
service to: Technical Information Management--PA 05013, CDC 
Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341.
    LOIs may not be submitted electronically at this time.
    Application Submission Address: Submit the original and one hard 
copy of your application by mail or express delivery service to: 
Technical Information Management--PA 05013, CDC Procurement 
and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341.
    At the time of submission, four additional copies of the 
application, and all appendices must be sent to: Mildred Williams-
Johnson, CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, NCEH/ATSDR, MS E-28, 1600 Clifton Road, 
NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
    Applications may not be submitted electronically at this time.

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

    Applicants 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.
    The goals of CDC-supported research are to advance the 
understanding of biological systems, improve the control

[[Page 61852]]

and prevention of disease and injury, and enhance health. In the 
written comments, reviewers will be asked to evaluate the application 
in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a 
substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals.
    Each application will be individually reviewed and scored. Each 
application will be allocated a total of 100 points, according to the 
following criteria:
     Staffing (25 points)
    1. Has the applicant identified key professional personnel for 
assignment to the EHS-Net and network projects? Has the applicant 
identified key professional personnel from other participating or 
collaborating institutions, agencies, and organizations outside the 
applicant's agency that will be assigned to EHS-Net activities? Is a 
curriculum vitae provided for each in the appendix? Does the applicant 
clearly state participants' roles in the management and operation of 
the EHS-Net? Does the applicant provide descriptions of participants' 
experience in conducting work similar to that proposed in this 
announcement?
    2. Does the applicant describe all support staff and services to be 
assigned to the EHS-Net?
     Capacity (25 points)
    1. Does the applicant succeed in describing how they will implement 
multisite EHS-Net activities?
    2. Does the applicant describe the agency's structure, and support 
from partnering programs and/or agencies?
    3. Is the level of commitment from, and capacity of, the local 
agencies identified as partners demonstrated by: (a) In-kind or other 
cost-sharing arrangements described in the application to assist in 
supporting network activities; (b) technical knowledge and experience 
of local EHSs identified as potential sources of support for EHS-Net 
activities; and (c) capacity to electronically submit data to CDC 
through a Web-based information system?
    4. Does the applicant describe the ability to develop and maintain 
cooperative relationships with public and private, local and regional, 
public health, laboratory, academic or other organizations that protect 
public health?
    5. Is support from partnering agencies, institutions, 
organizations, laboratories, and individuals included in the 
operational plan? Does the applicant provide (in an appendix) letters 
of support indicating collaborators' commitments to participate in the 
EHS-Net, and describing their anticipated role?
    6. Does the applicant describe the ability to participate in a 
multi-state collaborative network?
     Operational plan (20 points)
    1. Does the applicant describe their plan for establishing and 
operating the EHS-Net? Does the applicant clearly identify the proposed 
organizational and operating structure and procedures? Does the 
applicant describe the roles and responsibilities of all participating 
agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals?
    2. Does the applicant describe plans to collaborate with CDC and 
other EHS-Net sites in the establishment and operation of the EHS-Net 
and individual EHS-Net projects, including project design and 
development (e.g., protocols), management and analysis of data, and 
synthesis and dissemination of findings?
    3. Does the applicant describe partnerships with necessary and 
appropriate organizations to establish and operate the proposed EHS-
Net?
    4. Does the applicant describe plans to provide training 
opportunities for one or more of the following individuals, groups, or 
agencies: (a) Persons in professional training, such as environmental 
health specialists, infectious disease fellows, laboratory fellows, 
public health students; or (b) partner organizations within the EHS-
Net, such as EHSs, infection-control practitioners or local health 
department personnel? Does the applicant propose to act as a resource 
for States that are not participating in the EHS-Net, for example, by 
providing information, training, or recommendations about emerging 
public health issues and evolving public health practices?
    5. Does the applicant describe proposed projects consistent with 
the guiding principles of the network and the public health needs?
    6. Does the applicant describe how the EHS-Net organizational 
structure in the State will facilitate a swift response to new public 
health challenges in infectious diseases? Does the applicant describe 
how the proposed structure can facilitate the preparation of EHSs to 
recognize or respond to acts of terror?
     Leveraging of resources and in-kind support (20 points)
    1. Does the applicant describe existing funds from CDC or other 
Federal agencies that are used to support foodborne and/or waterborne 
disease surveillance and food safety and/or drinking water safety 
programs? Does the applicant describe how these existing projects will 
be synergistically linked to this proposal?
    2. Does the applicant describe in-kind or other forms of support 
from local agencies or organizations that will be used to supplement 
CDC funding to carry out network activities?
    3. Does the applicant describe a plan to solicit and secure 
financial and/or technical assistance from other public and private 
organizations (e.g., schools of public health, university medical 
schools, public health laboratories, community-based organizations, 
other Federal and State government agencies, research organizations, 
foundations) to supplement the core funding from CDC?
     Understanding the objectives of the EHS-Net (10 points)
    Does the applicant:
    1. Understand the objectives of this cooperative agreement program?
    2. Describe the requirements, responsibilities, problems, 
constraints, and complexities that may be encountered in establishing 
and operating the EHS-Net?
    3. Understand the roles and responsibilities of participation in 
the EHS-Net?
    Recipient performance will be measured by:
     Quality of collaboration between the appropriate 
environmental health service program (food safety and/or drinking water 
safety), and the appropriate disease surveillance program (foodborne or 
waterborne) as evidenced by their ability to identify projects that 
provide environmental health service programs with information 
assisting them with control of risk factors to illness and outbreaks.
     Establishment of an interagency plan between State health 
and food safety and/or drinking water programs, and, when appropriate, 
their active participation in EHS-Net projects as evidenced by 
collection and submission of data or specimens, or evidence of other 
specific contributions to EHS-Net projects.
     Collection and submission to agreed-upon recipients (e.g., 
CDC Web-based information system; CDC or State laboratories) of at 
least 95 percent of all data or specimens for those projects in which 
the State has agreed to participate.
     Active participation of local environmental health service 
programs as evidenced by data or specimen collection or evidence of 
other specific contributions to EHS-Net projects.
     Publication of articles and at least one formal 
presentation at a national conference during this cooperative 
agreement, as lead or supporting author.

V.2. Review and Selection Process

    Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Procurement 
and Grants Office (PGO) staff, and for responsiveness by NCEH. 
Incomplete applications and applications that are nonresponsive to the 
eligibility criteria

[[Page 61853]]

will not advance through the review process. Applicants will be 
notified that their application did not meet submission requirements.
    A Special Emphasis Panel will evaluate complete and responsive 
applications according to the criteria listed in the ``V.1. Criteria'' 
section above.

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Awards anticipated to be effective March 30, 2005.

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 about 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-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
    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 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 Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For scientific/research issues, contact: Extramural Project 
Officer, Carol A. Selman, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, (F28), Chamblee, GA 
30341, Telephone: 770-488-4352, E-mail: [email protected].
    For financial, grants management or budget assistance, contact: 
Vivian F. Walker, Contract Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants 
Office, 2920 Brandywine Rd., Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770-488-
2724, E-mail: [email protected].

VIII. Other Information

    Background information concerning EHS-Net can be found on the CDC 
web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/EHSNet/default.htm.

    Dated: October 15, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-23618 Filed 10-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P