[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14686-14687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5706]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement AA018]


Association of Public Health Laboratories; Notice of Intent To 
Fund Single Eligibility Award

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
intent to fund fiscal year (FY) 2005 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program. The purpose of the program is to assist the Association of 
Public Health Laboratories (APHL), which includes two primary 
components, the National Laboratory Partnership (NLP) and the National 
Laboratory Training Network (NLTN), in promoting quality public health 
practice, improving the public health infrastructure, strengthening the 
public health laboratory system, and developing a well-trained 
competent laboratory work force in the United States by focusing on 
several keys areas. These key areas include, maintaining, monitoring, 
and sharing information about public health laboratories by serving as 
a repository of public health laboratory information; enhance 
communication linkages between State, local, private clinical, and 
Federal laboratories that perform testing for diseases of public health 
significance; determine the effect of public health policies on testing 
practices to ensure the needs of the public are met and that public 
health laboratories are providing essential services to meet public 
needs; develop disease prevention strategies based on sound scientific 
knowledge that will be contained in its repository of information that 
can be shared and disseminated to other public health laboratories and 
Federal agencies; develop forums, conferences, symposiums, and related 
meetings to build leadership and technologic capabilities concerning 
critical issues; and support a national training network that will 
provide continuing education courses and training opportunities for 
laboratorians performing testing for diseases of public health 
significance. APHL, through the NLTN, will provide timely state of the 
art ``hands-on'' training, training broadcasts, and develop appropriate 
training materials to provide continuing education to the nation's 
laboratorians that perform testing for diseases of health significance.

B. Eligible Applicant

    Assistance will be provided only to the APHL. APHL is the 
appropriate and only qualified organization to address the activities 
described under this program announcement.
    The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is the only 
organization that represents all public health laboratories, which is 
part of their mission statement and a goal of their strategic plan. By 
working through its own membership, the various APHL committees, and 
other affiliate organizations, APHL has developed a unique knowledge of 
the needs and operations of the public health laboratory practices. The 
APHL membership includes all States including the state laboratory 
director and three delegates. APHL represents public health laboratory 
science practitioners and therefore, represents officials from 
throughout the United States who have responsibility for all aspects of 
public health laboratory science, training and education, laboratory 
management, and policy development.

C. Funding

    Approximately $4,600,000.00 is available in FY 2005 to fund this 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before July 1, 
2005, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project 
period of 5 years. Funding estimates may change.

D. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    For general comments or questions about this announcement, contact: 
Technical Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 
2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: (770) 488-
2700.
    For technical questions about this program, contact: William O. 
Schalla, M.S., Project Officer, Division of Public Health Partnerships 
Mail Stop K-36, National Center for Health Marketing, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE., Atlanta, 
Georgia 30341-3717, Telephone: (770) 488-8098, E-mail: 
[email protected].


[[Page 14687]]


    Dated: March 17, 2005.
William P. Nichols,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 05-5706 Filed 3-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P