[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 158 (Thursday, August 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46063-46073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16096]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Announcement of Availability of Funds for a Cooperative Agreement
To Provide Baccalaureate Nursing Education Supportive of Maternal-Child
Nursing at Kabul Medical University (KMU) and Support for the
Development of a Nursing Board for Registration and Licensure at the
Ministry of Public Health
AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the
Secretary, Office of Global Health Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The primary goal of this project is to assist Afghanistan in
the development and strengthening of maternal and child health clinics/
hospital systems by creating a solid, university-based, culturally-
appropriate professional nursing educational program and building upon
previous educational and training efforts. Funding is made available
for the development of a basic baccalaureate program at Kabul Medical
University and a registered nurse completion program at the Institute
of Health Sciences (IHS) in Kabul, Afghanistan. The focus of both
programs must be toward an emphasis on clinical training, to include
the demonstration of direct patient care alongside Afghan health-care
nurse providers.
Announcement Type: Single Eligibility--FY 2007 Initial
Announcement.
GSA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 93.017.
DATES: Application Availability: August 16, 2007. Optional Letter of
Intent must be received by 5 p.m. ET August 23, 2007. Applications must
be received by 5 p.m. ET August 31, 2007. Award date: September 15,
2007.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA)
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces that
up to $625,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2007 funds is available for one
cooperative agreement to the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), to provide
support for the development of a basic baccalaureate program at Kabul
Medical University and a registered nurse completion program at the
Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) in Kabul, Afghanistan to include the
implementation of curriculum reform in support of evidence-based
theoretical and clinical nursing knowledge and practice in community
based maternal-child health at Kabul Medical University, the
strengthening of the nursing program at IHS and the development of a
systematic program for faculty development and the development of a
Board of Nursing for licensure and certification at the Ministry of
Public Health (MoPH) of Afghanistan.\1\ An emphasis will focus on
clinical training, which will include the demonstration of direct
patient care alongside Afghan health-care nurse providers. All care
will also reflect an interdisciplinary approach with full participation
of the medical and allied health team in the delivery of care. Nurses
can be the front-line provider of care and first point of contact in
many clinic settings, especially for women and children.
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\1\ The Baccalaureate Nursing Education and Nursing Registration
and Licensure described in this document are not intended to be
equal with U.S. or other Western standards for such training.
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The primary goal of this project is to assist Afghanistan in the
development and strengthening of maternal and child health clinics/
hospital systems by creating a solid, university-based, culturally-
appropriate professional nursing educational program and building upon
previous educational and training efforts at the IHS by enhancing its
three-year program for basic nursing. The program will be approved
initially for a program period of one year in the amount of $625,000
available (including indirect costs), with continuing awards
contemplated for year two and year three. Funding for the cooperative
agreement in subsequent years is contingent upon the availability of
funds and the satisfactory performance of the recipient.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: FY 2006 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations act, Pub.
L. 109-149. 119 Stat. 2833, 2856 (Dec. 30, 2005), continued by
sections 101(a)(5) and 104 of Division B of the FY 2007 Continuing
Resolution, Pub. L. 110-5 (Feb. 15, 2007).
Purpose of the Agreement
HHS, in partnership with other relevant U.S. Government Departments
and agencies, anticipates involvement in the development,
administration and oversight of this program to improve
[[Page 46064]]
professional nursing education and training at Kabul Medical University
and the IHS in Kabul, Afghanistan. The program will be for a program
period of one year. Approximately a total of $625,000 will be available
for the one-year program period.
The primary goal of this project is assist Afghanistan in the
development of maternal and child health clinics/hospital systems. One
way is by creating a solid, university-based, culturally-appropriate
professional nursing educational program and building upon previous
educational and training efforts at the IHS by enhancing its three-year
program for basic nursing.
A secondary goal is to support basic curriculum revision within the
present nursing program in community-based maternal and child health
related course work. The award recipient will also conduct a
comprehensive evaluation of conditions and elements necessary for the
eventual implementation of a culturally-appropriate licensing and
certification program.\2\ The funding will provide essential material
resources within budgetary limitations for educational materials and
for grant activities related to faculty leadership development.
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\2\ The Baccalaureate Nursing Education and Nursing Registration
and Licensure described in this document are not intended to be
equal with U.S. or other Western standards for such training.
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Afghanistan has been at war with foreign forces and neighboring
countries for over a quarter of a century and sectional violence has
been rampant among ethnic groups. Over 5 million people including
300,000 children have died. Another 4.2 million Afghans have fled to
Pakistan and Iran after the Soviet invasion in 1979 and repatriation
continues to date. Afghanistan is a nation, which today even though
nominally at peace, remains politically unstable with a resurgence of
the Taliban movement primarily in the east and south. The past and
present political situation impacts immensely on the physical security
and health and psychological well-being of the Afghanistan people.
Afghanistan is among the countries with the poorest human
development indicators. It has the second highest maternal death rate
in the world and the highest infant and child mortality in Asia. Save
the Children and others report that the greatest health risk to Afghan
women is pregnancy. According to the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) less than 15 percent of the births are attended by medically
trained personnel and only 90 percent are assisted by a traditional
midwife. For every 100,000 live births, about 1,400 women die each
year. When mothers die in childbirth, their infants are from three to
ten times more likely to die before their second birthday due to
preventable illnesses and poor immunization standards and practices.
This unnecessary mortality can be partially attributed to the lack of
safe drinking water where outside the cities only about 30 percent of
the households have access to safe water. Drought and crop failure has
diminished the supplies of grains and fresh produce contributing to
significant malnutrition (54 percent) and vitamin deficiencies. The
harsh winters and seasonal flooding also take its toll on the health of
the population. Nearly 40 percent of the children less than three years
of age are underweight and more than half of the children in this age
group are stunted. Afghan men have an average life expectancy of 45
years of age and the average life expectancy for women is 47 years of
age, though the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is higher in rural and
remote areas. Addressing poverty, lack of income and limited access to
health-care have been recognized as priorities by the Afghanistan
government and the international donor community.
Afghanistan's resources for education and access to schools have
always been limited. During the Taliban era, many teachers left the
country and those that remained received little or no continuing
education. The Taliban neglected or destroyed school buildings. Women
and girls were denied access to education during the Taliban era and
even today, older girls are prohibited from sharing classroom education
with boys. As a result, literacy rates vary significantly between men
and women. Nearly half of the Afghan men are illiterate and women in
Afghanistan have the lowest literacy rate in the world (between 9
percent and 15 percent). The World Bank reports (January 2006) that
despite the success of back to school campaigns, half of the school age
children are not educated. The United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) reports that there are 5 million students in school
and that only 34 percent of those are girls. Although this is higher
than at any time in the history of Afghanistan, women and girls lag far
behind men and boys in education and the gap is not narrowing.
The Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has been
reconstituted and has stated that their mission is ``to provide health-
care to all Afghans especially to women and children and to under-
served areas of the country by working effectively with communities and
MoPH partners.'' The primary priorities of the MoPH are as follows:
Reduce maternal and neonatal mortality;
Reduce child mortality;
Reduce communicable disease;
Reduce malnutrition;
Improve health system; and,
Improve mental health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Assignment Report (16-23 May
2002) summarized the constraints facing the Afghan Health Sector, which
will be reexamined in light of their status today. These constraints
are as follows:
Lack of accurate information regarding the number and
nature of the work of the health-care workforce especially nurses,
midwives and allied health workers: As of 2006, this remains a problem.
It is estimated that there are between 3,000 to 4,000 doctors in
Afghanistan with a doctor to nurse-midwife ratio of 1:1. It has also
been estimated that there are 11,000 medical students in 8 medical
schools and 2,200 to 2,500 students in intermediate schools for nursing
and midwifery. With the financial assistance of USAID and the Aga Khan
Development Network (AKDN), 228 female graduates from more than 20
provinces completed the two-year competency-based program in April
2005. As of June 2006, 805 new midwives have received training from one
of two programs with approximately 70 percent completing the shorter
community midwifery program. This represented a 65 percent increase
from the 467 trained midwives in Afghanistan after the fall of the
Taliban in 2001. By the end of 2006, 830 new midwives were expected to
be trained. USAID has also provided training to 6,036 Community Health
Workers of whom over half are women. USAID also reports that 227 women
graduated from literacy programs that prepare them to enter the health-
care professions.
Nursing as a profession, without the major emphasis on midwifery,
historically has been a male-dominated profession in Afghanistan. It is
estimated that there are 3,800 nurses of whom 900 are female graduates
from a three-year diploma program likely practicing midwifery rather
than basic nursing. Because of the high mortality associated with
childbirth, all initial efforts focused on providing support to
decrease this health disparity. Numerous studies state that the country
will eventually need 8,000 to 10,000 midwives to strengthen the overall
quality of health-care. In the past, less attention has been directed
toward the needs and utilization of basic or specialized nursing
professions or the
[[Page 46065]]
development of a formal degree program in nursing. Most current efforts
are being directed toward providing in-service or continuing education
in a hospital-based curative oriented model.
Though most health planners would suggest that mortality associated
with childbirth is a significant problem, it could also be argued that
a comprehensive approach to health would be better served by devoting
significant resources to the creation of a cadre of professional
nurses. This nursing cadre would provide a wide repertoire of
preventative as well as curative services in a wide variety of settings
to patients of all ages and all genders. In 2002, recognizing the
significant need for females to be prepared for a modern model of
nursing practice, the Government of Afghanistan invited Aga Khan
University of Nursing (AKU-SON), in collaboration with WHO, to support
the development of Afghanistan's human resources in the health sector,
especially midwifery, nursing and allied health within the Afghan
Institute of Health Sciences (IHS).
The quantity of students graduating from the Aga Khan IHS nursing
diploma program in Kabul are not as great as those graduating from the
midwifery program. In 2006, of the eighty-six students graduating from
the newly designed three-year diploma program, only 19 were female.
Presently, there are 90 students in the second year and 70 in the first
year. Across all years, the gender distribution has been
disproportionately male and efforts to recruit females have become a
priority, as it remains a major issue. Cognizant of the gender
disparity, the MoPH declared that the class of 2007 will have a gender
distribution of 80 percent female and 20 percent male on the condition
that males serve in the rural areas.
Lack of clarity/ role definition of different health
practitioner categories:
This lack of specific role definition is particularly evident in
the approach to the recent development of the nurse midwives for
Afghanistan. Understandably, the curriculum and practice design focused
on the need to deal with life threatening complications such as
hemorrhage, which were occurring frequently in the rural areas and
among unassisted births. In 2005, it was estimated that over 92 percent
of births in Afghanistan were unassisted. Thus, two tracts of
practitioners were trained or retrained if they had graduated from any
of the variable length programs created after the national revolution
in 1978. The difference in expectations for practice is generally
determined by need or in this case, by the lack of health-care in rural
areas rather than by performance-based criteria. Similarly, with basic
nursing, the curative services adopted from the Soviet Union were
traditionally practiced within the confines of a health-care
institution and did not extended into practice in the ambulatory unit
or community. Historically, all health-care was supposed to take place
within the walls of a hospital.
Workforce imbalance and misdistribution: As stated
previously, the ratio of nurses to physicians, ratio of midwives to
nurses and the predominance of males in the health profession, remains
problematic. This problem is particularly salient given the highly
conservative culture of Afghanistan. This year however, Afghanistan has
made progress, as both the medical and nursing diploma program will
admit 80 percent female and 20 percent male students to the new class.
Both programs will also limit their enrollment substantially. The
question of misdistribution in the field remains problematic. The IHS
will admit males to the nursing program on the condition that they
return to the rural provinces to practice. As Benjamin Loevinsohn, a
World Bank health specialist states, Health workers in Afghanistan are
afflicted by the ``3 wrongs'': Wrong gender, wrong skills, and wrong
location.''
Absence of national standards of curriculum development
for all health professionals: Progress on this endeavor has been made
in both basic nursing and midwifery. However, lack of exposure to the
newest clinical knowledge and skills among the present health faculty
makes the task very difficult. The lack of accepted academic
preparation is a major obstacle. Presently, within the university
community of scholars, only three percent of the 711 higher education
teachers with a master's degree (39 percent) are female. Of the 132
faculty members with a Doctorate degree, none are female and of the 998
professors with a baccalaureate degree, only nine percent are female.
Multiple categories and varying lengths of training
programs within nursing, midwifery and allied health: The length of the
midwifery training programs has been standardized by the MoPH. The
nursing diploma program of AKU-SON also has a standardized length.
Discussion of the length and content of the baccalaureate program
remains to be determined, although the newly established Kabul
University program will follow a four-year model. The allied health
programs follow a three-year technical school pattern.
Proliferation of disease specific vertical training
programs: Vertical training programs remain prevalent and are most
widely seen in educational programs that resemble didactic continuing
education programs, as these programs are promoted most often by the
latest infusion of donor dollars.
Lack of professional regulation of practice: Little
progress has been made in the area of accreditation, licensure/
registration and certification. Nursing and midwifery have recognized
this need and established it as a high priority. A positive development
has been the formation of a professional midwife organization, which is
in the process of qualifying for membership in the International
Confederation of Midwives. The MoPH recognized the importance of
nursing by establishing a Directorate of Nursing in 2006. However,
program funds are scarce or non-existent and the designation of
responsibility for monitoring nursing and allied health has yet to be
determined. It is therefore evident that the present Director and staff
require assistance to accomplish this objective.
Isolation and lack of coordination among professional
health education schools: Unlike most programs in Afghanistan, basic
nursing and midwifery programs supported by AKU-SON and USAID/JHPIEGO,
an affiliate of John Hopkins University, are based on standardized
competency-based curriculums, supervised routinely and coordinated
centrally. The allied health programs outside of Kabul have closed due
to a lack of resources, faulty physical facilities and equipment.
Requests for donor support in this area have not materialized to date.
Limited clinical experience/deficiencies in clinical
training in hospital and community settings: There has been marked
improvement in identifying and obtaining access to appropriate clinical
experiences particularly as it relates to maternity services, which
have been the recipient of the majority of the donor funding.
Similarly, in those community health clinics and provincial health
district hospitals supported by the World Bank, European Community and
USAID, deficiencies in clinical training have begun to disappear. At
the tertiary care level, children's clinical services supported by
bilateral partners have been rehabilitated to the extent that they have
become excellent sites for clinical training. Premier hospitals
supported by a heavy reliance of expatriate leadership and management
have also provided opportunities beyond the provision of
[[Page 46066]]
basic care. Deficits in the fields of psychiatry and mental health as
well as other areas of specialized and highly technical practice such
as oncology and laboratory-intensive domains however continue to exist.
Lack of coordination among educational institutions,
services and policy-makers in preparing health professional cadres: Key
individuals responsible for the education and practice of key
professional groups have indicated a willingness to cooperate at the
central level. Current bilateral funding tends to support midwifery
development and with only a small percentage of donor dollars dedicated
to medicine, even less was allocated to allied health. USAID has
recognized that literacy at all levels is essential for development in
the social sector. However, coordination between the Ministry of
Education (MOE) and the MoPH still needs strengthening. The vital role
of primary and secondary education in the development of professional
education could also be significantly strengthened. Professional
education demands critical thinking skills and an inquisitive mind for
exploration of new information in the arts and sciences that are
essential to the development of a humanistic role for the health
practitioner.
Lack of exposure to regional and international trends in
health-care: The travel portfolio in the International Relations
Department attests to the multiple trips abroad by key health
professionals. Documentation to evidence the application of newly
acquired information and skills and its subsequent affect on the
quality of health-care delivery however does not exist. The Director of
Information and Education did state that a system to track and monitor
foreign travel is being implemented which will require that all trips
abroad must be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) with
those of Director and above, approved by the President of Afghanistan.
The recipient of this cooperative agreement will support the
development of a basic baccalaureate and a registered nurse completion
program through the implementation of curriculum reform in support of
evidence-based theoretical and clinical nursing knowledge and practice
in community-based maternal-child health at Kabul Medical University
and the strengthening of the nursing program at the Institute of Health
Sciences (IHS). The recipient of this agreement will also develop a
systematic program for faculty development and establish a Board of
Nursing for licensure and certification at the MoPH in Kabul,
Afghanistan while building the Afghan capacity to assume these
functions in the future.
It is anticipated that multiple sources of significant revenue, in
addition to this cooperative agreement, will be available for
leveraging in accomplishment of the objectives. These sources include
current MoPH and MOHE operating expenses, supplies, and staff for IHS
and Kabul Medical University and international donor contributions or
in-kind donations to support educational reform and growth.
The recipient will develop and upon award, implement a formal,
mutually agreed-upon one-year work plan. The work plan must contain all
elements listed below including timelines for completion and designated
responsible agents. Measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes are
expected to be integrated into the work plan as follows:
Provide a mission statement, including the projected scope
of service;
Develop an annual operational and personnel budget,
including a plan to identify, optimize, consolidate and effectively
utilize all available funding sources for Kabul Medical University
(KMU) and IHS;
Document and assess the current nursing training
curriculum, identifying areas of need and devising sustainable
solutions for curriculum reform;
Assess the clinical training heads of faculty and students
to establish and sustain quality training and education;
Develop and implement a plan for the revision of the
nursing curriculum to include a focus on evidence-based theoretical and
clinical nursing knowledge and practice in maternal-child community
health for the basic nursing and registered nurse completion program;
Prepare new course syllabi and corresponding teaching/
learning resource packets based on the revised curriculum;
Create a plan to establish the linkage between the IHS
curriculum and the basic baccalaureate program to demonstrate the
articulation between both;
Establish a system of credit by examination for presently
active registered nurses so they may matriculate in the baccalaureate
nursing program;
Develop a system for nurse-midwives to receive credit for
clinical practice and admission into the basic and subsequent
Baccalaureate program;
Create a model for the development of clinical educators
and the recruitment of health-care workers from the community to
function as adjunct clinical faculty;
Develop and establish a system for faculty and student
recruitment and community outreach;
Create a plan for the development of a Management
Information System (MIS) for documentation of all training and
developmental efforts and achievements;
Create a model for faculty training which may consist of
planned exercises, mentoring by international experts and facilitation
by peer networking. All efforts must compliment MoPH efforts and
reflect IHS and Kabul Medical School education/training standards;
Develop a quality assurance and quality improvement
assessment, monitoring and evaluation system for faculty, students and
programs;
Establish a mechanism for national dialogue in
collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) providing
nursing training and continuing education and other partners in
relation to health planning and policy development within the MoPH,
MOHE, Ministry of Women's Affairs and others; and;
Create a plan to support the MoPH Directorate of Nursing
in the development of its capacity as a regulatory and authoritative
body for nursing in Afghanistan.
The award recipient will be responsible for preparing any sub-
recipient request for application (RFA), conducting the RFA
announcement and competition process, awarding the grant(s) and
monitoring the grant(s) performance.
Finally, the award recipient will monitor and report progress
quarterly and annually and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of all
required elements and conditions, including outcome measures for
effectiveness and efficiency.
II. Award Information
The administrative and funding instrument for this program will be
the cooperative agreement, in which HHS will have substantial
scientific and/or programmatic involvement during the performance of
the project. Under the cooperative agreement, HHS/OGHA will support
and/or stimulate award recipient activities by working with them in a
non-directive partnership role. HHS staff will be substantially
involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine
monitoring. Through this cooperative agreement, HHS will collaborate in
an advisory capacity with the award recipient, especially during the
development and implementation of a mutually agreed-upon work plan. HHS
will actively
[[Page 46067]]
participate in periodic reviews and in a final evaluation of the
program.
HHS/OGHA provides policy and staffing support to the Secretary and
other HHS leaders in the area of global health, and provides policy
advice, leadership and coordination of international health matters
across HHS, including leadership on major crosscutting global health
initiatives and the Department's relationships with multilateral
organizations.
Approximately up to $625,000 (including indirect costs) is
available under the Department of Health and Human Services Revised
Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007, Division B, section 101(6),
Public Law 109-289 (2007) to support this agreement.
The anticipated start date is September 15, 2007. There will only
be one, single award made from this announcement. The project period
for this agreement is for one year with an individual budget period of
12-months for a total of $625,000. Continuation of this project and the
level of funding are subject to satisfactory performance, availability
of funds, and program priorities.
The award recipient must comply with all HHS management
requirements for meeting progress against milestones and for financial
reporting for this cooperative agreement. (Please see HHS Activities
and Program Evaluation Sections below.)
HHS/OGHA activities for this program are as follows: In a
cooperative agreement, HHS staff is substantially involved in the
program activities, above and beyond routine grant-monitoring. HHS
Activities for this program are as follows:
Organize an orientation meeting with the grantee to brief
it on applicable U.S. Government and HHS expectations, regulations and
key management requirements, as well as report formats and contents.
Review and approve the process used by the grantee to
select key personnel and/or post-award subcontractors and/or
subgrantees to be involved in the activities performed under this
agreement.
Review and approve the grantee's annual work plan and
detailed budget.
Review and approve the grantee's monitoring and evaluation
plan.
Meet on a monthly basis with the grantee to assess monthly
expenditures in relation to approved work plan and modify plans, as
necessary.
Meet on a quarterly basis with the grantee to assess
quarterly technical and financial progress reports and modify plans as
necessary.
Meet on an annual basis with the grantee to review annual
progress report for each U.S. Government Fiscal Year, and to review
annual work plans and budgets for subsequent year.
Provide technical assistance, as mutually agreed upon, and
revise annually during validation of the first and subsequent annual
work plans.
Provide in-country administrative support to help grantee
meet U.S. Government financial and reporting requirements approved by
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 0920-0428 (Public
Health Service Form 5161).
Collaborate with the awardee on designing and implementing
the activities listed above, including, but not limited to the
provision of technical assistance to develop program activities, data
management and analysis, quality assurance, the presentation and
possibly publication of program results and findings, and the
management and tracking of finances.
Provide consultation and scientific and technical
assistance based on appropriate, HHS/CDC documents to promote the use
of best practices known at the time.
Assist the recipient in developing and implementing
quality-assurance criteria and procedures.
Facilitate in-country planning and review meetings for
technical assistance activities.
Assure experienced HHS or other subject-matter experts
from other relevant U.S. Government Departments and agencies will
participate in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation
of all phases of this project.
Assist in establishing and maintaining U. S. Government,
Afghan MoPH and NGOs contracts and agreements to carry out the program.
Program Evaluation Criteria
The applicant must have a comprehensive evaluation plan consistent
with the scope, stated goals and objectives and funding level of the
project. The evaluation plan should include both a process evaluation
to track the implementation of the project activities and outcome
evaluation criteria.
In addition to conducting internal evaluations, the successful
applicant must be prepared to participate in external evaluations
supported by the Afghan MoPH and HHS.
In addition to routine communications with the Afghan MoPH and HHS
within 30 days following the end of each quarter, the grantee will
submit a written quarterly performance and financial status report of
no more than ten pages in length to the Ministry and HHS. At a minimum,
quarterly performance reports will include the following:
A concise summary of the most significant achievements and
problems encountered during the reporting period, e.g., a comparison of
work progress with objectives established for the quarter against the
award recipient's implementation schedule. Where the awardee does not
meet objectives, the report must include a statement of cause and a
summary of corrective actions.
Specific action(s) HHS and/or the Afghan MoPH needs to
undertake to alleviate obstacles to progress.
Other pertinent information that will permit overview and
evaluation of project operations.
Within 90 days following the end of each project period, the
awardee must submit a final report that contains all required
information and data to MoPH and HHS. At minimum, the report will
contain the following:
A summary of the major activities supported under the
cooperative agreement and the major accomplishments that resulted from
activities to improve performance.
An analysis of the project, based on the challenges
described in the ``Background'' Section of the RFA performed prior to
or during the project period, including a description of the specific
objectives stated in the grant application and the accomplishments and
failures that resulted from activities during the grant agreement
period. The awardee should place emphasis on indicators and measures of
operational efficiency and effectiveness.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
This is a single source, cooperative agreement with the Aga Khan
Foundation (AKF), a non-denominational, international health, education
and development agency operating in Afghanistan under the aegis of the
Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The goal of the AKF's health
program is to achieve sustainable improvements in health status among
vulnerable groups, especially the geographically remote, women of
childbearing age and children under five.
The U.S. Government remains committed to supporting efforts to
improve the health status of women and children, while assisting in the
further development of Afghanistan's overall health-care
infrastructure. This proposal builds upon the extensive network of
[[Page 46068]]
the AKDN and leverages the established relationships between the AKDN
and the Government of Afghanistan.
At the invitation of the Afghan government, the Aga Khan University
School of Nursing (AKU-SON), a component of the Aga Khan Health
Services (AKHS) has been assisting in strengthening and implementing
programs at the Afghan Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) since 2002.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Government of
Afghanistan, WHO and Aga Kahn University (AKU), AKU-SON aims to support
the development of Afghanistan's human resources in the health sector,
especially nurses, midwives and health personnel through technical
assistance and capacity building. These efforts have included providing
nurse-based services and enhancing the existing skills of nurses
through in-service training.
In 2003, AKHS undertook the task of enhancing the operations of IHS
for the purpose of creating a centre of excellence that meets
Afghanistan's needs for nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel
training. AKU-SON's capacity building measures at IHS, Kabul, are
geared towards learning methodology, knowledge upgrading and clinical
skills training for both faculty and students. The training programs of
AKU-SON enable nursing and midwifery students to hone clinical skills
prior to interventions on patients by working on models in a renovated
learning lab. In the area of technical assistance, the School has
played an important role in revising the nursing and midwifery
curricula and translating reference material into the local Dari
language. The revised curriculum, since established as the national
curricula in Afghanistan, has been introduced in regional Institutes in
Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kunduz in 2005. Under the revised
curriculum, nurses are trained to work alongside medical teams in
clinics, hospitals and outreach centers providing direct care as well
as sharing their skills and training with others.
The AKHS consists of a Medical College and a School of Nursing.
Both components work in an interactive partnership with the Aga Khan
University Hospital, which serves as the principal clinical and
teaching facility. Components of the nursing and midwifery programs are
also taught by AKU in Kabul and Karachi.
The curriculum at Kabul Medical University is also based upon the
AKU-SON curriculum being implemented at the health institutes. In 2006,
the Afghan MoPH granted AKU-SON permission to share all teaching
materials. The AKU-SON curriculum consists of an eight semester, four-
year program, which will provide graduates with education in subjects
appropriate to the university level. The course catalog describes this
curriculum as an education, which enables graduates to be competent
practitioners of nursing, prepared to teach nursing, seek further
qualification, and actively collaborate to improve the health of
individuals, families, communities and the nation.
In 2007, AKU-SON is due to renew a five-year plan to strengthen
nursing, midwifery and allied health education in Afghanistan. Since
2002, AKU-SON has been providing study tours to AKU and other colleges
and universities to expose faculty to modern educational methods and
systems. Every year since 2002, AKU-SON has also sponsored two faculty
members for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) and Master of
Science in Nursing (MScN) degree at AKU in Pakistan. This education
faculty has returned to Afghanistan and forms a small cadre of
individuals qualified to lead Afghanistan nursing into the 21st
Century.
The development of a baccalaureate degree in nursing in Afghanistan
has always been a goal of AKU-SON. With funding from this cooperative
agreement, AKF will be able to improve the government system of
professional education for nurses in Afghanistan. This effort will work
toward ensuring a cadre of nursing professionals who can provide the
full range of quality prenatal, intrapartum and newborn care in all
components of the Afghan health-care, including the community. HHS,
through this cooperative agreement, will support the development of a
multidisciplinary approach to health-care and will augment the funding
and services AKDN and AKF are providing to foster the development of
professional nursing. AKU-SON's reputation as a leader and as an
advocate for the advancement of women in the health professions,
especially nursing, is well established in the Central Asian region.
AKDN and its many operating agencies, have demonstrated their
commitment to Afghanistan in many spheres but have been relatively
alone amongst donors in the support of the modernization of the health
professions.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Although cost sharing, matching funds, and cost participation are
not a requirement of this agreement, if the applicant receives funding
from other sources to underwrite the same or similar activities, or
anticipate receiving such funding in the next 12 months, they must
detail how the disparate streams of financing complement each other.
3. Other--(If Applicable)
N/A
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Kit
Application kits may be obtained by accessing Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov or the eGrants system at http://GrantSolution.gov. To
obtain a hard copy of the application kit, contact OPHS Office of
Grants Management. Applications must be prepared using Form OPHS-1,
which can be obtained at the Web sites noted above.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Application Materials
A separate budget page is required for each budget year. The
applicant must submit with their proposals a line-item budget (SF 424A)
with coinciding justification to support each of the budget years.
These forms will represent the full project period of Federal
assistance requested. HHS/OGHA will reject proposals submitted without
a budget and justification for each budget year requested in the
application.
The applicant must include in their application a Project Abstract,
submitted on 3.5-inch floppy disk. The abstract must be typed, single-
spaced, and not exceed two (2) pages. Reviewers and staff will refer
frequently to the information contained in the abstract, and therefore
it should contain substantive information about the proposed projects
in summary form. A list of suggested keywords and a format sheet for
your use in preparing the abstract will accompany the application
packet.
The applicant must include a Project Narrative in their grant
applications. Format requirements are the same as for the ``Project
Abstract'' Section; margins should be one-inch at the top and one-inch
at the bottom and both sides; and typeset must be no smaller than 12
cpi and unreduced. The applicant should type biographical sketches
either on the appropriate form or on plain paper and they should not
exceed two pages; list only publications directly relevant to this
project.
Application Format Requirements
If an applicant is applying on paper, the entire application may
not exceed 80 pages in length, including the abstract, project and
budget narratives, face page, attachments, any appendices
[[Page 46069]]
and letters of commitment and support. The applicant must number pages
consecutively.
HHS/OGHA will deem non-compliant applications submitted
electronically that exceed 80 pages when printed and will return them
to the applicant without further consideration.
a. Number of Copies
If submitting in hard-copy, please submit one original and two
unbound copies of the application. Please do not bind or staple the
application. The application must be single sided.
b. Font
Please use an easily readable serif typeface, such as Times Roman,
Courier, or CG Times. The applicant must submit the text and table
portions of the application in not less than 12-point and 1.0 line
spacing. HHS/OGHA will deem applications that do not adhere to the 12-
point font requirement non-compliant.
c. Paper Size and Margins
For scanning purposes, please submit the application on 8\1/
2\ x 11 white paper. Margins must be at least one
inch at the top, bottom, left and right of the paper. Please left-align
text.
d. Numbering
Please number the pages of the application sequentially from page
one (face page) to the end of the application, including charts,
figures, tables, and appendices.
e. Names
Please include the name of the applicant on each page.
f. Section Headings
Please put all section headings flush left in bold type.
Application Format
An application for funding must consist of the following documents
in the following order:
i. Application Face Page
HHS/PHS Application Form OPHS-1, provided with the application
package. Prepare this page according to instructions provided in the
form itself.
DUNS Number
All applicant organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant from the Federal Government.
The DUNS number is a unique, nine-character identification number
provided by the commercial company Dun and Bradstreet. There is no
charge to obtain a DUNS number. Information about obtaining a DUNS
number is available at the following Internet address: https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by calling 1-866-
705-5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Approval Number on the application face
page. HHS/OGHA will not review applications that do not have a DUNS
number.
Additionally, the applicant organization must register with the
Federal Government's Central Contractor Registry (CCR) to do electronic
business with the Federal Government. Information about registering
with the CCR is available at the following Internet address: http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/ccr.htm.
Finally, the applicant that applies electronically through
Grants.gov must register with the Credential Provider for Grants.gov.
Information about this requirement is available at the following
Internet address: http://www.grants.gov/CredentialProvider.
An applicant that is applying electronically through the HHS/OPHS
GrantSolutions System must register with the provider. Information
about this requirement is available at the following Internet address:
https://www.grantsolutions.gov/gs/login.do.
ii. Table of Contents
Provide a Table of Contents for the remainder of the application
(including appendices), with page numbers.
iii. Application Checklist
Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, provided with the application package.
iv. Budget
Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, provided with the application package.
v. Budget Justification
The applicant must enter the amount of financial support (direct
and indirect costs) they are requesting from the Federal granting
agency for the first year on the Face Sheet of Application Form HHS/PHS
5161-1, Line 15a. The application should include funds for electronic-
mail capability, unless access to the Internet is already available.
The amount of financial support (direct and indirect costs) entered on
the SF 424 is the amount an applicant is requesting from the Federal
granting agency for the project year.
Personnel Costs: The applicant should explain their personnel costs
by listing each staff member supported from Federal funds, name (if
possible), position title, percent full-time equivalency, annual
salary, and the exact amount requested.
Fringe Benefits: The applicant must list the components that
comprise the fringe benefit rate, for example, health insurance, taxes,
unemployment insurance, life insurance, retirement plan, tuition
reimbursement. The fringe benefits should be directly proportional to
that portion of personnel costs allocated for the project.
Travel: The applicant must list travel costs according to local and
long distance travel. For local travel the applicant should outline the
mileage rate, number of miles, reason for the travel and the staff
member/consumers who will be completing the travel.
Equipment: The applicant must list equipment costs, and provide
justification for the need of the equipment to carry out the program's
goals. The applicant must provide an extensive justification and a
detailed status of current equipment when they request funds for the
purchase of computers and furniture items.
Supplies: The applicant must list the items the project will use.
In this category, separate office supplies from medical and educational
purchases. ``Office supplies'' could include paper, pencils, and the
like; ``medical supplies'' are syringes, blood tubes, plastic gloves,
etc., and ``educational supplies'' can be pamphlets and educational
videotapes. The applicant must list these categories separately.
Subcontracts: To the extent possible, the applicant should
standardize all subcontract budgets and justifications, and should
present contract budgets by using the same object-class categories
contained in the Standard Form 424A. The applicant must provide a clear
explanation as to the purpose of each contract, how the organization
estimated the costs, and the specific contract deliverables.
Other: The applicant must put all costs that do not fit into any
other category into this category, and provide and explanation of each
cost in this category.
vi. Staffing Plan and Personnel Requirements
The applicant must present a staffing plan, and provide a
justification for the plan that includes education and experience
qualifications and the rationale for the amount of time requested for
each staff position. The applicant must include in Appendix B position
descriptions that include the roles, responsibilities, and
qualifications of proposed project staff. The applicant must include in
Appendix C copies of biographical sketches for any key
[[Page 46070]]
employed personnel assigned to work on the proposed project.
vii. Project Abstract
The applicant must provide a summary of the application. Because
HHS/OHGA often distributes the abstract to provide information to the
American public and the U.S. Congress, the applicant should prepare
this so it is clear, accurate, concise, and without reference to other
parts of the application. It must include a brief description of the
proposed grant project, including the needs addressed, the proposed
work, and the population group(s) served.
The applicant must place the following at the top of the abstract:
Project Title;
Applicant Name;
Address;
Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax);
E-Mail Address; and
Web Site Address, if applicable.
The project abstract must be single-spaced and limited to two pages
in length.
viii. Program Narrative
This section provides a comprehensive framework and description of
all aspects of the proposed program. It should be succinct, self-
explanatory and well-organized so reviewers can understand the proposed
project.
The applicant should use the following section headers for the
Narrative:
Introduction
This section should briefly describe the purpose of the proposed
project.
Work Plan
The applicant should describe the activities or steps to achieve
each of the activities proposed in the methodology section and use a
time line that includes each activity and identifies responsible staff.
Resolution of Challenges
The applicant should discuss likely challenges designing and
implementing the activities described in the Work Plan, and approaches
to resolve such challenges.
Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity
The applicant should describe their current, relevant experience,
skills, and knowledge, including individuals on staff, materials
published, and previous work of a similar nature.
Organizational Information
The applicant should provide information on their current mission
and structure, scope of current activities, and an organizational
chart, and describe how these all contribute to the ability of the
organization to conduct the program requirements and meet program
expectations.
ix. Appendices
The applicant must provide the following items to complete the
content of their applications. Please note these are supplementary in
nature, and are not a continuation of the project narrative. The
applicant should label each appendix.
Appendix A: Tables, Charts, etc.
To give further details about the proposal.
Appendix B: Job Descriptions for Key Personnel
The applicant should keep each to one page in length as much as
possible. Item 6 in the ``Program Narrative'' section of the HHS/PHS
5161-1 Form provides some guidance on items to include in a job
description.
Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel
The applicant should include biographical sketches for persons who
are occupying the key positions described in Appendix B, not to exceed
two pages in length. In the event an applicant includes a biographical
sketch for an identified individual not yet hired, it must include a
letter of commitment from that person with the biographical sketch.
Appendix D: Letters of Agreement and/or Description(s) of Proposed/
Existing Contracts (project specific)
The applicant must provide any documents that describe working
relationships between the applicant agency and other agencies and
programs cited in the proposal. Documents that confirm actual or
pending contractual agreements should clearly describe the roles of the
subcontractors and any deliverable. Letters of Agreement must be dated.
Appendix E: Organizational Chart for the Project
The applicant must provide a one-page figure that depicts the
organizational structure of the project, including subcontractors and
other significant collaborators.
Appendix F: Other Relevant Documents
Include here any other documents relevant to the application,
including letters of support. Letters of support must be dated.
3. Submission Dates and Times
To be considered for review, applications must be received by the
Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Grants Management, by 5
p.m. Eastern Time on August 31, 2007. Applications will be considered
as meeting the deadline if they are received on or before the deadline
date. The application due date requirement in this announcement
supersedes the instructions in the OPHS-1 form.
Application Submission
The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) provides multiple
mechanisms for submission of applications, as described in the
following sections. Applicants will receive notification via mail from
the OPHS Office of Grants Management confirming the receipt of
applications submitted using any of these mechanisms. Applications
submitted to the OPHS Office of Grants Management after the deadlines
described below will not be accepted for review. Applications which do
not conform to the requirements of the grant announcement will not be
accepted for review and will be returned to the applicant.
While applications are accepted in hard copy, the use of the
electronic application submission capabilities provided is encouraged.
Applications may only be submitted electronically via the electronic
submission mechanisms specified below. Any applications submitted via
any other means of electronic communication, including facsimile or
electronic mail, will not be accepted for review.
Electronic grant application submissions must be submitted no later
than 5 p.m. Eastern Time 90 days prior to your current budget period
end date (refer to your most recent Notice of Grant Award box
7 for this information). All required hardcopy original
signatures and mail-in items must be received by the OPHS Office of
Grants Management no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next
business day after the deadline date for your non-competing
application.
Applications will not be considered valid until all electronic
application components, hardcopy original signatures, and mail-in items
are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management according to the
deadlines specified above. Application submissions that do not adhere
to the due date requirements will be considered late and will be deemed
ineligible.
Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early
in the
[[Page 46071]]
application development process, and to submit early on the due date or
before. This will aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior
to the application deadline.
Electronic Submissions
The electronic grants management system, GrantSolutions.gov,
provides for applications to be submitted electronically. When
submitting applications via the GrantSolutions system, applicants are
required to submit a hard copy of the application face page (Standard
Form 424) with the original signature of an individual authorized to
act for the applicant agency and assume the obligations imposed by the
terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, applicants will
also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form LLL and/or certain
Program related forms (e.g., Program Certifications) with the original
signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency.
When submitting the required forms, do not send the entire application.
Complete hard copy applications submitted after the electronic
submission will not be considered for review.
Electronic applications submitted via the GrantSolutions system
must contain all completed online forms required by the application
kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or
exhibits. The applicant may identify specific mail-in items to be sent
to the Office of Grants Management separate from the electronic
submission; however these mail-in items must be entered on the
GrantSolutions Application Checklist at the time of electronic
submission, and must be received by the due date requirements specified
above. Mail-In items may only include publications, resumes, or
organizational documentation. When submitting the required forms, do
not send the entire application. Complete hard copy applications
submitted after the electronic submission will not be considered for
review.
Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission,
the GrantSolutions system will provide the applicant with a
confirmation page indicating the date and time (Eastern Time) of the
electronic application submission. This confirmation page will also
provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application
submission including all electronic application components, required
hardcopy original signatures, and mail-in items, as well as the mailing
address of the OPHS Office of Grants Management where all required hard
copy materials must be submitted.
As items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management, the
electronic application status will be updated to reflect the receipt of
mail-in items. It is recommended that the applicant monitor the status
of their application in the GrantSolutions system to ensure that all
signatures and mail-in items are received.
Mailed or Hand-Delivered Hard Copy Applications
Applicants who submit applications in hard copy (via mail or hand-
delivered) are required to submit an original and two copies of the
application. The original application must be signed by an individual
authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization and to
assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms and
conditions of the grant award.
Mailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered as meeting
the deadline if they are received by the OPHS Office of Grant
Management on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time 90 days prior to your
current budget period end date (refer to your most recent Notice of
Grant Award box 7 for this information). The application
deadline date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the
instructions in the OPHS-1. Applications that do not meet the deadline
will be returned to the applicant unread.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to the review requirements of Executive
Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
5. Funding Restrictions
Allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and necessity of direct
costs the applicant may charge appear in the following documents: OMB-
21 (Institutes of Higher Education); OMB Circular A-122 (Nonprofit
Organizations) and 45 CFR Part 74, Appendix E (Hospitals). Copies of
these circulars are available on the Internet at the following Internet
address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb. No pre-award costs are allowed.
6. Other Submission Requirements
N/A.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
OGHA will be screen the application for completeness and for
responsiveness to the program guidance. Applicant should pay strict
attention addressing these criteria, as they are the basis upon which
the application will be judged. If the application is judged to be non-
responsive or incomplete, it will be returned to the applicant without
review.
If the application is complete and responsive to the guidance, it
will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate
peer review group specifically convened for this solicitation and in
accordance with HHS policies and procedures. As part of the initial
merit review, all applications will receive a written critique. The
application will be discussed fully by the ad hoc peer review group and
assigned a priority score for funding. The application will be assessed
according the following criteria:
(1) Technical Approach (40 points):
The applicant's presentation of a sound and practical
technical approach for executing the requirements with adequate
explanation, substantiation and justification for methods for handling
the projected needs of the partner institution.
The successful applicant must demonstrate a clear
understanding of the scope and objectives of the cooperative agreement,
recognition of potential difficulties that may arise in performing the
work required, presentation of adequate solutions, and understanding of
the close coordination necessary between the OGHA/HHS, Afghanistan
Ministry of Public Health, U.S. Agency for International Development,
and other organizations, such as the World Health Organization and
United Nations Children's Fund.
Applicant must submit a strategic plan that outlines the
schedule of activities and expected products of the Group's work with
benchmarks at months six, 12. The strategic plan should specifically
address the expected progress of the Quality of Care program.
(2) Experience and Capabilities of the Organization (30 Points):
The applicant should submit documented relevant experience
of the organization in managing projects of similar complexity and
scope of the activities.
Clarity and appropriateness of lines of communication and
authority for coordination and management of the project. Adequacy and
feasibility of plans to ensure successful coordination among multiple-
partner collaboration.
Documented experience recruiting qualified medical
personnel for projects of similar complexity and scope of activities.
(3) Personnel Qualifications and Experience (20 points):
Project Leadership--For the technical and administrative
leadership
[[Page 46072]]
of the project requirements, the successful applicant must demonstrate
documented training, expertise, relevant experiences, leadership/
management skills, and availability of a suitable overall project
manager and surrounding management structure to successfully plan and
manage the project. The successful applicant will provide documented
history of leadership in the establishment and management of training
programs that involve training of health-care professionals in
countries other than the United States. Expertise in maternal and child
health-care and services including documented training, expertise,
relevant experience, leadership skills, and maternal and child health
specific medical expertise. Documented managerial ability to achieve
delivery or performance requirements as demonstrated by the proposed
use of management and other personnel resources and to successfully
manage the project, including subcontractor and/or consultant efforts,
if applicable, as evidence by the management plan and demonstrated by
previous relevant experience.
Partner Institutions and Other Personnel--The applicant
should provide documented evidence of availability, training,
qualifications, expertise, relevant experience, education and
competence of the scientific, clinical, analytical, technical and
administrative staff and any other proposed personnel (including
partner institutions, subcontractors and consultants), to perform the
requirements of the work activities as evidenced by resumes,
endorsements and explanations of previous efforts.
Staffing Plan--The applicant should submit a staffing plan
for the conduct of the project, including the appropriateness of the
time commitment of all staff and partner institutions, the clarity and
appropriateness of assigned roles, lines of authority. The applicant
should also provide an organizational chart for each partner
institution named in the application showing relationships among the
key personnel.
Administrative and Organizational Framework--Adequacy of
the administrative and organizational framework, with lines of
authority and responsibility clearly demonstrated, and adequacy of the
project plan, with proposed time schedule for achieving objectives and
maintaining quality control over the implementation and operation of
the project. Adequacy of back-up staffing and the evidence that they
will be able to function as a team. The framework should identify the
institution that will assume legal and financial responsibility and
accountability for the use and disposition of funds awarded on the
basis of this RFA.
Local Language Skills--The applicant should demonstrate
the ability of employees to fluently speak Pashto and Persian.
(4) Facilities and Resources (10 Points):
The applicant must document the availability and adequacy of
facilities, equipment and resources necessary to carry out the
activities specified under the ``Program Requirements'' Section of this
announcement.
2. Review and Selection Process
The application will be reviewed, by a panel of peer reviewers.
Each of the above criteria will be addressed and considered by the
reviewers in assigning the overall score. The final award will be made
by the Deputy Director, Asia and Pacific Division of the Office Global
Health Affairs on the basis of score, program relevance and,
availability of funds.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
OGHA/HHS does not release information about individual applications
during the review process until final funding decisions have been made.
When a decision has been made, the applicant will be notified by letter
regarding the outcome of its application. The official document
notifying an applicant that an application has been approved and funded
is the Notice of Award, which specifies to the awardee the amount of
money awarded, the purpose of the agreement, the terms and conditions
of the agreement, and the amount of funding, if any, to be contributed
by the awardee to the project costs.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
The regulations set out at 45 CFR parts 74 and 92 are the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rules and requirements
that govern the administration of grants. Part 74 is applicable to all
recipients except those covered by part 92, which governs awards to
state and local governments. The applicant funded under this
announcement must be aware of and comply with these regulations. The
CFR volume that includes parts 74 and 92 may be downloaded from http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/45cfrv1_03.html.
3. Reporting
The project is required to have an evaluation plan, consistent with
the scope of the proposed project and funding level that conforms to
the project's stated goals and objectives. The evaluation plan should
include both a process evaluation to track the implementation of
project activities and an outcome evaluation to measure changes in
knowledge and skills that can be attributed to the project. Project
funds may be used to support evaluation activities.
In addition to conducting their own evaluation of projects, the
successful applicant must be prepared to participate in an external
evaluation, to be supported by HHS/OGHA and conducted by an independent
entity, to assess efficiency and effectiveness for the project funded
under this announcement.
Within 30 days following the end of each quarter, a performance
report no more than ten pages in length must be submitted to OGHA/HHS.
A sample monthly performance report will be provided at the time of
notification of award. At a minimum, monthly performance reports should
include:
Concise summary of the most significant achievements and
problems encountered during the reporting period, e.g. number of
training courses held and number of trainees.
A comparison of work progress with objectives established
for the quarter using the grantee's implementation schedule, and where
such objectives were not met, a statement of why they were not met.
Specific action(s) that the grantee would like HHS/OGHA to
undertake to alleviate a problem.
Other pertinent information that will permit monitoring
and overview of project operations.
A quarterly financial report describing the current
financial status of the funds used under this award. The awardee and
OGHA will agree at the time of award for the format of this portion of
the report.
Within 90 days following the end of the project period a final
report containing information and data of interest to the Department of
Health and Human Services, Congress, and other countries must be
submitted to HHS/OGHA. The specifics as to the format and content of
the final report and the summary will be sent to the successful
applicant. At minimum, the report should contain:
A summary of the major activities supported under the
agreement and the major accomplishments resulting from
[[Page 46073]]
activities to improve mortality in partner country.
An analysis of the project based on the problem(s)
described in the application and needs assessments, performed prior to
or during the project period, including a description of the specific
objectives stated in the grant application and the accomplishments and
failures resulting from activities during the grant period.
Quarterly performance reports and annual reports may be submitted
to: Mr. Dewayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants
Management, OPHS, HHS 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD
20852, phone (240) 453-8822. A Financial Status Report (FSR) SF-269 is
due 90 days after the close of each 12-month budget period and
submitted to OPHS-Office of Grants Management.
VII. Agency Contacts
For assistance on administrative and budgetary requirements, please
contact: Mr. DeWayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of
Grants Management, OPHS, HHS, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550,
Rockville, MD 20852, phone (240) 453-8822.
For assistance regarding program requirements, please contact: Dr.
Christopher Hickey, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of
the Secretary, Office of Global Health Affairs, Asia-Pacific Division,
5600 Fishers Lane, Suite 18-101, Rockville, MD 20857, Phone Number:
301-443-1410.
VIII. Tips for Writing a Strong Application
Include DUNS Number
You must include a DUNS Number to have your application reviewed.
An application will not be reviewed without a DUNS number. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the OMB Approval Number on
the application face page.
Keep Your Audience in Mind
Reviewers will use only the information contained in the
application to assess the application. Be sure the application and
responses to the program requirements and expectations are complete and
clearly written. Do not assume that reviewers are familiar with the
applicant organization. Keep the review criteria in mind when writing
the application.
Start Preparing the Application Early
Allow plenty of time to gather required information from various
sources.
Follow the Instructions in This Guidance Carefully
Place all information in the order requested in the guidance. If
the information is not placed in the requested order, you may receive a
lower score.
Be Brief, Concise, and Clear
Make your points understandable. Provide accurate and honest
information, including candid accounts of problems and realistic plans
to address them. If any required information or data is omitted,
explain why. Make sure the information provided in each table, chart,
attachment, etc., is consistent with the proposal narrative and
information in other tables.
Be Organized and Logical
Many applications fail to receive a high score because the
reviewers cannot follow the thought process of the applicant or because
parts of the application do not fit together.
Be Careful in the Use of Appendices
Do not use the appendices for information that is required in the
body of the application. Be sure to cross-reference all tables and
attachments located in the appendices to the appropriate text in the
application.
Carefully Proofread the Application
Misspellings and grammatical errors will impede reviewers in
understanding the application. Be sure pages are numbered (including
appendices) and that page limits are followed. Limit the use of
abbreviations and acronyms, and define each one at its first use and
periodically throughout application.
Dated: August 10, 2007.
Mary Lou Valdez,
Deputy Director for Policy, Office of Global Health Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-16096 Filed 8-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-38-P