[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 60875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24096]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Notification 
of a Sole Source Cooperative Agreement Award

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Assistant 
Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Office of Emergency 
Management (OEM).

ACTION: Notification of a sole source Cooperative Agreement Award.

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    Statutory Authority: Public Health Service Act, Section 301.

    Estimated Amount of Award: $200,000 to $ 750,000 (contingent on the 
availability of funding).
    Project Period: September 30, 2013 to March 31, 2015.

Summary and Project Overview

    The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) within the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is responsible 
for developing operational plans to ensure the preparedness of the 
Office, the Department, the Federal Government and the public to 
respond to and recover from domestic and international public health 
and medical threats and emergencies. OEM is also responsible for 
ensuring that ASPR has the systems, logistical support, and procedures 
necessary to coordinate the Department's operational response to acts 
of terrorism and other public health and medical threats and 
emergencies. OEM is responsible for leading Emergency Support Function 
8 (ESF 8), Public Health and Medical Services, under 
the National Response Framework and the Health and Social Services 
(H&SS) Recovery Support Function (RSF) under the National Disaster 
Recovery Framework (NDRF), released in September 2011.
    In the field of disaster and emergency management, post-disaster 
recovery has played an important, although often lower profile role. 
When it is addressed, it frequently references the restoration of 
previously extant physical or economic systems within a community, with 
a focus on ``bricks and mortar'' infrastructure reconstitution (e.g. 
roads, bridges, housing stock, commercial structures, etc) and/or 
business and commercial recovery.\i\ Oftentimes absent from 
consideration is the critical importance of health, and the public 
health, medical and social services and underlying determinants of 
health that are key to supporting overall recovery.\ii\
    Anecdotal evidence from recent disasters and other scientific 
evidence iii iv v suggest that there is not a broad 
understanding of the recovery activities that most significantly impact 
the health of individuals of populations. This grant will support the 
development and distribution of a set of evidence-based recommendations 
that inform recovery efforts in affected communities and the work of 
both emergency managers and health professionals. The recommendations 
will be informed by input from stakeholders and subject matters 
experts.
    Pursuant to the National Health Security Strategy (NHSS) objective 
8.3 and, specifically, sub-objective 8.3.1, this grant will generally 
seek ``to continuously improve recovery efforts, [through] data 
elements assess[ing] recovery progress, quality, and outcomes.'' \vi\ 
This grant also supports HHS Strategic Plan Objective 3F: Protect 
Americans' health and safety during emergencies, and foster resilience 
in response to emergencies.

Justification

    The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is a nonprofit organization and is 
part of the National Academy of Sciences. IOM undertakes studies that 
may be specific mandates from Congress or requested by federal agencies 
and independent organizations.
    The IOM has an established Forum on Medical and Public Health 
Preparedness for Catastrophic Events. The Forum held a panel on Long-
term Recovery of the Healthcare Service Delivery Infrastructure in 
February 2012 during the 2012 Public Health Preparedness Summit in 
Anaheim, CA. The Forum's purpose is to foster dialogue among 
stakeholders, identify opportunities for public/private collaboration, 
and identify and address issues relevant to public health and medical 
preparedness.
    The IOM is part of the National Academies, which also has an 
established Disasters Roundtable. The Disasters Roundtable holds 
workshops three times per year on topics often relevant to recovery 
partners. The IOM is uniquely positioned to be able to not only 
identify relevant partners and stakeholders but also garner their 
participation in the proposed activities because of their existing 
structures and established reputation.
    Additional Information: The agency program contact is Esmeralda 
Pereira, [email protected], 202-205-0065.

    Dated: September 27, 2013.
Nicole Lurie,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
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    \i\ Abramson, D., Stehling-Ariza, T., Soo Park, Y., Walsh, L., 
Culp, D. 2010. Measuring Individual Disaster Recovery: A 
Socioecological Framework. Disaster Medicine and Public Health 
Preparedness 4(S1): S46-S54.
    \ii\ Burkle, F. M. 2011. The Limits to Our Capacity: Reflections 
on Resiliency, Community Engagement, and Recovery in 21st Century 
Crises. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 5(S2): 
S176-S181.
    \iii\ Masten, A.S., and Obradovic, J. 2007. Disaster preparation 
and recovery: lessons from research on resilience in human 
development. Ecology and Society 13(1): 9. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss1/art9/.
    \iv\ Wallace, D., and R. Wallace. 2007. Urban Systems during 
Disasters: Factors in Resilience. Ecology and Society 13(1): 18. 
[online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss1/art18/.
    \v\ Abramson, D., Soo Park, Y., Stehling-Ariza, T., Redlener, I. 
2010. Children as Bellwethers of Recovery: Dysfunctional Systems and 
the Effects of Parents, Households, and Neighborhoods on Serious 
Emotional Disturbance in Children After Hurricane Katrina. Disaster 
Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 4(S1): S17-27.
    \vi\ NHSS.
[FR Doc. 2013-24096 Filed 9-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-37-P