Attachment 2 - Background - EIP Application Template.docx

2024 Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):

Application Template for Background Section

Please refer to the NOFO H. Other Information for application instructions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the application template tools provided by EIP for NOFO submission.

Applicant:

Navigation Click CTRL + Link to jump to specific sections of this document:

Background

a. Catchment Area and Strategy

b. Structure and Organization

c. Overall Approach

Background Catchment Area and Strategy

a. i. In the boxes below, provide information on the applicant’s proposed catchment area.

Identify Catchment Area [e.g., name state and the counties and census tract identifier(s) (i.e., FIPS codes) of any additional or excluded (whichever is most efficient for describing the catchment area) sub-county areas within the state]

State

Counties

If applicable – Census Tract Identifier(s) (i.e., FIPS codes) of any ADDITIONAL sub-county areas within the state

If applicable – Census Tract Identifier(s) (i.e., FIPS codes) of any EXCLUDED sub-county areas within the state

Catchment Population

1) Total population associated with catchment area (total number) – Use the most recently released 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) dataset available for U.S. Census table DP05 at data.census.gov.

Number

2) Urban and rural populations (total number and percentage of catchment population) - Use the most recently released data available for U.S. Census table P2 at data.census.gov. Calculate the percentage based on the “Total” from table P2, not the percentage of the total catchment area reported in #1 above.

a. ii. Please provide data on the following factors that may define the diversity of populations in the catchment area:

1) Age distribution (total number and percentage for each age category of the catchment population using 2020 Census data)

2) Race/ethnicity (total number and percentage for each race/ethnicity category of the catchment population using 2020 Census data)

Race:

Ethnicity:

b. i. Describe the rationale for the selection of the applicant’s proposed catchment area. If the proposed catchment area does not include the entire jurisdiction, please comment on the feasibility for expansion for specific projects.

b. ii. Describe the feasibility of conducting comprehensive and active population-based surveillance in the catchment area.

c. Provide an overview of morbidity and mortality related to infectious diseases in this catchment area. Include information on specific infectious diseases being investigated as part of EIP’s large programs (FluSurv-NET, COVID-NET, RSV-NET, ABCs, FoodNet, HAIC).

d. Describe the healthcare infrastructure in the applicant’s catchment area as it relates to the EIP, focusing on healthcare access and coverage. Explain the applicant’s understanding of variations in healthcare and public health infrastructure within the jurisdiction that may impact surveillance activities.

Structure and Organization

e. Provide an overview of the applicant’s organizational structure (e.g., if a health department, is it centralized, decentralized or hybrid). Provide an organizational chart as an attachment and describe that chart in this section, pointing out key leadership that will be involved in the EIP if the applicant is selected for funding. Briefly summarize the qualifications of these key leaders for implementing and managing the EIP overall. Include their full Curricula Vitae in the application attachments.

f. Describe the organization’s public health authority, including legislative mandate or otherwise demonstrate legal access to the requisite data to conduct population-based infectious disease surveillance. Explain if this authority allows unique and specific access to datasets from multiple data sources that are required to implement the activities outlined in the individual EIP Programmatic “Approach” sections. Also, explain if this authority allows for statutory authority and responsibility for the health of the population the applicant serves, a demonstrated ability to execute public health priorities for the jurisdiction, authority to collect public health data, and infrastructure to carry out the proposed activities. In addition to the description here, document this authority in "Other Attachment Forms" with attachment name "Legal Authority" with a short memo identifying the legal authority within the applicant’s jurisdiction. CDC will consider any application that does not include this required documentation as non-responsive, and it will receive no further review. NOTE: For applicants who do not explicitly possess public health authority or a legislative mandate but are able to receive access to data (as described in the EIP NOFO “Additional Information on Eligibility/Phase I Review” section) from their respective public health agency, refer to section (m) in this section and respond to all the requirements and questions.

g. i. Describe the organization’s experience working as part of a network or multi-partner collaboration to conduct activities or projects related to enhanced surveillance for infectious diseases including active population-based surveillance.

g. ii. Describe the applicant’s experience in establishing successful collaborations and partnerships with other organizations in the jurisdiction (e.g., county/city health departments, local non-government organizations or health service providers, etc.).

h. i. Provide examples of how the applicant has conducted public health responses/interventions in a flexible and timely manner using early surveillance data to address emerging or critical public health infectious disease threats.

h. ii. Discuss the management controls and processes in place to ensure flexibility and timely public health responses/interventions at the applicant’s site.

i. i. Describe the applicant’s capacity and timeliness to acquire new staff and execute contracts. Explain existing challenges with funded but unfilled staff positions or unawarded contracts related to infectious disease work.

i. ii. If the applicant has received federal funding for the COVID-19 response, describe their success in spending those funds according to their initial workplan and describe how they overcame, or are overcoming, barriers to implementation.

j. i. Identify all proposed partner organizations/institutions, including at least one academic institution, unless an applicant is an academic institution. REQUIRED: Provide a “Letter of Support” from the partner as an Attachment to this application (on Attachment titled “Letters of Support” that includes letters of support from all proposed partners).

For each proposed partner:

j. ii. Describe the applicant’s overall strategy of collaboration with the partner. Include the partner’s role(s) in EIP activities and the capabilities expected. Describe how the selected partner will be an asset in conducting the proposed EIP activities.

For each proposed partner:

j. iii. Discuss any barriers that may impact this partnership. For example, describe if the applicant has previously contracted with this organization or institution and, if so, have they been able to allocate funds to them efficiently and have those dollars always been expended appropriately?

k. i. Describe the applicant’s collaborations with other CDC infectious disease-related cooperative agreements (e.g., Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreements). Please describe how capacities supported by those cooperative agreements (and other CDC cooperative agreements) would provide a base on which to build these enhanced EIP activities without duplication.

k. ii. If there are additional federal programs that will have important linkages to the EIP activities that the applicant is applying for, please describe those.

l. Describe how the applicant will create and incorporate opportunities for student and other public health professional training to expand public health workforce capacity related to EIP activities.

m. For eligible applicants who do not explicitly possess the public health authority or legislative mandate but are able to receive access to data (with a commitment and pathway to taking public health action) from their respective public health agency, these applicants must submit a signed letter from public health agency leadership or designee on organizational letterhead. This data access must allow for unique and specific access to individual-level identifiable data from multiple data sources that are required to implement the activities outlined in this NOFO and in the individual EIP Programmatic “Approach” sections in Attachment 1 – EIP 2024 Activities. In order to be responsive to the “Additional Information on Eligibility/Phase I Review” section of this NOFO, the signed letter by the public health agency leadership or designee must also include the role(s) of the public health agency (e.g., co-lead and participate in which EIP activities throughout the five-year period of performance, etc.) and explicitly state that they agree to provide the applicant access to public health data needed for the proposed EIP activities for the catchment population of [enter catchment population for your jurisdiction] in [enter your jurisdiction]. REQUIRED: Eligible applicants must document this data access in “Other Attachment Forms” with attachment name “Data Access”. CDC will consider any application that does not include this required documentation as non-responsive, and it will receive no further review.

For eligible applicants who do not explicitly possess the public health authority or legislative mandate but are able to receive access to data (with a commitment and pathway to taking public health action) from their respective public health agency:

m. i. Describe how the applicant will gain and maintain access throughout the period of performance to the various data systems and requisite data (via secure measures) to perform the activities they are applying for in Attachment 1 – EIP 2024 Activities. Describe any issues that may be encountered as the applicant gains and maintains access to the data systems and requisite data, and how these issues will be resolved in a timely manner.

For eligible applicants who do not explicitly possess the public health authority or legislative mandate but are able to receive access to data (with a commitment and pathway to taking public health action) from their respective public health agency:

m. ii. Describe the level of collaboration with the public health agency. Describe the commitment, communication, and action plans that the applicant and public health agency will undertake to ensure the data resulting from the proposed EIP Activities will be used for public health action for their jurisdiction, including but not limited to, monitoring emerging infectious diseases, evaluating public health interventions, and informing public health policy.

Overall Approach

n. i. Describe the overarching goals for the applicant’s proposed EIP site (in addition to the CDC defined goals and objectives that appear in this NOFO).

n. ii. If selected, what strengths, skills, or advantages would the applicant’s jurisdiction bring to the EIP collaboration?

o. i. Describe the applicant’s capacity and demonstrated experience with enhanced surveillance activities for infectious diseases, including active population-based surveillance, and applied public health research.

o. ii. Discuss how the applicant will optimally leverage the existing healthcare system in their jurisdiction to accomplish EIP objectives. Include electronic data exchange activities and data modernization approaches to improve the efficiency of obtaining data from these healthcare systems.

o. iii. Provide a description of the applicant’s previous experience with programs/projects like those appearing in the Attachment 1 for this NOFO. Include content specific to each of EIP’s major programs for which the applicant is applying: FluSurv-NET, COVID-NET, RSV-NET, ABCs, FoodNet, and HAIC.

o. iv. Describe the applicant’s ability to collect and analyze health record data to supplement standard infectious disease surveillance. Include information on the volume and variables they have been able to collect and analyze for infectious disease surveillance. Provide a description of any work to improve their ability to efficiently access these data. Provide information on current and planned methods for collection of these data (e.g., data entry from faxes, interoperable EHRs, etc.). Describe the data repository for health record data and provide information on interoperability with other surveillance systems.

o. v. Explain the applicant’s overall method(s) for data management and isolate collection including how they would ensure confidentiality. Include tools and information on how the applicant would pilot new methods of surveillance and use data exchange for surveillance and research as local/state information systems modernize.

o. vi. Describe how the applicant would communicate and disseminate findings and lessons learned in the EIP to the local public health community, jurisdictional health departments, and the public as appropriate.