CDC-RFA-EH22-2202.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Modernizing Environmental Public Health Tracking to Advance Environmental Health Surveillance

CDC-RFA-EH22-2202

05/01/2022

Table of Contents A. Funding Opportunity Description

B. Award Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

E. Review and Selection Process

F. Award Administration Information

G. Agency Contacts

H. Other Information

I. Glossary

Part I. Overview Applicants must go to the synopsis page of this announcement at www.grants.gov and click on the "Subscribe" button link to ensure they receive notifications of any changes to CDC-RFA- EH22-2202. Applicants also must provide an e-mail address to www.grants.gov to receive notifications of changes.

A. Federal Agency Name:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) B. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title:

Modernizing Environmental Public Health Tracking to Advance Environmental Health Surveillance C. Announcement Type: New - Type 1:

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be considered. For this purpose, research is defined at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2007-title42-vol1/pdf/CFR-2007-title42-vol1-sec52- 2.pdf. Guidance on how CDC interprets the definition of research in the context of public health can be found at https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr- 46/index.html (See section 45 CFR 46.102(d)).

New-Type 1

D. Agency Notice of Funding Opportunity Number:

CDC-RFA-EH22-2202

E. Assistance Listings Number:

93.070 F. Dates:

1. Due Date for Letter of Intent (LOI):

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2007-title42-vol1/pdf/CFR-2007-title42-vol1-sec52-2.pdf https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2007-title42-vol1/pdf/CFR-2007-title42-vol1-sec52-2.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr-46/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr-46/index.html

N/A

2. Due Date for Applications:

05/01/2022 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time, at www.grants.gov.

3. Due Date for Informational Conference Call:

March 31, 2022 3:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern Time Call in (audio only) +1 404-498-3000,,192180607# United States, Atlanta

(888) 994-4478,,192180607# United States (Toll-free) Phone Conference ID: 192 180 607#

G. Executive Summary:

1. Summary Paragraph The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice announces the availability of fiscal year 2022 funds for a cooperative agreement to strengthen and modernize environmental health data and surveillance in the United States. The purpose of the funding is to continue building public health capacity and expertise in environmental health surveillance and to modernize data systems to empower public health practitioners, healthcare providers, community members, policy members, and others to make information-driven decisions that affect their health. Since 2002, the Environmental Public Health Tracking Program has provided the United States with accurate and timely standardized information from a nationwide network of environmental health data to help drive actions to improve the health of communities. The information is shared via a network of people and the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, a web-based system of integrated health and environmental data with components at the national, state, and local levels.

a. Eligible Applicants:

Open Competition

b. Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement)

c. Approximate Number of Awards

d. Total Period of Performance Funding:

$175,000,000

e. Average One Year Award Amount:

$700,000 Over a five-year period of performance, CDC will award approximately $20 million each budget year with the average award varying. This cooperative agreement will range from approximately $300,000 - $1.5 million per year depending on the size and scope of activity. The range of funds is broad to accommodate a varied number of organizational needs and availability of funding.

Approximate average one-year award amounts for each component are:

Component A-Capacity Building: $300,000 - $1,000,000

Component B-Emerging Topics: $100,000 - $1,000,000 https://www.grants.gov/ tel:+14044983000,,192180607# tel:8889944478,,192180607#

Component C-Portal: $100,000 – $1,000,000

Population Funding Level Components A and B < 2 million $800,000 2 million – 10 million $1,300,000 > 10 million $2,000,000

f. Total Period of Performance Length:

g. Estimated Award Date:

September 01, 2022

h. Cost Sharing and / or Matching Requirements:

No Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Although no statutory matching requirement for this NOFO exists, leveraging other resources and related ongoing efforts to promote sustainability is strongly encouraged.

Part II. Full Text A. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Background

a. Overview The World Health Organization estimates that 23% of the disease burden and 24% of all deaths worldwide are attributable to the environment. Accurate and timely data help public health leaders monitor trends and make informed decisions about prevention and control strategies that can protect individuals and communities from health issues arising from or directly related to environmental factors. The Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (Tracking Program) has collected, integrated, analyzed, and disseminated non-infectious disease, environmental, and sociodemographic data from a nationwide collective of partners through the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network), an easy-to-access, online, multi-tiered, interoperable system of data, tools, and services.

The Tracking Program’s core strategies are to enhance data utility; improve data access and sharing; and increase Tracking Network awareness and use. The Tracking Program will modernize surveillance activities and strengthen capacity of recipients by bolstering and scaling the Tracking Program’s infrastructure and processes. With this approach, CDC will modernize the Tracking Network to improve data timeliness and accuracy while reducing the burden on recipientss. In line with CDC’s data modernization efforts, the Tracking Program will continue efforts to integrate existing data sources to create reusable, sustainable data pipelines for collecting, validating, visualizing, and sharing data.

The proposed activities will provide recipients with data science and informatics resources and staff to build reusable, plug-and-play processes which will modernize the collecting and sharing of data with CDC and other partners. Recipients will also develop and share resources, code, tools, and other supportive materials which will be made available to all recipientss to build their capacity.

This combination of efforts helps fill critical information gaps that contribute to health inequities by providing data to better understand a community’s health burden and the characteristics that make individuals more susceptible to negative health effects associated with environmental factors.

The Tracking Network provides the U.S. with accurate and timely standardized data and supports ongoing efforts within the public health and environmental sectors to improve data collection, accessibility, and dissemination as well as analytic and response capacity. The Tracking Program focuses on developing standardized and automated processes, interoperable infrastructure, and creating shareable tools and data—all hallmarks of what is defined currently as data modernization. Building on these advancements, the Tracking Program aims to improve and further expand its efforts to integrate and synthesize information and data to drive positive change in the nation’s environmental public health.

Component A-Capacity Building - these activities support the development of the applicants' programmatic infrastructure. The applicant should leverage existing capacity to strengthen their application.

Component B-Emerging Topics - most activities in Component B are dependent on available funding and may not be awarded. These activities address key Program and Agency priorities.

Component C-Portal - these activities support the development of an environmental health portal.

b. Statutory Authorities This program is authorized under Sections 311 and 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Sections 243 and 247b(k)(2)], as amended.

c. Healthy People 2030 The Environmental Public Health Tracking Program is committed to achieving the HHS Healthy People 2030 health promotion and disease prevention objectives. This NOFO addresses the Healthy People 2030 topic(s) of Environmental Health (Environmental Health - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov), and Public Health Infrastructure (Public Health Infrastructure - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov).

d. Other National Public Health Priorities and Strategies The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Strategic Plan and Annual

Performance Plan: FY 2021 Annual Performance Plan and Report - Goal 4 Objective 1 | HHS.gov https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/environmental-health https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/environmental-health https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/environmental-health https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/public-health-infrastructure https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/public-health-infrastructure https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/public-health-infrastructure https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy2021/performance/performance-plan-goal-4-objective-1/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/about/budget/fy2021/performance/performance-plan-goal-4-objective-1/index.html

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - https://www.epa.gov/

National Aeronautics and Space Administration - https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science

CDC’s Data Modernization Initiative - https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/data-modernization/index.html

The Guide to Community Preventive Services - http://www.thecommunityguide.org

The National Institutes of Health Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan 2021-2025 - https://nimhd-nih.gov/about/strategic-plan

e. Relevant Work CDC-RFA-EH22-2202 builds on activities conducted under previous NOFOs, including CDC- RFA-EH17-1702, CDC-RFA-EH14-1405, CDC-RFA-EH14-1403. The program has grown to become one of NCEH’s key cooperative agreements for supporting state and local information technology and surveillance capacity for 1) integrating health, exposure, and hazard information and data, 2) building and maintaining an IT infrastructure--including web-based portals that follow Tracking metadata, data and functional standards--that allows for controlled access to and exchange of data with CDC’s Tracking Program, 3) conducting analyses using Tracking data and expertise to address environmental health issues.

2. CDC Project Description

a. Approach

Bold indicates period of performance outcome.

CDC-RFA-EH22-2202 Logic Model: Modernizing Environmental Public Health Tracking to Advance Environmental Health Surveillance

Bold indicates period of performance outcome

Items with an asterisk * have a health equity focus.

Strategies Short-term Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes

Long-term Outcomes

COMPONENT A - (All recipients)

Information Technology

Partnerships

COMPONENT A - (All

1. Increased data monitoring of environmental health topics

Increased use of public health data among public health practitioners and environmental professionals to develop and deliver informed programs, prioritized interventions, and

Reduced environmental and related health effects

Reduced environmental https://www.epa.gov/ https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/data-modernization/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/data-modernization/index.html http://www.thecommunityguide.org/ https://nimhd-nih.gov/about/strategic-plan

Outreach/Communications

Program Capacity

Program Evaluation/Performance Measurement

Component B- (All

Emerging Topics - will be addressed if funded

2. Improved completeness, timeliness, and quality of environmental public health surveillance data

3. Increased surveillance of environmental health disparities *

Information Technology

1. Improved information technology tools and systems

Partnerships

1. Increased stakeholder inclusion in data sharing, communication, and response

2. Increased collaboration with stakeholders to reduce health disparities *

Outreach/Communications

1. Increase dissemination of environmental health information using communication best practices to appropriate audiences policies to address environmental public health issues

Improved identification, monitoring, and addressing of health disparities health disparities *

Program Capacity

1. Increased knowledge and ability among EPHT workforce

2. Increased recipient capacity to provide technical assistance to advance environmental public health interventions

Program Evaluation/Performance Measurement

1. Improved completeness, timeliness, and quality of evaluation data

COMPONENT C

Portal

COMPONENT C

1. Improved portal functionality

2. Increased portal utilization

i. Purpose The purpose of this NOFO will provide funding to: build state and local public health capacity & expertise in environmental health surveillance; create modern, interoperable, and real-time public health data and surveillance systems; modernize the collection, integration, dissemination, & application of timely, local environmental health data; and empower public health practitioners, healthcare providers, community members, policy members, and others to make information-driven decisions that affect their health.

ii. Outcomes

The logic model displays the outcomes that are expected to result from recipient efforts in the short-, mid-, and long-term. As noted in the logic model, these key outcomes are expected to result during the period of performance:

Short-Term (1-2 years):

1. SURVEILLANCE

Increased data monitoring of environmental health topics

Improved completeness, timeliness, and quality of environmental public health surveillance data

Increased surveillance of environmental health disparities

2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Improved information technology tools and systems

3. PARTNERSHIPS

Increased stakeholder inclusion in data sharing, communication, and response

Increased collaboration with stakeholders to reduce health disparities

4. OUTREACH/COMMUNICATION

Increased dissemination of environmental health information using communication best practices to appropriate audiences

5. PROGRAM CAPACITY

Increased knowledge and ability among Environmental Public Health Tracking workforce

Increased recipient capacity to provide technical assistance to advance environmental public health interventions

6. PROGRAM EVALUATION/PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Improved completeness, timeliness, and quality of evaluation data

Intermediate (3-4 years):

Increased use of public health data among public health practitioners and environmental professionals to develop and deliver informed programs, prioritized interventions, and policies to address environmental public health issues

Improved identification, monitoring, and addressing of health disparities *

Long-term (5+ years):

Reduced environmental exposures and related health effects

Reduced environmental health disparities *

iii. Strategies and Activities Component A activities fall into six broad strategies:

Surveillance, Information Technology, Partnerships, Outreach/Communication, Program Capacity, and

Program Evaluation/Performance Measurement.

Component B includes activities that address potential emerging topics.

Component C includes activities that address portal development and sustainability.

Please see the Funding Strategy section below for more details. Each applicant must address every activity in Component A and Component B. Applicants can also apply for Component C; however, applicants must be approved for Component A and Component B to be eligible for review and funding for Component C. Applicants for Component C funding must indicate that a publicly visible portal (that hosts environmental data) already exists and provide supportive links to the portal.

Most activities in Component B are dependent on available funding and may not be awarded. These activities will be placed on the “approved but unfunded” (ABU) list. The Program is including these activities in preparation of possible future year funding. Applicants must address each activity in Component B. These tasks will be placed on the ABU list following the objective review process. Recipients that are not awarded Component B funding in Year 1, will be placed on the ABU list and eligible for future year funding.

Eligible applicants for Component C funding may not be awarded in Year 1 but will be placed on the ABU list for potential future year funding.

Strategies and Activities

Component A – Capacity Building

- Surveillance:

Establish processes and ensure data quality for data submitted by jurisdictions for CDC data calls (or CDC data submission).

Integrate data into recipient’s Tracking portal and ensure the availability and accessibility of data as appropriate for program staff and internal and external partners.

Maintain existing and newly adopted Nationally Consistent Data and Measures (NCDM) requirements including maintenance of data within the recipient tracking network, submission of data to CDC, and dissemination of required data via recipient’s Tracking Network.

Disseminate additional indicators and measures to address recipient’s priorities, optional NCDMs or other agreed-upon standards.

Address gaps or limitations in available data by collaborating with state and local programs to optimize data collection, ensuring inclusion of data elements relevant to environmental public health tracking, and/or conducting analyses/activities that fill identified data gaps or extend applicability of available data.

Conduct routine descriptive analysis of Tracking data to evaluate quality and completeness of data; examine state and local environmental public health issues; or generate information for other state and local programs, decision makers, and the public.

Use Tracking data to identify and prioritize the jurisdiction’s concerns, priorities, and need for action to help direct Tracking program activities.

Develop and maintain at least one sub-county and/or real-time/near real-time data feed.

Develop and implement plans for surveillance data collection, quality checks, and dissemination with a focus on data interoperability.

Use Tracking data to identify at least one disproportionately affected population and identify a solution to creatively address the concern.

Apply and interpret Tracking data to inform the development of public health actions.

Identify and develop advanced analytic data science methods to effectively advance the use of new and existing sources of data.

- Information Technology (IT):

Enhance existing information systems by adding or improving functionality to integrate, analyze, and visualize data.

Modernize existing data, data pipelines, or systems.

Evaluate informatics needs and conduct a gap analysis to address barriers to the effective use of data for environmental public health decision making or by environmental public health decision makers.

Maintain the technology infrastructure and resources to submit Tracking NCDMs to CDC during scheduled data calls.

Implement additional innovative enhancements that improve analysis, enable collaboration, or increase the sustainability or efficiency of systems.

Establish repeatable, reliable, and readily accessible electronic access to data sources, including tools and processes to increase the availability and accessibility of timely and locally relevant data (e.g., sub-county and real-time data) and any needs discovered as the result of the gap analysis.

Increase data management efficiency by developing state/local standard operating procedures and increasing the use of routine, reusable, and electronic processes and scripts for obtaining, validating, and disseminating data, including use of application programming interfaces.

Make data sharing easier through common policies, practices, and standards.

Support the development and sustainability of a technical portal that shares data for exploratory services, including mapping, downloading, visualizing data.

- Partnerships:

Lead, maintain, and grow existing partnerships with diverse public and private organizations to inform decisions about Tracking data, data analysis, and communication messages and products.

Collaborate with CDC, data stewards, data users, and other Tracking recipients to improve existing NCDMs and adopt new and optional NCDMs as developed by the Content Workgroup.

Develop a partnership with the applicant's IT department and establish a scope of work to coordinate IT investments, decisions, and policies across the applicant's jurisdiction;

ensure program informatics/IT activities align with organizational strategies and objectives; and leverage jurisdictional IT resources.

Establish and maintain relationships with at least one university/college program.

Possible collaborations include, but are not limited to, guest lecturing, mentoring students, co-presenting (webinar/meetings/conference), GIS, data analysis, or other projects.

- Outreach/Communication:

Create and disseminate communication messages and products (e.g., data stories, community health reports, social media posts) to key audiences. Ensure messaging aligns with CDC's health equity guiding principles for inclusive communication (https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Health_Equity.html).

Present and/or exhibit at meetings and conferences.

Conduct needs assessment with priority audiences to inform communication message and product development and dissemination methods selection.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Health_Equity.html

Participate in one coordinated, program-wide communication activity (e.g., Tracking Awareness Week) each year.

Maintain existing and add new contextual/explanatory content/messaging about Tracking data, products, and projects, including plain language interpretations (as appropriate) and risk communication as needed.

- Program Capacity:

Develop a formal mentoring relationship with one unfunded jurisdiction and provide support, facilitate data and knowledge sharing, build capacity, and increase Tracking program reach. For example – a state health department could mentor a county or local health department, tribal area, a territory, or an unfunded state

Develop and maintain an Environmental Public Health Tracking Program within the applicant's jurisdiction. Provide technical assistance on Environmental Public Health Tracking best practices; integrate Tracking priorities throughout the jurisdiction; improve workforce and skills in key programmatic areas including data science, epidemiology, bioinformatics, and computer science.

Support and facilitate the development of state and local public health workforce to train staff and partners on understanding the Tracking Program principles.

Plan for/address surge capacity needs for responding to outbreaks and/or known, reemerging, and/or new environmental health concerns (e.g., establishing teams/workforce, cross-training staff, building resilience).

Plan to participate and serve a substantial role in the Tracking Working Groups. Potential activities include developing and updating evaluation metrics; proposing a topic/method/data that is of interest for potential standard adoption and using peer learning; integrating data into the recipient’s portal and ensuring the availability and accessibility of data as appropriate for program staff and internal and external partners.

- Program Evaluation/Performance Measurement:

Document and submit program accomplishments and public health actions (PHAs) at least twice a year to highlight recipient’s use of surveillance data.

Using standardized methods established by Tracking, collect website statistics to measure performance (e.g., reach, impressions) of Tracking web resources.

Monitor program implementation and progress through performance measurement.

Component B – Emerging Topics

Conduct an evaluation project (health improvement, cost-benefit analysis, impact evaluation, etc.) that identifies key impacts of a public health actions (PHA).

Identify an overarching strategy for implementing key surveillance activities to address climate and health needs and outcomes.

Identify an overarching strategy for implementing key surveillance activities to address the needs and outcomes of tribal communities in the state or jurisdiction. Collaborate with the tribal community to determine those needs.

Identify an overarching strategy for partnering with laboratories to implement key biomonitoring, bioinformatics, and disease outbreak surveillance activities.

Collect and use syndromic surveillance data to validate and monitor health effects of exposures to environmental hazards.

Conduct routine analyses using Tracking data for the discovery of spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns of diseases, exposures, or environmental hazards; the timely identification of unusual events signaling the need for further investigation; or the non-research purposes of analyzing or linking health, exposure, and hazard data to help provide new insights or solutions to environmental health issues.

Identify an overarching strategy for implementing key surveillance activities to address cancer cluster needs and outcomes.

Surveil emerging environmental health topics of interest and disproportionately affected populations.

Identify an overarching strategy for creating or strengthening predictive analytics and forecasting or using non-traditional or innovative data sources (e.g., citizen science, sensor data).

Advance electronic information exchange between electronic health records and public health.

Develop a sustainable and modernized IT infrastructure for environmental health services (EHS) data collection, management, and sharing that is reusable, transparent, extendable, and adaptable in partnership with the jurisdiction’s EHS program and users of their data.

Component C – Portal

Coordinate/lead and support existing Environmental Public Health Tracking portal within state or local jurisdictions.

Share data for exploratory services, including mapping, downloading, or visualizing data through a Tracking portal.

Maintain a web-based publicly available environmental health tracking system that complies with CDC recipient portal requirements.

1. Collaborations

a. With other CDC projects and CDC-funded organizations:

Applicants are expected to pursue strategic collaborations and partnerships with groups that are cross-cutting and multi-sectoral in nature to strengthen their workplans. Applicants are required to collaborate with other NCEH-funded programs within their jurisdictions that focus on related issues when interests and activities align. Applicants are also encouraged to align, but not duplicate, proposed activities with other CDC NOFOs as appropriate. Collaborations and a letter of support should be created for the purposes of sharing data; developing consistent definitions and measures; and creating maps, tables, or other appropriate tools for demonstrating alignment between surveillance findings and program efforts. There is no limit to the number of letters of support, but it must describe how the applicant will address a NOFO need. Letters of support must be dated within 60 days of the application. Label the letter of support “LOS” and upload it as a PDF file at www.grants.gov.

NCEH-funded programs include:

Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program | CDC

National Asthma Control Program-National Asthma Control Program | CDC

Climate and Health Program- Climate and Health Program | CDC

The Water, Food, Environmental Health Services Branch, Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) program- Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) | EHS | CDC

Division of Laboratory Science- Division of Laboratory Sciences | CDC

Examples of other relevant CDC programs include, but are not limited, to:

Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Home | NCBDDD | CDC

Safe Water System- The Safe Water System | CDC

Division of Cancer Prevention and Control- About CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control | CDC

ATSDR Partnership to Promote Local Efforts To Reduce Environmental Exposure (APP LETREE) Program- ATSDR - State Cooperative Agreement Program - Home Page (cdc.gov)

Division of State and Local Readiness- Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement | CDC

Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Program- CDC - ELC Cooperative Agreement -

DPEI - NCEZID

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)- Welcome to ASTHO

National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS)- NAPHSIS | Protecting Personal Identity Promoting Public Health

National Association of Health Data Organizations (NAHDO)- Welcome to NAHDO | National Association of Health Data Organizations http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/nacp.htm https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/default.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/ehc/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/about/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/about/index.htm https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/states/index.html https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/states/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/readiness/phep.htm https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/readiness/phep.htm https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dpei/epidemiology-laboratory-capacity.html https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dpei/epidemiology-laboratory-capacity.html https://www.astho.org/ https://www.naphsis.org/ https://www.nahdo.org/ https://www.nahdo.org/

b. With organizations not funded by CDC:

Applicants are required to collaborate with several key partners, including their state environmental agencies. These established relationships may also benefit recipients by further enhancing their activities. When possible, applicants should incorporate external partners (e.g., accountable care organizations, big data providers, new commercial technology, and service providers in consumer-driven healthcare); and non-traditional public sector organizations (e.g., Tribal Nations, Department of Transportation) into their workplan.

An important component of this announcement is to build partnerships among environmental and health agencies, their subordinate departments and staff, county health departments, and public health laboratories. Applicants must demonstrate that their program will be a collaborative effort by including the following with their application, if applicable:

1. State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal (STLT) applicants should include a letter of collaboration confirming that a partnership exists or will be developed within 60 days from receiving funds.

Evidence of a partnership may be a confirmation of an existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Health and Environment that covers activities related to this NOFO. The letter of collaboration should be signed:

Between the state (or local) Secretary/Director of Health or equivalent and the state (or local) Secretary/Director of Environmental Quality/Protection/Natural Resources or the equivalent agency/department.

or

Between Health and Environmental Agencies/Departments to exchange and/or share data, provide technical expertise on data interpretation.

or

Between appropriate organizational units within each Agency/Department (within the Health Department this may include birth defect programs, cancer registries, vital statistics, lead programs, environmental epidemiology, the state laboratory, chronic disease, and others).

2. All applicants must include a letter designating a public health liaison within the environmental agency/department and an environmental liaison within the health agency/department, describing their roles and responsibilities respectively.

3. Eligible local health departments must provide a letter from responsible state authority assuring that activities related to this program will be coordinated with the State Health Department, and that the state will cooperate in providing relevant data to support NCDMs on the local and CDC network portals.

4. All applicants should include a letter of collaboration from the applicants Public Health and/or Environment Health Laboratory director to confirm their collaboration with the applicant throughout the funding period.

5. All applicants must include a letter of commitment from applicant’s information technology management office indicating intent for collaboration and coordination on all IT focused activities listed under “Recipient Activities.”

Applicants must file the MOU, MOA, or letters of support, as appropriate, name the file “MOUs/MOAs or LOS”, and upload it as a PDF file at www.grants.gov.

2. Target Populations Target populations will vary depending on the jurisdictions strategies and activities funded under this NOFO. This cooperative agreement should directly impact the health of the public, through the collection, exploration, visualization, and analysis of Tracking data. Applicants must identify populations most at-risk for specific environmental health concerns. Applicants must describe the selected population, including relevant health disparities.

a. Health Disparities CDC recognizes that social and economic opportunities, health behavior, and the physical environment in which people live greatly impact health outcomes. Health disparities and inequities represent preventable differences in the burden of disease, disability, injury, or violence, or in opportunities to achieve optimal health. Applicants must describe the population(s) selected and how Tracking data and activities will improve health and reduce or eliminate one or more identified health disparities or inequities. This cooperative agreement includes activities that can be used to target many diverse populations at disproportionate risk of environmental health concerns and/or adverse outcomes or are those directly affected by environmental health.

iv. Funding Strategy This NOFO contains three components:

Component A-Capacity Building: estimated funding $300,000 - $1,000,000 (approximately 30 awards and is contingent upon available program funding).

Component B-Emerging Topics: estimated funding $100,000 - $1,000,000 (approximately 30 awards and is contingent upon available program funding)

Component C-Portal: estimated funding $100,000 – $1,000,000 (approximately 25 awards and is contingent upon available program funding)

Applicants are eligible to apply (total for Components A and B) for the funding levels outlined in the table below based on population size (based on US Census data - 2018 estimates or other appropriate document if the Census data is not available):

Population Funding Level Components A and B < 2 million $800,000

Each applicant must address every activity in Component A and Component B. Applicants can also apply for Component C; however, applicants must be approved for Component A and Component B to be eligible for review and funding for Component C. No other component combinations will be accepted. Applicants for Component C funding must indicate that a http://www.grants.gov/ publicly visible portal (that hosts environmental data) already exists and provide supportive links to their portal.

Applications for all 3 Components (A, B, and C) will be reviewed and funded separately. Only one application per organization will be considered for either Components A and B or Components A, B, and C. Applications for all 3 components may not be awarded Component C funding but will be considered and eligible for funding to support Components A and B.

Applicants must submit one application, but with separate work plans and budgets for each component.

Most activities in Component B are dependent on available funding and may not be awarded.

These activities will be placed on the “approved but unfunded” (ABU) list. The Program is including these activities in preparation of possible future year funding. Applicants should not prioritize Component B activities in their workplan, but must address each activity in Component B. These tasks will be placed on the ABU list following the objective review process. Recipients that are not awarded Component B funding in Year 1, will be placed on the ABU list and eligible for future year funding.

Eligible applicants for Component C funding may not be awarded in Year 1 but will be placed on the ABU list for potential future year funding.

b. Evaluation and Performance Measurement

i. CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement Strategy

Evaluation and performance measurement helps demonstrate the implementation of program activities and achievement of program outcomes, build a stronger practice base for specific program strategies, and support continuous program improvement. Evaluation and performance measurement can also determine if program activities are scalable and effective at reaching their target populations. The Tracking Program’s evaluation strategy is grounded in CDC’s Evaluation Framework for Public Health, MMWR, September 18, 1999, Vol. 48/ No. RR-11, (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/RR/RR4811.pdf) as well as in the surveillance system focused approach described in CDC’s Updated Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems, MMWR, July 27, 2001, Vol. 50/ RR-13, (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5013a1.htm). Ultimately, CDC’s Tracking Program will be evaluated by how well it has documented and identified the environment’s impact on health and the extent to which the Tracking Program has effectively leveraged its resources to improve the public’s health.

At the core of the evaluation and performance measure strategy is a set of outcomes expected from all strategies and activities, and performance measures to use for tracking those outcomes.

CDC will collect data for these measures along with qualitative data to further describe recipients’ progress. Proposed outcomes with related measures will include (but are not limited to):

1. SURVEILLANCE

Process measure:

1. Submission of complete standardized NCDMs to CDC during scheduled data calls; Number and description of data gaps or limitations addressed.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/RR/RR4811.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5013a1.htm

Outcomes/performance measures:

1. Increased data monitoring of environmental health topics/Number and list of Tracking datasets for which routine descriptive analyses are conducted.

2. Increased surveillance of environmental health disparities/Number of program activities developed, informed, or improved after Tracking data were used to identify a disproportionately affected population.

2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Outcome/performance measure:

1. Improved information technology tools and systems/Number of new tools and processes developed to improve the quality, usefulness, availability, and timeliness of data related to recipient Tracking systems.

3. PARTNERSHIPS

1. Number of new and existing partners collaborating on recipient Tracking activities.

Outcomes/performance measures:

1. Increased stakeholder inclusion in data sharing, communication, and response/Number of internal and external partners participating in data sharing, communication, or response activities.

2. Increased collaboration with stakeholders to reduce health disparities/Number of partners collaborating on initiatives to address health disparities.

4. OUTREACH/COMMUNICATION

1. Number of program announcements or updates disseminated by medium or channel.

5. PROGRAM CAPACITY

1. Number of emergency response related support and technical assistance provided.

Outcome/performance measure:

1. Increased recipient capacity to provide technical assistance to advance environmental public health interventions/Number of Tracking trainings provided to state and local public health workforce and partners.

6. PROGRAM EVALUATION/PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

1. Number of program accomplishments and public health actions submitted annually.

Data Management Plan

A Data Management Plan (DMP) is required for any NOFO involving the collection or generation of public health data ("Public health data" means digitally recorded factual material commonly accepted in the scientific community as a basis for public health findings, conclusions, and implementation. Public health data includes those from research and non-research activities). As a result of the data generated from this NOFO a DMP is required for all applicants.

- Please include the following DMP requirements, at a minimum:

1. Do you agree to publicly release the full dataset?

If so, please indicate that the dataset can be made available without restrictions; data steward no longer controls data.

If not, please provide a justification that explains why the recipient cannot publicly release or share the data.

2. Provide a description of the data to be collected or generated in the proposed project

3. Provide a brief description of your data collection protocol with reference (if available) to a document or website that provides detailed information

4. Provide a brief description of the mechanisms for, or limitations to, providing access to the data, including a description for the provisions for the protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, and intellectual property, or other rights

5. Provide a statement of the use of data standards that ensure all released data have appropriate documentation that describes the method of collection, what the data represent, and potential limitations for use

6. Provide your plans for archiving and long-term preservation of the data, or explaining why long-term preservation and access are not justified

Applicants that can not provide all of this information when applying, should include a DMP that is as complete as possible.

ii. Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan Applicants must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan that demonstrates how the recipient will fulfill the requirements described in the CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Project Description sections of this NOFO. At a minimum, the plan must describe:

How the applicant will collect the performance measures, respond to the evaluation questions, and use evaluation findings for continuous program quality improvement.

How key program partners will participate in the evaluation and performance measurement planning processes.

Available data sources, feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data, and other relevant data information (e.g., performance measures proposed by the applicant)

Plans for updating the Data Management Plan (DMP) as new pertinent information becomes available. If applicable, throughout the lifecycle of the project. Updates to DMP should be provided in annual progress reports. The DMP should provide a description of the data that will be produced using these NOFO funds; access to data;

data standards ensuring released data have documentation describing methods of collection, what the data represent, and data limitations; and archival and long-term data preservation plans. For more information about CDC’s policy on the DMP, see https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html.

Where the applicant chooses to, or is expected to, take on specific evaluation studies, the applicant should be directed to:

Describe the type of evaluations (i.e., process, outcome, or both).

Describe key evaluation questions to be addressed by these evaluations.

Describe other information (e.g., measures, data sources).

Recipients will be required to submit a more detailed Evaluation and Performance Measurement plan, including a DMP, if applicable, within the first 6 months of award, as described in the Reporting Section of this NOFO.

c. Organizational Capacity of Recipients to Implement the Approach Applicants must describe and provide supporting documentation to show evidence of their organizational capacity to implement the approach. Applicants should include an organizational chart and Curriculum Vitas with their application material. Applicants should name the letter of support or evidence submitted to demonstrate capacity to develop a data portal or relationships with data stewards. Include instructions to upload as a pdf to www.grants.gov.

Documentation supporting this element must be named "CVs/Resumes" or "Organizational Charts" and uploaded at www.grants.gov.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to successfully compete:

Describe expertise and institutional staffing capacity.

Describe operational experience and capacity to successfully implement the strategies and activities outlined in the Approach section of this NOFO.

Expertise and institutional staffing capacity:

Describe experience implementing and leading a comprehensive surveillance/data system program.

https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html http://www.grants.gov/

Describe how qualified and experienced staff, including key staff, will be identified to manage the program. Key staff include Program Manager, Epidemiologist, Data Scientist, Computer Scientist, and Communications Specialist.

Operational experience and capacity:

Describe the capacity to provide coordinated national leadership on the promotion and support of Tracking activities and data that creates a culture of sustained change.

Describe experience developing new and strengthening collaborations that increase access to and support for Tracking activities and data.

Evidence of an existing or the capacity to develop a new data platform/portal. Letters of commitment or evidence of new/existing relationships with required data stewards.

Applicants should name this letter, which demonstrates capacity to develop a data portal or relationships with data stewards, as "letter of commitment". Applicants must upload the letter as a pdf to www.grants.gov.

Describe the ability to maintain required data flows to CDC through regularly scheduled data calls. If staff outside the immediate organizational unit are responsible for maintaining data flows, the applicant should provide a letter of support or other documentation detailing their commitment to submitting required data in the specified format.

Describe the ability to engage key Tracking audiences including state and jurisdictional decision makers, data stewards, technical advisory groups, and relevant community or nongovernmental organizations to support policy and systems changes and expand to include diverse populations at disproportionate risk of environmental health concerns and/or adverse outcomes.

Describe the project management structure and experience to plan, implement, and evaluate the project and achieve the project outcomes.

Describe the ability to analyze and apply data to generate evidence-based activities.

Describe experience creating and disseminating communications messages and products to target audiences.

d. Work Plan Applicants must submit a work plan that covers the first year of the five-year period of performance. Applicants may include a high-level summary of activities for subsequent project years if space allows.

An applicant’s work plan must include the following elements:

Project Title, Strategy (from the NOFO Logic Model), Activity (from the NOFO Logic Model), Activity Description, Output, Outcome, and Timeline.

Project Tile:

Logic Model Strategy:

Logic Model Activity

Activity Description: Output: Outcome: Timeline:

1. 1.

2.

3.

2. 1.

2.

e. CDC Monitoring and Accountability Approach Monitoring activities include routine and ongoing communication between CDC and recipients, site visits, and recipient reporting (including work plans, performance, and financial reporting).

Consistent with applicable grants regulations and policies, CDC expects the following to be included in post-award monitoring for grants and cooperative agreements:

Tracking recipient progress in achieving the desired outcomes.

Ensuring the adequacy of recipient systems that underlie and generate data reports.

Creating an environment that fosters integrity in program performance and results.

Monitoring may also include the following activities deemed necessary to monitor the award:

Ensuring that work plans are feasible based on the budget and consistent with the intent of the award.

Ensuring that recipients are performing at a sufficient level to achieve outcomes within stated timeframes.

Working with recipients on adjusting the work plan based on achievement of outcomes, evaluation results and changing budgets.

Monitoring performance measures (both programmatic and financial) to assure satisfactory performance levels.

Monitoring and reporting activities that assist grants management staff (e.g., grants management officers and specialists, and project officers) in the identification, notification, and management of high-risk recipients.

Recipients will participate in monthly technical assistance calls to track progress, barriers, unexpected events, activities, successes, and other relevant information that describe the implementation of the strategies and accomplishment of outcomes. The recipient must also be available to participate in working groups, site and/or reverse site visits, and calls and email communications with CDC staff, as needed.

CDC staff will monitor the cooperative agreement in partnership with the recipients.