ck12-1204 foa final 2.9.12.doc

Table of Contents Part 1. Overview Information Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Information Section V. Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII. Other Information

PART 1. OVERVIEW INFORMATION

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Federal Agency Name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Funding Opportunity Title: CDC-NCAR Joint Resident Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program in Public Health & Climate Science Announcement Type:

· New – Type 1

Agency Funding Opportunity Number: CDC- RFA-CK12-1204 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: CFDA 93.070 Environmental Public Health and Emergency Response Key Dates:

Letter of Intent Deadline Date: N/A

Application Deadline Date: April 9, 2012, 11:59 U.S. Eastern Standard Time Additional Overview Content: Based on Single Eligibility Justification, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) on behalf of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) located in Boulder, Colorado is the only organization eligible for this award.

Executive Summary:

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) presents a request for application from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), for continuation of the “CDC-NCAR Joint Resident Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program in Public Health & Climate Science.”

Due to widespread scientific consensus that the world’s climate is changing and that this change will have a broad range of impacts on human health, a joint resident postdoctoral fellowship training program conducted by CDC (NCEH and NCEZID) and NCAR will be continued through a non-research cooperative agreement. Fellows will be trained in epidemiology, ecology, behavioral science, and atmospheric and climate science, drawing upon the expertise of both CDC and NCAR, which will contribute to the next generation of climate and health scientists needed to address climate-related public health challenges. NCAR provides atmospheric- and climate-focused scientific, administrative, and postdoctoral training expertise, while CDC provides a unique, public health-focused, scientific expertise. The goal of this interdisciplinary program is to develop the careers of recent doctoral graduates to increase the number of scientists with the appropriate experience and training to conduct research in areas of climate-related public health, thus, ultimately increasing novel and practical applications of public health and climate science for the prevention of disease and protection of public health.

Awardee activities and CDC activities are outlined in Section I to distinguish roles for appropriate administration of the training program, as well as to highlight areas of cooperation between CDC and NCAR to provide fellows with practical, hands-on experience in an interdisciplinary setting dedicated to applied science.

Section II of this FOA provides detailed information on the type of award, awarding mechanism, project period, and award amount. Section III contains justification for single eligibility and describes characteristics of NCAR that make the organization uniquely capable of satisfying the requirements of this project. Registration requirements are also listed in this section. Section IV provides application and submission information, including necessary content, form, deadlines, and restrictions for the application, as well as detailed instructions for electronic submission.

Section V contains application review information, listing the criteria against which applications will be evaluated and outlining the review and selection process. In Section VI, details on award notices, administrative details, and reporting requirements are given, and Section VII provides agency contact information for any inquiries concerning this announcement. Section VIII directs the applicant to NCEH and NCEZID’s websites for further information on these centers’ programs.

Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for “Scientific and Educational Development”: SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE 8.B.4.1: CDC will develop and implement training to provide for an effective, prepared, and sustainable health workforce able to meet emerging health challenges.

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be reviewed. For the definition of research, please see the CDC Web site at the following Internet address:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/integrity/docs/cdc-policy-distinguishing-public-health-research-nonresearch.pdf.

PART 2. FULL TEXT

I.FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Statutory Authority

Climate Change Funding is authorized under Section 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Sections 247b(k)(2)], as amended.

Background There is widespread scientific consensus that the world’s climate is changing. Some of the effects of climate change are likely to include more variable weather, heat waves, heavy precipitation events, flooding, droughts, more intense storms such as hurricanes, sea level rise, and air pollution. It is anticipated that climate change will have a broad range of impacts on the health of Americans through a variety of factors, including greater heat stress, air pollution, respiratory disease exacerbation, changes in the geographic distribution of vector-, food-, and water-borne diseases, food and water shortages, as well as mass population movement and mental health issues. The complexity of such changes requires that the next generation of climate and health scientists undergo training in a multi-disciplinary setting to ensure that they can address climate-related public health challenges. To this end, a postdoctoral program in which fellows are trained in epidemiology, ecology, behavioral science, and atmospheric science will be conducted by CDC and NCAR.

Purpose

CDC announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2012 funds for the “CDC-NCAR Joint Resident Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program” that has been a partnership between CDC and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) since 2009. The goal of this interdisciplinary program is to develop the careers of recent doctoral graduates to increase the number of scientists working in these fields with the appropriate experience and training to conduct research in areas of climate-related public health, thus, ultimately increasing novel and practical applications of public health and climate science for the prevention of disease and protection of public health. This program addresses the “Healthy People 2020” focus area of Environmental Health.

Program Implementation

Recipient Activities Awardee activities for this program are as follows:

· Develop and conduct a Joint Resident Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program in atmospheric science that provides candidates with interdisciplinary training and the skills and expertise necessary to address issues of public health concern (e.g., infectious diseases, heat-related disease systems, or health issues specific to Arctic regions) as they relate to changes in our global climate.

· Establish and maintain policies/procedures for application and selection of fellows, in collaboration with CDC.

· Identify specific research training opportunities for fellows from descriptions developed in coordination with CDC.

· Develop announcements/advertisements and an application package describing the program, listing research training opportunities, and providing application instructions. Appropriately market the program and distribute the announcements and application package with the objective of soliciting applications from qualified individuals. Contribute to the racial and gender diversity of the program by assuring a wide distribution of the materials among eligible women and minority candidates.

· Develop, in collaboration with CDC, a competitive application review and approval process. Based on the review process and in collaboration with CDC, select applicants to be awarded two-year fellowships (funded one year at a time, depending on availability of funding).

· Participate, in collaboration with CDC, in the review of potential fellow research proposals and provide comments and/or suggested changes in the scope or method of the projects fellows will conduct or participate in.

· Provide administrative support to fellows during their tenure, including the payment of a stipend, enrollment in a health insurance plan, and reimbursement of expenses for approved professional development travel (e.g., training, conferences). Administer the program such that fellows will not be employees of either recipient organization or CDC.

· Establish fellow publication/presentation policies which encourage the dissemination of results of projects they conduct or participate in during the fellowship.

· In collaboration with CDC, develop a plan for monitoring and evaluating the progress of fellows, including following fellows after the program and progress toward achieving goals of the program.

In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring.

CDC Activities

· Provide assistance in developing and conducting the joint resident postdoctoral fellowship training program in public health and climate science.

· Provide descriptions of public health research and areas of investigation that are appropriate for potential fellows.

· Identify potential CDC scientific advisors for fellows.

· Participate, in collaboration with NCAR, in the competitive application review and approval process. Based on the review process, and in collaboration with NCAR, select applicants to be awarded two-year fellowships (funded one year at a time, depending on availability of funding).

· Participate, in collaboration with NCAR, in the review of potential fellow research proposals and provide comments and/or suggested changes in the scope or method of the projects fellows will conduct or participate in.

· Review publications and presentations resulting from investigations conducted under the program.

· Assist NCAR in the development of a plan for monitoring progress of the program and achieving program goals.

· Provide administrative support to fellows during their tenure, such that they are able to access appropriate facilities in accordance with their fellowship goals, and facilitation of /reimbursement of expenses for approved travel (e.g., visiting CDC facilities).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. CDC substantial involvement in this program appears in the Activities Section above.

Award Mechanism: U50 Fiscal Year Funds: 2012 Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $280, 000 Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $ 1,400,000 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds. This amount includes direct and indirect costs.)

Approximate Number of Awards: 1 Approximate Average Award: $280, 000 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: none Ceiling of Individual Award Range: none Anticipated Award Date: maximum of 30 days after application approval Budget Period Length: 12 months Project Period Length: 5 years Throughout the project period, CDC’s commitment to continuation of awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:

· National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Eligibility is limited to NCAR for the following reasons:

· It is well established that the science of climate change is complex and requires multi-disciplinary approaches, notably, in the area of climate-related health effects. CDC and NCAR have a long-standing relationship (over seven years) devoted to said approaches, one of which is an existing joint resident postdoctoral fellowship training program begun in 2009 through an interagency agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). This program provides a unique opportunity for fellows to gain practical, hands-on experience in an interdisciplinary setting dedicated to applied science. A direct cooperative agreement between CDC and NCAR will better facilitate the continuation of this joint resident postdoctoral fellowship training program.

· While there are a limited number of graduate and doctoral level programs providing coursework on climate change and health, to our knowledge no formal postdoctoral fellowship training program exists in the U.S. that combines public health and climate science training. A Google search of the following terms yields no evidence of a formal postdoctoral fellowship training program in public health and climate science in the U.S.:

· climate + health + postdoctoral

· climate + health + fellowship

· climate science + public health + fellowship Unique Facilities/Capabilities Provided by NCAR

· NCAR is the primary federally funded research and development center devoted to service, research and education in the atmospheric and related sciences. For the past 50 years, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has served as a center for the broad geosciences community, bringing together the ideas, people and tools needed to address the scientific questions that are of critical importance to society. NCAR serves as the Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) for the National Science Foundation, which is NCAR's primary sponsor (http://ncar.ucar.edu/about-ncar). NCAR is operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a 501- (C) (3) nonprofit Colorado Corporation. Representatives from UCAR’s 100 Member and Affiliate institutions with doctoral programs in the atmospheric or related sciences govern UCAR’s research and service activities through the Board of Trustees and a number of advisory committees. The CDC-NCAR fellows will have access to prominent climate scientists throughout the US academic system through this consortium. (http://www2.ucar.edu/about-us)

· Scientists at NCAR have made fundamental scientific and infrastructural contributions to the research and operational communities in such areas as development of the basic scientific underpinnings for weather forecast models, modern understanding of the coupled ocean-atmosphere climate system, understanding of the detailed chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere, studies of solar magnetism, the discovery of extra-solar system planets, the microphysics of clouds, and the socio-economic impacts of severe weather. NCAR also provides advanced observing facilities for use in studies around the world, powerful supercomputer facilities and related software, a variety of community models, and valuable research data sets that describe the earth and sun. NCAR's educational and technology transfer activities have made many of the results of the basic research useful to the public and private sectors.

Extensive Experience in Conducting Post-doctoral Research Programs

· NCAR has a well-established (nearly 50 years old) postdoctoral fellowship program, the Advanced Studies Program (ASP), on which this proposed fellowship/training will be based. The postdoctoral fellows under this program would be part of the cohort of ASP fellows, attending weekly seminars and other programming designed to support the academic and professional development of the fellows. Additionally, the program is designed to foster interaction between all fellows in the ASP cohort allowing greater exposure to broad issues in the atmospheric sciences and with the addition of these proposed fellows integrating exposure to public health issues. (http://nar.ucar.edu/2010/lar/asp)

· As has been demonstrated through the ASP, NCAR is able to provide unique hands-on educational experiences and many opportunities for early career scientists to collaborate with a wide variety of NCAR scientists and engineers engaged in research, modeling, and observational activities. The breadth and depth of expertise among NCAR scientists, engineers, and staff is unparalleled. A key offering of NCAR is the cadre of climate and related earth-scientists who are employed there. In much the same way that CDC is the ideal employment opportunity for public health sciences, NCAR is the first choice for scientists in climate and earth sciences. The postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to find mentors from the NCAR community and are required to attend lectures from the faculty.

Access to High Performance Computing Facilities

· As part of its mission to support the scientific community, NCAR’s Computational and Informational Science Laboratory (CISL) operates and maintains a premier supercomputing and data storage facility. Its Mesa Lab facility has long been one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated scientific computing facilities, meeting the needs of the atmospheric and related sciences community for forty years. The new NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, which is scheduled to begin operations in the summer of 2012, will further advance NCAR’s reputation as a world-class center for high-performance scientific computing. In addition to these primary facilities, NCAR provides a virtual Community Computing facility that allows scientists in the research community to pursue investigations beyond the scope of university computing centers. (http://nar.ucar.edu/2010/lar/page/advancing-geosciences-through-simulation-0) Access to Research Data

· CISL also maintains a Research Data Archive (RDA), which contains a large and diverse collection of meteorological and oceanographic observations, operational and reanalysis model outputs, and remote sensing datasets to support atmospheric and geosciences research, along with ancillary datasets, such as topography/bathymetry, vegetation, and land use. Trained in atmospheric and oceanographic sciences, the RDA support staff is uniquely prepared to offer knowledgeable consulting on broad-ranging research data questions. Through its Community Data Portal researchers also have access to a collection of more than 8,000 earth science data sets. CDC postdoctoral fellows, like all ASP fellows, will have access to these computing and data facilities to support their research. No other atmospheric science program offers these tools. (http://nar.ucar.edu/2010/lar/page/data-support-climate-and-weather-research) Access to World-Class Weather and Climate Models

· NCAR has developed several unique modeling systems, including the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system, which provides the highest resolution model output available on the continent. This weather model is continually being refined, tested and evaluated by NCAR scientists. (http://strc.comet.ucar.edu/wrfems/)

· On the climate side, the NSF and DOE-funded Community Climate System Model (CCSM) produced more than 10,000 model years of simulated climate data for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). In recognition of their work, nine NCAR scientists were part of the group who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice-President Al Gore for “…efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change.”

· In August 2010, NCAR released its latest and most advanced tool: the Community Earth System Model (CESM), a fully coupled, global model that provides state-of-the-art computer simulations of Earth's past, present, and future climates (http://www.cesm.ucar.edu/). CESM will be one of the primary models used to conduct simulations in support of the next assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due in 2013–14 (http://nar.ucar.edu/2010/lar/page/community-earth-system-model).

· CDC post-doctoral fellows at NCAR have access to these weather and climate models, as well as the chance to work with and learn from the scientists who develop, and continually enhance, them.

Opportunity to Conduct Societally Relevant, Interdisciplinary Research

· Further evidence of its unique position as a center for scientific excellence can be found in NCAR’s Research Applications Laboratory (RAL) which has worked over the past two decades to bring scientific and technological advancements to bear on society’s needs for better weather and climate information. Working across the physical and social sciences, RAL addresses the impact of weather and climate on water and energy resources, transportation, national security, and human health. RAL scientists and engineers work closely with stakeholders, policy and decision makers to develop tools and systems to inform and enhance decision making. RAL’s Climate Sciences and Applications Program (CSAP) hosts the Weather, Climate and Health group that is currently addressing the impact of weather on the onset of meningitis in the Sahel region of Africa; the impact of climate change on the spread of dengue fever in Mexico and on the spread of plague in Uganda; and the growing threat of deadly heat waves for urban populations. RAL is working to educate the next generation of scientists who have the knowledge and skills to investigate the complex relationships among weather, climate, human health and ecosystems through development of models that integrate the physical and social sciences.

In conclusion, NCAR is uniquely qualified to host a CDC Post-Doctoral Program. The Center offers an established, highly-regarded post-doctoral program (ASP) which will aid in recruiting CDC post-doctoral fellows; providing a home base for them, making them part of a larger post-doc cohort; and facilitating a successful transition from student to research scientist. Given the breadth and depth of the NCAR program, CDC post-docs will have the ability to interact with scientists in a variety of disciplines, attending lectures and seminars, as well as the chance to simply meet for lunch in the cafeteria. The CDC post-docs will also have access to the tools they need to succeed in their work: world-class models, computing facilities, and research data, as well as the help they need to use these tools successfully.

Being based in Boulder, Colorado, NCAR is well situated geographically to the CDC Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in Fort Collins, Colorado, which is one of the CDC sites that would host a fellow specializing in climate science and vector-borne diseases.

A Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application. If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a legal, binding agreement from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Attach with “Other Attachment Forms” when submitting via www.grants.gov.

Required Registrations

Registering your organization through www.Grants.gov, the official agency-wide E-grant website, is the first step in submitting an application online. Registration information is located on the “Get Registered” screen of www.Grants.gov. Please visit www.Grants.gov at least 30 days prior to submitting your application to familiarize yourself with the registration and submission processes. The “one-time” registration process will take three to five days to complete. However, the Grants.gov registration process also requires that you register your organization with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and DUN and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) which will require up to at least 4 weeks to complete registration in its entirety. The CCR registration can require an additional two weeks to complete. You are required to maintain a current registration in CCR. CCR registration must be renewed annually.

Central Contractor Registration and Universal Identifier Requirements All applicant organizations must obtain a DUN and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the Universal Identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. The DUNS number is a nine-digit number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet Information Services. An Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) should be consulted to determine the appropriate number. If the organization does not have a DUNS number, an AOR should complete the US D&B D-U-N-S Number Request Form or contact Dun and Bradstreet by telephone directly at 1-866-705-5711 (toll-free) to obtain one. A DUNS number will be provided immediately by telephone at no charge. Note this is an organizational number. Individual Program Directors/Principal Investigators do not need to register for a DUNS number.

Additionally, all applicant organizations must register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and maintain the registration with current information at all times during which it has an application under consideration for funding by CDC and, if an award is made, until a final financial report is submitted or the final payment is received, whichever is later. CCR is the primary registrant database for the Federal government and is the repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Additional information about registration procedures may be found at the CCR internet site at www.ccr.gov.

If an award is granted, the grantee organization must notify potential sub-recipients that no organization may receive a subaward under the grant unless the organization has provided its DUNS number to the grantee organization.

Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program.

Other Special Requirements: NCAR is the single eligible applicant for this Funding Opportunity Announcement (see single eligibility justification above and attached).

Also In order to document eligibility, please include

· Documentation of the relationship between NSF, UCAR, and NCAR (e.g. charter, memorandum of understanding, and/or cooperative agreement)

· Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

Please see below for instructions on how to upload all additional documentation in Grants.gov.

Note: Title 2 of the United States Code Section 1611 states that an organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds constituting a grant, loan, or an award.

Maintenance of Effort

Maintenance of Effort is not required for this program IV. Application and Submission Information Submission Dates and Times This announcement is the definitive guide on LOI and application content, submission, and deadline. It supersedes information provided in the application instructions. If the application submission does not meet the deadline published herein, it will not be eligible for review and the applicant will be notified the application did not meet the submission requirements.

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline Date: A letter of intent is not applicable to this funding opportunity announcement.

Application Deadline Date: April 9, 2012, 11:59 U.S. Eastern Standard Time Applicants must download the SF424 application package associated with this funding opportunity from Grants.gov. If access to the Internet is not available or if the applicant encounters difficulty in accessing the forms on-line, contact the HHS/CDC Procurement and Grant Office Technical Information Management Section (PGO TIMS) staff at (770) 488-2700 email:pgotim@cdc.gov Monday-Friday 7:00am – 4:30pm U.S. Eastern Standard Time for further instruction. CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at: TTY 1-888-232-6348.

If the applicant encounters technical difficulties with Grants.gov, the applicant should contact Grants.gov Customer Service. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of all Federal Holidays. The Contact Center provides customer service to the applicant community. The extended hours will provide applicants support around the clock, ensuring the best possible customer service is received any time it’s needed. You can reach the Grants.gov Support Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Submissions sent by e-mail, fax, CD’s or thumb drives of applications will not be accepted.

Content and Form of Application Submission

All applicants are required to sign and submit CDC Assurances and Certifications that can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/foamain.shtm Print, scan and upload as an additional attachment into the application package.

Letter of Intent (LOI): A letter of intent is not applicable to this funding opportunity announcement.

Note: (Limit file names to 50 characters and do not use special characters (example: &, -,*,%,/,#) including periods (.), blank spaces and accent marks, within application form fields and file attachment names. An underscore (_) may be used to separate a file name. Also, do not attach multiple documents with the same file name.) Please do not Cut&paste information into any fields within the application package all information must be typed.

A Project Abstract must be completed in the Grants.gov application forms. The Project Abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader. This abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.

A Project Narrative must be submitted with the application forms. The project narrative must be uploaded in a PDF file format when submitting via Grants.gov. The narrative must be submitted in the following format:

· Maximum number of pages: It is suggested that the general background and program component sections not exceed an average of 15 single-spaced pages each (excluding budget and justification, required forms, and appendices). If your narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.

· Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman

· Single spaced

· Page margin size: One inch

· Number all narrative pages; not to exceed the maximum number of pages.

Project Narrative: The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed:

1. Background: Describe your understanding of the background and objectives of this cooperative agreement program.

2. Capacity:

a. Describe the organization’s history and experience of promoting climate and atmospheric science, especially by conducting regular national meetings and workshops devoted to current topics.

b. Describe the organization’s experience in climate and atmospheric science education and training. What experience do you have in conducting postdoctoral programs similar to that proposed in the funding opportunity announcement?

c. Describe the organization’s available resources and facilities (e.g., administrative and financial management operations, office functions, etc.) to conduct the proposed program.

d. Provide documentation (e.g., by curriculum vitae) for all key personnel, to demonstrate that they have adequate relevant experience to successfully develop and conduct the proposed program.

3. Operational Plan:

a. Provide a detailed and time-phased operational plan for developing and conducting the program. The plan must:

· Clearly and appropriately addresses all Recipient Activities.

· Clearly identify the specifically assigned responsibilities of all key professional personnel.

· Be feasible and likely to achieve all of the program objectives.

b. Describe your plan for collaboration with CDC that utilizes CDC’s unique expertise in public health.

c. Provide a detailed plan for how you will evaluate progress of individual associates and for evaluating progress toward achieving overall program objectives.

4. Budget & Justification: (Budget justification will not be counted in the stated page limit)

a. Provide an itemized budget for conducting the project and the justification. It should be reasonable and consistent with stated objectives and planned program activities.

b. If requesting indirect costs in the budget, it is required that you include a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement.

c. If the indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 months of age. Upload a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement as a PDF file with “Other Attachment Forms” when submitting via Grants.gov.

Additional Information: Additional information may be included in the application appendices. The appendices will not be counted toward the narrative page limit. This additional information includes:

· Documentation of the relationship between NSF, UCAR, and NCAR (e.g. charter, memorandum of understanding, and/or cooperative agreement)

Additional information submitted via Grants.gov should be uploaded in a PDF file format, and should be named:

· Documentation of the relationship between NSF, UCAR, and NCAR

There is no maximum number of allowable attachments.

Additional requirements for additional documentation with the application are listed in Section VII. Award Administration Information, subsection entitled “Administrative and National Policy Requirements.”

Funding Restrictions Restrictions, which must be taken into account while writing the budget, are as follows:

· Recipients may not use funds for research.

· Recipients may not use funds for clinical care.

· Recipients may only expend funds for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services, such as contractual.

· Awardees may not generally use HHS/CDC/ATSDR funding for the purchase of furniture or equipment. Any such proposed spending must be identified in the budget.

· The direct and primary recipient in a cooperative agreement program must perform a substantial role in carrying out project objectives and not merely serve as a conduit for an award to another party or provider who is ineligible.

· Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.

Additional Submission Requirements Electronic Submission Submit the application electronically by using the forms and instructions posted for this funding opportunity on www.Grants.gov. If access to the Internet is not available or if the applicant encounters difficulty in accessing the forms on-line, contact the HHS/CDC, Procurement and Grant Office, Technical Information Management Section (PGO TIMS) staff at (770) 488-2700 Email:pgotim@cdc.gov Monday-Friday 7:30am -4:30pm for further instruction.

Note: Application submission is not concluded until successful completion of the validation process. After submission of your application package, applicants will receive a “submission receipt” email generated by Grants.gov. Grants.gov will then generate a second e-mail message to applicants which will either validate or reject their submitted application package. This validation process may take as long as two (2) business days. Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the status of their application to ensure submission of their application package is complete and no submission errors exists. To guarantee that you comply with the application deadline published in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, applicants are also strongly encouraged to allocate additional days prior to the published deadline to file their application. Non-validated applications will not be accepted after the published application deadline date.

In the event that you do not receive a “validation” email within two (2) business days of application submission, please contact Grants.gov. Refer to the email message generated at the time of application submission for instructions on how to track your application or the Application User Guide, Version 3.0 page 57.

Applications must be submitted electronically at www.Grants.gov. Electronic applications will be considered as having met the deadline if the application has been successfully made available to CDC for processing from Grants.gov on the deadline date. The application package can be downloaded from www.Grants.gov. Applicants can complete the application package off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov Web site. The applicant must submit all application attachments using a PDF file format when submitting via Grants.gov. Directions for creating PDF files can be found on the Grants.gov Web site. Use of file formats other than PDF may result in the file being unreadable by staff.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov), are electronically time/date stamped and assigned a tracking number. The AOR will receive an e-mail notice of receipt when Grants.gov receives the application. The tracking number serves to document submission and initiate the electronic validation process before the application is made available to CDC for processing.

If the applicant encounters technical difficulties with Grants.gov, the applicant should contact Grants.gov Customer Service. The Grants.gov Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of all Federal Holidays. The Contact Center provides customer service to the applicant community. The extended hours will provide applicants support around the clock, ensuring the best possible customer service is received any time it’s needed. You can reach the Grants.gov Support Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Submissions sent by e-mail, fax, CD’s or thumb drives of applications will not be accepted.

V. Application Review Information Eligible applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the CDC-RFA-CK12-1204. Measures of effectiveness must relate to the performance goals stated in the “Purpose” section of this announcement. Measures of effectiveness must be objective, quantitative and measure the intended outcome of the proposed program. The measures of effectiveness must be included in the application and will be an element of the evaluation of the submitted application.

Criteria

Eligible applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:

5. Background (5 points): The extent to which the applicant demonstrates a clear understanding of the background and objectives of this cooperative agreement program.

6. Capacity (60 points total):

e. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that the organization has a significant history of promoting climate and atmospheric science, especially by conducting regular national meetings and workshops devoted to current topics. (15 points)

f. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates experience in climate and atmospheric science education and training. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates experience in conducting postdoctoral programs similar to that proposed in the funding opportunity announcement. (30 points)

g. The extent to which applicant demonstrates it has adequate resources and facilities (e.g., administrative and financial management operations, office functions, etc.) to conduct the proposed program. (5 points)

h. The extent to which applicant documents (e.g., by curriculum vitae) that all key personnel have adequate relevant experience to successfully develop and conduct the proposed program. (10 points)

7. Operational Plan (35 points total)

d. Extent to which applicant presents a detailed and time-phased operational plan for developing and conducting the program. The extent to which the plan clearly and appropriately addresses all Recipient Activities. The extent to which the applicant clearly identifies specific assigned responsibilities of all key professional personnel. The extent to which the applicant’s plan appears feasible and likely to achieve program objectives. (15 points)

e. The extent to which the applicant clearly describes collaboration with CDC that utilizes CDC’s unique expertise in public health. (15 points)

f. The extent to which the applicant describes in detail a plan for evaluating progress of individual associates and for evaluating progress toward achieving overall program objectives. (5 points)

8. Budget & Justification (Reviewed, but not scored)

d. The extent to which the itemized budget for conducting the project and the justification is reasonable and consistent with stated objectives and planned program activities.

e. If the applicant requests indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement is required.

f. If the indirect cost rate is a provisional rate, the agreement should be less than 12 months of age. The indirect cost rate agreement should be uploaded as a PDF file with “Other Attachment Forms” when submitting via Grants.gov.

Applicant may obtain guidance for completing a detailed justified budget on the CDC website, at the following Internet address:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.

Review and Selection Process

Review

All eligible applications will be initially reviewed for completeness by the Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) staff. In addition, eligible applications will be jointly reviewed for responsiveness by NCEZID, NCEH, and PGO. Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process. Applicants will be notified that the application did not meet eligibility and/or published submission requirements.

Selection CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank order, such as approved single eligibility justification for NCAR.

VI. Award Administration Information Award Notices

Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA) from the CDC Procurement and Grants Office. The NoA shall be the only binding, authorizing document between the recipient and CDC. The NoA will be signed by an authorized Grants Management Officer and e-mailed to the program director. A hard copy of the NoA will be mailed to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration and Transparency Act requirements.

Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review by mail.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Successful applicants must comply with the administrative requirements outlined in 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 74 or Part 92, as appropriate. The following additional requirements apply to this project:

· AR-10

Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements

· AR-11

Healthy People 2020

· AR-14

Accounting System Requirements

· AR-15

Proof of Non-Profit Status

· AR-16

Security Clearance Requirement

· AR-20

Conference Support

· AR-25

Release and Sharing of Data

· AR-27

Conference Disclaimer and Use of Logos

· AR-29

Compliance with E.O. 13513 Federal Leadership on Reducing

Text Messaging While Driving, October 1, 2009.

· AR-30

Information Letter 10-006. – Compliance with Section 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

· Additional information on the requirements can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/Addtl_Reqmnts.htm.

For more information on the Code of Federal Regulations, see the National Archives and Records Administration at the following Internet address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html Reporting

Federal Funding Accountability And Transparency Act Of 2006 (FFATA): Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 as amended (FFATA), requires full disclosure of all entities and organizations receiving Federal funds including grants, contracts, loans and other assistance and payments through a single publicly accessible Web site, www.USASpending.gov. The Web site includes information on each Federal financial assistance award and contract over $25,000, including such information as:

1. The name of the entity receiving the award

2. The amount of the award

3. Information on the award including transaction type, funding agency, etc.

4. The location of the entity receiving the award

5. A unique identifier of the entity receiving the award; and

6. Names and compensation of highly-compensated officers (as applicable)

Compliance with this law is primarily the responsibility of the Federal agency. However, two elements of the law require information to be collected and reported by recipients: 1) information on executive compensation when not already reported through the Central Contractor Registry; and 2) similar information on all sub-awards/subcontracts/consortiums over $25,000.

For the full text of the requirements under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, please review the following website:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:s2590enr.txt.pdf .

Each funded applicant must provide CDC with an annual Interim Progress Report submitted via www.grants.gov:

1. The interim progress report is due no less than 90 days before the end of the budget period. The Interim Progress Report will serve as the non-competing continuation application, and must contain the following elements:

a. Standard Form (“SF”) 424S Form.

b. SF-424A Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.

c. Budget Narrative.

d. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

e. Project Narrative.

Additionally, funded applicants must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies of the following reports:

2. Financial Status Report* (SF 269), no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period.

3. Final performance and Financial Status Reports*, no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.

*Disclaimer: As of February 1, 2011, current Financial Status Report (FSR) requirements will be obsolete. Existing practices will be updated to reflect changes for implementation of the new Federal Financial Reporting (FFR) requirements.

These reports must be submitted to the attention of the Grants Management Specialist listed in the Section VII below entitled “Agency Contacts”.

VII. Agency Contacts CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement.

For programmatic technical assistance, contact:

Charles Benjamin Beard, PhD Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

3150 Rampart Road, MS P02

Fort Collins, CO 80521

Telephone: 970.221.6418

E-mail: CBeard@cdc.gov For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:

Valerie McCloud, Grants Management Specialist

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS K-14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770.488.4790

E-mail: fyq4@cdc.gov For assistance with submission difficulties, contact:

Grants.gov Contact Center Phone: 1-800-518-4726 Email: support@grants.gov Hours of Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on Federal holidays.

For submission questions, contact:

Technical Information Management Section

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770-488-2700

Email:

pgotim@cdc.gov CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at:

TTY 1-888-232-6348

VIII. Other Information For more information, please visit the following websites:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/ http://www.cdc.gov/NCEH/ http://www.cdc.gov/climatechange/ For additional information on reporting requirements, visit the CDC website at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/additional_req.shtm.

Other CDC funding opportunity announcements can be found at www.grants.gov.

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