dd11-1107 final foa 6.6.11.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: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Regional Training Centers Announcement Type: New – Type 1 Agency Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-DD11-1107 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.073 Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities - Prevention and Surveillance Key Dates:

Application Deadline Date: July 21, 2011, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time Additional Overview Content:

This FOA is for a 3 year project period incorporating:

Core activities to 1) improve knowledge, attitudes, and skills of medical and allied health students and practitioners regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of FASDs, 2) partner with existing networks or organizations and affiliates to expand the capacities for medical and allied health student and practitioner education and training related to FASDs and implementation of alcohol SBI in primary care settings, and 3) evaluate and disseminate program impact. This includes a one year period to develop a plan to increase alcohol screening and brief intervention in primary care settings serving women of reproductive age. There will be a limited competition among the funded RTCs for a supplemental FOA for a two (2) year period to implement and evaluate the SBI plan of action.

The RTCs have demonstrated significant and effective past experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating college or university-based education programs regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) for medical and allied health students and practitioners and with additional resources can achieve larger impacts through a targeted policy and system plan of action to increase alcohol SBI in primary care settings serving women of reproductive age.

Initially, up to 5 awardees will be funded for core activities for three (3) years, approximately $275,000 each year. In the second and subsequent year, awardees will be eligible to compete for funding of supplemental activities, approximately $150,000 each year. Only applicants funded for core activities under this FOA will be eligible to compete for two (2) additional years of supplemental funding to implement and evaluate the developed alcohol SBI plans. This announcement is open to competition by university or college-based programs. For more information about eligibility, see section III. This program addresses the Healthy People 2020 focus area of Maternal, Infant, and Child Health.

PART 2. FULL TEXT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Statutory Authority

This program is authorized under sections 317(k)(2) and 317C of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Sections 247b(k)(2) and 247b-4], as amended.

Background As part of the fiscal year 2002 appropriations funding legislation, the U.S. Congress mandated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), acting through the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Prevention Team and in coordination with the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect (NTFFAS/FAE), other federally funded FAS programs, and appropriate nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), would (1) develop guidelines for the diagnosis of FAS and other negative birth outcomes resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol; (2) incorporate these guidelines into curricula for medical and allied health students and practitioners, and seek to have them fully recognized by professional organizations and accrediting boards; and (3) disseminate curricula to and provide training for medical and allied health students and practitioners regarding these guidelines. As part of CDC’s response to this mandate, a total of seven Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Regional Training Centers (RTCs) have been established since 2002 to train medical and allied health students and professionals regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of FAS and related disorders, now known collectively as FASDs. The FASD RTCs have developed and implemented ongoing FASD training programs and courses throughout their regions reaching medical and allied health professionals and students. For more information regarding areas served by the currently funded RTCs and the core competencies upon which the trainings are based, please refer to http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/training.html#RTCs.

Purpose

While significant accomplishments have been made by the current CDC-funded RTCs, much work remains to be done. Thus, CDC is announcing the availability of a new cycle of funding to build upon and expand these prior efforts. The purpose of this request for applications is to provide FASD training programs for medical and allied health students and practitioners regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), with an increased emphasis on training on and promotion of alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) for women of reproductive age. Awardees are to use the FASD Competency-Based Curriculum Development Guide for Medical and Allied Health Education and Practice, developed by the RTCs in collaboration with CDC and the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), as the basis of their training programs and courses (available for download at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/curriculum/index.html). The expanded emphasis on alcohol SBI is to move from training on the SBI core competency to implementation of this practice as a routine part of primary care within a health system or setting serving women of reproductive age who are at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. The RTCs have demonstrated significant and effective past experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating college or university-based education programs regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) for medical and allied health students and practitioners and with additional resources can achieve larger impacts through a targeted policy and system plan of action to increase alcohol SBI in primary care settings serving women of reproductive age.

Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the performance goal for the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancy among reproductive age women to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome and other adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.

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 Program Implementation

Recipient Activities A. Improve knowledge, attitudes, and skills of medical and allied health students and practitioners regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of FASDs:

· Increase the proportion of medical and allied health students and practitioners who achieve core competencies through appropriate education about FASDs, including how to screen and intervene with women at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy and how to recognize, diagnose, and refer children with FASDs. This includes the promotion of evidence-based interventions for women, such as Project CHOICES, and evidence-based interventions for children.

· Increase the numbers of medical and allied health professional training programs that implement recurring courses and/or content based on the FASD Competency-Based Curriculum Development Guide for Medical and Allied Health Education and Practice.

· Develop and maintain a website containing, at a minimum, a list of courses and materials offered by the RTC. Electronic versions of products should also be posted on this website. Materials developed and distributed by the RTCs must be in the public domain and cannot be copyrighted. CDC should review all materials or products produced by the RTCs.

· Use/adapt existing science-based, innovative, high-quality, culturally appropriate programs and materials for FASD training and education tailored to the needs of the target audiences. Applicants should propose using strategies and technologies that would best meet the needs of their audiences (e.g., in-person trainings, distance learning, webinars, online training courses, seminars, and/or netmeetings).

· Develop and implement a training plan that integrates the FASD Competency-Based Curriculum Development Guide for Medical and Allied Health Education and Practice developed by the FASD RTCs, CDC, and NOFAS. The plan must be based on identified learner needs and indicate how the applicant will provide the necessary education and/or training for medical and allied health students and practitioners during the funded project period. The plan should include 1) provision of continuing education credits for participants, when possible and appropriate, 2) strategies to achieve optimal geographic reach, including demonstration of existing relationships with universities/organizations outside the applicant’s state (include letters of support), or describe a plan to develop such relationships, 3) strategies for marketing the trainings available and for recruiting participants, and 4) a description of process and outcome measures to be used in assessing the impact of the training programs provided. Existing training programs should describe how they will expand/enhance their current training activities.

· Provide technical assistance to others developing and providing education and training regarding FASDs. This technical assistance may be provided via telephone, e-mail, written consultation, or on-site.

B. Increase alcohol screening and brief intervention in primary care settings serving women of reproductive age.

· In Year 1, all funded FASD Regional Training Centers will be required to develop a plan to increase alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) broadly in a system of care serving women of reproductive age (e.g., a system of public or private primary care practices, such as university-based health service system, managed care organization or other large health insurer system). The plan will be submitted with awardees’ Year 2 continuation application. Subject to the availability of funds, one to four plans will be competitively awarded through a supplemental award for Years 2-3. The alcohol SBI implementation plan (to be developed during Year 1) should:

· Identify the health system where SBI will be implemented and describe the need for SBI in the identified health system.

· Describe the primary care settings within the system where SBI will be implemented. Primary care settings within the health system could include internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and other settings providing services to women of reproductive age.

· Describe how existing alcohol SBI resources will be used (e.g., FASD Prevention Tool Kit for Women’s Health Care Providers, available for download at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/acog_toolkit.html) and existing alcohol SBI implementation guidelines (e.g., Screening and Brief Interventions for Unhealthy Alcohol Use: A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide for Trauma Centers, available for download at: http://www.cdc.gov/InjuryResponse/alcohol-screening/pdf/SBI-Implementation-Guide-a.pdf which is currently being modified for primary care settings) and describe how these resources will be tailored to meet the needs of the identified system of care.

· Describe the specific role the FASD Regional Training Center will play in supporting the development and implementation of SBI within the identified system of care.

· Provide letters of commitment from the health system, designated settings, and other partners necessary for implementation of the plan.

· Describe the training needs of the identified system of care regarding SBI.

· Provide an evaluation plan for the implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention for women of reproductive age within the identified health system (e.g., document the implementation process, assess the cost of implementation, track percent of women screened, number of women who screen positive, number of women who receive intervention, and number of women referred to other sources of help).

· Provide a detailed budget justification for implementing and evaluating the alcohol SBI plan.

· Provide letters of commitment from potential partners to participate in the Year 1 planning process.

C. Partner with existing networks or organizations and affiliates to achieve A and B above (e.g., American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence FASD State Coordinators, SAMHSA Alcohol Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs), state and local health departments, federally qualified health centers, and other health care systems, etc.) to expand the capacities for medical and allied health student and practitioner education and training related to FASDs and implementation of alcohol SBI in primary care settings.

D. Evaluate the impact of program activities:

· Develop and implement an evaluation plan that assesses the impact of training activities as measured by: changes in learner knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors among recipients of the training and education provided. The plan should also address the degree to which trained providers increase their interactions with other relevant service delivery agencies and providers in the community (for example, increased referrals to alcohol and drug treatment centers and FASD diagnostic clinics).

· Develop a plan to use evaluation information to provide continuous quality improvement of training/education activities and materials.

· Utilize existing tracking system, developed by CDC and the RTCs (during the 2008-2011 cycle), that documents the number of hours of training/education provided, the number of trainees/students, the type of trainees/students (nurses, physicians, psychologists, etc.), and the competencies addressed by individual training courses.

· In Year 1, outline how the applicant will monitor progress on developing a plan to implement alcohol SBI in a health care system.

· Participate with CDC and other grantees in cross-site core evaluation planning.

E. Collaborate with CDC and other grantees

· Participate in regular conference calls, listserv discussions, and other forms of communication with CDC and other grantees to provide program updates and share information and materials.

· Attend annual, two-day grantee meetings coordinated by CDC. All travel expenses should be included in proposed budget.

· Participate in workgroup activities, as appropriate, such as the RTC Evaluation Committee.

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

CDC Activities

· Assist recipients in monitoring program evaluation/performance, setting and meeting objectives, implementation methods, and complying with cooperative agreement requirements and other funding issues, through various methods including telephone consultation, site visits, and site visit reports.

· Provide technical assistance in assessing and prioritizing training and education needs and in planning, implementing, and evaluating training and education activities.

· Provide technical assistance in developing and evaluating curriculum approaches, instructional strategies, and materials tailored to meet the FASD curriculum competencies. This will be accomplished through review and comment on all materials developed, as well as facilitation of communications with other CDC grantees on this project.

· Provide technical assistance in identifying alcohol SBI implementation guidelines and modifying guidelines to fit a particular setting.

· Provide technical assistance in developing and implementing an evaluation plan for incorporating alcohol SBI into a health system serving women of reproductive age.

· Convene cross-site RTC evaluation committee and manage required OMB clearance processes related to RTC evaluation activities.

· Convene regular conference calls and facilitate other forms of communication with grantees to provide updates and share information and materials.

· Convene annual grantee meetings.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

Award Mechanism: U84 Cooperative Agreements for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Research Programs Fiscal Year Funds: 2011 Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: Up to $1,375,000 Approximate Total Project Period Funding: Up to $8,075,000 ($6,875,000 for core activities and $1,200,000 for supplemental activities starting in Year 2 for a period of two (2) years.) (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) This includes both direct and indirect costs.

Approximate Number of Awards: Up to 5 awards Approximate Average Award: $275,000 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and/or indirect costs.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: $250,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $300,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-month budget period, total cost.)

Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2011 Budget Period Length: 12 months Project Period Length: 3 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:

· Universities

· Colleges

This project focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating college or university-based education programs regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) for medical and allied health students and practitioners. Since 2002, a total of seven FASD Regional Training Centers have been funded to train medical and allied health students and professionals regarding the prevention, identification, and treatment of FAS and related disorders, now known collectively as FASDs. The FASD RTCs have developed and implemented FASD training programs throughout their regions reaching medical and allied health professionals and students. In addition, the RTCs collaborated with CDC and the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) in the development of the FASD Competency-Based Curriculum Development Guide for Medical and Allied Health Education and Practice which also provides an opportunity for disseminating this content to medical and allied health students and professionals through structured training sessions.

Universities and Colleges with the following experience are uniquely qualified to conduct the required activities of this announcement: (a) demonstrated ability to adapt, implement, and evaluate ongoing educational curricula and training materials based on the FASD competencies (see http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/training.html#RTCs) with medical and allied health students and practitioners (the target audiences of this work); (b) demonstrated capacity to develop or build upon existing FASD training infrastructure; (c) demonstrated experience/expertise in the implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention in primary care settings for women of reproductive age, (d) demonstrated infrastructure that would support the implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention for women of reproductive age, (e) a demonstrated geographic need for alcohol screening and brief intervention for women of reproductive age, (f) demonstrated current partnerships with systems of care serving women of reproductive age, and (g) demonstrated existing capacity and relationships necessary to conduct evaluation of their efforts. For these reasons, we have limited eligibility for this FOA to universities and colleges with this specific experience.

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). The CCR registration can require an additional one to two days to complete. You are required to maintain a current registration in CCR.

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 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 If a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range is requested, the application will be considered non-responsive and will not be entered into the review process. The applicant will be notified that the application did not meet the eligibility requirements.

Special Requirements:

If the application is incomplete or non-responsive to the special requirements listed in this section, it will not be entered into the review process. The applicant will be notified the application did not meet submission requirements.

· Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See section “IV. Application and Submission Information” for more information on deadlines.

· To be considered responsive to this announcement, the applicant institution must provide:

· All institutions applying under this announcement should have (1) experience in the field of FASDs and the education of medical and allied health students and practitioners regarding FASDs; (2) access to the target audiences for the cooperative agreement; and (3) access to systems of care serving women of reproductive age.

· Documentation of effective and well-defined working relationships with any organization and/or outside entities expected to participate in the proposed project to ensure implementation of the proposed activities. This should be evidenced by letters of support detailing the nature and extent of the involvement from the performing organization and outside entities (include in the appendices).

· All additional documentation must be uploaded in Grants.gov under “Other Attachment Forms” and should be labeled appropriately.

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 Address to Request Application Package Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) 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 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 Unless specifically indicated, this announcement requires submission of the following information:

CDC Assurances and Certifications can be found on the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/grants/foamain.shtm Letter of Intent (LOI):

A letter of intent is not applicable to this funding opportunity announcement.

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: 25. 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

· Double spaced

· Page margin size: One inch

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

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

· Need: A demonstrated understanding of the problem of FASDs, the importance of educating medical and allied health students and practitioners about these conditions, and evidence of the need for education in the geographic areas and disciplines (types of providers) the applicant proposes to serve. With regards to the Year 1 planning for the competitive supplement in Year 2, the description of need should include a demonstrated understanding of the need for alcohol SBI for women of reproductive age in general, in the geographic area served by the identified health system, and within the health system, if one has been identified.

· Plan: A full, comprehensive, and time-phased description of the proposed project. The plan should include: (1) a plan for how the work will be accomplished along with a timeline of activities; (2) the process for trainee recruitment; (3) a plan for acquiring continuing education credits appropriate for trainees; (4) a proposed training plan based on learner needs; (5) a description of how the RTC will expand the number of medical and allied health and allied health professional training programs that use the RTC FASD competency-based curriculum; (6) a description of the plan to provide technical assistance and dissemination efforts to other colleges and universities within the RTC region offering education to providers and allied health professionals; (7) a description of plans to collaborate with existing networks and organizations to expand capacities for professional and student education related to FASDs and implementation of alcohol SBI in primary care settings; (8) a description of plans to collaborate with CDC and other grantees; and (9) with regards to the Year 1 planning for the competitive supplement in Year 2, this section should include a time-phased description of how the implementation plan for alcohol SBI in a health system will be developed.

· Methods: The Methods section should include (1) a detailed description of project goals and objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased (SMART) (e.g., number of trainings to be held, number of participants to be trained, number of schools to incorporate the curriculum content); (2) a detailed plan for evaluating the objectives that includes both process and outcome measures, including (a) a comprehensive plan to assess changes in learner knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors among recipients of the training and education provided and to assess changes in patterns of referral by providers to other appropriate facilities and agencies (for example, increased referrals to alcohol and drug treatment centers and FASD diagnostic clinics); (b) a plan for using evaluation information to provide continuous quality improvement of training/education activities and materials; (c) a plan to utilize existing tracking system, developed by CDC and the RTCs (during the 2008-2011 cycle), that documents the number of hours of training/education provided, the number of trainees/students, the type of trainees/students (nurses, physicians, psychologists, etc.), and the competencies addressed by individual training courses; and (3) an appropriate timeline of the project that outlines key project activities, the responsible person(s) for each activity, and when each activity is to be completed.

· Personnel and Organizational Capacity: A description of the applicant’s ability to (1) conduct the activities of the cooperative agreement, including documentation of previous relevant experience, experience in FASD education and training, experience in the implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention for women of reproductive age, documentation of institutional and partner support for the project (including documentation of commitment from partners to participate in the planning of Year 2 supplement), documentation of adequate management structure and organizational capacity, and provision of technical assistance in training and education; (2) identify qualified personnel, including credentials and appropriate experience, particularly in the area of FASDs, to fill key positions and begin project activities in a timely fashion; (3) a description of all the project staff, regardless of their funding source. It should include their title, qualifications, experience, percentage of time each will devote to the project, as well as the portion of their salary to be paid by the cooperative agreement; (4) position descriptions for proposed RTC staff; and (5) identify adequate office space for the project as well as facilities and equipment for conducting training and educational sessions.

· Budget Justification: A detailed first year’s budget for the cooperative agreement with future annual projections. Awards will be made for a project period of up to three (3) years. (Budget justification is not included in narrative page limit).

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

· Curriculum Vitae

· Letters of Support

· Organizational Charts

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

· Curriculum Vitae

· Letters of Support

· Organizational Charts

· Other Appendices

No more than 15 should be uploaded per application.

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

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.

Application Deadline Date: July 21, 2011, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

Intergovernmental Review Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

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.

Other Submission Requirements Application 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 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 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.

Electronic Submission of Application 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.

Organizations that encounter technical difficulties in using www.Grants.gov to submit their application must attempt to overcome those difficulties by contacting the Grants.gov Support Center (1-800-518-4726, support@grants.gov). After consulting with the Grants.gov Support Center, if the technical difficulties remain unresolved and electronic submission is not possible to meet the established deadline, organizations may submit a request prior to the application deadline by email to GMO/GMS for permission to submit a paper application. An organization's request for permission must: (a) include the Grants.gov case number assigned to the inquiry, (b) describe the difficulties that prevent electronic submission and the efforts taken with the Grants.gov Support Center (c) be submitted to the GMO/GMS at least 3 calendar days prior to the application deadline. Paper applications submitted without prior approval will not be considered.

If a paper application is authorized, the applicant will receive instructions from PGO TIMS to submit the original and two hard copies of the application by mail or express delivery service.

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-DD11-1107. 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:

1. Plan: (30 Points)

· The extent to which the applicant provides a full, comprehensive, and time-phased description of the project they propose to undertake. The plan should include: (1) a plan for how the work will be accomplished along with a timeline of activities; (2) the process for trainee recruitment; (3) a plan for acquiring continuing education credits appropriate for trainees; (4) a proposed training plan based on learner needs; (5) a description of how the RTC will expand the number of medical and allied health professional training programs that use the RTC FASD competency-based curriculum; (6) a description of the plan to provide technical assistance and dissemination efforts to other colleges and universities within the RTC region offering education to providers and allied health professionals; (7) a description of plans to collaborate with existing networks and organizations to expand capacities for professional and student education related to FASDs and implementation of alcohol SBI in primary care settings; (8) a description of plans to collaborate with CDC and other grantees; and (9) with regards to the Year 1 planning for the competitive supplement in Year 2, this section should include a time-phased description of how the implementation plan for alcohol SBI in a health system will be developed.

2. Methods: (30 Points)

The extent to which the applicant provides (1) a detailed description of project goals and objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased (SMART) (e.g., number of trainings to be held, number of participants to be trained, number of schools to incorporate the curriculum content); (2) a detailed plan for evaluating the objectives that includes both process and outcome measures, including (a) a comprehensive plan to assess changes in learner knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors among recipients of the training and education provided and to assess changes in patterns of referral by providers to other appropriate facilities and agencies (for example, increased referrals to alcohol and drug centers and FASD diagnostic clinics); (b) a plan for using evaluation information to provide continuous quality improvement of training/education activities and materials; (c) a plan to utilize existing tracking system, developed by CDC and the RTCs (during the 2008-2011 cycle), that documents the number of hours of training/education provided, the number of trainees/students, the type of trainees/students (nurses, physicians, psychologists, etc.), and the competencies addressed by individual training courses; and (3) an appropriate timeline of the project that outlines key project activities, the responsible person(s) for each activity, and when each activity is to be completed.

3. Personnel and Organizational Capacity: (20 Points)

· The extent to which the applicant has provided information to support its ability to: (1) conduct the activities of the cooperative agreement, including documentation of previous relevant experience, experience in FASD education and training, experience in the implementation of alcohol SBI for women of reproductive age, documentation of institutional and partner support for the project (including documentation of commitment from partners to participate in the planning of Year 2 supplement), documentation of adequate management structure and organizational capacity, and provision of technical assistance in training and education; (2) identify qualified personnel, including credentials and appropriate experience, particularly in the area of FASDs, to fill key positions and begin project activities in a timely fashion; (3) a description of all the project staff, regardless of their funding source. It should include their title, qualifications, experience, percentage of time each will devote to the project, as well as that portion of their salary to be paid by the cooperative agreement; (4) position descriptions for proposed RTC staff; and (5) identify adequate office space for the project as well as facilities and equipment for conducting training and educational sessions.

4. Need: (20 Points) The extent to which the applicant describes (1) an understanding of the problem of FASDs and the importance of educating medical and allied health students and practitioners about these conditions; (2) the need for education in the geographic areas and disciplines (types of providers) they propose to serve; and (3) an understanding of the need for alcohol SBI for women of reproductive age in general, in the geographic area served by the identified health system, and within the health system, if one has been identified.

5. Budget (SF 424A) and Budget Narrative (Reviewed, but not scored) The budget will be evaluated for the extent to which it is reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent with the intended use of the cooperative agreement funds. If a request for indirect costs is in the budget, a copy of the indirect cost rate agreement is required. 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.

The applicant can 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 the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities 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 the application did not meet eligibility and/or published submission requirements.

An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications according to the criteria listed in Section V. Application Review Information, subsection entitled “Criteria”. The objective review panel will consist of CDC employees outside of the funding division who will be randomly assigned applications to review and score.

Selection

Applications will be funded in order by score and rank determined by the review panel as well as geographical region to maintain geographic diversity.

CDC will provide justification for any decision to fund out of rank order.

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-9

Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

· AR-10

Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements

· AR-11

Healthy People 2020

· AR-12

Lobbying Restrictions

· AR-13

Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control

Activities

· AR-14

Accounting System Requirements

· AR-21

Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business

· AR-23

States and Faith-Based Organizations

· AR-24

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Requirements

· AR-25

Release and Sharing of Data

· AR-26

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

(Public Law 89-665, 80 Stat. 915)

· 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, 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.