Foa_Content_of_CDC-RFA-EH-24-0043.pdf

National Center for Environmental Health

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due April 15, 2024 - 11:59 p.m. ET

State Biomonitoring Programs: Assessing Disproportionate Exposure to Environmental Chemicals among Communities Opportunity number: CDC-RFA-EH-24-0043

Contents Before you begin 3

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 24

Get registered 25

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27

Application contents & format 28

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 35

Application review 36

Award notices 40

Step 5: Submit Your Application 41

Application submission & deadlines 42

Application checklist 44

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 45

Post-award requirements & administration 46

Contacts & Support 50

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by April 15, 2024 Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2024.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Jump to a step

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Basic information Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Environmental Health

Because everybody should have an opportunity for good health

Have questions?

See Contacts & support.

Key facts

Opportunity Name:

State Biomonitoring Programs: Assessing Disproportionate Exposure to Environmental Chemicals among Communities

Opportunity Number:

CDC-RFA-EH-24-0043

Federal Assistance Listing:

93.070 – Environmental Public Health and Emergency Response

Key dates

Application deadline:

April 15, 2024

Informational webinar:

February 21, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST

Expected award date:

August 5, 2024

Expected start date:

September 1, 2024

Summary We seek to leverage the capability and capacity of state public health laboratories to conduct high-quality biomonitoring science to assess human exposure to environmental chemicals. We include a specific focus on investigations for communities unequally affected by exposure to possibly harmful chemicals.

Improved exposure assessment helps states identify exposures to certain environmental chemicals, reduce or eliminate them, and assess the effectiveness of interventions to prevent harm.

You may propose biomonitoring activities based on one or more of the following strategies to complete during a three-year funding cycle:

• Strategy A: Community biomonitoring investigations, which can be a new investigation in an affected community or surveillance activities in a previously exposed community.

• Strategy B: Statewide population surveillance with oversampling of a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by environmental chemical exposure.

• Optional strategy C: One-time funding to buy laboratory equipment for your biomonitoring investigations.

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total program funding over the performance period: $15,000,000

Expected total program funding per budget period: $5,000,000

Expected awards: 7

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Funding range per applicant per budget period: $350,000 to $1,100,000

Expected average award amount per budget period: $700,000

We plan to award funding for three 12-month budget periods for a three year period of performance.

The number of awards is subject to available funds and program priorities.

Funding strategy We will use a two-part method to award funding based on funds availability:

Method 1: Strategies A & B Awards under this method provide you with funds for one or both of Strategies A and B.

For community investigations and/or statewide population surveillance, you will receive funding based on the size and the complexity of the:

• Biomonitoring sampling approach

• Sample collection strategies

• Sample analysis

• Results reporting

We will not penalize you for selecting only one strategy.

Method 2: Strategy C You must apply for one or both of Strategies A and B to also apply for Strategy C.

Awards under this method provide you with funds to strengthen laboratory capability and capacity. Under Strategy C, you may receive funding to purchase laboratory equipment to analyze human biomonitoring samples.

We will consider Strategy C awards based on availability of funds.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow on your keyboard.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Who can apply

Eligible applicants Only these types of organizations may apply:

• State governments

• County governments

• City or township governments

• Special district governments

• Independent school districts

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education

• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)

• Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments

• Territorial governments in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education

• State-controlled institutions of higher education

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

Cost sharing and matching funds This program has no cost-sharing requirement or matching funds requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds as a contribution to the award, we won’t consider it during review of your application. If you receive an award, voluntary cost-sharing funds will be a requirement of your award and you will need to report on them.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Program description Background Overview Every day, people are exposed to potentially harmful chemicals from the air, water, soil, food, and consumer products.

Some communities, such as those that include families with a low-income, communities living near industrial sites, or people from racial and ethnic minority groups, have higher exposure to environmental chemicals than most of the U.S. population. These exposures may lead to poor health outcomes for affected people.

Our goal is to provide you with resources to conduct biomonitoring investigations that inform communities or groups of possible harmful exposure and educate them on ways they can help reduce their risk. These actions can help give unequally affected communities a chance at better health now and for future generations.

Biomonitoring – What is it?

Biomonitoring measures levels of environmental chemicals, or their products, in people’s blood, serum, and urine from all sources of exposure.

The CDC National Biomonitoring Program (NBP) develops laboratory tests to measure over 400 man-made and naturally occurring environmental chemicals in a person’s blood, serum, or urine for CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

We publish the findings and national reference ranges in scientific literature and a regularly updated summary, the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.

CDC’s biomonitoring data provide exposure information at a national level but cannot provide exposure information for a specific state, territory, or locality.

How can you help?

State, territory, and local public health laboratories can develop programs like the NBP to measure environmental exposures in their areas. You can select a subset of chemicals to measure that matter most to the communities or populations in your investigations. Those measurements can help inform local communities; state, territory, or local policymakers; and health officials

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/ https://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/ https://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/ of state-specific or community-specific exposure concerns to support exposure interventions.

Related work

• Public Health Laboratory Biomonitoring Planning Grant

• Public Health Laboratory Biomonitoring Implementation Program

• CDC-RFA-EH09-902, State-Based Public Health Laboratory Biomonitoring Programs

• CDC-RFA-EH14-1402, State-Based Public Health Laboratory Biomonitoring Programs

• CDC-RFA-EH19-1901, State-Based Public Health Laboratory Biomonitoring Programs

Purpose Our purpose is to help communities unequally affected by possibly harmful exposures by measuring environmental chemicals or their products using laboratory analysis. You will:

• Develop and execute plans for a biomonitoring investigation(s) within a community unequally affected by exposure to environmental chemicals, or statewide with oversampling of a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by chemical exposure.

• Use existing laboratory testing capability to conduct biomonitoring investigations by measuring levels of certain environmental chemicals in people.

• Educate the community on possible ways they are exposed and actions to take to prevent exposure.

Approach Overview The following logic model includes the strategies and activities required under this NOFO. It also includes the program’s expected outcomes. The outcomes indicated by an asterisk (*) are those we expect you to achieve during the three-year period of performance.

Outcomes are the results that you intend to achieve and usually show the intended direction of change, such as increase or decrease.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2001-05-04/pdf/01-11215.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2003-04-03/pdf/03-8062.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/state_grants.html

The table shows how they apply. You will use these outcomes as a guide for developing performance measures.

Program logic model The logic model shows the strategies and activities of the program along with the outcomes we expect over time. We will require you to report on the following outcomes indicated by an asterisk (*). Each of the outcomes relates to both strategies A and B.

Strategies and Activities Short-Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Long-Term Outcomes

Strategy A: Community Biomonitoring Studies

• Conduct biomonitoring investigations in communities unequally affected by exposure to environmental chemicals

Strategy B: Statewide Surveillance

• Conduct statewide population surveillance using biomonitoring, with oversampling of a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by exposure to environmental chemicals

Strategy C: Building Biomonitoring Infrastructure

• Buy laboratory equipment needed for biomonitoring

• Increased use of high-quality biomonitoring to measure environmental chemical exposures to guide actions in affected communities*

• Increased community awareness and knowledge about environmental chemical exposures happening in unequally affected communities

• Increased collaborations with key partners within your organization for biomonitoring activities

• Increased ability to track chemical exposures happening in your state

• Increased use of intervention strategies in affected communities*

• Improved partnerships with local health care systems to address environmental health concerns

• Improved high-quality biomonitoring of chemical exposure assessment across the U.S.

• Less exposures to harmful environmental chemicals so that everyone has an equal chance for better health

• Increased engagement with local health care systems to educate providers on environmental health

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

Strategies & activities This section elaborates on the strategies and activities described in the logic model and provides our expectations.

You will need to:

• Use one or more of the following outlined strategies. You can propose investigations in strategy A, B, or a combination of the two.

• Propose no more than two investigations during the three-year period of performance.

• Provide the potential impact for the community of your biomonitoring investigation. If you’ve completed investigations previously, provide the impact your investigation had in the community of focus to demonstrate success of your program.

• Work towards the outcomes outlined in the logic model and report on progress in the Measuring Performance section.

Strategy A: Community biomonitoring investigations This strategy gives you an opportunity to investigate environmental exposures in a community unequally exposed to environmental chemicals.

Strategy B: Statewide population surveillance This strategy gives you an opportunity to conduct statewide population testing, such as surveillance. This includes recruiting more participants from a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by chemical exposure.

All investigations under Strategies A and B should:

• Perform outreach in communities to raise awareness of your investigation.

◦ Provide background information on your investigation

◦ Communicate what you will measure

◦ Communicate how this investigation benefits the community and participants

• Use a statistically relevant sampling approach for surveillance activities.

See Biomonitoring Study Guidance (cdc.gov).

• Use a convenience sampling design if needed to reach a specific group from the Focus populations.

• Measure relevant chemical markers from among those included in the CDC’s National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/tracking/pdfs/BiomonitoringStudyGuidance_07242023.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/index.html

This is a subset of chemicals markers relevant to your proposed investigation.

• Develop risk communication plans for reporting laboratory results back to participants.

• Develop and implement a Data Management Plan.

• Educate the community. Examples include written materials, community events, and town hall meetings. Include:

◦ Ways they may have been exposed to environmental chemicals

◦ Actions they can take to decrease their exposure risk

• Follow-up with participants to determine if they used a strategy to lower their risk of exposure to show the impact of the investigation.

• Communicate data and findings to key audiences including:

◦ Communities of focus

◦ Health care communities

◦ Scientific communities

◦ Policymakers

• Report data publicly, as applicable, through available databases in your state or on national networks.

Strategy C: Building biomonitoring infrastructure This strategy is one-time funding to buy laboratory equipment for use in your biomonitoring investigation. This funding is limited and based on the availability of funds. You will need to demonstrate a need for the equipment.

To apply for this funding provide a narrative with your bona fide need and a quotation for the equipment proposed.

Resources:

• ATSDR Community Engagement Playbook

• APHL Guidance for Laboratory Biomonitoring Programs

• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists: Biomonitoring in Public Health

Outcomes This section includes outcomes recipients are expected to report progress on and achieve within the performance period.

See the logic model for the short-term and intermediate outcomes we expect you to achieve.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ceplaybook/docs/ce-playbook-H.pdf https://www.aphl.org/aboutAPHL/publications/Documents/EH-Oct2019-Biomonitoring-Guidance.pdf https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cste.org/resource/resmgr/OccupationalHealth/2012CSTEBiomonitoringFINAL.pdf https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cste.org/resource/resmgr/OccupationalHealth/2012CSTEBiomonitoringFINAL.pdf

Focus populations You should work in clearly defined communities expected to be unequally affected by exposure to environmental chemicals (in no order of preference).

Strategy A: Community biomonitoring investigations Examples of communities include those:

• In high-ranked Environmental Justice Index (EJI) Communities

• Residing in pre-1970 housing

• Near Superfund sites

• In rural areas with pesticide use

• Near an industrial manufacturing facility

• With natural occurrence of environmental chemicals, such as in drinking water or soil

• With known drinking water contamination

• With concern over environmental chemical exposure in their area

• Populations with higher risk of exposure to environmental chemicals such as:

◦ People from racial and ethnic minority groups

◦ Agricultural workers

◦ Children

◦ Persons 55 years of age or older

◦ Pregnant women

◦ Tribal nations

◦ People with a disability or disabilities

Strategy B: Statewide population surveillance This strategy gives programs an opportunity to conduct statewide population surveillance. You must recruit more participants from a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by chemical exposure.

Resources:

• Social Vulnerability Index

• Environmental Justice Index

• Environmental Justice Dashboard

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/eji/index.html https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/ https://onemap.cdc.gov/portal/apps/sites/#/eji-explorer https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/ejdashboard/

• Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government

Health disparities The goal of health equity is for everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Health disparities are often caused by social determinants that influence which populations are most disproportionately affected by health conditions.

A health disparity is a difference in health burdens between groups of people with differing social determinants of health.

Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age. These determinants affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

• Biomonitoring can be a tool to identify health inequities in specific populations.

• Investigations of specific communities focused on inequities in exposure to environmental chemicals can aid in supporting public health decisions and resources.

• This program’s required strategies aid in improving health equity in your state.

Organizational capacity You must have an active public health laboratory and demonstrate legal authority to conduct biomonitoring investigations in your state.

You can apply as a consortia of public health laboratories to share resources for biomonitoring activities. See the Attachments section for needed documentation. Where applicable, provide CVs of staff who will directly support your investigation. Include letters of support from programs or organizations who will offer support in-kind.

Examples of programs within your organization you need support from are:

• Epidemiologists

• Toxicologists

• Communications capacity

• Community outreach specialists

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.cdc.gov/about/sdoh/index.html

You must demonstrate your laboratory’s ability to complete analysis by meeting at least one of the two following requirements:

• Listing existing Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA) compliant laboratory methods you will use for the investigation(s)

• Outlining a plan to validate a CLIA compliant method(s) within the first year of the agreement

You must also:

• List equipment that the laboratory has available to analyze samples for the investigation

• Provide CVs of laboratory staff who will work on the investigations

• Provide your CLIA certificate

You should have adequate infrastructure, communication systems, and workforce ability to complete your biomonitoring investigation and communicate with participants of the investigation.

Collaborations We encourage you to collaborate with partners or organizations in the affected communities for each strategy. These collaborations help build trust and show support for your investigation in the community.

In your Attachments, provide a letter of support or Memorandum of Understanding to demonstrate your partnerships.

You must convene and seek feedback from an advisory panel on your investigation design and plans for communicating with participants and the broader community about the results of your investigation.

Possible members for your panel include:

• Leaders in or members of the community you will serve

• Poison Control director

• Medical doctor(s) from local health care systems

• Academic partners

• Other CDC-funded program recipients in your state:

◦ Laboratory Response Network – Chemical (LRN-C),

◦ ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE)

◦ Environmental Health Tracking Program (EPHT)

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

We encourage you to collaborate with other NCEH/ATSDR -funded programs in your state.

We encourage you to join and participate in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ (APHL) National Biomonitoring Network.

Data, monitoring, & evaluation CDC strategy Our evaluation and performance measurement strategy will assess your success during the performance period. Performance measures will guide continuous program improvement and achievement of outcomes.

Required performance measures Following are the draft performance measures you will need to report on after the award. We will likely refine the required measures for this program.

If so, we will work with you to finalize them before we require you to submit any data.

Strategy performance measures

• Developed and implemented a biomonitoring approach that allows sample collection in your community of focus.

• Educated the community on your investigation and how they are exposed to environmental chemicals.

• Educated the community on ways to decrease their risk of exposure and follow-up about use of strategies presented.

• Strategy A: Developed and implemented relevant biomonitoring approach for specific affected community’s investigations.

• Strategy B: Developed and implemented statewide biomonitoring surveillance approach.

• Strategy B: Included an approach to sample participants in a racial and ethnic minority group or other population that may be unequally affected by chemical exposure under a statewide biomonitoring surveillance investigation.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16

Biomonitoring capability performance measures

• Number of chemical markers that are measured based on known or community concerns.

• Number of appropriate staff supporting biomonitoring activities through collaboration between laboratories and state public health departments. This should include epidemiologists or toxicologists, laboratory personnel, communications support, and outreach support personnel.

• Number of appropriate trainings for biomonitoring staff.

• CLIA compliance and certification for all biomonitoring methods.

• If developing a CLIA method, validated method for measuring relevant chemical markers reported in NHANES by August 31, 2025.

• Developed integrated collaborations to further biomonitoring in your state.

• Number of advisory board meetings held and summary of recommendations for biomonitoring activities.

Reporting performance measures

• Developed and implemented a Data Management Plan (DMP).

• Developed and implemented a risk communication plan for reporting results back to biomonitoring participants. Included in this plan should be material about how to share their results with their primary care doctor.

• Number of different communication approaches on biomonitoring activities with key audiences. Examples include:

◦ Community town halls or meetings to inform the community about the results of your investigation

◦ Meetings with local public health labs

◦ Scientific peer-reviewed literature

◦ Public health or scientific conferences

◦ Grand Rounds at health care systems to educate on environmental health concerns in their community

• Evaluation report of the public health impact of biomonitoring in your state or locality.

• Completed consultation with CDC on results reporting materials.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17

Outcome measures You must submit outcome performance measures throughout the three-year period of performance related to the short-term outcomes in the logic model.

• Increased use of high-quality biomonitoring to measure environmental chemical exposures to guide actions in affected communities.

◦ Program Measure: Number of previously unavailable biomonitoring results measured during the performance period.

• Increased community awareness and knowledge about environmental chemical exposures happening in unequally affected communities.

◦ Program Measure: Number of education materials or outreach opportunities to educate the community on your investigation and their exposure to environmental chemicals.

• Increased collaborations with key partners within your organization for biomonitoring activities.

◦ Program Measure: Number of collaborations between the laboratory, epidemiologists or toxicologists, communications specialists, outreach specialist, and environmental health stakeholders.

Evaluation and performance measurement plan You must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan. Use the Required Performance Measures.

Include the following elements.

Methods Describe:

• How you will:

◦ collect data for the performance measures

◦ evaluate if your activities will achieve the outcomes identified in the logic model

◦ use evaluation findings for continuous program quality improvement

◦ assess the effectiveness of your results reporting in reducing or eliminating health disparities from environmental chemical exposures, if relevant

◦ incorporate evaluation and performance measurement into planning, implementation, and reporting of project activities

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18

• How key program partners will participate in the evaluation and performance measurement process.

• How you will share evaluation findings with communities and populations of interest in a way that meets their needs.

Data management For all public health data you plan to collect, describe:

• The data you plan to collect and their available data sources

• The feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data

• A data management plan (DMP) that includes:

◦ the data you will collect or generate

◦ if there are reasons why you cannot share data collected or generated under this award with CDC. These could include legal, regulatory, policy, or technical concerns.

◦ who can access data and how you will protect it

◦ data standards that ensure released data have documentation that describes collection methods, what the data represent, and data limitations

◦ archival and long-term data preservation plans

◦ how you will update the Data Management Plan (DMP) as new information is available over the life of the project. You will provide updates to the DMP in annual reports. For more information about CDC’s policy on the DMP, see Data Management and Access Requirement at CDC’s website.

• Other relevant data information, such as performance measures you propose.

For a definition of “public health data” and other key information, see AR 25:

Data Management and Access on our website.

Evaluation activities You must take on specific evaluation activities. Describe:

• The type of evaluations, such as process, outcome, or both

• Key evaluation questions addressed by these evaluations

• Other information such as measures and data sources

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html

An initial draft of your Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan, including the DMP, should be submitted with your application. You must submit a more detailed plan within the first six months of the award. See Reporting.

Work plan You must provide a work plan for your project. The work plan connects your period of performance outcomes, strategies and activities, and measures. It provides more detail on how you will measure outcomes and processes.

The work plan should address the following:

• Activities and timeline to support achievement of NOFO outcomes

• Specific public health needs the state biomonitoring program will address

• Personnel and equipment to support implementation of the award

• Validation and continuous quality assessment of laboratory methods

• Internal and external training for staff

• Activities to establish and maintain an advisory panel or seek citizen and stakeholder input

• Communication plans for reporting laboratory results to biomonitoring participants and the community as well as publishing findings in peer reviewed literature

• Protocol for follow-up and treatment referral in response to exposures above a known toxicity threshold

• Collaboration with other biomonitoring stakeholders

• Evaluation and assessment processes to ensure successful implementation and quality assurance

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20

Table: Sample format

Activities to be Implemented

Progress or Process Measure(s) From Data, Monitoring, and Evaluation section

Relevant Period of Performance Outcome(s) From Outcomes section

Evaluation and Performance Measurement

Responsible Position or Party

Completion Date

Strategy 1:

1.

2.

3.

Strategy 2:

1.

2.

3.

Paperwork Reduction Act Any activities involving information collections from 10 or more individuals or organizations may require you to follow the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

This requires review and approval by the White House Office of Management and Budget. For further information about CDC’s requirements under PRA see CDC Paperwork Reduction Act Compliance. Collections include items like surveys and questionnaires.

Funding policies & limitations General guidance

• Your budget is arranged in eight categories: salaries and wages, fringe benefits, consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel, other, and contractual.

• You may use funds only for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award, its terms and conditions, and federal laws and

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 21 https://www.cdc.gov/os/integrity/reducepublicburden/index.htm regulations that apply to the award. Questions about this determination should be posed to the grants management specialist.

• Generally, you may not use funds to purchase furniture or equipment.

Clearly identify and justify any such proposed spending in the budget.

• You may use funds to ensure state, tribal, local, and territorial employees funded by CDC grant or cooperative agreement awards are adequately trained and prepared to effectively participate in jurisdictional emergency response activities.

• You must have an active public health laboratory and demonstrate legal authority to conduct biomonitoring investigations.

Unallowable Costs You may not use funds for:

• Research

• Clinical care except as allowed by law

• Pre-award costs unless CDC gives you prior written approval

• Other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships:

◦ Publicity or propaganda purposes, including preparing, distributing, or using any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body

◦ The salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before any legislative body

See Guidance on Lobbying for CDC Recipients.

Indirect costs Indirect costs are those for a common or joint purpose across more than one project and that cannot be easily separated by project. Learn more at 45 CFR 75.414, Indirect Costs, and CDC Budget Preparation Guidelines.

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

Method 1 – Approved rate. You currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency.

Justification: Provide a summary of the rate. Enclose a copy of the current approved rate agreement in the Attachments.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 22 http://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/Anti-Lobbying_Restrictions_for_CDC_Grantees_July_2012.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.414 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.414 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/budget-preparation-guidance.pdf

Method 2 – De minimis rate. Per 45 CFR 75.414(f), if you have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate. If you are awaiting approval of an indirect cost proposal, you may also use the de minimis rate. If you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs.

This rate is 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 45 CFR 75.2 for the definition of MTDC. You can use this rate indefinitely.

Other indirect cost policies

• As described in 45 CFR 75.403(d), you must consistently charge items as either indirect or direct costs and may not double charge.

• Indirect costs may include the cost of collecting, managing, sharing, and preserving data.

National public health priorities & strategies Healthy People 2030 Environmental Health - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

Statutory authority Section 317(k)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Section 247b(k)(2)], as amended.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 23 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.403(d) https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/environmental-health

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 25

Get registered While you can review the requirements and get started on developing your application before your registrations are complete, you must be registered in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov to apply.

SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click Get Started. From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

Need Help? See Contacts & support.

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Grants Search at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number

CDC-RFA-EH-24-0043.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials, you may request them by calling 770-488-2700 or email OGS ogstims@cdc.gov.

To get updates on changes to this NOFO, click Subscribe from the View Grant Opportunity page for this NOFO on Grants.gov.

Help applying For help with the application process and tips for preparing your application see How to Apply on our website. For other questions, see Contacts & support.

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 25 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html mailto:ogstims@cdc.gov https://www.cdc.gov/grants/applying/index.html

Join the webinar Join us for an informational webinar on February 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. EST.

Link: https://cdc.zoomgov.com/s/ 1619235559pwd=c2cvakZHWGNCSndlRlI3U3ROOHNiZz09

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 26 https://cdc.zoomgov.com/s/1619235559pwd=c2cvakZHWGNCSndlRlI3U3ROOHNiZz09 https://cdc.zoomgov.com/s/1619235559pwd=c2cvakZHWGNCSndlRlI3U3ROOHNiZz09

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

Application contents & format 28

Application contents & format Applications include five main elements. This section includes guidance on each. Make sure you include each of these:

Element Submission Form

Project Abstract Use the Project Abstract Summary form

Project Narrative Use the Project Narrative Attachment form

Budget Narrative Justification Use the Budget Narrative Attachment form

Attachments Insert each in the Other Attachments form

Standard Forms Upload using each required form

We will provide instructions on document formats in the following sections. If you don’t provide required documents, your application is incomplete. See Initial review to understand how this affects your application.

Required format for project abstract, project narrative, and budget narrative

Font: Calibri

Format: PDF

Size: 11-point font Footnotes and text in graphics may be 10-point.

Spacing: Single-spaced

Margins: 1-inch Include page numbers

Project abstract Page Limit: 1

File name: Project Abstract Summary

Provide a self-contained summary of your proposed project, including the purpose and outcomes. Do not include any proprietary or confidential

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28 information. We use this information when we receive public information requests about funded projects.

Project narrative Page Limit: 10

File name: Project Narrative

Your project narrative must use the following exact headings, subheadings, and order. See Merit Review Criteria to understand how reviewers will evaluate your Project Narrative.

Background Describe the problem you plan to address.

• How did you select the community you will work in?

• How did you select the racial and ethnic minority group or other population you will oversample?

• Is there community interest in biomonitoring?

Be specific to your population and geographic area.

See Program Description, Background.

Approach

Strategies and activities Describe how you will implement the proposed strategies and activities to achieve the period of performance outcomes. Explain whether they are:

• Designed with a statistically relevant sampling approach or will use a convenience sampling

• Will measure chemical markers that are based on known exposures or community concerns

See Program Description, Strategies and Activities.

Outcomes Using the logic model in Program Description, Approach, identify the outcomes you expect to achieve or make progress on by the end of the period of performance.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 29

Evaluation and performance measurement plan You must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan. This plan describes how you will fulfill the requirements in Program Description, Data, Evaluation, and Performance Measurement.

Work plan Include a work plan using the requirements in Program Description, Work Plan.

Focus populations and health disparities Describe the specific population or populations you plan to address under this award. Explain how you will include them and meet their needs in your project. Describe how your work will benefit public health as well as the populations and help alleviate health disparities.

See Program description, Focus populations.

Organizational capacity Describe how you will address the organizational capacity requirements in Program Description, Organizational Capacity.

You must provide attachments that support this section including:

• Resumes and Job Descriptions

• Organization Chart

• Applicable letters of support and/or Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement

Collaborations Describe how you will collaborate with programs and organizations, either internal or external to CDC. Explain how you will address the collaboration requirements in Program Description, Collaborations.

Budget narrative Page limit: None

File name: Budget Narrative

The budget narrative supports the information you provide in Standard Form 424-A. See Standard Forms.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 30

As you develop your budget, consider If the costs are reasonable and consistent with your project’s purpose and activities. CDC will review and must approve costs prior to award.

The budget narrative must explain and justify the costs in your budget.

Provide the basis you used to calculate costs. It must follow this format:

• Salaries and wages

• Fringe benefits

• Consultant costs

• Equipment

• Supplies

• Travel

• Other categories

• Contractual costs

• Total direct costs (total of all items above)

• Total indirect costs

See Funding Policies & Limitations for policies you must follow.

Attachments You will upload attachments in Grants.gov using the Other Attachments Form. When adding the attachments to the form, you can upload PDF, Word, or Excel formats.

Attachments do not have page limits.

Table of contents Provide a detailed table of contents for your entire submission that includes all the documents in the application and headings in the “Project Narrative” section.

File name: Table of Contents

Indirect cost agreement If you include indirect costs in your budget using an approved rate, include a copy of your current agreement approved by your cognizant agency for indirect costs. If you use the de minimis rate, you do not need to submit this attachment.

File name: Indirect Cost Agreement

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 31 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

Proof of nonprofit status If your organization is a nonprofit, you need to attach proof. We will accept any of the following:

• A copy of a current tax exemption certificate from the IRS.

• A letter from your state’s tax department, attorney general, or another state official saying that your group is a nonprofit and that none of your net earnings go to private shareholders or others.

• A certified copy of your certificate of incorporation. This document must show that your group is a nonprofit.

• Any of the above for a parent organization. Also include a statement signed by an official of the parent group that your organization is a nonprofit affiliate.

File name: Nonprofit status

Resumes & job descriptions For key personnel, attach resumes for positions that are filled. If a position isn’t filled, attach the job description with qualifications and plans to hire.

File name: Resumes and job descriptions

Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement Provide letters of support, a memorandum of understanding (MOU), memorandum of agreement (MOA), or other formal documentation for established collaborations, including a direct or administrative partnership with each state health department you plan to work with in a consortium.

CLIA certification Provide documentation of your Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 certificate. If a bona fide agent conducts biomonitoring analyses, then the bona fide agent must provide CLIA documentation as well as documentation of the mechanism (for example, contract) under which they perform measurements for the state.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 32

Organization chart Provide an organization chart that describes your structure. Include any relevant information to help understand how parts of your structure apply to your proposed project.

File name: Organization Chart

Letters of support Attach three letters from relevant organizations supporting your organization’s successful work.

File name: Letter of Support (if you upload each letter separately, add the organization name)

Equipment quotes Provide a quotation for equipment from a vendor if applying to strategy C.

File name: Equipment Quotes

Duplication of efforts You must provide this attachment only if you have submitted a similar request for a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract to another funding source in the same fiscal year and it may result in any of the following types of overlap:

Programmatic

• They are substantially the same project, or

• A specific objective and the project design for accomplishing it are the same or closely related.

Budgetary

• You request duplicate or equivalent budget items that already are provided by another source or requested in the other submission.

Commitment

• Given all current and potential funding sources, an individual’s time commitment exceeds 100 percent, which is not allowed.

We will discuss the overlap with you and resolve the issue before award.

File name: Report on Overlap

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 33

Standard forms You will need to complete some standard forms. Upload the following standard forms at Grants.gov. You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and their instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission Requirement

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) With application

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

With application

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) If applicable, with the application or before award

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 34 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

Step 4:

Learn About Review & Award

In this step

Application review 36

Award notices 40

Application review Initial review We review each application to make sure it meets responsiveness requirements. These are the basic requirements you must meet to move forward in the competition. We won’t consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that doesn’t meet eligibility criteria. See requirements in Eligibility.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Proposes research activities. See 45 CFR 75.2 for the definition of research.

• Does not include a CLIA certificate.

• Proposes more than 2 investigations.

Also, if you don’t follow page limit or formatting requirements, we may remove pages from your application to solve for any unfairness.

Merit review A panel reviews all applications that pass the initial review. The members use the following criteria.

Table: Criteria

Criterion Total number of points = 100

1. Background and Approach 40 points

2. Organizational Capacity 35 points

3. Evaluation and Performance Measurement 25 points

1. Review 2. Get ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 36 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Research)

Background and Approach (Maximum points: 40)

Ensure that responses are consistent with the following Program Description requirement sections.

Evaluate the extent to which the applicant provides: Consistent with:

A background that supports a clear problem to address. 5 points Background

Strategies and activities consistent with the program’s logic model. 5 points Approach, logic model

Outcomes consistent with the period of performance outcomes in the program’s logic model. 5 points

Approach, logic model

Strategies and activities that are achievable and appropriate to achieve the project outcomes. Proposal includes no more than 2 investigations. 5 points

Strategies & Activities

At least one focus population for the project is clearly defined and consistent with the applicant’s background and purpose. Explain why the community is believed to be unequally exposed to environmental chemicals. 5 points

Focus Populations

The approach describes how health disparities will be considered and addressed in designing and implementing strategies and activities. 5 points

Focus Populations, Health Disparities

A work plan that is aligned with the strategies, activities, outcomes, and performance measures in the approach and is consistent with the content and format proposed by CDC. A timeline to develop and validate any proposed new CLIA methods by August 31, 2025, is included. If a method is proposed and no timeline is provided, do not award full points. 5 points

Work Plan

A proposed use of funds that aligns to the work plan and is an efficient and effective way to implement the strategies and activities and attain the period of performance outcomes. 5 points

Work Plan

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 37

Organizational capacity (Maximum points: 35)

Ensure that responses are consistent with the Program…