hm08-8050402pphf11 final amend i 3.29.11.doc

Amendment I made on 03/29/2011 to the following Sections:

· Section I, Purpose, Part IV, Page 6

· Section II, Award Information, Page 20

· Edits highlighted in red changing the focus for capacity building assistance from state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health departments to local health departments.

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: Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Funding Opportunity Title: Competitive Program Expansion Supplement for CDC-RFA-HM08-805: Strengthen and Improve the Nation’s Capacity through National, Non-profit, Professional Public Health Organizations to Increase Health Protection and Health Equity Announcement Type: Competitive Program Expansion Supplement Agency Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-HM08-8050402PHFF11 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.524 Key Dates:

Letter of Intent Deadline Date: Not Applicable Application Deadline Date: April 23, 2011 on Grants.gov, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

PART 2. FULL TEXT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Statutory Authority This project is authorized under sections 301 and 317 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), 42 USC, 241 and 247b as amended. Funding is appropriated under the Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148), Title IV, Section 4002 (Prevention and Public Health Fund) for expanded and sustained national investment in prevention and public health programs. This landmark legislation established a Prevention and Public Health Fund (Title IV, Section 4002) to provide for expanded and sustained national investment in prevention and public health programs to improve health, enhance health care quality, and restrain the rate of growth in private and public sector health care costs. The new legislation escalates the need for improving public health as a priority by investing in public health services improvements, establishment of meaningful and measureable health indicators, and achievement of significant health outcomes.

Purpose This project is an expansion of CDC-RFA-HM08-805: Strengthen and Improve the Nation’s Public Health Capacity through National, Non-Profit, Professional Public Health Organizations to Increase Health Protection and Health Equity.

The overall goal of this expansion is to support the provision of capacity building assistance (CBA) to state, tribal, local and territorial (STLT) health departments that ensures performance improvement and successful adoption of best or promising practices to address key areas of public health infrastructure investments. These investments are in accordance with Health Care Reform legislation, Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148).

CBA refers to a set of methods for translating, packaging, and disseminating information and new technologies, and imparting knowledge and skills. CBA can be provided through information synthesis, and dissemination; and through technology transfer, technical assistance, and training. CBA can also be provided using other formats such as seminars and workshops, computer assisted training, long distance learning and other e-learning strategies such as Podcasting, in-person or telephonic expert consultation, peer-to-peer mentoring and group training.

This expansion will help STLT health departments by making available CBA that will improve public health infrastructure investment planning, coordination, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of best or promising practices. The expansion supports STLT health departments in their efforts to ensure improvements in the public health infrastructure so that they are prepared for responding to both acute and chronic threats relating to the Nation’s health such as emerging infections, disparities in health status, and increases in chronic disease and injury rates. These improvements focus on core public health infrastructure areas that include: 1) Performance Management, 2) Workforce Development, 3) Policy Development, and 4) Public Health System Development and Re-development.

Program Implementation

*Recipients for Parts I, II, III are referenced in FOA HM08-8050401PHFFP11 which is limited to those recipients currently funded under the FOA.

Recipient Activities for PARTS IV, V, VI, and VII The competitive program expansion has four parts which require separate supplemental applications by all eligible applicants funded under CDC-RFA-HM08-805:

· Part IV: Capacity Building Assistance to Accelerate Accreditation Readiness

· Part V: Capacity Building Assistance to Strengthen Public Health Informatics Training

· Part VI: Capacity Building Assistance to Enhance the Ability for States to Bill Insurance for Immunization Services Provided in a Health Department Clinic

· Part VII: Capacity Building Assistance to Prevent Healthcare-associated Infections PART IV – Capacity Building Assistance to Accelerate Accreditation Readiness

The purpose of Part IV is to provide direct capacity building assistance for up to 5 local health departments who have not received direct funding through the National Public Health Improvement Initiative (NPHII) and that serve large metropolitan population areas of populations greater than 1.75 million. This capacity building assistance will accelerate the activities that local health agencies are undertaking in preparing to meet national standards established by the Public Health Accreditation Board. Part IV activities will accelerate and augment the support to local health departments through enhanced technical assistance, training, targeted support, and promotion of performance and quality improvement tools and practices.

The overall performance goal is to demonstrate measurable progress in the readiness of local public health agencies to apply for public health agency accreditation.

The two key measures of effectiveness are: 1) The production of new training and technical assistance resources that provide direct support for accreditation preparation activities or the identified pre-requisites; and 2) the implementation of strategies that will enable or accelerate the number of early applicants and accredited agencies within the first year after the launch of the national Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation program.

Applicants applying for Part IV, Activity 10 may apply as follows:

Improve and accelerate the ability of local public health agencies to apply for and achieve national accreditation. Activities may include but are not limited to:

a) Identify and implement strategies that will accelerate the number of applicants and the number of accredited agencies, with the following considerations:

i) Example activities may include targeted or direct support to agencies, off-setting application fees for early adopters, incentive programs, and demonstration site approaches.

ii) Priority consideration will be given to strategies that target jurisdictions that have not been reached through other initiatives (such as large metropolitan jurisdictions that were not funded through the National Public Health Improvement Initiative).

b) Enhance training, technical assistance, supportive resources and cross-learning regarding promising practices to local health departments on:

i) organizing and preparing for accreditation, including identification of essential staff roles, identification and development of documentation, and self-assessment against the standards and measures;

ii) development of local/community health assessments, local/community health improvement plans, and/or agency strategic plans that utilize the Public Health Agency Accreditation Board (PHAB) definitions and standards for these activities;

iii) performance and quality improvement practices and tools, particularly in areas that address deficiencies that are tied to PHAB standards and measures.

c) Leverage national partnerships and relationships to collaborate and ensure coordination and implementation of strategies that will assist local health departments.

PART V – Capacity Building Assistance to Strengthen Public Health Informatics Training

The purpose of Part V is to develop field-based practicum opportunities for graduates of CDC’s Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) and/or of informatics graduate/post-doctoral programs (e.g., National Library of Medicine Informatics program or an accredited CDC Centers of Excellence Program for Public Health Informatics) and for persons who would be eligible for CDC’s PHIFP but prefer to work in the field (i.e., state or local health agencies). Currently, there is a shortage of Public Health Informaticians in the workforce and a shortage of persons with needed informatics skills in the public health workforce. This funding opportunity requests a Public Health Organization to act as a coordinating agency to recruit, select and match appropriate candidates with public health informatics field assignments. The Public Health Organization will also conduct both a process and program evaluation for this overall project, and provide lessons learned from the process of implementation and the outcomes of this workforce development program.

The overall performance goal is to ensure that the workforce in STLT public health departments has the knowledge and skills to protect the health of communities they serve, by providing them with specialized scientific training in public health informatics.

The overall measure of effectiveness is the development, implementation, and management of one-year, field-based informatics practicum opportunities for at least 10 qualified participants as described above.

Applicants applying for Part V, Activity 11 must develop and implement all of the following components:

a) Program Coordination: Manage the overall coordination and logistics for the placement of informatics fellows and graduates in field assignments in collaboration with CDC’s Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office (SEPDPO) and partners.

Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Develop a central coordinating unit (CCU) responsible for creating an infrastructure for the overall project;

2. CCU develops and defines relationships with public health and informatics partners to aid in this overall project (e.g., field placements, learning opportunities);

3. CCU works closely with SEPDPO as a partner in this overall endeavor

4. CCU would be responsible for recruiting, selecting and evaluating informatics applicants;

5. CCU would be responsible for recruiting, selecting and evaluating informatics field assignments;

6. Provide logistical support and travel for matching program participants to field assignments;

7. Provide monthly status reports to the CDC Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP);

8. Host a kick-off meeting with CDC and arrange other meetings as needed;

9. Host a lessons-learned meeting with CDC at the close of this project;

10. Conduct site-visits as needed and provide overall supervision of all field assignments

11. The central coordinating unit must demonstrate systematic and efficient way of putting fellows on their payroll;

12. The central coordinating unit must demonstrate existing partnerships with a major public health organizations advocating for informatics needs of state and local health departments;

13. The central coordinating unit must demonstrate ability and existing resources to provide in-kind academic training benefits (such as certificate training) to hired fellows;

14. The central coordinating unit must demonstrate ability and existing resources to provide fellows with opportunities to experience global health informatics projects; and

15. It is highly suggested to use social media and technology to aid in recruitment and site-visits and other forms of technology are strongly encouraged.

b) Marketing, Recruitment, and Selection: Market this program of informatics field assignments, recruit and select highly qualified candidates Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Create a marketing strategy for the overall field assignment program;

2. Develop a recruitment and selection plan for informatics candidates (as defined above);

3. Develop and implement a communication plan for the central coordinating unit to provide status update with fellows in field assignments;

4. Evaluate the overall process.

c) Assignment Development: Identify high quality, high impact public health informatics field assignments and match them with appropriate candidates Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Develop evaluation criteria for selecting high-quality field assignments;

2. Develop a system to match selected informatics candidates to appropriate field assignments; and

3. Develop a system to oversee the field assignment project progress and program outcomes

d) Quality Assurance: Work with SEPDPO and partners to develop optimal service and learning environment for fellows assigned to the field Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Develop learning opportunities to complement field assignments.

e) Program Evaluation: Evaluate both the process and program outcomes for the fellow field assignments Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

1. A comprehensive program evaluation of recruitment, selection, matching, assignment quality assurance, and educational outcomes; and

2. Assessment of career paths for participants upon completion of the program.

PART VI – Capacity Building Assistance to Enhance the Ability for States to Bill Insurance for Immunization Services Provided in a Health Department Clinic

The purpose of Part VI is to provide CBA to local public health agencies/departments for the assessment, development, evaluation and dissemination of best or promising practices in public health infrastructure investments and development that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of performance management and business processes that implement and/or improve systems for billing insured children, adolescents and adults for immunization services received in the public sector.

The overall performance goal is to simplify the planning process, aid states in developing the infrastructure to support billing for immunization services provided in health department clinics, and provide the tools needed by states to implement a successful billing program.

The overall measure of effectiveness is having tools, examples, and best or promising practices made available that can be strategically and expeditiously implemented and evaluated by the state and local health departments.

Applicants applying for Part VI may apply for Activity 12, as follows:

a. Convene and provide technical assistance to a working group comprised of grantees currently funded through CDC’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Supplemental for Innovative Projects to Improve Reimbursement in Public Health Department Clinics grant program and other appropriate public health partners to develop and house in a national setting a tool kit that would be available for dissemination to all interested public health entities for their use in efforts to develop an action plan and/or implement an effective billing system for immunization services; and

b. Conduct meetings (national, regional, or local as appropriate) and conference calls of members of the working group and other appropriate partners to collect and organize information for inclusion into the toolkit, including:

i. Current best or promising practices enabling local public health departments to effectively and efficiently bill privately insured children, adolescents, and adults for immunization services;

ii. A description of the barriers encountered by local public health providers currently involved in planning or implementation of systems for billing for immunization services, and strategies employed addressing those barriers, allowing successful billing for immunization services;

iii. A summary of activities, protocols and procedures necessary to pilot, initiate and sustain a successful billing effort within a local health department immunization program; and

iv. Collect as many tools (e.g., policies, strategies, brochures, flyers, training materials) as possible for a comprehensive toolkit. The toolkit will utilize a format available via a centralized web site and/or DVD to all interested local health department.

PART VII – Capacity Building Assistance to Prevent Healthcare-associated Infections The purpose of Part VII is to build capacity within state and local health departments to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAI). This includes: developing fellowship opportunities to build the public health workforce that focuses on prevention of HAIs; identifying and evaluating policies that are effective in moving towards HAI elimination; and identifying and evaluating local health departments’ roles in HAI prevention.

Part VII activities will accelerate and augment the support to STLT health departments through enhanced technical assistance; training; targeted support; and promotion of performance and quality improvement tools and practices.

Until recently, state health departments have had little or no resources available to develop and leverage community efforts for HAI prevention. This funding seeks to provide state health departments the necessary workforce, training, and tools to rapidly scale up infrastructure to meet this new work. This will build on existing fellowship programs involving a Public Health Organization to specifically place recent master or doctoral level graduates into state or local health departments. This cadre of fellows and their mentors will be given specific training and experience in HAI prevention and will work at the state level to further the work of the collaboratives.

Currently, there is a shortage of professionals with experience in healthcare-associated infection surveillance and prevention. This funding opportunity allows a Public Health Organization to act as a coordinating agency to recruit, select, and match appropriate candidates with state health department field assignments. The Public Health Organization will also conduct; (1) a process and program evaluation for this overall project; and (2) provide valuable lessons learned from the implementation process and the outcomes of this workforce development program.

Several states have proposed and implemented rules, laws, mandates, regulations and other policies related to HAI surveillance and prevention. These rules vary by state. This would support a Public Health Organization to assess the landscape regarding these policies and evaluate effectiveness of different types of policies that will lead to HAI elimination.

Local health departments are increasingly involved in HAI prevention activities, especially outbreak investigations. This would support a Public Health Organization to assess the needs of local health departments, implement strategies to become more engaged, and evaluate the progress towards HAI elimination. The Public Health Organization could act as a coordinating agency for key communication initiatives from CDC and within states.

The overall performance goal is to ensure state, local, tribal, and territorial public health agencies can be successful in implementing HAI prevention initiatives and policies with the greatest health impact and cost savings.

The three key measures of effectiveness are: 1) the implementation and management of two-year, field-based HAI fellowship opportunities for at least two qualified participants; 2) evaluation of effectiveness of recommended policies on the reduction of HAIs; and 3) determine and address local health department needs related to HAI surveillance and prevention.

Applicants applying for Part VII may apply for Activity 13, 14 and/or 15 as follows:

Activity 13 - Recruit and place fellows in STLT health departments that will focus on healthcare-associated infections. Applicants applying for Part VII, Activity 13 must develop and implement all of the following components:

Program Coordination: Manage the overall coordination and logistics for the placement of HAI fellows in collaboration with CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP).

Deliverables include, but are not limited to the following:

a. Develop or identify a central coordinating unit (CCU) responsible for creating an infrastructure for the overall project;

b. CCU develops and defines relationships with STLT public health partners to aid in this overall project (e.g., field placements, learning opportunities);

c. CCU works closely with DHQP as a partner in this overall endeavor

d. CCU would be responsible for recruiting, selecting and evaluating HAI fellow applicants;

e. CCU would be responsible for recruiting, selecting and evaluating HAI fellow field assignments;

f. Provide logistical support and travel for matching program participants to field assignments;

Activity 14 - Identify effective policies that STLT health agencies can consider to implement programs which could lead to a reduction in healthcare-associated infections. Applicants applying for Part VII, Activity 14 must develop and implement all of the following components:

a. Identify effective policies that STLT can consider to implement programs which could lead to a reduction in healthcare-associated infections.

b. Leverage national partnerships and relationships to collaborate and ensure coordination and implementation of strategies that will assist STLT health departments in their HAI reduction efforts.

c. Propose relevant performance measures that will indicate achievements on this project.

Activity 15- Identify and address local health department needs regarding healthcare-associated infection prevention efforts. Applicants applying for Part VII, Activity 15 must develop and implement all of the following components:

a. Develop or maintain relationships with STLT public health partners to aid in this overall project

b. Identify and address local health department needs regarding healthcare-associated infection prevention efforts

c. Act as a coordinating agency for key HAI communication initiatives from CDC and within STLT public health partners to: implement effective healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention programs through the dissemination of tools; and transfer of effective evidence-based and practice-based activities

d. Propose relevant performance measures that will indicate achievements on this project.

CDC Activities In a cooperative agreement, CDC staff is expected to be substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine grant monitoring. CDC activities for this program are as follows:

1. Collaborate to ensure coordination and implementation of strategies to assist STLT health departments, boards of health, and other public health entities and, where appropriate, community action groups and private sector organizations.

2. Assess the quality, effectiveness and satisfaction of training and technical assistance requests.

3. Provide guidance and coordination to improve the quality and effectiveness of work plans, evaluation strategies, products and services, and collaborative activities with other organizations.

4. Support ongoing opportunities (e.g., net conferences, meetings) to foster networking, communication, coordination, and collaboration, and serve as a conduit for information exchange, including fostering collaboration between groups that would not normally interact

5. Collaborate with CDC to improve technical and program guidance, and evaluation of preventive services to expand coverage for community and clinical preventive services.

6. Collaborate to compile and publish accomplishments, best practices, performance criteria, and lessons learned during the project period.

7. Collaborate, as appropriate, in assessing progress toward meeting strategic and operational goals and objectives and in establishing measurement and accountability systems for documenting outcomes such as increased performance improvements and best or promising practices.

8. Collaborate, as appropriate, in the development and maintenance of information and communication networks, and provide methods for integrating the networks and measuring their effectiveness.

9. Collaborate to determine the optimal combination of resources needed to establish a coordinated online system so learners across public health can locate e-learning specific to their needs. Learners would rely on this system (i.e., the registry) to search across multiple collections of trusted learning content (i.e., repositories).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

Award Mechanism: U58 Fiscal Year Funds: 2011

PART IV

Approximate Number of Awards: 1 Approximate Average Award: $600,000 Floor of Individual Award Range: $600,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $600,000

PART V

Approximate Number of Awards: 1 Approximate Average Award: $1,500,000

Floor of Individual Award Range: $1,500,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $1,500,000

PART VI

Approximate Number of Awards: 1 Approximate Average Award: $200,000 Floor of Individual Award Range: $100,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $200,000

PART VII

Approximate Number of Awards: 3 Approximate Average Award: $116,000 Floor of Individual Award Range: $50,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $350,000 Anticipated Award Date: June 1, 2011 Budget Period Length: Approximately 12 months (June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2012)

Project Period Length: Approximately 12 months (June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2012)

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 for Parts IV, V, VI, and VII under the Competitive Program Expansion Supplement are limited to the following national, non-profit, public health professional organizations funded through the competitive funding opportunity announcement CDC-RFA-HM08-805:

1. American Public Health Association (APHA)

2. Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP)

3. Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)

4. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)

5. National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)

6. National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH)

7. National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI)

8. Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)

9. Public Health Data Standards Consortium (PHDSC)

10. Public Health Foundation (PHF)

11. Task Force on Global Health (TFGH)

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 Special Requirements:

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 Parts I, II, and III are intended for grantees currently funded under CDC-RFA-HM08-8050301SUPP10. Applicants must submit separate proposals for this non-competitive cost-extension that are consistent with the requirements outlined in each Part for which the applicant is currently funded.

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.

This announcement requires submission of the following information:

Table of Contents

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: 15. If an applicant’s narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages that are within the page limit will be reviewed.

· Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman

· Single spaced

· Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches

· 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 during the first year and a brief description of activities over the remaining project period, and must include the following items in the order listed:

A. Summary of Funding Request – State Activities for which funding is being requested.

B. Applicant’s relationship or experience working with STLT health departments:

1. Description of experience or relationship working with STLT health departments.

2. Description of track record providing CBA to STLT health departments. Please include information on recent examples of the format and content of CBA provided and examples of CBA outcomes or benefits that were documented.

C. Applicant’s experience providing CBA in the proposed Activity to STLT health departments and other stakeholders (where appropriate):

1. Description of applicant’s experience and capacity to provide CBA in the Activity for which applying. Please provide unique descriptions per Activity as described below:

(1) If applying for Part IV, Activity 10, please provide relevant experience to conduct this work. Include information such as:

(a) Understanding of and familiarity with national accreditation and performance and quality improvement efforts and needs of the field.

(b) Established role and credibility within national accreditation efforts.

(c) Ability and capacity to provide training and technical assistance using varied channels and formats.

(d) The ability to reach local health department constituencies.

(e) Good working relationships and the ability to coordinate activities across organizations and agencies at national, state, and local levels.

(2) If applying for Part V, Activity 11, please provide relevant experience as and include information such as:

(a) Available staff and their expertise to provide CBA.

(b) Training curricula and materials.

(c) Communication and dissemination tools or strategies.

(d) Related CBA publications and guidance.

(e) Mentoring programs, networking or peer exchange forums or projects.

(f) Dissemination and publication capabilities.

(g) Assessment or secondary research capacity.

(h) Training and consultation expertise.

(i) Other significant information that demonstrates your capacity for successful implementation of this Activity.

(3) If applying for Part VI, Activity 12, please provide relevant experience as follows:

(a) Available staff and their expertise to provide CBA to State and Local Health Departments.

(b) Capacity of the organization to collect and analyze knowledge and insights on the needs of local public health department clinics in order to provide appropriate tools and technical assistance to inform and improve systems for billing insured children, adolescents and adults for immunization services received in local health department clinics.

(c) Understanding of and familiarity with local health department clinics and the performance management, business processes and systems requirements necessary to implement successful billing programs within local public health department clinics.

(d) Related CBA publications, toolkits, support materials, or guidance documents.

(e) Capacity to design, develop and disseminate comprehensive tool kits that include best practices, lessons learned and other resources that local public health professionals and other external stakeholders can use to inform and improve their work in the promotion and advancement of public health objectives.

(f) Other significant information that demonstrates your capacity for successful implementation of this Activity.

(4) If applying for Part VII, Activity 13, please provide relevant experience as follows:

(a) Developing or identifying a central coordinating unit (CCU) responsible for creating an infrastructure for the overall project

(b) Developing relationships with STLT public health partners to aid in this overall project (e.g., field placements, learning opportunities)

(c) Recruiting, selecting and evaluating HAI fellow applicants and fellow field assignments

(d) Providing logistical support and travel for matching program participants to field assignments;

(e) Conducting recruitment, selection, matching, assignment quality assurance, and development of educational outcomes

(5) If applying for Part VII, Activity 14, please provide relevant experience as follows:

(a) Developing or identifying a central coordinating unit (CCU) responsible for creating an infrastructure for the overall project

(b) Developing relationships with STLT public health partners to aid in this overall project

(c) Identify effective policies that STLT can consider to implement programs which could lead to a reduction in healthcare-associated infections.

(6) If applying for Part VII, Activity 15, please provide relevant experience as follows:

(a) Developing or identifying a central coordinating unit (CCU) responsible for creating an infrastructure for the overall project

(b) Developing relationships with STLT public health partners to aid in this overall project

(c) Ability to identify and address local health department needs regarding healthcare-associated infection prevention efforts

(d) Ability to act as a coordinating agency for key HAI communication initiatives from CDC and within STLT public health partners.

D. Applicant’s CBA action plan for STLT health departments:

1. Description of the CBA action plan per Activity. Please include information such as:

(a) Strategy for working with STLT health departments to provide CBA,

(b) Coordination activities with STLT health departments,

(c) Relationship of this CBA strategy with health reform efforts,

(d) Key CBA program goals, objectives, and sub-activities proposed for STLT health departments and the rationale for this selection (where appropriate).

E. Applicant’s performance measures and data collection plans for the proposed Activity:

1. Description of the overall performance measures for the proposed CBA project (should identify at minimum one per each Activity).

2. Description of the data collection strategy for benchmarking or assessing achievement of the performance outcomes (to be provided with required interim and annual progress reports). Performance outcomes must relate to performance goals described for each “Part” under which each Activity is categorized.

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

· Budget and Justification – A separate line item budget and justification must be submitted for each Activity. Applicants are encouraged to follow recommended guidance for completing a detailed justified budget found on the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/budgetguide.htm.

· Curriculum Vitas/Resumes for key staff (Principle Investigators and operational leads)

· Indirect cost rate agreement

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

No more than 10 attachments should be uploaded per application.

Additional requirements for additional documentation with the application are listed in Section VII. 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.

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline Date: Not Applicable Application Deadline Date: April 23, 2011 on Grants.gov, 5:00 pm 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 not use these funds to supplant existing programs and staff.

· 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.

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.

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 CDC-RFA-HM08-8050402PHFF11. 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 Part IV: The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:

1. Applicant’s capacity to conduct the proposed Activity (30 points) - The extent to which the applicant demonstrates understanding and experience of accreditation issues (i.e. participation in national accreditation efforts), and are well-poised to conduct the proposed activities.

2. CBA Action Plan (30 points) - The extent to which the applicant proposes a CBA action plan for local health departments that is feasible for implementation, well coordinated with local health departments and other stakeholders (where appropriate), responsive to the proposed Activity, and responsive to the performance goals in Part IV as follows:

a. Coordination of CBA strategy with local health departments (5 points)

b. Objectives that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased and in alignment with the relevant purpose sections) (5 points)

c. Proposed sub-activities that are likely to improve public health investments (10 points)

d. Overall feasibility of CBA plan for implementation (10 points)

3. Relationship with Local Health Departments (10 points) - The extent to which the applicant demonstrates experience or a track record providing CBA to local health departments and other stakeholders (where appropriate)

4. Performance Measures (10 points) - The extent to which the applicant proposes relevant performance measures that will indicate achievements in CBA.

5. Relationship and experience with national accreditation and performance and quality improvement efforts (10 points).

6. Data Collection (10 points) - The extent to which the applicant proposes a feasible (can be implemented and at a reasonable cost and program effort) plan for data collection.

7. Staffing Plan–Reviewed but not scored.

8. Budget – Reviewed but not scored. Budget (SF 424A) and Budget Narrative. Although the budget is not scored applicants should consider the following in development of their budget. The itemized budget for conducting the project and justification should be reasonable and consistent. If the applicants requests indirect costs 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 budget should also address other resources that are currently allocated for these purposes. The budget must include plans to staff up for appropriate work described per Activity.

Part V: The application will be evaluated against the following criteria:

1. Experience and expertise in creating a Central Coordinating Unit (CCU) for the public health informatics field assignments (20 points)

a. Project…