ps11-1115 final amend i 3.3.11.doc

Amendment I made on March 3, 2011 to the following sections in red font:

· Section I: Purpose; Page 3

· Section III: Page 10-11

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease and Tuberculosis Prevention, Public Health Conference Support Amendment I

Change (Page 10): The correct dates are and the statement should read: Cycle A: June 2011 and Cycle B: August 2011

Change (Page 2): The correct statement is: This funding is only for conferences planned to occur within the date range of the project period for which funding is awarded (i.e. Cycle One and 2-year project period: July 2011 – July 2013. Cycle Two and 2-year project period: September 2011 – September 2013).

The amendments have been made in the FOA on pages 10 and 2 respectively. The amendments are in red font.

I. AUTHORIZATION AND INTENT

Announcement Type: New Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-PS11-1115 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.339 Key Dates:

Letter of Intent Deadline Date:

Cycle A:

March 15, 2011 Cycle B:

April 12, 2011 Application Deadline Dates:

Cycle A:

April 15, 2011, 5:00pm EST Cycle B:

May 13, 2011, 5:00pm EST Authority:

This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, section 301(a), 42 U.S.C. 241(a), as amended and section 317(a), 42 U.S.C. 247b (a), as amended.

Purpose:

The purpose of the program is to announce the availability of appropriated fiscal year (FY) 2011 funds for the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease and Tuberculosis Prevention, Public Health Conference Support

Program. This program addresses the “Healthy People 2020” focus areas of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC/NCHHSTP. If research is proposed, the application will not be reviewed and the applicant will be notified. For the definition of research, visit the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/opspolll.htm This funding is only for conferences planned to occur within the date range of the project period for which funding is awarded (i.e. Cycle One and 2-year project period: July 2011 – July 2013. Cycle Two and 2-year project period: September 2011 – September 2013).

Applicants may submit applications for a single conference for a one-year project period OR applicants may submit applications for a two-year project period when a series of two annual conferences of the same conference title are proposed. A series is defined as the exact same focus area (HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB), conducted on an annual basis more than one time during the project period.

Conference support by CDC/NCHHSTP creates the appearance of CDC co-sponsorship, therefore, there will be active participation by CDC/NCHHSTP in the development and approval of the conference agenda to ensure there are no subjects that would be contradictory to the goals of the Government or be an improper use of funds, including portions that are not funded by CDC/NCHHSTP. CDC/NCHHSTP funds will be expended only for approved portions of the conference.

The mission of CDC is to protect people’s health, through health promotion, prevention of injury, disability, and disease, and preparedness. CDC is meeting its overall goal of dissemination and implementation of new cost-effective intervention strategies through conference support funding. The purpose of conference support funding is to provide partial support for specific non-Federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention and education programs.

Conferences supported under this program announcement must be specific to one of the following focus areas; HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB. Measurable outcomes of the conferences must be in alignment with one or more of the following overarching NCHHSTP goals and/or performance measures:

Goal 1: Prevention Through Healthcare NCHHSTP will develop, implement, and evaluate policies and practices that leverage the healthcare system to improve health through prevention.

Goal 2: Program Collaboration and Service Integration NCHHSTP will support and promote a syndemic approach to prevention by promoting better collaboration between programs and supporting appropriate service integration at point of access.

Goal 3: Health Equity NCHHSTP will reduce health disparities in HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB by promoting health equity.

Goal 4: Partnerships NCHHSTP will create and strengthen mutually beneficial strategic relationships with other individuals, organizations, and networks that strengthen HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STD, and TB prevention and control, producing solutions that no individual entity working independently can accomplish.

Goal 5: Workforce Development and Capacity Building NCHHSTP will attract, maintain, develop, and utilize NCHHSTP’s professional workforce to effectively promote health and prevention activities.

Performance Goals: Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for HIV, STD, Viral Hepatitis and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP):

· Strengthen the capacity nationwide to monitor the HIV epidemic, develop and implement effective HIV prevention interventions, and evaluate prevention programs.

· Decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV infection.

· Increase the proportion of HIV-infected persons who know they are infected.

· Increase the proportion of HIV-infected persons who are linked to appropriate prevention, care, and treatment services.

· Strengthen the capacity nationwide to monitor the epidemic, and develop and implement effective HIV prevention services.

· Reduce STD rates by providing Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening, treatment, and partner treatment to 50 percent of women in publicly funded family planning and STD clinics nationally.

· Reduce the incidence of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis.

· Reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis.

· Decrease the rate of cases of TB among U.S. born persons (per 100,000 population) in the United States

· Increase the percentage of TB patients who complete a course of curative TB treatment within 12 months of initiation of treatment

· Increase the percentage of TB patients with initial positive cultures who also have drug susceptibility results

· Increase the percentage of contacts of infectious Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB) cases that are placed on treatment for latent TB infection and complete a treatment regimen

· Protect vulnerable populations from new infections that cause viral hepatitis

· Prevent disease, disability and death from chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C

· Collect, analyze and disseminate strategic data to guide disease prevention

· Act globally to disseminate effective interventions and detect emerging threats.

Measurable outcomes of the program could be amended during the project period if necessary to respond to changes in HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB morbidity, advances in HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB prevention, detection, and treatment; changes in the health care system that affect the delivery of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB care, changes in the HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB training needs of health care professionals and prevention specialists; or changes in the NCHHSTP performance goals.

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC/NCHHSTP. If research is proposed, the application will not be reviewed. For the definition of research, please see the CDC Web site at the following Internet address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/regs/hrpp/researchDefinition.htm

II. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Recipient (Grantee) Activities:

General Grantee Activities

All Grantees are required to implement activities and develop Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Phased (SMART) objectives and timelines.

Activities:

Recipient (grantee) activities for this program are as follows:

· Manage all activities related to program content (e.g., objectives, topics, attendees, session design, workshops, special exhibits, speaker’s fees, agenda composition, and printing). Many of these items may be developed in concert with assigned CDC project personnel.

· Provide draft copies of the agenda and proposed secondary activities to CDC/NCHHSTP for approval. CDC/NCHHSTP will initially restrict up to ninety percent of the total funds awarded for the proposed conference pending its approval of a full, final agenda. After CDC/NCHHSTP approves the full, final agenda, it will release the total amount that was restricted via a Notice of Grant Award to the grantee. CDC/NCHHSTP may restrict up to 25 percent of the remaining funds to ensure that the grantee complies with the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement. Because conference support by CDC/NCHHSTP creates the appearance of CDC/NCHHSTP co-sponsorship, there will be active participation by CDC/NCHHSTP in the development and approval of those portions of the agenda supported by CDC funds. CDC/NCHHSTP will reserve the right to approve or reject the content of the full agenda, press events, promotional materials (including press releases), speaker selection, and site selection. CDC/NCHHSTP reserves the right to terminate co-sponsorship and the cooperative agreement if it does not concur with the final agenda.

· Determine and manage all promotional activities (e.g., title. logo, announcements, mailers, press, etc.). CDC/NCHHSTP must review and approve any materials with reference to CDC/NCHHSTP involvement or support.

· Manage all registration processes with participants, invitees, and registrants (e.g., travel, reservations, correspondence, conference materials and handouts, badges, registration procedures, etc.).

· Plan, negotiate, and manage conference site arrangements, including all audio-visual needs.

· Develop the content and manage the activities of the conference.

· Develop an assessment plan that will determine the benefits of conference attendance by participants. This should include, but not be limited to, what test instruments/questionnaires will be constructed and disseminated to conference participants to determine whether participants benefited from attending the conference, enhanced their knowledge of the subject matter, reinforced information they had been exposed to previously, whether they would use information from the conference in conducting the day to day activities in their workplace, whether they would mentor co-workers with the information they obtained at the conference to more effectively accomplish the public health objective of their respective organizational programs, or whether they would mentor co-workers with conference information to address public health issues that may be part of the co-workers’ daily activities. The assessment plan should be provided to CDC/NCHHSTP along with the application and required evaluation plan as described in section V.1. Criteria.

· Administer the assessment instrument to participants during their attendance at the conference, compile and analyze the information collected, and include the conference participant evaluation report as part of the reporting requirements described in section V1.3. Reporting Requirements.

· Collaborate with CDC staff in reporting and disseminating conference results, recommendations, and relevant HIV prevention information. This information should be made available to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, healthcare providers, HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB prevention and service organizations, and the general public.

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

CDC Activities:

· Provide technical assistance through telephone calls, correspondence, and site visits in the areas of program agenda development, implementation, and priority setting related to the cooperative agreement.

· Provide scientific collaboration for appropriate aspects of the program, including selection of speakers, pertinent scientific information on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB preventive measures, and program strategies for the prevention of these infections.

· Review draft agendas. The Grants Management Officer will approve or disapprove the final agenda and proposed related activities prior to release of restricted funds.

· Assist applicant in reporting and disseminating results, recommendations, and relevant HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB prevention information.

III. AWARD INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

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

Award Mechanism: U13 Conferences – Cooperative Agreements

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011 - $750,000 Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $350,000

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $750,000 (This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.) This amount includes direct and indirect costs.

Approximate Number of Awards: 11 Approximate Average Award: $30,000 (This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes both direct and indirect costs.)

Floor of Individual Award Range: $25,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $125,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-month budget period.) This amount includes direct and indirect costs.

Anticipated Award Dates:

Cycle A: June 2011

Cycle B: August 2011

Budget Period Length: 1 year Project Period Length: Not to exceed 2 years

CDC/NCHHSTP Conference Support awards will be in two categories: (1) awards with a one-year project period and (2) awards with a two-year project period.

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.

IV. ELIGIBILITY

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

· Nonprofit without 501C3 IRS status (other than institution of higher education)

· For-profit organizations (other than small business)

· Small, minority, and women-owned businesses

· Universities

· Colleges

· Research institutions

· Hospitals

· Community-based organizations

· Faith-based organizations

· Federally recognized or state-recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribal governments

· American Indian/Alaska native tribally designated organizations

· Alaska Native health corporations

· Urban Indian health organizations

· Tribal epidemiology centers

· Foreign Organizations

· State and local governments or their Bona Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)

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

SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Licensing/Credential/Permits Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program.

Maintenance of Effort Maintenance of Effort is not required for this program.

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

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

· Applicants must propose conferences that match one or more of the “Focus Areas of Programmatic Interest” (HIV, STD, Viral Hepatitis and TB Prevention). Applications that do not comply with this requirement will be determined to be non-responsive and will not be reviewed.

· The title of the focus area must be listed on the application to be considered. Otherwise, the application will be determined to be non-responsive and will not be reviewed. Provide this information on the application cover sheet and in Block 13, “Title” of the SF-424.

· Late applications will be considered non-responsive. See section “IV.3. Submission Dates and Times” for more information on deadlines.

· 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 an award, grant, or loan.

· Conference organizers may use CDC’s name only in accurate public relations for the conference, meaning information that is true and factual. CDC involvement in the conference does not necessarily indicate support for the organizer’s general policies, activities, products, or the content of speakers’ presentations.

· All conferences co-sponsored under this announcement shall be held in facilities that are fully accessible to the public as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).

Intergovernmental Review of Applications

Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

V. APPLICATION CONTENT

Applicants must submit separate applications for Cycle A and Cycle B, indicating the Cycle to which you are applying in Item #15 "Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project" of the SF-424 form. See the samples below:

Samples – SF-424, Item #15, Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project:

"Cycle A – Proposal for NCHHSTP, Public Health Conference Support.”

"Cycle B – Proposal for NCHHSTP, Public Health Conference Support.”

Letter of Intent (LOI):

Submission of a LOI is optional and not required for this Program Announcement. However, it is requested that applicants send a LOI if they intend to apply for this funding opportunity. The optional LOI is not binding and does not enter into the review of the subsequent application. The LOI is used to gauge the level of interest in this program and allow CDC/NCHHSTP staff to plan the application review.

If the optional LOI is submitted, it must be written in the following format:

· Maximum number of pages: One to two typewritten pages

· Font size: 12-point unreduced, Times New Roman

· Doubled spaced

· Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches

· Page margin size: One inch

· Written in plain English language, avoid jargon

The optional LOI must contain the following information:

· Both the project topic area number and title of the topic area of programmatic interest (only one topic area per application)

· Name of the organization

· Primary contact person’s name

· Mailing address

· Telephone number and, if available, fax and e-mail addresses

· Title of the proposed conference-include the term “conference”, “symposium”, or similar designation

· Date(s) of conference-inclusive dates of the conference (A conference series would be a conference with the same topic title conducted annually more than one time over subsequent years)

· Location of conference

· Total conference cost and total requested from CDC (must be less than 100 percent)

· Description of intended audience, approximate number, and profession of persons expected to attend

· Brief overview of the proposed conference content Optional LOIs should be received no later than the date indicated in the Section I entitled “Authorization and Intent.”

Submit the optional LOI by express mail or delivery service, fax, or E-mail to:

Deborah Byrd, Project Officer

Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road

MS E-07

Atlanta, GA 30333

Telephone: 404 718-8518

E-mail: dbyrd1@cdc.gov 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: 12 pages for a one year application and 18 pages for a two year application. If the narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.

· Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman

· Double spaced

· Page margin size: One inch

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

The narrative should address activities to be conducted over the entire project period and must include the following items in the order listed. These are required narrative items and are not to be attached as appendices:

· A brief background of the organization – include the organizational history, purpose, previous experience related to the proposed conference topic, and information on the applicant’s previous conferences that address when and where each conference was held

· A clear statement of the need for and purpose of the conference. This statement should also describe any problems the conference will address or seek to solve, and the action items or resolutions it may stimulate

· Specify the conference objectives and target audience. Include a list of the principle areas or topics to be addressed. If a series of conferences is proposed for a two-year project period, provide information on proposed conferences for both years one and two

· A proposed or final agenda

· A step-by-step timeline and detailed operation plan of major conference planning activities necessary to attain specified objectives

· A clear description of the evaluation plan and how it will assess the accomplishments of the conference objectives - include in the appendices a sample of the evaluation instrument that will be used

· Staffing plan and staff experience in conference planning.

· Budget plan and justification – A detailed and clearly justified budget narrative that is consistent with the purpose, objectives, and operation plan of the conference for FY 2011.

Applications that are part of a two-year project period must submit a detailed budget and justification for year one and a categorical budget consistent with budget form SF-424a for year two that describes the financial resources needed over the two-year project period. Include the share requested from this cooperative agreement as well as those funds from other sources, including organizations, institutions, conference income, and/or registration fees. (The budget plan, budget narrative, and budget forms will not be counted toward the narrative page limit. Do not sequentially number this section).

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

· Biographical sketches for the individuals responsible for planning and implementing the conference. Experience and training related to conference planning and implementation as it relates to the proposed topic should be noted (limit biographical sketches to a maximum of four pages per individual).

· Letters of endorsement or support for the sponsoring organization and its capability to perform the proposed conference activity.

· Sample of the conference(s) Evaluation Instrument(s).

Submission of brochures, pamphlets, booklets, or videos as appendices should be avoided.

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

· Name of the applicant and “Other Attachments”

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

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Registering an 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 an application to become familiar 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 the applicant registers their organization with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) annually. The CCR registration can require an additional one to two days to complete.

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 the 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 applicants comply with the application deadline published in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, applicants are 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 an applicant does not receive a “validation” email within two (2) business days of application submission, the applicant should contact Grants.gov. Refer to the email message generated at the time of application submission for instructions on how to track an application or the Application User Guide, Version 3.0 page 57.

Dun and Bradstreet Universal Number (DUNS)

The applicant is required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) identifier to apply for grants or cooperative agreements from the Federal government. The DUNS is a nine-digit number which uniquely identifies business entities. There is no charge associated with obtaining a DUNS number. Applicants may obtain a DUNS number by accessing the Dun and Bradstreet website or by calling 1-866-705-5711. International registrants can confirm by sending an e-mail to ccrhelp@dnb.com, including Company Name, D-U-N-S Number, and Physical Address, and Country.

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 website. 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. Applicants 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.

Submission Dates and Times

This announcement is the definitive guide on the application content, submission, and deadline. It supersedes information provided in the application instructions. If the application submission does not meet the deadline published herein, it will not be eligible for review and the applicant will be notified the application did not meet the submission requirements.

Application Deadline Dates:

Cycle A:

April 15, 2011, 5:00pm EST

Cycle B:

May 13, 2011, 5:00pm EST

VI. 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-PS11-1115.

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.

Evaluation Criteria Eligible applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:

Note: Use the following headings on the application.

Purpose of the conference (20 points):

· The extent to which the applicant shows the need for the conference.

· The extent to which the applicant shows that participants and presenters will have the opportunity to interact during the conference, share information on successful and unsuccessful program experiences, and develop collaborative working relationships.

Applicant Capability and Experience (25 points):

· The adequacy of existing resources to administer the program for the proposed conference.

· The adequacy of existing and proposed facilities for conducting conference activities.

· The degree to which the applicant has established relationships with related government agencies and relevant community groups and organizations. Include letters of support (three only) from such entities addressing the applicant’s capability, experience and if applicable, how the entity will work with the applicant to plan the proposed conference.

Proposed Program and Technical Approach (30 points):

· The degree to which the conference objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-phased. The extent to which evaluation of the conference assesses achievement of the conference objectives including increased knowledge of the conference participants.

· The extent to which the operational plan will facilitate achievement of the conference objectives.

· The relevance and effectiveness of the proposed agenda in addressing the conference topic(s).

· The degree to which conference activities relate to the focus area(s).

Qualifications of Program Personnel (25 points):

· The qualifications and experience of the principal staff person, and his or her ability to devote adequate time to provide effective leadership.

· Program personnel’s ability to accomplish conference objectives.

Key personnel’s (including associate staff persons, discussion leaders, and speakers) education and expertise relative to the conference objectives.

· Budget Justification and Adequacy of the Facility (this section will be reviewed, but not scored):

The proposed budget will be evaluated on the basis of its reasonableness, concise and clear justification, consistency with the intended use of cooperative agreement funds, and the extent to which applicants document financial support from other sources.

If applicants request 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.

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

· Recipients may not use funds for research.

· Recipients may not use funds for clinical care.

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

· Grantees may not generally use 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 government retains unlimited usage of all products and may authorize others to reproduce and distribute these products.

Application Review Process

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

An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications according to the criteria listed in the “V.1. Criteria” section above. Findings will be presented by three reviewers, all of whom will be Department of Health and Human Services employees from outside the funding program division. The panel votes to approve or disapprove based on the information presented and each application is scored and ranked.

Applications will be funded in order by score and rank determined by the review panel.

In addition, the following factors may affect the funding decision:

· Availability of funds

· Relevance to program priorities

· Ensuring a balance of funded agencies that serve populations in special settings (e.g., correctional institutions, shelters for runaway youth).

· Ensuring a balance of funded agencies that target underserved geographic areas and high risk populations (e.g., migrant and rural populations, men who have sex with men and women)

· Ensuring a balance of funded agencies such that the United States regions and territories are represented

· Ensuring a balance of funded agencies that target people of color (especially African Americans and Hispanic women of color)

· No preference will be given to organizations that have received CDC funding in past years.

Applications received in subsequent budget periods that are part of a series will be technically reviewed by an assigned CDC /NCHHSTP project officer, providing the application is consistent with the scope of this program announcement and the originally approved application. Any application proposed in a series where the scope of the application is not consistent with the original application will be reviewed by an objective review panel according to the evaluation criteria.

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

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Award Notices

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

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

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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

· AR-4

HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Provisions

· AR-5

HIV Program Review Panel Requirements

· AR-8

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

· AR-9

Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

· AR-10

Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements

· AR-11

Healthy People 2020

· AR-12

Lobbying Restrictions

· AR-14

Accounting System Requirements

· AR-15

Proof of Non-Profit Status

· AR-25

Release and Sharing of Data

· AR-27

Conference Disclaimer and Use of Logos

· AR-29

Compliance with E.O. 13513 Federal Leadership on Reducing

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

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

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Reporting Requirements

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

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

a. Standard Form (“SF”) 424S Form.

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

c. Budget Narrative.

d. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

e. Project Narrative.

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

2. A semi-annual progress report, due 60 days before the end of the budget period. Include a description of all activities conducted, completed and in progress, in accordance with the Awardee Activities and program objectives.

3. An annual progress report, due 90 days after the end of the budget period. Include a description of all activities conducted, completed and in progress, in accordance with the Grantee’s activities and program objectives. Financial Status Report (SF 269) no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period.

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

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

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

CDC encourages inquiries concerning this announcement. Inquiries concerning this announcement are encouraged, however the following personnel cannot assist with determinations as to whether proposed conference subjects are in alignment with the program announcement goals, nor with Focus Area or Topic Area selection or suggestions regarding the narrative writing of applications. To do so would provide unfair advantage prior to objective review competition. Other inquiries are welcome.

For programmatic technical assistance, contact:

Deborah Byrd, Project Officer

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road

MS E-07

Atlanta, GA 30333

Telephone: 404 718-8518

E-mail: dbyrd1@cdc.gov For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:

Ester Edward, Grants Management Specialist

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-15

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 404 488-2852

Fax: 770 488-2868

E-mail: ece9@cdc.gov For assistance with submission difficulties (also see page 22), contact Grants.gov:

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

For application submission questions, contact:

Technical Information Management Section

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770-488-2700

Email:

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

TTY 1-888-232-6348

Other Information

CIO Web site can be found at www.cdc.nchhstp.gov.

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

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