Submission Checklist to Accompany First Submission of Rfa/Pa Non-Research Announcement s3

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

CDC-Mexico Cooperative Agreement for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory

Capacity

I. AUTHORIZATION AND INTENT

Announcement Type: New Type 1

Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-CK11-1106

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.283 Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention Investigations and Technical Assistance

Key Dates:

Application Deadline Date: May 16, 2011, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time

Authority:

This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, Sections 307 and 317(k)

(1) [42 U.S.C. 242l and 247b(k)(1)], as amended.

Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious

Diseases (NCEZID): Protect Americans from Infectious Diseases.

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

1 Background:

The U.S. and Mexico have a 2000 mile border which has over 300 million legal northbound crossings a year through ports of entry located in at least 7 major sister-city regions. Mexico is the second largest trading partner of the U.S. (after Canada and before

China). Over 30 million persons of Mexican origin (2/3 of all U.S. Hispanics) live in the

United States and 38% are Mexican-born.

This close geographic and socioeconomic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico obviously has profound public health implications for the health systems of the two countries which has long been recognized and spawned many collaborative efforts.

Numerous binational infectious disease outbreaks including vaccine-preventable, foodborne, vector-borne, and mycotic diseases have been documented over the last two decades. In addition, on an almost daily basis, binational infectious disease cases are identified, such as TB and sexually transmitted disease patients. Optimal investigation and control of these binational outbreaks and cases require binational coordination.

Health collaborations between the US and Mexico have intensified in recent years with the Security and Prosperity Partnership’s North American Pandemic Influenza Plan and

Laboratory Response Network, HHS’s Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance program, the CDC Border Infectious Disease Surveillance project, the U.S. – Mexico

Food Safety Agreement, U.S. – Mexico Border Health Commission’s Healthy Border

2010, EPA’s Border XXII, etc. The U.S. Mexico Binational Commission Core Health

2 Working Groups (for which HHS ended formal meetings several years ago) included an

Epidemiology group which led to an HHS and Mexico Secretariat of Health endorsed document on Guidelines for U.S. - Mexico Coordination on Epidemiologic Events of

Mutual Interest.

The Mexico Secretariat of Health has collaborated with the CDC and Mexico and U.S. border states and jurisdictions since 1997 in the development and implementation of a border infectious disease surveillance (BIDS) program. The BIDS program has helped

Mexico work together with the U.S. to monitor infectious disease reports for a variety of infectious disease syndromes and conditions a uniform manner using similar clinical screening criteria and similar laboratory testing protocols. Through BIDS facilitated collaborations, Mexico border jurisdictions in Tijuana, Baja California state, Nogales,

Sonora state, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, and Reynosa, Tamaulipas state have enhanced laboratory infrastructure and personnel capacity to do virologic and serologic testing for infectious agents such as hepatitis A, B, and C, West Nile virus, rickettsia and influenza. BIDS surveillance efforts detected one of the two initial cases of pH1N1 influenza.

Clearly, the binational border infectious disease surveillance collaborations have been valuable for both countries. We would like to continue to build upon this now established epidemiologic network and laboratory infrastructure for the border region, and expand the syndromes and diseases under surveillance, the public health activities conducted, and the geographic scope within Mexico.

3 Priority areas for this cooperative agreement include: 1) enhancement and implementation of disease surveillance; 2) enhance public health training and capacity; 3) enhance timely disease notification; 4) application of proven public health tools, developing the organization, and protocols to be better prepared to respond to an incident of public health concern; 5) evaluate programs and systems and implement lessons learned towards developing culturally and language appropriate interventions.

Purpose:

The purpose of this co-operative agreement is to enhance public health capacity,

(including epidemiology and laboratory) for the U.S.-Mexico border region and binationally. This includes:

1. Enhancing existing or establishing new surveillance projects for diseases of mutual

interest to both nations, including developing high quality laboratory systems and

diagnostic capacity, including coordination of surveillance projects with sister city

and sister state partners.

2. Enhancing binational reporting of urgently notifiable diseases such as measles and

dengue hemorrhagic fever, and routine reporting of binational cases, including sister

city and sister state reporting.

3. Using the network as a platform for increasing collaboration in developing

preparedness and capacity to respond to bioterrorism in the border region and

binationally. Such activities may entail binational laboratory, clinical and

4 epidemiologic training exercises, and communication protocols using secure Internet

communications such as the Epi-X system developed by CDC.

4. Improving binational preparedness and epidemiologic response and establishing

binational protocols to effectively mitigate and control binational outbreaks and

cases.

5. To provide training opportunities for public health professionals and Mexico

Secretariat of Health officials in laboratory techniques and management,

epidemiology, health communications, evidence-based program planning, evaluation,

and data collection and analysis.

6. To strengthen the Mexico Secretariat of Health’s (Dirección General de

Epidemiología) and the National Reference Lab: Instituto Nacional de Diagnóstico y

Referencia and the 6 border states, and other critical states’ institutional capability to

plan, implement and evaluate evidence-based public health programs, conduct public

health surveillance, carry-out epidemiological analysis that support national and

regional disease prevention and control efforts.

7. To incorporate the results of program evaluations into operational disease prevention

and control programs, insure the sharing of expertise and lessons learned nationally,

regionally and internationally, and use the results to develop science-based health

policies, guidelines and interventions.

Executive Summary: Not Applicable

5 Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic

Infectious Diseases: Protect Americans from Infectious Diseases.

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

II. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Recipient Activities (Required): The following activities are required of awardee.

1. Conduct enhanced public health surveillance on diseases and syndromes of mutual

public health importance to the U.S. and Mexico (may include diseases currently

under surveillance or new conditions) including coordination of surveillance projects

with sister city and sister state partners. These surveillance data should be

summarized and shared binationally at least annually. Carry-out epidemiological

assessments in targeted areas to determine disease incidence and prevalence. Provide,

on an annual basis, the number of projected disease activities to be undertaken. These

activities will be mutually agreed upon at the start of each project year for the

duration of this award.

2. Implement effective binational reporting of urgently notifiable diseases and routine

reporting of binational cases, including sister city and sister state reporting.

6 3. Develop binational protocols with CDC for communication to improve preparedness,

(including possible use of Epi-X secure, communication system).

4. Share epidemiologic information in a timely manner binationally according to

mutually agreed upon protocols and binational guidelines

5. Establish and implement protocols to respond to binational outbreaks, including

communication, exchange of information and disease investigation).

6. Assess infrastructure capacity and develop enhanced laboratory systems with

enhanced diagnostic capacity.

7. Develop, implement, and evaluate appropriate plans to train staff in the essential

skills to support the goals of this cooperative agreement: technical and scientific

(epidemiology, surveillance, outbreak investigation, laboratory diagnostics, health

promotion and communications, data management, information technology) and

managerial (cooperative agreement management, financial management, human

resource administration).

8. Assist in organizing, conducting and evaluating the annual Binational Infectious

Disease Meeting and other various training sessions. Activities may include securing

speakers, and participants; providing logistical support, technical expertise and

facilitating the participants’ participation (logistical, financial support).

9. Prepare an annual work plan and budget.

10. Prepare a timeline for project implementation and process evaluation for the first

project year. A timeline will be required, on an annual basis, at the start of each

project year for the duration of this award.

7 11. Meet on a weekly basis or as needed with CDC to review ongoing projects funded by

this cooperative agreement.

12. Meet on a monthly basis with CDC to assess monthly expenditures in relation to

approved work plan and modify plans, as necessary.

13. Meet on a quarterly basis with CDC to assess quarterly technical and financial

progress reports and modify plans as necessary.

14. Meet on an annual basis with CDC to review annual progress report for each U.S.

Government fiscal year and to review annual work plans and budgets for subsequent

years.

Recipient Activities (Optional): The applicant may select a minimum of one or maximum of six activities from the following list:

1. Implement evidence-based public health projects.

2. Initiate and lead in the planning, implementation and evaluation of public health

projects and activities that lead to improved health outcomes for all Mexican and

binational populations.

3. Conduct project evaluations based on proven scientific and epidemiologic

approaches.

4. Conduct the appropriate national and international dissemination forums at all levels

to ensure that epidemiological, laboratory, health education and project evaluation

findings are translated into public health practice.

5. Conduct trainings for epidemiologists and laboratorians, and other public health

professionals who work with binational populations (from the Dirección General de

Epidemiología) and the National Reference Lab ( Instituto Nacional de Diagnóstico y

8 Referencia) and the 6 Mexico northern border states, and other states affected by

migrant populations to enhance capacity in epidemiology (including surveillance),

laboratory diagnostics, health communications, evidence-based program planning,

implementation and evaluation, and data collection and analysis.

6. Disseminate results of surveillance, activities (epidemiologic, laboratory, health

education), intervention planning, execution and evaluation results through written

publications, oral presentations, or other means.

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

Administration (Required):

1. Comply with all HHS management requirements for meeting participation and

progress and financial reporting for this cooperative agreement. (See HHS Activities

and Reporting sections below for details in a cooperative agreement.)

CDC Activities:

1. Organize an orientation briefing meeting with the awardee to brief it on applicable

U.S. Government, HHS, and Emergency Plan expectations, regulations and key

management requirements, as well as report formats and contents.

2. Review and approve the process used by the awardee to select key personnel and/or

post-award subcontractors and/or sub awardees to be involved in the activities

performed under this agreement.

3. Review and approve the awardee’s annual work plan and detailed budget.

9 4. Review and approve the awardee’s monitoring-and-evaluation plan.

5. Meet via teleconference on a monthly basis with the awardee to assess monthly

expenditures in relation to approved work plan and modify plans, as necessary.

6. Meet via teleconference on a quarterly basis with the awardee to assess quarterly

technical and financial progress reports and modify plans as necessary.

7. Meet on an annual basis with the awardee to review annual progress report for each

U.S. Government Fiscal Year, and to review annual work plans and budgets for

subsequent year.

8. Provide technical assistance, as mutually agreed upon, and revise annually during

validation of the first and subsequent annual work plans.

9. Provide in-country administrative support to help awardee meet U.S. Government

financial and reporting requirements approved by the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) under 0920-0428 (Public Health Service Form 5161).

10. Collaborate with the awardee on designing and implementing the activities listed

above, including, but not limited to the provision of technical assistance to develop

program activities, data management and analysis, quality assurance, the presentation

and possibly publication of program results and findings, and the management and

tracking of finances related to the projects in conjunction with the Dirección General

de Epidemiología and the Instituto Nacional de Diagnóstico y Referencias (Mexico

Health Secretariat).

11. Advise and assist in the provision of special reagents or other materials as needed.

12. Provide consultation and scientific and technical assistance based on appropriate

HHS/CDC documents to promote the use of best practices known at the time.

10 13. Assist the awardee in developing and implementing quality-assurance criteria and

procedures.

14. Facilitate in-country planning and review meetings for technical assistance activities.

15. Provide technical oversight for all activities under this award.

16. Provide ethical reviews, as necessary, for surveillance and evaluation activities,

including from HHS/CDC headquarters.

17. Assist by providing technical assistance as needed in support of planned program

planning, implementation and evaluation of disease surveillance and intervention

activities as well as training activities. This includes assistance with the ongoing

development of monitoring systems related to data collection and the evaluations of

program activities. Also, it may include the identification of best practices both

programmatic and managerial and the establishment of systems to assure the

accomplishment of approved objectives.

18. Provide intervention planning support and assistance for program personnel through

short- and long-term exchanges of experts.

19. Assist in the translation of program evaluation findings into public health practice and

ensure sharing of expertise and lessons learned with other nations.

III. AWARD INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

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

Award Mechanism: U51 – Infectious Disease Assessment of Prevention, Control and

Elimination

11 Fiscal Year Funds: 2012

Approximate Current Fiscal Year Funding: $ 1,000,000

Approximate Total Project Period Funding: $ 5,000,000. This amount is an estimate, and is subject to availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: One

Approximate Average Award: $ 1,000,000. This amount is for the first 12-month budget period, and includes direct and indirect costs.

Floor of Individual Award Range: None

Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $1,000,000 (This ceiling is for the first 12-month budget period.) Total cost

Anticipated Award Date: 09/27/2011

Budget Period Length: 12 months

Project Period Length: 5 years

Throughout the project period, CDC’s commitment to continuation of awards will be conditioned on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient

(as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.

IV. ELIGIBILITY

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

 This cooperative agreement will only provide assistance to the: Fundacion Mexico-Estados Unidos Para la Ciencia (FUMEC)  No other applications are being solicited.

12 Justification: The CDC and the Mexico Secretariat of Health have developed strengthened ties during the past 4 years and have expressed mutual interest in putting in place this cooperative agreement to facilitate binational collaborations. The Secretariat of

Health has made clear to CDC that the cooperative agreement funds cannot go directly to the Secretariat of Health because of major administrative barriers within the Government of Mexico system. The US Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC) was set up for just this purpose, to facilitate the movement of funds and to implement binational scientific and technology projects and programs. It is the only such binational organization with government sanction from both governments. Furthermore, the Mexico Secretariat of

Health has directed CDC to use this organization and no other as the first intermediary for the cooperative agreement. CDC has worked with FUMEC previously in Mexico on the Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Program through the Epidemiology and

Laboratory Capacity Cooperative Agreement funding binational surveillance activities with complete efficiency, transparency and accountability.

SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Licensing/Credential/Permits

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

Maintenance of Effort is not required for this program.

Other: Not applicable

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.

13 Intergovernmental Review of Applications

Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Content

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

Other Requirements

Letter of Intent (LOI):

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

A Project Abstract must be completed in the Grants.gov application forms. The Project

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

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

14  Maximum number of pages: 40 pages. If your narrative exceeds the page limit,

only the first pages which are within the page limit will be reviewed.

 Font size: 12 point unreduced, Times New Roman

 Double spaced

 Page margin size: One inch

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

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

1. Discuss and justify the need for the applicant’s proposed program within the target

community. Include a discussion on value added to existing epidemiology,

surveillance and laboratory capacity and binational collaboration.

Plans: (Required Activities)

1. Discuss how the applicant proposes to enhance public health surveillance on diseases

and syndromes of mutual public health importance to the U.S. and Mexico, including

coordination of surveillance projects with sister city and sister state partners. The

applicant may include diseases currently under surveillance or new conditions.

Discuss how the applicant proposes to carry-out epidemiological assessments in

targeted areas to determine disease incidence and prevalence. Include the proposed

number of projected disease activities to be undertaken in the first year. The plan

should include quantitative process and outcome measures that are specific,

measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (S.M.A.R.T,).

15 2. Include a proposed timeline for program implementation and process evaluation.

Applicant should include information in the timeline for those activities that will be

multi-year in order to complete.

3. Discuss how the applicant plans to implement effective binational reporting of

urgently notifiable diseases and routine reporting of binational cases, including sister

city and sister state reporting.

4. Discuss how the applicant plans to develop binational protocols with CDC for

communication to improve preparedness, (including possible use of Epi-X secure,

communication system).

5. Discuss how the applicant plans to share epidemiologic information binationally

according to mutually agreed upon protocols and binational guidelines.

6. Discuss how the applicant plans to develop preparedness and response teams and

establish protocols to respond to binational outbreaks, including communication,

exchange of information and disease investigation.

7. Discuss how the applicant plans to assess infrastructure capacity and develop

enhanced laboratory systems with enhanced diagnostic capacity.

8. Discuss how the applicant plans to develop, implement, and evaluate appropriate

plans to train staff in the essential skills to support the goals of this cooperative

agreement: technical and scientific (epidemiology, surveillance, outbreak

investigation, laboratory diagnostics, health promotion and communications, data

management, information technology) and managerial (cooperative agreement

management, financial management, human resource administration).

16 9. Discuss how the applicant plans to assist in organizing, conducting and evaluating the

annual Binational Infectious Disease Meeting and other various training sessions.

Activities may include securing speakers, and participants; providing logistical

support, technical expertise and facilitating the participants’ participation (logistical,

financial support).

Plans: (Optional Activities) The applicant may select a minimum of one or maximum of six activities from the following list:

1. Discuss how the applicant plans to implement evidence-based public health projects.

2. Discuss how the applicant plans to initiate and lead the planning, implementation and

evaluation of public health projects and activities that lead to improved health

outcomes for all Mexican and binational populations.

3. Discuss how the applicant plans to conduct high quality project evaluations based on

proven approaches, good science and sound epidemiology.

4. Discuss how the applicant plans to conduct the appropriate national and international

dissemination forums at all levels to ensure that epidemiological, laboratory, health

education and project evaluation findings are translated into public health practice.

5. Discuss how the applicant plans to conduct trainings for epidemiologists and

laboratorians, and other public health professionals who work with binational

populations (from the Dirección General de Epidemiología and the National

Reference Lab: Instituto Nacional de Diagnóstico y Referencia and the 6 Mexico

northern border states, and other states affected by migrant populations) to enhance

capacity in epidemiology (including surveillance), laboratory diagnostics, health

17 communications, evidence-based program planning, implementation and evaluation,

and data collection and analysis.

6. Discuss how the applicant plans to disseminate results of surveillance, activities

(epidemiologic, laboratory, health education), intervention planning, execution and

evaluation results through written publications, oral presentations, or other means.

Methods:

1. Describe in detail the specific steps that will be taken to implement the proposed

program as discussed under “Plans”.

Personnel:

1. Discuss how the applicant’s proposal will be staffed. Include roles and

responsibilities. If staff are currently in place provide copies of curriculum vitas or

resumes.

Institutional Support;

1. Discuss the commitment of support for the work in this proposal from the Mexico

Secretariat of Health.

Budget and Budget Justification: The budget and a written budget justification will be included as a separate attachment, not to be counted in the narrative page limit.

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

 Curriculum Vitas, Resumes, Organizational Charts and Letters of Collaboration

from partner agencies.

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

 CK11-1106 Budget and Budget Justification.

 CK11-1106 Curriculum Vitas and Resumes.

 CK11-1106 Organizational Charts.

 CK11-1106 Letters of Collaboration.

No more than 10 electronic PDF 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.”

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

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) 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

19 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.

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 [email protected], including Company Name, D-U-N-S Number, and Physical Address, and Country.

Electronic Submission of Application:

20 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-ADD: Authorized

Organization Representative 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 [email protected]. Submissions sent by e-mail, fax, CD’s or thumb drives of applications will not be accepted.

21 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, [email protected]). 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 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.

22 Application Deadline Date: May 16, 2011, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

VI. Application Review Information

Eligible applicants are required to provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate the accomplishment of the various identified objectives of the CK11-1106.

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:

Need (10 Points) To what extent does the applicant justify the need for this program within the target community in terms of value added to existing epidemiology, surveillance and laboratory capacity and binational collaboration.

Plans (30 Points) Is the plan adequate to carry out the proposed objectives? How complete and comprehensive is the plan for the first project year? Does the plan address coordination with sister cities and sister states in the U.S.? Does the plan include quantitative process and outcome measures? Is a timeline included and is it feasible?

23 Methods (30 Points) Are the proposed methods feasible? To what extent will they accomplish the program goals?

Personnel (20 Points) Do the staff members have appropriate experience? Are the staff roles clearly defined? As described, will the staff be sufficient to accomplish the program goals?

Institutional Support (10 Points) Does the applicant have a commitment of support for the work in this cooperative agreement from the Secretariat of Health? Does the applicant demonstrate a sound relationship with and willingness to work closely with the

Secretariat of Health of Mexico?

Budget (SF 424A) and Budget Narrative (Reviewed, but not scored) Although the budget is not scored applicants should consider the following in development of their budget. Is the itemized budget for conducting the project, and justification reasonable and consistent with stated objectives and planned program activities?

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.

24  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. However, prior approval by CDC officials must be requested in writing.

 Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed.

 Funds may be spent for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Recipients may purchase equipment and complete minor renovations if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives in accordance with applicable federal law and HHS/CDC policy; however, recipients must request prior approval by HHS/CDC officials in writing and conduct procurements in a transparent and competitive manner.

 The costs that are generally allowable in grants to domestic organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and international organizations, with the following exception: With the exception of the American University, Beirut and the World Health Organization, Indirect Costs will not be paid (either directly or through sub-award) to organizations located outside the territorial limits of the United States or to international organizations regardless of their location.

 The applicant may contract with other organizations under this program; however the applicant must perform a substantial portion of the activities (including program management and operations, and delivery of prevention services for which funds are required.)

 All requests for funds contained in the budget, shall be stated in U.S. dollars. Once an award is made, CDC will not compensate foreign grantees for currency exchange fluctuations through the issuance of supplemental awards.

 Foreign recipients are subject to audit requirements specified in 45 CFR 74.26(d). A non-Federal audit is required, if during the recipients fiscal year, the recipient expended a total of $500,000.00 or more under one or more HHS awards (as a direct recipient and/or as a sub-recipient). The recipient either may have (1) A financial related audit (as defined in the Government Auditing Standards, GPO stock #020-000-00-265-4) of a particular award in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, in those case where the recipient receives awards under only one HHS program; or, if awards are received under multiple HHS programs, a financial related audit of all HHS awards in accordance with Government Auditing Standards; or (2) An audit that meets the requirements contained in OMB Circular A-133.

25  A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, prior to or post award, in order to review the applicant’s business management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S. Federal funds.

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.

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 NCEZID 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.

A cursory review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications. The cursory review panel will consist of at least 3 CDC employees who will evaluate the technical merit of the application for the purpose of advising the awarding official. The panel may consist of both Federal and non-Federal representatives. As part of the review process, the applicant will:

 Receive a written Summary Statement of the findings of the cursory review panel

 Receive a vote of approval or disapproval and an approval score

Applications Selection Process

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

26 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-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements

 AR-11 Healthy People 2020

 AR-14 Accounting System Requirements

 AR-25 Release and Sharing of Data

 AR-29 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.

27 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, and must contain the following elements:

 Standard Form (“SF”) 424S Form.

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

 Budget Narrative (including explanation for any unobligated funding).

 Indirect Cost Rate Agreement - (Not applicable)

 Project Narrative: Progress report on current budget period activities,

objectives, and accomplishments including:

o Describe funded activities and accomplishments during the current

budget period (i.e., from the date of the last Interim Progress Report

to-date). Provide a detailed description of progress toward specific

objectives for the component and highlight significant successes or

problems.

Additionally, funded applicants must provide CDC with an original, plus two hard copies

28 of the following reports:

2. Annual progress report, due 90 days after the end of the budget period.

 Describe funded activities and accomplishments during the current budget

period (i.e., from the date of the last Annual Progress Report). Provide a

detailed description of progress toward specific objectives for the component

and highlight significant successes or problems.

3. Financial Status Report (SF 269) and annual progress report, 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.

For programmatic technical assistance, contact:

Stephen Waterman, MD, Project Officer

Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

3851 Rosecrans Street, Suite 715, MS 575

San Diego, CA

Telephone: 619.692.5659

29 E-mail: [email protected]

For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact:

Steward Nichols, Grants Management Specialist

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

COLGATE BLDG ROOM 2707, MAILSTOP K-75Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770-488-2788

E-mail: [email protected]

For assistance with submission difficulties (also see page 20), contact:

Grants.gov Contact Center Phone: 1-800-518-4726.

Hours of Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

For submission questions, contact:

Technical Information Management Section

CDC Procurement and Grants Office

2920 Brandywine Road, MS E-14

Atlanta, GA 30341

Telephone: 770-488-2700

Email: [email protected]

30 CDC Telecommunications for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at:

TTY 1-888-232-6348

Other Information

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