Cooperative Agreement Program for Agricultural Safety Promotion Systems

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health

[Announcement Number 463]

Cooperative Agreement Program for Agricultural Safety Promotion

Systems

Introduction: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 1994 funds for a

cooperative agreement program for agricultural safety promotion systems

through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH). The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the

health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People

2000, a PHS-led national activity to reduce morbidity and mortality and

improve the quality of life. This announcement is related to the

priority area of Occupational Safety and Health. (For ordering Healthy

People 2000, see the section Where to Obtain Additional Information.)

Authority: This program is authorized under Section 21 of the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 670).

Applicable program regulations are set forth in 42 CFR Part 86,

entitled ``Grants for Educational Programs in Occupational Safety

and Health.''

Smoke-Free Workplace: The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly

encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and

promote the non-use of all tobacco products. This is consistent with

the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health

of the American people.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are the colleges of

agriculture located in the land-grant university(ies) of the States.

The selection of land-grant universities seeks to utilize the research

expertise and knowledge of personnel resources familiar with

agricultural safety issues and to use the existing intervention network

which is available to land-grant universities--namely, the cooperative

extension service. The restriction to colleges of agriculture in the

land-grant universities is due to the original FY 1990 appropriations

language providing funds to establish agricultural injury and disease

prevention programs at land-grant universities.

Availability of Funds: Approximately $1,212,000 will be available

in FY 1994 to fund approximately six awards. It is expected that the

average award will be $200,000, ranging from $180,000 to $220,000. It

is expected that the awards will begin on or about September 1, 1994,

for a 12-month budget period within a project period of up to three

years. Funding estimates may vary and are subject to change.

Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the

basis of satisfactory progress and on the availability of funds.

Purpose: The purpose of this new cooperative agreement is to

stimulate agricultural safety and health intervention programs to

reduce agricultural injury or to reduce exposure to hazards resulting

in injury. A primary emphasis is the assessment of the efficacy of the

proposed intervention programs.

Program Requirement: In conducting activities to achieve the

purpose of this program, the recipient will be responsible for

activities under A. (Recipient Activities), and CDC/NIOSH will be

responsible for the activities listed under B. (CDC/NIOSH Activities).

A. Recipient Activities

1. Develop a scientific protocol for the specific intervention

which encompasses the following elements:

a. Design and implementation of intervention(s).

b. Target population--

i. Identification of the target population.

ii. Information regarding background rates for the pertinent

outcomes within the target population.

iii. Procedures to recruit the target population into the study.

c. Description of evaluation design and methods for both scientific

and operational aspects of the intervention evaluation, including

statement of the questions to be answered and specific process and

outcome data that will be collected.

2. Establish goals and time-oriented objectives for all phases of

the project.

3. Disseminate the final results of the project to a wide audience

including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed journal articles,

presentations at professional conferences, and presentations to

agricultural or other client groups.

B. CDC/NIOSH Activities

1. Provide liaison services between the land-grant universities and

other CDC/NIOSH grantees and collaborate in the implementation of all

phases of the study.

2. Provide consultation upon request on data collection instruments

and procedures.

3. Monitor intervention implementation and collection of process

and outcome data.

4. Collaborate in the analysis of process and outcome data and

interpretation of research results.

5. Upon request, collaborate with recipient in dissemination of

research results.

Evaluation Criteria: Applications will be reviewed and evaluated

according to the following criteria (Maximum of 100 total points):

A. Documentation of the Problem. Documentation of the magnitude of

the agricultural injury problem(s) for the applicant's State (and the

relevance of the injury problem nationally) by both rate and frequency

of agricultural hazardous exposure and injury. (10 points)

B. Goals and Objectives. The extent to which the proposed goals and

objectives are clearly stated, time-phased, and measurable. The extent

to which they encompass both process and outcome features of the

intervention. The extent to which a qualified plan is proposed that

will help achieve the goals stated in ``Healthy People 2000.'' The

extent to which specific research questions and/or hypotheses are

described. (12 points)

C. Intervention Description. The extent to which the potential

effectiveness of the intervention is theoretically justified and

supported with epidemiologic, methodological, or behavioral research.

The extent to which the intervention is feasible and can be expected to

produce the expected results in the target group of interest. The

extent to which the intervention, its implementation, the development

of all necessary materials, and all necessary training are clearly

described. The extent to which the desired outcomes (e.g., behavior,

injury, or death) are specified and definitions of measurable endpoints

are provided. The extent to which the setting in which the intervention

is to be implemented is clearly described and shown to be adequate for

reaching the target group and achieving the desired objectives. (25

points)

D. Evaluation Study Design. The extent to which the study design is

clearly described and is appropriate for the target population,

intervention, data collection opportunities, and proposed project

period. The extent to which the sampling methods, sample size

estimates, power estimates, and attrition of the participating

population are clarified. The extent to which the various threats to

the validity of the study are recognized and addressed. The extent to

which data collection, data processing, and management activities are

described. The extent to which the major phases of the project are

clearly presented and logically and realistically sequenced. (20

points)

E. Target Group. The extent to which the target group is described

and access to the target group is demonstrated. The extent to which the

target group has a high incidence of injury or prevalence of risk

factors to be influenced by the proposed intervention and the extent to

which appropriate demographic and morbidity data are described. The

extent to which it is demonstrated that the participation of the target

group will be sufficient to evaluate the intervention in an unbiased

fashion. (13 points)

F. Project Management and Staffing Plan. The extent to which the

management staff and their working partners are clearly described,

appropriately assigned, and have pertinent skills and experiences. The

extent to which the applicant proposes to involve appropriate

researchers and other personnel who reflect the racial/ethnic

composition of the target population. The extent to which the applicant

or a full working partner has the capacity and facilities to design,

implement, and evaluate the proposed intervention. (10 points)

G. Collaboration. The extent to which the necessary partners are

clearly described and their qualifications and intentions to

participate explicitly stated. The extent to which the applicant

provides proof of support (e.g., letters of support and/or memoranda of

understanding) for proposed activities. The extent to which a full

working partnership between a community-based organization,

agricultural organization, other academic institution(s), and a State

or local health department has been established. Evidence should be

provided that these funds do not duplicate already funded components of

ongoing projects. (10 points)

H. Proposed Budget. The extent to which the budget request is

clearly explained, adequately justified, reasonable, sufficient for the

proposed project activities, and consistent with the intended use of

the cooperative agreement funds. (Not scored)

Funding Priorities: Following the guidelines of Executive Order

12876, Enhancement of Federal Support to Historically Black Colleges

and Universities, one award will be made to a Historically Black Land-

Grant University (HBU), contingent upon receiving application(s) from

such institution(s) and the application(s) receiving a recommendation

for funding. These applications should target underserved agricultural

populations (e.g., migrant and/or seasonal farmworkers, black farmers,

women farmers/farm wives, or farm youth) as the emphasis of the

intervention and evaluation efforts.

Public comments are not being solicited regarding the funding

priority because time does not permit solicitation and review prior to

the funding date.

Executive Order 12372: Applications are subject to the

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs as governed by Executive

Order 12372. E.O. 12372 sets up a system for State and local government

review of proposed Federal assistance applications. Applicants should

contact their State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible

to alert them to the prospective applications and receive any necessary

instructions on the State process. For proposed projects serving more

than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC for each

affected State. A current list of SPOCs is included in the application

kit. If SPOCs have any State process recommendations on applications

submitted to CDC, they should send them to: Henry S. Cassell, Ill,

Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and

Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255

East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, Georgia

30305, no later than 30 days after the application due date. (A waiver

for the 60 day requirement has been requested.) The Announcement Number

and Program Title should be referenced on the document. The granting

agency does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State process

recommendations it receives after that date.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements: This program is not

subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: The Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 93.287.

Other Requirements

Paperwork Reduction Act

Projects that involve the collection of information from 10 or more

individuals and funded by the cooperative agreement will be subject to

review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork

Reduction Act.

Application Submission and Deadline: The original and two copies of

the application PHS Form 5161-1 (Revised 7/92, OMB Control Number 0937-

0189) must be submitted to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management

Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop E-13, 255

East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, on or

before August 8, 1994.

1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the

deadline if they are either:

(a) Received on or before the deadline date; or

(b) Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for

submission to the objective review group. (Applicants must request a

legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated

receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private

metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)

2. Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria

in 1.(a) or 1.(b) above are considered late applications. Late

applications will not be considered in the current competition and will

be returned to the applicant.

Where to Obtain Additional Information: A complete program

description, information on application procedures, an application

package, and business management technical assistance may be obtained

from Oppie M. Byrd, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management

Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), Mailstop E-13, 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room

300, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, telephone (404) 842-6630. Programmatic

technical assistance may be obtained from Alfred A. Amendola, Ph.D.,

P.E., Acting Director, NIOSH, Division of Safety Research, telephone

(304) 284-5700, or David L. Hard, Ph.D., Safety Specialist, telephone

(304) 284-5704, at NIOSH, Division of Safety Research, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 944 Chestnut Ridge Road,

Morgantown, West Virginia 26505-2888.

Please refer to Announcement Number 463 when requesting information

pertaining to this program.

Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full

Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Healthy People 2000 (Summary

Report, Stock No. 017-00100473-1) referenced in the INTRODUCTION

through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,

Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone (202) 783-3238.

Dated: July 1, 1994.

Richard A. Lemen, Ph.D.,

Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 94-16531 Filed 7-7-94; 8:45 am]

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