Asthma Surveillance With an Emphasis on Children; Notice of Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1998

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Announcement Number 98102]

Asthma Surveillance With an Emphasis on Children; Notice of

Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1998

A. Purpose

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National

Institutes of Health (NIH) announce the availability of fiscal year

(FY) 1998 funds for cooperative agreements for asthma surveillance

activities.

The purpose of this project is to build a model framework for

asthma surveillance with a particular focus on asthma in children. The

specific objectives are:

1. To further develop, refine, and document asthma surveillance

activities focused on (but not exclusive to) children;

2. To document and evaluate surveillance activities as to the

source of data, effort needed to access the data, accuracy, cost, use

of the data, and value of the data to contribute to development of a

model asthma surveillance plan; and

3. To prepare reports, visuals, and examples of use of previously

collected data to be used within the State and as models for other

health agencies.

This announcement is related to the priority area of Environmental

Health.

B. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are State health agencies or major local health

agencies with a population base greater than 1,000,000 persons with

asthma surveillance and multiple data sources analyzed that address the

population of the entire State or jurisdiction. This eligibility

includes health agencies or other official organizational authority

(agency or instrumentality) of the District of Columbia, the

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the

United States.

Eligible applicants may enter into contracts and consortia

agreements and understandings as necessary to meet the requirements of

the program and strengthen the overall application. The intent to use

the above mechanisms must be stated in the application and the nature

and scope of work of these mechanisms requires the approval of CDC and

NHLBI.

C. Availability of Funds

Approximately $400,000 will be available in FY 1998 to support this

program with an average award of $65,000. It is expected that up to 6

awards will begin on or about September 30, 1998, and will be made for

a 12-month budget and project period. Funding estimates may change.

D. Cooperative Activities

In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,

the recipient will be responsible for the activities under 1. Recipient

Activities, and CDC and NHLBI will be responsible for the activities

under 2. CDC and NHLBI Activities.

1. Recipient Activities:

a. Using existing data from previously analyzed data sources,

prepare presentations of the asthma-related data (e.g. as reports,

visuals, press releases) focusing primarily on children with asthma for

use within the State and as examples for all States;

b. Demonstrate the usefulness of data collected for the purpose of

planning and evaluating intervention program activities and for

educating persons affected by asthma, the media, and the general

public;

c. Document the source, effort, cost, use, sensitivity and other

measures of data accuracy, representativeness, timeliness of the data;

and the contribution of the data source to the State's total asthma

surveillance effort;

d. Document lessons learned in the conduct of asthma surveillance

activities; and

e. Participate through workshops, conference calls, and

correspondence with other grantees in the development of (1) a model

asthma surveillance strategy for States and (2) an asthma prevalence

questionnaire.

2. CDC and NHLBI Activities:

a. Collaborate with the recipient in all stages of the project and

coordinate joint activities among all grantees;

b. Provide programmatic technical assistance as appropriate;

c. Convene meetings of all grantees and facilitate documentation of

an asthma surveillance model and an asthma prevalence questionnaire;

and

d. Work with participants to prepare reports summarizing the

project.

E. Application Content

Use the information in the Cooperative Activities, Other

Requirements, and Evaluation Criteria sections to develop the

application content. Applications will be evaluated on the criteria

listed, so it is important to follow them in laying out the program

plan. The narrative should be no more than 20 double-spaced pages,

printed on one side, with one inch margins, and unreduced 12 point or

12 pitch font.

All graphics, maps overlays, etc., should be in black and white and

meet the above criteria. Include each of the following sections:

1. Description of Problem

Describe what is known of the asthma problem in the State or

jurisdiction, focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on children; the

challenges experienced to date, specific to asthma surveillance in your

State, experiences with similar problems related to surveillance of

other diseases/conditions, and a brief description of success in

addressing them.

2. Program Purpose

For each of the elements cited in the program purpose, provide

specific objectives that are realistic, time-phased, measurable.

3. Program Plan

Submit a plan that describes how the project objectives will be

achieved. The plan must address the following topics:

a. Briefly describe what state-wide data are currently available;

what have already been analyzed, and how those

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data have been presented and used to date (note: Examples might be

included as appendices.);

b. Describe plans for new presentation of the data;

c. Describe your ability to evaluate a surveillance system as

presented in ``Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems'',

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) supplement S-5, Vol. 37,

May 6, 1998; and

d. Document assurance of ability to travel to Atlanta and to

participate in surveillance model building activities.

4. Management and Staffing Plan

Identify the principal investigator, e.g., an epidemiologist, who

will oversee project activities and participate in model-building

activities and a health educator/program specialist for data use

activities.

5. Evaluation

Describe how progress made toward meeting objectives will be

evaluated and documented.

6. Budget

Grant funds should be used to supplement asthma surveillance

resources in the State and can include items such as personnel,

equipment, printing, etc.

F. Application Submission and Deadline

1. Applications

The original and 2 copies of the application PHS Form 5161-1

(revised 5/96) must be submitted to David Elswick, Grants Management

Specialist, 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, GA 30305, on or before

August 31, 1998.

2. Deadlines: Applications shall be considered as meeting the

deadline above if they are either: (1) Received on or before the

deadline date; or (2) sent on or before the deadline date and received

in time for submission to the independent review group. (Applicants

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

legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal

Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of

timely mailing.)

G. Evaluation Criteria

The application will be reviewed and evaluated according to the

following criteria:

1. Quantity and quality of existing asthma surveillance efforts

(maximum 40 points).

The extent to which existing asthma surveillance data and data

sources covering the entire State or jurisdiction have been documented;

the quantity and quality of data sources; the understanding of the

data, and experience in the use of the data.

2. Measurable Objectives and Plan (maximum 20 points).

The consistency of the measurable objectives, which should include

a particular focus on asthma in children, with the stated purpose of

the cooperative agreement; the anticipated ability to meet the

objectives according to the specified time table, and the adequacy of

the applicants plan to carry out the proposed activities.

3. Management and Staffing Plan (maximum 20 points).

The extent to which the proposal has described the qualifications

and commitment of the applicant, and the qualifications and level of

effort of the key project staff.

4. Understanding the Problem (maximum 10 points).

Evidence of the applicant's understanding of the problem (asthma

and asthma surveillance) and the purpose of the cooperative agreement.

5. Proposed Evaluation Plan (maximum 10 points).

The adequacy of the applicant's plan to monitor progress toward

meeting the objectives of the project.

6. Budget (not scored).

The extent to which the budget is reasonable, adequately justified,

and consistent with the intended use of the cooperative agreement

funds.

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

Provide CDC with the original and two copies of:

1. Semi-annual progress reports including the following for each

goal or activity involved in the study: (a) A comparison of actual

accomplishments to the objectives established for the period; (b) the

reasons for slippage if objectives were not met; (c) other pertinent

information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of

unexpectedly high costs for performance; and

2. Final financial status report and a final progress report are

due no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.

Send all reports to: David Elswick, Grants Management Specialist,

Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Room 300, Mailstop E-13, 255 East

Paces Ferry Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30305.

The following additional requirements are applicable to this

program. For a complete description of each, see Addendum 1 in the

application kit.

AR98-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

AR98-8 Public Health System Reporting Requirements

AR98-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements

AR98-11 Healthy People 2000

AR98-12 Lobbying Restrictions

AR98-7 Executive Order 12372

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act,

sections 301 and 317 (42 U.S.C. 241 and 246). The Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance number assigned to this project is 93.283.

J. Where to Obtain Additional Information

To receive additional written information call 1-888-GRANTS4. You

will be asked to leave your name, address, and phone number and will

need to refer to Announcement 98102. You will receive a complete

program description, information on application procedures, and

application forms. CDC will not send application kits by facsimile or

express mail. Please refer to announcement number 98102 when requesting

information and submitting an application.

If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the

documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained by

contacting: David Elswick, Grants Management Specialist, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 98102,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Room 300, 255 East

Paces Ferry Road, NE., MS E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305-2209, telephone

(404)842-6803.

See also the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov

A copy of the ``Guidelines for Evaluating Surveillance Systems''

may be obtained from the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/

preview/mmwrhtml/00001769.htm. Programmatic technical assistance can

be obtained from Leslie Boss, Air Pollution and Respiratory Health

Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National

Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, Mailstop F-39, 4770 Buford Highway, NE., Atlanta, Georgia,

30341-3724, telephone (770) 488-7329.

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Dated: July 22, 1998.

John L. Williams,

Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 98-20097 Filed 7-27-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163-18-P