[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27317-27320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12545]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement 553]
Cooperative Agreement for Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology
Surveillance Programs and/or Intervention Projects to Prevent Adult
Lead Poisoning
Introduction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the
availability of fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds for new and competing
continuation of State-Based Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and
Surveillance Programs (ABLES) and intervention projects to prevent
adult lead poisoning in high-risk industries and occupations. 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. (To order a copy of Healthy People
2000, see the Section Where To Obtain Additional Information.)
Authority
This program is authorized under the Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970, section 20(a), (29 U.S.C. 669(a)), and section 22(e)(7),
(29 U.S.C. 671(e)(7)).
Smoke-Free Workplace
The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all
tobacco products, and Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994,
prohibits smoking in certain facilities that receive Federal funds in
which education, library, day care, health care, and early childhood
development services are provided to children.
Environmental Justice Initiative
Activities conducted under this announcement should be consistent
with the Federal Executive Order No. 12898 entitled ``Federal Actions
to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations.'' Awardees, to the greatest extent practicable and
permitted by law, shall make achieving environmental justice part of
its program's mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate,
disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental
effects of lead on minority populations and low-income populations.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must have regulations for reporting blood lead
levels or provide assurances that such regulations will be in place
within six months of awarding the cooperative agreement. Eligible
applicants are State health departments or other State health agencies
or departments deemed most appropriate by the State to direct and
coordinate the State's adult lead poisoning prevention program. This
eligibility includes health departments 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. Also eligible are federally recognized
Indian tribal governments.
Note: Other official State and territorial agencies with
occupational safety and health jurisdiction may also apply.
Applicants other than health departments must apply in collaboration
with and through their State and territorial health department.
For Surveillance Funds Only: Eligible applicants must have
regulations for reporting of blood lead (PbB) levels by both public and
private laboratories or provide assurances that such regulations will
be in place no later than September 30, 1995. This program is intended
to initiate and build capacity for surveillance of adult PbB levels.
Therefore, any applicant that already has in place a PbB level
surveillance activity must demonstrate how these grant funds will be
used to enhance, expand or improve the current activity, in order to
remain eligible for funding. CDC funds should be added to blood-lead
surveillance funding from other sources, if such funding exists.
Applicants other than State health departments must apply in
conjunction with their State or territorial health department. If a
State agency applying for cooperative agreement funds is other than the
official State health department, written concurrence by the State
health department must be provided.
(In order to compete for additional funding, applicants that are
currently being funded for ``Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and
Surveillance'' programs must submit new supplemental proposals for
their surveillance activities, and/or a proposal for an intervention
project. These supplements must meet all the above eligibility and will
be evaluated as a part of the surveillance program/intervention project
objective review.)
Availability of Funds
Surveillance/Intervention Funds
Approximately $539,500 will be available in FY 1995. These funds
will be awarded as follows:
Surveillance Programs
A. Approximately $81,000 to fund up to three cooperative agreements
for States currently without a lead surveillance program but who meet
the eligibility criteria. These awards are expected to range from
approximately $25,000 to $30,000 with the average award being
approximately $27,000.
B. Approximately $278,500 to fund up to thirteen cooperative
agreements. Eligible applicants include those States currently
receiving CDC/NIOSH ABLES support and those which provide quarterly
data to the national reporting system. These awards are expected to
range from $20,000 to $22,000, with the average award being
approximately $21,500.
Intervention Project(s)
C. Approximately $180,000 to fund up to two cooperative agreements
for intervention projects. These awards are expected to range from
$80,000 to $100,000, with the average award being approximately
$90,000.
The new awards are expected to begin on or about September 30,
1995. New awards for surveillance programs listed under Parts A and B
are made for 12-month budget periods within project periods not to
exceed 5 years. Awards for Intervention project(s) under Part C are
made for a project period of one year. Funding estimates outlined above
are subject to change based on the actual availability of funds and the
scope and quality of applications received. Continuation awards within
the project period will be made on the basis of satisfactory progress
and availability of funds.
These awards are intended to develop, expand, or improve adult
blood lead epidemiology and [[Page 27318]] surveillance programs and/or
develop statewide capacity for conducting surveillance of elevated
blood-lead levels. Funds for intervention projects are for the
development and conduct of projects to reduce adult lead poisoning.
Cooperative agreement funds should be used to increase the level of
expenditures from State, local, and other funding sources. Awards will
be made with the expectation that expanded or improved surveillance
activities will continue when awarded funds are terminated at the end
of the project period.
Purpose
This program is intended to initiate and build capacity for blood
lead level surveillance and/or conduct interventions to prevent adult
lead poisoning. Therefore, any applicant that already has a blood lead
level surveillance activity in place must demonstrate how these
cooperative agreement funds will be used to enhance, expand, or improve
the current activity in order to remain eligible for funding.
Cooperative agreement funds should be added to blood lead
surveillance funding from other sources, if such funding exists. Funds
for this program may not be used in place of any existing funding for
blood lead surveillance or intervention activities. Funds should be
used to: (1) Collect data on adults with elevated blood lead levels;
(2) identify possible sources of lead exposure; (3) monitor medical,
occupational, and environmental management of lead-poisoned adults; (4)
provide information on adult lead poisoning and its prevention and
management to the public, health professionals, and policy and decision
makers; (5) encourage and support community-based programs directed to
the goal of eliminating adult lead poisoning; and (6) build capacity
for conducting surveillance of elevated blood lead (BLL's) levels in
adults.
Cooperative Agreement funds for surveillance are to be used to
develop and implement complete surveillance systems for blood lead
levels in adults to ensure appropriate targeting for high-risk
industries and occupations and track progress in the elimination of
adult lead poisoning. Intervention funds are to be used to develop
effective models for intervention in the prevention of adult lead
poisoning.
Surveillance Programs
This cooperative agreement program is intended to assist State
health departments or other appropriate agencies to implement a
complete blood lead surveillance activity. For the purpose of these
programs a complete blood lead surveillance activity is defined as a
process which: (1) Systematically collects information over time about
adults (primarily workers) with elevated BLL's using laboratory reports
as the data source; (2) collects follow-up information on industry and
occupation of individuals identified on laboratory reports; (3)
provides for the follow-up of cases, including field investigations
when necessary; and (4) provides timely and useful analysis and
reporting of the accumulated data.
Intervention Projects
The purpose of these awards is to assist State health departments
or other appropriate agencies to develop effective models for
intervention in the prevention of occupational lead poisoning. In
particular, the focus should be on lead-using industries and
occupations covered under the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) Lead Standard for General Industry (29 CFR
1025.1910) or the Construction Standard (29 CFR part 1926) to determine
methods for effective interventions to control lead exposures and
reduce blood lead levels. An effective intervention strategy developed
by the program will serve as a model for other programs nationally.
Goals
Surveillance Programs
The surveillance component of this announcement is intended to
assist State health departments or other appropriate agencies to
implement a complete surveillance activity for BLL's in adults.
Development of surveillance systems at the local, State and national
levels is essential for targeting interventions to high-risk industries
and occupations and for tracking progress in eliminating adult
poisoning.
The goals of the ABLES program are to:
1. Increase the number of State health departments with surveillance
systems for elevated BLL's;
2. Build the capacity of State- or territorial-based BLL surveillance
systems;
3. Use data from these systems to conduct national surveillance of
elevated BLL's;
4. Disseminate data on the occurrence of elevated BLL's to government
agencies, researchers, employers, and medical care providers;
5. Direct intervention efforts to reduce occupational and environmental
lead exposure;
6. Characterize reports by industry and occupation to assist with
targeting educational outreach efforts and prevention activities.
Intervention Project(s)
Intervention funds are to be used for developing effective models
for intervention in the prevention of adult lead poisoning. The goals
are to:
1. Develop a model for intervention related to lead poisoning targeting
high-risk industries or occupational businesses;
2. Build occupational disease prevention capacity via State health
departments or other appropriate agencies at the State, or local level;
3. Design, field test, demonstrate, and evaluate the effectiveness of
the intervention.
Program Requirements
In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,
the recipient will be responsible for conducting activities under A.
(Recipient Activities), and CDC/NIOSH will be responsible for the
activities listed under B. (CDC/NIOSH Activities).
The following requirements are for surveillance only cooperative
agreement projects:
A. Recipient Resources and Activities
1. Develop effective, well-defined, working relationships with
childhood lead poisoning prevention programs within the applicants'
State.
2. Refine and implement, in collaboration with CDC/NIOSH, the
methodology for surveillance as proposed in the respective program
application.
3. Provide collaborative partnerships with CDC/NIOSH in any interim
and/or final evaluation of the surveillance activity.
4. Monitor and evaluate all major program activities and services.
5. Demonstrate experience or access to professionals knowledgeable in
conducting and evaluating public health programs.
6. Develop ability to translate program findings to State and local
public health officials, policy- and decision-makers, and to others
seeking to strengthen program efforts.
B. CDC/NIOSH Activities
1. Provide technical assistance and consultation in the implementation
of the surveillance activities throughout the project period.
2. Provide a format for reporting surveillance data to CDC/NIOSH.
3. Analyze and provide summary surveillance data for national
reporting.
4. Provide timely feedback to the recipient from the review of
quarterly [[Page 27319]] reports on the program activities conducted by
the recipient.
5. Provide assistance in the conduct of field investigations at the
recipient's request and as resources permit.
The following requirements are for Adult Lead Poisoning
Intervention only projects:
A. Recipient Activities
1. Hire or establish a full-time director/coordinator with authority
and responsibility to carry out the requirements of intervention
project activities.
2. Collaborate with CDC/NIOSH to refine the methodology for the
proposed intervention as described in the program application.
3. Develop and document all facets of the intervention program.
4. Develop plan for evaluating intervention process and outcomes.
5. Evaluate the model program using CDC Prevention Effectiveness
Criteria.
B. NIOSH/CDC Activities
1. Provide technical assistance and consultation in the implementation
of the model program throughout the project period.
2. Provide assistance in the conduct of field investigations and
intervention efforts, at the recipient's request.
3. Provide guidelines for evaluating the intervention activities and
technical assistance for the evaluation.
Note: Applicants may submit proposals for surveillance programs
and/or intervention project(s).
Evaluation Criteria
The review of applications will be conducted by an objective review
committee who will review the quality of the application based on the
strength and completeness of the plan submitted. The budget
justification will be used to assess how well the technical plan is
likely to be carried out using available resources. The maximum ratings
score of an application is 100 points.
A: The Factors To Be Considered in the Evaluation of Applications for
Surveillance Program Funds Only Are
1. Surveillance Activity (35%)
The clarity, feasibility, and scientific soundness of the
surveillance approach. Also, the extent to which a proposed schedule
for accomplishing each activity and methods for evaluating each
activity are clearly defined and appropriate.
The following points will be specifically evaluated:
a. How laboratories report PbB levels.
b. How data will be collected and managed.
c. How data quality and completeness of reporting will be assured.
d. How and when data will be analyzed.
e. How summary data will be reported and disseminated.
f. Protocols for follow-up of individuals with elevated PbB levels.
g. Provisions to obtain industry and occupation data.
2. Progress Toward Complete Blood-Lead Surveillance (30%)
The extent to which the proposed activities are likely to result in
substantial progress toward establishing a complete State-based PbB
surveillance activity (as defined in the PURPOSE Section).
3. Project Sustainability (20%)
The extent to which the proposed activities are likely to result in
the long-term maintenance of a complete State-based PbB surveillance
system. In particular, specific activities that will be undertaken by
the State during the project period to ensure that the surveillance
program continues after completion of the project period.
4. Personnel (10%)
The extent to which the qualifications and time commitments of
project personnel are clearly documented and appropriate for
implementing the proposal. (Project requires full-time director/
coordinator with authority and responsibility to carry out the
requirements of surveillance program activities. Position must be
approved by the applicant's personnel system.)
5. Use of Existing Resources (5%)
The extent to which the proposal would make effective use of
existing resources and expertise within the applicant agency or through
collaboration with other agencies.
6. BUDGET (Not Scored)
The extent to which the budget is reasonable, clearly justified,
and consistent with the intended use of funds.
B: The Factors To Be Considered in the Evaluation of Applications for
Intervention Project Funds Only Are
1. The clarity, feasibility, and scientific soundness of the
approach. The following will be specifically considered: (30%)
a. Who will be targeted for the intervention?
b. How will the intervention be conducted and by whom?
c. How will the intervention be evaluated?
d. How will the data be analyzed?
2. The extent to which the proposed activities are likely to result
in the development and execution of a model intervention strategy to
prevent and reduce occupational lead poisoning in high-risk industries
or occupations. (25%)
3. The extent to which the proposed schedule for accomplishing each
of the project activities and the methods for evaluating each activity
are clearly defined and appropriate. (15%)
4. The extent to which the proposed activities are feasible and a
plan for documenting all facets of the intervention is provided such
that the model program may be adopted by other health departments or
appropriate agencies or organizations. (15%)
5. The extent to which the qualifications and time commitments of
project personnel are clearly documented and appropriate for
implementing the proposal. (10%)
6. The extent to which the proposal would make effective use of
existing resources and expertise within the applicant agency or through
collaboration with other agencies. (5%)
7. The extent to which the budget is reasonable, clearly justified
and consistent with the intended use of funds. (not scored)
Funding Priorities
Applicants applying for ABLES surveillance funds will be considered
in two categories:
Priorities
(A) Approximately $81,000 to fund up to three new cooperative
agreements (new is defined as ABLES programs not currently supported by
CDC/NIOSH) who meet the eligibility requirements.
(B) Approximately $278,500 will be available to fund up to thirteen
cooperative agreements for those States currently receiving CDC/NIOSH
ABLES funding or for those States which provide quarterly data to the
national surveillance program but are not supported monetarily by CDC/
NIOSH. High priority will be given to proposals which devise strategies
for enhancing their current surveillance system by coding industry and
occupation and developing augmentation efforts such as calculation of
State-specific rates.
(C) Approximately $180,000 will be available to fund up to two
cooperative agreements for intervention projects targeting high-risk
industries and occupations (high-risk defined as the potential for
highest lead exposures based on investigations of worksites or
targeting worker populations where cases of elevated blood lead levels
persist.) Eligible applicants may also [[Page 27320]] apply for
intervention project funds in addition to surveillance funds and should
develop separate proposals, within the same request for assistance, for
intervention projects.
Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed funding
priority. Comments received within 30 days after publication in the
Federal Register will be considered before the final funding priority
is established. If the funding priority should change as a result of
any comments received, a revised announcement will be published in the
Federal Register, and revised applications will be accepted prior to
final selection of awards.
Written comments should be addressed to Henry S. Cassell, III,
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, GA 30305.
Executive Order 12372 Review
Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 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.
Indian tribes are strongly encouraged to request tribal government
review of the proposed application. A current list of SPOCs is included
in the application kit.
If the SPOCs or tribal governments have any State process or tribal
process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, they should
send them to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management Officer, Grants
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Atlanta,
GA 30305, no later than 60 days after the application due date. The
granting agency does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State
or tribal process recommendations it receives after that date.
Public Health System Reporting Requirement
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 is 93.197.
Other Requirements
Paperwork Reduction Act
Projects that involve the collection of information from ten or
more individuals and funded by this cooperative agreement will be
subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under
the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Human Subjects
If the proposed project involves research on human subjects, the
applicant must comply with the Department of Health and Human Services
Regulations, 45 CFR part 46, regarding the protection of human
subjects. Assurance must be provided to demonstrate the project will be
subject to initial and continuing review by an appropriate
institutional review committee. The applicant will be responsible for
providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and
form provided in the application kit.
In addition to other applicable committees, Indian Health Service
(IHS) institutional review committees also must review the project if
any component of IHS will be involved or will support the research. If
any American Indian community is involved, its tribal government must
also approve that portion of the project applicable to it.
Application Submission and Deadline
The original and two copies of the PHS 5161-1 (Revised 7/92, OMB
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), 255 East
Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Atlanta, GA 30305 on or before July
14, 1995.
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 for the review process. 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
To receive additional written information call (404) 332-4561. You
will be asked to leave your name, address, and telephone number and
will need to refer to Announcement 553. You will receive a complete
program description, information on application procedures, and
application forms.
If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained
from Oppie Byrd, 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, telephone (404) 842-6796 .
Technical assistance on surveillance programs and/or intervention
projects may be obtained from Robert Roscoe, M.S., Epidemiologist,
ABLES Project Officer, or Shiro Tanaka, M.D., Division of Surveillance,
Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 4676 Columbia Parkway, Mailstop R-21, Cincinnati, OH
45226, telephone (513) 841-4353.
Please refer to Announcement Number 553 when requesting information
and submitting an application.
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. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325,
telephone (202) 512-1800.
Dated: May 15, 1995.
Diane D. Porter,
Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 95-12545 Filed 5-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P
