[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 87 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24398-24401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11338]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 99119]
Centers for Excellence in Health Statistics; Notice of
Availability of Funds
A. Purpose
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through the
Office of Prevention Research and the National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS) invites applications to establish Centers for
Excellence in Health Statistics (CEHS). The goal of these cooperative
agreements is to support research to enhance the capability of the
statistical sciences to meet the rapidly changing needs of health
surveillance, public health research, and in particular prevention
research. This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2000'' priority
area(s) of Surveillance and Data.
The purposes of this program are to:
1. Build Infrastructure (Administrative Core): Provide an
organizational setting to promote research on methods for health
statistics, drawing upon multiple disciplines and involving
collaboration with multiple partners. Serve as a model for outreach,
input, and collaboration that helps assure that research can be applied
to solving priority problems nationally or in the local community.
2. Research Component: Support methodological and analytic research
projects aimed at advancing the state of the art of collection,
analysis, and interpretation of health statistics to inform prevention
research and evaluation. Integrate the fields of statistics, health
services research, survey research, public health, epidemiology,
behavioral and social sciences, computer science and technology among
others. Through such multi-disciplinary research, explore new
approaches to enhance the capability of the statistical system to meet
the rapidly changing needs of health surveillance, public health
research, and prevention research.
3. Recruitment and Outreach (Promote Training): Enhance
opportunities for research training, career development, and mentoring.
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B. Eligible Applicants
Applications may be submitted by public and private nonprofit
organizations and by governments and their agencies; that is,
universities, colleges, research institutions, hospitals, other public
and private nonprofit organizations, State and local governments or
their bona fide agents, and federally recognized Indian tribal
governments, Indian tribes, or Indian tribal organizations.
Note: Public Law 104-65 states that an organization described in
section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engages
in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds
constituting an award, grant, cooperative agreement, contract, loan
or any other form.
C. Availability of Funds
Approximately $750,000 is available in FY 1999 to fund
approximately two awards. It is expected that the average award will be
$375,000 in total costs, ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. It is
anticipated that the awards will begin on or about September 30, 1999
and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project period
of up to three years. Funding estimates may change. Continuation awards
within an approved project period will be made on the basis of
satisfactory progress as evidenced by progress reports and the
availability of funds.
D. Use of Funds
Applicants should include sufficient travel funds within their
budgets to travel to NCHS, Hyattsville, Maryland facility for an annual
meeting of all awarded research center principal investigators.
E. Programmatic Interests
There is programmatic interest in developing CEHS that would
conduct a wide range of research, analytic and implementation
activities pertaining to health statistics and information systems for
health promotion and disease prevention research and application.
Examples of relevant research topics include but are not limited to
those listed below:
1. Survey methodology: New sampling approaches, new designs for
hard to reach populations, new approaches for linking and integrating
health surveys, improved capabilities for conducting longitudinal and
cross sectional studies, improved methods for addressing language and
cognitive issues in conducting surveys.
2. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Development of
standards in terms, definitions and methods; development of health
status indicators for within population group comparison; examination
of protective or wellness factors and health seeking behaviors
particular to population groups.
3. Data linkages: Improved use of existing administrative data sets
(e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration, National Death
Index, hospital discharges, and employer health files), expanded use of
data sources from outside the public health arena, approaches to
tracking patient health episodes across different providers, and
methods for linking or matching different data sources to move toward
broader population coverage.
4. Data analysis: Analytic approaches to interpreting poverty and
socioeconomic status and their effect on population subgroups, analytic
approaches to assessing the impact of managed care on health as well as
impact of other changes in health care systems, and enhancement of
epidemiological studies of disease and illness including the impact of
behavior and environmental exposures, improved strategies for combining
qualitative data to enhance insight into statistical research,
examination of demographic aspects of health, morbidity, disability,
and mortality--including issues related to the influence of early life
on later life, algorithms for measuring health outcomes and quality of
care, and validation of aggregated variables.
5. Information technology: Expanded research and development of
automation technologies, including the development of new electronic
methods for data collection, improved analytic tools, and new
approaches to electronic data dissemination.
6. Special populations: Improved data on populations particularly
vulnerable to changes in the health care system and those with unique
health problems (racial/ethnic minorities, poor, disabled, elderly,
highly mobile populations) of particular interest is the reliability of
race and ethnic information on vital and medical records (self-report
versus proxy) with a focus on mortality statistics and misreporting.
7. Medical informatics: Approaches to defining, accessing and using
computerized patient records, the development of uniform data elements
and definitions, developing methods for greater linkage between medical
informatics and population-based health information, developing
standardized instruments for recording utilization (especially
preventive services) for illness episodes that can be used by primary
care service providers in a variety of settings.
8. Measurement: Improved techniques for describing and measuring
health status, functional status, health outcomes, and the impact of
care and the environment, behavior, family, and community on health
status.
9. Non-sampling error: Examination of biases associated with the
sampling frame, mode of survey, non-response, and measurement bias.
10. Confidentiality and data sharing: Development of innovative
methods and techniques to ensure the confidentiality of information
provided by respondents, while at the same time maximizing the sharing
of micro-data for analysis, e.g., employing random transformations and
imputed synthetic variables and evaluating the resulting analytic
losses; development and evaluation of alternative approaches to obtain
informed consent.
F. Program Requirements
In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,
the recipient will be responsible for the activities under 1.
(Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for the activities
listed under 2. (CDC Activities).
1. Recipient Activities:
a. Build Infrastructure (Administrative Core)
(1) Establish an appropriate organizational setting and
institutional infrastructure (administrative core) that is supportive
of a set of research projects. This setting must facilitate
collaboration between multiple disciplines and involve multiple
partners.
(2) Establish relationship(s) with organizations relevant to the
success of the Center's research agenda, demonstrated by letters of
agreement. Cooperation with private-sector programs is encouraged.
(3) Establish relationship(s) with organizations or individuals
that can help assure that research can be applied to solving priority
problems nationally or (if appropriate) in the local community.
b. Research Component
(1) Develop and organize a prevention/promotion research theme (or
set of themes) and a research agenda. For example, themes and research
agendas can address Programmatic Interests research topics outlined in
that section of the announcement, or can be focused on problems unique
to the community in which the CEHS would be located.
(2) Design and conduct one or more research projects within the
research agenda developed by the particular CEHS that involves
specialists or experts in sophisticated methodology
[[Page 24400]]
and individuals or organizations from the community, if appropriate, to
identify priorities and link research activities to important public
health, prevention and health statistics research issues.
(3) Develop a plan to disseminate research findings as widely as is
practicable.
c. Recruitment and Outreach (Promote Training): Establish program
for enhancing opportunities, career development and training including
mentoring of junior researchers, and programs for training mid-career
or transitional professionals who have not previously worked in the
specialties of health statistics and prevention research.
2. CDC/NCHS Activities:
a. Provide technical assistance on projects as necessary.
b. If needed, assist in the development of controlled access
environment which allows micro-data applications.
c. If needed, assist in the development of a research protocol for
IRB review by all cooperating institutions participating in the
research.
d. The CDC Institutional Review Board (IRB) will review and approve
the protocol initially and on at least an annual basis until the
research project is completed.
G. Application Content
In developing the application, applicants should follow the
information in the Program Requirements, the Other Requirements, and
Evaluation Criteria sections.
H. Submission and Deadline
1. Letter of Intent (LOI)
The letter of intent should be submitted to the Grants Management
Specialist identified in the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information''
section of this announcement by June 2, 1999. The letter of intent
should not exceed two pages and include the following information.
a. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and E-mail address of
the proposed Principal Investigator and the identities of other key
personnel and participation institutions.
b. A descriptive title of the proposed research.
Although the letter of intent is required, it is not binding, and
does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the
information that it contains allows NCHS staff to estimate the
potential review workload and avoid conflicts of interest in the review
process.
2. Application
Submit the original and five copies of PHS-398 (OMB Number 2420925-
0001) (adhere to the instructions on the Errata Instruction Sheet for
PHS 398). Forms are in the application kit.
On or before deadline date of July 6, 1999, submit the application
to the Grants Management Specialist identified in the ``Where to Obtain
Additional Information'' section of this announcement.
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
orderly processing. (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.)
Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria in
(a) or (b) above are considered late applications, will not be
considered, and will be returned to the applicant.
I. Evaluation Criteria
Applications may be subjected to a preliminary evaluation by a peer
review group to determine if the application is of sufficient technical
and scientific merit to warrant further review (triage); the CDC will
withdraw from further consideration applications judged to be
noncompetitive and promptly notify the principal investigator/program
director and the official signing for the applicant organization. Those
applications judged to be competitive will be further evaluated by a
dual review process. Each competitive application will be evaluated
individually against the following criteria by a Special Emphasis Panel
(SEP) appointed by CDC. The SEP will score each proposal based on
scientific and technical merit. Factors to be considered by the SEP
include:
1. Build Infrastructure (Administrative Core)
a. Organizational Infrastructure: Does the applicant demonstrate a
multi-disciplinary approach to achieve the mission? Will the approach
lead to the development of a body of knowledge that can yield results
beyond that accomplished with individual projects alone? Will the CEHS
attract established investigators and develop genuine collaboration
among investigators with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise.
b. Environment: Does the scientific, technical and administrative
environment of the center contribute to excellence and the probability
of success? Does the center take advantage of unique features of the
scientific and public health environments or employ useful
collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of a high level of
institutional commitment and support? Does the Center Director
(Principal Investigator) have specific authority and responsibility to
carry out the project? Is the Center Director located organizationally
at a level to garner the support needed for the center (i.e., report to
an appropriate institutional official, e.g., dean of a school, vice
president of a university, or commissioner of health)? Is the time and
effort indicated for the Center Director adequate (minimum of 25
percent effort devoted solely to this project with an anticipated range
of 25 to 50 percent)?
c. Community Collaboration: Ability to build coalitions and
partnerships with critical organizations and individuals (such as
distinguished scientists as well as potential researchers in training,
universities, colleges, research institutions, state and local
governments, hospitals and academic health centers, managed care
organizations, and other public and private nonprofit organizations)
and to facilitate collaboration and coordination to assure the
accomplishment of CEHS goals.
d. Organization: The quality and appropriateness of the
organizational structure, the quality and experience of the
administrative staff, the plans for quality control through in-house
consultation and outside review (e.g., Scientific Advisory Board), and
the quality of the plans for the allocating and monitoring of
resources.
e. Budget: Reasonableness of proposed budget and time frame for the
project in relation to the work proposed.
2. Research Component
a. Research Theme: Is the concept of a center fulfilled, i.e., is
there an organizing prevention/promotion research theme (or set of
themes) and a research agenda that defines the mission of the
particular CEHS?
b. Public Health Significance: Does the center address an important
public health problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how
will the field or health statistics and prevention research benefit?
What will be the effect of the center and its affiliated studies on
fundamental advances in the development, testing, and dissemination of
health statistics and prevention
[[Page 24401]]
research and on informing public health policy?
c. Leadership: Are the center director and other senior
investigators at the forefront of their respective fields? Do they have
the experience and authority to organize, administer and direct the
center?
d. Research projects: Are the specific research projects of
exceptional scientific merit?
e. Innovation: Does the Center propose to develop novel concepts,
approaches, measures or methods in basic research that will inform and
guide health promotion and disease prevention? Are the aims original
and innovative? Do the projects extend existing approaches or develop
new methodologies or technologies?
f. Study Populations: The degree to which the applicant has met the
CDC Policy requirements regarding the inclusion of women, ethnic, and
racial groups in the proposed research. This includes:
(1) The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial
and ethnic minority populations for appropriate representation.
(2) The proposed justification when representation is limited or
absent.
(3) A statement as to whether the design of the study is adequate
to measure differences when warranted.
(4) A statement as to whether the plans for recruitment and
outreach for study participants include the process of establishing
partnerships with community(ies) and recognition of mutual benefits.
g. Human Subjects: When applicable, the adequacy of the proposed
means for protecting human subjects.
h. Budget: Reasonableness of proposed budget.
3. Recruitment and Outreach (Promote Training)
a. Does the applicant include a research development component for
new, mid-career or transitional professionals through research training
and career development mechanisms?
b. To what extent are special efforts made to recruit minority
professionals and students to the CEHS?
A second-level review will be conducted by a panel of senior
Federal officials. The following will be considered in making funding
decisions: (1) Results of the initial review, (2) program balance, and
(3) availability of funds.
J. Other Requirements
Technical Reporting Requirements
Provide CDC with the original plus two copies of:
1. Annual progress reports due 30 days after the end of the budget
period;
2. Financial status report, no more than 90 days after the end of
the budget period, and;
3. Final financial report and performance report, no more than 90
days of the project.
Send all reports to the Grants Management Specialist identified in
the ``Where to Obtain Additional Information'' section of this
announcement.
The following additional requirements are applicable to this
program. (See Addendum I)
AR-1 Human Subjects Requirements
AR-2 Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial Ethnic Minorities
in Research
AR-9 Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
AR-10 Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements
AR-11 Healthy People 2000
AR-12 Lobbying Restrictions
K. Authority and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
This program is authorized under section 306 of the Public Health
Service Act, 42 U.S.C. section 242k as amended. The Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance number is 93.283.
L. Where to Obtain Additional Information
The application kit and program announcement can be downloaded from
the CDC home page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov. (Click on
funding).
To receive additional written information and to request an
application kit, call 1-888-GRANTS4 (1-888-472-6874). You will be asked
to leave your name, address, and phone number and will need to refer to
Announcement 99119. 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
Program Announcement 99119 when you request information.
If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all documents
business management and technical assistance may be obtained from:
Victoria Sepe, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch,
Procurement and Grants Office, Announcement 99119, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Room 3000, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA
30341, telephone (770) 488-2721, Email address: vxw1@cdc.gov.
For programmatic technical assistance, contact: Jennifer Madans,
Ph.D. and/or Audrey Burwell, MS, National Center for Health Statistics,
6525 Belcrest Road, Room 1140, Hyattsville, MD 20782, Phone: 301-436-
7016, Phone: 301-436-7062, Email: JHM4@cdc.gov, Email: AZB2@cdc.gov.
For additional programmatic information, see also the NCHS home
page on the Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww.
Dated: April 30, 1999.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 99-11338 Filed 5-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
