[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37074-37075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17999]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Availability of Funds for Cooperative Agreement to Create a
Primary Care Resource Center
Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration.
Action: Notice of available funds.
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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
announces that applications will be accepted in fiscal year (FY) 1996
to create a university-based Primary Care Resource Center. The purpose
of the Center is to study the organization, financing, and delivery of
primary health care services to underserved and vulnerable populations,
in order to develop materials and information which will assist and
benefit Community Health Centers (CHCs) in their analysis of the need
for primary health services, the development of clinical practices, and
the refinement of fiscal and administrative systems. Funding of this
activity is authorized under Section 330(f)(1) of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act.
The PHS is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease
prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000, a PHS-led national
activity for setting priority areas. HRSA programs, and CHCs in
particular, are related to the objectives cited for special
populations, particularly minorities, people with low income, and other
types of vulnerable populations. 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 202-783-3238).
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a
smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.
In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994,
prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion
of a facility) in which regular or routine education, day care, health
care, or early childhood development services are provided to children.
DUE DATES: Applications are due August 30, 1996. Applications will be
considered to have met the deadline if they are: (1) Received on or
before the deadline date; or (2) postmarked on or before the
established deadline date and received in time for orderly processing.
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 are not acceptable as proof
of timely mailing. Applications received after the announced deadline
will not be considered for funding.
ADDRESSES: Application kits (Form PHS 5161-1) with revised face sheet
DHHS Form 424, as approved by the Office of Management and Budget under
control number 0937-0189, may be obtained from, and completed
applications should be mailed to: BPHC Grants Management Officer, c/o
Houston Associates, Inc., 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1200, Silver Spring,
MD 20910, Telephone 800/523-2192.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on programmatic and
research issues, contact: Ms. Bonnie Lefkowitz, Associate Bureau
Director, Office of Data, Evaluation, Analysis, and Research, Bureau of
Primary Health Care, HRSA, 4350 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland
20814, Telephone 301/594-4280 (FAX 301/594-4986).
For information on business management issues, please contact Nancy
Benson in the Office of Grants Management, Bureau of Primary Health
Care, 301/594-4232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Requirements
HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) is seeking to enter
into a cooperative agreement with a university or university-based
organization for the purpose of operating a Primary Care Resource
Center. The activities to be performed under this cooperative agreement
are intended to assure that relevant knowledge about the health care
environment and about methods of clinical and management improvement is
made available to the health centers and other primary care providers;
and that this knowledge is disseminated throughout those programs, and
is conveyed to policymakers, program planners and administrators, care
providers, and the user populations. Toward that goal, the Primary Care
Resource Center will communicate effectively and regularly with these
audiences through instruments it develops and disseminates.
Areas and topics for study will be determined jointly by BPHC and
the Center, with emphasis on the ability to respond to changing needs
of BPHC programs. The Center will be responsible for:
1. Producing short-term (e.g., 3-4 weeks turn-around) analytic
reports, white papers, and monographs, for dissemination, as
appropriate, to the public;
[[Page 37075]]
2. Conducting longer-term (e.g., 6-12 months turn-around), more
comprehensive applied policy research studies;
3. Developing informational and educational materials, including
monographs and summary reports, to help link policymakers and the BPHC
audiences identified above with sources of information about primary
care.
Subjects of such papers, studies, and reports are expected to
include, for example:
Monitoring the impact of changes in financing and delivery
of health care on vulnerable populations;
Access to care for underserved populations--status of
``safety net'' services;
The changing role of Federal programs in health care
generally, and adaptation to managed care;
Prevention strategies for underserved and vulnerable
populations (e.g., homeless and persons with HIV disease);
Assessing quality of care and quality of service;
Approaches to studying performance and health outcomes;
Design of program evaluations in primary care; and
Recruitment and retention of primary care providers.
Criteria for Evaluating Applications
Applications for cooperative agreement support will be reviewed
based upon the following evaluation criteria:
a. Extent to which the applicant shows understanding of policy
issues that have a significant effect on primary care for underserved
populations, particularly in light of the changing health care and
government environment;
b. Extent to which the applicant demonstrates flexibility to
provide quick response to requests and inquiries, for example, as
indicated in a management plan and personnel table, and in evidence of
ongoing relationships with appropriate personnel so as to minimize
start-up time;
c. Appropriateness and adequacy of qualifications and experience of
the proposed project staff and consultants;
d. Extent to which the applicant demonstrates prior evidence of
organizational ability to conduct high-quality policy-relevant studies
and disseminate materials in an appropriate format in a timely manner,
and to appropriate audiences; and
e. Reasonableness of costs in relation to the value of proposed
activities, including how the proportion of the proposed budget for
direct production of deliverables has been maximized.
Eligible Applicants
Any public or private university or university-based organization
may apply. Less than maximum competition is necessary in order to
ensure academic rigor and depth of skills, and to gain optimal access
to current information, professional research, and informed opinion
regarding the delivery of primary health care for minority and
vulnerable populations and those with special health care needs. The
experience and attributes of a university or university-based
organization are essential to the timely and successful completion of
the products required.
Number of Awards
It is anticipated that one award will be made. The cooperative
agreement for a Primary Care Resource Center will be awarded for a
three-year period, and the initial budget period will be eight months.
Funding during FY 1996 will be approximately $200,000; BPHC will
consider continutation funding during FY 1997 based on the availability
of funds and performance in the first budget period.
Federal Responsibilities Under Cooperative Agreements
Federal responsibilities under the cooperative agreement, in
addition to the usual monitoring and technical assistance, will
include: (1) Participation in the development and approval of an
initial workplan, in accord with changing events in government policies
and in the health care environment, and modification thereof, as
appropriate; (2) participation in meetings conducted under the
cooperative agreement; (3) consultation to and cooperation with the
grantee regarding the grantee's preparation and dissemination of
materials; and (4) approval of specific studies and projects.
Other Award Information
This program is not subject to review under Executive Order 12372
or the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.
Dated: July 10, 1996.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-17999 Filed 7-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P
