40294 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 144 /Tuesday, July 28, 1998 / Notices

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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention

[Program Announcement 98092]

The Epidemiology of Opportunistic

Infections in Bone Marrow Transplant

Recipients; Notice of Availability of

Funds

A. Purpose

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) announces the

availability of fiscal year (FY) 1998

funds for a cooperative agreement

program for The Epidemiology of

Opportunistic Infections in Bone

Marrow Transplant Recipients. This

program addresses the ‘‘Healthy People

2000’’ priority area of Immunization and

Infectious Diseases. The purpose of the

program is to provide assistance for a

study to assess the epidemiology of

opportunistic infections (OIs) in bone

marrow transplant (BMT) recipients in

the mid-1990s. For this study, a BMT is

defined as any hematopoietic cell

transplant of any type (autologous,

syngeneic, or allogeneic), with

transplanted cells collected from either

the donor’s bone marrow or peripheral

blood. An OI is defined as any infection

which occurs with increased frequency

or severity in BMT recipients. The goals

of this study are: (a) to identify the

important OIs in inpatients and

outpatients, both pediatric and adult,

and autologous and allogeneic BMT

recipients who have received stem cells

harvested from donor bone marrow or

blood, and (b) to describe recent trends

in BMT OI epidemiology to help set

priorities for BMT OI prevention

strategies.

B. Eligible Applicants

Maximum Competition

Applications may be submitted by

public and private nonprofit

organizations whose functions include

collecting and disseminating national

BMT data and coordinating information

about OIs in BMT recipients. Eligible

applicants must perform or collect OI

data on ≤ 100 new BMTs per year in

order to maximize the number of BMT

recipients under surveillance, and

therefore increase the power of the

study.

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 $140,000 is available

in FY 1998 to fund approximately 1–2

awards. It is expected that the average

award will be $70,000 ranging from

$50,000–140,000. It is expected that the

awards will begin on or about

September 30, 1998 and will be made

for a 12-month budget period within a

project period of one (1) year. Funding

estimates may change.

D. 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. Develop a plan to identify the

important OIs, including new and

emerging ones, which have occurred

during the mid-1990s in a retrospective

cohort of BMT recipients. Previously,

important BMT OIs have included

cytomegalovirus, influenza A and B,

respiratory syncytial virus, S.

pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae

type b, Toxoplasma gondii,

Pneumocystis carinii, and invasive

Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.

Important OIs in the mid-1990s may

include some or all of these agents.

b. Develop case definitions for

specific BMT OIs.

c. Design a study to determine the

epidemiology of OIs in BMT recipients

in the mid-1990s. This should include

methods to determine risk factors and

incidence rates of important Ois.

d. Develop a plan for quality

assurance to ensure completeness and

accuracy of data.

e. Interpret, publish, and disseminate

findings.

2. CDC Activities

a. Collaborate on planning and

designing the study. Assist with the

development of OI case definitions.

b. Provide assistance as requested by

recipient(s).

c. Collaborate in data management,

and in quality assurance.

d. Perform Statistical analysis as

requested.

e. In collaboration with recipient(s),

assist with interpretation of data.

f. Facilitate dissemination of findings.

E. Application Content

Use the information in the Program

Requirements, Other Requirements, and

Evaluation Criteria sections to develop

the application content. Your

application will be evaluated on the

criteria listed, so it is important to

follow them in laying out your program

plan. The narrative should be no more

than 15 double-spaced pages, printed on

one side, with one inch margins, and

unreduced font.

F. Submission and Deadline

Application

Submit the original and five copies of

PHS 398 (OMB Number 0925–

0001)(adhere to the instructions on the

Errata Instruction Sheet for PHS398).

Forms are in the application kit. On or

before August 30, 1998, submit the

application to: Van Malone, Grants

Management Specialist, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and

Grants Office, Announcement 98092,

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, Room 300, 255 East Paces

Ferry Road, NE., M/S E18, Atlanta,

Georgia 30305–2209.

If your application does not arrive in

time for submission to the independent

review group, it will not be considered

in the current competition unless you

can provide proof that you mailed it on

or before the deadline (i.e., receipt from

U.S. Postal Service or a commercial

carrier; private metered postmarks are

not acceptable).

G. Evaluation Criteria

Each application will be evaluated

individually against the following

criteria by an independent review group

appointed by CDC.

Plan (10 points)

Extent to which applicant presents a

detailed operational plan for initiating

and conducting the project, which

clearly and appropriately addresses all

Recipient Activities.

Objectives (15 points)

Extent to which applicant describes

specific objectives of the proposed

project which are consistent with the

purpose and goals of this cooperative

agreement program and which are

measurable and time-phased.

Methods (30 points)

Extent to which applicant describes

specific study protocols or plans for the

development of study protocols that are

appropriate for achieving project

objectives. The extent the proposed plan

includes the inclusion of women,
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 144 /Tuesday, July 28, 1998 / Notices 40295

ethnic, and racial groups in the

proposed research to include (1) 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, and (4) a

statement as to whether the plans for

recruitment and outreach for study

participants include the process of

establishing partnerships with the

community and recognition of mutual

benefits will be documented.

Extent to which applicant clearly

identifies specific assigned

responsibilities for all key professional

personnel.

Extent to which the plan clearly

describes applicant’s technical

approach/methods for conducting the

proposed studies and to accomplish the

study objectives.

Extent to which the applicant

evaluates completeness and accuracy of

reported data.

Capacity (35 Points)

Extent to which applicant documents

past experience and achievement in

successfully completing the types of

activities outlined in the Recipient

Activities section of this announcement.

Extent to which the applicant has

collected OI data on a large number of

BMT recipients, including >100 new

BMTs performed/year in the mid-1990s.

Extent to which the applicant

demonstrates its expertise in infectious

diseases, bone marrow transplantation,

epidemiology and laboratory practice to

diagnose all important OIs, including

new and emerging ones in BMT

recipients in the mid-1990s.

Extent to which the applicant

demonstrates it has collected data on

the likely important OIs, as well as

possible new and emerging OIs such as

Streptococcus variationist spp.,

coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.,

etc. Extent to which the applicant

demonstrates the ability to determine

whether previously reported OIs, such

as cytomegalovirus, influenza A and B,

respiratory syncytial virus, S.

pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae

type b, Toxoplasma gondii,

Pneumocystis carinii, invasive Candida

spp. and Aspergillus spp.

cytomegalovirus, are still important OIs

in the 1990s.

Evaluation (10 Points)

Extent to which applicant provides a

detailed and adequate plan for

evaluating study results and for

evaluating progress toward achieving

project objectives.

Budget (Reviewed, but not Scored)

Extent to which the proposed budget

is reasonable, clearly justifiable, and

consistent with the intended use of

cooperative agreement funds.

Does the application adequately

address the requirements of 45 CAR Part

46 for the protection of human subjects?

llYES llNo

Comments: lllllllllllllll

H. Other Requirements

Technical Reporting Requirements

Provide CDC with original plus two

copies of:

1. Progress reports (quarterly).

Progress results should address progress

toward overall objectives as represented

in the Purpose and Recipient Activities

sections of this announcement and

include summaries of research results.

2. Financial status report, no more

than 90 days after the end of the budget

period.

3. Final financial status and

performance reports, no more than 90

days after the end of the project period.

Send all reports to: Van Malone,

Grants Management Specialist, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and

Grants Office, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, Room 300, 255

East Paces Ferry Road., NE, M/S [E18],

Atlanta, GA 30305–2209

The following additional

requirements are applicable to this

program. For a complete description of

each, see Attachment 1 in the

application kit.

AR98–1 Human Subjects

Requirements

AR98–2 Requirements for Inclusion of

Women and Racial and Ethnic

Minorities in Research

AR98–9 Paperwork Reduction Act

Requirements

AR98–10 Smoke-Free Workplace

Requirements

AR98–11 Healthy People 2000

AR98–12 Lobbying Restrictions

AR98–15 Proof of Non-Profit Status

I. Authority and Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance Number

This program is authorized under

sections 301(a) and 317(k)(2) of the

Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C.

section 241(a) and 247b(k)(2)], as

amended. The Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance number 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 98092.

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 98092 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: Van Malone, Grants

Management Specialist, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and

Grants Office, Announcement 98092,

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), Room 300, 255 East

Paces Ferry Road, NE., M/S E18,

Atlanta, GA 30305–2209 telephone

(404) 842–6872, Email address

vxm7@cdc.gov.

See also the CDC home page on the

Internet: http://www.cdc.gov.

For program technical assistance

contact: Clare A. Decocts, M.D., M.P.H.,

CDC, Mailstop A12, 600 Clifton Rd., NE,

Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone (404)

639–4932, FAX (404) 639–4664, Email

address: cad3@cdc.gov.

Dated: July 22, 1998.

John L. Williams,

Director, Procurement and Grants Office,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC).

[FR Doc. 98–20079 Filed 7–27–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and

Families

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

Title: Child Care and Development

Fund Plan for States and Territories

(Supplement).

OMB No.: 0970–0114.

Description: The Child Care and

Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act

of 1990 requires the States and

Territories to submit a biennial Plan

(ACF–118) in order to receive Federal

funds. The statutorily required Plan

provides the public and ACF with a

description of, and assurances about,

the State’s Child Care Program. In 1996,

the Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act

(PRWORA) provided additional fiscal

resources for child care but required

that the funds be spent in accordance