Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 49635

applications for completeness, and the 

HHS Global AIDS program will review 

them for responsiveness. Incomplete 

applications and applications that are 

non-responsive to the eligibility criteria 

will not advance through the review 

process. Applicants will receive 

notification that their applications did 

not meet submission requirements.

An objective review panel will 

evaluate complete and responsive 

applications according to the criteria 

listed in the ‘‘V.1. Criteria’’ section 

above. All persons who serve on the 

panel will be external to the U.S. 

Government Country Program Office. 

The panel can include both Federal and 

non-Federal participants. 

In addition, the following factors 

could affect the funding decision: While 

U.S.-based organizations are eligible to 

apply, we will give preference to 

existing national/Ethiopian 

organizations with a successful history 

of working in the Oromia region of 

Southwest Ethiopia. It is possible for 

one organization to apply as lead 

grantee with a plan that includes 

partnering with other organizations, 

preferably local. Although matching 

funds are not required, preference will 

go to organizations that can leverage 

additional funds to contribute to 

program goals. 

Applications will be funded in order 

by score and rank determined by the 

review panel. HHS/CDC will provide 

justification for any decision to fund out 

of rank order. 

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and 

Award Dates 

September 23, 2005. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1. Award Notices 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Notice of Award (NoA) from the HHS/

CDC Procurement and Grants Office. 

The NoA shall be the only binding, 

authorizing document between the 

recipient and HHS/CDC. An authorized 

Grants Management Officer will sign the 

NoA, and mail it to the recipient fiscal 

officer identified in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review by mail. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

45 CFR Part 74 

For more information on the Code of 

Federal Regulations, see the National 

Archives and Records Administration at 

the following Internet address: http://

www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-tablesearch.html.

The following additional 

requirements apply to this project: 

• AR–4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality 

Provisions 

• AR–8 Public Health System 

Reporting Requirements 

• AR–12 Lobbying Restrictions 

• AR–14 Accounting System 

Requirements 

Applicants can find additional 

information on these requirements on 

the HHS/CDC web site at the following 

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

od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm.

You need to include an additional 

Certifications form from the PHS 5161–

1 application in your Grants.gov 

electronic submission only. Please refer 

to http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/

PHS5161-1-Certificates.pdf. Once you 

have filled out the form, please attach it 

to your Grants.gov submission as Other 

Attachment Forms. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements 

You must provide HHS/CDC with an 

original, plus two hard copies of the 

following reports: 

1. Interim progress report, due no less 

than 90 days before the end of the 

budget period. The progress report will 

serve as your non-competing 

continuation application, and must 

contain the following elements: 

a. Current Budget Period Activities 

Objectives.

b. Current Budget Period Financial 

Progress. 

c. New Budget Period Program 

Proposed Activity Objectives. 

d. Budget. 

e. Measures of Effectiveness, 

including progress against the 

numerical goals of the President’s 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for 

Ethiopia. 

f. Additional Requested Information. 

2. Annual progress report, due within 

no later than 90 days after the end of the 

budget period. 

3. Financial status report, no more 

than 90 days after the end of the budget 

period. 

4. Final financial and performance 

reports, no more than 90 days after the 

end of the project period. 

Recipients must mail these reports to 

the Grants Management or Contract 

Specialist listed in the ‘‘Agency 

Contacts’’ section of this announcement. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

We encourage inquiries concerning 

this announcement. 

For general questions, contact: 

Technical Information Management 

Section, CDC Procurement and Grants 

Office, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, 2920 Brandywine 

Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 

770–488–2700. 

For program technical assistance, 

contact: Tadesse Wuhib, MD, MPH, 

Country Director, HHS/CDC-Ethiopia, 

P.O. Box 1014, Entoto Road, Addis 

Ababa. Telephone: (Office) 251–1–66–

95–33; (Cell) 251–9–228543. E-mail 

address: wuhibt@etcdc.com.

For financial, grants management, or 

budget assistance, contact: Shirley 

Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, 

CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, 2920 Brandywine Road, 

Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 770–

488–1515. E-mail: SWynn@cdc.gov.

VIII. Other Information 

Applicants can find this and other 

HHS funding opportunity 

announcements on the HHS CDC web 

site, Internet address: www.cdc.gov

(click on ‘‘Funding’’ then ‘‘Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements’’), and on the 

web site of the HHS Office of Global 

Health Affairs, Internet address: 

www.globalhealth.gov.

Dated: August 17, 2005. 

William P. Nichols, 

Director, Procurement and Grants Office, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services.

[FR Doc. 05–16817 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Strengthening and Expanding Antiretroviral Treatment in the Republic of 

Haiti to HIV/AIDS Infected Populations 

Through Training, Support and Quality 

Assurance/Quality Control at Antiretroviral Sites as Part of the 

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief 

Announcement Type: New. 

Funding Opportunity Number: CDC–

RFA–AA177. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 93.067. 

Key Dates: Application Deadline: 

September 19, 2005. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority: This program is authorized 

under Sections 301(a) and 307) of the Public 

Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. Sections 241 

and 2421], as amended and under Public Law 

108–25 (United States Leadership Against 

HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 

2003) [22 U.S.C. 7601].

49636 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 

Background: President Bush’s 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has 

called for immediate, comprehensive 

and evidence-based action to turn the 

tide of global HIV/AIDS. The initiative 

aims to treat more than two million 

HIV-infected people with effective 

combination anti-retroviral therapy by 

2008; care for ten million HIV-infected 

and affected persons, including those 

orphaned by HIV/AIDS, by 2008; and 

prevent seven million infections by 

2010, with a focus on 15 priority 

countries, including 12 in sub-Saharan 

Africa. The five-year strategy for the 

Emergency Plan is available at the 

following Internet address: http://

www.state.gov/s/gac/rl/or/c11652.htm.

Over the same time period, as part of 

a collective national response, the 

Emergency Plan goals specific to Haiti 

are to treat at least 25,000 HIV-infected 

individuals; care for 125,000 HIVaffected individuals, including orphans. 

Purpose: An essential element of 

preventing new cases of HIV in Haiti is 

to ensure as much of the population as 

possible has adequate access to 

screening, treatment, and care facilities. 

Haiti’s HIV prevalence rate in adults is 

reported to be 5.6 percent, according to 

the 2004 Annual Report of the Joint 

United Programme on HIV/AIDS 

(UNAIDS). Access to prevention and 

treatment is limited among the Haitian 

population because of an 

underdeveloped public health 

infrastructure and a lack of clinical 

capacity. 

Currently, around 3,000 Haitians 

infected with HIV receive ARV therapy. 

However, with funding from the 

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief, the U.S. Government aims to 

increase that number dramatically to 

7,200 by the end of 2005. To meet the 

Emergency Plan’s goals within the time 

allotted, applicants must be able to 

demonstrate they already have 

experience in training clinicians and 

laboratory personnel involved in VCT 

activities, distributing ARVs and in 

providing palliative care to patients 

with HIV/AIDS in Haiti. 

Under the leadership of the U.S. 

Global AIDS Coordinator, as part of the 

President’s Emergency Plan, the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) works with host 

countries and other key partners to 

assess the needs of each country and 

design a customized program of 

assistance that fits within the host 

nation’s strategic plan.

HHS focuses on two or three major 

program areas in each country. Goals 

and priorities include the following: 

• Achieving primary prevention of 

HIV infection through activities such as 

expanding confidential counseling and 

testing programs, building programs to 

reduce mother-to-child transmission, 

and strengthening programs to reduce 

transmission via blood transfusion and 

medical injections. 

• Improving the care and treatment of 

HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases 

(STDs) and related opportunistic 

infections by improving STD 

management; enhancing care and 

treatment of opportunistic infections, 

including tuberculosis (TB); and 

initiating programs to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART). 

• Strengthening the capacity of 

countries to collect and use surveillance 

data and manage national HIV/AIDS 

programs by expanding HIV/STD/TB 

surveillance programs and 

strengthening laboratory support for 

surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, 

disease-monitoring and HIV screening 

for blood safety. 

Measurable outcomes of the program 

will be in alignment with the numerical 

goals of the President’s Emergency Plan 

for AIDS Relief and with one (or more) 

of the following performance goal(s) for 

the National Center for HIV, STD and 

TB Prevention (NCHSTP), of the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) within HHS: Increase the 

proportion of HIV-infected people who 

are linked to appropriate prevention, 

care and treatment services, and 

strengthen the capacity nationwide to 

monitor the epidemic, develop and 

implement effective HIV prevention 

interventions and evaluate prevention 

programs. 

This announcement is only for nonresearch activities supported by HHS, 

including CDC. If an applicant proposes 

research activities, HHS will not review 

the application. For the definition of 

‘‘research,’’ please see the HHS/CDC 

web site at the following Internet 

address: http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/

opspoll1.htm.

Activities: The recipient of these 

funds is responsible for activities in 

multiple program areas designed to 

target underserved populations in Haiti. 

Either the awardee will implement 

activities directly or will implement 

them through its subgrantees and/or 

subcontractors; the awardee will retain 

overall financial and programmatic 

management under the oversight of 

HHS/CDC and the strategic direction of 

the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator. The awardee must show a 

measurable progressive reinforcement of 

the capacity of indigenous organizations 

and local communities to respond to the 

national HIV epidemic, as well as 

progress towards the sustainability of 

activities. 

Applicants should describe activities 

in detail as part of a four-year action 

plan (U.S. Government Fiscal Years 

2005–2008 inclusive) that reflects the 

policies and goals outlined in the fiveyear strategy for the President’s 

Emergency Plan. 

The grantee will produce an annual 

operational plan in the context of this 

four-year plan, which the U.S. 

Government Emergency Plan team on 

the ground in Haiti will review as part 

of the annual Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief Country Operational Plan review 

and approval process managed by the 

Office of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator. The grantee may work on 

some of the activities listed below in the 

first year and in subsequent years, and 

then progressively add others from the 

list to achieve all of the Emergency Plan 

performance goals, as cited in the 

previous section. HHS/CDC, under the 

guidance of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator, will approve funds for 

activities on an annual basis, based on 

documented performance toward 

achieving Emergency Plan goals, as part 

of the annual Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief Country Operational Plan review 

and approval process. 

Awardee activities for covering all 

program areas are as follows: 

1. Perform routine quality assurance 

and quality control (QA/QC) on rapid 

testing specimens from all sites 

supported by the Emergency Plan until 

the Haitian national reference lab is 

operational. 

2. Perform confirmational CD4 testing 

and analysis to determine clinical 

eligibility for expansion sites without 

capacity to conduct such testing. 

3. Perform conformational sexually 

transmitted infection (STI) testing for 

diagnosis. 

4. Provide training in local languages 

to local health care professionals 

including physicians, nurses, lab 

technicians and pharmacy technicians, 

community health workers, volunteers 

and appropriate program staff on the 

following: 

a. How to design, implement and 

evaluate confidential voluntary 

counseling and testing (VCT) program 

sites to enable them to provide 

confidential counseling and rapid 

testing for HIV/AIDS; 

b. The provision of psycho-social 

support by social workers to people 

living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and 

their families, including bereavement 

counseling, crisis management, support 

for orphan and vulnerable children; 

c. Clinical care and treatment of HIV/

AIDS/TB, opportunistic infection(OI) 

and highly active anti-retroviral therapy 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 49637

(HAART); including basic and palliative 

care; 

d. Care for PLWHAs, including 

counseling PLWHAs engaged in 

treatment and drug administration, 

especially for nurses and community 

health workers; 

e. Drug-supply management, 

forecasting, and packaging (especially 

for pharmacists); 

f. The use of automated laboratory 

equipment for hematology, biochemistry 

and biology (especially for lab 

technicians), 

g. How to maintain laboratory 

equipment; 

h. Laboratory safety and proper 

disposal of biohazardous materials;

i. The use of universal precautions 

and the management of needle-stick or 

splash injuries; 

j. Post-training follow-up to identify 

gaps in resources or effectiveness of 

particular protocols; and 

k. Regular routine, in-service trainings 

in local languages for health service and 

lab personnel to review new and best 

practice techniques and solicit ‘‘insider 

insight’’—an account of implementation 

success and challenges. 

5. Implement monitoring and 

evaluation strategies at each program 

site, by assessing: 

a. Number of trainings held; 

b. Number and type of participants; 

c. Pre- and post-training evaluation of 

skills; and 

d. Number of equipment maintenance 

calls. 

Based on its competitive advantage 

and proven field experience, the 

winning applicant will undertake a 

broad range of activities to meet the 

numerical Emergency Plan targets 

outlined in this announcement. 

Administration 

The winning applicant must comply 

with all HHS management requirements 

for meeting participation and progress 

and financial reporting for this 

cooperative agreement (See HHS 

Activities and Reporting sections below 

for details), and comply with all policy 

directives established by the Office of 

the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. 

In a cooperative agreement, HHS staff 

is substantially involved in the program 

activities, above and beyond routine 

grant monitoring. 

HHS Activities for this program are as 

follows: 

1. Organize an orientation meeting 

with the grantee to brief it on applicable 

U.S. Government, HHS, and Emergency 

Plan expectations, regulations and key 

management requirements, as well as 

report formats and contents. The 

orientation could include meetings with 

staff from HHS agencies and the Office 

of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. 

2. Review and approve the process 

used by the grantee to select key 

personnel and/or post-award 

subcontractors and/or subgrantees to be 

involved in the activities performed 

under this agreement, as part of the 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Country 

Operational Plan review and approval 

process, managed by the Office of the 

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. 

3. Review and approve grantee’s 

annual work plan and detailed budget, 

as part of the Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief Country Operational Plan review 

and approval process, managed by the 

Office of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator. 

4. Review and approve grantee’s 

monitoring and evaluation plan, 

including for compliance with the 

strategic information guidance 

established by the Office of the U.S. 

Global AIDS Coordinator. 

5. Meet on a monthly basis with 

grantee to assess monthly expenditures 

in relation to approved work plan and 

modify plans as necessary. 

6. Meet on a quarterly basis with 

grantee to assess quarterly technical and 

financial progress reports and modify 

plans as necessary. 

7. Meet on an annual basis with 

grantee to review annual progress report 

for each U.S. Government Fiscal Year, 

and to review annual work plans and 

budgets for subsequent year, as part of 

the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 

review and approval process for 

Country Operational Plans, managed by 

the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator.

8. Provide technical assistance, as 

mutually agreed upon, and revise 

annually during validation of the first 

and subsequent annual work plans. This 

could include expert technical 

assistance and targeted training 

activities in specialized areas, such as 

strategic information, project 

management, confidential counseling 

and testing, palliative care, treatment 

literacy, and adult learning techniques. 

9. Provide in-country administrative 

support to help grantee meet U.S. 

Government financial and reporting 

requirements. 

10. Collaborate with the Haitian 

Ministry of Health (MSPP) and partners 

to strengthen confidential VCT/

prevention of mother-to-child 

transmission (PMTCT) sites, specialized 

care and treatment sites and public antiretroviral (ARV) demonstration sites. 

11. Provide equipment and 

commodities acquired through a 

transparent and competitive process 

(excluding ARV drugs) to all VCT/

PMTCT sites and public demonstration 

sites. HHS/CDC will provide ARV drugs 

to public demonstration sites only. 

12. Hire and support of staff. 

13. Support for an electronic medical 

record (EMR) database system, and a 

surveillance database system for case 

identification and management. 

14. Support for the annual technical 

review of the National AIDS/TB/STI 

program in Haiti. 

Please note: Either HHS staff or staff 

from organizations that have 

successfully competed for funding 

under a separate HHS contract, 

cooperative agreement or grant will 

provide technical assistance and 

training. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. HHS involvement in this 

program is listed in the Activities 

Section above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: 2005. 

Approximate Total Funding:

$4,615,000 (This amount is an estimate, 

and is subject to availability of funds.) 

Approximate Number of Awards:

One. 

Approximate Average Award:

$923,000 (This amount is for the first 

12-month budget period, and includes 

direct costs.) 

Floor of Award Range: None. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $923,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: September 

23, 2005. 

Budget Period Length: 12 months. 

Project Period Length: Five years. 

Throughout the project period, HHS’ 

commitment to continuation of awards 

will be conditioned on the availability 

of funds, evidence of satisfactory 

progress by the recipient (as 

documented in required reports), and 

the determination that continued 

funding is in the best interest of the 

Federal Government, through the 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief review 

and approval process for Country 

Operational Plans, managed by the 

Office of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Public and private non-profit and forprofit organizations may submit 

applications, such as: 

• Public, non-profit organizations 

• Private, non-profit organizations 

• For-profit organizations 

• Small, minority-owned, and 

women-owned businesses 

• Colleges 

• Universities 

• Hospitals 

49638 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 

1Behaviors that increase risk for HIV 

transmission include engaging in casual sexual 

encounters, engaging in sex in exchange for money 

or favors, having sex with an HIV-positive partner 

or one whose status is unknown, using drugs or 

abusing alcohol in the context of sexual 

interactions, and using intravenous drugs. Women, 

even if faithful themselves, can still be at risk of 

becoming infected by their spouse, regular male 

partner, or someone using force against them. Other 

high-risk persons or groups include men who have 

sex with men and workers who are employed away 

from home. Awardees may not implement condom 

social marketing without also implementing 

abstinence and faithfulness behavior-change 

interventions.

• Community-based organizations 

• Faith-based organizations 

In addition, applicants must meet the 

criteria listed below: 

1. Documented experience providing 

care and treatment in resource 

constrained, politically unstable 

countries; 

2. Experience in performing extensive 

HIV/AIDS laboratory diagnostic testing 

and training; 

3. Have documented experience in 

HIV/AIDS particularly in the provision 

of basic social services for HIV-infected/

affected persons, must have experience 

with non-facility-based counseling, and 

must already be integrated into the 

national HIV/AIDS program; and 

4. Documented experience working 

with populations engaged in high-risk 

behaviors.1

Eligible applicants should also 

demonstrate a current or past capacity 

to coordinate their activities with HHS/

CDC and other members of the United 

States Government. 

III.2. Cost-Sharing or Matching Funds 

Matching funds are not required for 

this program. Although matching funds 

are not required, preference will go to 

organizations that can leverage 

additional funds to contribute to 

program goals. 

III.3. Other 

If applicants request a funding 

amount greater than the ceiling of the 

award range, HHS/CDC will consider 

the application non-responsive, and it 

will not enter into the review process. 

We will notify you that your application 

did not meet the submission 

requirements. 

Special Requirements 

If your application is incomplete or 

non-responsive to the special 

requirements listed in this section, it 

will not enter into the review process. 

We will notify you that your application 

did not meet submission requirements. 

• HHS/CDC will consider late 

applications non-responsive. See 

section ‘‘IV.3. Submission Dates and 

Times’’ for more information on 

deadlines. 

• Note: Title 2 of the United States 

Code Section 1611 states that an 

organization described in Section 

501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code 

that engages in lobbying activities is not 

eligible to receive Federal funds 

constituting an award, grant, or loan. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

IV.1. Address To Request Application 

Package 

To apply for this funding opportunity 

use application form PHS 5161–1. 

HHS strongly encourages you to 

submit your application electronically 

by using the forms and instructions 

posted for this announcement at 

www.grants.gov. 

Application forms and instructions 

are available on the HHS/CDC web site, 

at the following Internet address: 

www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm. 

If you do not have access to the 

Internet, or if you have difficulty 

accessing the forms on-line, you may 

contact the HHS/CDC Procurement and 

Grants Office Technical Information 

Management Section (PGO–TIM) staff 

at: 770–488–2700. We can mail 

application forms to you. 

IV.2. Content and Form of Submission 

Application: You must submit a 

project narrative with your application 

forms. You must submit the narrative in 

the following format: 

• Maximum number of pages: 30. If 

your narrative exceeds the page limit, 

we will only review the first pages 

within the page limit 

• Font size: 12 point unreduced 

• Double-spaced 

• Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches 

• Page margin size: One inch 

• Printed only on one side of page 

• Held together only by rubber bands 

or metal clips; not bound in any other 

way. 

• Submitted in English 

Your narrative should address 

activities to be conducted over the 

entire project period, and must include 

the following items in the order listed:

• Project Contribution to the 

numerical Goals and Objectives of the 

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief 

• Timeline (e.g., GANNT Chart) 

• Management of Project Funds and 

Reporting 

• Executive Summary: Provide a clear 

and concise summary of the proposed 

goals, major objectives and activities 

required for achievement of program 

goals and amount of funding requested 

for budget year one of this cooperative 

agreement. 

• Laboratory Services 

1. Perform routine QA/QC on rapidtesting specimens from all sites 

supported by the Emergency Plan for 

AIDS Relief until the national reference 

lab is operational. 

2. Perform confirmational CD4 testing 

and analysis to determine clinical 

eligibility of patients for ART at 

expansion sites that lack the capacity to 

conduct such testing. 

3. Perform confirmational STI testing 

for diagnosis. 

• Training 

1. Provide training in local languages 

to local health care professionals 

including physicians, nurses, lab 

technicians and pharmacy technicians, 

community health workers volunteers 

and appropriate program staff. 

a. Train how to design, implement 

and evaluate confidential VCT program 

sites to enable them to provide 

counseling and rapid testing for HIV/

AIDS. 

b. Train social workers in providing 

psycho-social support to PLWHA and 

their families, including bereavement 

counseling, crisis management, and 

support for orphan and vulnerable 

children. 

c. Train health care professionals, in 

clinical care and treatment of HIV/

AIDS/TB, OI and HAART including 

basic and palliative care. 

d. Train nurses and community health 

workers in care for PLWHAs, including 

counseling PLWHAs engaged in 

treatment and drug administration. 

e. Train pharmacists in drug-supply 

commodity management, forecasting, 

and packaging. 

f. Train lab technicians in use of 

automated laboratory equipment for 

hematology, biochemistry, biology. 

g. Train how to maintain laboratory 

equipment. 

h. Train in laboratory safety and 

proper disposal of bio-hazardous 

materials protocol. 

i. Train in the use of universal 

precautions and the management of 

needle-stick or splash injuries. 

j. Provide post-training follow-up to 

identify gaps in resources or 

effectiveness of particular protocols. 

k. Provide regular routine in-service 

trainings in local languages for health 

service and lab personnel to review new 

and best practice techniques and solicit 

‘‘insider insight’’—an account of 

implementation success and challenges. 

2. Implement monitoring and 

evaluation strategies at each program 

site, assessing: 

a. Number of trainings held 

b. Number and type of participants 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 49639

c. Pre- and post-training skill levels 

d. Number of equipment maintenance 

calls. 

You may include additional 

information in the application 

appendices. The appendices will not 

count toward the narrative page limit. 

This additional information includes 

the following:

• Curricula Vitae or Resumes of 

current staff who will work on the 

activity 

• Organizational Charts 

• Letters of Support 

• Project Budget and Justification for 

year one only 

The budget justification will not 

count in the narrative page limit. 

Although the narrative addresses 

activities for the entire project, the 

applicant should provide a detailed 

budget only for the first year of 

activities, while addressing budgetary 

plans for subsequent years. 

You must have a Dun and Bradstreet 

Data Universal Numbering System 

(DUNS) number to apply for a grant or 

cooperative agreement from the Federal 

Government. The DUNS number is a 

nine-digit identification number, which 

uniquely identifies business entities. 

Obtaining a DUNS number is easy, and 

there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS 

number, access 

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1–

866–705–5711. 

For more information, see the HHS/

CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/

od/pgo/funding/pubcommt.htm.

If your application form does not have 

a DUNS number field, please write your 

DUNS number at the top of the first 

page of your application, and/or include 

your DUNS number in your application 

cover letter. 

Additional requirements that could 

require you to submit additional 

documentation with your application 

are listed in section ‘‘VI.2. 

Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements.’’

IV.3. Submission Dates and Times 

Application Deadline Date:

September 19, 2005. 

Explanation of Deadlines:

Applications must be received in the 

HHS/CDC Procurement and Grants 

Office by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the 

deadline date. 

You may submit your application 

electronically at www.grants.gov. We 

consider applications completed online 

through Grants.gov as formally 

submitted when the applicant 

organization’s Authorizing Official 

electronically submits the application to 

www.grants.gov. We will consider 

electronic applications as having met 

the deadline if the applicant 

organization’s Authorizing Official has 

submitted the application electronically 

to Grants.gov on or before the deadline 

date and time. 

If you submit your application 

electronically with Grants.gov, your 

application will be electronically time/

date stamped, which will serve as 

receipt of submission. You will receive 

an e-mail notice of receipt when HHS/

CDC receives the application. 

If you submit your application by the 

United States Postal Service or 

commercial delivery service, you must 

ensure the carrier will be able to 

guarantee delivery by the closing date 

and time. If HHS/CDC receives your 

submission after closing because: (1) 

Carrier error, when the carrier accepted 

the package with a guarantee for 

delivery by the closing date and time, or 

(2) significant weather delays or natural 

disasters, you will have the opportunity 

to submit documentation of the carriers 

guarantee. If the documentation verifies 

a carrier problem, HHS/CDC will 

consider the submission as received by 

the deadline. 

If you submit a hard copy application, 

HHS/CDC will not notify you upon 

receipt of your submission. If you have 

a question about the receipt of your 

application, first contact your courier. If 

you still have a question, contact the 

PGO–TIM staff at: 770–488–2700. Before 

calling, please wait two to three days 

after the submission deadline. This will 

allow time for us to process and log 

submissions. 

This announcement is the definitive 

guide on application content, 

submission address, and deadline. It 

supersedes information provided in the 

application instructions. If your 

submission does not meet the deadline 

above, it will not be eligible for review, 

and we will discard it. We will notify 

you that you did not meet the 

submission requirements. 

IV.4. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications 

Executive Order 12372 does not apply 

to this program. 

IV.5. Funding Restrictions 

Restrictions, which you must take 

into account while writing your budget, 

are as follows: 

• Funds may not be used for research. 

• Reimbursement of pre-award costs 

is not allowed.

• Funds may be spent for reasonable 

program purposes, including personnel, 

travel, supplies, and services. 

Equipment may be purchased if deemed 

necessary to accomplish program 

objectives, however, prior approval by 

HHS/CDC officials must be requested in 

writing. 

• All requests for funds contained in 

the budget shall be stated in U.S. 

dollars. Once an award is made, HHS/

CDC will not compensate foreign 

grantees for currency exchange 

fluctuations through the issuance of 

supplemental awards. 

• The costs that are generally 

allowable in grants to domestic 

organizations are allowable to foreign 

institutions and international 

organizations, with the following 

exception: With the exception of the 

American University, Beirut and the 

World Health Organization, Indirect 

Costs will not be paid (either directly or 

through sub-award) to organizations 

located outside the territorial limits of 

the United States or to international 

organizations, regardless of their 

location. 

• The applicant may contract with 

other organizations under this program; 

however the applicant must perform a 

substantial portion of the activities 

(including program management and 

operations, and delivery of prevention 

services for which funds are required). 

• You must obtain annual audit of 

these HHS/CDC funds (program-specific 

audit) by a U.S.-based audit firm with 

international branches and current 

licensure/authority in-country, and in 

accordance with International 

Accounting Standards or equivalent 

standard(s) approved in writing by 

HHS/CDC. 

• A fiscal Recipient Capability 

Assessment may be required, prior to or 

post award, to review the applicant’s 

business management and fiscal 

capabilities regarding the handling of 

U.S. Federal funds. 

• Funds received from this 

announcement will not be used for the 

purchase of antiretroviral drugs for 

treatment of established HIV infection 

(with the exception of nevirapine in 

PMTCT cases and with prior written 

approval), occupational exposures, and 

non-occupational exposures and will 

not be used for the purchase of 

machines and reagents to conduct the 

necessary laboratory monitoring for 

patient care. 

• Needle Exchange—No funds 

appropriated under this Act shall be 

used to carry out any program of 

distributing sterile needles or syringes 

for the hypodermic injection of any 

illegal drug. 

Prostitution and Related Activities 

The U.S. Government is opposed to 

prostitution and related activities, 

which are inherently harmful and 

49640 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 

dehumanizing, and contribute to the 

phenomenon of trafficking in persons. 

Any entity that receives, directly or 

indirectly, U.S. Government funds in 

connection with this document 

(‘‘recipient’’) cannot use such U.S. 

Government funds to promote or 

advocate the legalization or practice of 

prostitution or sex trafficking. Nothing 

in the preceding sentence shall be 

construed to preclude the provision to 

individuals of palliative care, treatment, 

or post-exposure pharmaceutical 

prophylaxis, and necessary 

pharmaceuticals and commodities, 

including test kits, condoms, and, when 

proven effective, microbicides. 

A recipient that is otherwise eligible 

to receive funds in connection with this 

document to prevent, treat, or monitor 

HIV/AIDS shall not be required to 

endorse or utilize a multisectoral 

approach to combating HIV/AIDS, or to 

endorse, utilize, or participate in a 

prevention method or treatment 

program to which the recipient has a 

religious or moral objection. Any 

information provided by recipients 

about the use of condoms as part of 

projects or activities that are funded in 

connection with this document shall be 

medically accurate and shall include the 

public health benefits and failure rates 

of such use. 

In addition, any recipient must have 

a policy explicitly opposing prostitution 

and sex trafficking. The preceding 

sentence shall not apply to any ‘‘exempt 

organizations’’ (defined as the Global 

Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and 

Malaria, the World Health Organization 

and its six Regional Offices, the 

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative or 

to any United Nations agency). 

The following definition applies for 

purposes of this clause: 

• Sex trafficking means the 

recruitment, harboring, transportation, 

provision, or obtaining of a person for 

the purpose of a commercial sex act. 22 

U.S.C. 7102(9). 

All recipients must insert provisions 

implementing the applicable parts of 

this section, ‘‘Prostitution and Related 

Activities,’’ in all subagreements under 

this award. These provisions must be 

express terms and conditions of the 

subagreement, must acknowledge that 

compliance with this section, 

‘‘Prostitution and Related Activities,’’ is 

a prerequisite to receipt and 

expenditure of U.S. government funds 

in connection with this document, and 

must acknowledge that any violation of 

the provisions shall be grounds for 

unilateral termination of the agreement 

prior to the end of its term. Recipients 

must agree that HHS may, at any 

reasonable time, inspect the documents 

and materials maintained or prepared 

by the recipient in the usual course of 

its operations that relate to the 

organization’s compliance with this 

section, ‘‘Prostitution and Related 

Activities.’’

All prime recipients that receive U.S. 

Government funds (‘‘prime recipients’’) 

in connection with this document must 

certify compliance prior to actual 

receipt of such funds in a written 

statement that makes reference to this 

document (e.g., ‘‘[Prime recipient’s 

name] certifies compliance with the 

section, ‘Prostitution and Related 

Activities.’ ’’) addressed to the agency’s 

grants officer. Such certifications by 

prime recipients are prerequisites to the 

payment of any U.S. Government funds 

in connection with this document.

Recipients’ compliance with this 

section, ‘‘Prostitution and Related 

Activities,’’ is an express term and 

condition of receiving U.S. Government 

funds in connection with this 

document, and any violation of it shall 

be grounds for unilateral termination by 

HHS of the agreement with HHS in 

connection with this document prior to 

the end of its term. The recipient shall 

refund to HHS the entire amount 

furnished in connection with this 

document in the event HHS determines 

the recipient has not complied with this 

section, ‘‘Prostitution and Related 

Activities.’’

You may find guidance for 

completing your budget on the HHS/

CDC Web site, at the following Internet 

address: http//www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/

funding/budgetguide.htm.

IV.6. Other Submission Requirements 

Application Submission Address 

HHS/CDC strongly encourages you to 

submit electronically at: 

www.grants.gov. You will be able to 

download a copy of the application 

package from www.grants.gov, complete 

it offline, and then upload and submit 

the application via the Grants.gov site. 

We will not accept e-mail submissions. 

If you are having technical difficulties 

in Grants.gov, you may reach them by 

e-mail at support@grants.gov, or by 

phone at 1–800–518–4726 (1–800–518–

GRANTS). The Customer Support 

Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. 

HHS/CDC recommends that you 

submit your application to Grants.gov 

early enough to resolve any 

unanticipated difficulties prior to the 

deadline. You may also submit a backup paper submission of your 

application. We must receive any such 

paper submission in accordance with 

the requirements for timely submission 

detailed in Section IV.3. of the grant 

announcement. You must clearly mark 

the paper submission: ‘‘BACK-UP FOR 

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION.’’

The paper submission must conform 

to all requirements for non-electronic 

submissions. If we receive both 

electronic and back-up paper 

submissions by the deadline, we will 

consider the electronic version the 

official submission. 

We strongly recommended that you 

submit your grant application by using 

Microsoft Office products (e.g., 

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, etc.). If 

you do not have access to Microsoft 

Office products, you may submit a PDF 

file. You may find directions for 

creating PDF files on the Grants.gov 

Web site. Use of files other than 

Microsoft Office or PDF could make 

your file unreadable for our staff.

OR

Submit the original and two hard 

copies of your application by mail or 

express delivery service to the following 

address: Technical Information 

Management-AA177, CDC Procurement 

and Grants Office, U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, 2920 

Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Criteria 

Applicants must provide measures of 

effectiveness that will demonstrate the 

accomplishment of the various 

identified objectives of the cooperative 

agreement. Measures of effectiveness 

must relate to the performance goals 

stated in the ‘‘Purpose’’ section of this 

announcement. Measures must be 

objective and quantitative, and must 

measure the intended outcome. 

Applicants must submit these measures 

of effectiveness with the application, 

and they will be an element of 

evaluation. 

We will evaluate your application 

against the following criteria: 

1. Need (20 Points) 

To what extent does the applicant 

justify the need for this program within 

the target community? 

2. Work Plan (25 Points) 

Does the applicant describe strategies 

that are pertinent and match those 

identified in the five-year strategy of the 

President’s Emergency Plan and 

activities that are evidence-based, 

realistic, achievable, measurable, and 

culturally appropriate in Haiti to 

achieve the goals of the Emergency 

Plan? Is the plan adequate to carry out 

the proposed objectives? How complete 

and comprehensive is the plan for the 

entire project period? Does the plan 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 49641

include quantitative process and 

outcome measures? 

3. Monitoring Evaluation and 

Reporting (20 points) 

Does the applicant describe a system 

for reviewing and adjusting program 

activities based on monitoring 

information? Does the plan include 

indicators for each program milestone 

and incorporated into the quarterly 

financial and programmatic reports? Are 

the indicators drawn from the 

Emergency Plan Indicator Guide? Will 

the system generate quarterly financial 

and program reports to show 

disbursement of funds, and progress 

towards achieving the program 

objectives of the President’s Emergency 

Plan for AIDS Relief? 

4. Methods (15 Points) 

Are the proposed methods feasible? 

To what extent will they accomplish the 

numerical goals of the President’s 

Emergency Plan? 

5. Personnel (20 Points) 

Do the staff members have 

appropriate experience, including local 

language skills? Are the staff roles 

clearly defined? As described, will the 

staff be sufficient to accomplish the 

program goals? 

6. Budget and Justification (Reviewed, 

but not scored) 

Is the itemized budget for conducting 

the project, along with justification, 

reasonable, and consistent with the fiveyear strategy and goals of the President’s 

Emergency Plan activities in Haiti? 

V.2. Review and Selection Process

The HHS/CDC Procurement and 

Grants Office (PGO) staff will review 

applications for completeness, and HHS 

Global AIDS program will review them 

for responsiveness. Incomplete 

applications and applications that are 

non-responsive to the eligibility criteria 

will not advance through the review 

process. Applicants will receive 

notification that their application did 

not meet submission requirements. 

An objective review panel will 

evaluate complete and responsive 

applications according to the criteria 

listed in the ‘‘V.1. Criteria’’ section 

above. All persons who serve on the 

panel will be external to the U.S. 

Government Country Program Office. 

The panel may include both Federal and 

non-Federal participants. 

In addition, the following factors 

could affect the funding decision: 

While U.S.-based organizations are 

eligible to apply, we will give 

preference to existing national/Haitian 

organizations and organizations that 

have demonstrated working in cultural 

and political contexts similar to that in 

Haiti. It is possible for one organization 

to apply as lead grantee with a plan that 

includes partnering with other 

organizations, preferably local. 

Although matching funds are not 

required, preference will go to 

organizations that can leverage 

additional funds to contribute to 

program goals. 

Applications will be funded in order 

by score and rank determined by the 

review panel. HHS/CDC will provide 

justification for any decision to fund out 

of rank order. 

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and 

Award Dates 

September 23, 2005. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1. Award Notices 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Notice of Award (NoA) from the HHS/

CDC Procurement and Grants Office. 

The NoA shall be the only binding, 

authorizing document between the 

recipient and HHS/CDC. An authorized 

Grants Management Officer will sign the 

NoA, and mail it to the recipient fiscal 

officer identified in the application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review by mail. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements 

45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92

For more information on the Code of 

Federal Regulations, see the National 

Archives and Records Administration at 

the following Internet address: http://

www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-tablesearch.html.

The following additional 

requirements apply to this project: 

• AR–4 HIV/AIDS Confidentiality 

Provisions 

• AR–5 HIV Program Review Panel 

Requirements 

• AR–8 Public Health System 

Reporting Requirements 

• AR–10 Smoke-Free Workplace 

Requirements 

• AR–12 Lobbying Restrictions 

• AR–14 Accounting System 

Requirements 

• AR–25 Release and Sharing of Data 

Applicants can find additional 

information on these requirements on 

the HHS/CDC web site at the following 

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

od/pgo/funding/ARs.htm.

VI.3. Reporting Requirements

You must provide HHS/CDC with an 

original, plus two hard copies of the 

following reports: 

1.a. Semi-annual Progress Report, due 

not later than six (6) months after the 

beginning of the budget period. This 

progress report must contain the 

following elements: 

a. Current Budget Period Activities 

and Objectives 

b. Current Budget Period Financial 

Progress. 

c. Measures of Effectiveness, 

including progress against the 

numerical goals of the President’s 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for 

Haiti. 

d. Additional Requested Information. 

e. Financial 

2. Financial status and annual reports 

are due within 30 days of the end of the 

budget period of this agreement. The 

reports should detail progress toward 

achieving program milestones and 

projected next year activities. The 

financial status report must show 

obligations, disbursements and funds 

remaining by program activity for the 

year. Indicators must be developed for 

each program milestone and 

incorporated into the annual financial 

and programmatic reports. All 

indicators need to be drawn from the 

Emergency Plan Indicator Guide. 

3. Final financial and performance 

reports, no more than 90 days after the 

end of the project period. 

Recipients must mail these reports to 

the Grants Management or listed in the 

‘‘Agency Contacts’’ section of this 

announcement. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

We encourage inquiries concerning 

this announcement. For general 

questions, contact: Technical 

Information Management Section, CDC 

Procurement and Grants Office, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services, 2920 Brandywine Road, 

Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770–

488–2700. 

For program technical assistance, 

contact: Matthew Brown, Project 

Officer, 3400 Port au Prince Pl., Dulles, 

VA 20189–3400, Telephone: 1–404–

806–9619 or 011–509–222–0200, E-mail: 

zjc5@cdc.gov.

For financial, grants management, or 

budget assistance, contact: Vivian 

Walker, Grants Management Specialist, 

CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, 2920 Brandywine Road, 

Atlanta, GA 30341, Telephone: 770–

488–2724, E-mail: VEW4@CDC.GOV.

VIII. Other Information 

Applicants can find this and other 

HHS funding opportunity 

announcements on the HHS/CDC Web 

site, Internet address: www.cdc.gov 

Click on ‘‘Funding’’ then ‘‘Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements’’), and on the 

49642 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 

1Behaviors that increase risk for HIV 

transmission include engaging in casual sexual 

encounters, engaging in sex in exchange for money 

Web site of the HHS Office of Global 

Health Affairs, Internet address: 

www.globalhealth.gov.

Dated: August 17, 2005. 

William P. Nichols, 

Director, Procurement and Grants Office, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services.

[FR Doc. 05–16822 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

Strengthening Prevention, Control and 

Treatment Activities for HIV/AIDS, 

Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted 

Infection in the Amhara Region of 

Northwest Ethiopia, as Part of the 

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief 

Announcement Type: New. 

Funding Opportunity Number:

AA135. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 93.067. 

Key Dates: Application deadline:

September 19, 2005. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Authority: This program is authorized 

under Sections 301(a) and 307 of the Public 

Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 241 and 242l], 

as amended, and under Public Law 108–25 

(United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, 

Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003) 

[U.S.C. 7601].

Background: President Bush’s 

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has 

called for immediate, comprehensive 

and evidence-based action to turn the 

tide of global HIV/AIDS. The initiative 

aims to treat more than two million 

HIV-infected people with effective 

combination anti-retroviral therapy by 

2008; care for ten million HIV-infected 

and affected persons, including those 

orphaned by HIV/AIDS, by 2008; and 

prevent seven million infections by 

2010, with a focus on 15 priority 

countries, including 12 in sub-Saharan 

Africa. The five-year strategy for the 

Emergency Plan is available at the 

following Internet address: http://

www.state.gov/s/gac/rl/or/c11652.htm.

Over the same time period, as part of 

a collective national response, the 

Emergency Plan goals specific to 

Ethiopia are to treat at least 210,000 

HIV-infected individuals and care for 

1,050,000 HIV-affected individuals, 

including orphans. 

Purpose: The purpose of this funding 

announcement is to progressively build 

an indigenous, sustainable response to 

the national HIV epidemic in Ethiopia 

through the rapid expansion of 

innovative, culturally appropriate, highquality HIV/AIDS prevention and care 

interventions, and improved linkages to 

HIV counseling and testing and HIV 

treatment by targeting underserved 

populations in Ethiopia. Under the 

leadership of the U.S. Global AIDS 

Coordinator, as part of the President’s 

Emergency Plan, the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS) 

works with host countries and other key 

partners to assess the needs of each 

country and design a customized 

program of assistance that fits within 

the host nation’s strategic plan. 

HHS focuses on two or three major 

program areas in each country. Goals 

and priorities include the following: 

• Achieving primary prevention of 

HIV infection through activities such as 

expanding confidential counseling and 

testing programs, building programs to 

reduce mother-to-child transmission, 

and strengthening programs to reduce 

transmission via blood transfusion and 

medical injections. 

• Improving the care and treatment of 

HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases 

(STDs) and related opportunistic 

infections by improving STD 

management; enhancing care and 

treatment of opportunistic infections, 

including tuberculosis (TB); and 

initiating programs to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART).

• Strengthening the capacity of 

countries to collect and use surveillance 

data and manage national HIV/AIDS 

programs by expanding HIV/STD/TB 

surveillance programs and 

strengthening laboratory support for 

surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, 

disease-monitoring and HIV screening 

for blood safety. 

As one of the key agencies that 

implement the Emergency Plan, HHS 

works in a collaborative manner with 

national governments and other 

agencies to develop programs of 

assistance to address the HIV/AIDS 

epidemic in target countries, including 

Ethiopia. In particular, HHS’ mission in 

Ethiopia is to work with Ethiopian and 

international partners to develop and 

apply effective interventions to prevent 

HIV infection and associated illnesses 

and death from AIDS. 

Ethiopia is among the countries most 

adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS 

epidemic and TB. STIs are highly 

prevalent in Ethiopia and contribute to 

morbidity and mortality from HIV/

AIDS. Ethiopia has one of the largest 

populations of HIV-infected persons in 

the world. By the end of 2003 an 

estimated 1.5 million adults in Ethiopia 

were HIV-positive. The estimated 

percentage of Ethiopians age 15 to 49 

infected with HIV is 4.4 percent, and 

there have been over a million 

cumulative deaths from AIDS. In 

Ethiopia approximately 200,000 

children are currently living with HIV, 

and AIDS has orphaned over 500,000 

children. 

Given the complex nature of the HIV/

AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia, forging a 

strong multi-sectoral and multi-level 

partnership with broad stakeholder 

involvement is imperative. The 

Government of Ethiopia has therefore 

adopted a responsive HIV/AIDS/STI/TB 

program, and its implementation 

mechanisms have been in place since 

1998. Ethiopia is currently taking 

measures to accelerate the 

implementation of interventions that 

deliver comprehensive care to decrease 

illness and death, promote acceptance 

of HIV counseling and confidential 

voluntary testing, and strengthen local 

health care capacity. Health care 

facilities that are already in the 

frontlines of the fight against HIV/AIDS/

STI/TB are scaling up prevention, care, 

support, and treatment across the 

country, with significant assistance from 

the President’s Emergency Plan for 

AIDS Relief. 

A shortage of trained care providers 

and lack of adequate technical support, 

and scientific evidence to guide policy 

and program decisions are major 

challenges. The complexity of the 

response to HIV/AIDS/STI/TB 

necessitates strong technical support to 

national and regional programs. Scaling 

up training at in-service and pre-service 

levels, targeted monitoring and 

evaluations, and linkages to national 

and international partners are all 

needed. These program needs in 

Northwest Ethiopia are best met by 

universities, their teaching hospitals 

and catchment health facilities, working 

in partnership with the Regional Health 

Bureau, and the Ethiopian Ministry of 

Health (MOH) and sister institutions incountry and overseas. 

The purpose of this project is to 

strengthen HIV/AIDS/sexually 

transmitted infection (STI)/tuberculosis 

(TB) prevention and control efforts in 

the Amhara region of Northwest 

Ethiopia. The project will (1) improve 

HIV/AIDS/STI/TB prevention by using 

the ‘‘ABC strategy’’ (abstinence, be 

faithful, and, for populations engaged in 

high-risk behaviors,1 correct and