[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27079-27082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13472]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement 647]
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Centers for
Agricultural Disease and Injury Research, Education, and Prevention
Introduction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the
availability of fiscal year (FY) 1996 funds for a cooperative agreement
program with universities or university-affiliated medical centers for
the establishment of Centers for Agricultural Disease and Injury
Research, Education, and Prevention. CDC is committed to achieving the
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People
2000, a national activity to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve
the quality of life. This announcement is related to the priority area
of Occupational Safety and Health. (For ordering a copy of Healthy
People 2000, see the Section WHERE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.)
Authority
This program is authorized under Sections 20(a) and 22(e)(7) of
the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 669 (a)
and 671(e)(7)).
Smoke-Free Workplace
CDC strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and to promote the nonuse of all tobacco products, and
Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in
certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education,
library, day care, health care, and early childhood development
services are provided to children.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include State and private universities and
university-affiliated, not-for-profit medical centers within the United
States (U.S.). The restriction of eligible applicants is due to the FY
1990 appropriations language which initiated this program and states
that centers for agricultural occupational safety and health will be
established at universities. Because of programmatic and regional
differences throughout agriculture in the U.S., only one center will be
established in any Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
region. (Those Regions and their States are: Region I: Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Region
II: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; Region
III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
and West Virginia; Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee; Region V:
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin; Region VI:
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas; Region VII: Iowa,
Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska; Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming; Region IX: American Samoa,
Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Trust Territory, Wake
Islands, and North Mariana Island; and Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon,
and Washington.) Currently, there is a Center in DHHS Region VI, which
includes the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Texas. Therefore, the regional emphasis for this announcement includes
all DHHS Regions, with the exception of Region VI.
Availability of Funds
Approximately $4,300,000 will be available in FY 1996 to fund up to
seven additional Agricultural Centers. It is expected that the average
award will be approximately $500,000. It is expected that the awards
will begin on or about September 30, 1996, and will be made for 12-
month budget periods within project periods of 3 to 5 years. Funding
estimates may vary and are subject to change.
Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the
basis of satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.
Grant applications should be focused on the research priorities
described in the section ``FUNDING PRIORITIES'' that includes new
research priorities developed in a process which resulted in defining a
National Occupational Research Agenda. Grant proposals in these areas
will compete for the available funds as noted in the previous
paragraph, as well as for funds announced through Requests for
Applications that are anticipated in FY 1996 and FY 1997.
Purpose
This cooperative agreement program will significantly strengthen
the occupational and public health infrastructure by building on past
Agricultural Center accomplishments aimed at integrating resources for
occupational safety and health research and public health prevention
programs at the State and local levels. It is designed to address the
research, education, and intervention activities that are unique to
agriculture in the Region. To achieve this objective, the program will
establish Centers for agricultural disease and injury research,
education, and prevention. The program objectives are as follows:
1. Develop and conduct research related to the prevention of
occupational disease and injury of agricultural workers and their
families.
2. Develop and implement model educational, outreach, and
intervention programs promoting health and safety for agricultural
workers and their families.
3. Develop and evaluate control technologies to prevent illness and
injuries among agricultural workers and their families.
4. Develop and implement model programs for the prevention of
illness and injury among agricultural workers and their families.
5. Evaluate agricultural injury and disease prevention and
educational materials and programs implemented by the Center.
6. Provide consultation and/or training to researchers, health and
safety professionals, graduate/professional students, and agricultural
extension agents and others in a position to improve the health and
safety of agricultural workers.
7. Develop linkages and communication with other governmental and
non-governmental bodies involved in agricultural health and safety with
special emphasis on communications with other CDC/NIOSH sponsored
agricultural health and safety programs.
[[Page 27080]]
Program Requirements
In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,
the recipient will be responsible for conducting activities under A.
(Recipient Activities) below, and CDC/NIOSH will be responsible for
conducting activities under B. (CDC/NIOSH Activities) below:
A. Recipient Activities
1. Develop and conduct research related to the prevention of
occupational disease and injury of agricultural workers and their
families. An emphasis should be placed on multi-disciplinary research
efforts and on the development and evaluation of control technologies.
Emphasis should also be given to populations not well represented in
the current research such as hired farm laborers, migrant/seasonal
workers, women and children.
2. Develop a research protocol(s) for the Center for agricultural
disease and injury research, education, and prevention. Consult with
regional stakeholders (e.g. agricultural organizations, advisory
groups, and workers and other interested parties) as appropriate in the
development of a program of research. Obtain peer review of the
protocol and revise and finalize it as required for final approval by
CDC/NIOSH.
3. Develop and implement model educational, outreach, and
intervention programs promoting health and safety for agricultural
workers and their families. These should include bilingual materials
and multi-media presentations as appropriate to reach the target
agricultural populations within the Regions. Emphasis should be given
to reaching underserved agricultural populations such as hired farm
laborers, migrant/seasonal workers, women and children.
4. Develop and implement model programs for the prevention of
illness and injury among agricultural workers and their families.
Additional emphasis should be placed on the development of control
technology interventions suited to the agricultural workplace.
5. Provide assistance and direction to community-based groups in
the region (e.g. Farm youth or adult associations, extension services,
schools, local government groups, migrant worker groups, medical
clinics or treatment centers, worker associations, etc. ) for the
development and implementation of community projects including
intervention research and prevention demonstration projects for
preventing work related injuries and illness among farm workers and
their families.
6. Develop linkages and communication with other governmental and
nongovernmental bodies involved in agricultural health and safety with
special emphasis on communications with other CDC/NIOSH-sponsored
agricultural health and safety programs, some of which will be
identified by CDC/NIOSH. Where appropriate, collaborate with CDC/NIOSH
scientists on complementary research areas.
7. Assist in reporting and disseminating research results and
relevant health and safety education and training information to
appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, health care providers,
the scientific community, agricultural workers and their families,
management and union or other worker representatives, and other CDC/
NIOSH Centers for agricultural disease and injury research, education,
and prevention, some of which will be identified by CDC/NIOSH. Emphasis
should be placed on the rapid dissemination of significant public
health findings and the translation of research findings into
prevention efforts.
8. In collaboration with other CDC/NIOSH Agricultural Centers,
develop and utilize a uniform evaluation scheme for Agricultural Center
research, education/training, and outreach/intervention
activities.1
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\1\ A Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of Disease and
Injury Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 27,
1992/Vol.41/Jn. The MMWR can be accessed through CDC's DocView,
World-Wide Web (http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr.html).
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B. CDC/NIOSH Activities
1. Provide technical assistance through site visits and
correspondence in the areas of program development, implementation,
maintenance, and priority setting related to the cooperative agreement.
2. Provide scientific collaboration where needed.
3. Assist in the reporting and dissemination of research results
and relevant health and safety education and training information to
appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, health-care providers,
the scientific community, agricultural workers and their families,
management and union representatives, and other CDC/NIOSH Centers for
agricultural disease and injury research, education, and prevention.
Emphasis should be placed on the rapid dissemination of significant
public health findings and the translation of research findings into
prevention efforts.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to the
following criteria:
1. Responsiveness to the objectives of the cooperative agreement
program, including the applicant's understanding of the objectives of
the proposed cooperative agreement and the relevance of the proposal to
the objectives. (20%)
2. Feasibility of meeting the proposed goals of the cooperative
agreement program including the proposed schedule for initiating and
accomplishing each of the activities of the cooperative agreement and
the proposed method for evaluating the accomplishments. (20%)
3. Strength of the program design in addressing the distinct
characteristics, specific populations, and needs in agricultural
research and education for the region. (20%)
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:
a. The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial and
ethnic minority populations for appropriate representation.
b. The proposed justification when representation is limited or
absent.
c. A statement as to whether the design of the study is adequate to
measure differences when warranted.
d. 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 will be
documented.
4. Training and experience of proposed Program Director, staff, and
organization. This includes: (a) a Program Director who is a
distinguished scientist and technical expert and staff with training or
experience sufficient to accomplish proposed program, and (b) a
director, staff, and organization with proven accomplishments in the
field of agricultural safety and health and the infrastructure
necessary to access the agricultural populations in the regions served
by the Agricultural Center. (20%)
5. Strength of the proposed program for agricultural safety and
health in the areas of prevention, research, education, and multi-
disciplinary approach. (10%)
6. Efficiency of resources and novelty of program. This includes
the efficient use of existing and proposed personnel with assurances of
a major time commitment of the Project Director to the program and the
novelty of program approach. (5%)
[[Page 27081]]
7. The strength of program plans for development and implementation
of a uniform evaluation scheme for Agricultural Center research,
education/training, and outreach/intervention activities. (5%)
8. Human Subjects (Not Scored)
Whether or not exempt from the DHHS regulations, are procedures
adequate for protection of human subjects. Recommendations on the
adequacy of protections include: (1) protections appear adequate, and
there are no comments to make or concerns to raise, (2) protections
appear adequate, but there are comments regarding the protocol, (3)
protections appear inadequate and the Objective Review Group has
concerns related to human subjects, or (4) disapproval of the
application is recommended because the research risks are sufficiently
serious and protection against the risks are inadequate as to make the
entire application unacceptable.
9. Budget Justification (Not Scored)
The budget will be evaluated to the extent that it is reasonable,
clearly justified, and consistent with the intended use of funds.
Executive Order 12372 Review
Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. E.O. 12372 sets
up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal
assistance applications. Applicants should contact their State Single
Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the
prospective applications and receive any necessary instructions on the
State process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the
applicant is advised to contact the SPOC for each affected State. A
current list of SPOCs is included in the application kit.
If SPOCs have any State process recommendations on applications
submitted to CDC, they should be sent to Ron Van Duyne, Grants
Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East
Paces Ferry Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30305, no later than 60 days after
the application deadline date. The Program Announcement Number and
Program Title should be referenced on the document. The granting agency
does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State process
recommendations it receives after that date.
Public Health System Reporting Requirements
This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting
Requirements.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
(The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program
is 93.262)
Other Requirements
Paperwork Reduction Act
Projects funded through the cooperative agreement mechanism of this
program involving the collection of information from 10 or more
individuals will be subject to review and approval by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Human Subjects
If the proposed project involves research on human subjects, the
applicant must comply with the DHHS Regulations, 45 CFR Part 46,
regarding the protection of human subjects. Assurance must be provided
to demonstrate the project will be subject to initial and continuing
review by an appropriate institutional review committee. The applicant
will be responsible for providing assurance in accordance with the
appropriate guidelines and form provided in the application kit.
Women and Minority Inclusion Policy
It is the policy of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) to ensure that women and racial and ethnic groups will be
included in CDC supported research projects involving human subjects,
whenever feasible and appropriate. Racial and ethnic groups are those
defined in OMB Directive No. 15 and include American Indian, Alaskan
Native, Asian, Pacific Islander, Black and Hispanic. Applicants shall
ensure that women, racial and ethnic minority population are
appropriately represented for research involving human subjects. Where
clear and compelling rationale exist that inclusion is inappropriate or
not feasible, this situation must be explained as part of the
application. In conducting the review of applications for scientific
merit, review groups will evaluate proposed plans for inclusion of
minorities and both sexes as part of the scientific assessment and
assigned score. This policy does not apply to research studies when the
investigator cannot control the race, ethnicity and/or sex of subjects.
Further guidance on this policy is contained in the Federal Register,
Vol. 60, No. 179, Friday, September 15, 1995, pages 47947-47951.
Funding Priorities
The NIOSH program priorities, listed below, are applicable to all
of the above types of grants listed under the section ``MECHANISMS OF
SUPPORT''. These priority areas were developed by NIOSH and its
partners in the public and private sectors to provide a framework to
guide occupational safety and health research in the next decade--not
only for NIOSH but also for the entire occupational safety and health
community. Approximately 500 organizations and individuals outside
NIOSH provided input into the development of the National Occupational
Research Agenda (NORA). This attempt to guide and coordinate research
nationally is responsive to a broadly perceived need to address
systematically those topics that are most pressing and most likely to
yield gains to the worker and the nation. Fiscal constraints on
occupational safety and health research are increasing, making even
more compelling the need for a coordinated and focused research agenda.
NIOSH intends to support projects that facilitate progress in
understanding and preventing adverse effects among workers. The
conditions or examples listed under each category are selected
examples, not comprehensive definitions of the category. Investigators
may also apply in other areas related to occupational safety and
health, but the rationale for the significance of the research to the
field of occupational safety and health must be presented in the grant
application.
The Agenda identifies 21 research priorities. These priorities
reflect a remarkable degree of concurrence among a large number of
stakeholders. The NORA priority research areas are grouped into three
categories: Disease and Injury, Work Environment and Workforce, and
Research Tools and Approaches. The NORA document is available through
the NIOSH Home Page; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nora.html.
NORA Priority Research Areas
Disease and Injury
Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis
Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Fertility and Pregnancy Abnormalities
Hearing Loss
Infectious Diseases
Low Back Disorders
Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities
[[Page 27082]]
Traumatic Injuries
Work Environment and Workforce
Emerging Technologies
Indoor Environment
Mixed Exposures
Organization of Work
Special Populations at Risk
Research Tools and Approaches
Cancer Research Methods
Control Technology and Personal Protective Equipment
Exposure Assessment Methods
Health Services Research
Intervention Effectiveness Research
Risk Assessment Methods
Social and Economic Consequences of Workplace Illness and Injury
Surveillance Research Methods
Application Submission and Deadline
The original and two copies of the application PHS Form 5161-1
(Revised 7/92, OMB Number 0937-0189) must be submitted to Ron Van
Duyne, Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement
and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Mailstop E-13, 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Atlanta, GA
30305, on or before July 10, 1996.
1. Deadline: Applications will be considered as meeting the
deadline if they are either:
(a) Received on or before the deadline date, or
(b) Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for
submission to the objective review group. (The applicants must 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 will not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)
2. Late Applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria in
1.(a) or 1.(b) above are considered late applications. Late
applications will not be considered in the current competition and will
be returned to the applicants.
Where To Obtain Additional Information
To receive additional written information call (404) 332-4561. You
will be asked to leave your name, address, and telephone number and
will need to refer to Announcement 647. You will receive a complete
program description and information on application procedures and
application forms. If you have questions after reviewing the contents
of all the documents, business management technical assistance may be
obtained from Oppie Byrd, Grants Management Specialist, Grants
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300,
Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6546, Internet:
[email protected], fax (404) 842-6513.
Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from Greg
Kullman, Ph.D., Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV
26505-2888, telephone (304) 285-5711, Internet:
[email protected], fax (304) 285-5796.
There may be delays in mail delivery as well as difficulty in
reaching the CDC Atlanta offices during the 1996 Summer Olympics (July
19-August 4). Therefore, CDC suggests the following to get more timely
responses to any questions: use Internet/email; follow all instructions
in this announcement; and leave messages on the contact person's voice
mail.
Please refer to Announcement 647 when requesting information and
submitting an application.
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full
Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Healthy People 2000 (Summary
Report, Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) referenced in the ``INTRODUCTION''
Section through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone (202) 512-1800.
Dated: May 22, 1996.
Diane D. Porter,
Acting Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 96-13472 Filed 5-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P