Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the PHS 398 Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. While some links are provided, applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Statutory Authority

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency Review. Awards are made under the authorization of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Section 20(a) and 21(a) (29 USC 669(a) and 29 USC 670); Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, Section 501(a), 30 USC 1 (Note), and 30 USC 951(a); Section 301 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

1. Background and Purpose

The health risks and challenges facing today’s workers and employers are significantly different than when the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was signed into law. Today’s workers face not only the traditional risks of chemical, physical, and biological hazards but also increased risks related to the changing nature of work, shifting workforce demographics and diversity, evolving employment patterns, and the changing workplace environment.

Building on four decades of scientific knowledge to prevent worker injury and illness and as an active part of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) priority areas, NIOSH’s Total Worker Health (TWH) Program supports ground-breaking research that addresses the implications of today’s changing workplace and responds to demands for information and practical solutions to the health, safety, and well-being challenges that workers face. Total Worker Health is defined as policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. This approach prioritizes a hazard-free work environment for all workers and comprehensively integrates workplace systems relevant to the control of hazards and exposures, organization of work, compensation and benefits, work-life integration/management, and organizational change management.

Evolution of the NIOSH Total Worker Health

In 2003, NIOSH started the Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce Initiative to explore the benefits of integrating the protection of workers from work-related safety and health hazards with efforts to prevent illness and injury to advance the comprehensive safety, health and well-being of workers. One of the important outcomes of this initiative was the 2004 Steps to a Healthier U.S. Workforce Symposium (Steps Symposium), which received overwhelming support from the stakeholder community (Schill and Chosewood 2013). Building on this enthusiastic support, the Steps initiative developed into the WorkLife Initiative, and a second highly successful symposium was convened in 2007.

During these foundational years, NIOSH established extramural research Centers of Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce (Centers of Excellence) to support the TWH program goals. In 2005, NIOSH published an FOA, Centers for Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce, inviting applications to establish Centers that would conduct transdisciplinary research, education, and translation programs to facilitate the integration of health protection and activities that advance the overall well-being of workers. NIOSH funded two Centers, the Healthier Workforce Center for Excellence at the University of Iowa and the Center for Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and the University of Connecticut. A third Center, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Work, Health, & Well-being, was funded in 2006. A second FOA (RFA-OH-11-011) was published in 2011. As a result, NIOSH continued to support the three established Centers and to expand the program to another geographic region by funding a fourth Center in the Western United States, the Oregon Healthy WorkForce Center (OHWC).

In 2011, NIOSH renamed its efforts from WorkLife to the Total Worker Health Program. In addition to continuing support of the extramural Centers of Excellence, NIOSH committed to further developing its intramural TWH research program. In 2014, NIOSH created the Office for Total Worker Health Coordination and Research Support (Office for Total Worker Health ) to coordinate and advance extramural and intramural effort

Rationale for Total Worker Health

Although the Office for Total Worker Health is new, the scientific community’s interest in the integration of OSH protection with workplace policies, programs, and practices to prevent illness and advance overall health and well-being is longstanding and evidenced in a special issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2013).

More than 20 years ago, researchers (McLeroy et al. 1988; DeJoy and Southern 1993) argued for taking an ecological or systems approach to OSH. This approach would recognize that worker injury and illness have myriad causes and therefore require coordinated interventions that take into account individual as well as occupational risk factors. A comprehensive collection of conceptual and theoretical publications of research perspectives on Total Worker Health establishes the scientific rationale for integrating health protection with workplace policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being.

Over the past ten years, NIOSH and its extramural Centers of Excellence have advanced the growing body of evidence that integrating OSH protection program activities and workplace programs that prevent injury and illness are more effective for safeguarding worker safety, health, and well-being than either of these programmatic activities on their own. The rationale for the TWH approach was first presented in three NIOSH-commissioned white papers at the 2004 Steps Symposium. These white papers were updated and published by NIOSH as a Research Compendium in 2012.

In November 2012, researchers, federal officials, and policy leaders came together to present and discuss emerging research, practice, and policy at the 2012 National Total Worker Health Symposium hosted by the University of Iowa Healthier Workforce Center for Excellence. The proceedings from this meeting were published in a December 2013 special supplement to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The proceedings describe the emerging field and provide an early overview of the NIOSH Program launched in 2011 (Schill and Chosewood 2013). They also offer the conceptual framework for an integrated approach that identified a set of core indicators for the implementation of integrated approaches (Sorensen et al. 2013).

To identify best and promising practices for advancing Total Worker Health in small, medium, and large workplaces, NIOSH funded an Institute of Medicine workshop in May, 2014. This workshop sought input from a wide variety of stakeholders regarding their experiences with integrating workplace safety and health interventions.

The latest science and practices on the Total Worker Health approach were shared in October 2014, as NIOSH and partners such as the Centers of Excellence hosted the 1st International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health . The Symposium attracted over 350 attendees from a broad spectrum of fields, including occupational safety, ergonomics, worksite health, occupational medicine, academia, and human resources. Sessions highlighted the health and safety challenges and opportunities in industry and worker populations; methodological challenges and innovations related to TWH interventions; new theories to guide future scientific inquiry in the field; and common barriers and strategies to implementing integrated interventions.

To increase the number of work environments supporting the overall safety, health, and well-being of workers, several capacity-building resources and guidelines for integrated programs have been developed by the NIOSH-funded Centers of Excellence. For example, in 2012, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Work, Health, & Well-being developed the SafeWell Practice Guidelines: An Integrated Approach to Worker Health. In 2013, the Center for Promotion and Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW) developed an interactive assessment and seven-step planning process to help create a new program or enhance and integrate existing programs, called CPH-NEW Healthy Workplace Participatory Program. For more resources on frameworks and guidelines for implementation, see http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/twh/letsgetstarted.html.

Recently, a systematic review of Effectiveness of Total Worker Health Interventions was conducted by researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University. The team of investigators found that integrated health interventions that address injuries and chronic diseases simultaneously can improve workforce health effectively and more rapidly than those employing a limited focus.

Additionally, NIOSH established a partnership program called the NIOSH Total Worker Health Affiliate Program. The mission of the Affiliate Program is to protect worker health and promote overall health and well-being of workers through collaborations with public and not-for-profit organizations. Today, 15 Affiliate organizations across the nation assist NIOSH with Total Worker Health research, practice, and training efforts.

Research, intervention, outreach, and evaluation activities are necessary to advance this emerging field of science and practice if we are to address the needs of our 21st century workforce, protect worker safety and health, and achieve greater levels of worker well-being.

Purpose

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health to advance the overall safety, health, and well-being of the diverse population of workers in our nation. Centers accomplish this through multidisciplinary research, intervention, outreach and education, and evaluation activities.

The following areas are of particular interest to the Total Worker Health perspective:

Control of hazards and exposures relates to both persistent and emerging challenges. These range from traditional chemical, physical, and biological hazards to the more pervasive, modern-day exposures related to human factors and the psychosocial work environment, including assessing and controlling risk.

Organization of work refers to the work process and the organizational practices that influence worker health, and it includes considerations such as job design, work intensification, improving the safety and health culture and climate, employee development and job security, safe staffing, overtime policies and management, shift work and long work hours, engagement, meaningful work, team-based work groups and team building, adequate breaks for meals and rest, and supporting policies that offer flexible work arrangements.

Policies for built and community environments relate to the support that workers have within the context of their workplace to improve or maintain health and well-being, such as accommodations for special needs, access to healthy food, air quality, access to safe and clean restroom facilities, safe and healthy access to the workplace, and access to health services.

Issues related to changing workforce demographics and diversity within the modern workplace include occupational health disparities, increasing workforce diversity, productive aging of the workforce and sequential careers, workers with disabilities, global and multinational workforces, multigenerational workforces, vulnerable worker populations, and a growing number of small businesses.

Issues related to compensation and benefits include paid sick leave, paid family leave, equitable wages, wage theft, paid maternity and paternity leave, paid vacation time, retirement planning, savings and pensions, work/life/family policies and programs, continuing education and tuition assistance, and comprehensive healthcare insurance.

New employment patterns refer to the transformation of the employment relationship between workers and employers due to various economic, societal, and organizational pressures. These include contracting and subcontracting employment, temporary employment, precarious/contingent employment, part-time employment, dual employers at the worksite, and organizational restructuring/downsizing/mergers.

Evolving performance management approaches represent how workers are supervised, directed, and evaluated in their daily work and the environments under which workplace demands are crafted. These are associated with the following themes: aligning workers with meaningful work, promoting engagement of employees in their work, equitable systems for appraisal and promotion, worker participation and problem solving by front-line workers, worker recognition and management /respect, and issues related to abuse of power, bullying, violence in the workplace, and discrimination.

Social and legal issues embody reasonable accommodations, health information privacy, the Affordable Care Act and health insurance, cost shifting of compensation for work-related injuries and illnesses to Social Security Disability (SSDI) and health insurance, contributions to a safer and healthier environment for the community (where workers live), and eroding workers compensation benefits.

Well-being supports: safety and health enhancing culture with leadership support, policies, and programs to help workers stay active in the workforce, chronic disease prevention programs, access to confidential health care resources, work-life balance policies and programs, fatigue prevention and return-to-work policies.

Policy and built-environment supports: resources to support social and physical well-being in the community, healthy community design, access to healthy food options, safe and clean environment (air and water quality, noise levels, tobacco-free policies), access to safe green spaces and non-motorized pathways, and safe and accessible commuting options.

These comprehensive issues address concerns faced by workers in the 21st century and build upon a broad portfolio of existing and emerging safety and health research at NIOSH. For more information, refer to the following resources:

• The NIOSH Work Organization Program strives to eliminate work stress related disorders.
• A recent study by the NIOSH Economics Program reported that workers with access to paid sick leave were 28% less likely overall to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries than workers without access to paid sick leave.
• The NIOSH Center for Workers Compensation Studies (CWCS) provides concerted planning, support, and execution of surveillance and research that integrates the goal of injury and illness prevention with a deeper understanding of workers compensation systems that are intended to provide loss prevention services and medical and wage benefits to workers who have suffered work-related injury or illness. Additional information can be found on the NIOSH Topic Page on Healthy Aging at Work.

Healthy People 2020 and other National Strategic Priorities

Occupational safety and health related Healthy People 2020 objectives are primarily addressed through NORA. NORA was established by the CDC, NIOSH, and its partners to stimulate research and improve workplace practices. Now in its second decade (2006 2016), NORA focuses on OSH in 10 sectors. To guide the development of research, practice, policy, and capacity-building activities, NIOSH recently developed a proposed National Total Worker Health Agenda

Public Health Impact

NIOSH expects this FOA to have meaningful impact on (1) multidisciplinary research on the effects and outcomes of policies, program and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being; (2) development and dissemination of evidence-based research and recommendations for workplace programs, policies, and practices; (3) development of audience-specific educational materials, outreach, and capacity-building resources for optimizing their uptake or adoption or adaptation for protecting workers and improving worker well-being; and (4) evaluation of results to determine the impact on occupational safety and health and reduction in burden.

Relevant Work

Since 2005, NIOSH has supported extramural Centers of Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce to advance the mission of NIOSH in protecting and advancing the safety, health, and well-being of the diverse population of workers in our nation

2. Approach

Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health are expected to conduct research, planning and evaluation, and outreach and education that integrate OSH protection with interventions that protect, preserve, and advance the overall well-being of workers, communicate knowledge and best practices, and develop effective partnerships with workers, organizations and employers, NIOSH scientists, communities, and other entities.

To guide the development of research, practice, policy, and capacity-building activities, NIOSH and our stakeholders are developing strategic goals for the nation. These include the following:

• Research: Advance and conduct basic/etiologic, intervention, translational, and surveillance research that builds the evidence base for effectively integrating protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
• Practice: Increase the awareness and adoption of effective policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
• Policy: Create guidance for policies that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
• Capacity-Building: Build professional capacity to strengthen the TWH workforce and TWH field to support the development, growth, and maintenance of policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.

A logic model for Total Worker Health for the development of TWH research has been created and outlines the work of the Research Program in the NIOSH Office for Total Worker Health .

In support of prior and current NIOSH initiatives, as well as national and global demands to improve the health of workers, a Center is expected to (1) serve as a leader in research activities and expert in policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being; (2) conduct multidisciplinary research projects on the effects and outcomes of integrated Total Worker Health approaches; (3) conduct outreach and education activities in the region to create awareness of the value of healthier workers and workplaces that support well-being and disseminate the results of research activities; (4) establish partnerships with community agencies and organizations to encourage participation in Center projects and activities designed to advance Total Worker Health approaches; and (5) conduct evaluation activities at the project level and at the overall Center level.

A Center is expected to develop multidisciplinary teams comprising professionals in OSH from a variety of specialty areas such as workplace health and disease prevention, including medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene, safety, ergonomics, psychology and social sciences, policy, labor education, health education, and business and economics. Centers also are expected to conduct research on policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being and to communicate knowledge and effective best practices in partnership with NIOSH scientists, partners, employers, and the community.

Collaborations among investigators, partners, and institutions to share existing expertise and engage in joint interventions are essential in advancing the scientific evidence related to Total Worker Health . Centers will develop collaborative partnerships with local and state agencies, community organizations, universities, health care institutions, business groups, and labor organizations to carry out research activities, conduct outreach programs, promote awareness, and disseminate information.

Partnerships are critical to translate research into practice and encouraged by the NIOSH Research-to-Practice (r2p) program. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration among investigators and institutions to share existing expertise and findings is essential in advancing the science of integrating health protection with activities that advance the overall well-being of workers in the work environment.

Needs Assessment

Center applicants are expected to document that their proposed research and outreach programs meet specific regional or national workforce needs and demands.

Objectives/Outcomes

Research supported by this program is needed to explore and demonstrate the impact of policies, program and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. This integrated approach is expected to result in safer and healthier work environments and an increased impact on workers health and well-being. For the purpose of this announcement, interventions that advance worker well-being without attention to the conditions and policies of the workplace are outside the scope of this program.

Target Population

The ultimate beneficiaries are workers in the United States. However, to achieve this, a Center might target United States vulnerable worker populations to address the additional increased safety and health risks associated with occupational health disparities, changing worker demographics, and changing nature of work.

Regional Presence

As Centers of Excellence for OSH, the TWH Centers can serve as valuable regional and national resources. Centers are strongly encouraged to engage diverse partners in their HHS Federal Health Region and to facilitate synergistic approaches to OSH. The TWH Centers should demonstrate collaborative efforts by working with a diverse and broad range of organizations to enhance worker safety and health in their region to the extent possible. While regional partnership activities are preferred, other broader collaborations beyond the region are not prohibited. Collaboration with other institutions could include: historically black colleges and universities; businesses; federal, state, or local public health and regulatory agencies; and labor and professional associations.

Collaboration/Partnerships

Centers will institute collaborative partnerships with local and state agencies, community organizations, universities, health care institutions, business groups, and labor organizations to carry out research activities, conduct outreach programs, promote awareness, and disseminate information. Collaboration with NIOSH intramural scientists and programs is also encouraged. Partnerships are critical to translate research into practice and are encouraged by the NIOSH Research-to-Practice (r2p) program. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration among investigators and institutions to utilize and share existing expertise is essential to advancing the science of OSH.

Evaluation/Performance Measurement

Centers are expected to conduct evaluation of research, programs, policies, and outreach related to the overall functioning and objectives of the Center. Evaluations are essential to demonstrate the effectiveness of outreach and the translation of interventions into workplaces and to address NIOSH goals and r2p initiatives. Evaluations also provide information for management and improve program effectiveness. The CDC Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health may be helpful.

Translation Plan

Translation, communication, and dissemination projects are encouraged as a means of interpreting and delivering the Center’s research findings to those in a position to adopt and implement improvements, as well as overcome barriers to improving the health of people who work.

Center of Excellence Cores

Overview

The Total Worker Health Center of Excellence cooperative agreement is expected to support multidisciplinary research and activities that have a strong evaluation component, address the priorities in this announcement, and include dissemination of research results and information on integrated programs to the community, workers, and employers. A Center of Excellence is comprised of three required cores and components that together address the Center’s objectives:

Planning and Evaluation Core (Required /up to 20% of total costs/year)

Center Coordination and Management
Advisory Committees
Evaluation Program

Research Core (Required)

Basic/Etiologic
Research Intervention
Research Translational
Research Surveillance Research

Pilot/Feasibility Research Program/Up to $50,000 direct cost/year (optional)

Outreach Core (Required/up to 25% of total costs/year)

Communication and Dissemination Activities
Education Activities

These 3 cores work cooperatively to achieve the objectives of the Center. Each Core is discussed in the following sections.

Detailed Information on Center Cores

1. Planning and Evaluation Core (Required/up to 20% of total costs/year)

The Planning and Evaluation Core is necessary to carry out the objectives of the Center and plan for new directions. It includes three required components: Center Coordination and Management, Advisory Committees, and Evaluation Program.

Center Coordination and Management

The ability of the program's principal investigator and program staff to lead a highly integrated program of research, education, outreach, and translation projects to reduce work-related health risk, promote health, and prevent disease and injury in the workplace will be a significant consideration in the evaluation of the application.

A Center must have a strong leader committed to the success of the Center of Excellence who is capable of providing scientific leadership for the administration and integration of the program. Elements of an effective planning and evaluation core include (1) the coordination and integration of Center components and activities; (2) a program logic model and an evaluation plan based on input from key stakeholders and needs assessment data in forming the overall Center strategic plan, which includes defined metrics that will be used to measure and track outputs and outcomes and describes the intended long-term goals and impact of the Center and each Center core; (3) the organization and input of the Advisory Committee(s); and (4) a plan for interactions with other NIOSH funded centers and other organizations, and communities.

The Planning and Evaluation Core should have a strategic plan complete with a vision statement, mission, and goals, detailing how the Center will implement this plan during the proposed project period. An organizational chart may be included to illustrate the structure, interactions, and key personnel of the Center. In addition, the Center will (5) organize and make available facilities to center partners to conduct activities such as seminars, workshops, reference collection, and computer support.

The principal investigator should provide a minimum of 10% time commitment (direct and in-kind), and each member of the internal advisory committee should provide a minimum of 5% time commitment for the Center of Excellence's administration and coordination

Advisory Committees

An Internal Steering/Advisory Committee comprising program directors from each core will assist the principal investigator in making scientific and administrative decisions in the operation of the Center programs.

An External Advisory Committee should comprise representatives of labor, business, public/private services, and other relevant groups. Members should be recognized leaders in the field of OSH and/or leaders in their respective disciplines, such as economics, business, labor education, labor relations, health protection, workplace well-being, health education, human resources, occupational health nursing and medicine, engineering, injury and chronic disease prevention, and surveillance and research methods to identify key issues and needs.

Evaluation Program

The applicant should provide a detailed evaluation plan identifying expected outputs and outcomes/impact for the TWH Center and for each Center program.

A data/statistical support activity should be included in the evaluation core if needed for the Center. Such an activity may be useful in performing consultative services for employer-employee partnerships.

Centers are expected to conduct evaluations of both scientific projects and activities related to the overall planning and operations of the Center. Evaluations assist in the translation of interventions into numerous workplaces that are important to NIOSH and its translational research. Evaluations also provide information for management and improve program effectiveness.

2. Research Core (Required)

The Research Core is essential to advance research relevant to the strategic goals in the proposed National TWH Agenda and to the issues relevant to the Total Worker Health perspective, as described in the section above entitled Purpose . For more information, please see Guidelines for Implementing Total Worker Health .

Research project proposals must clearly identify and address occupational burden estimates, the need for the proposed study, and the potential for public health impact.

Applicants should clearly identify their proposed individual research projects in one of four categories: 1) basic/etiologic research, 2) intervention research, 3) translational research and 4) surveillance research. Applicants will not be required to propose a specific number of projects within each research category; however, centers should consider covering the full research continuum, where feasible, when addressing their TWH issues or concerns.

Centers will likely have projects in many of the 4 research categories. There are no funding limits established for individual projects or research categories. Applicants must work within the overall funding level for the Research Core.

Research projects should be hypothesis-driven and focus on improving our understanding of integrated OSH protection interventions that promote worker well-being. The ultimate focus should be on the development, evaluation, validation, sustainability, and communication of workplace programs and approaches intended to improve the health status of people who work in various occupational sectors and in workplaces of various sizes. Research projects should target priority topics, including surveillance, methods development, translational, efficacy, effectiveness, and dissemination research, and they should be conducted as part of multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary efforts. These projects are expected to have a well-defined evaluation plan that includes process and outcome measures to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the techniques and programs.

Many projects will test promising TWH approaches in actual work settings. Projects may examine the value and merits of integrating systems that aim to protect and promote worker health and well-being and that comprehensively address issues relevant to a Total Worker Health approach such as control of hazards in the workplace; organization of work; worker well-being supports; new employment patterns; compensation and benefits; and changing workplace demographics.

Research Project Categories

The four types of research that will be considered for funding under this FOA are discussed briefly and examples are provided for each type.

Basic/Etiologic Research

Etiologic research builds a foundation of scientific knowledge upon which future interventions are based. Except for those projects that can be categorized as surveillance, which merit their own category, this research makes an effort to identify and document the nature and extent of the OSH problem. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advance and conduct etiologic research that builds the evidence base for effectively integrating health protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being in the workplace.
• Identify key work-related factors associated with hazardous occupational exposures and risk-related behaviors.
• Identify underlying causes and effects of disparities in the health of people who work, such as underserved populations, low-wage workers, contingent workers, and aging workers.
• Develop appropriate measurement tools to enable research on integrated programs.
• Develop new methods for establishing integrated programs of worker protection and activities that advance the overall well-being of workers.
• Conduct economic methods and modeling research to develop improved approaches to predicting, assessing, and documenting the economic value of the health-related benefits of successful programs.

Intervention Research

Intervention research engages in the development, testing, or evaluation of a solution to an OSH problem or the improvement of an existing intervention. In this context an intervention is a change in technology, equipment, training resources, or workplace policies or procedures for the purpose of improving worker safety and health. Intervention research may include but is not limited to development of a new training program, evaluation of an engineering control technology, development of new personal protective equipment (PPE), or improvement of existing PPE or the evaluation of a new workplace policy or procedure. Intervention research is differentiated from translational research through the performance of research or field tests to develop interventional strategies (that is, intervention research develops prevention strategies while translational research develops mechanisms to disseminate these strategies). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Investigate the merits of interventions that integrate OSH protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being in the workplace, as compared to interventions that are independently implemented and not integrated.
• Address a broad range of outcomes, to include the following:
  • subclinical (such as biomarkers), health status (morbidity and mortality), and health-related quality of life indicators of illness, injury, and well-being, to better understand the efficacy and effectiveness of integrated intervention strategies; and
  • measures of organizational effectiveness (turnover, presenteeism, and other performance indicators) and economic indicators, to better understand the cost effectiveness/benefit of TWH programs and help establish the business case for integrated prevention strategies.

• Give further attention to the theoretical underpinnings of TWH intervention studies to better understand why and under what circumstances TWH interventions can be effective.
• Investigate organizational policies and practices that support or detract from the adoption, development, effectiveness, efficacy, and sustainability of integrated OSH protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being in the workplace.
• Investigate the broader integration of

• workplace prevention activities (such as benefit programs and policies, Employee Assistance Programs), together with OSH and well-being activities, and
• community and public health prevention activities, together with workplace prevention activities.
• Design TWH interventions to target workers at high risk for exposure to both work-related and other hazards.
• Design TWH interventions for especially prevalent and costly conditions (such as mental health outcomes) that result from joint exposure to work-related and other hazards.

Translational Research

Translational research discovers strategies to translate research findings and theoretical knowledge to implementable practices or technologies in the workplace. Translational research can include the development and transfer of new technologies (such as engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE) into the workplace. It also includes research that tests the efficacy of information dissemination strategies or training programs. Although translational research can be a standalone research category, translational activities can be conducted across all types of NIOSH research projects especially within the NIOSH r2p framework. Proposed projects must embody specific attention to evaluating and ameliorating risks from workplace conditions and exposures. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Translate interventions that lead to the development of best practices guides, toolkits, or other materials that address health protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being in the workplace.
• Translate and deliver the findings from the Center’s research and other relevant research to those in a position to develop and implement improved prevention programs and help overcome barriers to dissemination and adoption of valid approaches to protect and improve the health of people who work.
• Investigate the translation of successful pilot-tested interventions to other populations and worksites.
• Examine the effects of integrated interventions on both OSH outcomes and interventions that promote comprehensive changes in workers well-being in controlled/pilot settings.
• Evaluate the generalizability (to other populations and other kinds of worksites) of successful pilot-tested interventions.
• Determine and document effective practices and policies leading to successful integration of health protection with activities that advance the overall well-being of workers in diverse settings.
• Evaluate research to determine the aspects of policies, programs, and interventions that are effective and those that are not in addressing health and safety and well-being with accommodations for age, family, and life stage.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of partnership and outreach activities and processes on integrating effective TWH concepts and programs.
• Examine organizational-level or individual-level determinants of implementation of TWH.

Surveillance Research

Occupational health surveillance is the tracking of occupational injuries, illnesses, hazards, or exposures. Occupational surveillance data are used to guide efforts to improve worker safety and health and to monitor trends and progress over time. Surveillance research involves the (1) collection of data for the purpose of establishing or maintaining an occupational safety or health database; (2) development of surveillance methods; and/or (3) analysis of surveillance data. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advance and conduct surveillance research that builds the evidence base for effectively integrating health protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance well-being in the workplace.
• Improve surveillance systems to expand study of risks to worker safety, health, and well-being by incorporating more information on:
  • work-related exposures in public health surveys and other surveillance systems
  • other conditions and exposures in OSH hazard surveys and other surveillance systems.
• Expand current surveillance systems or develop new ones to track the adoption and reach of TWH interventions over time.
• Develop measures to guide integrated interventions in organizations, such as Health Risk Appraisals, that reliably capture both work-related and other exposures that pose safety and health risks.

Pilot/Feasibility Research Program (Optional/up to $50K total costs)

Pilot projects are considered an important and integral part of support provided to the Center. Support of pilot projects in intervention effectiveness research, education, and translation is considered fundamental to sustaining the quality, breadth, and dynamics of this program. Investigators must budget for up to $50,000 total of the research core for these projects. These projects are intended to address new emerging issues, the exploration and development of new, creative intervention-effectiveness research, education, and translation projects. Short-term projects to explore the feasibility of new projects in any of the Center's program areas can be considered for funding under this program. Projects that would be conducted beyond the United States and territories must be submitted to the NIOSH program official for prior approval. The request for approval must include documentation of IRB approval from the grantee institution as well as from the appropriate IRB within the host country.

This program will enable investigators to collect sufficient data to pursue support through other funding mechanisms. Funds should be designated to provide support for short-term projects (12 months or less) to explore new areas in the Center’s core programs. Pilot projects can include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing initial support for new investigators to develop innovative TWH concepts and approaches of investigation that address the Center’s mission and objectives.
• Encouraging investigators from other fields of study to apply their expertise to approaches, methods, and barriers in implementing health protection and workplace well-being.
• Allowing research students to work with experienced researchers in the field to develop the knowledge to conduct future research programs that integrate health protection with activities that advance the overall well-being of workers.
• Developing new partnerships to address emerging safety and health concerns.
• Providing initial support for a translational/research-to-practice project.
• Obtaining preliminary data, mining existing datasets, or pursuing critical data gaps.

Although the administrative framework for management of the Center’s Pilot project program is left to the Center Director’s discretion, certain minimal requirements must be met. Center management must include provisions for the following:

• Appropriate announcement of funding available for pilot projects and solicitation of proposals.
• Merit review of proposals. Copies of all proposals, with documentation of their reviews, relative ranking, and final action must be retained by the Center and must be available to the NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs (OEP) Program Official and to reviewers participating in any site visits conducted by NIOSH.
• Recording and reporting results of each funded project (abstract, publications, subsequent grant applications, etc.) should be available to the NIOSH OEP Scientific Program official and to reviewers participating in site visits conducted by NIOSH. Input from the Internal and External Advisory Committees into the management of the program is strongly recommended.
• Appropriate IRB review and approval are required for all pilot projects involving human subjects, to ensure protection of their rights and welfare (see 45 Code of Federal Regulations 46). This must be obtained upon project funding and applies also to projects conducted by other institutions. The IRB must be registered with the DHHS Office of Human Research Protections and must have a current Federal-wide Assurance Number. Documentation of IRB approval of protocols and copies of currently approved consent forms must be maintained in the Center’s administrative files. Documentation of IRB approvals for pilot projects must be submitted as a component of the Center’s annual progress report. IRB approval means full, final IRB approval. In addition, all Center project protocols must comply with all applicable Federal and State regulations

3. Outreach Core (Required/up to 25% of total cost/year)

The Outreach Core is vital to center efforts to deliver science-based information to workers across the country. Outreach can work to increase access to and adoption of the latest evidence and practice on worker safety and health through partnerships with regional and state organizations and may aim to reach diverse and high-need groups. These partnerships can provide opportunities to engage with organizations in dialogue to better understand the needs, questions, and concerns of those intended to benefit from the research NIOSH supports.

Although this core component is broad in scope, one priority is to develop a strategy for outreach to key stakeholders and across disciplines that will have an impact on worker safety and health, including reaching underrepresented groups and meeting a regional need, and to evaluate the success of these activities.

Outreach activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Communication and Dissemination Activities

• Raise awareness and increase public access to timely evidence-based knowledge and practice through partnerships with key recipients effectively (focused dissemination). Key recipients may include but are not limited to academia, labor, industry sectors, industry stakeholders, small businesses, low-wage workers, immigrant populations, supervisors, human resources, and insurance brokers.
• Advance and promote the implementation and adoption of promising or best practices, programs, and policies that advance the safety, health, and well-being of workers.
• Foster strategic partnerships and collaborations to actively participate in research and disseminate evidence-based practices.
• Explore feasibility, develop necessary tools, and/or develop partnerships to strengthen existing or emerging TWH research and practice.
• Partner with NIOSH, other NIOSH-funded Centers, and other organizations.

Education Activities

Education activities should be designed to build capacity by promoting findings and providing the necessary knowledge and skills to professional students, practicing professionals, employers, workers, policymakers, and community groups with a stake in protecting and enhancing the health of people who work. Educational activities may also involve the design, implementation, or evaluation of programs, policies, and products that integrate occupational health protection with policies, programs, and practices that promote safety and health, prevent disease, and advance the well-being of American workers in the workplace. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide educational opportunities to researchers and practitioners on issues relevant to the integration of health protection with interventions that comprehensively promote workers well-being.
• Foster the development of communities of practice that advance the development of population- and outcome-specific information to improve the safety, health, and well-being of workers.
• Involve special emphasis on the education of and outreach to underserved populations in educational activities by designing programs to reach these groups in their own communities and through their own organizations.
• Expand practitioner-based national and regional networks and resources that aim to build capacity and support for TWH principles and practices.
• Take necessary steps toward transferring existing knowledge and products to partners who can refine them to the benefit of overall worker safety, health, and well-being.

Work with other academic departments to offer seminars, workshops, and courses on TWH for undergraduate and graduate students in various disciplines, such as Psychology and other Social Sciences, Business, Human Relations, Public Health, Health Sciences, Occupational Health, and Engineering http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/perspectives.html, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/reports.html.

Throughout the project period, CDC's commitment to continuation of awards will depend on the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and CDC’s determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.

HHS/CDC grants policies as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement (http://www.hhs.gov/ asfr/ogapa/aboutog/hhsgps107.pdf) will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the PHS 398 Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

• Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
• System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
• eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
• Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the PHS 398 Application Guide.

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number) is allowed.

Applicants may download the Grant Application PHS 398 for this funding opportunity announcement from Grants.gov.

The PHS 398 application instructions and forms for this funding opportunity announcement are also available at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html.

For further assistance, contact the HHS/CDC Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section (PGO TIMS) staff at 770.488.2700 or [email protected].

Telecommunication for the hearing impaired or disabled is available at TTY 1-888-232-6348.

Applicants must follow the instructions in the PHS 398 Application Guide, except where instructed in this FOA to do otherwise, and conform to Application Guide requirements. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

The PHS 398 should include assurances and certifications required by the agency for a complete application. These forms can be downloaded from the following link: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.

Information in the remainder of this section describes special content to be included, budget restrictions, items to be addressed for a complete application, and application organization.

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

• Descriptive title of proposed activity
• Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
• Names of other key personnel
• Participating institution(s)
• Number and title of this funding opportunity

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Nina Turner, PhD
Scientific Review Officer
Office of Extramural Programs
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1095 Willowdale Road
Mailstop G800
Morgantown, WV 26505-2845 USA
Telephone: 304-285-5976
Email: [email protected]

Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application forms and instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:

Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)

Concurrently, submit two photocopies of the application and three CD ROM disks containing appendix materials to this address:

Nina Turner, PhD
Scientific Review Officer
Office of Extramural Programs
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1095 Willowdale Road
Mailstop G800
Morgantown, WV 26505-2845 USA
Telephone: 304-285-5976
Email: [email protected]

All page limitations described in the PHS 398 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed as applicable.

Supporting materials for the Research Plan narrative included as appendices may not exceed 10 PDF files with a maximum of 100 pages for all appendices.

The following section supplements the instructions found in the PHS 398 Application Guide, and should be used for preparing a multi-component application.

Table of Contents

Applicants must use the PHS 398 version and instructions that are current at the time of their application. The application forms submitted in response to this announcement are complex. The scientific and programmatic information needed to properly assess them is not fully accommodated within the basic PHS 398. Consequently, applicants will need to modify and expand the PHS 398 to properly organize the necessary information for reviewers. To help facilitate an effective and efficient peer review process, the following components should constitute a complete, discrete unit within the application, with minimal duplication elsewhere. The application should consist of the following components:

• Planning and Evaluation Core (required)
• Research Core: Individual research projects (required)
• Research Core: Pilot/Feasibility Research Program (optional)
• Outreach Core (required)

All applicants should use the following outline:

• PHS 398 Face Page (Form Page 1)
• Form Page 1 continued (only if multiple PD/PIs are proposed)
• Summary, Relevance, Project/Performance Sites, Senior/Key Personnel, Other Significant Contributors, and Human Embryonic Stem Cells (use Form Page 2 and include additional continuation pages as needed)
• Table of Contents (Form Page 3)
• Detailed Budget for the Initial Budget period for the entire TWH Center (first 12 month budget period for all components, in the order that they appear in the application, using Form Page 4)
• Budget for the entire proposed project period (all years, all components using Form Page 5)
• Biographical Sketches for Center Director (or co-Directors)
• Other Support for Center Director (or co-Directors)
• Biographical Sketches for Key Personnel
• Other Support for Key Personnel Institutional Resources (6-page maximum; use Resources Format Page)
• Overall Description of the TWH Center (12-page maximum)
• Past Performance/Accomplishments in the Last Project Period for existing Centers or Relevant to TWH Center Goals for New Applicants (5-page limit)
• Institutional Commitment to the TWH Center (2-page maximum)
• Human Subjects summary table that lists all the projects and human subjects information (project title, performance sites, FWAs, IRB approval date/status)
• Planning and Evaluation Core Cover Sheet (with section title, PI name, and table of contents for the section)
• Planning and Evaluation Core Description (see page limits below):
• Center Coordination and Management
• Advisory Committees
• Evaluation Program
• Research Core Cover Sheet (should serve as table of contents for the section by including each project title, PI, type of project, and first page of each project)
  • Individual Research Core Project Plans (A, B, etc. see outline and page limits below)
  • Pilot/Feasibility Research Program (see page limits below)
• Outreach Core Cover Sheet (with section title, PI/Program Director, and table of contents for the section)
• Outreach Core (see page limits below)
  • Communication and Dissemination Activities
  • Education Activities
• Checklist
• Appendix

Note: Each individual core, or project should constitute a complete, discrete unit within the application and should use the following outline:

• PHS 398 Face Page (Form Page 1)
• Summary, Relevance, Project/Performance Sites, Senior/Key Personnel, Other Significant Contributors, and Human Embryonic Stem Cells (use Form Page 2, additional Project/Performance Site pages, and additional continuation pages as needed)
• Table of Contents
• Past Performance/Accomplishments in the Last Project Period for existing Centers or Relevant to TWH Center Goals for New Applicants (5-page limit)
• Detailed Budget for the Initial Budget Period for Individual Core, Program, or Project (Form Page 4)
• Budget for the Entire Proposed Period for Individual Core, Program, or Project (Form Page 5)
• Biographical Sketches for Program Directors/Principal Investigators
• Other Biographical Sketches
• Other Support
• Resources (facilities, scientific environment, physical resources)
• Research Project Plan (or Core Plan or Program Plan)
  • Introduction (for resubmission applications, 1 page)
  • Specific Aims (1 page)
  • Research Project Strategy (or Core Strategy or Program Strategy; 12 pages)
    Significance
    Innovation
    Approach
• Inclusion Enrollment Report
• Bibliography and References Cited/Progress Report Publication List
• Protection of Human Subjects
• Inclusion of Women and Minorities
• Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table
• Inclusion of Children
• Vertebrate Animals
• Select Agent Research
• Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan
• Consortium/Contractual Arrangements
• Letters of Support (e.g., consultants, collaborators, including NIOSH)
• Resource Sharing Plan(s)
• Checklist

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix (please note all format requirements) as described in the PHS 398 Application Guide.

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates.

Information on the process of receipt and determining if your application is considered on-time is described in detail in the PHS 398 Application Guide.

Applicants may track the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

All HHS/CDC awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other requirements described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. Pre-award costs may be allowable as an expanded authority, but only if authorized by CDC. For more information on expanded authority and pre-award costs, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/asfr/ogapa/aboutog/hhsgps107.pdf.

Applications must be postmarked on or before the due dates in Part I. Overview Information.

Applications Involving a Single Institution

Applicants with PDs/PIs all within a single institution should follow the instructions contained in this FOA; there are no special instructions.

Applications Involving Multiple Institutions

When multiple institutions are involved, one institution must be designated as the prime institution and funding for the other institutions must be requested via a subcontract to be administered by the prime institution. The prime institution should submit its budget details on PHS 398 forms, and the other institutions should attach their individual PHS 398 budget forms to those of the prime institution.

If the applicant has an FWA number, enter the 8-digit number. Do not enter the letters FWA before the number. If a Project/Performance Site is engaged in research involving human subjects, the applicant organization is responsible for ensuring that the Project/Performance Site operates under and appropriate Federal Wide Assurance for the protection of human subjects and complies with 45 CFR Part 46 and other CDC human subject related policies described in Part II of the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide and in the HHS Grants Policy Statement

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CDC Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) and responsiveness by PGO and NIOSH. Applications that are incomplete and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

Important Update: See NOT-OD-16-006 and NOT-OD-16-011 for updated review language for applications for due dates on or after January 25, 2016.

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the CDC mission, all applications submitted to NIOSH in support of public health research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIOSH peer review system. The review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written summary statement consisting of the following:

• A summary evaluation of the Overall Center (considering all cores, programs, and projects)
• A separate evaluation of the Planning and Evaluation Core
• A separate evaluation of each proposed research project
• A separate evaluation of the Pilot/Feasibility Project Research Program (if included)
• A separate evaluation of the Outreach Core

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the center to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the projects proposed).

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Is the Center likely to have an impact in meeting the regional and national need for healthy worksites and healthy workers through research, education, and partnership activities? Does the creation or continuation of the Center push forward this field of OSH, and is it a driving national resource? Does the creation or continuation of the Center meet identified needs in TWH? Does the applicant describe how scientific knowledge be advanced by establishing comprehensive worksite programs benefitting both workplaces and employees? Are collaborative relationships that have been established at worksites likely to contribute to the knowledge, benefits, and sustainability of health protection interventions that promote comprehensive well-being programs for workers?

For Renewal applications: In addition to the criteria above, is there sufficient information provided describing how the Center has achieved the goals of the previous funding period and how the goals of the future years build on the past successes, with a particular emphasis on the successful activities that have been accomplished that could not have been realized without the Center support? Is there a plan for interactions with other NIOSH-supported TWH Centers, organizations, and communities? Does the applicant document outcomes and impacts achieved? Does the renewal application describe the program accomplishments to date? Does the applicant provide evidence of past success in meeting the national need for healthy worksites and healthy workers through research, education, and partnership activities?

For New applications: In addition to the criteria above, will the proposed Center be able to effectively advance scientific knowledge and establish comprehensive worksite programs to benefit workplaces and employees?

Investigator(s)

Does the application adequately describe the leadership ability and scientific stature of the Center Director and his or her ability to meet the program’s demands of time and effort? Are the qualifications of the Center Director and Program Directors as evidenced by education, experience, and accomplishments adequate to accomplish the goals and mission of the Center? Does the investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the projects? Do the Center investigators have a successful track record in TWH research? Is there evidence of high-quality outputs from Center investigators, and have they contributed to improvements in TWH? Is the percent effort requested adequate? Are the qualifications, duties, and time commitments of administrative staff appropriate for contributing to the needs and conduct of the program’s outreach, education, prevention, intervention, and research activities?

Innovation

What is the degree of innovation of the program? Does the Center propose novel projects, or do they build on current projects? Are new areas of investigation proposed that are challenging and have the potential for success? To what degree does the proposed program design address the distinct characteristics, specific populations, and health needs in OSH? Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches, methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Does the Center propose innovative approaches to achieving and maintaining highly effective outreach, research, and translation of research to practice, all relevant to the TWH field? Is the proposed project innovative or will it move the field forward? For example, does the center propose ways to maintain or expand activities that have been previously shown to be effective?

Approach

Is the entire program cohesive in integrating all projects and facilitating interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary interaction, and is it likely to produce results that are translatable into practice in the field? Is the proposed Center more than the sum of its parts, not just a collection of programs? Are the component programs and research projects well integrated with each other and designed to foster interdisciplinary interaction and national impact? If this is a pre-existing Center, has its organization and structure contributed to producing measurable results and accomplishments? Is there appropriate collaboration with public and private community organizations, professional groups, industry, and labor that will enhance the work of the Center and provide continuity? Is there a plan for dissemination of project results? Are outputs and measures of impact for the overall TWH Center and center components clearly defined and good indicators of the outcomes proposed for this program? These outputs and measures must be demonstrated on the Center’s proposal logic model. Are challenges in collaboration clearly stated? Are benchmarks for the Center s success and progress clearly stated?

Environment

Is there evidence of institutional commitment, as demonstrated by sufficient resources, technical support, and administrative arrangements and facilities that foster collaboration among researchers? Are the quality, sufficiency, and multidisciplinary character of the education, intervention, and research environment adequate to accomplish the proposed activities? Will the Center benefit from the unique features of the academic and scientific environment? Are the facilities and equipment adequate to support the described activities of the Center? Will the environment contribute to the probability of success for the TWH Center?

The following review criteria will be used to assess each component of the Planning and Evaluation Core. Only one composite score will be provided for the Core.

Significance