Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

 

CDC and CDC/NIOSH disclaimer:

The policies, guidelines, terms, and conditions of the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) might differ from those used by the HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH). If written guidance for completing this application is not available on the CDC website, then CDC will direct applicants elsewhere for that information.

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Funding Opportunity Title

Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants [T03 ]

Activity Code

T03

Announcement Type

Reissue of RFA-OH-22-003

Related Notices

April 04, 2024 - Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025. See Notice NOT-OD-24-084

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

RFA-OH-25-003

Companion Funding Opportunity

None

Number of Applications

Institutions may submit two separate and complete applications for Academic Training Programs; only one application per organization is allowed for non-Academic Training Programs as defined in Section III.3. An organization may not submit applications for both an Academic Training Program and a non-Academic Training Program.

 

See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Assistance Listing Number(s)

93.262

Funding Opportunity Purpose

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), invites grant applications for Training Project Grants (TPGs) that are focused on occupational safety and health training. NIOSH is mandated to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and TPGs are one of the principal means for meeting this mandate. The majority of TPGs are in academic institutions and provide high-quality undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate academic training in a variety of occupational safety and health (OSH) and allied disciplines.

 

NIOSH also funds a limited number of non-academic TPGs to provide specialized training for target audiences and build or strengthen the Nation's OSH workforce capacity.

Funding Opportunity Goal(s)

The overall goal of this funding announcement is to solicit meritorious applications that will build on NIOSH's successful, dynamic training grant program.

Key Dates

Posted Date

November 20, 2024

To receive notification of any changes to RFA-OH-25-003, return to the synopsis page of this announcement at www.grants.gov and click on the "Send Me Change Notification Emails" link. An email address is needed for this service.

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

November 20, 2024

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

30 days prior to the application due date

Application Due Date(s)

January 21, 2025, October 30, 2025, October 29, 2026, October 28, 2027, October 24, 2028

 

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

 

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

 

On-time submission requires that electronic applications be error-free and made available to CDC for processing from the NIH eRA system on or before the deadline date.

 

Applicants will use a system or platform to submit their applications through Grants.gov and eRA Commons to CDC. ASSIST, an institutional system to system (S2S) solution, or Grants.gov

Workspace are options. ASSIST is a commonly used platform because it provides a validation of all requirements prior to submission and prevents errors.

 

For more information on accessing or using ASSIST, you can refer to the ASSIST Online Help Site at: https://era.nih.gov/erahelp/assist. Additional support is available from the NIH eRA Service desk via http://grants.nih.gov/support/index.html.

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 301-402-7469 or (toll-free) 1-866-504-9552

 

Hours: Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding Federal holidays

 

Note: HHS/CDC grant submission procedures do not provide a grace period beyond the application due date time to correct any error or warning notices of noncompliance with application instructions that are identified by Grants.gov or eRA systems (i.e., error correction window).

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not applicable.

Scientific Merit Review

March 2025, November / December 2025, November / December 2026, November / December 2027, November / December 2028

Advisory Council Review

April 2025, February 2026, February 2027, February 2028, February 2029

Earliest Start Date

July 1, 2025, July 1, 2026, July 1, 2027, July 1, 2028, July 1, 2029

Expiration Date

November 28, 2028

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

 

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the Training (T) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise. Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide , follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

 

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

  1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
  2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.

  3. Use Grants.gov Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application.


  4. Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement

Section I. Notice of 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

 

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

 

Statutory Authority

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Sections 20(a) and 21(a) 29 US Code 669(a) & 670 (a);

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, Section 501 (a), 30 US Code 1 & 951 (a); and

Public Health Service Act, Section 301(a) and 405, 42 US Code 241 and 284.

 

Purpose and Background Information

Work-related injuries and illnesses have a significant public health impact, and part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s mission is to train the next generation of occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners and researchers.

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates that NIOSH provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. NIOSH Training Project Grants (TPGs) have a key role in helping meet this mandate and contribute to the Institute’s core mission of providing national and world leadership to prevent workplace illnesses and injuries.

 

The purpose of this program is to support NIOSH TPGs, to address the burden of OSH in the United States by providing state-of-the-art training for the next generation of leaders in OSH practice and research. Recent work by Felknor, et al (2020) speaks to the 'rapid and profound changes in the future of work that will have significant implication for the education and training of OSH professionals and the workforce'.  NIOSH's network of TPGs is critical in developing OSH professionals prepared to respond to the changing nature of work. TPGs play a significant role in preparing the future OSH workforce to respond to new challenges posed by the changing nature of work.  These changes are the inevitable result of technological advances, globalization, new and emerging risks, climate, and occupational health disparities associated with the changing demographics of the US workforce.

 

TPGs provide well-trained graduates to meet the demand for a professional OSH workforce for federal, state, and local government agencies, not-for-profit agencies, industry, agriculture, business, healthcare, worker advocacy groups, and labor organizations. TPGs help meet our nation’s need for skilled, knowledgeable practitioners and researchers in OSH.

 

Essential Characteristics of NIOSH TPGs

The majority of TPGs are in academic institutions across the country and provide undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate training in core and allied disciplines of OSH. Some TPGs are in non-academic settings meeting specific OSH training needs of a targeted audience. Through high-quality and rigorous training programs, TPGs improve the safety and health of our nation s workforce.

Needs Assessment. TPGs must document that their proposed training program meet specific regional or national workforce needs and demands. Tools such as surveys of employers, alumni, and other stakeholders in safety and health may be used to document this need. Evidence of meeting needs for an academic training program should include a discussion of how the proposed program will assist their graduates with successful placement in positions as practitioners or researchers in OSH soon after graduation. Non-academic training programs should indicate specific training needs of targeted populations.

 

Regional Presence. TPGs should demonstrate collaborative efforts by working with a diverse and broad range of organizations to enhance OSH training in their region. Collaboration with other institutions should be considered, including Minority Serving Institutions, businesses, federal, state, or local public health and regulatory agencies, and labor and professional associations. Applicants must describe partnerships and collaboration with NIOSH-supported training grants (TPGs and ERCs) in their HHS Federal Region.

 

Advisory Council. TPGs must have an Advisory Council of three or more individuals who can provide guidance and advice to the program’s leadership. The Advisory Council may include representatives of labor, industry, business, government agencies, academic institutions, and professional associations. The Advisory Council should meet at least annually and advise the TPG leadership on setting and reaching goals and ensuring that the TPG is meeting local, regional, or national workforce needs.

 

Evaluation Plan. The application must describe an evaluation plan to capture the impact and effectiveness of the program. This may include plans to obtain feedback from trainees, graduates, employers, Advisory Council members and other stakeholders to identify strengths and weaknesses in the program and steps for continued improvement. For academic programs, trainees' career placements, advancements, professional certifications earned, and outputs should be considered. Outputs are immediate products or direct result of research activities and include publications, reports, presentations/posters and training and educational materials.

 

Essential Characteristics for an Academic Training Program. NIOSH will support established, high-quality academic training programs in core OSH disciplines of Industrial Hygiene (IH), Occupational Health Nursing (OHN), Occupational Medicine Residency (OMR), and Occupational Safety (OS) and in allied disciplines. Allied disciplines should be closely related and relevant to meeting regional or national OSH training needs. Allied disciplines include, but are not limited to, occupational health psychology, Total Worker Health , mining safety, agricultural safety and health, and ergonomics.

 

Academic Training Programs should have a strong history of attracting highly qualified and highly motivated trainees and of maintaining a critical mass of students for a viable, sustainable program. Academic Training Programs should have a history of graduating and placing students in careers in occupational safety and health or allied fields. Academic programs should have faculty with a history of public health practice or independent research support.

 

Academic programs should provide trainees with core competencies to be successful in their field of study, including critical thinking, effective leadership, and strong communication skills. Clinical rotations, field experiences and internships across sectors and settings are encouraged, to provide trainees with a broad understanding of working environments.

 

An institution may provide training in up to 2 core or allied OSH academic programs as resources allow. An academic program focuses on a distinct and well-defined discipline, such as industrial hygiene or occupational health psychology, providing knowledge and skills that lead to a degree. An institution may request support for more than 1 academic program in a separate and complete application.

 

OMR programs must be fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). NIOSH funding may be used to support OMR training in the following pathways, as described by the American Board of Preventive Medicine under Certification Requirements:

        Residency Pathway

        Complementary Pathway

        Special Pathway

 

Physicians in the Complementary and Special Pathways are eligible for NIOSH support to encourage more qualified physicians to enter the field of occupational medicine. The Complementary and Special Pathways must be administered by an OMR Program accredited by ACGME.

 

Accreditation of other training programs is not required but is strongly encouraged if appropriate to the field (for example, ABET accreditation for engineering and industrial hygiene programs).

NIOSH funding may be used to support training in core and allied disciplines for undergraduate and advanced degrees including, but not limited to BS, BSN, MSN, MOH, MSPH, MPH, MS, DrPH, ScD, PhD, and DNP.

 

For Academic Training Program.
Trainee Costs:  A minimum of 70% of requested funds in direct costs must go to support Trainee Costs that provide stipends, tuition and fees, and trainee travel. A maximum of 30% direct costs of the TPG budget may go to support Training-Related Expenses that include salary support for faculty and staff, supplies, equipment, and non-trainee travel. 

Trainees may receive support for up to four years at the bachelor level; up to five years of support at the predoctoral level and three years of support at the postdoctoral level (OMR only). Any exception to the maximum period of support requires approval from NIOSH based on a justification submitted by the institution.

Stipend levels, as well as funding amounts for tuition and fees, are announced annually in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and are also found at NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).  The National Research Service Award (NRSA) policies apply to academic programs supported by this NOFO. An NRSA appointment may not be held concurrently with another Federally-sponsored fellowship, traineeship, or similar Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the NRSA. 

Required Academic Content. Trainees at the graduate level must be instructed in the responsible conduct of research. NIOSH follows the NIH policies for this requirement. Topics should include scientific integrity (including specific responsibilities of the institution and the student), conflict of interest, responsible authorship, policies for handling misconduct, data management, data sharing, and policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects.

 

Academic training programs supported by NIOSH have been developed to meet specific OSH training needs and demands for workforce safety and health. The applicant should thoroughly describe:

        A documented need for the program.

        The Program Director’s qualifications in managing a high-quality academic training program.

        The program’s curriculum, with core competencies that will fully prepare trainees to be effective and successful in OSH.

        The qualifications and background of the program’s faculty and staff in OSH academic training, research, or practice.

        Details on past performance including trainees career placements and advancements after graduation.

        An evaluation plan to determine the program’s effectiveness and impact.

 

With limited funds available to support academic training programs, support is not available to develop new academic training programs.

 

Essential Elements for Non-Academic Training Project Grants. Non-academic training programs supported by NIOSH have been developed to meet specific, specialized training needs of targeted populations. Applicants should thoroughly describe:

        A documented need for the training program.

        The Program Director’s qualifications in managing a high-quality and well-structured training program.

        The program’s faculty / instructors and their qualifications and history of success in OSH training.

        The program’s learning objectives and specific aims to be effective, impactful, and successful.

        Details should be provided on the program's past performance. For example, number of training opportunities offered, number of trainees reached, trainees' evaluation of training experience, or how the training has filled a gap in OSH.

        An evaluation plan to determine the program’s effectiveness and impact.

 

With limited funds available for non-academic training projects, NIOSH will not be supporting in-house safety and health training, hazardous waste worker training, or OSHA certification courses (such as OSHA Outreach Training). NIOSH will not be supporting training that may be supported by other federal funds, such as OSHA's Susan Harwood Training Grant Program and NIEHS Worker Training Program. Funds are not available for the development of training materials or curricula.

 

Objectives/Outcomes

The overall objective of this announcement is to solicit meritorious applications that will build on NIOSH's successful, dynamic training grant program.

 

The expected objectives / outcomes by the end of the period of performance are an increase in highly trained, knowledgeable individuals with varying skills to positively impact the health, safety, and well-being of our nation's workforce through a broad range of training programs. Through academic and non-academic programs alike, there should be an increase in capacity to promote occupational safety and health in a variety of settings and sectors.

 

Healthy People 2030 and other National Strategic Priorities

According to Healthy People 2030, more than 160 million people participate in the U.S. labor force, and their work has an intrinsic connection to their safety, health, and well-being. Decades of public health surveillance and research have demonstrated that work-related injuries adversely affect employers, workers, and communities. Workplace settings vary widely in size, sector, design, location, processes, culture, and resources. In addition, workers themselves have different ages, genders, education levels, cultural backgrounds, health practices, vulnerabilities, and levels of access to preventive health care. This translates into great diversity and potential disparities in the safety and health risks for each industry sector and the need for tailored interventions.

 

Public Health Impact

Work-related illnesses continue to have a significant public health impact, and part of NIOSH's mission is to train the next generation of OSH practitioners and researchers. Recent work by Felknor, et al (2020) speaks to the 'rapid and profound changes in the future of work that will have significant implication for the education and training of OSH professionals and the workforce'. NIOSH's network of ERCs and TPGs are critical in developing OSH professionals prepared to respond to the changing nature of work. These changes are the result of technological advances, globalization, new and emerging risks, occupational health disparities associated with the changing demographics of the US workforce, climate and other factors. The ERCs and TPGs provide well-trained graduates and professionals for federal, state, and local government agencies; not-for-profit agencies; industry; academia; business; healthcare; and labor organizations. TPGs strive to improve the safety and health of workers across settings through training, research training, continuing education, and outreach.

 

Relevant Work

Information about NIOSH-supported TPGs can be found at NIOSH Training Project Grants. TPGs help translate scientific discoveries into practice through effective education, training, and outreach. TPG trainees and key personnel collaborate with stakeholders to develop innovative approaches to improving workplace safety and health, by the translation of research to practice and prevention through design.

 

Target Population

Through the NIOSH TPGs a broad range of populations may be positively impacted. The applicant should clearly describe the geographical or targeted population they will reach through their TPGs.

 

Translation Plan

When relevant to the goals of the TPG, applicants should describe briefly how the findings and/or training may be used to promote, enhance, or advance translation of the research into practice or may be used to inform public health policy to move the field of occupational health and safety forward. NIOSH has established a Research to Practice (r2p) approach to reduce or eliminate occupational illnesses and injury by increasing the transfer and translation of knowledge, interventions, and technologies into highly effective prevention practices and products into the workplace.

 

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

 

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed

New. Refers to an application not previously proposed or one that has not received prior funding.


Renewal. An application requesting additional funding for a period after that provided by a current award.


Resubmission. An unfunded application that has been modified following initial review and resubmitted for new consideration. Before a resubmission application can be submitted, the Program Director must have received the summary statement from the previous review and clearly address the weaknesses identified in the application. A resubmission application may be submitted for new, renewal, or revision applications. NIOSH allows only one resubmission application.

 

Revision. An application that proposes a change in the scope of work. CDC/NIOSH recipients use revision applications to request an increase in support for an expansion of the project's approved scope. Applicants must apply and undergo peer review.

 

The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.

Clinical Trial?

Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials.

 

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards for this program is between 20 and 30 depending on the quality and potential impact of the applications and funds available.

 

The amount of funds awarded under this program is approximately $4-4.8 million each year for new, renewal, resubmission, and revision applications.

Award Budget

The following lists the limits on budget requests for Academic programs:

Undergraduate Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $50,000/year.

 

Graduate Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $150,000/year.

 

Occupational Medicine Residency Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $250,000/year.

 

Budget requests for non-academic training programs may vary, but the budget must be clearly justified. The purchase of equipment is not allowed for non-academic training programs.

Award Project Period

Applicants submitting a new application must request a period of performance of up to 3 years.

 

Applicants submitting renewal applications must request a period of performance of up to 5 years.

 

Revision applications may not exceed the length of the current grant award and must be for a period of at least 2 years.

 

Other Award Budget Information

Stipends, Tuition, and Fees

For Academic Training Trainee Costs. A minimum of 70% of requested funds in direct costs must go to support Trainee Costs that provide stipends, tuition and fees, and trainee travel. A maximum of 30% direct costs of the TPG budget may go to support Training-Related Expenses that include salary support for faculty and staff, supplies, equipment, and non-trainee travel.

 

Trainees may receive support for up to four years at the bachelor level; up to five years of support at the predoctoral level and three years of support at the postdoctoral level (OMR only). Any exception to the maximum period of support requires approval from NIOSH based on a justification submitted by the institution.

 

NIOSH Trainee Stipends. Stipends are provided as a subsistence allowance to help trainees defray living expenses during the training experience. Stipends are not provided as a condition of employment with either the Federal Government or the awardee institution. Stipends are not allowed for part-time trainees. Stipends may not exceed the NIH stipend levels, determined by the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).

 

There is an exception for OMR programs, where stipends may be requested above the NIH NRSA guidelines if the program's institution requires a higher postgraduate year (PGY) level for OMR trainees. Kirschstein-NRSA awards provide stipends as a subsistence allowance to help defray living expenses during the research training experience. These requests must be fully justified and must include documentation of the institution’s requirements.

 

Applicants may determine the most appropriate allocation of stipends based on local and regional need and competition.

 

To receive a stipend, trainees are required to pursue their training full time, normally defined as 40 hours each week, or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies. Appointments are normally made in 12-month increments, and no trainee may be appointed for less than 9 months during the initial period of appointment, except with prior approval from NIOSH.

 

NIOSH Trainee Citizenship. Trainees must be U.S. citizens, or noncitizen nationals of the United States, or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Permanent residents must have a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551). Noncitizen nationals are individuals, who, although not citizens of the United States, owe permanent allegiance to the United States. They generally are people born in outlying possessions of the United States (e.g., American Samoa and Swains Island).

 

Individuals with temporary student visas are not eligible for NIOSH support.

 

Tuition and Fees. The institution may request tuition and fees (including appropriate health insurance) only to the extent that the same resident or nonresident tuition and fees are charged to regular non-Federally supported students.


Trainee Expense. Allowable costs include payment of stipends, tuition, fees, student travel and student health insurance.

 

Stipend Supplementation. Recipients may supplement stipends from non-Federal funds provided the supplementation is without any additional obligation for the trainee. An organization can determine what amount of stipend supplementation, if any, will be provided according to its own formally established policies governing stipend support. These policies must be consistently applied to all individuals in a similar training status regardless of the source of funds. Federal funds may not be used for stipend supplementation unless specifically authorized under the terms of the program from which funds are derived. Under no circumstances may NIOSH training grant funds be used for supplementation.

 

Compensation. NIOSH recognizes that trainees may seek part-time employment coincidental to their training program to further offset their expenses. Trainees may spend on average, an additional 25% of their time (e.g., 10 hours per week) in part time research, teaching, or clinical employment, so long as those activities do not interfere with, or lengthen, the duration of their training.

 

However, NIOSH expects that compensation from research grants will be for limited part-time employment apart from the normal full-time training activities. Compensation may not be paid from a research grant that supports the same research that is part of the trainee’s planned training experience as approved in a NIOSH training grant application.

 

Under no circumstances may the conditions of stipend supplementation or the services provided for compensation interfere with, detract from, or prolong the trainee’s approved training program. The TPG's Program Director must approve all instances of employment on research grants to verify that the circumstances will not detract from, or prolong, the trainee’s progress in the training program.

 

Inquiries from recipients, or trainees related to tax implications associated with being awarded federal funds as part of a federally funded training program, should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

With the emergence of Undergraduate-Graduate programs (also called 3+2 and Concurrent programs), NIOSH recognizes the need to support students that may not have received an undergraduate degree but are taking graduate level courses in a NIOSH approved academic program. These students are allowed to receive NIOSH support if they have been accepted into the university’s graduate school and into the TPG’s academic program. Payment for tuition is limited to courses assessed at the graduate tuition rate. The Statement of Appointment form should clearly state when the undergraduate degree will be awarded and that the trainee is seeking a graduate degree (for example MS, MPH, MSPH).

 

Required Training Period. The required training period for a student to receive NIOSH support is 9 months. A training period of less than 9 months must be justified and submitted to NIOSH before or with Statement of Appointment.

 

Trainee support is limited to 5 years of aggregate NIOSH support at the predoctoral level and 3 years of aggregate NIOSH support at the postdoctoral level. Approval to go beyond these time limits must be strongly justified and receive prior approval by NIOSH Scientific Program Official.

 

Statement of Appointments (PHS Form 2271). Appointments must be submitted for trainees appointed or reappointed to the training grant within 30 days of receiving support. Recipients must submit the PHS 2271 data electronically using the NIH xTrain system within 30 days of the trainee receiving support. An appointment or reappointment may begin at any time during the budget period, but not before the budget period start date of the grant year. Terminations should be completed shortly (within 30 days) after trainee has completed training or is no longer in the program.

 

Payback. NIOSH Training Grants to do not require payback.

 

Training Related Expenses. NIOSH will provide funds to help defray other training expenses, such as health insurance, staff salaries, consultant costs, research supplies, and faculty/staff travel directly related to the research training program.

 

Budget justifications should clearly describe trainee costs and training-related expenses. Trainee costs directly support the trainees and include stipends, tuition and fees, and travel for NIOSH trainees. Training-related expenses help defray the costs of salary support for key personnel, consultants, supplies, and non-trainee travel. This is a training grant, and the purchase of equipment is not allowed for non-academic training programs. Academic programs may request equipment, but the purchase must be strongly justified and positively impact the learning experience of the trainees. This requires prior approval by NIOSH.

Trainee Travel

NIOSH recognizes the critical role of travel to enhance the learning experience of trainees. Training grant funds may be used for travel to support a NIOSH appointed trainee to attend a scientific conference. A conference is defined as a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, or any event that involves attendee travel.

 

Reimbursement for this travel is appropriate when it is necessary for the individual’s training and when the costs incurred are within the period of grant-supported training. Prior approval is not required if the travel has been requested and justified in the application.

 

Foreign travel is defined as any travel outside of Canada and the US and US territories and possessions. Recipients must comply with the requirement that US flag air carriers must be used to the maximum extent possible when commercial air transportation is the means of travel between the US and a foreign country or between foreign countries. This requirement shall not be influenced by factors of cost, convenience, or personal travel preference. Prior approval is required and should provide details on dates of travel, purpose of travel and estimated costs.

Training Related Expenses

NIOSH will provide funds to help defray other training expenses, such as health insurance, staff salaries, consultant costs, research supplies, and faculty/staff travel directly related to the training program.

 

Budget justifications should clearly describe trainee costs and training-related expenses. Trainee costs directly support the trainees and include stipends, tuition and fees, and travel for NIOSH trainees. Training-related expenses help defray the costs of salary support for key personnel, consultants, supplies, and non-trainee travel.

 

Training related expenses for academic training programs cannot exceed 30% of direct costs. Funds may be requested and included in the proposed budget to defray the cost of training related expenses such as salary support for faculty and staff, consultant costs, supplies, and other program-related expenses. These expenses must be justified as specifically needed by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution.

 

This is a training grant, and the purchase of equipment is generally not allowable. For academic programs the purchase of equipment must be strongly justified and add to the strength and vigor of the training program to benefit trainees. The purchase of equipment requires prior approval by NIOSH.

 

For non-academic programs the purchase of equipment is not allowed.

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are limited to 8% of modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.1.

 

HHS/CDC grants policies as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.

 

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible Organizations

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 CDC 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)

 

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

        Bona Fide Agents: a Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to apply under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application. If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a legal, binding agreement from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Attach with "Other Attachment Forms" when submitting via Grants.gov.

Foreign Organizations

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

 

Required Registrations

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply - 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. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference HHS Grants Policy Statement for additional information.

        System for Award Management (SAM) 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.

    NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.

    Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.

 

        eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. 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 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.

 

Eligible Individuals (Program Director)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research training program as the Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. CDC does not make awards to individuals directly. Individuals from organizations that are uniquely prepared to examine research relevant to underserved groups, including sexual orientation and gender identity minorities as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply.

 

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

An educational institution may submit two separate Training Project Grant applications to support two Academic Training Programs under this announcement. An Academic Training Program should be in a distinct and well-defined discipline, such as Industrial Hygiene or Occupational Safety, and may support both undergraduate and graduate trainees. An institution that would like to support trainees in different disciplines (such as occupational safety and occupational health psychology) should submit separate, independent applications.

 

For non-Academic Programs, an organization may submit one application requesting support for one training program.

 

Applicants may not request support for both Academic Training and non-Academic Training Programs.

 

The CDC/NIOSH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time.  This means that the CDC/NIOSH will not accept:

        A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.

        A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

 

Responsiveness

 

Applications must be submitted for the required period of performance:

        New applications must request a project period of 3 years.   

        Renewal applications must request a project period of 5 years. 

        Revision applications may not exceed the length of the current grant award and must be for a period of least 2 years.

All other applications will be considered non-responsive.

 

NIOSH support is limited to established training programs with a history of providing high-quality training in OSH. Funds are not available for the development of training materials or curriculum. Applications that request funds for the development of training materials or curriculum will be considered non-responsive.


For an Academic Training Program, the total cost (direct and indirect) for each 12-month budget

period must be within the ceiling of Academic Training Programs (including consortium F&A costs) and fit the 70/30 rule described in Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity. Description, Academic Training Program Trainee Costs. The following lists the limits on budget requests for Academic Training programs:

        Undergraduate Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $50,000/year;

        Graduate Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $150,000/year; and

        Occupational Medicine Residency Programs may request a total budget (direct and indirect) of up to $250,000/year.

Applicants that exceed these budget limits in any year and do not fit the 70/30 rule will be considered non-responsive.

 

For a non-Academic Training Program, only one application from an organization will be reviewed. For academic training programs, an applicant may submit separate applications for two academic training programs with a maximum of two applications per institution will be reviewed. If more applications than the limit are received, the submission time (time-stamp) will determine which ones proceed to review.

 

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and responsiveness by NIOSH.  Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will not be reviewed. Applicants will be requested to withdraw non-responsive applications.

 

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

 

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Application guides for FORMS-H application packages are posted to the How to Apply - Application Guide page.

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed in this Notice of Funding Opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review. The package associated with this NOFO includes all applicable mandatory and optional forms. Please note that some forms marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this NOFO. Follow the instructions in the SF 424 Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate  optional components.

When using ASSIST, all mandatory forms will appear as separate tabs at the top of the Application Information screen; applicants may add optional forms available for the NOFO by selecting the Add Optional Form button in the left navigation panel.

 

It is critical that applicants follow the Training (T) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Letter of Intent

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 NIOSH 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, address, and telephone number(s) of the PD

        Names of other key personnel

        Participating institution(s)

        Number and title of this funding opportunity

 

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Michael Goldcamp, PhD

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Telephone: 304-285-5951
Email: [email protected]

 

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to direct questions and discuss their intent to apply with Elizabeth H. Maples, PhD, CIH at [email protected].

 

Page Limitations

For this specific NOFO, the Research Training Program Plan is limited to 10 pages for both academic and non-academic training program applications. Renewal applications should include responses to the previous review.

 

The page limit includes all text, tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts. The required NIOSH Tables for academic training programs (NIOSH Tables 1 and 2) do not count towards the page limitations.

 

Supporting materials for the Research Training Program Plan included as appendices may not exceed 5 PDF files with a maximum of 10 pages for all appendices. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide. Do not use the appendix to circumvent page limit.

 

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply - Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

 

SF424(R&R) Cover

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional modifications:

Project Summary/Abstract. Provide an abstract of the entire application. Include the objectives, rationale and design of the training program, as well as key activities in the training plan. Indicate the planned duration of appointments or training, the projected number of trainees including their levels (i.e., predoctoral, postdoctoral, intern), and intended trainee outcomes.

 

The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.

 

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

PHS 398 Training Budget

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide . The preparation of the budget should follow the CDC Budget Preparation Guidelines.

 

Research and Related (R&R) Budget

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide with the following additional modifications:

        Include all personnel other than the Training PD in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff.

        Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.

 

PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan

Introduction

Introduction to Application. This is required for Resubmission applications only and should clearly address the weaknesses identified in the summary statement. The introduction is limited to 1 page.

 

Training Program

Program Plan

 

Academic Training Program. Within the 10-page limit, clearly discuss:

        The TPG's significance in meeting a need for the academic training.

        Provide a rationale for the training program and its potential of a positive impact on worker health, safety, and well-being.

        Provide details on past and planned efforts to recruit and retain trainees from a wide range of backgrounds.

        Provide details on Program Director's qualifications. Discuss qualifications of key personnel in OSH practice and/or research and mentoring trainees.

        Discuss the TPG's recruitment, applicant pool, mentoring and training records that speak to the success of the program in placing trainees after graduation. 

 

Non-Academic Training Programs. Within the 10-page limit, clearly discuss:

        Significance of the training program in meeting an identified need in OSH.

        Provide details on Program Director's qualifications. Discuss qualifications of key personnel in OSH.

        Describe the TPG's innovation and approach in OSH training. Provide details on the program's evaluation plan and describe the program's curriculum and procedures for having dynamic, relevant content for trainees.

        Provide details on past and planned efforts to recruit and retain trainees from a wide range of backgrounds.

        Describe the training environment and how it will contribute to the success of the TPG.

 

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

This section is applicable to graduate and post-doctoral academic training only. Describe the plan for instructing trainees on scientific integrity and ethical principles in research. Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research as provided in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide as provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility. Not applicable for training grant.

 

Multiple PD/PI. No applicable.

 

Progress Report. Describe the accomplishments of the training program during the last period of performance for renewal applications. New applications should describe accomplishments over the past 5 years (if applicable). Summarize the accomplishments of the trainees and faculty and key personnel. This should include responses to the TPG's previous review (if applicable). The Progress Report is limited to 5 pages.

 

Faculty, Trainees, and Training Record

Participating Faculty Biosketches. Biosketches are limited to 5 pages.

 

Letters of Support. Provide letters of support that are specific to the training program.

 

Data Tables. Applicants for academic training programs must complete and submit NIOSH Tables 1 and 2 found at NIOSH Office of Extramural Programs. These tables do not count towards the page limitations. Applicants should summarize, in the body of the application, key data from the NIOSH Tables that highlight the characteristics of the applicant pool, the educational and career outcomes of participants, and other factors that contribute to the overall positive impact and success of the program.

 

Data Tables (1-8) referred to in the SF 424 Application Package are not required for this announcement.

 

Other Training Program

Vertebrate Animals. Not applicable for training grants.

 

Select Agent Research. Not applicable for training grants.

 

Consortium/Contractual Arrangements. If applicable.

 

Other Plans. Applicants that plan to collect public health data must submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) in the Resource Sharing Plan section of the PHS 398 Research Plan Component of the application. A DMP is required for each collection of public health data proposed. Applicants who contend that the public health data they collect or create are not appropriate for release must justify that contention in the DMP submitted with their application for CDC funds.

 

The DMP may be outlined in a narrative format or as a checklist but, at a minimum, should include:

        A description of the data to be collected or generated in the proposed project;

        Standards to be used for the collected or generated data;

        Mechanisms for, or limitations to, providing access to and sharing of the data (include a description of provisions for the protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property, or other rights - this section should address access to identifiable and de-identified data);

        Statement of the use of data standards that ensure all released data have appropriate documentation that describes the method of collection, what the data represent, and potential limitations for use; and

        Plans for archiving and long-term preservation of the data or explaining why long-term preservation and access are not justified (this section should address archiving and preservation of identifiable and deidentified data).

 

CDC OMB-approved templates may be used (e.g. NCCDPHP template).

 

Appendix

Limited items are allowed in the Appendix.  May not exceed 5 PDF files with a maximum of 10 pages for each PDF. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

 

PHS Assignment Request Form

Not applicable for this NOFO.

 

Delayed Onset Study. Not applicable for training grants.

 

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

See Part 1. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

 

4. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to policies as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement .


Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

 

6. Funding Restrictions

All CDC awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in federal regulations 45 CFR 75 and the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the How to Apply - Application Guide.  Paper applications will not be accepted.

 

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

 

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply - Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

 

Important reminders:

All PD must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the How to Apply - Application Guide.


See more tips for avoiding common errors.

 

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by NIOSH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.  Applicants will be requested to withdraw non-responsive applications.

 

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in HHS Grants Policy Statement. Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy.

 

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

As part of the CDC mission, applications submitted to the CDC in support of public health activities are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the CDC/NIOSH peer review system. Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. The scope of academic and non-academic training programs is very different; therefore, there are different sets of scored review criteria.

 

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score for the training program proposed. The overall impact score should reflect the reviewers' assessment of the likelihood that the training program will successfully meet stated goals and objectives and positively impact occupational safety and health training, locally, regionally, or nationally. Applicants will receive a written summary statement.

 

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of the merit of the training program 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. There are two sets of scored review criteria: one for academic training programs and one for non-academic training programs.

 

Review Criteria for Academic Training Program

Significance

        Does the applicant clearly document a need for the academic program? Will the proposed academic training program fill a gap in this defined local, regional, or national workforce need? Does the applicant reference sources in determining need for the academic training program? Does the applicant describe the potential impact of the program in meeting the local, regional, or national needs for occupational safety and health training? Do the objectives, design and direction of the proposed academic training program ensure outstanding, interdisciplinary OSH training? Is the proposed training program designed to prepare students for successful and productive careers in OSH practice and / or research? Does the training program, through courses, training experiences, interdisciplinary experiences and other activities promote participation by all NIOSH trainees in highly significant, high-quality events? Does the academic program involve innovative approaches to training and education relevant to the OSH field?

 

        Is there evidence of collaboration with other institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions, businesses, federal, state, or local public health and regulatory agencies, and labor and professional associations? Applicants must describe partnerships and collaboration with NIOSH-supported training grants (TPGs and ERCs) in their HHS Federal Health Region.

 

        Is there a rigorous evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness of the training program, including interdisciplinary activities? Are there plans to obtain and incorporate feedback from stakeholders, including current and former NIOSH trainees? Is there evidence of an active Advisory Council to guide the TPG leadership for continual improvement? Is there a formal plan to provide oversight of trainee progress and high-quality mentoring for career guidance to provide the highest possible level of trainee success?

 

        Does the training program’s past performance reflect successful recruitment and graduation of highly qualified and motivated trainees (success may be determined by the number of NIOSH trainees, trainee awards, presentations and publications, and employment history)? Does the program have a track record for recruitment and retention of students from a wide range of student populations?

 

        Is there a critical mass of faculty and students to sustain the program? Does the training program address the distinct workplace characteristics and worker health needs in the TPG’s region or target area? Does the applicant describe the accreditation status of the training program?

 

        Are the training and research facilities and environment conducive to preparing trainees for successful careers as OHS practitioners or researchers? Is there evidence of an institutional commitment to the training program’s goals?

 

Academic Training Program Director

        Does the Program Director have the scientific background, expertise, and administrative and training experience to provide strong leadership, direction, management, and administration of the proposed training program? Does the Program Director plan to commit sufficient effort to ensure the program’s success? Does the Program Director have a strong track record in successfully training and mentoring students?

 

Academic Training Program Faculty

        Is the faculty highly qualified, with strong histories of teaching and obtaining support through other mechanisms (federal, state, or private sector)? Is the faculty accomplished OSH practitioners, or research investigators, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications or other outputs?

 

        Does the TPG faculty have a strong record of training and mentoring? Is there a mechanism by which junior faculty will obtain guidance from the program to ensure their successful training and mentoring of trainees?

 

Trainees

        Is there a recruitment plan with strategies to attract well-qualified, highly motivated candidates for the training program, including students from a wide range of student populations? Is there a competitive applicant pool in sufficient numbers to warrant the proposed size of the training program? Does the application present a well-defined and transparent process, and set of criteria, for trainee selection?

        Is there a sufficient strategy to monitor trainee progress to ensure the highest possible level of success for each trainee?

 

Training Record

        How successful are NIOSH trainees in obtaining careers that advance the field of OSH? Are most students obtaining degrees within an appropriate timeframe?

 

        For trainees on a research path, is there evidence of career advancement and development, such as grants awarded, special honors or awards, a record of publications and other outputs?

        For graduate and post-graduate academic programs, are trainees instructed in the responsible conduct of research, including scientific integrity, conflict of interest, responsible authorship, data management, data sharing, and policies for handling misconduct and regarding the use of human and animal subjects?

 

Review Criteria for non-Academic Training Program

Significance

Significance is evaluated by considering the impact the TPG has in meeting an identified regional or national need for occupational safety and health training that the TPG has identified.

        Does the training program have the potential to successfully meet stated goals and objectives and impact the health and safety of the workforce through its training program? Does the continuation of the training program advance the field of OSH and worker health, safety and well-being? Does the training program’s past performance reflect a successful track record of OSH training? Does the training program's past performance indicate a commitment to reaching a wide range of trainees? Is there evidence that the program integrates with and complements other NIOSH-supported training programs?

 

Key Personnel

        Does the TPG Program Director have experience in managing a high-quality training program? Are key personnel identified with strong histories of providing training in OSH to their target audience? Are the key personnel accomplished OSH practitioners as evidenced by their biosketches, experiences, and / or outputs?

 

Innovation

        Does the training program involve innovative approaches to achieving and maintaining highly effective training relevant to the OSH field? Is there an innovative approach in recruiting a wide range of student populations?

 

Approach

        Is there an evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness of the training program? Is there evidence of active participation by an Advisory Council? Does the training program have a successful history of reaching its intended target audience? Is there evidence of reaching a wide range of trainees? Are there plans to obtain and incorporate feedback from stakeholders, including current and former trainees, to improve performance?

 

Environment

        Is the learning / training environment described? Will the training environment contribute to the probability of success for the TPG? Is there evidence of organizational or institutional commitment to support the goals of the TPG? Are the facilities and equipment adequate and appropriate to support the described OSH training?

 

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

 

Protections for Human Subjects

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

 

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan 

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Vertebrate Animals

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

 

Biohazards

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

 

Training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility

Generally, not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

 

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

 

Renewals

For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period. Does the application describe the program’s accomplishments over the past funding period(s)? Is the program achieving its training objectives? Has the program evaluated the quality and effectiveness of the training experience, and is there evidence that the evaluation outcomes and feedback from trainees have been acted upon? Are changes proposed that are likely to improve or strengthen the training experience during the next period of performance? Does the program continue to evolve and reflect changes in the research area in which the training occurs?

Revisions

For Revisions, the committee will consider the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of the scope of the project. If the Revision application relates to a specific aspect of the original application that was not recommended for approval by the committee, then the committee will consider whether the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and whether substantial changes are clearly evident.

 

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

 

For renewal applications, does the progress report document acceptable RCR instruction in the five components described above? Does the plan describe how participation in RCR instruction is being monitored? Are appropriate changes in the plan for RCR instruction proposed in response to feedback and in response to evolving issues related to responsible conduct of research?

 

Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Select Agent Research

Generally, not applicable.

 

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed training. The applicant can obtain budget preparation guidance for completing a detailed justified budget on the CDC website, at: https://www.cdc.gov/grants/applying/application-resources.html. Following this guidance will also facilitate the review and approval of the budget request of applications selected for award.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate Scientific Review Group, in accordance with CDC peer review policies and practices, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

 

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

        May undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.

        Will receive a written critique.

 

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this NOFO.

 

Applications will be assigned to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this NOFO. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the Scientific Review Council. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

        Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.

        Academic Training Programs provide undergraduate, graduate and/or post-graduate training and are closely aligned with NIOSH's mission to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and may receive priority for support over non-Academic Training Program applications.

        Results (outputs and outcomes) and management of prior training project awards funded by CDC/NIOSH or others.

        Contribution of proposed new training programs to the geographic distribution and balance of the NIOSH training portfolio comprised of TPGs and ERCs.

        Status of trainees within established NIOSH-supported academic programs and the continuity of support for trainees to complete their studies onto graduation.

        Availability of funds.

 

Prior to making an award, CDC reviews an applicant’s federal award history in SAM.gov to ensure sound business practices. An applicant can review and comment on any information in the Responsibility/Qualification records available in SAM.gov. CDC will consider any comments by the applicant in the Responsibility/Qualification records in SAM.gov to ascertain the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and performance record of managing Federal awards per 45 CFR Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

 

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access their Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date. 

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the HHS Grants Policies and Regulations.

 

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

 

A Notice of Award (NoA) is the official authorizing document notifying the applicant that an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system or office. The NoA is signed by the Grants Management Officer and emailed to the recipient’s business official.

 

In accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.

 

Recipients must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions. Any pre-award costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the applicant's own risk. For more information on the Notice of Award, please refer to the HHS Grants Policies and Regulations.

 

2. CDC Administrative Requirements

 

Overview of Terms and Conditions of Award and Requirements for Specific Types of Grants

If you receive an award, you must follow all applicable nondiscrimination laws. You agree to this when you register in SAM.gov. You must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690). To learn more, see the HHS Office for Civil Rights website.

 

The taxability of stipends is described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Policies regarding the Ruth L. Kirschstein-NRSA payback obligation are explained in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Payback is not required with this funding mechanism.

 

Generally applicable ARs:

 

AR-1: Human Subjects Requirements

AR-2: Requirements for Inclusion of Women and Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Research

AR-3: Animal Subjects Requirements

AR-7: Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

AR-9: Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

AR-10: Smoke-Free Workplace Requirements

AR-11: Healthy People 2030

AR-12: Lobbying Restrictions

AR-13: Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control Activities

AR-14: Accounting System Requirements

AR-16: Security Clearance Requirement

AR-17: Peer and Technical Reviews of Final Reports of Health Studies ATSDR

AR-21: Small, Minority, And Women-owned Business

AR-22: Research Integrity

AR-24: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Requirements

AR-25: Data Management and Access

AR-26: National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

AR-28: Inclusion of Persons Under the Age of 21 in Research

AR-29: Compliance with EO13513, Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging while Driving , October 1, 2009

AR-30: Information Letter 10-006, - Compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

AR-31: Research Definition

AR-32: Appropriations Act, General Provisions

 

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable

 

3. Additional Policy Requirements

 

The following are additional policy requirements relevant to this NOFO:

HHS Policy on Promoting Efficient Spending: Use of Appropriated Funds for Conferences and Meetings, Food, Promotional Items and Printing Publications: This policy supports the Executive Order on Promoting Efficient Spending (EO 13589), the Executive Order on Delivering and Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government (EO 13576) and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum on Eliminating Excess Conference Spending and Promoting Efficiency in Government (M-35-11). This policy applies to all new obligations and all funds appropriated by Congress. For more information, visit the HHS website at: https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/efficient-spending/index.html.

 

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006: Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), P.L. 109 282, as amended by section 6202 of P.L. 110 252, requires full disclosure of all entities and organizations receiving Federal funds including grants, contracts, loans and other assistance and payments through a single, publicly accessible website, www.usaspending.gov. For the full text of the requirements, please review the following website: https://www.fsrs.gov/.

 

Plain Writing Act: The Plain Writing Act of 2010, Public Law 111-274, was signed into law on October 13, 2010. The law requires that federal agencies use "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use" and requires the federal government to write all new publications, forms, and publicly distributed documents in a "clear, concise, well-organized" manner. For more information on this law, go to: https://www.plainlanguage.gov/.

 

Employee Whistleblower Rights and Protections: Employee Whistleblower Rights and Protections: All recipients of an award under this NOFO will be subject to a term and condition that applies the requirements set out in 41 U.S.C. 4712,  Enhancement of contractor protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information and 48 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 3.9 to the award, which includes a requirement that recipients and subrecipients inform employees in writing (in the predominant native language of the workforce) of employee whistleblower rights and protections under 41 U.S.C. 4712. For more information see:  https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/whistleblower/.

 

Copyright Interests Provision: This provision is intended to ensure that the public has access to the results and accomplishments of public health activities funded by CDC. Applicants may include reasonable publication costs and costs associated with submission, curation, management of data, and special handling instructions as allowable expenses in all research budgets.  Pursuant to applicable grant regulations and CDC’s Public Access Policy, Recipient agrees to submit into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system an electronic version of the final, peer-reviewed manuscript of any such work developed under this award upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available without any embargo or delay after publication. Also at the time of submission, Recipient and/or Recipient’s submitting author must also post the manuscript through PMC without any embargo or delay after publication. The recipient must obtain prior approval from the CDC for any exception to this provision.

 

The author's final, peer-reviewed manuscript is defined as the final version accepted for journal publication and includes all modifications from the publishing peer review process, and all graphics and supplemental material associated with the article. Recipient and its submitting authors working under this award are responsible for ensuring that any publishing or copyright agreements concerning submitted articles reserve adequate right to fully comply with this provision and the license reserved by CDC. The manuscript will be hosted in both PMC and the CDC Stacks institutional repository system. In progress reports for this award, recipient must identify publications subject to the CDC Public Access Policy by using the applicable NIHMS identification number for up to three (3) months after the publication date and the PubMed Central identification number (PMCID) thereafter.

 

Language Access for Persons with Limited English Proficiency: Recipients of federal financial assistance from HHS must administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights law. This means that recipients of HHS funds must ensure equal access to their programs without regard to a person’s race, color, national origin, disability, age and, in some circumstances, sex and religion. This includes ensuring your programs are accessible to persons with limited English proficiency. Recipients of federal financial assistance must take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to their programs by persons with limited English proficiency.

 

Dual Use Research of Concern: On September 24, 2014, the US Government Policy for the Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern was released. Grantees (foreign and domestic) receiving CDC funding on or after September 24, 2015 are subject to this policy. Research funded by CDC, involving the agents or toxins named in the policy, must be reviewed to determine if it involves one or more of the listed experimental effects and if so, whether it meets the definition of DURC. This review must be completed by an Institutional Review Entity (IRE) identified by the funded institution.

 

Recipients also must establish an Institutional Contact for Dual Use Research (ICDUR). The award recipient must maintain records of institutional DURC reviews and completed risk mitigation plans for the term of the research grant, cooperative agreement or contract plus three years after its completion, but no less than eight years, unless a shorter period is required by law or regulation.

If a project is determined to be DURC, a risk/benefit analysis must be completed. CDC will work collaboratively with the award recipient to develop a risk mitigation plan that the CDC must approve. The USG policy can be found at http://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse.

 

Non-compliance with this Policy may result in suspension, limitation, restriction or termination of USG-funding, or loss of future USG funding opportunities for the non-compliant USG-funded research project and of USG-funds for other life sciences research at the institution, consistent with existing regulations and policies governing USG-funded research and may subject the institution to other potential penalties under applicable laws and regulations.

 

Data Management Plan(s): CDC requires that all new collections of public health data include a Data Management Plan (DMP). For purposes of this announcement, public health data means digitally recorded factual material commonly accepted in the scientific community as a basis for public health findings, conclusions, and implementation.

This requirement ensures that CDC is in compliance with the following; Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum titled Open Data Policy Managing Information as an Asset (OMB M-13-13); Executive Order 13642 titled Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information ; and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum titled Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research (OSTP Memo).

The AR-25 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html outlines the components of a DMP and provides additional information for investigators regarding the requirements for data accessibility, storage, and preservation.

 

Certificates of Confidentiality: Institutions and investigators are responsible for determining whether research they conduct is subject to Section 301(d) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act.  Section 301(d), as amended by Section 2012 of the 21st Century Cures Act, P.L. 114-255 (42 U.S.C. 241(d)), states that the Secretary shall issue Certificates of Confidentiality (Certificates) to persons engaged in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or other research activities in which identifiable, sensitive information is collected. In furtherance of this provision, CDC-supported research commenced or ongoing after December 13, 2016 in which identifiable, sensitive information is collected, as defined by Section 301(d), is deemed issued a Certificate and therefore required to protect the privacy of individuals who are subjects of such research.  Certificates issued in this manner will not be issued as a separate document but are issued by application of this term and condition to this award.  See Additional Requirement 36 to ensure compliance with this term and condition.  The link to the full text is at: https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-36.html.

 

Inventions and Copyrights

Awards made primarily for educational purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements and thus invention reporting is not required, as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

4. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not applicable.

 

5. Reporting

Recipients will be required to complete Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) in eRA Commons at least annually (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/index.htm;  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/report_on_grant.htm) and financial statements as required in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

A final progress report, invention statement, equipment inventory list and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award, described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

Although the financial plans of the HHS/CDC CIO(s) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity depend upon the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports) and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. 

Compliance with this law is primarily the responsibility of the Federal agency. However, two elements of the law require information to be collected and reported by recipients:
1) Information on executive compensation when not already reported through the SAM Registration; and
2) Similar information on all sub-awards/ subcontracts/ consortiums over $25,000. It is a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All recipients of applicable CDC grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS), available at www.fsrs.gov, on all subawards over $25,000.  See the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

A. Submission of Reports

The Recipient Organization must submit:

 Annual Performance Report (APR)/RPPR is due 120 days before the end of the current budget period, or the date identified in the guidance that CDC distributes. The RPPR form (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/index.htm; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/rppr_instruction_guide.pdf) is to be completed on the eRA Commons website. The progress report will serve as the non-competing continuation application. Although the financial plans of the HHS/CDC CIO(s) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds, evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports) and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal government.

 

Annual Federal Financial Report (FFR) SF 425 (Reporting | Grants | CDC ) is required and must be submitted to the Payment Management System accessed through the FFR navigation link in eRA Commons or directly through PMS within 90 days after the budget period ends.

Closeout Reports: a final progress report, invention statement, equipment/inventory report, and the Final FFR (SF 425) are required 120 days after the end of the period of performance.

B. Content of Reports

1. Annual Performance Report (APR)/RPPR: The recipient's continuation application/progress report should include:

        Description of Progress during Annual Budget Period: Current Budget Period Progress reported on the RPPR form in eRA Commons (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/index.htm). Detailed narrative report for the current budget period that directly addresses progress towards the Measures of Effectiveness included in the current budget period proposal.

        Research Aims: list each research aim/project.

        a) Research Aim/Project: purpose, status (met, ongoing, and unmet), challenges, successes, and lessons learned.

        b) Leadership/Partnership: list project collaborations and describe the role of external partners.

        Translation of Research (1 page maximum). When relevant to the goals of the research project, the PI should describe how the significant findings may be used to promote, enhance, or advance translation of the research into practice or may be used to inform public health policy. This section should be understandable to a variety of audiences, including policy makers, practitioners, public health programs, healthcare institutions, professional organizations, community groups, researchers, and other potential users. The PI should identify the research findings that were translated into public health policy or practice and how the findings have been or may be adopted in public health settings. Or, if they cannot be applied yet, this section should address which research findings may be translated, how these findings can guide future research or related activities, and recommendations for translation. If relevant, describe how the results of this project could be generalized to populations and communities outside of the study. Questions to consider in preparing this section include:

        How will the scientific findings be translated into public health practice or inform public health policy?

        How will the project improve or effect the translation of research findings into public health practice or inform policy?

        How will the research findings help promote or accelerate the dissemination, implementation, or diffusion of improvements in public health programs or practices?

        How will the findings advance or guide future research efforts or related activities?

        Public Health Relevance and Impact (1 page maximum). This section should address improvements in public health as measured by documented or anticipated outcomes from the project. The PI should consider how the findings of the project relate beyond the immediate study to improved practices, prevention or intervention techniques, inform policy, or use of technology in public health. Questions to consider in preparing this section include:

        How will this project lead to improvements in public health?

        How will the findings, results, or recommendations been used to influence practices, procedures, methodologies, etc.?

        How will the findings, results, or recommendations contribute to documented or projected reductions in morbidity, mortality, injury, disability, or disease?

        Current Budget Period Financial Progress: Status of obligation of current budget period funds and an estimate of unobligated funds projected provided on an estimated FFR.

        New Budget Period Proposal: Detailed operational plan for continuing activities in the upcoming budget period, including updated Measures of Effectiveness for evaluating progress during the upcoming budget period. Report listed by Research Aim/Project.

         

        Project Timeline: Include planned milestones for the upcoming year (be specific and provide deadlines).

        New Budget Period Budget: Detailed line-item budget and budget justification for the new budget period. Use the CDC budget guideline format.

        Publications/Presentations: Include publications/presentations resulting from this CDC grant only during this budget period. If no publication or presentations have been made at this stage in the project, simply indicate "Not applicable: No publications or presentations have been made."

        IRB Approval Certification: Include all current IRB approvals to avoid a funding restriction on your award. If the research does not involve human subjects, then please state so. Please provide a copy of the most recent local IRB and CDC IRB, if applicable. If any approval is still pending at time of APR due date, indicate the status in your narrative.

        Update of Data Management Plan: The DMP is considered a living document that will require updates throughout the lifecycle of the project. Investigators should include any updates to the project’s data collection such as changes to initial data collection plan, challenges with data collection, and recent data collected. Applicants should update their DMP to reflect progress or issues with planned data collection and submit as required for each reporting period.

        Additional Reporting Requirements: Institutions providing academic training must submit a completed Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271) for each trainee appointed or reappointed to the training grant using the xTrain system. More information on xTrain is available at xTrain (eRA Commons). An appointment or reappointment may begin any time during the budget period, but not before the budget period start date of the grant year.

 

2. Annual Federal Financial Reporting: The Annual Federal Financial Report (FFR) SF-425 is required and must be submitted through the Payment Management System (PMS) within 90 days after the end of the budget period. The FFR should only include those funds authorized and disbursed during the timeframe covered by the report. The Final FFR (SF-425) must indicate the exact balance of unobligated funds and may not reflect any unliquidated obligations. There must be no discrepancies between the Final FFR expenditure data and the Payment Management System's (PMS) cash transaction data.

Failure to submit the required information in a timely manner may adversely affect the future funding of this project. If the information cannot be provided by the due date, you are required to submit a letter explaining the reason and date by which the Grants Officer will receive the information.

Additional resources on the Payment Management System (PMS) can be found at https://pms.psc.gov.

Recipients must submit closeout reports in a timely manner. Unless the Grants Management Officer (GMO) of the awarding Institute or Center approves an extension, recipients must submit a Final FFR (SF-425), final progress report, and Final Invention Statement and Certification within 120 days after the end of the period of performance. Failure to submit timely and accurate final reports may affect future funding to the organization or awards under the direction of the same Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI).

Organizations may verify their current registration status by running the List of Commons Registered Organizations query found at: https://era.nih.gov/registration_accounts.cfm. Organizations not yet registered can go to https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/ for instructions. It generally takes several days to complete this registration process. This registration is independent of Grants.gov and may be done at any time.

The individual designated as the PI on the application must also be registered in the Commons. The PI must hold a PI account and be affiliated with the applicant organization. This registration must be done by an organizational official or their delegate who is already registered in the Commons. To register PIs in the Commons, refer to the eRA Commons User Guide found at: https://era.nih.gov/docs/Commons_UserGuide.pdf.

3. Final Reports: Final reports should provide sufficient detail for CDC to determine if the stated outcomes for the funded research have been achieved and if the research findings resulted in public health impact based on the investment. The recipient's final report should include:

 

Research Aim/Project Overview: The PI should describe the purpose and approach to the project, including the outcomes, methodology and related analyses. Include a discussion of the challenges, successes and lessons learned. Describe the collaborations/partnerships and the role of each external partner.

 

Translation of Research Findings: The PI should describe how the findings will be translated and how they will be used to inform policy or promote, enhance or advance the impact on public health practice. This section should be understandable to a variety of audiences, including policy makers, practitioners, public health programs, healthcare institutions, professional organizations, community groups, researchers and other potential end users. The PI should also provide a discussion of any research findings that informed policy or practice during the course of the Period of Performance. If applicable, describe how the findings could be generalized and scaled to populations and communities outside of the funded project.

 

Public Health Relevance and Impact: This section should address improvements in public health as measured by documented or anticipated outcomes from the project. The PI should consider how the findings of the project related beyond the immediate study to improved practices, prevention or intervention techniques, or informed policy, technology or systems improvements in public health.

 

Publications, Presentations, Media Coverage: Include information regarding all publications, presentations or media coverage resulting from this CDC-funded activity. Please include any additional dissemination efforts that did or will result from the project.

Final Data Management Plan: Applicants must include an updated final Data Management Plan that describes the data collected, the location of where the data is stored (example: a repository), accessibility restrictions (if applicable), and the plans for long-term preservation of the data.

 

Other Reporting Requirements

An Annual Report suitable for public distribution must be submitted to the NIOSH Scientific Program Official (SPO) at the end of the federal fiscal year (September 30). The report should include high impact outcomes from the TPG. TPGs with an academic program must also submit annual performance tables which will capture information on trainees, graduates, and graduates' placement. The tables, along with instructions, will be provided by NIOSH SPO each year.

 

6. Termination

CDC may impose other enforcement actions in accordance with 45 CFR 75.371- Remedies for Noncompliance, as appropriate.

 

The Federal award may be terminated in whole or in part as follows:

(1) By the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity, if the non-Federal entity fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the award;

(2) By the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity for cause;

(3) By the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity with the consent of the non-Federal entity, in which case the two parties must agree upon the termination conditions, including the effective date and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated; or

(4) By the non-Federal entity upon sending to the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity written notification setting forth the reasons for such termination, the effective date, and, in the case of partial termination, the portion to be terminated. However, if the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity determines in the case of partial termination that the reduced or modified portion of the Federal award or subaward will not accomplish the purposes for which the Federal award was made, the HHS awarding agency or pass-through entity may terminate the Federal award in its entirety.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
https://www.grants.gov/support
Email: [email protected]
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on Federal holidays

 

eRA Commons Help Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)
Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (preferred method of contact)

Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

 

Scientific/Research Contact

Elizabeth H. Maples, PhD, CIH
NIOSH
Telephone: 404-498-2557
Email: [email protected]

Peer Review Contact

E. Michael Goldcamp, PhD

NIOSH

Telephone: 304-285-5951

Email: [email protected]

 

Financial/Grants Management Contact

Christina Park

Grants Management Officer

CDC
Telephone: 404-498-5014
Email: [email protected]

Section VIII. Other Information

Other CDC Notices of Funding Opportunities can be found at www.grants.gov.

All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

 

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections of the Public Health Service Act as amended and under the Code Federal Regulations.

 

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR part 52 and 2 CFR part 200. 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); and Section 301 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR part 52. All awards are subject to 45 CFR Part 75, the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.


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