To improve the quality of laboratory testing practices relevant to clinical and public health settings and to determine standardized approaches to quality assurance in pathology and laboratory medicine that can be applied in multiple, diverse settings (e.g.

community hospitals, academic medical

credit:

centers, and independent laboratories) that demonstrate measurable and sustainable improvements over time.

Selected Recipients for this Program

Not Applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funding opportunities are made available to evaluate quality assurance methods for addressing the pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic components of laboratory testing in clinical and public health laboratory settings; and to provide technical assistance and training to public health laboratory scientists and leaders on laboratory standards and quality improvement models applicable to laboratory management services.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by public and private nonprofit organizations and by governments and their agencies, such as: Public nonprofit organizations, private nonprofit organizations, universities, colleges, research institutions, hospitals, community and faith based organizations, State and local governments or their Bona Fide Agents (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau).

Beneficiary Eligibility

Applicants must have experience in the administration and evaluation of standardized quality assurance programs in multiple, diverse laboratory sites (including community hospitals and academic medical centers). This experience is required for an applicant to be able to assess the effectiveness of these quality assurance programs and to determine best practices.

Credentials/Documentation

Title 2 of the United States Code section 1611 states that an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to receive Federal funds constituting an award, grant, or loan. For all other nonprofit grantees, costs will be determined in accordance with HHS Regulations 45 CFR 74, Subpart Q. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Application forms and instructions are available on the CDC web site, at the following Internet address: www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/forminfo.htm If you do not have access to the Internet, or if you have difficulty accessing the forms on-line, you may contact the CDC Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section (PGO-TIM) staff at: Telephone: (770) 488-2700. Applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov.

Award Procedures

Applications will be evaluated for completeness and responsiveness by the agency program and CDC Procurement and Grants Office(PGO). CDC will not review incomplete and non-responsive applications. After review and approval, a notice of grant award (NoA) will be prepared and processed, along with appropriate notification to the public. Initial award provides funds for the first budget period (usually 12 months) and the NoA will indicate support recommended for the remainder of the project period, allocation of Federal funds by budget categories, and special conditions, if any.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Public Health Service Act, Executive Order 13272, Section 317(k)(2), 42 U.S.C 247b(k)(2).

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Cooperative agreement project periods are 1 to 5 years. Subject to availability of funds, after initial awards, projects may be renewed non-competitively contingent upon 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.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Financial assistance is available for a 12-month budget period within project periods ranging from one to five years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Annual or semiannual progress reports are required.

Financial status reports are required no later than 90 days after the end of each budget period.

Final financial status and performance reports are required 90 days after the end of the project period.

Cash reports are not applicable.

Annual or semiannual progress reports are required.

Financial status reports are required no later than 90 days after the end of each budget period.

Expenditure reports are not applicable.

Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal governments officials.

Records

Financial records, including documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges to each grant, must be kept readily available for review by personnel authorized to examine HHS grant accounts. Records must be maintained for three years after the end of a budget period. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0949-0-1-550; 75-0943-0-1-550.

Obigations

(Salaries) FY 16 $1,816,175; FY 17 est $1,617,208; and FY 18 est $1,816,175

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$100,000 to $500,000; $250,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

42 CFR 52; basic grant administration policies of DHHS and PHS are also applicable, 45 CFR 74 and 45 CFR 92; PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000, (Rev.) April 1, 1994.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None. For general questions about this announcement, contact: Technical Information Management Section, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 770-488-2700. For program technical assistance, contact: Charlene Beach, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OPHSS, CSELS, DLS, 1600 Clifton Road, MS G25.; Atlanta, GA 30329-4027; Telephone: (404) 498-0233, Fax: (404) 498-2707, E-mail: cbeach@cdc.gov. For financial, grants management, or budget assistance, contact: Terrian Dixon, Grants Management Specialist, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: (770) 488-2774, E-mail: tdixon@cdc.gov.

Headquarters Office

Teneva Williams 2400 Century Pkwy NE , Atlanta, Georgia 30345 Email: tuh0@cdc.gov Phone: 4044980899

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications will be evaluated on the review criteria described in the Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). In general, the review and selection process of complete and responsive applications to the FOA consists of determination of the scientific and technical merit by objective or peer review, availability of funds, and relevance of program priorities and the priorities of DHHS. Refer to the FOA for additional review criteria.