Notices. Notice of meeting

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BILLING CODE 6560-50-S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824; FRL-8226-7] Board of Scientific Counselors, Executive Committee Meeting—October 2006 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (ORD), gives notice of one meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors

(BOSC)Executive Committee. DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will continue on Friday, October 20, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. All times noted are eastern time. The meeting may adjourn early if all business is finished. Requests for the draft agenda or for making oral presentations at the meeting will be accepted up to 1 business day before the meeting. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H Street, NW., Washington, DC 20001. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824, by one of the following methods: • *http://www.regulations.gov:* Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. • *E-mail:* Send comments by electronic mail (e-mail) to: *ORD.Docket@epa.gov,* Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824. • *Fax:* Fax comments to:

(202)566-0224, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824. • *Mail:* Send comments by mail to: Board of Scientific Counselors, Executive Committee Meeting—October 2006 Docket, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 20460, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824. • *Hand Delivery or Courier.* Deliver comments to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Room B102, EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824. Note: This is not a mailing address. Such deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. *Instructions:* Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0824. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at *http://www.regulations.gov,* including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information

(CBI)or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through *http://www.regulations.gov* or e-mail. The *http://www.regulations.gov* Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through *http://www.regulations.gov,* your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at *http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.* *Docket:* All documents in the docket are listed in the *http://www.regulations.gov* index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, *e.g.,* CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in *http://www.regulations.gov* or in hard copy at the Board of Scientific Counselors, Executive Committee—October 2006 Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is

(202)566-1744, and the telephone number for the ORD Docket is

(202)566-1752. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Officer via mail at: Lorelei Kowalski, Mail Code 8104-R, Office of Science Policy, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; via phone/voice mail at:

(202)564-3408; via fax at:

(202)565-2911; or via e-mail at: *kowalski.lorelei@epa.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: General Information Any member of the public interested in receiving a draft BOSC agenda or making a presentation at the meeting may contact Lorelei Kowalski, the Designated Federal Officer, via any of the contact methods listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. In general, each individual making an oral presentation will be limited to a total of three minutes. Proposed agenda items for the meeting include, but are not limited to: Discussion of the Computational Toxicology Subcommittee draft letter report, and Rating Tool Workgroup draft proposal; ORD responses to recent BOSC reports; update on program review subcommittees for Human Health Risk Assessment, Safe Pesticides/Safe Products, Technology for Sustainability, and Homeland Security; updates on the standing Laboratory/Center Subcommittees, Human Health Mid-Cycle Review, and EPA's Science Advisory Board activities; ORD briefings; and future issues and plans. The meeting is open to the public. *Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities:* For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Lorelei Kowalski at

(202)564-3408 or *kowalski.lorelei@epa.gov.* To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Lorelei Kowalski, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. Dated: September 26, 2006. Maryellen Radzikowski, Acting Director, Office of Science Policy. [FR Doc. E6-16195 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0076; FRL-8226-3] Extension of Period for Objection Concerning Notice of Data Availability for EGU NO X Annual and NO X Ozone Season Allocations for the Clean Air Interstate Rule Federal Implementation Plan Trading Programs AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice to extend period for objections. SUMMARY: EPA is extending the period for submission of objections concerning the notice of data availability

(NODA)for EGU NO X Annual and NO X Ozone Season Allocations for the Clean Air Interstate Rule Federal Implementation Plan Trading Programs (CAIR FIP) published on August 4, 2006 for an additional 90 days with regard to cogeneration units combusting biomass (biomass cogeneration units). The period had previously been extended to October 5, 2006 for all objections and will be further extended to January 3, 2007 only for objections concerning biomass cogeneration units. Certain biomass cogeneration unit owners and operators requested the additional time to submit objections because of difficulties in collection of information relating to the application of efficiency standards for cogeneration units (as defined in the CAIR FIP) to biomass cogeneration units. For all other objections, the deadline remains October 5, 2006. DATES: The EPA is establishing a period ending on January 3, 2007 only for objections (including data) related to biomass cogeneration units. Objections must be postmarked by the last day of the period for objection and sent directly to the Docket Office listed in ADDRESSES (in duplicate form if possible). ADDRESSES: Submit your objections, identified by Docket Number OAR-2004-0076 by one of the following methods: A. Federal Rulemaking Portal: *http://www.regulations.gov.* Today's action is not a rulemaking but you may use the Federal Rulemaking Portal to submit objections to the NODA. To submit objections, follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. B. *Mail:* Air Docket, ATTN: Docket Number OAR—2004-0076, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. *C. E-mail: A-AND-R-Docket@epa.gov.* D. *Hand Delivery:* EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room B102, Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. Note: The EPA Docket Center suffered damage due to flooding during the last week of June 2006. The Docket Center is continuing to operate. However, during the cleanup, there will be temporary changes to Docket Center telephone numbers, addresses, and hours of operation for people who wish to make hand deliveries or visit the Public Reading Room to view documents. Consult EPA's **Federal Register** notice at 71 FR 38147 (July 5, 2006) or the EPA Web site at *http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm* for current information on docket operations, locations and telephone numbers. The Docket Center's mailing address for U.S. mail and the procedure for submitting comments to *www.regulations.gov* are not affected by the flooding and will remain the same. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions concerning today's action and technical questions concerning heat input or fuel data should be addressed to Brian Fisher, USEPA Headquarters, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., Mail Code 6204 J, Washington, DC 20460. Telephone at

(202)343-9633, e-mail at *fisher.brian@epa.gov.* If mailing by courier, address package to Brian Fisher, 1310 L St., NW., RM # 713G, Washington, DC 20005. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Docket:* All documents in the docket are listed in the *www.regulations.gov* index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, *e.g.* , CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in *www.regulations.gov* or in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is

(202)566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air Docket is

(202)566-1742. Extension of Period for Objections In the August 4, 2006 NODA (71 FR 44283), EPA provided notice that it had placed in the CAIR FIP docket allocation tables for EGU NO X annual and EGU NO X ozone season allocations for control periods 2009-2014. The allocation tables also included inventories of heat input and inventories of potentially exempt units. In addition, EPA also placed in the docket a Technical Support Document describing the allocation table data fields. The EPA originally provided a 30-day period for the unit owners, unit operators, and the public to submit objections regarding individual units' treatment as potentially covered or not covered by CAIR and, for units treated as potential CAIR units, the data used in the allocation calculations and the allocations resulting from such calculations. In response to a request from the American Forest and Paper Association, EPA extended the period for all objections an additional 30 days to October 5, 2006. In requesting an additional extension of the period, certain biomass cogeneration unit owners have noted the unique nature of the fuels utilized by biomass cogeneration units and the difficulties encountered in collecting data necessary to apply the efficiency standard to this type of cogeneration unit. In light of these circumstances, the EPA is extending the period an additional 90 days only for objections (including data) related to any biomass cogeneration units. For all other objections, the deadline will remain October 5, 2006. EPA believes the addition of 90 days will provide the Agency time to evaluate and, if appropriate, address the concerns raised about application of the efficiency standard to biomass cogeneration units. Since this process may affect the amount and type of data that may need to be submitted concerning biomass cogeneration units, EPA is extending the period for objections related to this type of cogeneration unit. Dated: September 26, 2006. Edward Callahan, Acting Director,Office of Air and Radiation. [FR Doc. E6-16193 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [MB Docket No. 06-121] 2006 Quadrennial Regulatory Review AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission will hold a field hearing regarding media ownership in Los Angeles, California on October 3, 2006. The purpose of the hearing is to fully involve the public in the process of the 2006 Quadrennial Broadcast Media Ownership Review that the Commission is currently conducting. DATES: Part One of the hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Part Two of the hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. ADDRESSES: Part One of the hearing will be held at the University of Southern California

(USC)in the Embassy Room of the Davidson Conference Center, 3415 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089. Part Two of the hearing will be held at El Segundo High School, 640 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Fisher, at 202-418-2359, or David Fiske, at 202-418-0513. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Communications Commission will hold a field hearing regarding media ownership in Los Angeles, California on October 3, 2006. Part One of the hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m at the University of Southern California. Part Two of the hearing will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m at El Segundo High School. The Commission appreciates the invitations from these two communities in the Los Angeles area. The purpose of the hearing is to fully involve the public in the process of the 2006 Quadrennial Broadcast Media Ownership Review that the Commission is currently conducting. The hearing is open to the public, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. This hearing is the first in a series of media ownership hearings the Commission intends to hold across the country. A final roster of panelists will be released prior to the hearing. The hearing format will enable members of the public to participate via “open microphone.” The hearing format is as follows: USC 1 p.m. Welcome/Opening Remarks 1:30 p.m. Panel Discussion—Creative Community/Independent Programming 2:30 p.m. Public Comments 4:15 p.m. Wrap-Up 4:30 p.m. Temporary Adjournment El Segundo High School 6:30 p.m. Opening Remarks 6:45 p.m. Panel Discussion—Market Overview/LA Case Study 7:45 p.m. Public Comments 9:45 p.m. Wrap-Up 10 p.m. Adjournment Open captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation needed, and include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please make your request as early as possible. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to *fcc504@fcc.gov* or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). A live audio cast of the hearing will be available at the FCC's Web site at *http://www.fcc.gov* on a first-come, first-served basis. Live video Web cast, if available, will be announced prior to the hearing. The public may also file comments or other documents with the Commission and should reference docket number 06-121. Filing instructions are provided at *http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/comments.html.* Federal Communications Commission. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-16206 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 *et seq.* ) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at *www.ffiec.gov/nic/* . Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than October 27, 2006. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta** (Andre Anderson, Vice President) 1000 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309: *1. InsCorp., Inc.* , Nashville, Tennessee; to acquire an additional 50 percent for a total of 100 percent, of the voting shares of Insurors Bank of Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, September 27, 2006. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-16174 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Notice of Proposals to Engage in Permissible Nonbanking Activities or to Acquire Companies that are Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking Activities The companies listed in this notice have given notice under section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1843) (BHC Act) and Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225) to engage *de novo* , or to acquire or control voting securities or assets of a company, including the companies listed below, that engages either directly or through a subsidiary or other company, in a nonbanking activity that is listed in § 225.28 of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.28) or that the Board has determined by Order to be closely related to banking and permissible for bank holding companies. Unless otherwise noted, these activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Each notice is available for inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The notice also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the question whether the proposal complies with the standards of section 4 of the BHC Act. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at *www.ffiec.gov/nic/* . Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding the applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than October 17, 2006. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City** (Donna J. Ward, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001: *1. BBOK Bancshares, Inc.* , Wichita, Kansas; to acquire 1st St. Louis Securities, St. Louis, Missouri, and thereby engage in securities brokerage, private placement services, underwriting and dealing in government obligations, and money market instruments, pursuant to sections 225.28(b)(7)(i), (b)(7)(iii), and (b)(8)(i) of Regulation Y. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, September 27, 2006. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-16175 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S HARRY S. TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION Notice of Intent To Extend an Information Collection AGENCY: Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation [Foundation] will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. Comments are invited on

(a)whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility;

(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by November 28, 2006 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Frederick G. Slabach, Executive Secretary, Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, 712 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20006; telephone 202-395-4831; or send e-mail to *office@truman.gov.* You also may obtain a copy of the data collection instrument and instructions from Mr. Slabach. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Title of Collection:* Truman Scholarship Application. *OMB Approval Number:* 3200-0004. *Expiration Date of Approval:* 08/06. *Type of Request:* Intent to seek approval to extend an information collection for three years. *Proposed Project:* The Foundation has been providing scholarships since 1977 in compliance with Public Law 93-642. This data collection instrument is used to collect essential information to enable the Truman Scholarship Finalists Selection Committee to determine whom to invite to interviews. It is used by Regional Review Panels as essential background information on the Finalists whom they interview and ultimately the Truman Scholars they select. A total response rate of 100% was provided by the 598 candidates who applied for Year 2006 Truman Scholarships. *Estimate of Burden:* The Foundation estimates that, on average, 50 hours per respondent will be required to complete the application, for a total of 29,900 hours for all respondents. *Respondents:* Individuals. *Estimated Number of Responses:* 600. *Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents:* 30,000 hours. Dated: September 25, 2006. Frederick G. Slabach, Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-16188 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6820-AD-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Training and Capacity-Building for the Detection and Monitoring of, and Response to, Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Asia-Pacific Region AGENCY: Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and the Office of Global Health Affairs, Office of the Secretary, DHHS. ACTION: Notice. *Announcement Type:* Single Eligibility—FY 2006 Initial Announcement. *Funding Opportunity Number:* OGHA 05-019. *GSA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance:* 93.283. DATES: October 2, 2006. Application Availability. October 10, 2006. Optional Letter of Intent due by 5 p.m. ET. October 17, 2006—Applications due by 5 p.m. ET October 27, 2006—Award date. SUMMARY: The Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP) and the Office of Global Health Affairs

(OGHA)within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS)announces that up to $2,100,000 in fiscal year

(FY)2006 funds is available for a cooperative agreement to provide support to develop a cadre of in-country trainers who can improve their ongoing hospital infection-control programs to achieve better adherence by health-care workers to infection-control and case-management principles and practices. This effort is an undertaking by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The project will be approved for up to a program period of three

(3)years with a budget period of one-year for a total of $2,100,000. Under certain circumstances especially in support of HHS International efforts, OGHA and OPHEP are required to collaborate on programs, issues and initiatives regarding international public health (i.e. Avian Influenza, disease surveillance, etc.). Normally, OGHA is often tasked as to devise, award, and administer international Federal assistance actions (grants, cooperative agreements, IAA's, etc.). When emergency preparedness issues are to be addressed as part of the program plan, OGHA partners with OPHEP to provide assistance in ensuring risks mitigation and emergency preparedness elements are included. The Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention

(REDI)Center in Singapore will design the program around mentorship principles so trainers can gain advice and support for their efforts in teaching infection-control and case-management practices in local languages. While there is no current pandemic influenza outbreak, there is still reason to be concerned about the spread of the H5N1 virus from Southeast Asia to countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In the last century, three influenza pandemics have affected the United States, and viruses from birds contributed to all of them. Medical practitioners have also discovered several other, new, avian viruses human beings can transmit among one another. Although the H5N1 virus has primarily infected domesticated birds and long-range migratory birds, the virus has demonstrated the ability to infect and produce fatal illness in humans. Influenza experts believe an avian virus could become efficiently transmissible between humans, and result in a worldwide outbreak, which would overwhelm health and medical capabilities. Furthermore, an influenza pandemic could result in hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of hospitalizations, and hundreds of billions of dollars in direct costs in the United States alone. On November 1, 2005, President Bush announced the *National Strategy on Pandemic Influenza* , and the following day Secretary Michael O. Leavitt released the *HHS* *Pandemic Influenza Plan.* Building on these efforts, President Bush released the *Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza* on May 3, 2006, which describes more than 300 critical actions to address the threat of pandemic influenza. All relevant Federal Departments and agencies must take steps to address the threat of avian and pandemic influenza. Drawing on the combined efforts of Government officials and the public-health, medical, veterinary, and law-enforcement communities, as well as the private sector, this strategy is designed to meet three critical goals: Detecting human or animal outbreaks that occur anywhere in the world; protecting the American people by stockpiling vaccines and antiviral drugs, while improving the capacity to produce new vaccines; and preparing to respond at the Federal, State, and local levels in the event an avian or pandemic influenza reaches the United States. HHS technical expertise in applied epidemiology, rapid laboratory diagnostics, infection control, virology research, vaccine delivery, and other areas is a critical component of both the domestic and the international response to the threat of pandemic influenza. One of the primary objectives of both the *National Strategy* and the *HHS Pandemic Plan* is to leverage global partnerships to increase preparedness and response capabilities around the world with the intent of stopping, slowing, or otherwise limiting the spread of a pandemic to the United States. 1 The U.S. cannot mount an effective response to an influenza pandemic without effective worldwide partnerships. As such, we are working bilaterally with partner countries, with multilateral organizations, and with private, non-profit organizations, to amplify our efforts. Our international effort to contain and mitigate the effects of an outbreak of pandemic influenza is a central component of our overall strategy. In many ways, the character and quality of the U.S. response and that of our international partners could play a determining role in the severity of a pandemic. Pillars Two and Three of the *National Strategy* set out clear goals for ensuring the rapid reporting of outbreaks and containing outbreaks beyond the borders of the U.S. by taking the following actions: 1 National Strategy for Academic Influenza, p. 2. Working through the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, as well as through other political and diplomatic channels, such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, to ensure transparency, scientific cooperation, and rapid reporting of avian and human influenza cases; Supporting the development of proper scientific and epidemiological expertise in affected regions to ensure early recognition of changes in the pattern of avian or human influenza outbreaks; Supporting the development and sustainment of sufficient host-country laboratory capacities and diagnostic reagents in affected regions, to provide rapid confirmation of cases of influenza in animals and humans; Working through the International Partnership to develop a coalition of strong partners to coordinate actions to limit the spread of an influenza with pandemic potential beyond the location where it is first located; and, Providing guidance to all levels of Government in affected nations on the range of options for infection control and containment. The International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, launched by President Bush at the United Nations

(UN)General Assembly in September 2005, stands in support of multinational organizations and National Governments. Members of the Partnership have agreed the following 10 principles will guide their efforts: 1. International cooperation to protect the lives and health of our people; 2. Timely, sustained, high-level, global political leadership to combat avian and pandemic influenza; 3. Transparency in reporting of influenza cases in humans and in animals caused by viruses strains that have pandemic potential, to increase understanding and preparedness and especially to ensure rapid and timely response to potential outbreaks; 4. Immediate sharing of epidemiological data and samples with the World Health Organization

(WHO)and the international community to detect and characterize the nature and evolution of any outbreaks as quickly as possible by using, where appropriate, existing networks and mechanisms; 5. Rapid reaction to address the first signs of accelerated transmission of H5N1 and other highly pathogenic influenza strains, that appropriate international and national resources can be brought to bear; 6. Prevent and contain an incipient epidemic through capacity-building and in-country collaboration with international partners; 7. Work in a manner complementary to and supportive of expanded cooperation with and appropriate support of key multilateral organizations (including the WHO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health); 8. Timely coordination of bilateral and multilateral resource allocations; dedication of domestic resources (human and financial); improvements in public awareness; and development of economic and trade contingency plans; 9. Increased coordination and harmonization of preparedness, prevention, response, and containment activities among nations, complementing domestics, and regional preparedness initiatives, and encouraging (where appropriate) the development of strategic regional initiatives; and, 10. Actions based on the best available science. Through the Partnership and other bilateral and multilateral initiatives, we will promote these principles and support the development of an international capacity to prepare for, detect, and respond to an influenza pandemic. An important international resource for minimizing the global impact of avian-influenza and human-influenza pandemics is the REDI Center. Announced in 2003 by President Bush and Singaporean Prime Minister Goh under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the REDI Center is an international organization based in Singapore and jointly supported by HHS and the Singaporean Ministry of Health. The primary goal of the REDI Center is to establish a regional outpost for the United States to improve the detection of and the response to new and emerging infectious diseases threats by strengthening regional capabilities. These goals are directly related to the goals of the President's *National Strategy* and the *HHS Pandemic Plan.* With funding from this grant, the REDI Center will help extend the perimeter of defense for emerging infectious diseases, such as the H5N1 strain of avian influenza; increase international collaborative research; and translate the findings of research into improved public health in the Asia-Pacific region. In direct support of the President's *National Strategy* , this grant will finance the REDI Center. Funding support for activities supported by the REDI Center is fully consistent with the international component of the Fiscal Year 2006 Pandemic Influenza Plan. One of the overarching goals of the *National Strategy* and the *HHS Pandemic Plan* is to stop, slow or limit the spread of disease. Early in a pandemic, before a vaccine is available, the ability to limit transmission and delay the spread of a pandemic will rely primarily on the appropriate and thorough application of infection-control measures in health-care facilities, the work place, and community and among individuals at home. The education and training of health-care workers in infection-control measures is imperative for both their protection and for limiting the transmission of virus. The *Implementation Plan* directs HHS to educate health-care workers in priority countries, and to provide guidance on the range of options for infection-control and containment. Current HHS infection-control guidance for influenza is based on our knowledge of the routes of influenza transmission, the pathogenesis of the virus, and the effects of influenza-control measures used for past pandemics and inter-pandemic periods. Infection-control precautions during patient care in health-care settings (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient offices, emergency transport vehicles) also apply to health-care personnel who go into the homes of patients. Funding from this grant will focus on hospital infection-control training in Indonesia. As of August 22, 2006, 58 cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, of which 39 have been fatal. The H5N1 avian influenza virus is now endemic in poultry populations throughout Indonesia, and there continues to be close contact between humans and poultry across that country. A portion of the available funding will support an innovative, integrated animal and human disease-control and surveillance pilot project in Tangerang, jointly supported by the Governments of Singapore, Indonesia, and the United States. *The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza* and the *HHS Pandemic Influenza Strategic* Plan are available at the following Internet address: *http://www.pandemicflu.gov.* I. Funding Opportunity Description Authority: Sections 301(a) and 307 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241(a) and 42 U.S.C. 2421). Purpose of the Agreement Enhance cooperation between the United States, Singapore, and Indonesia, to support and increase influenza-preparedness; Provide assistance to the REDI Center for the expansion of in-country training programs in local languages in infection control and case management in Indonesia; Institute infection-control procedures in the approximately 40 infectious disease hospitals throughout Indonesia; Develop a cadre of Indonesian trainers who can train additional health-care workers, by designing and implementing courses in local languages that follow a train-the-trainer model; Provide support for a trilateral collaboration between the United States, Singapore, and Indonesia, on an innovative and integrated disease-control and surveillance pilot program in the Tangerang District of Indonesia. The program will encourage participants to assess the condition of their designated health-care facilities to handle large volumes of influenza patients and assess the effectiveness of their current training efforts and quality-assurance systems in hospital infection control. The goal is to develop a cadre of Indonesian trainers who can improve their ongoing hospital infection-control programs to achieve better adherence by health-care workers to infection-control and case-management principles and practices. The REDI Center will design the program around mentorship principles so trainers can gain advice and support for their efforts in teaching infection-control and case-management practices in local languages. *Activities:* Awardee activities for this program are as follows: Identify infectious-disease hospitals likely to receive influenza patients in Indonesia, and conduct needs assessments on current hospital infection-control and influenza case-management practices. Provide technical support and training for staff who are implementing in-country reviews of current hospital infection-control and influenza case-management practices in Indonesia. Develop and implement local-language training curricula and workshops by using a train-the-trainer model. Serve as an ongoing technical resource and mentor for trainers and health-care workers in Indonesia. Develop and implement demonstration projects and table-top exercises to complement classroom teaching. Providing support to epidemiological investigations and case management following confirmed human or animal influenza cases in Indonesia. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the President's *National Strategy* and the principles of the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, and one (or more) of the following performance goal(s) for HHS pursuant to the President's initiative on pandemic-influenza preparedness: • To detect outbreaks in the Asia/Pacific region before they spread to the United States and around the world; • To educate health-care workers in priority countries, and provide guidance on the range of options for infection-control and containment. • To take immediate steps to ensure early warning of an avian influenza outbreak among animals or humans in affected regions; and • To strengthen a new international partnership on avian influenza. II. Award Information The administrative and funding instrument for this program will be the cooperative agreement, in which HHS/OGHA will have scientific and/or programmatic involvement is anticipated during the performance of the project. Under the cooperative agreement, HHS/OGHA will support and/or stimulate activities of the awardee by working with it in a non-directive partnership role. HHS staff is substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine monitoring. Through this cooperative agreement, HHS will collaborate in an advisory capacity with the award recipient, especially during the development and implementation of a mutually agreed-upon work plan. HHS will actively participate in periodic progress reviews and in a final evaluation of the program. Approximately $2,100,000 in FY 2006 funds is available to support this agreement under the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 which provides funds to combat a potential influenza pandemic both domestically and internationally. The anticipated start date is October 27, 2006. There will only be one (1), single award made from this announcement. The program period is three

(3)years for this agreement and the budget period is for 12 months. Although the financial plans of HHS/OGHA provide for this program, the award pursuant to this Request for Applications

(RFA)is contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. The award recipient must comply with all HHS management requirements for meeting progress against milestones and for financial reporting for this cooperative agreement. (Please see HHS Activities and Program Evaluation sections below.) HHS/OGHA activities for this program are as follows: • Organize an orientation meeting with the award recipient after the award is made to brief it on applicable U.S. Government expectations, regulations, policies and key management requirements, as well as report formats and contents. • Review and approve the award recipient's annual work plan and detailed budget. • Review and approve the award recipient's monitoring-and-evaluation plan. • Conference on a monthly basis with the award recipient to assess monthly expenditures in relation to the approved work plan, and modify plans as necessary. • Meet on an annual basis with the award recipient to review its annual progress report for each U.S. Government Fiscal Year, and to review annual work plans and budgets for the subsequent year. • Assure experienced HHS or other subject-matter experts from other relevant U.S. Government Departments and agencies will participate in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of all phases of this project. • Assist in establishing and maintaining U.S. Government, Singaporean and Indonesian Governments, and non-governmental organizations

(NGOs)contracts and agreements necessary to carry out the program. *Program Evaluation Criteria:* The application must have a comprehensive evaluation plan consistent with the scope, stated goals and objectives and funding level of the project. The evaluation plan should include both a process evaluation to track the implementation of project activities and outcome evaluation criteria. In addition to conducting internal evaluations, successful applicants must be prepared to participate in external evaluations supported by Singaporean and Indonesian Governments and HHS. In addition to routine communications with the Ministry of Health of Singapore and HHS within 30 days following the end of each quarter, the grantee will submit a written quarterly performance and financial status report of no more than ten pages in length to the Ministry of Health and HHS. At a minimum, quarterly performance reports will include the following: • A concise summary of the most significant achievements and problems encountered during the reporting period, e.g. a comparison of work progress with objectives established for the quarter against the award recipient's implementation schedule. Where the awardee did not meet objectives were not met, the report must include a statement of cause and a summary of corrective actions. • Specific action(s) HHS and/or the Singaporean and/or Indonesian Governments need to undertake to alleviate obstacles to progress. • Other pertinent information that will permit oversight and evaluation of project operations. Within 90 days following the end of the project period the awardee must submit a final report that contain all required information and data to HHS and the Singaporean Ministry of Health. At minimum, the report will contain the following: • A summary of the major activities supported under the grant; and the major accomplishments that resulted from activities to improve performance. • An analysis of the project, based on the challenges described in the “Background” Section of the RFA performed prior to or during the project period, including a description of the specific objectives stated in the grant application and the accomplishments and failures that resulted from activities during the grant agreement period. Awardees should place emphasis on indicators and measures of operational efficiency and effectiveness. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* This is a single-source, cooperative agreement with the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention

(REDI)Center for approximately a total of $2,100,000 in FY 2006 funds for a project period of three years with the anticipated start date of October 27, 2006. The REDI Center is a joint venture by the United States and the Republic of Singapore, announced under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and incorporated in Singapore as an International Organization. Senior political and scientific leadership in the United States and Singapore, the World Health Organization, countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and other partners support the REDI center's objectives and mission. The REDI Center is specifically designed to serve as a base of training for regional public-health officials, researchers, clinicians and other health professionals, with an emphasis on the surveillance of and rapid response to emerging disease threats, such as a human pandemic influenza. There is no other organization in the Asia-Pacific region with the REDI Center's unique ability to serve as a regional center of excellence for influenza-related training in public health, biomedical research, and public-health emergency preparedness. The REDI Center is already working to catalyze regional collaboration in research into and surveillance of infectious diseases, including the H5N1 strain of avian influenza and other diseases directly relevant to the security of the United States and the Asia-Pacific region. The REDI Center is uniquely positioned to leverage existing networks, training infrastructure, and scientific expertise for influenza preparedness and response activities. The REDI Center has and will continue to carry out activities in Southeast Asia of high relevance to the U.S. Government's planning and preparedness for a potential human influenza pandemic. The REDI Center is organizing in-country training of hospital workers throughout Southeast Asia in infection control and case management of influenza, has organized training courses in infectious disease epidemiology and in public-health emergency preparedness for trainees from throughout the region, and has as facilitated international research collaborations in influenza and related illnesses. The REDI Center has demonstrated experience in organizing committees of world-renowned infectious-disease experts from HHS, Singaporean centers of excellence, and other leading public-health and medical-research institutions. 2. *Cost-Sharing or Matching:* Although cost-sharing, matching funds, and cost participation are not a requirement of this agreement, preference may go to organizations that can leverage additional funds to contribute to program goals. If applicants receive funding from other sources to underwrite the same or similar activities, or anticipate receiving such funding in the next 12 months, they must detail how the disparate streams of financing complement each other. 3. *Other—(If Applicable):* If an applicant requests a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range, HHS will consider the application non-responsive, and it will not enter into the review process. HHS will notify the applicant that the application did not meet the submission requirements. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* This Cooperative Agreement project uses the Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, Revised 8/2004, enclosed in the application packet. Many different programs funded through the HHS Public Health Service

(PHS)use this generic form. Some parts of it are not required; applicants must fill out other sections in a fashion specific to the program. Instructions for filling out HHS OPHS-1, Revised 8/2004 will accompany the application packet. Applicants may also obtain these forms by downloading them from the following Internet address: *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov* and clicking on Grant Announcements; from *http://www.grants.gov/;* or by writing to Ms. Karen Campbell, Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tower Building, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852; or contact the HHS/OPHS/Office of Grants Management, at

(240)453-8822. Please specify the HHS/OGHA program(s) for which you are requesting an application kit. ADDRESSES: Application kits may be requested from, and submit to: Ms. Karen Campbell, Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, Tower Building, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Application Materials: A separate budget page is required for each budget year. Applicant must submit with their proposal a line-item budget (SF 424A) with coinciding justification to support each of the budget years. These forms will represent the full project period of Federal assistance requested. HHS/OGHA will reject proposals submitted without a budget and justification for each budget year requested in the application. All applicants must include in their applications by a Project Abstract, submitted on a 3.5-inch floppy disk. The abstract must be typed, single-spaced, and not exceed two pages. Reviewers and staff will refer frequently to the information contained in the abstract, and therefore it should contain substantive information about the proposed projects in summary form. A list of suggested keywords and a format sheet for your use in preparing the abstract will accompany the application packet. All applicants must include a Project Narrative in their grant applications. Format requirements are the same as for the “Project Abstract” Section; margins should be one-inch at the top and one-inch at the bottom and both sides; and typeset must be no smaller than 12 cpi, unreduced. Applicants should type biographical sketches either on the appropriate form or on plain paper and they should not exceed two pages; list only with publications directly relevant to this project. Application Format Requirements If an applicant is applying on paper, the entire application may not exceed 80 pages in length, including the abstract, project and budget narratives, face page, attachments, any appendices and letters of commitment and support. Applicants must number pages consecutively. a. Number of Copies If submitting in hard-copy, please submit one

(1)original and two

(2)unbound copies of the application. Please do not bind or staple the application. Application must be single-sided. b. Font Please use an easily readable serif typeface, such as Times Roman, Courier, or CG Times. Applicants must submit the text and table portions of the application in not less than 12-point and 1.0 line spacing. HHS/OGHA will return applications that do not adhere to 12-point font requirements. c. Paper Size and Margins For scanning purposes, please submit the application on 8 1/2 x 11 white paper. Margins must be at least one

(1)inch at the top, bottom, left and right of the paper. Please left-align text. d. Numbering Please number the pages of the application sequentially from page one (face page) to the end of the application, including charts, figures, tables, and appendices. e. Names Please include the name of the applicant on each page. f. Section Headings Please put all section headings flush left in bold type. Application Format: An application for funding must consist of the following documents, in the following order: i. Application Face Page. HHS/PHS Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, provided with the application package. Prepare this page according to instructions provided in the form itself. DUNS Number An applicant organization must have a Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS)number to apply for a grant from the Federal Government. The DUNS number is a unique, nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company Dun and Bradstreet. There is no charge to obtain a DUNS number. Information about obtaining a DUNS number is available at the following Internet address: *https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html* or by calling 1-866-705-5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)Approval Number on the application face page. HHS/OGHA will not review an application that does not have a DUNS number. Additionally, the applicant organization must register with the Federal Government's Central Contractor Registry

(CCR)to do electronic business with the Federal Government. Information about registering with the CCR is available at the following Internet address: *http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/ccr.htm* . Finally, applicants that are applying electronically through Grants.gov must register with the Credential Provider for Grants.gov. Information about this requirement is available at the following Internet address: *http://www.grants.gov/CredentialProvider* . Applicants that are applying electronically through the HHS/OPHS E-Grants System must register with the provider. Information about this requirement is available at the following Internet address: *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov* . ii. Table of Contents. Provide a Table of Contents for the remainder of the application (including appendices), with page numbers. iii. Application Checklist. Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, provided with the application package. iv. Budget. Application Form HHS/OPHS-1, provided with the application package. v. Budget Justification. Applicants must enter the amount of financial support (direct costs) they are requesting from the Federal granting agency for the first year on the Face Sheet of Application Form HHS/PHS 5161-1, Line 15a. The application should include funds for electronic-mail capability, unless access to the Internet is already available. The amount of financial support (direct costs) entered on the SF 424 is the amount an applicant is requesting from the Federal granting agency for the project year. *Personnel Costs:* Applicants should explain their personnel costs by listing each staff member supported from Federal funds, name (if possible), position title, percent full-time equivalency, annual salary, and the exact amount requested. *Fringe Benefits:* List the components that comprise the fringe benefit rate, for example, health insurance, taxes, unemployment insurance, life insurance, retirement plan, and tuition reimbursement. The fringe benefits should be directly proportional to that portion of personnel costs allocated for the project. *Travel:* Applicants must list travel costs according to local and long-distance travel. For local travel, the applicants should outline the mileage rate, number of miles, reason for the travel and the staff member/consumers who will be completing the travel. The budget should also reflect the travel expenses associated with participating in meetings and other proposed training or workshops. *Equipment:* Applicants must list equipment costs, and provide justification for the need of the equipment to carry out the program's goals. Applicants must provide an extensive justification and a detailed status of current equipment when they request funds for the purchase of computers and furniture items. *Supplies:* Applicants must list the items the project will use. In this category, separate office supplies from medical and educational purchases. “Office supplies” could include paper, pencils, and the like; “medical supplies” are syringes, blood tubes, plastic gloves, etc., and “educational supplies” can be pamphlets and educational videotapes. Applicants must list these categories separately. *Subcontracts:* To the extent possible, applicants should standardize all subcontract budgets and justifications, and should present contract budgets by using the same object-class categories contained in the Standard Form 424A. Applicants must provide a clear explanation as to the purpose of each contract, how organization estimated the costs, and the specific contract deliverables. *Other:* Applicants must put all costs that do not fit into any other category into this category, and provide an explanation of each cost in this category. In some cases, grantee rent, utilities and insurance fall under this category if they are not included in an approved indirect cost rate.) vi. Staffing Plan and Personnel Requirements. Applicants must present a staffing plan, and provide a justification for the plan that includes education and experience qualifications and the rationale for the amount of time being requested for each staff position. Applicants must include in Appendix B position descriptions that include the roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of proposed project staff. Applicants must include in Appendix C copies of biographical sketches for any key employed personnel that will be assigned to work on the proposed project. vii. Project Abstract. Applicants must provide a summary of the application. Because HHS/OGHA often distributes the abstract to provide information to the American public and to the U.S. Congress, applicants should prepare this so it is clear, accurate, concise, and without reference to other parts of the application. It must include a brief description of the proposed grant project, including the needs addressed, the proposed work, and the population group(s) served. Applicants must place the following at the top of the abstract: • Project Title; • Applicant Name; • Address; • Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax); • E-Mail Address; and • Web Site Address, if applicable The project abstract must be single-spaced and limited to two pages in length. viii. Program Narrative. This section provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed program. It should be succinct, self-explanatory and well-organized, so reviewers can understand the proposed project. Applicants should use the following section headers for the Narrative: • Introduction This section should briefly describe the purpose of the proposed project. • Work Plan Applicants should describe the activities or steps to achieve each of the activities proposed in the methodology section and use a time line that includes each activity and identifies responsible staff. • Resolution of Challenges Applicants should discuss likely challenges in designing and implementing the activities described in the Work Plan, and approaches to resolve such challenges. • Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity Applicants should describe their current experience, skills, and knowledge, including individuals on staff, materials published, and previous work of a similar nature. • Organizational Information Applicants should provide information on their current mission and structure, scope of current activities, and an organizational chart, and describe how these all contribute to the ability of the organization to conduct the program requirements and meet program expectations. ix. Appendices. Applicants must provide the following items to complete the content of their application(s). Please note that these are supplementary in nature, and are not a continuation of the project narrative. Applicants should label each appendix clearly.

(1)*Appendix A:* Tables, Charts, etc. To give further details about the proposal.

(2)*Appendix B:* Job Descriptions for Key Personnel Applicants should keep each to one page in length as much as possible. Item 6 in the Program Narrative Section of the HHS/PHS 5161-1 Form provides some guidance on items to include in a job description.

(3)*Appendix C:* Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel Applicants should include biographical sketches for persons who are occupying the key positions described in Appendix B, not to exceed two pages in length. In the event an applicant includes a biographical sketch for an identified individual who is not yet hired, it must include a letter of commitment from that person with the biographical sketch.

(4)*Appendix D:* Letters of Agreement and/or Description(s) of Proposed/Existing Contracts (project specific). Applicants must provide any documents that describe working relationships between the applicant agency and other agencies and programs cited in the proposal. Documents that confirm actual or pending contractual agreements should clearly describe the roles of the subcontractors and any deliverable. Letters of agreement must be dated.

(5)*Appendix E:* Organizational Chart for the Project. Applicants must provide a one-page figure that depicts the organizational structure of the project, including subcontractors and other significant collaborators.

(6)*Appendix F:* Other Relevant Documents. Applicants should include here any other documents relevant to the application, including letters of support. Letters of support must be dated. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* Application Submission. HHS/OPHS provides multiple mechanisms for the submission of applications, as described in the following sections. Applicants will receive notification via mail from the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management to confirm receipt of applications submitted by using any of these mechanisms. The HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management will not accept for review applications submitted after the deadlines described below. HHS will not accept for review applications that do not conform to the requirements of the grant announcement and will return them to the applicant. Applicants may only submit electronically via the electronic submission mechanisms specified below. HHS will accept for review any applications submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including facsimile or electronic mail. While HHS will accept applications in hard copy, we encourage the use of the electronic application submission capabilities provided by the HHS/OPHS eGrants system or the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal. Applicants must submit electronic grant application submissions no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement using one of the electronic submission mechanisms specified below. The HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management must receive all required hardcopy original signatures and mail-in items no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next business day after the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement. HHS will not consider applications valid until the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management has received all electronic application components, hard-copy original signatures, and mail-in items according to the deadlines specified above. HHS will consider application submissions that do not adhere to the due date requirements and will deem them ineligible. Applicants should initiate electronic applications early in the application development process and should submit early on the due date or before to aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application deadline. *Electronic Submissions via the Grants.gov Web site Portal.* The *Grants.gov* Web site Portal provides organizations with the ability to submit applications for HHS grant opportunities. Organizations must successfully complete the necessary registration processes in order to submit an application. Information about this system is available on the *Grants.gov* Web site at the following Internet address: *http://www.grants.gov.* In addition to electronically submitted materials, applicants may be required to submit hard-copy signatures for certain Program-related forms, or original materials, as required by the announcement. Applicants must review both the grant announcement, as well as the application guidance provided within the *Grants.gov* application package, to determine such requirements. Applicants must submit any required hard-copy materials, or documents that require a signature, separately via mail to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, which, if required, must contain the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency and the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. Electronic applications submitted via the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. HHS must receive all required mail-in items by the due date requirements specified above. Mail-in items may only include publications, résumés, or organizational documentation. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission via the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal the applicant will receive a confirmation page from *Grants.gov* to indicate the date and time (Eastern Time) of the electronic application submission, as well as the *Grants.gov* Receipt Number. Applicants must print and retain this confirmation for their records, as well as a copy of the entire application package. *Grants.gov* will validate all applications submitted via the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal. Any applications deemed “Invalid” by the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal will not proceed to the HHS/OPHS eGrants system, and HHS/OPHS has no responsibility for any application that is not validated and transferred to HHS/OPHS from the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal. *Grants.gov* will notify the applicant regarding the application validation status. Once the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal has successfully validated the application, applicants should immediately mail all required hard-copy materials to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management by the deadlines specified above. Applicants must clearly identify their Organization's name and *Grants.gov* Application Receipt Number on all hard-copy materials. Once the *Grants.gov* has validated an application, it will electronically proceed to the HHS/OPHS eGrants system for processing. Upon receipt of both the electronic application from the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal, and the required hard-copy mail-in items, applicants will receive notification via mail from the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management to confirm the receipt of the application submitted by using the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal. Applicants should contact *Grants.gov* regarding any questions or concerns regarding the electronic application process conducted through the *Grants.gov* Web site Portal. *Electronic Submissions via the HHS/OPHS eGrants System.* The HHS/OPHS electronic grants management system, eGrants, provides for applications to be submitted electronically. Information about this system is available on the HHS/OPHS eGrants Web site, *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov,* or may be requested from the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management at

(240)453-8822. When submitting applications via the HHS/OPHS eGrants system, applicants are required to submit a hard copy of the application face page (Standard Form 424) with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency and assume the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, applicants will also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form LLL and/or certain Program-related forms ( *e.g.* , Program Certifications) with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency. Electronic applications submitted via the HHS/OPHS eGrants system must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. The applicant may identify specific mail-in items to send to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management separate from the electronic submission; however, applicants must enter these mail-in items on the eGrants Application Checklist at the time of electronic submission, and HHS must receive them by the due date requirements specified above. Mail-in items may only include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, the HHS/OPHS eGrants system will provide the applicant with a confirmation page to indicate the date and time (Eastern Time) of the electronic application submission. This confirmation page will also provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application submission, including all electronic application components, required hard-copy original signatures, and mail-in items, as well as the mailing address of the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, to which applicants must submit all required hard copy materials. As items the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management receives items, the electronic application status will be updated to reflect the receipt of mail-in items. We recommend applicants monitor the status of their applications in the HHS/OPHS eGrants system to ensure that the receipt of all signatures and mail-in items. *Mailed or Hand-Delivered Hard-Copy Applications.* Applicants who submit applications in hard copy (via mail or hand-delivered) must submit an original and two copies of the application. An individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization and to assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award must sign the original application. HHS will consider mailed or hand-delivered applications as having met the deadline if the HHS/OPHS Office of Grant Management receives them on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement. The application deadline date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the instructions in the HHS/OPHS-1. HHS will return unread applications that do not meet the deadline. Applicants should submit their applications to the following address: Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootten Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is not subject to the review requirements of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* Allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and necessity of direct costs applicants may charge appear in the following documents: OMB-21 (Institutes of Higher Education); OMB Circular A-122 (Nonprofit Organizations); and 45 CFR part 74, Appendix E (Hospitals). Copies of these circulars are available at the following Internet address: *http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb.* No pre-award costs are allowed. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* N/A. V. Application Review Information 1. *Criteria:* HHS/OGHA staff will screen applications for completeness and for responsiveness to the program guidance. Applicant should pay strict attention to addressing these criteria, as they are the basis upon which the application will be judged. An application judged to be non-responsive or incomplete will be returned to the applicant without review. An application that is complete and responsive to the guidance will undergo an evaluation for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer-review group specifically convened for this solicitation and in accordance with HHS policies and procedures. The panel may contain both Federal and non-Federal representatives. As part of the initial merit review, the application will receive a written critique. The ad hoc peer review group will discuss fully all applications recommended for approval and will assign a priority score for funding. HHS/OGHA will assess an eligible application according the following criteria:

(1)*Technical Approach (40 points):* • The applicant's presentation of a sound and practical technical approach for executing the requirements with adequate explanation, substantiation and justification for methods for handling the projected needs of Indonesian health-care institutions. • The successful applicant must demonstrate a clear understanding of the scope and objectives of the President's *National Strategy* and *Implementation Plan* and the HHS *Pandemic Influenza Plan,* a recognition of potential difficulties that could arise in performing the work required, and an understanding of the close coordination necessary between the Singaporean and Indonesian Governments, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund. • Applicants must submit a strategic plan that outlines the schedule of activities and expected products of the Group's work, with benchmarks at months six and 12.

(2)*Personnel Qualifications and Experience (20 points):* • Project Leadership—For the technical and administrative leadership of the project requirements, successful applicants must demonstrate documented training, expertise, relevant experiences, local-language skills, leadership/management skills, and the availability of a suitable overall project manager and surrounding management structure to successfully plan and manage the project. The successful applicant will provide documented history of leadership in the establishment and management of training programs that involve training of health care professionals in countries other than the United States. Applicants should show documented managerial ability to achieve delivery or performance requirements as demonstrated by the proposed use of management and other personnel resources and to successfully manage the project, including subcontractor and/or consultant efforts, if applicable, as evidenced by the management plan and demonstrated by previous relevant experience. • Partner Institutions and other Personnel-Applicants should provide documented evidence of the availability, training, qualifications, expertise, relevant experience, local-language skills, education and competence of the scientific, clinical, analytical, technical and administrative staff and any other proposed personnel (including from partner institutions, subcontractors and consultants), to perform the requirements of the work activities, as evidenced by résumés, endorsements and explanations of previous efforts. • Staffing Plan—Applicants should submit a staffing plan for the conduct of the project, including the appropriateness of the time commitment of all staff and partner institutions, the clarity and appropriateness of assigned roles, and lines of authority. Applicants should also provide an organizational chart for each partner institution named in the application to show the relationships among the key personnel. • Administrative and Organizational Framework—Applicants must demonstrate the adequacy of their administrative and organizational framework, with lines of authority and responsibility clearly drawn, and the adequacy of the project plan, with a proposed time schedule for achieving the objectives and maintaining quality control over the implementation and operation of the project. Applicants must show the adequacy of back-up staffing and the evidence they will be able to function as a team. The framework should identify the institution that will assume legal and financial responsibility and accountability for the use and disposition of funds awarded on the basis of this RFA.

(3)*Experience and Capabilities of the Organization (30 Points):* • Applicants should submit documented relevant experience of their organization in managing projects of similar complexity and scope of activities in the developing world. • Applicants should show the clarity and appropriateness of their lines of communication and authority for coordination and management of the project. Adequacy and feasibility of plans to ensure successful coordination of multiple-partner collaboration. • Applicants must document their experience in recruiting qualified medical personnel for projects of similar complexity and scope in the developing world.

(4)*Facilities and Resources (10 Points):* Applicants must document the availability and adequacy of facilities, equipment and resources necessary to carry out the activities specified under the “Program Requirements” Section of the announcement. 2. *Review and Selection Process:* A panel of peer reviewers will review the application. The reviewers will address and consider each of the above criteria will in assigning the overall score. The Deputy Director for Operations of the HHS/Office of Global Health Affairs will make the award on the basis of score, program relevance, and availability of funds. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* HHS/OGHA does not release information about individual applications during the review process until it has made final funding decisions. When HHS/OGHA has made these decisions, it will notify applicants by letter regarding the outcome of their applications. The official document to notify an applicant HHS has approved and funded an application is the Notice of Award, which specifies to the awardee the amount of money awarded, the purpose of the agreement, the terms and conditions of the agreement, and the amount of funding, if any, by the awardee will contribute to the project costs. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* The regulations set out at 45 CFR parts 74 and 92 are the HHS rules and requirements that govern the administration of grants. Part 74 is applicable to all recipients, except those covered by part 92, which governs awards to U.S. State and local Governments. Applicants funded under this announcement must be aware of and comply with these regulations. The CFR volume that includes parts 74 and 92 is available at the following Internet address: *http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/45cfrv1_03.html.* 3. *Reporting:* The projects must have an evaluation plan, consistent with the scope of the proposed project and funding level, that conforms to the project's stated goals and objectives. The evaluation plan should include both a process evaluation to track the implementation of project activities, and an outcome evaluation to measure changes in knowledge and skills attributable to the project. Project funds may support evaluation activities. In addition to conducting its own evaluation of projects, the successful applicant must be prepared to participate in an external evaluation, supported by HHS/OGHA and conducted by an independent entity, to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the project funded under this announcement. Within 30 days following the end of each of quarter, awardees must submit a performance report no more than ten pages in length to HHS/OGHA. HHS/OGHA will forward a sample monthly performance report will be provided at the time of notification of award. At a minimum, monthly performance reports should include the following: • A concise summary of the most significant achievements and problems encountered during the reporting period, e.g., number of training courses held and number of trainees. • A comparison of work progress with objectives established against the quarter using the grantee's implementation schedule, and where the grantee did not meet such objectives, a statement of why. • Specific action(s) the grantee would like HHS/OGHA to undertake to alleviate a problem. • Other pertinent information that will permit the monitoring and oversight of project operations. • A quarterly financial report to describe the current financial status of the funds used under this award. The awardee and HHS/OGHA will agree at the time of award on the format of this portion of the report. Within 90 days following the end of the project period, the awardee must submit a final report containing information and data of interest to HHS, the U.S. Congress, and other countries. HHS/OGHA will send to successful applicants the specifics as to the format and content of the final report and the summary. At minimum, the report should contain the following: • A summary of the major activities supported under the agreement and the major accomplishments resulting from activities to improve influenza preparedness in Indonesia. • An analysis of the project based on the problem(s) described in the application and needs assessments, performed prior to or during the project period, including a description of the specific objectives stated in the grant application and the accomplishments and failures resulting from activities during the grant period. Awardees must submit quarterly performance reports and the final report may be submitted to: Mr. Dewayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, HHS/OPHS, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852, phone +1

(240)453-8822. A Financial Status Report

(FSR)SF-269 is due 90 days after the close of each 12-month budget period to HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management. VII. Agency Contacts For assistance on administrative and budgetary requirements, please contact: Mr. DeWayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, HHS/OPHS, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852, phone +1

(240)453-8822. For assistance with questions regarding program requirements, please contact:Amar Bhat, PhD, Director, Office of Asia and the Pacific Office of Global Health Affairs,U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,5600 Fishers Lane, Suite 18-101,Rockville, MD 20857, *Phone Number:* 301-443-1774. VIII. Tips for Writing a Strong Application Include DUNS Number. You must include a DUNS Number to have your application reviewed. HHS will not review applications without a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number, go to *www.dunandbradstreet.com* or call 1-866-705-5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the OMB Approval Number on the application face page. Keep your audience in mind. Reviewers will use only the information contained in the application to assess the application. Please be sure the application and responses to the program requirements and expectations are complete and clearly written. Do not assume reviewers are familiar with the applicant organization. Keep the review criteria in mind when writing the application. Start preparing the application early. Allow plenty of time to gather required information from various sources. Follow the instructions in this guidance carefully. Place all information in the order requested in the guidance. If you do not place the information in the requested order, you could receive a lower score. Be brief, concise, and clear. Make your points understandable. Provide accurate and honest information, including candid accounts of problems and realistic plans to address them. If you are omitting any required information or data, explain why. Make sure the information provided in each table, chart, attachment, etc., is consistent with the proposal narrative and information in other tables. Be organized and logical. Many applications fail to receive a high score because the reviewers cannot follow the thought process of the applicant, or because parts of the application do not fit together. Be careful in the use of appendices. Do not use the appendices for information required in the body of the application. Be sure to cross-reference all tables and attachments located in the appendices to the appropriate text in the application. Carefully proofread the application. Misspellings and grammatical errors will impede reviewers in understanding the application. Be sure pages are numbered (including appendices), and you follow page limits. Limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms, and define each one at its first use and periodically throughout application. Dated: September 26, 2006. Sandra R. Manning, Deputy Director for Operations,Office of Global Health Affairs,U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. E6-16178 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-38-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Surveillance and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian and Pandemic Influenza in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya AGENCY: Office of Global Health Affairs, Office of the Secretary, DHHS. ACTION: Notice. *Announcement Type:* Single Eligibility—FY 2006 Initial Announcement. *Funding Opportunity Number:* OGHA 06-025. *GSA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance:* 93. 283. DATES: October 2, 2006: Application Availability. October 10, 2006: Optional Letter of Intent due by 5 p.m. ET. October 17, 2006: Application due by 5 p.m. ET. October 27, 2006: Award date. SUMMARY: An influenza pandemic has greater potential than any other naturally occurring infectious disease to cause large and rapid global and domestic increases in death and serious illness. Preparedness is the key to substantially reducing the health, social, and economic impacts of an influenza pandemic and other public-health emergencies. On November 1, 2005, President George W. Bush announced the U.S. *National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza* and the following day, Secretary Michael O. Leavitt released the HHS *Pandemic Influenza Plan.* One of the primary objectives of both documents is to leverage global partnerships to increase preparedness and response capabilities around the world with the intent of stopping, slowing, or otherwise limiting the spread of a pandemic to the United States. 1 Pillars Two and Three of the *National Strategy* set out the clear goals of ensuring the rapid reporting of outbreaks and containing outbreaks beyond the borders of the United States, by taking the following actions: 1 *National Stragegy for Pandemic Influenza* , p. 2. • Working through the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, as well as through other political and diplomatic channels, such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, to ensure transparency, scientific cooperation, and the rapid reporting of highly pathogenic avian and human influenza cases; • Supporting the development of the proper scientific and epidemiological expertise in affected regions to ensure the early recognition of changes in the pattern of highly pathogenic avian or human influenza outbreaks; • Supporting the development and maintenance of sufficient host-country laboratory capacities and diagnostic reagents in affected regions, to provide rapid confirmation of cases of influenza in animals and humans; • Working through the International Partnership to develop a coalition of strong partners to coordinate containment efforts, that is, actions to limit the spread of an influenza with pandemic potential beyond where it is first located; and, • Providing guidance to all levels of Government in affected nations on the range of options for risk-communication, infection-control, and containment. We rely upon our international partnerships, with the United Nations (UN); international organizations; and private and non-profit organizations, to amplify our efforts, and will engage them on a multilateral and bilateral basis. Our international effort to contain and mitigate the effects of an outbreak of pandemic influenza is a central component of our overall strategy. In many ways, the character and quality of the U.S. response and that of our international partners could play a determining role in the severity of a pandemic. The International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, launched by President Bush at the UN General Assembly in September 2005, stands in support of multinational organizations and national Governments. Members of the Partnership have agreed that the following ten principles will guide their efforts: 1. International cooperation to protect the lives and health of our people; 2. Timely and sustained, high-level, global, political leadership to combat avian and pandemic influenza; 3. Transparency in reporting of influenza cases in humans and in animals caused by virus strains that have pandemic potential, to increase understanding and preparedness, and especially to ensure rapid and timely response to potential outbreaks; 4. Immediate sharing of epidemiological data and samples with the World Health Organization

(HHS)as described below. This support is meant to enhance, and not to supplant, current influenza-surveillance activities. Proposals should build upon infrastructure already in place. Preference will go to countries with limited resources, where influenza surveillance is not well-established, and which have experienced outbreaks of H5N1 influenza in animals or humans or are judged at-risk of such outbreaks by HHS and the WHO Secretariat. Only the Ministry of Health of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya is eligible under this announcement. The term “containment” as used in this announcement, warrants special consideration. “Containment” here refers to efforts to control the emergence of a new influenza virus with pandemic potential and high pathogenicity that is, a new influenza strain efficiently transmitted among humans and causes severe disease in a high proportion of infected persons. The goal of containment would be to identify the first outbreak with such a strain, and to apply a coordinated, integrated, intensive public-health response to interrupt transmission among humans. (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, for example, was ultimately contained after it spread to a number of countries.) A principle intent of this announcement is to assist partner countries to build capacity for identification, investigation and containment of such a strain. Pillar I. Preparedness and Communication 1. National Government Public-Health Preparedness Plans, Policy, and Coordination; and, 2. Communications:

(a)Targeting health care workers (HCW); and,

(b)National Government spokespersons and risk messages. Pillar II. Surveillance and Detection 1. Laboratory capacity and infrastructure for virologic surveillance; 2. Epidemiology capacity and infrastructure for disease surveillance; 3. Sentinel, laboratory-based surveillance for influenza-like illness

(ILI)and/or hospital-based surveillance for severe disease; development or enhancement of an in-country integrated (lab and epi) surveillance network for influenza; and 4. Comprehensive, territory-wide surveillance for cases and clusters of suspicious respiratory and febrile illness that could represent emerging new pandemics. Note: Components 3 and 4 have distinct operational requirements, but awardees must fully integrate them into one overall, multi-disciplinary surveillance network for influenza. Pillar III. Response and Containment 1. Local rapid-response teams; and, 2. Infection control in public health-care settings. Pillar One Pandemic influenza presents a massive communications challenge to all levels of a nation's Government as well as its society, economy, and critical infrastructure. The uncertainty of the course of a pandemic and unknown scientific factors, as well as unforeseen and unintended outcomes with respect to Governmental actions and statements make this a communications-management issue of formidable proportion. The economic and societal effects of such a pandemic could have a significant detrimental impact on a nation and its people. A critical component of national preparedness for an influenza pandemic is informing the public about this potential threat and providing a solid foundation of information upon which to base future actions. To be effective, Governments should base these strategies on scientifically derived risk-communications principles that are critical before, during, and after an influenza pandemic. Effective communication guides the public, the news media, health-care providers, and other groups in responding appropriately to outbreak situations and adhering to public-health measures. These guidelines must be an integral part of a national pandemic plan as developed and coordinated by a nation's appropriate agencies, such as Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Trade, Information, and Tourism. Public-health and health-care workers will be the first to observe and report suspicious clusters of respiratory disease, and could also be the most trusted resources of information for the populations they serve. Therefore, these audiences must be a specific target for health-communications marketing and strategy. Communication strategies should include formative evaluation, message development and testing, and summative evaluation. In addition, these critical audiences will be integral to any national response. Yet, worksite restrictions may hamper efforts to receive and provide validated up-to-date information (lack of computers, Internet access, quarantining, *etc.* ). A mechanism for the rapid dissemination of information both to national and District or Provincial health-response units and international partners is necessary. To build trust and assure that information flows through common channels of communication, coordination of media messages, training of journalists and development of credible national Government spokespeople is also recommended. Pillar Two One component of pandemic preparedness involves understanding the impact annual epidemics of influenza have on a population. Data regarding impact are critical to the development of prevention and control measures, such as vaccination policies. Vaccination efforts are the cornerstone of influenza prevention, and will be the primary means of mitigating the impact of an influenza pandemic, when we have a vaccine proven safe and effective against the pandemic strain. Another critical area for preparedness is the ability to identify potential human cases of novel influenza strains, so national Governments and the international community can launch early efforts to attempt to stop outbreaks. The systematic collection of influenza-surveillance data over time is necessary to monitor and track the activity of influenza virus and disease, and is essential to understanding the impact influenza has on a country's population. Developing influenza-surveillance networks is critical for the rapid detection of new variants, including those with pandemic potential, to contribute to the global disease-surveillance system. Global collaboration, under the coordination of the Secretariat of the World Health Organization (WHO), is a key feature of influenza surveillance. The WHO established an international laboratory-based surveillance network for influenza in 1948, which currently consists of 113 National Influenza Center

(NIC)laboratories in 84 countries, and four WHO Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research of Influenza (including one located at the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]). The primary purposes of the WHO network are to detect the emergence and spread of new antigenic variants of influenza, to use this information to update the formulation of annual human influenza vaccine, and to provide as much warning as possible about the next pandemic. This system provides the foundation of worldwide influenza prevention and control, and is a critical contribution to preserving global health security. Monitoring of human and animal influenza viruses and providing contributions to the global disease-surveillance system, including the sharing of appropriate specimens and viral isolates, will assure the data used in the WHO Secretariat's annual vaccine recommendations are relevant to each country that participates. Increased participation in the global surveillance system for influenza viruses will enhance each country's ability to monitor severe respiratory illness, to develop vaccine policy for influenza, and to help build global and regional strategies for the prevention and control of influenza in animals and humans. Monitoring the disease activity of influenza is important to facilitate planning for the allocation of resources, appropriate and clear communications with the public, containment and response interventions, and outbreak investigations. Pillar Three In the absence of available vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, infection control and related non-pharmaceutical public-health interventions are the mainstay of reducing the spread and impact of an influenza pandemic. Correct and consistent infection-control practices should be a part of routine health-care delivery, an active consideration in planning for pandemic influenza and other infectious- disease outbreaks, and an integral part of outbreak response and control. The dual goals of providing safe health-care to patients and protecting health-care personnel while they work are critical to maintaining a functional health-care system. Elements of health-care related infection-control also influence community guidance for self-protection and the prevention of infection. The principal intent of this assistance is to support surveillance and response, to allow for the containment of a highly pathogenic virus transmissible among humans. A second intent is to support the development of epidemiologic, laboratory, and related capacity to detect, respond to, and monitor shifts in influenza viruses, as well as in severe respiratory illness syndromes. A third intent is to help strengthen the connection of national institutions, especially National Influenza Centers, to more fully participate in the WHO Influenza Program, and be more capable of sharing specimens and quality data of the circulation of influenza viruses from throughout the country. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the three Pillars of the HHS Pandemic Influenza Operational Plan and the Pillars of the President's *National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza,* the principles of the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, and the following performance goal(s) for the Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA). This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by HHS, including OGHA. If an applicant proposes research activities, HHS will not review the application. For the definition of “research,” please see the HHS/CDC Web site at the following Internet address: *http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/opspoll1.htm.* Recipient Activities The proposal may include activities under all three Pillars. However, the application all of those activities should prioritize the principal intent of rapidly building epidemiologic, laboratory, and response capabilities to contain an emergent, highly pathogenic virus transmissible among humans. Applicants should allocate a minimum of 70 percent of resources to Pillar Two activities unless they present strong evidence that the key capacities represented in Pillar Two are already well-established in the country, or can be made such with less than 70 percent of the resources for which applicants have applied. Applicants can select activities other than Pillar Two based on the National Pandemic Plan. If applicants *do not propose any activities* for one or more Pillars, they must describe a brief plan for how they will address those activities, and must describe the funding sources to underwrite those activities, whether national resources or financing from an alternate partner or funding source. Activities recipients may perform under this program are as follows: Pillar I Preparedness and Communication 1.1 Preparedness Plans, Policy, and Coordination • Developing a high-level, Inter-Ministerial Task Force or working group for influenza that meets regularly with representation from both the human- and animal-health sectors, Government Ministries, businesses, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); to determine ways to improve national influenza surveillance; develop prevention and control measures such as vaccine policy; and work on national pandemic preparedness. • Adhering to the core principles of the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza ( *http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/53865.htm* ), including transparency and rapid reporting of cases. • Establishing a national plan, based on scientifically valid information, for containing influenza in animals with human pandemic potential, and for responding to a human pandemic. • Testing and executing those plans. • Committing to the timely coordination of bilateral and multilateral resource allocations, the dedication of domestic resources (human and financial), and the development of contingency plans. 1.2 Communications • Establishing a communications component as part of a National Pandemic Plan, coordinated by the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Information, Trade, Tourism, etc., as appropriate to accomplish the following: • Establishing a communications strategy to coordinate the development, testing and evaluation of health information among involved Ministries and bilateral/multilateral agencies that are providing assistance. • Prepare public-health messages in local languages to ask medical and public-health workers to report unusual cases of respiratory disease to local authorities, by emphasizing that a cluster of severe pneumonia of unknown origin anywhere in the world constitutes a potential international emergency. • Prompt reporting of cases and clusters of human infection with avian influenza A

(H5N1)by doing the following: ○ Providing technical support for local-language public-health education and outreach efforts by Ministries of Health and Agriculture, the World Health Organization (WHO)/Headquarters, and the relevant WHO Regional Offices; ○ Providing local-language training for health-care providers in identifying patients with risk factors for disease caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1); and, ○ Supporting public-sector field staff in Districts and Provinces in detecting and reporting suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza. • Develop public-health materials in local languages for use in community-based educational campaigns that inform people about infection control and public-health containment (or “social distancing”) measures ( *e.g.,* quarantine, school closures, travel restrictions) that can control outbreaks of pandemic influenza. These materials will also provide information about the use of proper and safe antiviral drugs and vaccines. ○ Ensure these activities and messages fit together and are consistent with inter-Ministerial Governmental social- mobilization efforts and similar efforts funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other donors. • Develop local-language mass-media and community-outreach programs that promote AI awareness and behavior change, if other partners are not addressing this area consistent with the national pandemic response plan. • Identify and train credible national Government spokespeople. • Partner early with media editors and journalists, if other partners are not addressing this area, consistent with the national pandemic response plan, to: ○ Provide valid training on avian influenza to journalists and editors. • Develop public-health materials in local languages that inform health-care workers about infection-control measures that can control the spread of pandemic influenza in health-care facilities and in the workplace. These materials will also provide information about antiviral use. • Develop health-promotion and education activities in local languages to increase professional awareness of the need to detect each and every case and cluster of human respiratory infection (family, health care, or institutional) during the pandemic-alert period. • Work with the WHO Secretariat and other multilateral organizations, existing bilateral programs, and private-sector partners to develop workplace, community- and hospital-based health prevention, promotion, and education activities. Pillar II. Surveillance and Detection 2.1 Laboratory Capacity and Infrastructure • Train laboratory scientists and technicians in proper laboratory techniques for influenza detection, typing, and sub-typing. • Install and maintain laboratory equipment and infrastructure needed to carry out the functions of WHO-certified National Influenza Center, if possible, or work towards the capacity to carry out those functions. • Maintain and assure biosafety and biosecurity of targeted laboratories according to national and international standards. • Install and maintain information-management equipment for reporting of results from influenza laboratory work, back to the sites providing specimens, to national leaders, and to the WHO Secretariat and other international partners. 2.2 Epidemiology Capacity and Infrastructure • Train epidemiologists at appropriate levels and sufficient scale to be able to support multiple surveillance, outbreak investigation and response, and disease-control activities involved in avian and pandemic preparedness. • Establish needed information and data-management capacity and telecommunications capacity needed for surveillance, outbreak response, and disease control, including containment of a suspect pandemic virus. • Establish other needed infrastructure critical to supporting outbreak detection, response, and containment efforts. 2.3 Sentinel, Laboratory-Based Surveillance for Influenza-Like Illnesses and/or Hospital-Based Surveillance for Severe Disease • Develop a nationwide system to collect virologic and epidemiologic data for influenza, including appropriate samples and viral isolates, by establishing three or more sites with good geographic distribution throughout the country. Each site will consist of a local laboratory and one or more public or private clinics or hospitals from which to collect data. Each site should do the following: ○ Conduct virologic and epidemiologic surveillance for influenza by collecting information, including appropriate samples and specimens for virus isolation year-round; ○ Have lab capacity for performing the isolation and typing of influenza viruses; or at least molecular technology for identification; ○ Collect information on influenza-like illnesses and/or severe respiratory disease at each site by building on information already available. Possible sources of information are the following:

(1)Recording visits by patients with influenza-like-illness to physicians or public or private primary-care clinics or hospitals, based on a standard case definition;

(2)Monitoring hospital admissions for severe respiratory illness and pneumonia, based on a standard case definition. The sites should collect patient information, such as age, patient history and other relevant information; ○ Collect a subset of at least 10 (and preferably up to 25) specimens from the patient populations under surveillance that exhibit febrile, acute upper-respiratory illness weekly during the period of surveillance by using a standard case definition (preferably one established by the WHO Secretariat) and submit them to the local laboratory for the site; ○ During unusual outbreaks of influenza, such as outbreaks with unusual epidemiologic characteristics, or those related to infections by highly pathogenic avian or other animal influenza viruses; collect epidemiologic information to characterize the outbreak; and collect additional samples for viral isolation, including tissue samples, if appropriate; and submittal to the site laboratory. Report the outbreak to the National Influenza Center for further transmittal to one or more of the WHO-designated Collaborating Centers for Influenza; ○ Prepare and provide regular weekly reports on the epidemiologic information collected (influenza-like-illness and/or severe respiratory illness) to the local laboratory and to the National Influenza Center for further transmittal to one or more of the WHO-designated Collaborating Centers for Influenza; ○ If proper biosafety conditions exist, perform viral isolation for influenza viruses, either in tissue culture or in eggs, type positive isolates for influenza A and B, and, if possible, subtype influenza viruses; ○ Store original clinical materials at −70 degrees celsius, until the beginning of the next influenza season; and, ○ Submit viral isolates to the National Influenza Center within the country on at least a monthly basis for more complete analysis. • Each WHO-certified National Influenza Center also will be responsible for and commit to performing the following activities: ○ Performing preliminary antigenic and, if possible, genetic characterization on the virus isolates submitted from the laboratories in the surveillance sites (including those isolates grown at the NIC); ○ Send, as quickly as possible, representative influenza virus isolates to one of the four WHO Collaborating Centers for Influenza, including any low-reacting viruses, as tested by using the WHO reagent kit, each month during the period of surveillance and more frequently, if possible; ○ If any viruses are unsubtypable as tested by using the WHO kit, alert the WHO Secretariat and send the virus isolate to one of the four WHO Collaborating Centers for Influenza immediately; ○ During the period of surveillance, provide weekly influenza-surveillance information, preferably electronically to the WHO Secretariat through FluNet; ○ Provide an annual national summary on influenza activity, virological information, and other relevant information on influenza to the WHO Secretariat and the WHO Collaborating Center for Influenza at HHS/CDC; ○ Provide technical expertise and training to support the surveillance sites and laboratories in the national network in developing the capacity to type and subtype viruses and when feasible to identify avian influenza viruses by molecular techniques; and provide reagents to national public-health laboratories as able; ○ Establish the capacity to identify avian influenza viruses in specimens collected from suspect cases using molecular diagnostic techniques; ○ Provide support for human-health diagnostic laboratories in your network by giving assistance in the development and implementation of rapid laboratory diagnostics protocols and methods, and to establish objectives for rapid screening; and, ○ Establish linkages with surveillance systems that detect influenza viruses in animal populations and with national Government authorities responsible for animal health. • Foreign Governments that apply for funding through this announcement should play a substantial role in the development and support of the influenza-surveillance network in their countries, by committing to the following: ○ Timely and sustained high-level political leadership to combat avian and novel influenza strains; ○ Complete transparency in the reporting of influenza cases in humans and animals caused by virus strains that have pandemic potential; ○ Timely sharing of influenza-surveillance information with the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance network by facilitating the regular exchange of information and virus samples with one of the four WHO Collaborating Centers for Influenza; and, ○ Providing continued support for influenza activities within the country and developing a plan for increased participation in the global influenza surveillance network over a five-year period. 2.4 Comprehensive, National Surveillance for Clusters and Cases of Severe Respiratory and Febrile Syndromes That Might Represent Emergent Cases From a Highly Pathogenic Influenza Virus of Pandemic Potential • Establish early-warning networks, adapt international case definitions, and implement standards for laboratory diagnostics of human and animal samples. • Strengthen early-warning systems for reporting human cases of infection with influenza A

(H5N1)by: ○ Initiating or enhancing Participation in the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) to report possible outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in humans and the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network to share specimens and viruses. • Develop and establish village-based public-sector alert-and-response surveillance systems for human cases of influenza. By providing health education at the community level and to providers and setting up a system for reporting of suspect cases based on a standard case definition. • Develop a system that rapidly notifies National Government authorities of suspect avian influenza cases and provides appropriate samples for testing at the national level if the capacity does not exist at a country's network site. • Establish a system to monitor for severe cases of respiratory illness for a possible case or cluster of the H5N1 virus or other respiratory diseases that pose a global threat. • Develop protocols and tools to investigate cases and clusters, including the widespread dissemination of specimen collection and transport materials, to allow rapid diagnosis. Note: The WHO-certified National Influenza Center

(NIC)within a country can be one of the surveillance sites, and, as such, conduct all the activities listed above under components 2.3 and 2.4. However, component 2.4 is often the responsibility of units of Ministries of Health other than the laboratory unit that serves as the National Influenza Center, and Governments might need to share resources across units and establish protocols to fulfill the requirements of components 2.3 and 2.4. If there are two or more NICs within a country, each NIC could participate as a site; however, NICs within a single country should work together and place emphasis on the addition of new surveillance sites. In addition, the NIC(s) should act as the focal point and authority within the country on influenza surveillance, and be the main point of communication with the WHO Secretariat and WHO Collaborating Centers for the rapid submittal of virus isolates and information into the global influenza surveillance system. Pillar III. Response and Containment 3.1 Local Rapid-Response Teams

(RRT)• Develop and adopt rapid-response protocols for use in responding quickly to credible reports of human-to-human transmission that could indicate the beginnings of an influenza pandemic. Awardees may carry out this action in conjunction with HHS, USAID, the WHO Secretariat, and other donor countries. • Develop and train in-country rapid-response teams to assess and report quickly on possible outbreaks of avian and human influenza at the village level by accomplishing the following: ○ Developing national and regional rapid-response teams deployable within 24 hours; and, ○ Working with GOARN to train members of response teams and staff from Ministries of Health and Agriculture. Training topics should include outbreak investigations, cluster investigations, case-control investigations, and case-cohort investigations. 3.2 Infection Control • Develop local-language public-health materials, in cooperation with HHS that inform local health-care workers and hospital administrators in priority counties about infection-control measures to control the spread of pandemic influenza in health-care facilities and in workplace health facilities. The information should include guidance about the appropriate use of antiviral drugs and vaccines. • Develop and/or field-test and evaluate culturally and economically appropriate standards for infection-control practices and infrastructure for international health-care settings. • Develop economical and culturally acceptable standardized preventive practices for the routine delivery of health-care that will be effective in prevention of health-care-associated influenza transmission during a pandemic. ( *e.g.,* routine management standards for febrile respiratory illnesses). • Develop and/or field-test and evaluate culturally and economically feasible community-based practices for the prevention of infection in community settings. • Develop a costed national plan for delivering basic infection-control materials to and maintaining them in District and Provincial hospitals, with guidance for distribution and use in preparation for and during the anticipated disruptions caused by a pandemic of influenza. • Develop, in partnership with international public-health agencies, instructional material for print or broadcast to target infection-control and nursing personnel in local languages to train them in appropriate cohorting, cleaning, worker protection and the use of protective equipment ( *e.g.,* gloves, gowns, masks, *etc.* ). I. Funding Opportunity Description Authority: Sections 301(a) and 307 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241(a) and 42 U.S.C. 2421). II. Award Information The administrative and funding instrument to be used for this program will be the cooperative agreement in which substantial OGHA/HHS scientific and/or programmatic involvement is anticipated during the performance of the project. Under the cooperative agreement, OGHA/HHS will support and/or stimulate awardee activities by working with them in a non-directive partnership role. HHS staff is substantially involved in the program activities, above and beyond routine monitoring. Through this cooperative agreement, HHS will collaborate in an advisory capacity with the award recipient, especially during the development and implementation of a mutually agreed-upon work plan. HHS will actively participate in periodic progress reviews and a final evaluation of the program. Approximately $1,000,000.00 in fiscal year

(FY)2006 funds is available to support the agreement under the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 which provides funds to combat a potential influenza pandemic both domestically and internationally. The anticipated start date is October 27, 2006. There will only be one single award made from this announcement. The project period for this agreement is for three

(3)years with a budget period of 12 months. The award recipient must comply with all HHS management requirements for meeting participation and progress and financial reporting for this cooperative agreement. (Please *see* HHS Activities and Program Evaluation sections below.) HHS/OS/OGHA activities for this program are as follows: Pillar One • Organize an orientation meeting with the award recipient to brief them on applicable U.S. Government expectations, regulations, policies and key management requirements, as well as report formats and contents. • Review and approve the process used by the grantee to select key personnel and/or post-award subcontractors and/or sub grantees to be involved in the activities performed under this agreement. • Review and approve the grantees' annual work plan and detailed budget. • Review and approve the grantees' monitoring and evaluation plan, including for compliance with the performance management metrics and systems developed for U.S. Government and HHS assistance related to avian and pandemic influenza. • Meet or teleconference on a regular basis, as necessary, with the grantee to assess quarterly technical and financial progress reports and modify plans as necessary. • Meet on an annual basis with the grantee to review annual progress report for each U.S. Government fiscal year, and to review annual work plans and budgets for subsequent year. • Provide technical assistance, as mutually agreed upon, and revise annually during validation of the first and subsequent annual work plans. This could include expert technical assistance and targeted training activities in specialized areas relevant to influenza pandemic preparedness, containment, and mitigation. Pillar Two • Provide technical assistance on techniques and reagents for the identification of influenza viruses. Annually provide the WHO reagent kit, produced and distributed by the WHO Collaborating Center for Influenza at HHS/OGHA; • Providing epidemiological and laboratory training; • Providing technical consultation on the development of in-country influenza-surveillance networks; • Providing confirmation of antigenic analysis and more detailed characterization information on the influenza virus isolates submitted to HHS/OGHA, with written reports back to the National Influenza Center; and, • Providing technical advice on the conduct of local and regional epidemiologic outbreak investigations. Pillar Three • Providing technical advice and training in the development of local rapid-response teams; • Providing technical advice for the development of policies and capabilities for rapidly mobilizing materials from stockpiles of pharmaceuticals and commodities to the site of an outbreak; and, • Providing technical advice and training in developing plans for infection control. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants This is a single source, cooperative agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya). On November 1, 2005, President George W. Bush announced the U.S. *National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza* , and the following day Secretary Michael O. Leavitt released the HHS *Pandemic Influenza Plan* . One of the primary objectives of both documents is to leverage global partnerships to increase preparedness and response capabilities around the world “with the intent of stopping, slowing or otherwise limiting the spread of a pandemic to the United States.” 1 Pillars Two and Three of the *National Strategy* set out the clear goals of ensuring the rapid reporting of outbreaks and containing outbreaks beyond the borders of the United States. 1 *National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza* , p. 2. We rely upon our international partnerships, with the United Nations (UN); international organizations; and private, non-profit organizations, to amplify our efforts, and will engage them on a multilateral and bilateral basis. Our international effort to contain and mitigate the effects of an outbreak of pandemic influenza is a central component of our overall strategy. In many ways, the character and quality of the U.S. response and that of our international partners could play a determining role in the severity of a pandemic. The International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, launched by President Bush at the UN General Assembly in September 2005, stands in support of multinational organizations and national Governments. Members of the Partnership have agreed that the following ten principles will guide their efforts: 1. International cooperation to protect the lives and health of our people; 2. Timely and sustained, high-level, global, political leadership to combat avian and pandemic influenza; 3. Transparency in reporting of influenza cases in humans and in animals caused by viruses trains that have pandemic potential, to increase understanding and preparedness, and especially to ensure rapid and timely response to potential outbreaks; 4. Immediate sharing of epidemiological data and samples with the World Health Organization

(WHO)and the international community to detect and characterize the nature and evolution of any outbreaks as quickly as possible, by using, where appropriate, existing networks and mechanisms; 5. Rapid reaction to address the first signs of accelerated transmission of H5N1 and other highly pathogenic influenza strains, so appropriate international and national resources can be brought to bear; 6. Prevent and contain an incipient epidemic through capacity- building and in-country collaboration with international partners; 7. Work in a manner complementary to and supportive of expanded cooperation with and appropriate support of key multilateral organizations (including the WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Organization for Animal Health); 8. Timely coordination of bilateral and multilateral resource allocations; dedication of domestic resources (human and financial); improvements in public awareness; and development of economic and trade contingency plans; 9. Increased coordination and harmonization of preparedness, prevention, response and containment activities among nations, complementing domestics and regional preparedness initiatives, and encouraging where appropriate the development of strategic regional initiatives; and, 10. Actions based on the best available science. Through the Partnership and other bilateral and multilateral initiatives, we will promote these principles and support the development of an international capacity to prepare for, detect, and respond to an influenza pandemic. Based on an overall public health analysis for pandemic flu, Libya requires assistance in detection, surveillance and other areas to manage and identify Avian Influenza. Avian Influenza is a significant burden on neighboring countries of Libya. Egypt, for example, has consistently identified the H5N1 virus in poultry and humans resulting in human fatalities and the near decimation of its poultry industry. Other countries proximate to Libya which have reported human cases of H5N1 include Turkey, Iraq, and Azerbaijan. Sharing the same bird fly-ways and trading goods daily with many of its neighboring countries already affected by H5N1, Libya is at heightened risk. For these reasons, eligibility for this cooperative agreement is limited to the country of Libya. Twenty-two years of sanctions has isolated Libya from the rest of the world and exacerbated the seriousness of the situation within Libya. The sanctions have prevented Libya from experiencing the benefits of medical training in state-of-the art practice and scientific collaborations leaving Libya vulnerable to an influenza pandemic. Libya recently appointed its first Minister of Health and is in the early stages of developing a Ministry of Health. Previously, under the General People's Committee for Health and Environment of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, public health services did not in exist. With the control and governance of public health services now delegated to Libya's Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health assumes responsibility for developing and building the capacity of the public health care system. Therefore, in accordance with the guidance presented here, and the demand to seek Ministers of Health of countries affected, the only eligible source for any efforts in building the capacity of the public health care system in the country of Libya is the Minister of Health. 2. Cost-Sharing or Matching Although cost-sharing, matching funds, and cost participation are not a requirement of this agreement, preference may go to organizations that can leverage additional funds to contribute to program goals. If applicants receive funding from other sources to underwrite the same or similar activities, or anticipate receiving such funding in the next 12 months, they must detail how the disparate streams of financing complement each other. 3. Other - (If Applicable) If an applicant requests a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range, HHS will consider the application non-responsive, and it will not enter into the review process. HHS will notify the applicant that the application did not meet the submission requirements. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address To Request Application Package: This Cooperative Agreement project uses the Application Form HHS Office of Public Health and Science

(OPHS)OPHS-1, Revised 8/2004, enclosed in the application packet. Many different programs funded through the HHS Public Health Service

(PHS)use this generic form. Some parts of it are not required; applicants must fill out other sections in a fashion specific to the program. Instructions for filling out OPHS-1, Revised 8/2004 will be included in the application packet. These forms are also available from the following sites by downloading from *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov* and clicking on Grant Announcements, or *http://www.grants.gov/* ; or by writing to Ms. Karen Campbell, Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tower Building, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852; or by contacting the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, at 1-(240) 453-8822. Please specify the HHS program(s) for which you are requesting an application kit. ADDRESSES: Application kits may be requested from, and applications submitted to Karen Campbell, Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS), Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852. 2. Content and Form of Application Submission Application Materials A separate budget page is required for the budget year requested. Applicants must submit with the proposal a line-item budget (SF 424A) with coinciding justification to support each of the budget years. These forms will represent the full project period of Federal assistance requested. HHS will not favorably consider proposals submitted without a budget and justification for each budget year requested in the application. Specific instructions for submitting a detailed budget for this application appear in the application packet. If additional information and/or clarification are necessary, please contact the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management identified in Section VII of this announcement. A Project Abstract submitted on 3.5 inch floppy disk must accompany all applications. The abstract must be typed, single-spaced, and not exceed two pages. Reviewers and staff will refer frequently to the information contained in the abstract, and therefore it should contain substantive information about the proposed projects in summary form. A list of suggested keywords and a format sheet for your use in preparing the abstract will be included in the application packet. A Project Narrative must accompany all grant applications. In addition to the instructions provided in OPHS-1 (Rev 8/2004) for project narrative, the specific guidelines for the project narrative appear in the program guidelines. Format requirements are the same as for the Project Abstract Section; margins should be one inch at the top and one inch at the bottom and both sides; and typeset must be no smaller than 12 cpi, and not reduced. Applicants should type biographical sketches either on the appropriate form or on plain paper, and should not exceed two pages, with publications listed limited only to those that are directly relevant to this project. Application Format Requirements If applying on paper, the entire application may not exceed 80 pages in length, including the abstract, project and budget narratives, face page, attachments, any appendices and letters of commitment and support. Applicants must number pages consecutively. HHS/OGHA will deem as non-compliant applications submitted electronically that exceed 80 pages when printed and will return all non-compliant applications to the applicant without further consideration.

(a)*Number of Copies:* Please submit one

(1)original and two

(2)unbound copies of the application. Please do not bind or staple the application. Application must be single- sided.

(b)*Font:* Please use an easily readable serif typeface, such as Times Roman, Courier, or CG Times. Applicants must submit the text and table portions of the application in not less than 12-point and 1.0 line spacing. HHS/OGHA might return applications that do not adhere to 12-point font requirements.

(c)*Paper Size and Margins:* For scanning purposes, please submit the application on 8 1/2 ″ x 11″ white paper. Margins must be at least one

(1)inch at the top, bottom, left and right of the paper. Please left-align text.

(d)*Numbering:* Please number the pages of the application sequentially from page one (face page) to the end of the application, including charts, figures, tables, and appendices.

(e)*Names:* Please include the name of the applicant on each page.

(f)*Section Headings:* Please put all section headings flush left in bold type. Application Format An application for funding must consist of the following documents in the following order: i. *Application Face Page:* Public Health Service

(PHS)Application Form OPHS-1, provided with the application package. Prepare this page according to instructions provided in the form itself. DUNS Number An applicant organization is required to have a Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS)number in order to apply for a grant from the Federal Government. The DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company, Dun and Bradstreet. There is no charge to obtain a DUNS number. Information about obtaining a DUNS number can be found at *https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html* or call 1-866-705-5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the OMB Approval Number on the application face page. An application *will not* be reviewed without a DUNS number. Additionally, the applicant organization will be required to register with the Federal Government's Central Contractor Registry

(CCR)in order to do electronic business with the Federal Government. Information about registering with the CCR can be found at *http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/ccr.htm* . Finally, an applicant applying electronically through Grants.gov is required to register with the Credential Provider for Grants.gov. Information about this requirement is available at *http://www.grants.gov/CredentialProvider* An applicant applying electronically through the OPHS E-Grants System is required to register with the provider. Information about this requirement is available at *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov* . ii. *Table of Contents:* Provide a Table of Contents for the remainder of the application (including appendices), with page numbers. iii. *Application Checklist:* Application Form OPHS-1, provided with the application package. iv. *Budget:* Application Form OPHS-1, provided with the application package. v. *Budget Justification:* The amount of financial support (direct costs) that an applicant is requesting from the Federal granting agency for the first year is to be entered on the Face Sheet of Application Form PHS 5161-1, Line 15a. The application should include funds for electronic mail capability unless access by Internet is already available. The amount of financial support (direct costs) entered on the SF 424 is the amount an applicant is requesting from the Federal granting agency for the project year. *Personnel Costs:* Personnel costs should be explained by listing each staff member who will be supported from funds, name (if possible), position title, percent full time equivalency, annual salary, and the exact amount requested. *Fringe Benefits:* List the components that comprise the fringe benefit rate, for example health insurance, taxes, unemployment insurance, life insurance, retirement plan, tuition reimbursement. The fringe benefits should be directly proportional to that portion of personnel costs that are allocated for the project. *Travel:* List travel costs according to local and long distance travel. For local travel, the mileage rate, number of miles, reason for travel and staff member/consumers completing the travel should be outlined. The budget should also reflect the travel expenses associated with participating in meetings and other proposed trainings or workshops. *Equipment:* List equipment costs and provide justification for the need of the equipment to carry out the programs goals. Extensive justification and a detailed status of current equipment must be provided when requesting funds for the purchase of computers and furniture items. *Supplies:* List the items that the project will use. In this category, separate office supplies from medical and educational purchases. Office supplies could include paper, pencils, and the like; medical supplies are syringes, blood tubes, plastic gloves, *etc.* , and educational supplies may be pamphlets and educational videotapes. Remember, they must be listed separately. *Subcontracts:* To the extent possible, all subcontract budgets and justifications should be standardized, and contract budgets should be presented by using the same object class categories contained in the Standard Form 424A. Provide a clear explanation as to the purpose of each contract, how the costs were estimated, and the specific contract deliverables. *Other:* Put all costs that do not fit into any other category into this category and provide an explanation of each cost in this category. In some cases, grantee rent, utilities and insurance fall under this category if they are not included in an approved indirect cost rate.) vi. *Staffing Plan and Personnel Requirements:* An applicant must present a staffing plan and provide a justification for the plan that includes education and experience qualifications and rationale for the amount of time being requested for each staff position. Position descriptions that include the roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of proposed project staff must be included in Appendix B. Copies of biographical sketches for any key employed personnel that will be assigned to work on the proposed project must be included in Appendix C. vii. *Project Abstract:* Provide a summary of the application. Because the abstract is often distributed to provide information to the public and Congress, please prepare this so that it is clear, accurate, concise, and without reference to other parts of the application. It must include a brief description of the proposed grant project including the needs to be addressed, the proposed services, and the population group(s) to be served. Please place the following at the top of the abstract: • Project Title; • Applicant Name; • Address; • Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax); • E-Mail Address; and, • Web site Address, if applicable. The project abstract must be single-spaced and limited to two pages in length. viii. *Program Narrative:* This section provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed program. It should be succinct, self-explanatory and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project. Use the following section headers for the Narrative: Introduction This section should briefly describe the purpose of the proposed project. Work Plan Describe the activities or steps that will be used to achieve each of the activities proposed in the methodology section. Use a time line that includes each activity and identifies responsible staff. Resolution of Challenges Discuss challenges that are likely to be encountered in designing and implementing the activities described in the Work Plan, and approaches that will be used to resolve such challenges. Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity Describe current experience, skills, and knowledge, including individuals on staff, materials published, and previous work of a similar nature. Organizational Information Provide information on the applicant agency's current mission and structure, scope of current activities, and an organizational chart, and describe how these all contribute to the ability of the organization to conduct the program requirements and meet program expectations. ix. *Appendices:* Please provide the following items to complete the content of the application. Please note that these are supplementary in nature, and are not intended to be a continuation of the project narrative. Be sure each appendix is clearly labeled. 1. *Appendix A:* Tables, Charts, *etc.* To give further details about the proposal. 2. *Appendix B:* Job Descriptions for Key Personnel. Keep each to one page in length as much as is possible. Item 6 in the Program Narrative section of the PHS 5161-1 Form provides some guidance on items to include in a job description. 3. *Appendix C:* Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel. Include biographical sketches for persons occupying the key positions described in Appendix B, not to exceed two pages in length. In the event that a biographical sketch is included for an identified individual who is not yet hired, please include a letter of commitment from that person with the biographical sketch. 4. *Appendix D:* Letters of Agreement and/or Description(s) of Proposed/Existing Contracts (project specific). Provide any documents that describe working relationships between the applicant agency and other agencies and programs cited in the proposal. Documents that confirm actual or pending contractual agreements should clearly describe the roles of the subcontractors and any deliverable. Letters of agreements must be dated. 5. *Appendix E:* Project Organizational Chart. Provide a one-page figure that depicts the organizational structure of the project, including subcontractors and other significant collaborators. 6. *Appendix F:* Other Relevant Documents. Include here any other documents that are relevant to the application, including letters of supports. Letters of support must be dated. 3. Submission Dates & Times The Office of Public Health and Science

(OPHS)provides multiple mechanisms for the submission of applications, as described in the following sections. Applicants will receive notification via mail from the OPHS Office of Grants Management confirming the receipt of applications submitted using any of these mechanisms. Applications submitted to the OPHS Office of Grants Management after the deadlines described below will not be accepted for review. Applications which do not conform to the requirements of the grant announcement will not be accepted for review and will be returned to the applicant. Applications may only be submitted electronically via the electronic submission mechanisms specified below. Any applications submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including facsimile or electronic mail, will not be accepted for review. While applications are accepted in hard copy, the use of the electronic application submission capabilities provided by the OPHS eGrants system or the Grants.gov Web site Portal is encouraged. Electronic grant application submissions must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement using one of the electronic submission mechanisms specified below. All required hard-copy original signatures and mail-in items must be received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management no later that 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next business day after the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement. Applications will not be considered valid until all electronic application components, hard copy original signatures, and mail-in items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management according to the deadlines specified above. Application submissions that do not adhere to the due date requirements will be considered late and will be deemed ineligible. Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early in the application development process, and to submit early on the due date or before. This will aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application deadline. Electronic Submissions Via the Grants.gov Web Site Portal The Grants.gov Web site Portal provides organizations with the ability to submit applications for OPHS grant opportunities. Organizations must successfully complete the necessary registration processes in order to submit an application. Information about this system is available on the Grants.gov Web site, *http://www.grants.gov* . In addition to electronically submitted materials, applicants may be required to submit hard copy signatures for certain Program related forms, or original materials as required by the announcement. It is imperative that the applicant review both the grant announcement, as well as the application guidance provided within the Grants.gov application package, to determine such requirements. Any required hard copy materials, or documents that require a signature, must be submitted separately via mail to the OPHS Office of Grants Management, and, if required, must contain the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency and the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. Electronic applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. All required mail-in items must received by the due date requirements specified above. Mail-In items may only include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission via the Grants.gov Web site Portal, the applicant will be provided with a confirmation page from Grants.gov indicating the date and time (eastern time) of the electronic application submission, as well as the Grants.gov Receipt Number. It is critical that the applicant print and retain this confirmation for their records, as well as a copy of the entire application package. All applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal will be validated by Grants.gov. Any applications deemed "Invalid" by the Grants.gov Web site Portal will not be transferred to the OPHS eGrants system, and OPHS has no responsibility for any application that is not validated and transferred to OPHS from the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Grants.gov will notify the applicant regarding the application validation status. Once the application is successfully validated by the Grants.gov Web site Portal, applicants should immediately mail all required hard-copy materials to the OPHS Office of Grants Management to be received by the deadlines specified above. It is critical that the applicant clearly identify the Organization name and Grants.gov Application Receipt Number on all hard-copy materials. Once the application is validated by Grants.gov, it will be electronically transferred to the OPHS eGrants system for processing. Upon receipt of both the electronic application from the Grants.gov Website Portal, and the required hard-copy mail-in items, applicants will receive notification via mail from the OPHS Office of Grants Management confirming the receipt of the application submitted using the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Applicants should contact Grants.gov regarding any questions or concerns regarding the electronic application process conducted through the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Electronic Submissions via the OPHS eGrants System The OPHS electronic grants management system, eGrants, provides for applications to be submitted electronically. Information about this system is available on the OPHS eGrants Web site, *https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov* , or may be requested from the OPHS Office of Grants Management at

(240)453-8822. When submitting applications via the OPHS eGrants system, applicants are required to submit a hard copy of the application face page (Standard Form 424) with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency and assume the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, applicants will also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form LLL and/or certain Program related forms ( *e.g.,* Program Certifications) with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency. Electronic applications submitted via the OPHS eGrants system must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative and any appendices or exhibits. The applicant may identify specific mail-in items to be sent to the Office of Grants Management separate from the electronic submission; however these mail-in items must be entered on the eGrants Application Checklist at the time of electronic submission, and must be received by the due date requirements specified above. Mail-in items may only include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, the OPHS eGrants system will provide the applicant with a confirmation page indicating the date and time (eastern time) of the electronic application submission. This confirmation page will also provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application submission including all electronic application components, required hardcopy original signatures, and mail-in items, as well as the mailing address of the OPHS Office of Grants Management where all required hard copy materials must be submitted. As items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management, the electronic application status will be updated to reflect the receipt of mail-in items. It is recommended that the applicant monitor the status of their application in the OPHS eGrants system to ensure that all signatures and mail-in items are received. Mailed or Hand-Delivered Hard Copy Applications Applicants who submit applications in hard copy (via mail or hand-delivered) are required to submit an original and two copies of the application. The original application must be signed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization and to assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. Mailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered as meeting the deadline if they are received by the OPHS Office of Grant Management on or before 5 p.m. eastern time on the deadline date specified in the DATES section of the announcement. The application deadline date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the instructions in the OPHS-1. Applications that do not meet the deadline will be returned to the applicant unread. Applicants should submit their applications to the following address: Director, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootten Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852. 4. Intergovernmental Review This program is not subject to the review requirements of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. 5. Funding Restrictions Allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and necessity of direct costs that may be charged are outlined in the following documents: OMB-21 (Institutes of Higher Education); OMB Circular A-122 (Nonprofit Organizations) and 45 CFR Part 74, Appendix E (Hospitals). Copies of these circulars are available on the Internet at the following address: *http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb* . No pre-award costs are allowed. 6. Other Submission Requirements N/A. V. Application Review Information 1. Criteria The application will be screened by OGHA staff for completeness and for responsiveness to the program guidance. The applicant should pay strict attention addressing these criteria, as they are the basis upon which applications will be judged. An application judged to be non-responsive or incomplete will be returned to the applicant without review. An application that is complete and responsive to the guidance will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group specifically convened for this solicitation and in accordance with HHS policies and procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique. All applications recommended for approval will be discussed fully by the ad hoc peer review group and assigned a priority score for funding. Eligible applications will be assessed according the following criteria:

(1)Technical Approach (40 Points) • The applicant's presentation of a sound and practical technical approach for executing the requirements with adequate explanation, substantiation and justification for methods for handling the projected needs of the partner institution. • The successful applicant must demonstrate a clear understanding of the scope and objectives of the cooperative agreement, recognition of potential difficulties that could arise in performing the work required, presentation of adequate solutions, and understanding of the close coordination necessary between the HHS/OGHA, the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, United Nations agencies, and the WHO Secretariat. • Applicants must submit a strategic plan that outlines the schedule of activities and expected products of the Group's work with benchmarks at months six and 12. The strategic plan should specifically address the expected progress of the Quality of Care program.

(2)Personnel Qualifications and Experience (20 Points) • Project Leadership— For the technical and administrative leadership of the project requirements, successful applicants must demonstrate documented training, expertise, relevant experiences, leadership/management skills, and the availability of a suitable overall project manager and surrounding management structure to successfully plan and manage the project. The successful applicant will provide documented history of leadership in the establishment and management of training programs that involve training of health-care professionals in countries other than the United States. Expertise in maternal and child health care, including documented training, expertise, relevant experience, leadership skills, and medical expertise specific to maternal and child health. Documented managerial ability to achieve delivery or performance requirements as demonstrated by the proposed use of management and other personnel resources and to manage successfully the project, including subcontractor and/or consultant efforts, if applicable, as evidence by the management plan and demonstrated by previous relevant experience. • Partner Institutions and other Personnel—Applicants should provide documented evidence of availability, training, qualifications, expertise, relevant experience, education and competence of the scientific, clinical, analytical, technical and administrative staff and any other proposed personnel (including partner institutions, subcontractors and consultants), to perform the requirements of the work activities as evidenced by resumes, endorsements and explanations of previous efforts. • Staffing Plan—Applicants should submit a staffing plan for the conduct of the project, including the appropriateness of the time commitment of all staff and partner institutions, the clarity and appropriateness of assigned roles, and lines of authority. Applicants should also provide an organizational chart for each partner institution named in the application showing relationships among the key personnel. • Administrative and Organizational Framework—Adequacy of the administrative and organizational framework, with lines of authority and responsibility clearly demonstrated, and adequacy of the project plan, with proposed time schedule for achieving objectives and maintaining quality control over the implementation and operation of the project. Adequacy of back-up staffing and the evidence that they will be able to function as a team. The framework should identify the institution that will assume legal and financial responsibility and accountability for the use and disposition of funds awarded on the basis of this RFA.

(3)Experience and Capabilities of the Organization (30 Points) • Applicant should submit documented relevant experience of the organization in managing projects of similar complexity and scope of the activities. • Clarity and appropriateness of lines of communication and authority for coordination and management of the project. Adequacy and feasibility of plans to ensure successful coordination of a multiple-partner collaboration. • Documented experience recruiting qualified medical personnel for projects of similar complexity and scope of activities.

(4)Facilities and Resources (10 Points) • Documented availability and adequacy of facilities, equipment and resources necessary to carry out the activities specified under Program Requirements. VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices HHS/OGHA does not release information about individual applications during the review process until we have made final funding decisions. When HHS/OGHA has made these decisions, we will notify applicants by letter regarding the outcome of their applications. The official document to notify an applicant HHS/OGHA has approved and funded an application is the Notice of Award, which specifies to the recipient the amount of money awarded, the purpose of the agreement, the terms and conditions of the agreement, and the amount of funding, if any, the recipient will contribute to the project costs. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements The regulations set out at 45 CFR parts 74 and 92 are the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS)rules and requirements that govern the administration of grants. Part 74 is applicable to all recipients except those covered by part 92, which governs awards to State and Local governments. Applicants funded under this announcement must be aware of and comply with these regulations. The CFR volume that includes parts 74 and 92 are available from the following Internet address: *http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/45cfrv1_03.html.* 3. Reporting The projects is required to have an evaluation plan, consistent with the scope of the proposed project and funding level that conforms to the project's stated goals and objectives. The evaluation plan should include both a process evaluation to track the implementation of project activities and an outcome evaluation to measure changes in knowledge and skills that can be attributed to the project. Project funds may be used to support evaluation activities. In addition to conducting their own evaluation of projects, the successful applicant must be prepared to participate in an external evaluation, to be supported by OGHA/HHS and conducted by an independent entity, to assess efficiency and effectiveness for the project funded under this announcement. Within 30 days following the end of each of quarter, submit a performance report no more than ten pages in length must be submitted to OGHA/HHS. A sample quarterly performance report will be provided at the time of notification of award. At a minimum, quarterly performance reports should include: • Concise summary of the most significant achievements and problems encountered during the reporting period, *e.g.* number of training courses held and number of trainees. • A comparison of work progress with objectives established for the quarter using the grantee's implementation schedule, and where such objectives were not met, a statement of why they were not met. • Specific action(s) that the grantee would like the OGHA/HHS to undertake to alleviate a problem. • Other pertinent information that will permit monitoring and overview of project operations. • A quarterly financial report describing the current financial status of the funds used under this award. The awardee and OGHA will agree at the time of award for the format of this portion of the report. Within 90 days following the end of the project period a final report containing information and data of interest to the Department of Health and Human Services, Congress, and other countries must be submitted to OGHA/HHS. The specifics as to the format and content of the final report and the summary will be sent to successful applicants. At minimum, the report should contain: • A summary of the major activities supported under the agreement and the major accomplishments resulting from activities to improve mortality in partner country. • An analysis of the project based on the problem(s) described in the application and needs assessments, performed prior to or during the project period, including a description of the specific objectives stated in the grant application and the accomplishments and failures resulting from activities during the grant period. Quarterly performance reports and the final report may be submitted to: Mr. DeWayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852, phone

(240)453-8822. A Financial Status Report

(FSR)SF-269 is due 90 days after the close of each 12-month budget period and submitted to OPHS-Office of Grants Management. VII. Agency Contacts For assistance on administrative and budgetary requirements, please contact: Mr. DeWayne Wynn, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852, phone

(240)453-8822. For assistance with questions regarding program requirements, please contact the following: David Smith, PhD, Office of Global Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Suite 18-101, Rockville, MD 20857; Phone Number: 1-301-443-1774. VIII. Tips for Writing a Strong Application *Include DUNS Number.* You must include a DUNS Number to have your application reviewed. HHS/OGHA *will not* review applications without a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number, go to *http://www.dunandbradstreet.com* or call 1-866-705-5711. Please include the DUNS number next to the OMB Approval Number on the application face page. *Keep your audience in mind.* Reviewers will use only the information contained in the application to assess the application. Be sure the application and responses to the program requirements and expectations are complete and clearly written. Do not assume reviewers are familiar with the applicant organization. Keep the review criteria in mind when writing the application. *Start preparing the application early.* Allow plenty of time to gather required information from various sources. *Follow the instructions in this guidance carefully.* Place all information in the order requested in the guidance. If the applicant does not place information in the requested order, the application might receive a lower score. *Be brief, concise, and clear.* Make your points understandable. Provide accurate and honest information, including candid accounts of problems and realistic plans to address them. If any required information or data is omitted, explain why. Make sure the information provided in each table, chart, attachment, *etc.* , is consistent with the proposal narrative and information in other tables. *Be organized and logical.* Many applications fail to receive a high score because the reviewers cannot follow the thought process of the applicant or because parts of the application do not fit together. *Be careful in the use of appendices.* Do not use the appendices for information that is required in the body of the application. Be sure to cross-reference all tables and attachments located in the appendices to the appropriate text in the application. *Carefully proofread the application.* Misspellings and grammatical errors will impede reviewers in understanding the application. Be sure pages are numbered (including appendices), and follow page limits. Limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms, and define each one at its first use and periodically throughout the application. Dated: September 26, 2006. Sandra R. Manning, Deputy Director for Operations, Office of Global Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. E6-16181 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-38-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS AGENCY: Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS)is hereby giving notice that the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) will hold a meeting. This meeting is open to the public. A description of the Council's functions is included with this notice. DATES: October 16, 2006, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and October 17, 2006, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ADDRESSES: Howard University, Armour J. Blackburn University Center,2397 Sixth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20059. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Ceasar, Program Assistant, Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, Department of Health and Human Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 733E, Washington, DC 20201;

(202)690-2470 or visit the Council's Web site at *http://www.pacha.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PACHA was established by Executive Order 12963, dated June 14, 1995, as amended by Executive Order 13009, dated June 14, 1996. The Council was established to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary regarding programs and policies intended to

(a)promote effective prevention of HIV disease,

(b)advance research on HIV and AIDS, and

(c)promote quality services to persons living with HIV disease and AIDS. PACHA was established to serve solely as an advisory body to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Council is composed of not more than 21 members. Council membership is determined by the Secretary from individuals who are considered authorities with particular expertise in, or knowledge of, matters concerning HIV/AIDS. The agenda for this Council meeting includes the following topics: HIV/AIDS among the African America/Latino communities, HIV/AIDS prevention, and international issues. Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide comments at the meeting. Public comment will be limited to three

(3)minutes per speaker. Public attendance is limited to space available and pre-registration is required. Any individual who wishes to participate should register at *http://www.pacha.gov.* Individuals who plan to attend and need special assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, should indicate in the comment section when registering. Dated: September 20, 2006. Joseph Grogan, Executive Director, Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. [FR Doc. E6-16163 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-43-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Notice of Meetings In accordance with section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act as amended (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

(AHRQ)announces meetings of scientific peer review groups. The subcommittees listed below are part of the Agency's Health Services Research Initial Review Group Committee. The subcommittee meetings will be closed to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, section 10(d) of 5 U.S.C., Appendix 2 and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6). Grant applications are to be reviewed and discussed at these meetings. These discussions are likely to involve information concerning individuals associated with the applications, including assessments of their personal qualifications to conduct their proposed projects. This information is exempt from mandatory disclosure under the above-cited statutes. 1. *Name of Subcommittee:* Health Systems Research. *Date:* October 19, 2006 (Open from 8 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. on October 19 and closed for remainder of the meeting). *Place:* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), John Eisenberg Conference Center, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, Maryland 20850. 2. *Name of Subcommittee:* Health Care Quality and Effectiveness Research. *Date:* October 19, 2006 (Open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. on October 19 and closed for remainder of the meeting). *Place:* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), John Eisenberg Conference Center, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, Maryland 20850. 3. *Name of Subcommittee:* Health Care Technology and Decisions Sciences. *Date:* October 24, 2006 (Open from 8 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. on October 24 and closed for remainder of the meeting). *Place:* Marriott Gaithersburg Washington Center Hotel, 9751 Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878. 4. *Name of Subcommittee:* Health Care Research Training. *Date:* October 24, 2006 (Open from 8 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. on October 24 and closed for remainder of the meeting). *Place:* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), John Eisenberg Conference Center, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, Maryland 20850. *Contact Person:* Anyone wishing to obtain a roster of members, agenda or minutes of the nonconfidential portions of the meetings should contact Mrs. Bonnie Campbell, Committee Management Officer, Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Suite 2000, Rockville, Maryland 20850, Telephone

(301)427-1554. Agenda items for these meetings are subject to change as priorities dictate. Dated: September 20, 2006. Carolyn M. Clancy, Director. [FR Doc. 06-8382 Filed 9-29-06; 8:45 am]

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