CDC-RFA-DP-23-0019: Building Capacity to Reduce the Burden of Menthol and Other Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products in Communities that Experience Health Disparities

The NOFO requires applicants to submit CVs/resumes.

On page 30 of the NOFO, under the section “Budget Narrative” it states that CDC recommends that applicants allocate a minimum of 10% of funding to implement evaluation activities. This is 10% of the overall project budget.

On page 17 of the NOFO, under section the “Work Plan” it states applicants must submit a detailed work plan for Year 1 of the award. Additionally, applicants must provide a general summary of work plan strategies and activities for Years 2-5 in narrative form. The Work Plan is part of the 20-page limit allowed for the Project Narrative.

The work plan for year 2-5 can be submitted in a narrative form.

On page 39 of the NOFO, under section the “Reporting” is states the Data Management Plan is required six months into the award. The Data Management Plan is not a component of the application.

Please refer to the Logic Model on pages 6-10 in the NOFO. For process measures, the applicant can refer to the Short-term Outcomes in the logic model. For Outcome Measures, the applicant can refer to the Intermediate, Long-term and Impact outcomes.

Process measures are intended to measure whether the program activities have been implemented as intended.

Outcome measures are intended to measure program effects in the target population by assessing progress in the outcomes that the program is to achieve.

The fiscal/budget year for this NOFO will be from September to September. The specific start and end dates will be noted in the Notice of Award.

Yes, that is the correct annual amount per year for a project period of 5 years.

Throughout the project period, CDC will continue the award based on the availability of funds, the evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government. This information does not constitute a commitment by the federal government to fund the entire period.

The budget period is 12 months; the project period is 5 years.

Yes, funds may be used for paid media including social media. We encourage you to read the NOFO carefully, especially Strategies #2 and #3 and their activities. The cost of paid media should be considered carefully as a part of the overall amount of funding available.

Applicants are responsible for describing how they will collaborate with programs and organizations either internal or external to CDC.

Recipients must collaborate with the National Tobacco Control Program and Networking2Save. In addition, they are encouraged, but not required to collaborate with other CDC funded programs.

The applicant is required to identify and engage with an existing community coalition to create sustainable community-level change and fulfill activities under this NOFO.

Applicants are required to submit a letter of support from the state, territorial or tribal tobacco control program. (If the applicant is a tribe a letter should be submitted from their Tribal Health Organization.) The letter of support should describe how they will collaborate with and/or provide technical assistance to the applicant.

In addition, at least two letters of support from members of the community coalition that include a specific description of their role in the proposed work.

As defined in the NOFO on page 51, a community is a geographical location or setting that can include a city, county, parish, tribe, or jurisdiction/sub-jurisdiction that is a significant enough area to allow for population-wide interventions and measurable results and includes a targeted focus to address disparities resulting from the use of menthol and other flavored tobacco products.

Applicants must submit a detailed work plan for Year 1 of the award.  Applicants also must provide a general summary of work plan strategies and activities for years 2-5 in narrative form.  An applicant’s plan to expand work to other communities would be explained in these sections.

Correct.  As defined in the NOFO on page 51, a community is a geographical location or setting that can include a city, county, parish, tribe or jurisdiction/sub-jurisdiction that is a significant enough area to allow for population-wide interventions and measurable results, and includes a targeted focus to address disparities resulting from the use of menthol and other flavored tobacco products.

NRT is an expense that will be negotiated during budget negotiations for funded recipients. Any funding of NRT should be appropriate to proposed strategies and activities in the workplan.

The applicant has discretion to propose a workplan of activities and strategies that is appropriate to the community.  There can be overlap.

This NOFO is an open competition. There are no restrictions on who can apply.  Partnership is encouraged. Applicants must be physically located and operate in the state, tribe, locality, or territory for which the work is proposed. Applicants must provide a statement that identifies the community and state, territory, or tribe in which the applicant will do the proposed work.

Yes.

Yes.

No. All state governments or their bona fide agents are eligible to apply.

No. Objective review panels will evaluate complete, eligible applications in accordance with the “Phase II Review” criteria section of the NOFO. Applications will be funded in order by score and rank determined by the review panel. CDC may fund out of rank order in order to ensure geographic diversity.

No, applicants are not allowed to obtain a letter of support from CDC staff.

Yes. You should include a letter of support your state’s tobacco control program that describes how they will collaborate with and/or provide technical assistance to you.

We recommend you obtain a letter of support from one of the recipients of the Networking2Save cooperative agreement.  The link to this NOFO can be found on pages 9-10 of the NOFO.

Applicants are not allowed to obtain a letter of support from CDC staff.  We recommend you obtain a letter of support from one of the recipients of the Networking2Save cooperative agreement.  The link to this NOFO can be found on pages 9-10 of the NOFO.

The community coalitions partnership is a decision of the applicant.  If a state tobacco control program is applying, this can be the coalition the state is working with for the Community-based Disparity Requirement for DP20-2001 or it can be a different coalition.

No.

Funding of Staff should be consistent with the resources necessary to carry out the strategies and activities in the community where activities will take place.  This should be included in the budget and budget narrative along with percentage of time to be spent on this NOFO.  There is no prohibition if staff are partially funded by other NOFOs and programs.

Applications will be funded by score and rank determined by an objective review panel. CDC may fund out of order for geographical diversity.   We do not have any restrictions on having more than 1 application from any state or locality; however, we reserve the right to fund out of rank order geographical diversity.

Yes.

Yes, subcontracts are allowed in this NOFO and must be specified in the budget and budget narrative.

This is a 5-year cooperative agreement. Awarded recipients are selected based on an objective review process of all eligible applications.  Following the initial awarding to start Year 1, awarded recipients will submit an annual continuation application for Years 2-5.

No. It is optional. The purpose of an LOI is to allow CDC program staff to estimate the number of and plan for the review of submitted applications.

Yes, you can submit questions to the NOFO FAQs website:  DP-23-0019: Building Capacity to Reduce the Burden of Menthol and Other Flavored Commercial Tobacco Products in Communities that Experience Health Disparities (cdc.gov).  Please review the FAQs site first in case the question has already been answered.

Questions can also be submitted via the mailbox MDDP230019@cdc.gov

If the applicant is the state health department’s tobacco control program, the applicant does not need to provide a letter from the state. However, they must submit a letter from a Networking2Save recipient (National Networks).

Yes. A CDC funded state, territorial or tribal tobacco control program manager can provide a letter of support.

This is NOFO is Open Competition. There are no exclusions of what type of entity can apply. See pages 3, 21, and 22.

The program manager for this NOFO should be focused 100% on the day-to-day implementation of the workplan.  Other positions, excluding the program manager, may be split between one or more staff.  The budget narrative should clearly specify the percentage of times each staff person will be funded from this NOFO.

The Project Management Structure needs to describe how the recipient will implement the Menthol NOFO’s strategies and activities. The Project Management Structure should demonstrate adequate infrastructure, structure and workforce capacity, and expert knowledge of the community through inclusion of community members as employees, volunteers, and/or board members.  This information is located on page 16 of the Menthol NOFO.

In addition, please refer to the following resources:

Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs (2014) pages 64-69 [PDF – 2.2 MB]

Best Practices User Guide: Program Infrastructure [PDF – 4.2 MB]

A recording of the informational call is not available. If there are questions regarding the Menthol Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), please submit them via email at MDDP230019@cdc.gov or on the Menthol NOFO website.

All applicants need a letter of support from the state tobacco control program that describe how they will collaborate with and/or provide technical assistance to the applicant. If the applicant is the state health department’s tobacco control program, the applicant does not need to provide a letter from the state. However, they must submit a letter from a Networking2Save recipient (National Networks). Additionally, applicants need at least two letters of support from members of the community coalition that include a specific description of their role in the proposed work.

The following is required:

• Applicants are required to submit a letter of support from the state, territorial or tribal tobacco control program. If the applicant is a tribe, a letter should be submitted from their Tribal Health Organization.  If the applicant is the state health department’s tobacco control program, the applicant does not need to provide a letter from the state. However, they must submit a letter from a Networking2Save recipient (National Networks).
• At least two letters of support from members of the community coalition that include a specific description of their role in the proposed work.

Yes. As defined in the NOFO on page 51, a community is a geographical location or setting that can include a city, county, parish, tribe, or jurisdiction/sub-jurisdiction that is a significant enough area to allow for population-wide interventions and measurable results and includes a targeted focus to address disparities resulting from the use of menthol and other flavored tobacco products.

An applicant’s plan to expand work to other communities would be explained in the proposed work plan. Applicants must submit a detailed work plan for Year 1 of the award. Applicants also must provide a general summary of work plan strategies and activities for years 2-5 in narrative form.

This NOFO is an open competition. There are no restrictions on who can apply.  Applicants must be physically located and operate in the state, tribe, locality, or territory for which the work is proposed. Applicants must provide a statement that identifies the community and state, territory, or tribe in which the applicant will do the proposed work.

As stated on page 22 of the NOFO under “Additional Information on Eligibility”, applicants must be physically located and operate in the state, tribe, locality, or territory for which the work is proposed. Applicants must provide a statement that identifies the community and state, territory, or tribe in which the applicant will do the proposed work. Applicant must provide proof of physical location (e.g., official letterhead, articles of incorporation, business card). This documentation must be labeled “Proposed_Work_Statement” and uploaded to www.grants.gov as a part of their application. See the glossary of this NOFO for the CDC definition of “community”.

According to page 16, recipients are required to have appropriate systems for data collection and evaluation of project performance measures, as well as adequate financial systems to meet federal government procurement requirements and statutes. This includes experience with budget management and administration capacity to establish financial procedures and track, monitor, and report expenditures. In addition, please refer to “Budget Narrative” on page 29 of the NOFO for what should be included in the itemized budget narrative.

The awarded recipient’s role is to follow their organization’s procurement rules to award any sub-contractors or grantees. The recipient should work closely with their financial office to help them understand the goals of this NOFO and to partner with financial office to work through their required mechanism for granting or sub-contracting funding. CDC’s role is to review and approve sub-contractors.

a) Applications will be rated to the extent that applicants address the evaluation criteria in the NOFO including to how the work plan will make progress towards the NOFO’s outcomes.

The work plan to address performance measure number 5 should focus on community education regarding the evidence-based approach of polices to prohibit the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes.

b) Applicants should review the purpose of this NOFO (on page 7), which states:

This NOFO supports recipients working to address health disparities among populations who use menthol and other flavored tobacco products, through coalitions that will 1) promote and support social, economic and community change; 2) educate the public, community leaders, partners, and decision makers on policy, systems, and environmental changes that can prevent and reduce menthol tobacco use; 3) implement culturally appropriate interventions tailored for community needs; and 4) use research, surveillance, and evaluation to measure progress made and inform public health action.

All applications will be scored based on the review and selection process criteria in Phase II on pages 34 – 36 in the NOFO.

c) Applications will be rated to the extent that applicants address the evaluation criteria in the NOFO including to how the work plan will make progress towards the NOFO’s outcomes.

d) Applications will be rated to the extent that applicants address the evaluation criteria in the NOFO including to how the work plan will make progress towards the NOFO’s outcomes.

e) As stated on page 20 of the NOFO under budget period length, throughout the project period, CDC will continue the award based on the availability of funds, the evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government.

As stated in the NOFO on page 17 under “Work Plan”, applicants must submit a detailed work plan for Year 1 of the award. Additionally, applicants must provide a general summary of work plan strategies and activities for Years 2-5 in narrative form. The Work Plan is part of the 20-page limit allowed for the Project Narrative. This work plan should include activities listed in section iii. Strategies and Activities. Applicants must name this file “Work_Plan” and upload to www.grants.gov with their application.

For another reference point, page 29 of NOFO has information regarding the work plan expressing the work plan is included in the Project Narrative’s page limit.

The risk assessment needs to be completed and uploaded with the application.

CDC requires all applicants to complete the Risk Questionnaire, OMB Control Number 0920-1132 annually. This questionnaire, which is located at http://www.cy118119.com/grants/documents/PPMR-G-CDC-Risk-Questionnaire.pdf, along with supporting documentation must be submitted with your application by the closing date of the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement. If your organization has completed CDC’s Risk Questionnaire within the past 12 months of the closing date of this NOFO, then you must submit a copy of that questionnaire, or submit a letter signed by the authorized organization representative to include the original submission date, organization’s EIN and UEI.

When uploading supporting documentation for the Risk Questionnaire into this application package, clearly label the documents for easy identification of the type of documentation. For example, a copy of Procurement policy submitted in response to the questionnaire may be labeled using the following format: Risk Questionnaire Supporting Documents _ Procurement Policy.

The letter of support can be address to the Office of Smoking and Health, Program Services Branch.

Applicants will need to comply with their state laws or other applicable restrictions.  For additional information regarding lobbying restrictions, see:

Anti-Lobbying Restrictions for CDC Grantees [PDF – 375 KB] and Additional Requirement – 12 | Grants | CDC.