EM News Flash | May 22
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High School Students
Engage EM Program, Teach Classmates about Nuclear Cleanup
LAS VEGAS – Two high school students are aspiring to
educate their classmates on the Nevada National Security Site’s (NNSS)
environmental cleanup program after surveying them to gauge their knowledge
of it.
After
West Career and Technical Academy (WCTA) juniors Justine Leavitt and Cielo
Gumabon analyze the survey results, they will develop an educational tool to
boost students’ familiarity with NNSS’s work to clean up the environmental
legacy of historic nuclear weapons related activities. Leavitt and Gumabon
are considering several ideas for the tool, from a short documentary and audience-interactive
school assembly to a rap song or comic book.
Leavitt
and Gumabon are undertaking the project as part of their roles as the
first-ever student liaisons to the Nevada Site-Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB).
Representing Nevada stakeholders, members of the board review and comment on
environmental restoration and waste management activities at NNSS and provide
recommendations to the EM program on issues of concern to the region
surrounding NNSS.
The board
hopes to obtain a fresh perspective on environmental issues from the
pioneering student liaisons, who are encouraged to raise environmental
concerns on behalf of their classmates and the greater community. In turn,
the students learn about environmental and technical issues impacting the
region, build their portfolios and gain insight into potential college
studies and career tracks.
The
liaisons' year-long project is a first of a kind for WCTA, NNSS and NSSAB as
they come together for WCTA’s inaugural Student Liaison Project. Similar
partnerships exist at other DOE EM sites as well, including Oak Ridge in
Tennessee.
“Cielo and Justine have put a tremendous amount of work into this
project, and all the while they are juggling coursework and other
activities,” said NSSAB member Michael Moore, a mentor to the liaisons who
helped coordinate the project. “They are succeeding in creating a path for
other student liaisons who want to become involved with the environmental
work at NNSS and its impact on the community.”
Liaison Program Draws
Together School, NNSS and Community
Moore
said the project integrates the school with NNSS and the community, providing
the students leadership and educational opportunities outside the classroom.
“The
students already have had an introduction to environmental management, and
this project provides them with a real-world educational opportunity.
Hopefully this project will encourage and inspire the students to continue
forward on this path to college and later a career in environmental
management,” Moore said.
He said
the project’s goal of increasing the surveyed students’ NNSS knowledge is
important since the site is an integral part of the Las Vegas community. He
recalled his school days in the 1980s when he saw workers stand in line for
buses to transport them to the site. Many people in the community also
remember the nuclear testing viewing parties held decades ago.
“Las
Vegas has always been hand in hand with the site in one way or another,”
Moore said.
Gumabon
said that the research she and Leavitt perform to try to educate the WCTA
community will be a great skill to apply in her college and post-college
careers.
“I hope
to become an environmental and materials engineer, and research will play an
integral role,” she said.
Liaison: Students
Should Know about Environmental Cleanup
Leavitt
believes it’s important for WCTA students to have knowledge of the NNSS EM
program.
“Students
at WCTA are always trying to connect with their surroundings, and this is a
great way to do so,” she said of the liaison project. “It will help increase their
knowledge and awareness by us telling them what is happening. They should be
aware because they are living with the changes the site makes.”
Leavitt
and Gumabon worked with their high school and NNSS to craft the survey
questions. The surveys are emailed to the estimated 980 WCTA students for
completion during English classes. Once all surveys are received, the
liaisons will analyze the results and begin work on the educational tool this
fall.
This
month, Leavitt and Gumabon briefed NSSAB on their progress. Board members
responded positively, Moore said. The liaisons will update the board later
this year with the complete survey results.
Among the
survey questions:
Oak Ridge Students
Reflect on Advisory Board Experience
At Oak
Ridge, two non-voting student representatives from area high schools sit on
the Oak Ridge Site-Specific Advisory Board (ORSSAB)
and participate in the board’s working committees. ORSSAB’s outgoing student
representatives, Kasey McMaster and Amira Sakalla, were recently recognized
for their service at the board’s April meeting.
“I’ve
really enjoyed my time on ORSSAB. It gave me a taste of how decisions and
planning are carried out in the real world,” said Sakalla, a senior at Hardin
Valley Academy. “It’s a gradual process that requires patience, but results
in great progress. I plan on going into health care as a pediatrician, and
the ORSSAB has helped me make connections between two seemingly unrelated
fields. People often focus on how environmental issues affect the earth and
overlook how these issues affect humans and their health.”
McMaster,
a senior, said she found her experience on the board interesting and
enriching.
“I
learned about so many new things involving the environmental well-being of
the Oak Ridge Reservation I probably would never have known about had I not
taken the opportunity to be a student representative. I am thankful that I
was given the chance to participate,” McMaster said.
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Visit Us on the Web: www.em.doe.gov
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
High School Students Engage Environment Management Program
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
SBA: Small Business Help
Get the Small Business Help You Need, For Free!
Have a great idea for a new business, but don’t know where to get started?Try the government. Whether you’re looking for an app to help you get advice on the go, or reading material on how to get started, USA.gov has the information you need:
- Federal and state governments offer a large variety of free resources to people looking for small business help. USA.gov’s small business section helps you find government resources to start, operate and expand a business and much more.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) can help you with management, technical, and training issues, or help you find your loan and funding options from multiple government organizations. The SBA app helps you find local advisers who can give you free one-on-one help for growing your business. Use the calculator to figure out costs of starting a new business, and catch up on all the news through SBA’s social media channels.
- Visit the newly created Business.USA.gov to find the small business tools available to you from across the government. Partner agencies such as the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor share all their business resources in one spot, plus you can find out about state and local business outreach and development events.
- If you’re looking for information on specific business related topics, Publications.USA.gov features important information on patents and copyrights, current business scams, workplace health and safety and much more.
- The Consumer Action Handbook is a great resource to have on hand when you need to look up local, state and federal agencies for your business questions. You can also find trade associations and hot consumer topics like insurance questions, employment options, scams and more.
Haiti: Former Haitian telecom official gets 9 years in prison for bribery
MIAMI — A federal judge Monday sentenced a former top official of Haiti's state-owned telephone company to nine years in prison, after describing as "ludicrous" his testimony that the bribes he took from two Miami businesses were gifts for doing such a good job for them.
"It's perjurious," U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez said of Jean Rene Duperval's trial testimony in March. Duperval testified that the nearly $500,000 in bribes he received from two local telecom contractors were "tokens of appreciation."
The judge's finding of obstruction of justice, with other factors such as the amount of the kickbacks, doubled Duperval's sentencing under federal guidelines. Martinez ordered Duperval, 45, to pay the kickback amount to the U.S. government. The defendant used some of the money to buy his Miramar home and finance his three children's Florida Prepaid College Plans, prosecutors said.
Duperval's wife, Ingrid, tried to impress upon the judge that her husband was a U.S.-educated engineer from a prominent Haitian family headed by two doctors, and she wished Martinez had met him "under better circumstances."
Justice Department prosecutor James Koukios offered a different portrayal, saying Duperval "was born with a silver spoon in his mouth."
"And what did he do? He exploited that benefit" to obtain a high-ranking management job with Haiti Teleco and loot the country and line his pockets, Koukios said.
In March, a Miami federal jury found that the two telecommunications companies, Cinergy and Terra, secured discounted long-distance phone rates with Haiti Teleco due to the payoffs to Duperval. He was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy related to accepting the bribes.
Duperval, who was hired as Haiti Teleco's director of international relations by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2003, is the first Haitian government official to be convicted at trial by the Justice Department under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The law prohibits American businesses from paying bribes to foreign businesses and government officials.
Duperval's former boss at Haiti Teleco, Patrick Joseph, pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year. Joseph, 50, is the Justice Department's main witness in a long-running investigation into Aristide's alleged role in the Haiti Teleco bribery case.
In March, Joseph's father was shot to death in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Venel Joseph, 80, the former governor of Haiti's Central Bank during the Aristide administration from 2001-04, was killed outside his home by gunmen on motorcycles in a residential area. Joseph's driver survived the ambush.
Because of security concerns, Venel Joseph's body was brought to South Florida for burial.
The shooting occurred two days after The Miami Herald reported that the son, Patrick Joseph, had cut a cooperation deal with the Justice Department.
Patrick Joseph pleaded guilty in February to a money-laundering conspiracy charge, and agreed to testify about millions of dollars in bribes he claims to have shared with Aristide and other senior officials, according to legal sources familiar with the probe.
Aristide's lawyer, Ira Kurzban, has denied the allegation.
The country's central bank owned Haiti Teleco and was used to distribute the kickbacks paid by the Miami businesses, according to an indictment.
Since the first Haiti Teleco indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in 2009, a dozen South Florida business people and Haitian officials have been charged in the case.
Profits from the lower long-distance phone rates were pocketed by the Haitian officials, not the government's phone company. So far, seven of those defendants - including Patrick Joseph - have been convicted of corruption or money laundering.
Joseph is expected to be sentenced this summer.
A key witness at Duperval's trial was Robert Antoine, who was Haiti Teleco's director of international relations before Duperval. In 2010, Antoine pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering, admitting he took $1 million in bribes from Terra and Cinergy in exchange for lower phone rates, discounted costs and contract renewals.
At Duperval's trial, Antoine testified after he left the government job, he worked as a consultant for Cinergy and facilitated payments from that business to the defendant. Antoine, who was sentenced to four years in prison, is expected to see his term slashed in half by the judge next week at the recommendation of the Justice Department.
Copyright 2012 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Jay Weaver | McClatchy Newspapers
©2012 The Miami Herald
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/05/21/149617/former-haitian-telecom-official.html#storylink=cpy
Monday, May 21, 2012
Department of Energy: Web-based Project Preserves Plant’s Uranium Enrichment Legacy
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Whole Community: Communities taking control
Using the Toxic Release Inventory to Build Power in Communities
2012 May 17
By Erin Heaney
When Congress created the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), they intended for communities to have access to information about what was happening at the facilities in their neighborhoods. But until very recently, in the neighborhood we live in, many folks didn’t know the database existed and others didn’t have access to computers or know how to use them.
My organization, the Clean Air Coalition, was founded by residents in Tonawanda, NY who suspected that their pervasive health problems were linked to the industrial plants in their neighborhoods. There are 53 industrial facilities in Tonawanda, which is the highest concentration of air-regulated facilities in the state.
We have built power by developing grassroots leaders who run campaigns that advance environmental justice in Western New York. For example, in March we trained our membership on how to use the TRI.
We spent the first half of the training learning about history of TRI and about how it was through communities standing up and saying that they needed more information about the environmental conditions in their communities that led to the creation of the TRI. Our members learned who reports to TRI, as well as when and how the data is verified. Afterward, we headed over to the computer lab to learn how to use the EPA TRI tool myrtk.epa.gov. Our members dug into the data for their neighborhoods and learned which companies were polluting, what they were emitting and what the health effects of those emissions were.
Their reactions were powerful. One member said, “I’m sick to my stomach;” another said, “This makes me angry and makes me want to do something about it.” Folks left the training ready to recruit more of their neighbors to push for emissions reductions from companies and policymakers.
The training took place during the Coalition’s campaign to ensure the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYS DEC) air monitors remained up and running. The training educated members about what was in their back yards and motivated them to advocate for air monitoring in the community. In the end, our work paid off and the campaign successfully resulted in a commitment from the NYS DEC to keep the monitors up and running for another two years. At our office we have a saying: “Knowledge isn’t power. Power is power.” While access to information alone doesn’t make change, providing people with information about what’s happening in their neighborhoods is an essential piece of building power in environmental justice communities.
About the author: Erin Heaney is the Executive Director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, a grassroots organization that develops community leadership to win campaigns that advance public health and environmental justice. She has trained hundreds of grassroots leaders and won campaigns that have resulted in significant emissions reductions from some of the region’s largest polluters.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations
are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action,
and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Whole Community: Voting Rights of Ex-Offenders
Ex-offenders
find a reason to reclaim the vote
WASHINGTON
POST
By Mary
C. Curtis
Should
American citizens who have been convicted of crimes and served their time have
their right to vote restored?
The
question is a political issue, part of a voting-rights debate that is being
fought in the states and among political candidates. To ex-felons, it can be a
personal challenge, as well: Will their votes matter, and why should they
care?
The
rapper 2 Chainz, made the case for the vote at a pre-show stop at the Urban
League of Central Carolinas in Charlotte on Saturday. He told his story for 40
young people, a few with criminal records. The 35-year-old Atlanta-based
performer said he was first arrested at age 15 for cocaine possession. When it
came to voting, he thought he was “counted out” and didn’t know he was eligible
until he picked up a brochure at a registration drive at an Atlanta mall. Along
with 10 friends, he recruited from his recording studio, “I walked around with a
sticker the whole day” they voted.
To
supporters, restoring voting rights to former felons is a logical and positive
step, a way to give them a stake in the world outside prison walls. That was the
point of the weekend workshop organized by the Washington-based Hip-Hop Caucus and its “Respect My Vote” campaign, a nonpartisan
mobilization and education effort focused particularly on young voters.
Denying
former felons the vote, “ultimately denies rights to a class of people based on
previous actions,” according to William Harding, a Charlotte attorney, who also
spoke at the even. “Once a person has paid his debt to society, it’s important
that he is integrated back into society,” he told me. The ex-inmates are more
involved, Harding said, and their recidivism rate is
lower.
He
explained that in North Carolina, anyone who completes all parts of a sentence
for a felony conviction, including probation and parole, can register to restore
the voting right that was lost, though it is a crime to register before the
sentence is completed. Those convicted of a misdemeanor do not lose their right
to vote.
The
law puts North Carolina somewhere between Maine and Vermont, where felons never
lose their voting rights, and states such as Kentucky and Virginia, which
require the governor to approve an application. (In Virginia, GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell has
stepped up the pace to restore rights.) In some states, only the most serious
crimes are punished with permanent disenfranchisement.
Because
the courts have determined voting is a fundamental rather than constitutional
right, Harding said, it’s left up to the states, and he thinks that’s wrong.
“It’s not as though they’re somehow going to taint the process,” he said.
“Ultimately, the laws affect them, too.”
The
issue can be used to label an opponent soft on crime, as Republican Rick
Santorum found out in the primaries when a Mitt Romney Super PAC ad
attacked – and in Santorum’s view, distorted -- his position advocating voting
rights for ex-felons who completed their obligations. At a debate before the
South Carolina primary, Santorum challenged Romney and pointed out the former
Massachusetts governor’s once similar stance. Romney answered that he governed a
largely Democratic electorate then, and stated his current view that “people who
committed violent crimes should not be able to vote, even upon coming out of
office."
It’s
an issue with a racial dimension, as African American men are disproportionately
affected. In her 2010 book “The New Jim Crow: Mass
Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” Michelle Alexander places current
policy – including a disparity in prosecution and sentencing rates,
particularly for drug-related offenses -- within a history of America’s
disenfranchisement of African American voters. The University of Michigan Law
School and the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School
of Law released an analysis this week that
counted more than 2,000 people in the United States who were falsely convicted
of serious crimes and then exonerated in the past 23 years. The universities
used their archive to study the details of 873 of those exonerations. Nine out
of 10 in that group were men, and half were African
American.
On
Saturday, Brandi Williams, the Hip Hop Caucus Charlotte coordinator, recited
statistics from the nonprofit Sentencing Project that showed lower N.C.
registration and voting rates among those with felony convictions. It’s “not
good for democracy,” she said.
In a
close 2012 presidential election, when every vote in swing states such as North
Carolina promises to be crucial, both parties are concerned about the issue. In Florida, Republican
Gov. Rick Scott and other state officials last year rolled back the 2007 rule
change by then-GOP Gov. Charlie Crist that made it easier for many ex-felons to
regain the right to vote. Now even nonviolent offenders have to wait five years
before applying for the chance to have their rights restored. "It clearly has
the effect of suppressing the vote as we go into a presidential election cycle,"
Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union, told The Washington Post then.
Participants
at the Charlotte event could fill out registration forms and a “Respect My Vote”
pledge, which included space to list the issues they care about. Patrick Graham,
executive director of the Urban League of Central Carolinas, said the event was
not to advocate for any candidate or position, but to emphasize the message “to
never let your past determine your future.” He made the Urban League’s computer
lab and resources available for anyone to research candidates and
issues.
Graham
said some with past felony convictions are too willing to give away their voting
rights. “They don’t look on them as a priority.” He told the workshop
participants, “It’s so important you follow through with
this.”
At
first, 23-year-old Dimitros Jordan said he was turned off by politics. “Nothing
is really going to change,” he said, preferring to “put it in God’s hands.”
After attending a question-and-answer session in which some pointed out that it
was civic action that led to charges for George Zimmerman after he shot Florida
teen Trayvon Martin, Jordan changed his mind. He served five months as a
teenager for armed robbery, he said, but now works in construction and coaches
children in summer camp. Jordan said he is determined to stay out of trouble –
and to vote. “I’m going to tell my friends,” he said.
Patrick
Chambers, 26, of Charlotte, has never voted. “I didn’t think I could” after a
felony conviction, he said. He intends to vote for the first time in November.
“People in the neighborhood are quick to accuse the government, ‘They don’t do
this, they don’t do that,’” he said. “It’s really our fault if we don’t
vote.”
Mary
C. Curtis, an award-winning multimedia journalist in Charlotte, N.C., is a
contributor to The Root, Fox News Charlotte, NPR, Creative Loafing and Nieman
Watchdog blog. She has worked at The New York Times, Charlotte Observer and as
national correspondent for Politics Daily. Follow her on Twitter:
@mcurtisnc3
Security Alert: Credit and Debit card
Make it a habit yearly obtain a replacement credit or debit card especially if you use them for purchases on the internet or other uses.
Banking and Finance Sector
8. May 18, H Security – (National) Global Payments breach reportedly worse than expected. The security breach at credit card processing company Global Payments extends back further than was previously believed, H Security reported May 18.
According to BankInfoSecurity, the incident is now thought to go back as far as January 2011 — it was originally believed to have taken place between January 21 and February 25, 2012, but was later dated to early June 2011. While initial reports of the breach suggested more than 10 million accounts were compromised, Global Payments later said fewer than 1.5 million card numbers were taken.
Source: http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Global-Payments-breach-reportedly-worse-than-expected-1578956.html
DHS\FEMA. Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Requirement
Grant Programs Directorate Information Bulletin No 385 April 4, 2012
MEMORANDUM FOR: All State Administrative Agency Heads
All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact
All Urban Areas Security Initiative Points of Contact
All State Homeland Security Directors
All State Emergency Management Agency Directors
FROM: Timothy W. Manning
Deputy Administrator
Protection and National Preparedness
SUBJECT: Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Requirement
This Information Bulletin (IB) is applicable to grantees receiving Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) awards.
As enumerated in the funding opportunity announcements and application kits, each grantee receiving funding assistance from the above grants must conduct a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) in order remain eligible for grant funds. HSGP and EMPG grantees will be required to develop a THIRA and provide a copy to their Regional Federal Preparedness Coordinator no later than December 31, 2012. The THIRA must be updated and reviewed by DHS for consistency and content annually.
Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 201: Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide and an accompanying CPG 201 Supplement 1: Toolkit with resources and information, data sources, and table templates are attached for your convenience, and are also posted at http://www.fema.gov/prepared/plan.shtml. Grantees are strongly encouraged to work jointly with their counterparts in other levels of government, and across the whole community in order to ensure a complete THIRA. Technical assistance and a report template will be made available to assist grantees in meeting this requirement.
Questions regarding this Information Bulletin may be directed to your assigned FEMA Program Analyst or the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk at askcsid@fema.dhs.gov or 1-800-368-6498.
Attachment:
CPG 201: Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide
CPG 201 Supplement 1: Toolkit
Use of THIRA for Preparedness Grants
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?&id=5838
Haiti: Former military should concentrate of other infrastructures of nation
Former soldiers and allies detained in Haiti
Port-au-Prince |
Port-au-Prince (Reuters) - Haitian
authorities on Sunday announced the arrest of 59 uniformed former soldiers and
several alleged supporters who staged a series of protests on Friday and
Saturday calling for the return of the nation's disbanded army.The soldiers and their allies were charged with forming a rogue army and repeatedly violating government orders to remove their uniforms and lay down their weapons, officials said.
In 1995, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide dismantled the Haitian army, which had staged numerous coups and committed human rights abuses.
"They were parading outside the presidential palace in olive green military uniform and some were carrying weapons," Michaelange Gedeon, police director for the West department, told Reuters.
Among those arrested were two Americans, identified as William Petrie and Steven Shaw, accused of providing training and logistics, authorities said.
Five vehicles and a number of weapons were confiscated, officials said.
In recent weeks, groups of former soldiers who were part of the dismantled Haitian army occupied government buildings and former military headquarters in several parts of the country. They were joined by scores of youths in their 20s and early 30s eager for jobs.
They were often seen armed and in military uniforms in the streets and sometimes directing traffic, fueling concerns of instability in a nation still struggling to recover from a catastrophic 2010 earthquake.
Haitian President Michel Martelly supports the idea of reconstituting the army and commissioned a study seeking recommendations.
Martelly has said Haitians would prefer to have their country protected by its own army rather than United Nations troops, who have acted as peacekeepers in the impoverished Caribbean nation on and off since 1994.
U.N. officials have expressed concern that restoring the army could undermine international efforts to train and equip a new civilian police force, a key goal of the U.N. mission in Haiti. Critics also point to the former army's appalling human rights record, including a bloody coup in 1991.
Haitian Deputy Minister for Public Safety Reginald Delva said several specialized units of the police, supported by UN peacekeepers, were involved in the weekend raids.
"The government wants to launch a clear message to the ex-military and their allies. This practice of taking over government buildings and taking to the streets armed and in military uniforms is over," Delva told Reuters.
"The instructions were clear and the police did a great job in making sure no one was killed during the raids."
Haitian authorities said a camp, settled by ex-soldiers in the northern town of Cap-Haitien, was also evacuated. In several places the ex-soldiers and allies fled as the police arrived. Eight women were also arrested during the raids, which were conducted without any major casualties. A U.N. soldier was injured by rock-throwing protesters.
(Additional reporting and editing by David Adams; Editing by Stacey Joyce)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/05/21/haiti-soldiers-idINDEE84K00X20120521
Funding Opportunities: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
|
Funding
Opportunities > Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination
of Evidence-based Medicine (R24): Frequently Asked
Questions
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Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination of Evidence-based Medicine (R24) |
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe following set of questions and answers features responses from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to questions from the public submitted about the Agency's Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination of Evidence-based Medicine (R24). These frequently asked questions were updated on May 18, 2012. The following questions are derived from individual questions submitted to DisseminationGrants2012@ahrq.hhs.gov about the Request for Applications (RFA) HS-12-005: Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination of Evidence-based Medicine (R24) and are shared here for all potential applicants. We encourage applicants to review all replies and to monitor this site for newly added questions and answers.
A. Eligibility/Who Can Apply
B. Investigator Qualifications, Titles, and Other Designations C. Determining Suitability of the Theme, Projects, or Research Ideas for Submission D. Formatting, Organization, and Page Limits of Submissions E. Letters of Intent A. Eligibility/Who Can ApplyQuestion A1: What organizations are eligible to apply?Answer A1: Eligible Institutions: You may submit an application(s) if your institution/organization has any of the following characteristics, as described in the RFA:
Applications from health care provider organizations that directly provide services to the targeted population, such as integrated health care delivery systems or primary care Practice-Based Research Networks, interested in dissemination and implementation research in partnership with appropriate community stakeholders and members of the target population are also encouraged. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants policy requires that the grant recipient perform a substantive role in the conduct of the planned project or program activity and not merely serve as a conduit of funds to another party or parties. If consortium/contractual activities represent a significant portion of the overall project, the applicant must justify why the applicant organization, rather than the party(s) performing this portion of the overall project, should be the grantee and what substantive role the applicant organization will play. Justification can be provided in the Specific Aims or Research Strategy section of the PHS398 Research Plan Component sections of the SF424 (R&R) application. There is no budget allocation guideline for determining substantial involvement; determination of substantial involvement is based on a review of the primary project activities for which grant support is provided and the organization(s) that will be performing those activities. Question A2: Can multiple Principal Investigators (PIs) within an institution submit separate applications with different fields of study? Answer A2: Eligible institutions (as described in Section III.1.A of the RFA) may submit more than one application to RFA-HS-12-005, provided each application is scientifically distinct. However, AHRQ will not accept similar grant applications with essentially the same research focus from the same applicant organization. Question A3: Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply for this FOA? Answer A3: AHRQ's authorizing legislation does not allow for-profit organizations to be eligible to lead applications under this research mechanism. Thus, for the purpose of this FOA, AHRQ will make grants only to non-profit organizations. For-profit organizations may participate in projects as members of consortia or as subcontractors only. Because the purpose of this program is to improve health care in the United States, foreign institutions may participate in projects as members of consortia or as subcontractors only. Applications submitted by for-profit organizations or foreign institutions will not be reviewed. Organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying are not eligible. HHS grants policy requires that the grant recipient perform a substantive role in the conduct of the planned project or program activity and not merely serve as a conduit of funds to another party or parties. If consortium/contractual activities represent a significant portion of the overall project, the applicant must justify why the applicant organization, rather than the party(s) performing this portion of the overall project, should be the grantee and what substantive role the applicant organization will play. Justification can be provided in the Specific Aims or Research Strategy section of the PHS398 Research Plan Component sections of the SF424 (R&R) application. There is no budget allocation guideline for determining substantial involvement; determination of substantial involvement is based on a review of the primary project activities for which grant support is provided and the organization(s) that will be performing those activities. B. Investigator Qualifications, Titles, and Other DesignationsQuestion B1: What qualifies a senior investigator to be a PI? Is it years of experience, academic rank, number of publications, or prior research grant experience, such as grant leadership?Answer B1: There are no specific guidelines of what qualifies a senior investigator to be a PI; this determination is made upon review by the Special Emphasis Panel. Applicants should make the best case for their abilities within the application. The RFA clearly describes what the PI must be able to provide in terms of leading these initiatives. Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for AHRQ support. The Project Director/PI must commit substantial time to the oversight of project and activities (at a minimum 15% annually). Question B2: Can the investigator who is designated to act and make decisions in the absence of the PI be named a co-PI? Answer B2: No. AHRQ does not recognize multiple PIs, so the term "co-PI" should not be used. For space considerations and/or convenience, an applicant may designate some other shorthand or abbreviation to refer to the designated co-investigator; applicants should make sure this and any other abbreviations are explicit and clear. C. Determining Suitability of the Theme, Projects, or Research Ideas for SubmissionQuestion C1: How can applicants determine if their planned approach is a good fit for this RFA?Answer C1: Applicants should read the RFA closely, including its review criteria; this is the best available guidance to potential applicants about the responsiveness of their planned research. Applicants should be aware that the determination of suitability and responsiveness of applications is the task of the Special Emphasis Panel, not AHRQ. Question C2: Can applicants discuss the scientific and research aspects of their proposals with AHRQ? Answer C2: AHRQ appreciates all expressions of interest from prospective applicants. Applicants should read the RFA closely, including its review criteria; this is the best available guidance to potential applicants about the responsiveness of their planned research. If applicants have specific questions after reviewing the RFA, they can E-mail these questions to DisseminationGrants2012@ahrq.hhs.gov. For reasons of equity and consistency, AHRQ scientific staff responds in writing to all inquiries. Wherever it is possible and appropriate, AHRQ will clarify common areas of uncertainty in a written and generalized format that is applicable for dissemination to other potential applicants, such as frequently asked questions. Telephone counseling on potential study ideas is discouraged in order to be equitable and avoid potential misdirection of applicants. Applicants should be aware that the determination of suitability and responsiveness of applications is the task of the Special Emphasis Panel, not AHRQ. Question C3: What sources and translation of evidence-based health information are appropriate in response to this RFA? Answer C3: Applicants must apply or develop one or more new or innovative customizations or mechanisms of delivery to the content of evidence-based information and/or tools in order to enhance their use and value in decisionmaking by key audiences, including patients/consumers, clinicians, and policymakers. Comparative effectiveness information/tools must be chosen from trusted sources, including, but not limited to: AHRQ, Institute of Medicine (IOM), Cochrane Collaborative, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Adaptations must preserve the fidelity of the original product(s) contents, and the application must describe methods of adaptation. A wide range of mechanisms, media, and communication channels may be considered, including, but not limited to:
Applicants must describe and support all proposed methods or mechanisms for adapted presentation and/or delivery of evidence-based health information. Applications must include a clear rationale and approach for the proposed adaptation(s) of materials, such as media requirements, cultural sensitivities, literacy and numeracy, English language proficiency, visual/educational/cognitive competencies of the targeted audience or stakeholder group members, information processing and burden, conflicting health beliefs or information sources, issues with authority or trust of information provided by the government, or other considerations. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to assess the utility of the original evidence-based health information/tool to the proposed target(s) for adaptation, so as to identify key, generalizable gaps in content presentation or formatting, acceptance, understanding, or willingness to apply the materials in actual use situations. Such assessment would provide evidence to guide subsequent adaptation or modification of the primary material to a specific audience, system, setting, communication channel, or expanded purpose. D. Formatting, Organization, and Page Limits of SubmissionsQuestion D1: Are applications allowed to have appendices?Answer D1: An application may include an appendix, but applicants should not use the appendix to circumvent the specific page limit for the Research Strategy component. Applicants should observe the page number limits specified in the RFA. An application will be rejected if it does not comply with these requirements. Question D2: Does the 15-page limit for the Research Strategy section of the application include the Specific Aims? Answer D2: No. The Specific Aims are limited to one page, and that page is separate from the Research Strategy. It does not count toward the 15-page limit. Question D3: Can the tables and figures be in a smaller font size? Answer D3: Yes. A font size smaller than 11 point font may be used for figures, graphs, diagrams, charts, tables, figure legends, and footnotes; however, the font type must follow the font typeface requirement (Palatino, Georgia, Arial, or Helvetica) and be readily legible. Question D4: Is there a page limit for the appendix? Answer D4: The FOA does not restrict the number of pages in the appendix, stating only that applicants should not use the appendix to circumvent the page limit of the Research Plan component and warning that an application that does not observe the required page limit may be delayed in the review process. Applicants should note the special instructions in Section IV.3 of the FOA for submitting appendices to the National Institutes of Health and AHRQ. Question D5: Regarding the submission of appendix materials on CD for an application in response to RFA-HS-12-005, is it correct that five copies of the CD should be sent to AHRQ and none should be sent to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review? Answer D5: Yes. Five copies of the CD containing the appendix materials should be sent to AHRQ, along with two copies of the application; no CDs should be sent to the NIH Center for Scientific Review. The RFA states: Applications must be prepared using the forms found in the PHS 398 instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to: Center for Scientific Review (for express/courier service; non-USPS service) Personal deliveries of applications are no longer permitted (go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-040.html).
Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination FOAQuestion D6: Can applications be submitted electronically? Answer D6: No. Applications in response to this RFA must be submitted in hard copy, using the PHS 398, and sent to the Center for Scientific Review and AHRQ. Instructions for submitting an application are given in the previous answer (Answer D5). PHS 398 application instructions are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of the PHS 398. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Applications must be received on or before the application receipt date described above (Section IV.3.A.). If an application is received after that date, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed. Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH, and AHRQ. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will not be reviewed. Question D7: Should the requirements stated in Section IV.6. be included in the 15-page Research Strategy or in another section of PHS 398? Answer D7: Yes, the requirements should be included in the 15-page Research Strategy. Section IV.6. of the RFA states that the application must include:
Answer D8: When instructions in an RFA differ from the general application instructions, the instructions in the FOA always supersede the general instructions. Therefore, the page limit for the Research Strategy is 15 pages. E. Letters of IntentQuestion E1: What specific information should be in the letter of intent? Is there a particular format or length?Answer E1: As stated in the RFA, the letter of intent allows AHRQ staff to estimate the potential peer review workload and plan the review accordingly (that is, anticipate the nature of reviewer expertise that will be required). Prospective applicants may submit a letter of intent that includes an acknowledgement of interest in this funding opportunity (referring to the number and title of the funding opportunity), a few comments on the subject of the proposed research, background expertise of key personnel, the nature and role of participating institutions, and the name and E-mail address of the PI. This letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and is not considered in the review of a subsequent application. AHRQ requests that letters of intent for this FOA be E-mailed to DisseminationGrants2012@ahrq.hhs.gov by April 27, 2012.
Current as of May 2012
Internet Citation:
Partnerships for Sustainable Research and Dissemination of
Evidence-based Medicine (R24): Frequently Asked Questions. May 2012. Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/rfahs12005faq.htm
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National Disability Rights Network and Emergency Management
Our Position
The nation learned a painful lesson in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina during which thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, and other
vulnerable populations were left behind because no plans for their evacuation
had been developed. Since then, NDRN has been working to ensure that people
with disabilities are never forgotten in an emergency again. NDRN believes
disaster management and emergency preparedness plans at the local, state and
national level, as well as in the private sector, must include people with
disabilities.
Taking Action
In March, NDRN signed a memorandum of agreement with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will strengthen the Network’s
ability to collaborate with officials before, during and after an emergency and
ensuring the needs and concerns of individuals with a disability are heard. Read the agreement here.
Also in March, NDRN reached an agreement with the Red Cross to collaborate on issues affecting the disability community. Read that agreement here.
Resources
April 30, 2010: FEMA Intergovernmental Advisory FEMA Urges Residents to Get Ready for Hurricane Season
November 20, 2009: New resources on H1N1 for children and adults with disabilities from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Disability and the Centers for Disease Control.
The nation learned a painful lesson in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina during which thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, and other
vulnerable populations were left behind because no plans for their evacuation
had been developed. Since then, NDRN has been working to ensure that people
with disabilities are never forgotten in an emergency again. NDRN believes
disaster management and emergency preparedness plans at the local, state and
national level, as well as in the private sector, must include people with
disabilities.Taking Action
In March, NDRN signed a memorandum of agreement with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will strengthen the Network’s
ability to collaborate with officials before, during and after an emergency and
ensuring the needs and concerns of individuals with a disability are heard. Read the agreement here.Also in March, NDRN reached an agreement with the Red Cross to collaborate on issues affecting the disability community. Read that agreement here.
Resources
April 30, 2010: FEMA Intergovernmental Advisory FEMA Urges Residents to Get Ready for Hurricane Season
- Persons with Disabilities and the Flu http://www.hhs.gov/od/
- You may also go directly to flu.gov Persons with Disabilities and Flu, by following this link http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/healthconditions/disabilities/index.html
- To be taken directly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published: 2009 H1N1 Flu Information for People with Disabilities and Their Caregivers or Personal Assistants, please follow this link http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/disabilities/
November 20, 2009: New resources on H1N1 for children and adults with disabilities from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Disability and the Centers for Disease Control.
-
September 30, 2009 - The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today
released the following reports, testimony, and correspondence: Disaster Housing:
FEMA Needs More Detailed Guidance and Performance Measures to Help Ensure
Effective Assistance after Major Disasters. GAO-09-796, August 28
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-796 .
- September 30, 2009 - Detailed Report on the Status of Georgia Flood Activities
- September 29, 2009 - FEMA Statement: American Samoa Earthquake Tsunami Disaster
-
September 24, 2009 - See DSHO-H1N1 for Dear State Health Officer letter from CMS
regarding H1N1, discussing among other things high priority populations and
presumptive eligibility
-
The National Commission on Children and Disasters approved an Interim Report
to President Obama and Congress. The report identifies several shortcomings in
disaster preparedness, response and recovery and provides recommendations
designed to make children an immediate priority in disaster planning…See Commission Urges President and Congress to Make Children a
Priority in Disaster Planning - September 15, 2009.
- Preparing for H1N1 this Flu Season (September 17, 2009)
- Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Small
Businesses and P&As- September 16, 2009
Seasonal flu vaccine is now available and CDC leaders are encouraging everyone to take advantage of this vaccine early this year. It is anticipated that a vaccine for the H1N1 virus will be available sometime in early to mid-October.
See http://www.flu.gov/professional/business/smallbiz.html/?date=091409for recently released guidance for H1N1 targeting small businesses – like the P&As. The guidance is intended to minimize the potential effects of widespread H1N1 flu in the coming weeks and months - 2009 H1N1 Influenza
- H1N1 (Swine) Flu and You Questions & Answers
- Get Disaster Information Fact Sheet
- Fact Sheet - Spring Rainy Season
- FEMA North Dakota Flooding Press Release
- National Voluntary Organizations Assistance Guide
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Disaster Preparedness
- Disaster Preparedness Checklist
- Ready.gov (US Dept of Homeland Security)
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