After You Apply

As described in FOA PS15-1510 Section E. Review and Selection Process, applications will be reviewed in the following three phases:

Phase I Review:

All applications will be reviewed initially for completeness by CDC PGO staff and will be reviewed jointly for eligibility by the CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and PGO. Incomplete applications and applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will not advance to Phase II review. Applicants will be notified that their applications did not meet eligibility or published submission requirements.

Phase II Review:

A review panel will evaluate complete, eligible applications in accordance with the following criteria:

Approach: (50 points)

Outcomes: Applicants must provide a high-level overview of outcomes they expect to achieve by the end of the 3-year project period and a detailed description of outcomes to be achieved specifically during the first budget year. Outcomes are the results that the program intends to achieve. All outcomes must indicate the intended direction of change (e.g., increase, decrease, maintain). (See the logic model in the Approach section of the CDC Project Description.) 10 points

Strategies and Activities: Applicants must provide a high-level overview of strategies and activities they will use to achieve the proposed project period outcomes and a detailed description of strategies and activities specifically implemented during the first budget year (See CDC Project Description: Strategies and Activities section.) 20 points

Collaborations: Applicants must describe how they will collaborate with programs and organizations either internal or external to CDC. (See CDC Project Description: Strategies and Activities section.) 5 points

Staffing: Applicants must describe a plan to hire, retain, cross-train, and provide professional development for staff to ensure all proposed work plan activities are effectively addressed without interruption related to staff availability or changes. (See CDC Project Description: Strategies and Activities section.) 10 points

Reporting: Applicants must describe a process for submitting required reports to CDC. (See CDC Project Description: Strategies and Activities section.) 5 points

Evaluation and Performance Management: (25 points)

The extent to which the applicant:

Proposes an evaluation and performance measurement plan that is consistent with their work plan and the CDC evaluation and performance measurement strategy. 10 points

The plan must:

• Describe how outcomes, strategies, and activities will be monitored;
• Describe the role of PS15-1510 awardee, collaborative partners, and the target population in monitoring activities;
• Describe the type of evaluations to be conducted (i.e. formative, process, and outcome);
• Describe key evaluation questions to be answered that are consistent with the proposed activities and outcomes;
• Describe other information (e.g., performance measures to be developed by the applicant) that should be included;
• Describe potentially available data sources and feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data; and
• Describe how evaluation findings will be used for continuous program and quality improvement.

Develops measures of effectiveness that are consistent with the objectives identified in the work plan and are likely to measure the intended outcomes. 10 points

Allocates up to 10% of their total award to support evaluation activities, and are encouraged to work with professional evaluators to collect and use quality process and outcome evaluation data. 5 points

Applicant’s Organizational Capacity to Implement the Approach: (25 points)

The extent to which the applicant:

Demonstrates existing organizational capacity (e.g., program and staffing management; performance measurement and evaluation systems; financial reporting systems; communication, technological, and data systems required to implement the activities in an effective manner; physical infrastructure and equipment; workforce capacity) to successfully execute all proposed strategies and activities to meet the program requirements (e.g., examples of existing curricula related to FOA purpose, documentation of developing and delivering training curricula and technical assistance materials, and examples of existing e-learning products).

Demonstrates expertise and experience specifically related to the core competency categories that facilitate delivery of HIV prevention, care, behavioral health, and social services for MSM of color (e.g., staff curriculum vitae or resumes, existing training or technical assistance products, letters of support highlighting beneficial outcomes of efforts)

Demonstrates expertise and experience specifically related to the core competency categories that facilitate engagement, assessment, linkage, and retention of MSM of color in HIV prevention, care, behavioral health, and social services (e.g., staff curriculum vitae or resumes, existing training or technical assistance products, letters of support highlighting beneficial outcomes of efforts)

Demonstrates expertise and experience specifically related to the use of state-of-the-art technology to deliver competency-based training and technical assistance to health departments, community-based organizations, community health centers, and other local providers of HIV prevention, care, behavioral health, and social services (e.g., staff curriculum vitae or resumes, examples of training or technical assistance products, letters of support highlighting beneficial outcomes of efforts)

Budget and Justification (Reviewed, but not scored)

Although the budget is not scored, it may be considered in relation to the applicant's Organizational Capacity to Execute the Approach. The applicant should consider the following in development of their budget: Is the itemized budget reasonable and consistent with the purpose, outcomes, strategies, and activities outlined in the project narrative?

Not more than thirty days after the Phase II review is completed, applicants will be notified electronically if their application does not meet eligibility or published submission requirements.

Phase III Review:

Applications will be funded in order by score and rank determined by the review panel. However, CDC may conduct pre-decisional site visits to further inform funding determinations.