NNPTC FOA Frequently Asked Questions
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This web page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being updated.
Applicants for the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) funding opportunity announcement can find answers to questions submitted via webinars, or the nnptcfoa@cdc.gov mailbox below. Questions which were received and were similar in nature were combined and/or edited for clarity.
The deadline to submit application questions is April 4, 2014. The application period for this FOA closes on May 6, 2014.
Staffing
1. Regarding the Ph.D.-level requirements for the Component B programs (pages 26–27), can persons with Master’s degrees, and with five, or seven, or ten, or more years of subject-matter experience be substituted in lieu of the .25 Ph.D. requirement?
No, the FOA specifically requires a Ph.D.
2. Are clinical faculty with M.D. degrees, with expertise in the subject matter, qualify as individuals with doctoral-level expertise?
Yes, an M.D. qualifies as doctoral-level experience.
3. For the personnel requirements under any component (pages 25–27 of the FOA), can these positions be in the form of consultants on subcontracts, or must they be in-house staff hires?
These positions could be filled by consultants, subcontracts, or in-house hires.
4. For the personnel requirements under any component (pages 25–27 of the FOA), are they required to be on staff at the time of the start of the funding (September 1, 2014), or can the work plan include a timeline for hiring?
If all personnel are not on-staff at the start of the award, it is reasonable to include a timeline for hiring in the work plan, as long as the position can be filled within the first three months of funding.
5. Please define mid-level faculty (as described on page 25). Is this a junior faculty member, as in an M.D., Ph.D., or something else, or does the mid-level refer to an N.P., R.N., or P.A.?
"Mid-level" refers to members of clinical faculty who are neither fresh graduates nor established senior faculty. In academic settings, mid-level means faculty who are mid-career, or hold an assistant or associate professor status. This usually refers to M.D.s, but some advanced practice nurses may also qualify.
6. Does the mid-level faculty member need to work at a level III STD site?
No, the mid-level faculty need not be currently working at a level III STD site. The person should have significant STD subject matter expertise and work in a setting that cares for persons at risk for STDs. The goal is to have this person provide mentorship to students and junior faculty, and to assist the CDC to develop guidelines and other clinical materials.
7. Are the listed personnel limited to just the lines of the Medical Director, Mid-Level Faculty, Fellow, and Coordinator, or can other lines, such as data coordinator, be listed?
In addition to the required personnel, applicants may include other types that help achieve the FOA goals.
8. For component B curriculum, it says that you must have a 0.25 FTE doctoral-level expert in curriculum development and adult learning theory. Can you please state what would show as expert in curriculum development and adult learning theory, and also, if this person can be in-kind?
The 0.25 doctoral-level expert can be fulfilled with any doctoral degree (i.e., M.D., Ph.D., Dr.P.H.), however, the person should have significant national recognition and publications in the content area. These positions could be filled by consultants, subcontracts, or in-house hires. We prefer that the expertise be funded at 0.25; however, with sufficient documentation of commitment, in-kind donation of time would be considered.
9. On page 25, it states that for Component A, a 1.0 medical fellow is required. Does this have to be a single individual at 1.0 FTE, or could it be, for example, two individuals, each at 0.5 FTE? Is this person 100% full-time for one year, or could it be .5 FTE for two people?
Applicants can fulfill the 1.0 FTE requirement for a fellow by splitting the FTE among one or two persons.
10. On page 25, it states that for Component A, a 0.5 midlevel faculty is required. Does this have to be a single individual at 0.5 FTE, or could it be, for example, two individuals each at 0.25 FTE?
Applicants can fulfill the 0.5 FTE requirement for a faculty by splitting the FTE among one or two persons.
11. Training centers may have experienced mid-level staff without a current academic appointment. Since receiving an academic appointment is not an immediate process, is it expected that these mid-level staff will have an academic appointment at the time of application (to meet the detailed staffing requirements of Component A) or would it be acceptable to indicate that the identified mid-level staff are going through the appointment process?
It is acceptable to indicate on the work plan and timeline that the identified mid-level staff are going through the appointment process.
12. Can any staff positions be “in-kind?” If so, are there any minimum or maximum percentage of FTEs requirements for in kind?
We prefer that staff positions be funded; however, with sufficient documentation of commitment, in-kind donations of time will be considered.
13. Page 4 of the FAQ states, “applicants can fulfill the 0.5 FTE requirements for faculty by splitting the FTE among one or two persons.” Can the FTE be split among 3 persons? 4 persons?
Applicants can fulfill the 0.5 FTE requirements for a faculty by splitting the FTE among one or two persons. We will consider other models only if they are well justified.
14. The FOA requires Component A regional center staff to include support for at least a 0.3 FTE medical director with recognized STD expertise. Can that 0.3 FTE medical director be split between two people? For instance, can there be two individuals that meet the requirements for the position, but each counted at a 0.2 FTE for a total of 0.4 FTE between the two?
Ideally, we prefer a single medical director for each center. Another model will only be considered if it is well-justified.
- Page last reviewed: April 10, 2014 (archived document)
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