Supporting Statement for Information Technology
Professionals in Health Care:
Curriculum Development Centers
A. Justification
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
The Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is requesting emergency action for this clearance by the Office of Management and Budget no later than 11/25/09. ONC is requesting emergency processing procedures for this application because this information is needed immediately to assure that ARRA funds are used timely and effectively.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, under section 3016 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), Information Technology Professionals in Health Care, authorizes “assistance to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish or expand health informatics education programs, including certification, undergraduate, and masters degree programs, for both health care and information technology students to ensure the rapid and effective utilization and development of health information technologies in the United States health care infrastructure.”
Purpose and Use of Information Collection
The data collection will be used by ONC to select up to 5 Health IT Curriculum Development Centers that will develop materials that institutions can use to construct instructional programs. Each center will collaborate with local community colleges to ensure that the materials are compatible with community college students and methods of instruction, and can be accessed electronically by students, allowing their use for distance education. The centers will work with industry and employer groups to ensure that the materials will prepare students to meet emerging workforce needs. The centers will also work with the community college grant awardees in each region to support the dissemination and use of these materials.
The application will assist ONC in determining the ability of the applicant to successfully implement a health information technology curriculum development center. Information from the applications will also be used to develop cooperative agreements between ONC and the applicants who are selected to implement the program.
It is anticipated that up to fifteen applicants will apply to participate in the program. Each applicant will be responsible for completing and submitting the application.
Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction
All documents for the information collection will be submitted electronically using grants.gov. ONC staff will analyze the data electronically and communicate with the applicants using email.
Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
Since this is a new program that was created through ARRA, the information that will be collect has never been collected before by the federal government.
Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities
No impact on small business
Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequent Collection
This is a one time data collection.
Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
No special circumstance
Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice/Outside Consultation
Due to the emergency nature of the program announce OMB has waived the FRN requirements for this collection.
Explanation of any Payment/Gift to Respondents
Not applicable
Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
No personal health information will be collected. All grant information will be kept private to the extent allowed by application laws/regulations.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
No sensitive information will be collected.
Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours (Total Hours & Wages)
In order to complete the application, each applicant will be required to: identify specific strategies to develop health information technology curriculum and materials that support the training at community colleges in six focus areas identified by ONC; and create a program management plan. Some applicants will also apply for the additional responsibility of disseminating the curriculum and materials, activities that will be incorporated into their project strategies and work plan. This work will require analysis and writing, however, strict page limits are being imposed to prevent applicants from being overburdened.
It is estimated that it will take approximate 150 hours per applicant to complete the application. These will consist of 1.4 full week’s work (35 hours) for three staff members, including an educational or administrative leader, program manager, and administrative assistant.
It is estimated that 15 respondents will submit applications. It is known that there exists about 30 institutions of higher education that meet the qualifications and it is estimated that about half of those will apply for this funding opportunity.
12A. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
Estimated Annualized Burden Table
Forms (If necessary) |
Type of Respondent
|
Number of Respondents |
Number of Responses per Respondent |
Average Burden hours per Response |
Total Burden Hours |
Application |
Not-for-profit organizations |
15 |
1 |
150 |
2,250 |
12B. Cost estimates for a single respondent that has to complete the application.
Type of respondent |
Number of Respondents |
Number of Responses per Respondent |
Average Burden Hours |
Wage per Hour |
Total Burden Costs |
Educational/ administrative leader |
15 |
1 |
50 |
$54.72 |
$41,040 |
Program manager |
15 |
1 |
50 |
$35.00 |
$26,250 |
Program assistant |
15 |
1 |
50 |
$20.00 |
$15,000 |
Total |
|
|
150 |
|
$82,290 |
Salaries were taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos007.htm)
Estimates of other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Recordkeepers/Capital Costs
There are no additional recordkeeping/capital costs
Annualized Cost to Federal Government
This is the cost to government to review the program.
Type Federal employee support
|
Total Burden Hours
|
Hourly Wage Rate (GS 15 step 5)
|
Total Respondent Costs
|
First level reviewer |
35 |
$65.62 |
$2,296 |
Second level reviewer |
35 |
$65.62 |
$2,296 |
Second level reviewer |
35 |
$65.62 |
$2,296 |
Total |
105 |
|
$6,890 |
Salaries are based on a 15 Grade/Step 5 in Washington DC area.
Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
This is a new data collection.
Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule
Data collection will begin as soon as clearance is received and will be completed in less then six months.
Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
Not applicable.
Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
There are no exceptions to the certification.
The applications will be reviewed but the data will not be analyzed using statistical methods.
Application
materials will be available for download at http://www.grants.gov.
ONC
is requiring full applications for all announcements to be submitted
via electronic mail.
Applicants will be able to download a copy of the application
packet, complete it off-line, and then submit the application
electronically via email.
APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED THROUGH ANY WEBSITE, AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED THROUGH PAPER
MAIL, COURIER, OR DELIVERY SERVICE.
APPLICANTS
ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AS FAR IN
ADVANCE OF THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE AS POSSIBLE. THE APPLICATION
INCLUDING ALL REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS AND INCLUDED FILES FOR POTENTIAL
CONSIDERATION IN THE REVIEW PROCESS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM
EASTERN TIME ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN SECTION IV C,
BELOW.
Applications procedures:
Applicants must access the electronic application for this program via http://www.grants.gov. Applicants must search the downloadable application page by the Funding Opportunity Number (- - - ) or CFDA number (93.718).
All lead applicants should have a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) (for further information see section IV.B.2 below). Applicants should allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration. Although not required to process preliminary applications, lead applicants who do not already have a DUNS number and/or are not registered in CCR should do so as soon as possible. As there is no fee to complete these processes, applicants should not wait to receive the results of the preliminary application review before taking these steps.
Applicants must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications.
The applicant’s application must comply with any page limitation requirements described in this Program Guidance.
After the application is electronically submitted, the applicant will receive an automatic email notification from the email address that demonstrates the email was received. This notification does not provide assurance that the application was complete, only that the email was received.
After ONC reviews the email submission, a return receipt will be emailed to the applicant contact indicating the files that were received and able to be successfully opened and read. Due to volume of applications received, this receipt may not be available for several days; applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications as far in advance as possible if they wish to receive confirmation of receipt prior to the deadline. Organizations applying for federal grants will need to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Applicants can register with the CCR online and it will take about 30 minutes (http://www.ccr.gov). If the applicant has already registered with CCR but have not renewed their registration in the last 12 months, they will need to renew their registration at http://www.ccr.gov.
Key Contact for Applications:
Inquiries should be addressed to:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Email: [email protected]
Applicants are requested, to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent indicating their plan to apply for this funding opportunity. This Letter will not be considered as part of the evaluation process; it will merely assist ONC in planning for the review process. The deadline for submission of the Letter of Intent is January 4, 2010.
Letters of intent must be sent electronically to:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Email: [email protected]
Applicants may submit a Letter of Intent to apply for this funding opportunity; the deadline for the Letter of Intent is January 6, 2010. This Letter of Intent should contain the following:
Number and title of the funding opportunity
Name, address, and telephone number of the primary point of contact.
Names of other key personnel
Participating collaborators, especially community colleges and employers
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. It is entered on the SF 424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.
Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by using this link to access a guide: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf .
Applicants shall include a one-page abstract (no more than 500 words) in the application. Applicants should prepare a clear, accurate, concise abstract that can be understood without reference to other parts of the application and that provides a description of the proposed project, including: the project’s goal(s), objectives, overall approach, anticipated outcomes, products, and duration. The project abstract must be double-spaced, formatted to 8 ½” x 11” (letter-size) pages with 1” or larger margins on top, bottom, and both sides, and a font size of not less than 11 point.
The applicant shall place the following information at the top of the narrative abstract (this information is not included in the 500 word maximum):
Project Title
Applicant Name
Address
Contact Name
Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax)
E-Mail Address
Web Site Address, if applicable
The project narrative must be double-spaced, formatted to 8 ½” x 11” (letter-size) pages with 1” or larger margins on top, bottom, and both sides, and a font size of not less than 11 point. The suggested length for the project narrative is 10 to 20 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed. The 20-page limit excludes resumes or curriculum vitae, letters of support, program abstract, and other attachments. ONC will not accept applications with a project narrative that exceeds 20 pages.
The project narrative is the part of the application that will offer the most substantive information about the proposed project, and it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether or not the project meets the minimum requirements for grants under ARRA. The project narrative should provide a clear and concise description of the project.
The project narrative must include the following components. These components will be counted as part of the 20-page limit:
Problem Statement (<1 page)
Targeted Curriculum Components (2-3 pages)
Proposed Approach (5-7 pages)
Collaborator Involvement (1-2 pages)
Project Management (1-2 pages)
Evaluation (1-2 pages)
Dissemination and Training (1-2 pages)
Organizational Capability (2-3 pages exclusive of curriculum vitae and attachments describing course statistics)
Problem Statement. This section should describe, from the applicant’s perspective, the benefits of having these educational materials along with the challenges of creating them. (<1 page)
Targeted Curriculum Components. This section should describe which of the curriculum components the applicant is prepared to address (referring to the components in Appendix C). The applicant’s current experience with training in these topic areas should be discussed. Applicants should propose to address a minimum of seven and a maximum of 10 of these content areas. (2-3 pages)
Proposed Approach. This section should provide a clear and concise description of the approach the applicant proposes to use to develop the curriculum components and address the challenges described in the “Problem Statement.” This should consist of a detailed development plan, and include a discussion of how the modules will be updated and how version control will be maintained. The applicant should describe plans for collaborating with community colleges to shape the materials for community college use. The applicant should describe how the guidance of professional instructional designers will be incorporated. The applicant should also note any major barriers they anticipate encountering, and how their project will be able to overcome those barriers. This section should also describe how the proposed approach will address the needs of disadvantaged populations, including limited-English speaking populations.
This section should describe the instructional technology and format that the applicant would prefer to use for creating the modules, recognizing that the final decision will be a collective one among all funded development sites. As noted previously in Section 1, Part 4, Project Approach, this technology and format should not employ a proprietary course management system. (5-7 pages)
Collaborator Involvement. This section should describe the community colleges that will be directly engaged in the planning and implementation of the proposal project. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any other strategic collaborators the applicant plans to involve in implementing the approach, including but not limited to other institutions of higher education or employer groups. (1-2 pages)
Project Management. This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of project staff, participating faculty members, consultants and collaborating organizations, and how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes. It should specify who would have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as: leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress, preparation of reports; communications with other collaborating organizations and ONC. It should also describe the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives. (1-2 pages)
Evaluation. Recipients will be required to maintain information relevant to achieving the milestones specified in Section II, Part 3, Evaluation and Milestones. (1-2 pages)
Dissemination and training. This section should describe the applicant’s ideas regarding the best methods for training community college faculty in use of the materials. The applicant should detail any prior experience it has in this specific activity. (1-2 pages)
Organizational Capability Statement. For each curriculum component included in the problem statement, the application should include an organizational capability statement and roles and curriculum vitae for key project personnel, including all faculty members who will participate in creation of the instructional materials.
This section should provide descriptions of currently existing instructional programs designed or offered by the applicant on topics relevant to health IT. It should include all courses and statistics on numbers of students who have taken them on a year by year basis. It should detail any experience with electronic support and distribution of course materials and discuss the kinds of evaluation and testing of students used in these courses.
This description should also cover capabilities of the applicant not included in the program narrative, such as any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, training programs and other products. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the current organization. Please attach short vitae for key project staff only. Neither vitae nor an organizational chart will count towards the narrative page limit. Also include information about any contractual organization(s) that will have a significant role(s) in implementing project and achieving project goals.
If also applying for the additional funding to serve as the national training and dissemination center, the project narrative should also cover the capabilities needed for this work (see Section I, Part 4, Project Approach). (2-3 pages exclusive of curriculum vitae and attachments describing course statistics)
The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the project narrative and budget and should cover both years of the project period. For each major task or action step, the work plan should identify timeframes involved, including start- and end-dates. (1-2 pages)
Applicants should include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For example, letters should be included for each community college collaborator, and for organizations providing professional instructional design for the materials. Signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments.
Each application must include a detailed budget for the first year of funding requested and a detailed summary of the request for both years. The applicant may request up to $1.82M total costs for up to 2 years, inclusive of indirect costs, to become a Curriculum Development Center. Institutions applying for the additional role of national training and dissemination center may request up to $2.72M total costs for up to 2 years, inclusive of indirect costs.
A typical budget could include (but is not restricted to) these elements:
Salary support for faculty members and staff involved, organized by each curriculum component named in the project narrative problem statement (Section IV, Part 3c above)
Costs for curriculum development and production
Costs for development and validation of student tests
Costs for development of instructor manuals
Costs for two cycles of course material revision (for releases to occur in Spring/Summer 2011 and Spring/Summer 2012)
Travel costs for up to four applicant representatives to attend the developers’ workshop in Washington, DC
Facilities and administration costs at a federally approved indirect cost rate
Each applicant will, as part of the application project narrative, specify 7-10 content areas in which it is capable of producing materials. The budget submitted with the application should be divided into two parts, a core budget and a supplemental budget, that together will cover the 7-10 curriculum components. Each type of budget should cover the 2-year project period, should show the costs broken out by each budget year, and should include both direct and indirect costs.
For all applicants, the core budget should include expenses associated with development of four curriculum components. The applicant may choose which four components to include in its core budget; the core budget should include the four components the applicant feels most qualified to develop. The core budget may not exceed $1,820,000 inclusive of indirect costs. The supplemental budget should include estimated costs associated with development of the 3-6 additional curriculum components addressed in the project narrative (and not included in the core budget). Final budgets will be negotiated with each successful applicant.
Institutions may apply for the role of the national training and dissemination center for the national program in addition to the role of Curriculum Development Center. These applicants should add to Year 1 of their core budget a flat sum of $500,000 for convening faculty training workshops, which includes both direct and indirect costs. Institutions should also submit a detailed budget for the 2-year project period that lists the estimated costs for serving as the central national dissemination point for all materials. This detailed budget may not exceed $400,000 inclusive of indirect costs.
A combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification, as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding is required. If contractors will be used to support the work of the applicant, detailed budget narratives/justifications must also be provided for each contractor for each year of potential grant funding.
There is no required format for providing the budget justification/narrative.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | How to Write and Submit |
| Author | CMS |
| Last Modified By | Seleda.Perryman |
| File Modified | 2009-11-24 |
| File Created | 2009-11-24 |