See attached funding opportunity through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office on Women’s Health (OWH). Feel free to share among your networks and partners.

If you would like to submit a proposal for the Women's Health Conference Support funding opportunity, please complete the forms in the attached Request for Proposals (RFP) and e-mail to John Snow, Inc. (JSI) at owhapplication@jsi.com by October 31, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

Please note, proposals will be not be accepted by the Office on Women’s Health.

For help with this RFP, please e-mail: owhapplication@jsi.com or call toll-free: 1-866-224-3815

Womens_Health_Conference_Support_Projects_2012.docx

Women’s Health Conference Support

Request for Proposals (RFP)

A. Proposal Submission Deadline

· Proposals must be received no later than October 31, 2011,at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

· Please submit proposals in Microsoft Word or PDF format to owhapplication@jsi.com or mail to JSI, ATTN: Megan Hiltner, 1725 Blake Street, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80202.

· PleaseDO NOT submit proposals to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) or the Regional Offices on Women’s Health.

· Please read all instructions prior to preparing and submitting your proposal.

For help with this RFP:

Please e-mail: owhapplication@jsi.com or phone toll-free: 1-866-224-3815.

A technical assistance conference call will be held on September 9, 2011,at 1 p.m. ET/12 noon CT/ 11 a.m. MT/

10 a.m. PT to answer questions about this announcement. To join this conference call on September 9, 2011, please dial 1-866-393-5407. Upon dialing in, please provide the following conference ID number: 96905337. The title of the call is “Women’s Health Conference Support.” Advance registration is NOT required to join the call.

B. Funding Available

This funding opportunity provides partial support for women's health conferences in the United States and its affiliated territories. Funding is available for non-federal conferences addressing issues that impact the health and well-being of women and girls.

To be considered for funding, proposed conferences and/or webinars must meet the following requirements:

1. Attendance by a minimum of 30 participants for on-site conferences

2. Address women’s and/or girls’ health issues

3. On-site conferences must last at least one day (6 hours minimum)

4. Must have other sources of funding

5. Must occur within the funding period (December 2, 2011- September 14, 2012)

6. Must take place within the U.S. and/or its territories

7. Must adhere to the funding levels specified below

Conferences and webinars will be funded at the following levels:

· Webinars: Up to $2,500 (serving 50 or more participants)

· Local On-site Conference (serving one or more counties or communities): Up to $5,000

· Regional On-site Conference (serving one or more states and/or territories): Up to $10,000

· National On-site Conference (serving participants from across the United States and its affiliated territories): Up to $15,000

C. Who Can Apply

OWH funding is available to those eligible entities located in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the six U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Island Jurisdictions, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Eligible entities may include public and private non-profit organizations, community and faith-based organizations, health professionals’ organizations, colleges and universities, community health centers, hospitals, health departments, and tribal and urban Indian organizations.

Background

OWHwas established in 1991 in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, within the Office of the Secretary. Its mission is to improve the health of American women by advancing and coordinating a comprehensive women’s health agenda throughout the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The HHS Office on Women’s Health is the government’s champion and primary agent for women’s health issues, working to redress inequities in research, health care services and education that have historically placed the health of women at risk. OWH is the Department’s focal point for ensuring that women’s health policy, practice, and research are mutually informed and effectively integrated within HHS. OWH accomplishes this by collaborating with other federal and non-federal partners on behalf of women and girls. OWH provides leadership to promote equity for women and girls through sex and gender specific approaches.

OWH has staff located in Washington, D.C. and a network of Regional Women’s Health Coordinators (RWHCs) located in each federal region. The RWHCs coordinate and implement national public health initiatives to promote a greater focus on women's health issues at the regional, state and local levels. The RWHCs advance the mission of the OWH by administering programs that improve the health of women in communities across the country, and by coordinating activities in health care service delivery, research, and public and health professional education. Sensitivity to local, state, and regional needs in women's health is reflected in their work to identify priority health areas, to establish networking relationships, and to implement initiatives addressing regional women's health concerns. For additional information about the RWHCs and the regional offices, please visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/owh/reg/.

As part of its strategic plan, OWH continues to fund evidence-based interventions to address gaps in women’s health that are not addressed at the national level by any other public or private entity. These interventions focus on health disparities in women’s health, in which minority status, disabilities, geography, family history, sexual orientation, low socioeconomic status, chronic conditions, and infectious diseases are contributing risk factors.

OWH contracted with John Snow, Inc. (JSI) to provide general program support to the Central and ten Regional Offices on Women’s Health to manage regional health projects and activities in women’s health in the ten HHS regions. Therefore, JSI is lead contractor for administration of this RFP.

D. Conference Focus Area

The conference must address the health of women and/or girls. Women and girls' health encompasses all aspects of health including mental, physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional well-being. The content and focus of the conference should provide unique opportunities to support wellness and enhance health outcomes for women and girls.

Period of Performance:

The proposed conference must take place between December 2, 2011- September 14, 2012.

E. Funding Guidelines

· Applicants may submit only one proposal for this funding opportunity. If you submit more than one proposal, none of the proposals will be reviewed or considered for funding.

· Applicants cannot apply for conference support under this funding opportunity if they are receiving other funds from OWH for the same conference.

· Funding will not be provided for conferences held after September 14, 2012.

F. Funding Notification

This is a competitive process.All proposals will be reviewed by an objective technical review panel. Applicants will be notified by e-mail or mail by December 2, 2011,regarding funding decisions.

G. Payment Process

Awardees will become subcontractors of JSI; therefore, no CFDA number is associated with these funds. The approved proposal will serve as a contract for required deliverables from awardees.Payments will be processed as follows:

· Awardeeswill receive their award in two payment installments.

· Each payment will be 50% of the total amount awarded.

· The initial payment will be processed, upon receipt and approval of the interim report, which is due within 30 days of award notification and must include the following: a draft agenda, a list of proposed partners, and a timeline for the conference. (The report format will be provided by JSI.)

· The final payment will be processed after the completion of the conference and within 30 days of receipt and approval of thefinal report. In addition to the final report, awardeesmust submit all materials and registration information associated with the conference.

Please Note:Any modifications to an awardees’ proposal must be approved before the proposed conference is implemented. Modifications to an awardees proposed conference that are not approved in advance mayresult in nonpayment. To request approval for modification, please contact JSI at owhapplication@jsi.com.

H. Project Time Frame

Awardees will have until September 14, 2012, to complete their conference. The final report must be submitted by October 1, 2012.

I. How to Submit a Proposal

Please submit proposals in Microsoft Word or PDF format to owhapplication@jsi.com or mail to JSI, ATTN: Megan Hiltner, 1725 Blake Street, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80202. E-mail is the preferred method for proposal submission. Applicants that do not have e-mail may submit proposals via mail.

· Proposals will not be accepted by OWH.

· Proposals must be received by JSI by e-mail or mail submission by October 31, 2011,at5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

· Proposals can be a maximum of 6 pages and should be in 12 point font and Times New Roman.

· Proposals must be signed by an official with the authority to commit the organization to a contractual obligation.

You will receive confirmation of your submission in three days. If you do not receive a confirmation, please call 1-866-224-3815.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call 1-866-224-3815.

J. Review Process

Proposals will be reviewed by an objective technical review panel. Successful proposals will be selected based on their relevance to OWH program objectives and the following criteria:

• Form I. Cover Page(5 points)

• All requested contact information is included

• Form II. Organizational Background (20 points)

• Description of organization’s mission, history, and services is provided

• Description of geographic area and population served is provided

• Form III. Proposed Conference Description (35 points)

• Proposed conference description is provided

• Proposed conference goals and objectives are identified

• Community need for the conference is described

• Proposed conference partners and their contributions are described

• Proposed conference target population is described

• Planned activities and deliverables are identified

• Draft agenda and program objectives provided

• Form IV. Project Evaluation (20 points)

• Performance Measures are described and relate to the proposed conference goals and objectives

• Form V. Budget (20 points)

• Budget expenses are detailed in the table provided and all itemized expenses are allowable based on the guidelines included on the form. Since these funds are for partial support of the conference, other sources and amounts of funding must be included.

JSI reserves the right to request revisions to the budget and/or scope of work of any applicant.

K. Data Disclaimer

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office on Women’s Health has contracted with JSI to administer this project. All materials submitted regarding this funding announcement becomes the property of DHHS. DHHS has the right to use any or all information/materials presented in a proposal, subject to limitations for proprietary or confidential information. Disqualifications or denial of the proposal does not eliminate this right.

It is the responsibility of the awardee to identify proprietary information and request that the information be treated as such. Any additional restrictions on the use or inspection of material contained within the proposal shall be clearly stated in the proposal itself. The privacy policy for JSI is available at http://www.jsi.com/JSIInternet/privacy.cfm. The HHS privacy policy is available at http://www.hhs.gov/Privacy.html.

Event materials supported through these funds must include acknowledgment of support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health. The offeror must also include the following statement on materials distributed at events: "Funding for this conference was made possible in part by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women's Health. The views expressed in written materials or publications and by speakers and moderators at HHS co-sponsored conferences, do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government."

L. Proposal Instructions

Complete your proposal using the forms provided:

Proposals should be signed by an official with the authority to contract on behalf of the organization. For proposals submitted via e-mail, a typed electronic signature with a statement “this typed signature represents an official signature” is acceptable.
Complete proposals cannot exceed 6 pages in length (5 pages for Forms I, II, III, IV and 1 page for Form V).
Completed proposals must include:

Cover Page (included as Form I)
Organizational Background (included as Form II)
Proposed Project Description (included as Form III)
Project Evaluation (included as Form IV)
Project Budget (included as Form V)

Women’s Health Conference Support

Cover Page – Form I

Contact Information:

HHS Region:
Organization Name:
Mailing Address, City, State, Zip:
Executive Director:
Project Director:
Point of Contact for this Proposal:
Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Fax Number:
Organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN)/Tax Exempt Number:
**Signature of Official with Contracting Authority:
Print Name:

** This is the person with the legal authority to enter into a contractual obligation on behalf of the organization.For proposals submitted via e-mail, a typed electronic signature with a statement “this typed signature represents an official signature” is acceptable.

Type of Conference Support Requested:

___ Webinar

___ Local

___ Regional

___ National

Organizational Background – Form II

Describe your organization’s mission, history, and services provided. Include information on your organization’s capabilities and qualifications to implement the proposed conference.

Provide a brief description of the population and geographic area that your organization serves.

Proposed Conference Description – Form III

1. What is the proposed conference name, date(s) of the conference, and location?

2. What are the purpose, goal(s), and objective(s) of the conference?

3. Describe the need for the conference, including how you will carry it out, who your partners are and their contributions to the conference and why you think a conference is an effective venue for addressing the need.

4. Who is the proposed target population for the conference? The description of the target population should include, but not be limited to: a) anticipated number of participants, b) their race and ethnicity, c) whether they are rural or urban or both, d) their age, e) whether they are consumers and/or professionals, and whether this is the same population normally served by your organization.

5. Does the proposed conference include a discussion /presentation of evidence-based interventions or best practices? If yes, please describe.

Proposed Conference Description – Form III (continued)

6. In the table below, provide a timeline and identify responsibilities for all activities required to carry out this conference. (Add more rows as needed.)

Activity	Start Date	End Date	Person Responsible

7. What final product(s) will you submit to JSI, for example, conference report; training curriculum, etc.

8. What is the agenda for the conference?

9. Will professional continuing education credits be offered? (e.g. CME, CHES, etc.)

Project Evaluation – Form IV

What performance measure(s) will you use and how will you evaluate the success of your conference? Performance measures should be directly related to the goals and objectives described in Form III. (Examples of evaluation methods include pre-post test to measure improved health indicators or questionnaire to measure knowledge gained as a result of this project.)

Conference Budget- Form V

Educational materials purchased with this funding must be scientifically based, medically accurate, and up to date.

Funding will not be provided for the following:

capital building projects, overhead, or indirect costs
equipment to support the webinar food and beverages
research, direct clinical services, lab services and testing kits
printing and copying over $1,000
promotional items (i.e. t-shirts, sunscreen, pens)
creation of books, DVDs, CDs and other marketing media--this does not include reprinting of HHS materials
fundraising activities
purchase of equipment