Announcement

"The mission of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health by 1) providing all U.S. health professionals with equal access to biomedical information; and 2) improving the public's access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. The Program is coordinated by the National Library of Medicine and carried out through a nationwide network of health sciences libraries and information centers."

In support of this mission, the Pacific Southwest Region of the NN/LM expects to fund three major Outreach Subcontract Awards of up to Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000) in 2009-2010 for regional projects targeting public audiences or health care professional audiences. The period of performance for the projects is up to 18 months from the date of the award, but projects must be completed by April 30, 2011. Any Network member is invited to submit a proposal. Proposals will be funded through a subcontract mechanism (purchase order agreement). Awardees will be expected to disseminate results of their projects, which will be highlighted on the regional website and in the Latitudes newsletter/blog. In making these awards, NN/LM PSR hopes to encourage partnerships and community-focused activities, with the goal of enhancing access to health information for health professionals and members of the public.

Proposals should address one or more of the following outreach needs:

• Promote or improve the use of technology for improving access to biomedical information
• Promote awareness and use of the resources, products, and services of NLM and the NN/LM, as well as other online health information resources by health professionals and health care consumers
• Target areas or populations in the Pacific Southwest Region that are in need of improved access to information
• Strengthen the role of health information and librarians in the delivery of health care
• Promote partnerships with community-based organizations to reach special populations
• Improve access to health information and information technology for those health professionals and health consumers without adequate access to library and information services

All proposals must include an evaluation component. Applicants should consult the Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach Projects Series available from the Outreach Evaluation Resource Center.

Regional information for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Basin, including demographics, key health documents, statistical information, and medically underserved areas and populations, is available through the state links on the NN/LM PSR web site.

Eligibility

Bidders must be NN/LM members (full or affiliate) in the Pacific Southwest Region.

This funding requires a cost-reimbursement subcontract with the University of California, Los Angeles.

The following populations may be the target for outreach in the NN/LM PSR Region (this list is not meant to be all-inclusive):

• Underserved, minority, or unaffiliated health professionals
• Public librarians
• Public health workers
• K-12 public school teachers or nurses
• Emergency responders
• Community-based organizations or advocacy groups
• Specific consumer or community groups such as veterans, seniors, teens, minorities, caregivers, non-English speaking, native Hawaiians, and American Indians
• Faith groups such as parish nurses, health ministries, etc.

Examples of potential fundable proposals:

• Developing a new health literacy project that includes working with consumer advocacy groups or community-based organizations, including public libraries, churches, senior centers, in order to reach vulnerable populations
• Outreach to underserved health professionals, such as expanding digital library services to public health professionals

Potential bidders are encouraged to contact NN/LM PSR staff to discuss potential project ideas and approaches.

Submission Instructions

• Deadline for submission of proposals is July 31, 2009. One paper copy and one electronic version of the proposal must be submitted. For detailed application information, please refer to the proposal instructions.
• Proposals will be reviewed by selected outside reviewers and NN/LM PSR staff. The awards will be announced in late summer 2009.
• The period of performance will be for an agreed upon period of time; typically from 12-18 months from the date of the award.

Other examples of previously funded outreach awards in the region may be found at http://nnlm.gov/psr/outreach/projects/archive.html.

For more information, contact:

Heidi Sandstrom, Associate Director, (310) 794-6572 or heidits@library.ucla.edu
or
Alan Carr, Outreach Coordinator, (310) 825-7263 or acarr@library.ucla.edu

SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO:

Via 1st Class Regular US Mail:

Heidi Sandstrom
Associate Director
MN/LM Pacific Southwest Region
UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library
12-077 Center for the Health Sciences
Box 951798
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1798

Via Express mail (FEDEX, UPS, Airborne, etc.):

UCLA Medical Receiving
650 Charles E. Young Drive South
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1764
ATTN: Biomedical Library - NN/LM PSR
12th Stack Level

Proposal Instructions

1. Cover Sheet -- On a separate page the Cover Sheet should include:

2. Statement of Work
Please address all the categories in the Statement of Work in as much detail as necessary to present the proposed project clearly and completely. Prepare the proposal according to the following outline:

A. Summary statement: Provide a one-paragraph summary statement of the proposed project.

B. Target population: Describe the general population (characteristics, demographics, health issues) and geographic area to be covered by the project. In addition, describe the specific audience with which you will work, such as the types of health care professionals or groups and provide an estimate of how many people the project will reach.

C. Identification of need: Explain why there is a need for information outreach to the target population. Describe information resources already available, what is needed, and any barriers to access. Draw from any known needs assessments, formal or otherwise, that may be relevant and other sources of data that support the needs statements. Include input from members of the audience about their information use patterns, needs and barriers, and what might improve this situation. For more information on needs assessments, see publications of the Outreach Evaluation Resource Center, in particular Getting Started with Community-Based Outreach and Stage 1: Conducting a Community Assessment from Measuring the Difference.

D. Project Objectives: State the goal(s) of the project and the specific objectives you expect to achieve with the project. Consider process objectives about what will be done (outputs) and outcome-based objectives that specify what will happen or change as a result. Indicate the rationale for the plan and relationship to comparable work elsewhere, if known. Review pertinent works already published and relate them to the proposed approach.

E. Methodology/Timeline: Relate the methodology to the stated objectives so that each objective has an equivalent methodology. Provide a detailed plan of the services and methods that will be used during the course of the project, and include expected outcomes. Provide detail on how the project will be implemented, highlighting specific tasks that will be performed and who will perform them. Provide an implementation schedule for all activities to be undertaken during the project.

F. Evaluation Plan: Evaluation methodologies must be described in full. The evaluation plan should be closely tied to the statement of work and the project goals and objectives. Describe how the success of the project will be measured and the methods to be used to measure that success. Describe the measures of success for each objective. Output/process objectives are usually measured quantitatively. Outcome measures may be quantitative or qualitative.

For detailed guidance and worksheets for evaluation planning, see:

Step Two of Booklet 2, "Develop an Outcomes Assessment Plan" in Including Evaluation in Outreach Project Planning (Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach Projects, Booklet 2), pages 7-10 http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/booklets/booklet2.pdf, and blank worksheet 2 at http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/booklets/worksheet2_2.pdf

Step Four of Booklet 2, "Develop a Process Assessment Plan" in Including Evaluation in Outreach Project Planning (Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach Projects, Booklet 2), pages 11-12, http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/booklets/booklet2.pdf, and blank worksheet 4 at http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/booklets/worksheet2_4.pdf

G. Partnerships: Identify and describe the institutions or organizations that will be partnering in the project. Describe the populations they serve, their role and level of participation in this effort, and their health information/library resources. Letters from these organizations, confirming their expectations for the collaboration should be included, along with a letter assuring that the home institution supports staff involvement in the project. Describe any previous collaborative projects among these organizations.

H. Personnel and Facilities: Describe the project personnel, including a summary of their qualifications and a description of their responsibilities as they relate to this project. Current curriculum vitae for key staff should be attached and should include relevant experience and training in use of NLM resources (PubMed, MedlinePlus, etc.) as they relate to the project. Also, describe the institutional facilities and resources that will be available, as they pertain to the statement of work.

H. Schedule: Provide a timeline and a schedule for the delivery of items specified in the statement of work. The schedule must conform to the Period of Performance.

I. Other Funding: Provide a statement of any other funding currently received from NLM and/or NN/LM PSR.

J. Publicity/Promotion: Provide a detailed plan for promoting the project to the targeted population(s) and/or community. Describe any plans for sharing results of the project with participants. All web sites and promotional materials must include the following statement of funding credit: "This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3507 with the University of California, Los Angeles."

K. Continuation Plan: Describe the activities that will continue project services to the targeted community after completion of the project or the institution's intent to maintain communications or service to the target population. Include ways the partnership(s) will continue to function.

3. Attachments should include:

Cost Proposal Instructions

Submit an itemized budget with costs clearly indicated and a justification for each category of expenditure. A brief narrative justification for each category is required and should accompany the budget form. The breakdown should include items funded through the project, in-kind contributions, and funding from any other sources if applicable. The following budget categories may be used:

Please Note:

If IT/Computer Hardware is proposed, please include the following as part of your cost proposal:

• For IT/Computer Hardware if under $3,000 - submit catalog pricing
• For IT/Computer Hardware if $3,000 or more - submit three (3) vendor quotes (valid preferably for 60 days, minimum of 30 days). Quotes may include General Service Administration (GSA) price lists. Reference www.gsa.gov. Vendor quotes are necessary to determine price reasonable for purchase of $3,000 or more. The absence of competitive quotes must be documented and justified.

"Personal Appeal Items" are items used for official duties that could be construed to be used for personal purposes. Examples include items such as cameras, MP3 players, smart phones, and laptop computers. If Personal Appeal Type items are purchased the recipient of the funding agrees that in the official agreement between the RML and the institution: "There is a legitimate purpose for the personal appeal items and use of the items by the Subcontractor(s) will be managed in accordance with policy."

• Purpose: There is a legitimate purpose for the items, and use of the items by the Contractor and/or authorized Subcontractor(s) will be managed in accordance with institutional policy.
• Appropriate Use: Items will not be used in a way that would discredit the NN/LM, the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or the applicable Institution.
• Cost Effective: Must demonstrate requested items are cost effective and appropriate. For example, will generic brands satisfy the minimum requirements? If not, the proposal/request must describe 1) why it is necessary to purchase branded products, 2) benefits in brand name products. How will items further the mission of the NN/LM and achieve the objectives of the contract?

Funds requested to develop print collections of health materials or to purchase access to any commercial electronic health information product may not exceed 5% of the total amount of the project budget.

Costs related to providing food or purchasing furniture are not allowable costs.

Web sites developed as part of NN/LM funding must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/web/documentation/accessibility.html for more information.

Reporting Requirements

Quarterly Reports : Description of activities during the reporting period and those planned for the next, including progress toward major objectives, problems encountered and steps taken to resolve them, evaluation activities and significant feedback. Outreach Activity and Exhibit Report forms are also due with the Quarterly Reports.

Final Report: Narrative summary of accomplishments; copies of any products or materials developed in conjunction with the project; a project evaluation and recommendations for changes or modifications to future outreach projects. Include any aggregate data gathered (such as number of people trained) and any anecdotal information in appendices. The final report should be sent to the NN/LM PSR office within 15 days after the last day of the performance period. The NN/LM PSR office will supply an outline and guide for the final report.

Publications Resulting from NN/LM funded Projects:

As of April 7, 2008, final peer-reviewed manuscripts arising from NIH funds must be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication.

The NIH Public Access Policy at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PubMed Central (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/) upon acceptance for publication. To help advance science and improve human health, the Policy requires that these papers (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/FAQ.htm#b1) are accessible to the public on PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication.

The NIH Public Access site should be consulted for additional information: http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm.

Awardee will check with the NN/LM National Training Center and Clearinghouse (NTCC) on the Educational Clearinghouse Database (http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/ch/) prior to developing new classes to look for classes previously developed. New materials developed must be submitted to the NTCC Educational Clearinghouse Database.

Evaluation of Proposals

Proposals will be evaluated by selected outside reviewers and NN/LM PSR staff. Requests for clarification and revision may be asked of proposal writers as determined by the reviewers. Proposals will be forwarded to the NN/LM National Network Office at the National Library of Medicine for final approval.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals. These criteria are based on the contents of the Statement of Work. The relative weights assigned the criteria will be used to score proposals.

Target Population: The target population is well defined. There is a clear understanding of population characteristics and demographics. 10 points

Statement of Needs and Assets: The information needs and preferences of the target population, barriers as well as available resources, are understood and well described. Evidence of audience involvement in determining needs and assets is included. 15 points

Outcomes-based Project Plan: The goals and outcomes are reasonable and at least some are sustainable. Applicant has a clear, well-designed plan described. Approach to accomplishing plans reflects realistic awareness of target community and is ambitious yet feasible. 20 points

Evaluation Planning: Plans are described to evaluate outcomes objectives and to monitor extent and quality of project activities, services, or products. Plans include identification of indicators, data sources, and data collection timelines. 15 points

Partnerships: Evidence of engagement of appropriate entities in planning, conducting, and/or assessing the project. Adequate description of planned partnerships and compelling letters of support. Intent and understanding of roles is clear. 15 points

Personnel and Facilities: Adequate evidence of qualified staff and organizational resources to assure likelihood of successful completion of the project. Documentation includes appropriate letters of support and resumes of key personnel. 15 points

Budget Plan and Schedule: The budget is reasonable and sufficient to accomplish the project. The budget is complete, clear, and well justified. The timeline and schedule are reasonable and well thought out. 10 points