FASD National Strategic Projects Fund, Request for National Proposals, January 2007

Deadline: March 23, 2007 extended to April 16, 2007

The FASD National Strategic Projects Fund invites eligible organizations to submit proposals at this time.

Proposals must be national in scope contribute to the Fund's goal and objectives and address this solicitation's funding priority.

Table of Contents

• Background
• Funding Priority 2007-2008
• Scope of the Current Solicitation
• Eligible and Non-eligible Criteria
• Submission Instructions
• Application and Review Process
• Contacts
• Reference Documents

---

Background

The first call for proposals was announced in 2000-2001 and eight national projects were funded. These projects were completed in March 2006 and the tools and resources developed, as well as model programs are being evaluated and shared with other communities across Canada.

A 2004 evaluation of the first round FASD National Strategic Projects Fund solicitation process, determined that the three priorities from the first round were still relevant but that the Fund could be more strategic in the second round.

The priority for the second round is: Training for the implementation of FASD: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis.

Funding Priority 2007-2008

Training for the implementation of FASD: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis.

In March 2005, a National Forum on the FASD Diagnostic Guidelines was held in Ottawa in conjunction with the release of the Diagnostic Guidelines in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) on March 1, 2005. This forum was co-hosted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The release of the Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis ) http://www.publichealth.gc.ca/fasd/cdnguidelines-eng.php as a supplement to the CMAJ allowed more than 60,000 CMA members to receive the “Guidelines”. Additional copies have been distributed through trainings and conferences held in a variety of venues across Canada.

One of the top five priorities that emerged from the National Forum was to develop, establish, implement, evaluate and maintain standardized training. It was noted in the workshop that next steps must include training supports designed to ensure that those using the Guidelines have all the knowledge and skills necessary to use them most effectively. A strong consensus emerged from the National Forum regarding who should be trained, the need for core competencies based on common curricula and certification or accreditation. It was considered important to use a multi-disciplinary approach to training all potential members of or contributors to the diagnostic team. The need for different models or formats of training which could be used in different situations and which could be widely available across Canada was also expressed.

These identified training needs have been confirmed in both formal and informal discussions with representatives from the provinces and territories, currently diagnosing centres, health care provider and allied professional organizations, and community stakeholder groups.

Training for the implementation of FASD: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis is critical to increase the diagnostic capacity across Canada in both urban and rural settings. Increased diagnostic capacity is critical to early diagnosis and intervention to improve outcomes for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Increased consistent diagnostic capacity is also critical to being able to record, collect and report data on FASD in a common manner, in order to eventually gather incidence and prevalence information.

Therefore, the strategic priority selected for the FASD National Strategic Projects Fund is the training of health care and allied professionals who might be members of or contribute to the diagnosis of FASD. This would include, but not be limited to health professionals: pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, and allied professionals: speech and/or language pathologists and therapists, occupational therapists, and child development specialists. The training could focus on either pre-service education or continuing education to ensure that both currently practising and future health care and allied professionals are knowledgeable and have the core competencies. The training programs developed should consider accreditation of both the training programs and the trainer delivering them to ensure a consistent standard in the knowledge and skills to be imparted.

Scope of the current solicitation

This solicitation is for national projects that:

• are a maximum of 12 months;
• range from $20,000.00 to $100,000.00 annually; and
• produce all documents for public distribution in both of Canada's official languages, and provide access to project activities in the official language of choice of members of the target population.
  

Eligible and Non-eligible Criteria

To be eligible for funding:

• sponsoring organizations must be Canadian, voluntary not-for-profit or educational institutions;
• projects must be national in scope. Add hyperlink to FASD guide definition
• projects must be congruent with the FASD National Strategic Projects Fund goal; address at least one of the Fund's objectives and apply all of the Fund's principles;
• projects must address the funding priority announced in the Request for Proposals.

The following are not eligible for funding:

• individuals and for-profit organizations;
• pure research, in any discipline. Projects that would fit the criteria and processes of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) or other research funding agencies;
• provision of direct services which are part of other governments' jurisdictions;
• profit-making activities;
• ongoing organizational or a percentage of the overhead or administrative fees of an organization;
• contingency allowances or other unidentified miscellaneous fees;
• capital costs, such as, the purchase of land, buildings, or vehicles.
  

You should note that if your proposal does not meet the eligibility criteria your proposal will be screened out and not considered any further.

Submission Instructions

The FASD Guide for Applicants (available in the reference documents) http://www.publichealth.gc.ca/fasd/fund-financ-eng.php provides you with detailed information on what the application should include and the required format for your proposal.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: DATE: March 23, 2007 extended to April 16, 2007 The FASD Team/PHF Section will not accept any applications that are sent electronically or by facsimile, or received after the deadline.

Please send the original and 5 copies by courier to the following address:

FASD National Strategic Projects Fund
c/o Population Health Fund Section
Public Health Agency of Canada
Room 232A, 2nd Floor, West Wing
130 Colonnade Road, Address Locator 6502A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9

Application and Review Process

Following receipt of your application for funding an acknowledgement, quoting your project reference number, will be sent by email to the address provided on the Application Form. The review process is described in the FASD Guide for Applicants. You will be notified of the results once a final decision has been reached regarding your project.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is under no obligation to provide funding, or enter into a contribution agreement as a result of this invitation to submit a proposal. PHAC ALSO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO: reject any or all proposals received in response to this invitation; accept any proposal in whole or in part; and cancel and/or re-issue this invitation to submit a proposal at any time. Please note that PHAC will not reimburse an Applicant for costs incurred in the preparation and/or submission of a proposal in response to this invitation.

Contacts

Administration questions about this RFP should be directed to:

Brenda Lalonde-Warner
Program Consultant
Population Health Fund Section
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Tel. (613) 946-8831
Fax (613) 952-5310
Email: Brenda.Lalonde-Warner@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Content questions about this RFP should be directed to:

FASD Team
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Tel. (613)952-1229
Fax (613) 946-2324
Mary.Johnston@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Marc.Leblanc@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Debbie.Hull@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Reference Documents

The following documents are available at: http://www.publichealth.gc.ca/fasd

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) National Strategic Projects Fund
  Guide for Applicants
• Application for Funding and Instructions
• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) A Framework for Action
• Summary Report - National Forum on the FASD Diagnostic Guidelines
• Financial Management Guide
• Guide to Project Evaluation: A Participatory Approach
• Standard Contribution Agreement
• Contribution Agreement for Quebec Residents
  
  
• Treasury Board Travel Rates
• Guide to Project Evaluation: A Participatory Approach