Consultant to Develop Epidemiology Indicator Pilot Test and Technical Guidance to Support Epidemiology Surveillance of Injury and Adverse Childhood Experiences Measures

1 | Page REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: Consultant to Develop Epidemiology Indicator Pilot Test and Technical Guidance to Support Epidemiology Surveillance of Injury and Adverse Childhood Experiences Measures TABLE OF CONTENTS: Part I. Overview Information Part II. Full Text of Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description 1. Statement of Purpose 2. Background 3. Objectives 4. Deliverables 5. Timeline Section II. Award Mechanism 1. Mechanism(s) of Support 2. Funds Available Section III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants Section IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Content and Form of Application Submission 2. Submission Dates and Times a. Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates b. Submitting an Application Section V. Application Review Information 1. Application Rubric 2. Review and Selection Process Section VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices 2. Recipient Rights and Responsibilities 3. CSTE Responsibilities 4. For More Information PART I: OVERVIEW INFORMATION Issuing Organization: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) at www.cste.org Participating Organizations: CSTE and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Cooperative Agreement number NU38PW000005.
2 | Page PART II: FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT Section I. Funding Opportunity Description Statement of Purpose This request for proposal (RFP) seeks a consultant or consultant team with grounded expertise in population level epidemiologic surveillance methods to collaborate with CSTE to develop an injury indicators pilot test for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), pilot test summary, a nd technical guidance collecting ACEs indicators; in addition to update existing CSTE Injury Indicators and develop an annual injury indicators maintenance protocol. Background Before any public health program or initiative can prevent injuries, they must understand the magnitude of injury morbidity and mortality in their jurisdiction. Injury surveillance is the cornerstone of injury prevention and control; helping determine the magnitude of injury mortality and morbidity, the leading causes of injury, and the population groups and behaviors associated with the greatest risk of injury 1 . Injury indicators are measures that quantify population-level health outcomes, such as Emergency Department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, or deaths, attributable to injury. The injury indicators can be used to assess the overall burden of various injuries and compare across different populations. Since injury indicators may overlap with one another, they are not mutually exclusive. Statewide, centralized electronic vital statistics, hospital discharge, and ED data are used to calculate the indicators. CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control produces instructions to help guide states and U.S. territories in collecting, preparing, and submitting injury surveillance data 1 . These instructions outline a simplified process of preparing indicators is simplified in that it doesn’t include the linking and deduplicating of individual cases found in multiple data sets. As a complement to the CDC NCIPC instructions, CSTE maintains a set of injury indicators that mirror those presented in CDC’s instructions featuring additional tactical instructions for implementation. These are presented on the CSTE Injury Toolkit . The projects associated with this RFP will focus on reviewing and maintaining the indicators related to unintentional injury only. See list below. o All Injuries o Drownings o Motor Vehicle Traffic Related Injuries o Fall-Related Injuries o Fire-Related Injuries o Self-Harm/Violence o Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) Guidance for collecting unintentional injury indicators has been tested and curated over many years; producing resources from both CDC and CSTE. However, similar guidance for indicators specific to ACEs does not yet exist. A key activity in this project seeks to build a pilot test to understand and validate supplemental data sources that can effectively be used to collect select exploratory indicators influencing ACEs such as bullying, food insecurity, exposure to community violence, trafficking, housing instability, or death of a parent. 1 State Injury Indicators: Instructions for Preparing 2024 Data. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
3 | Page Objectives By July 31, 2027 the consultant or consultant team will collaborate with CSTE, CDC and jurisdictions to complete the following: 1. Adapt the provided exploratory ACEs Indicators into an ACEs Indicator Pilot Test and prepare the resulting summary report 2. Develop technical guidance for implementing ACEs Indicators 3. Coordinate with CSTE Injury Surveillance Workgroup to update, existing CSTE Injury Indicators to match 2026 injury indicator template developed by the workgroup (will be provided upon project kick-off) 4. Develop CSTE Injury Indicator review protocol to maintain CSTE Injury Indicators annually Deliverables To meet the above-mentioned objectives, the consultant or consultant team will be required to meet the following set of deliverables: Phase 1: Develop ACEs Indictor Pilot Test and Summary Report CSTE will provide consultant or consultant team with a set of exploratory ACEs indicators that affect youth outcomes. These measures are currently collected from a variety of data sources including but not limited to Behavioral Ris Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), Syndromic Surveillance and various community surveys. CSTE seeks to use the pilot test to understand which data sources provide the most consistent case counts of these ACEs indicators across state, local and territorial jurisdictions. To meet this need the consultant or consultant team will meet the following: • Adapt the provided exploratory ACEs indicators of (bullying, food insecurity, exposure to community violence, trafficking, housing instability, and death of a parent) into an ACEs Indicator pilot test protocol to guide pilot test participants to use various data sources to pull. • Collaborate with CSTE, CDC and member leaders to review the pilot test protocol • Administer the ACEs indicators pilot test • Review ACEs indicators pilot test results and produce a summary report • Finalize ACEs indicators pilot test summary report including reviewer comments Phase 2: Develop Technical Guidance for ACEs Indicators The results of the ACEs Indicator pilot test will be used to develop technical guidance for ACE’s indicators • Host a listening session with ACEs indicator users to understand their knowledge gaps and needs for utilizing the data sources suggested from ACEs indicators pilot test results the to collect data on the ACEs indicators. • Draft Technical Guidance for ACEs Indicators that includes instructions for the following key concepts: o Overview of the ACEs indicators that can be collected o Explanation what information each provides regarding the burden of ACE’s in a given population o Overview of the data sources suggested to collect each indicator o Give examples of how to display each indicator (sample report, dashboard, etc) including pairing the indicator with a positive childhood experience for balanced reporting
4 | Page • Finalize Technical Guidance for ACEs Indicators to include the data including reviewer comments Phase 3: Update CSTE Injury Indicators and Develop CSTE Injury Indicator Maintenance Protocol The updated CSTE injury indicators will be presented on the CSTE Injury Toolkit. Upon project completion, t he CSTE Injury Indicator small group will assume responsibility for updating the CSTE injury indicators annually. To update the Injury indicators, the consultant or consultant team will meet the following: • Review existing CSTE Injury Indicators(unintentional) and Injury Indicator Template. See list below o All Injuries o Drownings o Motor Vehicle Traffic Related Injuries o Fall-Related Injuries o Fire-Related Injuries o Self-Harm/Violence o Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) • Consultant or consultant team will work with CSTE staff, CSTE Injury Indicator Small Group, CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and CDC National Center for Health Statistics to review and implement any relevant ICD-10-CM coding changes that may be introduced in October 2026. • Develop and submit the updated CSTE injury indicators (unintentional) using the provided template. To enable the indicator maintenance transition, the consultant or consultant team will meet the following: • Consultant and consultant team will collaborate with CSTE staff, CSTE Injury Indicator Small Group, CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and CDC National Center for Health Statistics to understand the reporting timelines for relevant updates including the annual ICD-10-CM changes. • Develop an injury indicator maintenance protocol for the CSTE Injury Indicator Small Group to implement. Timeline December 1, 2026 Application Due Date January 15, 2026 Notification of Award January 25, 2026 Project Kick-Off Call January 2026- July 2027 Regular check-in calls with CSTE staff, Injury Indicator Committee February 2, 2026 Submit ACEs Indicator Pilot Test protocol for review February 16, 2026 Administer ACEs Indicator Pilot Test March 15, 2026 Submit Updated CSTE Injury Indicators for review March 31, 2027 Close ACEs Indicator Pilot Test April 7, 2027 Submit Final CSTE Injury Indicators v 2027 April 30, 2027 Submit Final ACEs Indicator Pilot Test Summary Report May 15, 2027 Submit Draft Technical Guidance Resource for ACEs Indicators May 15, 2027 Submit injury indicator maintenance protocol draft for review June 30, 2027 Submit Final Technical Guidance Resource for ACEs Indicators July 31,2027 Submit final injury indicator maintenance protocol
5 | Page Section II. Award Mechanism Mechanism(s) of Support CSTE will manage matters related to financial support for this project. The final award amount is contingent on submission of a detailed and reasonable budget proposal, to be approved by CSTE, and the availability of funds. Funding will be awarded through a subaward contract mechanism with CSTE that will begin January 2027. Funds Available Funding is provided by CDC Cooperative Agreement Number NU38PW000005. CSTE is prepared to dedicate up to $85,000 to this consultant or consultant team. Section III. Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are non-federal public health professionals (including, but not limited to, those from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, communication firms, public health agencies, or private consultants). Eligible applicants are non-federal public health professionals (including, but not limited to, those from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, communication firms, public health agencies, or private consultants) that possess demonstrated understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences public heath surveillance. Applicants should demonstrate the following: • Experience conducting public health epidemiology analysis of A dverse/Positive Childhood Experiences with data sources such as Youth Risk Behaviors Survey (YRBS), Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Syndromic Surveillance • Experience conducting injury epidemiology surveillance using injury and violence indicators • Experience developing instructional guidance for public health epidemiology training • Experience collaborating in multi-disciplinary teams such as CSTE Injury Indicator Small Group, CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and CDC National Center for Health Statistics • Experience disseminating the findings of public health surveillance studies to varied audiences through state reports, state websites, scientific writing, publications, presentations, or some combination of these Special Considerations Applicants who are employed or work on behalf of state, local, tribal or territorial (STLT) health agencies are required to submit an outside activity form or secondary employment request (actual form may vary) that has been approved by their employer with their application.
6 | Page Section IV. Application and Submission Information Content and Form of Application Submission The application should be no longer than 8 pages for each project the applicant applies for and should be written using a 11 or 12-point, double-spaced, unreduced, Arial or Calibri font, on 8.5x11 inch paged paper with one-inch margins. Additional pages or appendices that are not required may not be reviewed. Please include the headings below in the order listed and address all the issues included under each heading. 1. Contact Information (1 page limit) a. Provide email address, phone number, and mailing address. b. Indicate if your organization is a minority-, women-, or veteran-owned business 2. Experience (3 page limit) a. Describe prior experience conducting population surveillance of injury and violence epidemiology methods and analysis for ACEs outside of clinical settings b. Describe prior experience conducting injury epidemiology surveillance using and/or developing injury and violence indicators c. Describe relevant experience developing and administering public health epidemiology pilot tests d. Include all relevant experience of team members who would be assigned to this project 3. Work Plan (3 page limit) a. Describe the implementation plan to complete the outlined deliverables. b. Please include a timeline for key activities and milestones 4. Budget and Justification (1 page limit) a. Provide detailed budget and budget justification 5. Optional documentation (not counted in submission total and will not be scored) a. Resumes for primary consultant and team members b. Samples of previous related products c. References from similar projects (if applicable) d. Outside activity form/secondary employment request (if applicable) For further assistance, technical questions, or inquiries about the application, contact Danielle Boyd at contact@example.gov. Representatives from CSTE will be available to speak to potential applicants to discuss technical or administrative questions. Submission Dates and Times Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates: • Application Submission Notification Date: within 5 days of submission • Award Notification Date: within 45 days of application due date • Anticipated Start Date: within two weeks of notification Submitting an Application: All applications are due by 11:59 pm ET, December 1, 2026 Application materials should be sent to Danielle Boyd at contact@example.gov. Applications submitted after the deadline may not be reviewed. Notification of successful receipt of the application will be sent to the applicant upon request.
7 | Page Section V. Application Review Information Application Rubric (100 pts) The following criteria will be used to review all submitted applications: 1. Experience: Demonstrated applicant expertise, prior experience (50 points) a. Experience conducting public health epidemiology analysis and surveillance of Adverse/Positive Childhood Experiences outside of clinical settings (15 pts) b. Experience developing instructional injury epidemiology guidance and epidemiology pilot tests for public health audiences (15 points) c. Experience conducting injury epidemiology surveillance using injury and violence indicators (20 pts) 2. Project Plan (40 points) a. Applicant’s understanding of the project and deliverables (10 pts) b. Detailed work plan, method, and timeline for completing work in timeframes listed above (30 pts) i. Workplan provides details for the key activities and project milestones to complete the outlined deliverables (15 pts) ii. Work plan describes implementation plan to complete the outlined deliverables (10 pts) iii. The timeline of the proposed activities meets the deadlines provided (5 pts) 3. Budget and Justifications (10 pts) Review and Selection Process Eligible applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by CSTE in accordance with the review criteria stated above. A review panel of CSTE National Office staff, CSTE Steering Committee members, and subject matter experts may score the applications. Funding awards will be made based upon the quality of the submitted proposal and the ability of the applicant to meet the criteria stated above. Section VI. Award Admission Information Award Notices All applicants will be notified via email no later than January 15, 2027. Award Recipient Responsibilities The award recipient will have primary responsibility for the following: 1) Accomplishing the objectives and completing the deliverables listed in this announcement 2) Providing written progress reports and invoices to CSTE as required in the contract agreement 3) Communicating through multiple avenues on a regular basis for feedback and discussion (e.g., conference calls, emails, etc.) 4) Actively engaging partners and stakeholders CSTE Responsibilities CSTE will have the primary responsibility for the following: 1) Serving as the awardee’s principal point of contact between participants, CDC, and other stakeholders 2) Facilitating work and providing avenues for communication between awardee and stakeholders 3) Monitoring the terms of the agreement 4) Funding according to the terms of the contract agreement
8 | Page For More Information For more information, contact: Danielle Boyd, MPH, MCHES Senior Program Analyst Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 2635 Century Parkway NE, Suite 700 Atlanta, GA 30345 contact@example.gov +1 (555) 000-0000