Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DD 13 003
Apply for RFA DD 13 003
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD STEPS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.073 Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention and Surveillance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 3, 2012 and posted on Dec 3, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 1, 2013 Letter of Intent Due Date January 8, 2013 Application Due Date February 1, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $25,750,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- 1. Eligible Applicants Eligible Organizations Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for CDC support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) For Profit Organizations Small Businesses For Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) Governments State Governments County Governments City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession Other Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith based or Community based Organizations Regional Organizations Bona Fide Agents a Bona Fide Agent is an agency/organization identified by the state as eligible to submit an application under the state eligibility in lieu of a state application. If applying as a bona fide agent of a state or local government, a legal, binding agreement from the state or local government as documentation of the status is required. Attach with Other Attachment Forms when submitting via www.grants.gov. 2. Foreign Organizations Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD STEPS) grant opportunity, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA DD 13 003, is a discretionary cooperative agreement designed to support research and public health work that can pinpoint preventable or changeable maternal exposures early in pregnancy that may raise the risk of certain major, structural birth defects. The central idea behind BD STEPS is to move beyond simply tracking birth defects and instead generate strong, actionable evidence about what specific, modifiable factors in early pregnancy contribute to risk, so that practical prevention strategies can be developed and implemented. This aligns with CDCs broader mission of improving health and quality of life through prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability, and it is positioned under the CDC Health Protection Goal area of Healthy People in Every Stage of Life.
The program emphasizes measurable outcomes tied to federal performance expectations, specifically referencing GPRA performance goals focused on identifying causes and risk factors for birth defects and translating that knowledge into prevention approaches. In other words, awardees are expected not only to conduct high-value work on risk factors and exposures, but also to generate results that can be quantified, evaluated, and used by public health programs to reduce the occurrence of birth defects over time. The subject matter focus is early pregnancy exposures on the maternal side, and the scope targets major structural defects, which typically represent serious congenital conditions with substantial lifelong health and developmental implications.
This opportunity was structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement from the CDC beyond what is typical for a standard grant, such as collaboration on study design elements, data standards, coordination across sites, or other technical guidance. The funding activity category is Health, and the relevant CFDA listing is 93.073, Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention and Surveillance. The CDC anticipated making 9 awards under this announcement, with an estimated total funding level of 25,750,000. Individual awards were expected to range from an award floor of 125,000 to an award ceiling of 400,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of eligibility.
Eligibility was broad across domestic organizations, reflecting the need for strong multi-sector capability in surveillance, epidemiology, clinical expertise, and community or population-based research. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (other than universities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township, special district, and tribal governments (both federally recognized and other than federally recognized). Additional eligible entities included independent school districts, public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities, regional organizations, and faith-based or community-based organizations. The announcement explicitly encouraged applications from institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations in higher education, including Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. A special pathway was also available for bona fide agents applying on behalf of a state or local government, provided they submitted a legal binding agreement documenting that status. Foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations were not eligible.
The timeline for the announcement reflects an archived, time-limited competition. The opportunity was posted and created on December 3, 2012. A letter of intent was due January 8, 2013, and full applications were due February 1, 2013, which also served as the closing date. The opportunity was archived March 3, 2013. For technical assistance related to accessing the full announcement, the CDC Procurement and Grants Office (TIMS) was listed as the point of contact, reachable by phone at 770 488 2700 or by email at PGOTIM@cdc.gov.
Overall, BD STEPS was built to strengthen the evidence base about early pregnancy exposures that can be changed through behavior, clinical practice, policy, or public health interventions, with the long-term aim of reducing the burden of major structural birth defects. By funding multiple awards under a cooperative framework, the CDC signaled an interest in coordinated, high-quality work capable of producing comparable, policy-relevant findings that can directly support prevention strategies.
BD STEPS (RFA DD 13 003) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the BD STEPS grant opportunity?
The Birth Defects Study To Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS (BD STEPS) is a CDC discretionary cooperative agreement intended to support research and public health work focused on identifying preventable or changeable (modifiable) maternal exposures early in pregnancy that may increase the risk of certain major, structural birth defects.
2. What is the main purpose of BD STEPS?
The main purpose is to move beyond tracking and surveillance alone and generate strong, actionable evidence about specific modifiable factors in early pregnancy that contribute to birth defect risk, so that practical prevention strategies can be developed and implemented.
3. Which federal agency issued this opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
4. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA DD 13 003.
5. What type of funding mechanism is BD STEPS?
BD STEPS was structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the CDC would have substantial involvement beyond what is typical for a standard grant (for example, collaboration on study design elements, data standards, cross-site coordination, and/or technical guidance).
6. What is the primary topic or scientific focus of the program?
The focus is maternal exposures in early pregnancy and how those exposures may influence the risk of certain major, structural birth defects.
7. What kinds of birth defects does BD STEPS target?
The scope targets major structural defects, described as serious congenital conditions with substantial lifelong health and developmental implications.
8. What outcomes or expectations were emphasized for awardees?
The program emphasized measurable outcomes tied to federal performance expectations, specifically referencing GPRA performance goals. Awardees were expected to identify causes and risk factors for birth defects and translate that knowledge into prevention approaches, producing results that can be quantified, evaluated, and used by public health programs over time.
9. How does BD STEPS align with broader CDC priorities?
It aligns with the CDC mission of improving health and quality of life through prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability, and it is positioned under the CDC Health Protection Goal area of "Healthy People in Every Stage of Life."
10. What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Health.
11. What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The relevant CFDA listing is 93.073, Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention and Surveillance.
12. How many awards did the CDC anticipate making?
The CDC anticipated making 9 awards under this announcement.
13. What was the estimated total funding level?
The estimated total funding level was 25,750,000.
14. What was the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from an award floor of 125,000 to an award ceiling of 400,000.
15. Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of eligibility.
16. Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad across domestic organizations. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (other than universities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city or township, special district, and tribal governments, both federally recognized and other than federally recognized). Additional eligible entities included independent school districts, public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities, regional organizations, and faith-based or community-based organizations.
17. Were any specific institutions encouraged to apply?
Yes. The announcement explicitly encouraged applications from institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations in higher education, including Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
18. Can a bona fide agent apply on behalf of a state or local government?
Yes. A special pathway was available for bona fide agents applying on behalf of a state or local government, as long as they submitted a legally binding agreement documenting that status.
19. Are foreign organizations or foreign components eligible?
No. Foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations were not eligible.
20. When was the opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted and created on December 3, 2012.
21. Was a letter of intent required, and when was it due?
A letter of intent was due January 8, 2013.
22. When were full applications due?
Full applications were due February 1, 2013, which also served as the closing date.
23. Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity reflects an archived, time-limited competition. It was archived on March 3, 2013.
24. Who was the point of contact for technical assistance about accessing the full announcement?
The CDC Procurement and Grants Office (TIMS) was listed as the point of contact for technical assistance related to accessing the full announcement.
25. What contact information was provided for the CDC Procurement and Grants Office (TIMS)?
Phone: 770 488 2700
Email: PGOTIM@cdc.gov
26. Why did CDC choose a cooperative agreement approach for BD STEPS?
Because the award was a cooperative agreement, CDC signaled an interest in coordinated, high-quality work with substantial federal involvement, such as collaboration on study design, data standards, and coordination across sites, to support comparable and policy-relevant findings.
27. What is the long-term public health aim of BD STEPS?
The long-term aim is to reduce the burden of major structural birth defects by strengthening the evidence base on early pregnancy exposures that can be changed through behavior, clinical practice, policy, or public health interventions.
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