CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL
AND NATIONAL COUNCIL ON SKIN CANCER PREVENTION
This co-sponsorship agreement is between the Office of the Surgeon General
(OSG) and The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention (NCSCP). The
purpose of this agreement is to establish terms and conditions to support skin
cancer prevention activities and the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent
Skin Cancer follow-up, specifically pertaining to Goal 4 of the Call to Action:
Reduce the Risks Associated with Indoor Tanning, through an Indoor Tan-Free
College Campus Initiative. The Initiative intends to recognize and award campuses
that demonstrate a continued commitment to public health, skin cancer prevention,
continued outreach following the Call to Action, and messaging as described in
this co-sponsorship agreement.
1. Background
The purpose of this agreement is to promote skin cancer prevention and reduce
risks associated with indoor tanning as part of the Surgeon General’s vision to
reduce the burden of skin cancer in the United States, as outlined in the Call to
Action to Prevent Skin Cancer. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action highlights
“Reduce the Harms Associated with Indoor Tanning” as a key priority. Indoor
tanning significantly increases an individual’s risk for melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. This risk is believed to be increased for individuals who
begin indoor tanning at a young age. The addiction potential of indoor tanning is
also believed to be exacerbated for young indoor tanners. A recent study by
Pagoto et al. demonstrated that 48% of the top 125 colleges in the US had indoor
tanning facilities either on campus or in off-campus housing, and 14% of
colleges allow campus cash cards to be used to pay for tanning. Prior studies
have suggested that proximity to an indoor tanning salon significantly increases
participating in indoor tanning behaviors for adolescents and young adults. A
movement to remove indoor tanning availability on college campuses is consistent
with the Surgeon General’s Goal to “Reduce the Harms Associated with Indoor
Tanning” and the movement to focus on skin cancer as a major public health crisis
in our country.
(a) The Office of the Surgeon General is committed to improving the health of the
Nation and reducing the risk of illness and injury. The OSG provides the best
scientific information available on how to live healthier lives. In 2014, the
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Surgeon General released a Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer, a science-based
document to stimulate action nationwide to solve the public health crisis of skin
cancer in our country. One of the goals of this document is to find ways to
“Reduce the burden associated with indoor tanning” and specifically to “Support
organizational policies that discourage indoor tanning by adolescents and young
adults.”
(b) The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is a national coalition of
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and federal liaisons dedicated to skin cancer
prevention. The NCSCP is building a diverse and powerful coalition to be a strong
and united voice to reduce skin cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality through
awareness, prevention, early detection, research, and advocacy. The major goals
of the NCSCP are to: (1) share skin cancer prevention information, best practices,
resources, and research findings; (2) advocate for the importance of skin cancer
prevention and support prevention initiatives at local, state, and national levels; (3)
speak as one voice with skin cancer prevention messages to represent the common
views of its members ; and (4) increase awareness of skin cancer and skin cancer
prevention behaviors among all populations.
(c) The Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative aims to decrease the incidence,
morbidity, and mortality of skin cancer in the United States by reducing the
availability of indoor tanning facilities on college campuses. The Indoor Tan-Free
College Campus Initiative has more than 30 partners and is growing. Composed of
partners from public, private, non-profit, and community sectors, the Initiative is
committed to increasing skin cancer prevention efforts and reducing the harms
caused by indoor tanning. The Initiative uses grassroots engagement and social
media tools to decrease the availability of indoor tanning beds on and near college
campuses. By doing so, the Initiative seeks to raise awareness about the skin
cancer risk from excessive UV exposure in the general public and targeted sectors.
The partners are disseminating the message and recommending specific
opportunities to act, and the NCSCP provides the organizational leadership and
staffing to lead the Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative.
(d) Public-private sector collaboration is important to effectively identify and
implement strategies to improve skin cancer prevention, specifically those that can
reduce the harms associated with indoor tanning and thus improve health outcomes
for Americans. Working to decrease rates of indoor tanning, particularly among
adolescents and young adults, is a common goal of the NCSCP and the OSG. Their
commitment to collaborate on this effort can be a model for future public health
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collaboration with the private sector. The OSG and the NCSCP will promote their
shared goals through two main types of activities:
(1) Convening to decrease the availability of indoor tanning on college campuses.
The Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative partners are experts in skin cancer
prevention. Through this agreement, phone meetings will be organized to
exchange information in order to decrease the availability of indoor tanning on US
college campuses. Through these discussions, stakeholders will work to further
develop a national indoor tan-free college campus movement. Meetings are
tentatively scheduled for Winter and Spring 2014-2015.
(2) Participating in other activities to improve nationwide education on skin
cancer prevention.
The NCSCP may coordinate other activities that directly engage the OSG, such as
organized local meetings, and the OSG will provide input on these activities. The
Surgeon General will make public appearances at selected public activities
organized by Initiative partners.
2. Responsibilities of each Party
The Office of the Surgeon General will:
 Assign one staff person to serve as a consultant on this project.
 Coordinate activities relating to the Surgeon General serving as the key
spokesperson on the Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative.
 Provide feedback on the lists of college campuses put forth by the NCSCP to
receive Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative recognition
 Develop a letter and award to celebrate college campuses who meet criteria.
 Provide feedback on website design, award title, recognition awards and
campus events.
 Provide feedback on and approval of agendas and background materials for
activities in which the Surgeon General will participate.
 Participate in selected public activities on behalf of the Initiative.
 Provide quotations for inclusion in campaign press releases and provide final
approval for co-branded press releases.
 Promote the campaign through selected and accurate press and social media
releases.
 Provide final approval for public appearances by the Surgeon General.
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The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention will:
 Assign one key contact person to assist with this project.
 Continue to work on connecting and collecting key stakeholders to help in
launching this project.
 Assume responsibility for preliminary approval of campuses to be recognized
by the Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative by ensuring that that each
campus meets the requirements of the award.
 Work with the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine as the School
of Medicine develops and maintains a website dedicated to the Initiative.
 Create lists of potential invitees and moderators for tan-free college campus
launches.
 Develop a letter and award to give to college campuses who meet the tan-free
college campus criteria.
 Create and collect resources to help campuses become tan-free and provide
these materials to participants in advance of a campus launch.
 Provide to the OSG invitations to speak or appear at activities and campaign
events.
 Provide to the OSG draft press releases quoting the Surgeon General for review
and approval prior to release.
 Highlight the Surgeon General’s involvement in the campaign among NCSCP
constituency through web messaging, conferences, and/or other communication
channels.
 Work with Tan-Free College Campus Initiative partners to seek funding for
expenses related to activities and events as deemed necessary and mutually
agreed upon and jointly sponsored. Such expenses may include costs
associated with procurement and creation of awards, letters of recognition,
background documents, agendas, and other materials; food and drink provided
at any activity or event; travel/lodging scholarships for participants who could
not otherwise attend; holding the meetings described above. Planning and
completion of activities, and related expenses will depend on successful
procurement of funds from Initiative partners and others. The NCSCP is not
responsible for funding these activities and materials.
3. Fees and Other Charges
There will be no registration fees for activities. Materials pertaining to the
activities will be provided at no charge and shall not be sold.
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4. Independently Sponsored Portions of Event
These activities do not include any discrete portions that might be sponsored
independently by either the OSG or NCSCP or by the Indoor Tan-Free College
Campus Initiative.
This co-sponsorship agreement is not exclusive and does not preclude any
activities promoting skin cancer prevention that might be sponsored independently
by either the OSG or NCSCP.
5. Fundraising
As described in paragraph 2, the NCSCP and partners will seek funding to cover
necessary expenses related to all activities and events associated with the
Collaborative, as deemed necessary and mutually agreed upon and jointly
sponsored.
In any solicitation for funds to cover its share of the event costs, the NCSCP will
make clear, that it, not the OSG, is asking for the funds. The NCSCP will not
imply that the OSG endorses any fundraising activities in connection with the
campaign. The NCSCP will make clear to donors that any gift will go solely
toward defraying the operational and collaborative expenses of the NCSCP, not the
OSG.
6. Promotional Activity
The NCSCP will not use the activities outlined in this co-sponsorship agreement as
a vehicle to sell or promote products or services. The NCSCP will ensure that any
incidental promotional activity does not imply that the OSG endorses any products
or services. Any promotional activity for events related to the Indoor Tan-Free
College Campus Initiative will center exclusively on the campaign and its events
themselves.
7. Publicity and Endorsements
The NCSCP will not use the name of HHS or any of its components, except in
factual publicity specific to the Indoor Tan-Free College Campus Initiative and
Initiative events and activities. Factual publicity includes dates, times, locations,
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purposes, agendas, fees, and speakers involved with Indoor Tan-Free Campus
Initiative events. Such factual publicity shall not imply that the involvement of the
OSG in the event serves as an endorsement of the general policies, activities, or
products of the NCSCP ; where confusion could result, publicity should be
accompanied by a disclaimer to the effect that no endorsement is intended. The
NCSCP will clear all publicity materials pertaining to the Surgeon General with
the OSG to ensure compliance with this paragraph. Any use of the HHS and/or the
OSG logo(s) must be reviewed and approved by the OSG.
8. Records
Records concerning the involvement of the Surgeon General in the campaign shall
account fully and accurately for the financial commitments and expenditures of the
OSG and the NCSCP. Such records shall reflect, at a minimum, the amounts,
sources, and uses of all funds related to the Surgeon General’s involvement.
9. Public Availability
This co-sponsorship agreement, as well as the financial records described in
paragraph 8, shall be publicly available.
10. Co-sponsorship Guidance
The OSG and NCSCP will abide by a legal memorandum, "Co-Sponsorship
Guidance," issued by the HHS Designated Agency Ethics Official.
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11. Signatures
____________________________________________
______________________
RDML Boris Lushniak, MD, MPH
Acting U.S. Surgeon General
____________________________________________
______________________
Michon Kretschmaier
Executive Officer
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Date
Date
____________________________________________
______________________
Date
John Antonishak
Executive Director
National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention
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