Maternal and Child Health Bureau
National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Center
Cooperative Agreement Program
HRSA-15-108
December 2, 2014
REVIEWER WORKSHEET TEMPLATE
This worksheet is provided as a guide/template to complete your assigned applications. It
serves as a working document for you to record an overview of the application, as well as
initial strengths and weaknesses, and scores. The overview is used by you as talking
points during the application discussion; it is neither submitted nor used for actually
scoring the application as that will be done in the ARM system.
A strength is a response that clearly meets and/or substantially exceeds the requirements
set forth within a review criterion. A weakness is a response that falls short of meeting
the requirements set forth within a review criterion. To assist you in assigning points to
each criterion, and in developing your strengths and weaknesses for each application,
please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement/Guidance, the review-specific
website link, and the reviewer information sent to you by Humanitas.
PLEASE NOTE: This worksheet is NOT to be returned to DIR or to Humanitas; is
it solely for your use. All information must be entered into the ARM system.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT AND DESCRIPTION OF
APPLICANT ORGANIZATION:
The overview should briefly focus on the "big picture" of who the applicant is, what is
being proposed, how it will be accomplished in view of the published program guidance
and review criteria, and the most significant strength and/or weakness found in the
application.
Applicant information:
Target population, service area, appropriateness of budget, etc.:
Proposed project/program description:
Major goals and objectives:
Any significant strength and/or weakness:
Any other pertinent information:
Comments on Application Based on Published Review Criteria: For each criterion,
list strengths and weaknesses to support your criterion score. (Your responses should
generally be limited to no more than 5 statements.)
CRITERION 1: NEED (5 Points)
Initial
Score:
(Please enter
score in ARM)
____________
Corresponds to Section IV’s Introduction and Needs Assessment
The extent to which the application clearly discusses the need for data upon which to base
and evaluate maternal and child health programming, the organizations and individuals who
would use these data and how data could be used, the challenges that these users face in
accessing and analyzing the data, the role of the applicant in fulfilling those needs, and the
benefit to the maternal and child health population if these needs could be better met.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM).
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM).
CRITERION 2: RESPONSE (25 Points)
Initial
Score:
(Please enter
score in ARM)
____________
Corresponds to Section IV’s Methodology, Work Plan, and Resolution of Challenges
• The extent to which the proposed project responds to the “Purpose” included in the program
description.
• The strength of the proposed goals and objectives and their relationship to the identified
project.
• The extent to which the activities (scientific or other) described in the application are
capable of addressing the problem and attaining the project objectives.
• The extent to which the application provides a continued strategic expansion of the MCHrelevant datasets available on the DRC’s website to support the changing analytic needs of
MCH stakeholders, including state-level data relevant to the newly specified national
outcome and performance measures under the Title V MCH Services Block Grant.
• The extent to which the application describes their methodology for increasing the number
and diversity of stakeholders who utilize this resource while ensuring that the resource
remains both scientifically-sound and user-friendly.
• The extent to which the activities described in the application will support state and local
MCH programs in the utilization of valid and standardized data to monitor and evaluate
program effectiveness, including state-initiated tracking of “real time” data for high priority
MCH indicators where feasible.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
CRITERION 3: EVAULATIVE MEASURES (10 Points)
Initial (Please enter
Score: all scores in
ARM)
___________
Corresponds to Section IV’s Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity
• The strength and effectiveness of the method proposed to monitor and evaluate the project
results.
• Evidence that the evaluative measures will be able to assess: 1) to what extent the program
objectives have been met, and 2) to what extent these can be attributed to the project.
• The extent to which the application integrates the recipient responsibilities, as described in
the purpose section, into the workplan:
o Maintaining a user-friendly, up-to-date website which provides a centralized
access point for MCH data and related resources.
o Supporting the development, implementation and dissemination of data from the
National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH)
o Supporting States in accessing MCH data to inform policy and program
development, implementation and monitoring
o Providing technical assistance and training on the appropriate use of data to
support the effective development, implementation, and evaluation of MCH programs
o Disseminating MCH-related research through a variety of means,
o Facilitating the inclusion of publicly available data in national efforts to improve
health outcomes for children, youth, families and communities though measurement
development and standardization (e.g. activities overseen by the National Quality Forum
and/or Institute of Medicine).
o Maintaining periodic, structured communication with HRSA/MCHB to support
informed, strategic decision-making that best reflects the needs and priorities of HRSA and
MCHB leadership and key partners.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
CRITERION 4: IMPACT (15 Points)
Initial (Please enter
Score: your score in
ARM)
____________
As indicated/referenced in Section IV’s Methodology and Work Plan
• The extent to which the proposed project would contribute to improving the valid and
standardized use of the national and state level survey data to MCH programs and the larger
MCH community to understand health and health system utilization and performance for
children and families including children and youth with special health care needs and to take
action to advance positive health outcomes for women, children, youth, families and
communities.
• The extent to which the proposed project would increase both the availability of relevant
data and the analytic capability of stakeholders to better evaluate the effectiveness of MCH
programming through the use of national and state-selected performance measures.
• If a competing continuation applicant: the extent to which Attachment 7 Summary Progress
Report demonstrates the progress made in attaining previously stated goals and objectives.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
CRITERION 5: RESOURCES/CAPABILITIES (35 Points)
Initial (Please enter
Score: score in
ARM)
____________
As indicated/referenced in Section IV’s Methodology, Work Plan and Organizational
Information
• The extent to which project personnel are qualified by training and/or experience to
implement and carry out the project. o Applicants must have significant experience with
maternal and child health issues across the country and to be able to track changes in
outcomes and health care services both nationally, regionally and within states through
contributions to the development, analysis and dissemination of data in collaboration with
MCHB.
o Additionally, applicants must have substantial experience providing timely
technical assistance that responds to a range of potential users, but particularly state and local
governments, non-governmental organizations and users who either do not have the resources
or do not have the expertise to make appropriate use of the survey data.
• The capabilities of the applicant organization and the quality and availability of facilities
and personnel to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
CRITERION 6: SUPPORT REQUESTED (10 Points)
Initial (Please enter
Score: score in
ARM)
____________
Corresponds to Section IV’s Work Plan
• The reasonableness of the proposed budget for each year of the project period in relation to
the objectives, the complexity of the research activities, and the anticipated results.
• The extent to which costs, as outlined in the budget and required resources sections, are
reasonable given the scope of work.
• The extent to which key personnel have adequate time devoted to the project to achieve
project objectives.
Strengths: (Please enter all comments in ARM)
Weaknesses: (Please enter all comments in ARM)