OVX RFP Questions and Responses

On the cover page it states that the applications are due May 30th, but the timeline in section 5.4 Timetable" states that "Proposal Due" is June 6, 2014. Which date is accurate?

The proposal is due on June 6, 2014. The application has been corrected.

The Grant asks about the Annual Youth Summit, for clarification, is this the OVX conference or is this something different?

The Annual Youth Summit is the OVX and VKAT conference held every November.

I am wondering if you can explain more to me about the Counter Tools Training as one of the deliverable is that we need to submit 40 Counter Tools Store Audits for each grant year. I was hoping to see a copy of what the store audit entailed.

The Counter Tools training is separate from the Counter Tools Audits. At the Counter Tools training, the OVX adult advisor and youth advisor will receive training on how to complete the Counter Tools Audits and use the Store Mapper. The Counter Tools Audit will include assessing tobacco product availability, price, and displays in local retailers. The Audit Form is still under development. However, applicants may see the topics of interest on the Counter Tobacco website as detailed on page 12 of the RFP ( under “Walking Tobacco Audit” and “POS Scavenger Hunt”).

In both the OVX and VKAT RFP's it states that groups are responsible for up to 40 and up to 10 Counter Tools audits.Does this mean up to 40 unduplicated stores? Is there a minimum expectation? In the case of OVX/VKAT groups collaborating can they include the same stores (i.e. the groups go together to 5 stores to complete audits, can both groups count them)?

The number of Counter Tools audits would be up to 40 (OVX) or up to 10 (VKAT) unduplicated stores; however, it is understood that most communities have fewer than that number of tobacco retailers, and groups will not be expected to complete audits outside of their service area. There is no minimum expectation. If OVX and VKAT are conducting the audits together, both groups may count the audited stores; however, the stores should not be audited twice (once by each group).

I was looking for some more information about the participation in the statewide media campaign and what that looks like. (Is this around Free My Ride?)I have also noticed that this grant has moved away from the Free My ride Campaign and has a stronger focus on tobacco point of sale. Is that a fair assumption?

The Free My Ride campaign will not be continued into the FY2015 grant year as the statewide media campaign, but applicants may choose to educate around secondhand smoke exposure in cars as part of their initiative to support secondhand smoke policy and environmental change(if it is also a goal of their local Community Tobacco Coalition or Vermont Department of Health District Office). The FY2015 statewide media campaign will address the point of sale environment. Groups may address how they promote and spread media messages generally since the RFP does not provide details about the point of sale media campaign. The topic for the FY2016 statewide media campaign has not yet been determined.

The OVX scope of work is just a plan of all the things that need to be accomplished within that 2 year time frame?

The OVX Scope of Workspecifies activities and grant deliverables. As specified in the Scope of Work, deliverables are due each grant year. Applicants must agree to complete the Scope of Work if they are funded.

Is there a break down on the budget as far as a percentage for each line item. For instance, can we only spend 20% on office supplies and 10% on food etc. I am aware of the grant not being able to fund no more than 25% of the total stipend.

Other than stipends, there is no required budget break down.

Am I only answering the questions on page 14-15 in paragraph form and then submitting that?

Please refer to page 9 of the RFP 5.5 Proposal Submission for the list of required documents for each application.

I read that you will only be funding 10 potential recipients. I am curious to know how many are currently funded, is this a decrease from previous years?

There are currently 16 funded OVX Coalitions. Only 10 groups will be funded next year due to limitations in program funding.

Is the CounterTools training planned to occur during the school day? Three days out of school in addition to planned group activities is a lot. Is it possible for this training to be part of the November training if all students are going to need to learn to use the tool?

The State will make every effort to combine trainings. The Counter Tools training is required onlyfor one adult advisor and one youth leader. The adult advisor may choose to send different youth to the Annual Youth Summit, Counter Tools Training, and Statehouse Rally. If it is not feasible for the youth leader to attend the Counter Tools training, the State will provide this training in another format (e.g. phone or webinar) at the adult advisor and youth leader’s convenienceas soon as possible after the training date.

We are looking to coordinate regional VKAT/OVX groups. We would like to submit a combined grant that would cover multiple schools. Is it possible to write such a grant that would exceed the budget amount but be less than an amount equivalent to 3-4 separate applications (as long as the parameters, such as no more than 25% on stipends, remain in effect?) Clearly we could not cover multiple schools on a $750 stipend amount.

The Vermont Department of Health will accept grant applications that propose delivering OVX programming to multiple schools. The total amount of requestedfunding may not exceed $5,000 for OVX.This funding limitation is necessary to ensure that OVX grant dollars are not concentrated in one area of the state.The original parameters for stipends would remain in effect.

Applicants that would like to run multiple groups must submit the following:

Attachment 1: Completed“OVX RFP Cover Sheet”

Complete one Cover Sheet. Under “Grantee Name & Address” write the grantee name and list all schools/locations that will be receiving programming.

Attachment 2: Completed, typed responses to “OVX Youth Coalition RFP Questions & Proposed Expenditures”

Complete one “Attachment 2”. You may expand your response to 9 pages to detail in each section how many schools/locations will be receiving programming, how you will deliver a regional approach and its advantages, and whether there will be any programming differences between schools/ locations.Complete one budget for total OVX funding.

Letters of support (see “OVX RFP Cover Sheet”). If applicant is not school-based, see 1.1 Requests for Proposal (eligible applicants) for school administration letter requirements

One (1) letter from youth:One from an OVX group member at each school/location.
One (1) letter from adult advisor: One letter from an adult advisor at each school/location committed to working with OVX. State clearly if there is only one adult advisor for all schools/locations.
One (1) letterfrom each local Community Tobacco Coalition, if available in your area,that would work with the OVX groups. This letter must specify the Coalition secondhand smoke policy priority that each OVX group will be supporting. If there is no Coalition in your area, include a letter from each local VDH District Office agreeing on a joint secondhand smoke project.
One (1) letter from the Coordinated School Health Team at each school/location who will support the youth coalition efforts where feasible.
In addition to the above, if your group is not associated with your local school or if it includes members from multiple schools, then there must be a one (1) signed letter of support from each school administration approving a full day absence from school for youth attending the respective mandatory trainings.

Attachment 3: “OVX Scope of Work and Agreement” with all signatures

All adult and youth leaders must sign the Scope of Work and Agreement.

Other attachments, if appropriate