Providing logistics, administration, and publications.
Cygnus provided a broad range of services to support to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for National Advisory Boards, Interagency Coordinating Committees, and other committees, including the End-Stage Renal Disease Data Advisory Committee (ESRD DAC). Support was provided for:
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Three congressionally-mandated advisory boards and their subcommittees to make recommendations to Congress, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Director of NIH, the Director of NIDDK, and the heads of other appropriate federal agencies;
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An annual report summarizing board activities in describing and evaluating progress on research, treatment, education, and training; and analyzing federal expenditures for the respective disease areas;
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Three interagency coordinating committees charged with coordinating the relevant disease-related programs and activities of the various federal agencies involved in the research areas for which the committee was established; and
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The ESRD DAC, charged with advising the Secretary of HHS on formulating policies and procedures relevant to the management of HHS' data collection and analysis efforts on end-stage renal disease.
Cygnus staff supported the boards and committees by providing technical expertise in the areas of national public health policy assessment; program planning and evaluation; management and dissemination of information; publications production and documentation support; writing, editorial, and graphic design services; conference management and logistical support for conferences, meetings, and other events; support for special initiatives; and administrative and quick response services. Examples include the following:
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Helping board and committee chairpersons plan and implement quarterly meetings by providing both technical and logistical support;
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Preparing up to 28 meeting summaries per year for legislatively-mandated board and committee meetings;
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Preparing an annual report for each of the 7 boards and committees to congress each year;
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Preparing annual congressional testimony for each boards’ executive director and chairperson;
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Preparing other ad hoc materials such as long-range plans, conference proceedings, press releases, and special subcommittee reports;
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Maintaining and updating board and committee mailing lists; and
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Providing some or all the services described above to support special initiatives to assess various health issues, facilitate activities related to the development or modification of health policy, develop and implement long-range plans, collect and analyze data, and develop and implement plans for disease prevention and technology transfer projects or Special Initiatives.
