Support for the Republican AIDS Center of the Republic of Tajikistan to Maintain and Promote High-Quality HIV Services to Achieve Epidemic Control under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a CDC cooperative agreement under PEPFAR to support the Republican AIDS Center (RAC) of Tajikistan in maintaining and strengthening high-quality HIV services, with the broader aim of helping Tajikistan achieve HIV epidemic control.

2) Who is issuing this grant/cooperative agreement?

The issuing agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Global Health.

3) What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is CDC RFA GH20 2014.

4) What type of award is this?

It is a cooperative agreement, which typically involves substantial CDC involvement in areas such as technical direction, planning, performance monitoring, and continuous quality improvement.

5) What is the CFDA number and category of the award?

The notice categorizes this as a discretionary health award under CFDA 93.067.

6) What is the purpose of the award?

The purpose is to sustain and improve HIV service delivery in Tajikistan, building on prior CDC support, and to strengthen the systems and interventions that drive HIV epidemic control outcomes (including diagnosis, treatment, retention, and viral suppression).

7) What geographic area is the work focused on?

The programmatic focus is Tajikistan, with emphasis on national-scale HIV service delivery and system strengthening led by or aligned with the Republican AIDS Center (RAC) of Tajikistan.

8) How does this opportunity relate to earlier CDC funding?

This award is designed to continue and build on prior CDC support under NOFO CDC-RFA-GH15-1514, which ends on September 29, 2020.

9) When was the original application due date?

The original application due date listed is March 7, 2020, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

10) When is the project scheduled to begin?

The project is scheduled to begin on September 30, 2020.

11) How many awards does CDC expect to make?

CDC expects to make one award.

12) How much funding is expected for Year 1?

The notice states CDC anticipates approximately $850,000 in total fiscal year funding for Year 1, contingent on the availability of funds.

13) Why does the notice list an award ceiling of "0 (none)" for Year 1?

The notice is described as having an unusual structure: it lists an award ceiling for Year 1 as "0 (none)" while also stating CDC anticipates approximately $850,000 for Year 1 (subject to available funds). The notice does not provide additional explanation beyond this description.

14) Is Year 1 funding guaranteed?

No. The notice indicates anticipated Year 1 funding is contingent on the availability of funds.

15) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice. Based on how it is framed, this may imply a limited or specialized applicant pool, potentially aligned with the RAC or similarly situated entities able to implement national HIV program activities.

16) What does "substantial CDC involvement" mean in this cooperative agreement?

It means CDC is likely to collaborate closely with the recipient on technical direction, planning, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement, rather than providing funds with minimal federal engagement.

17) What are the main program strategy areas described in the opportunity?

The opportunity highlights four connected strategy areas: (1) strengthening HIV case finding and identification of people living with HIV; (2) adopting and scaling evidence-based HIV service delivery models nationwide to improve treatment cascade outcomes; (3) reducing stigma and discrimination to support client-centered services appropriate for key populations; and (4) strengthening monitoring, surveillance, and continuous quality improvement for data-driven program management.

18) What is included under strengthening HIV case finding?

This includes development and coordination of effective index testing services and linkage-to-care strategies, with a focus on improving identification and rapid linkage among key populations.

19) What does the opportunity emphasize regarding linkage to care?

It emphasizes strategies that support rapid linkage to care after identification/diagnosis, particularly among key populations, as part of strengthening case finding and improving outcomes.

20) What service delivery outcomes are prioritized?

The opportunity focuses on treatment cascade outcomes tied to epidemic control, including retention in care, consistent adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and viral suppression.

21) What does the notice say about scaling evidence-based models?

It calls for adopting and scaling evidence-based HIV service delivery models nationwide, with practical emphasis on improving retention, adherence, and viral suppression.

22) Why are stigma and discrimination addressed in this opportunity?

The notice prioritizes reducing stigma and discrimination across HIV prevention and treatment settings to make services client-centered and appropriate for key populations, recognizing that trust, confidentiality, and respectful care affect access and quality.

23) How does the opportunity describe "client-centered" HIV services?

It frames client-centered services as respectful, appropriate for key populations, and shaped by trust, confidentiality, and the ability to access services without fear of mistreatment or repercussions.

24) What monitoring and surveillance improvements are expected?

The opportunity stresses robust monitoring, surveillance, and continuous quality improvement so the RAC and partners can track epidemic trends, evaluate performance, identify gaps by geography and population, and adjust interventions based on real-time data.

25) What long-term outcomes does the opportunity aim to support?

Long-term outcomes described include earlier diagnosis and immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy, sustained retention and durable viral suppression, improved access for key populations to responsive and respectful HIV services, and strengthened national capacity to monitor and adapt the HIV response over time.

26) How is PEPFAR reflected in the goals of this award?

The opportunity aligns with PEPFAR and epidemic control goals by emphasizing earlier diagnosis, immediate treatment initiation, retention, viral suppression, stigma reduction, and data-driven program improvement.

27) What role does the RAC of Tajikistan play in this opportunity?

The opportunity is intended to support the Republican AIDS Center (RAC) of Tajikistan in maintaining and strengthening HIV services and in leading or coordinating national program activities supported through this cooperative agreement.

28) What is the overall intent of this award in one sentence?

To help Tajikistan maintain momentum from prior CDC support while improving the effectiveness, equity, and measurable impact of HIV services nationwide in pursuit of HIV epidemic control.