Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA OE15 1504

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Domestic Laboratory Biosafety for Ebola and other Highly Infectious Diseases" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.322 CSELS Partnership Strengthening Public Health Laboratories.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 1, 2015 and posted on Mar 31, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 1, 2015 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on 5/1/2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • Sole Source to the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
Apply for CDC RFA OE15 1504

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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Domestic Laboratory Biosafety for Ebola and other Highly Infectious Diseases" is a CDC-funded cooperative agreement designed to strengthen biosafety practices in U.S. public health and clinical laboratories that may handle specimens containing highly infectious pathogens, including Ebola. The core aim is to support the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) in building and delivering a coordinated laboratory safety program that improves preparedness and reduces occupational and public risk when testing or handling specimens associated with high-consequence infectious diseases.

The program is built around several practical support functions for laboratories. First, it emphasizes access to subject matter experts who specialize in clinical and public health laboratory safety for infectious agents, with explicit attention to highly infectious agents like Ebola. This expert access is meant to help laboratories interpret and apply biosafety principles in real-world testing environments, including decisions about specimen handling, workflow design, and safe testing practices. Second, it funds coordination and information-sharing so laboratories can exchange best practices, lessons learned, and effective approaches for safe specimen handling and testing. This reflects an understanding that consistent, widely shared procedures and peer-to-peer learning can improve safety performance across many sites more quickly than isolated efforts.

A third major component is direct assistance for laboratories to assess whether their training, facilities, and equipment are sufficient for safe handling and testing of specimens that could contain highly infectious agents. In practice, this would typically involve structured reviews of biosafety readiness: whether staff have the right competencies, whether the physical lab space and engineering controls are appropriate, and whether necessary safety equipment and supplies are available and correctly used. The fourth component is training focused on laboratory safety risk assessment and risk mitigation. That emphasis signals a shift from simple checklist compliance toward a risk-based approach, where laboratories identify specific hazards associated with procedures and specimens, evaluate exposure pathways, and implement mitigation strategies such as safer work practices, appropriate personal protective equipment, engineering controls, and administrative controls.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA OE15-1504. It falls under the discretionary funding category, uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (indicating substantial CDC involvement or collaboration during the project), and is classified within the health funding activity category. The CFDA number listed is 93.322 (CSELS Partnership Strengthening Public Health Laboratories). The estimated total funding amount is $2,200,000, with one expected award, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Eligibility was limited as a sole source award to APHL, meaning the CDC intended to fund APHL specifically rather than run an open competition among multiple organizations. Key dates show it was posted March 31, 2015, created April 1, 2015, and had submission instructions for electronic applications with deadlines noted as 11:59 p.m. ET (with references to May 1, 2015 and also May 11, 2015 in the announcement text). The opportunity was archived May 31, 2015. For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed contact was Greg Jones at the CDC (GJJ1@cdc.gov), with grants policy support indicated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled Domestic Laboratory Biosafety for Ebola and other Highly Infectious Diseases.

Which federal agency issued this funding opportunity?

The opportunity was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What type of funding mechanism is being used?

This is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial CDC involvement or collaboration during the project period.

What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreement?

The core purpose is to strengthen biosafety practices in U.S. public health and clinical laboratories that may handle specimens containing highly infectious pathogens, including Ebola. The program is intended to improve preparedness and reduce occupational and public risk when testing or handling specimens associated with high-consequence infectious diseases.

Who is intended to be supported through this award?

The cooperative agreement is designed to support the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) in building and delivering a coordinated laboratory safety program.

What pathogens or hazards are in scope for this program?

The program focuses on specimens that could contain highly infectious pathogens, with explicit attention to Ebola, and more broadly addresses high-consequence infectious diseases.

What are the main program components described in the announcement?

The announcement describes four practical support functions:

  1. Access to subject matter experts specializing in clinical and public health laboratory safety for infectious agents, including highly infectious agents like Ebola.
  2. Coordination and information-sharing so laboratories can exchange best practices, lessons learned, and effective approaches for safe specimen handling and testing.
  3. Direct assistance to laboratories to assess whether training, facilities, and equipment are sufficient for safe handling and testing of potentially highly infectious specimens.
  4. Training on laboratory safety risk assessment and risk mitigation, emphasizing a risk-based approach to identifying hazards and applying controls.

What does "access to subject matter experts" mean in practical terms?

It refers to providing laboratories access to biosafety specialists who can help interpret and apply biosafety principles in real testing environments. Examples mentioned include guidance related to specimen handling decisions, workflow design, and safe testing practices for highly infectious agents.

What kinds of "coordination and information-sharing" activities are envisioned?

The announcement emphasizes enabling laboratories to share best practices and lessons learned. The intent is to improve safety performance across many sites by promoting consistent, widely shared procedures and peer-to-peer learning.

What does the "direct assistance" component help laboratories evaluate?

Direct assistance is described as helping laboratories assess readiness across three areas:

  • Training: whether staff have the right competencies.
  • Facilities: whether physical space and engineering controls are appropriate.
  • Equipment: whether necessary safety equipment and supplies are available, correctly used, and adequate for safe handling and testing.

What is meant by a risk-based approach to biosafety in this program?

The training focus is described as moving beyond simple checklist compliance toward risk assessment and risk mitigation. This includes identifying hazards tied to specific procedures and specimens, evaluating exposure pathways, and implementing mitigation strategies such as safer work practices, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, and administrative controls.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed is CDC RFA OE15-1504.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 93.322, described as CSELS Partnership Strengthening Public Health Laboratories.

What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount is $2,200,000.

How many awards were expected under this opportunity?

The opportunity indicated one expected award.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited as a sole source award to APHL, meaning CDC intended to fund APHL specifically rather than conduct an open competition among multiple applicants.

Does this appear to be an open competitive grant opportunity?

No. Based on the announcement details, this was a sole source opportunity limited to APHL.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

It was posted March 31, 2015, and created April 1, 2015.

What were the application submission method and deadline time?

The announcement referenced electronic applications and noted a deadline time of 11:59 p.m. ET.

What application due date should applicants have followed?

The text referenced deadlines associated with May 1, 2015 and also May 11, 2015. The announcement contains both dates as noted in the provided information.

What is the status of this funding opportunity now?

The opportunity was archived May 31, 2015.

Which funding category and activity area does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under the discretionary funding category and is classified within the health funding activity category.

Who was listed as the contact for access issues related to the full announcement?

The listed contact was Greg Jones at CDC, email: GJJ1@cdc.gov. The announcement also indicated grants policy support.

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