Enhancing Strategic Information Capacity for HIV/AIDS Programs in Kenya through Surveillance and Epidemiology, Monitoring and Evaluation and Mobile Health Solutions under the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is CDC RFA GH15-1543?

CDC RFA GH15-1543 is a PEPFAR-supported discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is focused on strengthening Kenya's HIV strategic information systems through technical assistance and capacity-building for the Government of Kenya and its implementing partners.

2) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to help Kenya design, operate, and sustain stronger systems for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and sharing high-quality HIV data. The practical aim is improved HIV data generation and use so national and county decision-makers can track outcomes, measure impact, and adjust programs based on evidence.

3) What kind of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement. That means CDC expects substantial involvement and collaboration with the awardee during implementation, rather than a more hands-off grant model.

4) How is the work organized under this opportunity?

The work is organized into three program areas: (A) Surveillance and Epidemiology, (B) Monitoring and Evaluation, and (C) mHealth (mobile health).

5) What is Program Area A (Surveillance and Epidemiology) focused on?

Program Area A focuses on building the Government of Kenya's capacity to plan and implement epidemiologic studies and translate results into practical guidance for policy and programming. It is intended to strengthen local systems and skills so Kenya can routinely generate reliable epidemiologic evidence, analyze it accurately, disseminate findings clearly, and apply results to the HIV response at national and sub-national levels.

6) What types of activities are included in Program Area A?

Program Area A includes support for surveillance activities, surveys, operations research and implementation science, and public health impact evaluations. The emphasis is not only on conducting studies, but also on strengthening the capacity and systems needed to sustain these functions over time.

7) What is Program Area B (Monitoring and Evaluation) focused on?

Program Area B targets the performance of HIV program monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data systems and the capacity of the people operating them. The goal is to improve routine collection, analysis, and reporting of program data so it is accurate, timely, and useful for program management.

8) What kinds of M&E improvements are expected under Program Area B?

Expected activities include improving health worker capacity to collect, analyze, and report HIV program data (including cohort analysis and program evaluation), providing hands-on assistance to review and revise M&E frameworks, tools, policies, and standard operating procedures (SOPs), and supporting rollout of those improvements.

9) Does the opportunity emphasize coordination of M&E functions?

Yes. The opportunity calls for stronger coordination and collaboration of M&E functions at both national and sub-national levels, paired with training and mentorship to improve HIV data quality and reporting.

10) What is Program Area C (mHealth) focused on?

Program Area C focuses on mobile technology innovations that can improve efficiency and performance across HIV prevention, care, and treatment services. It emphasizes solutions that connect program leadership, laboratories, and supply chains and that support secure transmission of patient-level information across community and facility settings up to sub-national and national levels.

11) Which Government of Kenya entities are specifically referenced for mHealth work?

The announcement references Government of Kenya entities including NASCOP, NPHLS, and KEMSA, reflecting an emphasis on mHealth solutions that support national HIV program leadership, laboratory systems, and supply chain functions.

12) What prior PEPFAR-supported mobile initiatives in Kenya does this opportunity build on?

The opportunity builds on prior PEPFAR-supported mobile initiatives such as SMS transmission of Early Infant Diagnosis results, health commodities management, ART adherence support, the Peer Education at the Pump Project, tracking of key populations, blood donor data management, remote data collection for surveys, and mobile learning approaches.

13) What is expected regarding expansion or scale-up of mHealth solutions?

The awardee is expected to expand and scale solutions like those previously supported, while also introducing innovative approaches that complement facility-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

14) Does the mHealth component include requirements related to security and patient-level data?

Yes. A key requirement is enabling mobility for health care workers and supporting secure transmission of patient-level information from community and facility settings to sub-national and national levels.

15) How is sustainability addressed in the mHealth program area?

Sustainability is addressed through training and mentorship for Government of Kenya staff in the development, management, use, and maintenance of mHealth systems.

16) Are evaluations required as part of this award?

Yes. The funding opportunity underscores that evaluations will be conducted throughout the project period to demonstrate progress and document evidence of both short-term and long-term results.

17) What kinds of results are awardees expected to show?

Awardees are expected to show measurable improvements over time in areas such as capacity, data quality, data use, and overall system performance.

18) How many awards were anticipated?

Up to three awards were anticipated under this funding opportunity.

19) What is the funding ceiling for this opportunity?

The listed ceiling is $9.8 million.

20) Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

21) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity is tied to CFDA 93.067 (Global AIDS).

22) When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted in September 2014. The original and final closing date was October 17, 2014, and the listing was archived in November 2014.

23) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes government organizations (such as ministries of health and state/local governments), tribal governments and related entities, and many types of non-government organizations, including nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), community-based and faith-based organizations, research institutions conducting non-research activities under the award, colleges and universities, hospitals, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), including small, minority-, and women-owned businesses.

24) Can for-profit organizations apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are included in the eligible applicant types listed.

25) Are small, minority-, and women-owned businesses included in eligibility?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes small, minority-, and women-owned businesses, among other organization types.

26) Is this opportunity limited to public-sector applicants?

No. The listing is designed to allow both public-sector and private-sector organizations with relevant technical capacity to compete, as long as they can deliver technical assistance and capacity-building aligned with Kenya's national HIV data priorities under PEPFAR.

27) What does "strategic information" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this opportunity, strategic information refers to the systems and capabilities needed to collect, analyze, interpret, and share high-quality HIV data so decision-makers can track outcomes, measure impact, and make evidence-based program adjustments.

28) Does the opportunity emphasize national and county (sub-national) use of data?

Yes. The stated intent is to strengthen data generation and use so both national and county decision-makers can use evidence to manage and improve the HIV response.

29) Is the focus only on generating data, or also on using it?

It includes both. The opportunity emphasizes improving the full cycle: generating higher-quality HIV data and ensuring it is analyzed, disseminated, and actively used to guide policy and programming decisions.

30) Does this opportunity involve strengthening people and processes in addition to technology?

Yes. Across the program areas, the opportunity highlights technical assistance, practical training, mentorship, improved frameworks and SOPs, coordination mechanisms, and evaluation, alongside technology-focused work such as mHealth and complementary approaches to facility-based EHR systems.