Laboratory Systems Strengthening Services to Countries in the Southeast Asia and Pacific Regions Supported by the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the funding opportunity number and who is offering it?

This opportunity is CDC-RFA-GH15-1536, offered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a PEPFAR-supported cooperative agreement.

2) What is the main purpose of this grant?

The purpose is to strengthen national and sub-national laboratory systems in Burma (Myanmar) and Papua New Guinea so both countries can safely and quickly expand high-quality HIV services as antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage increases.

3) Which countries and laboratories are specifically referenced?

The work focuses on Burma (Myanmar) and Papua New Guinea, with particular emphasis on strengthening Burma's National Health Laboratory (NHL) and Papua New Guinea's Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), alongside the broader laboratory networks connected to them.

4) Why does the announcement emphasize laboratory systems during ART scale-up?

The announcement is addressing the risk that ART scale-up and decentralization to provincial, district, and township levels will not work unless diagnostic testing and clinical monitoring are reliable, consistent, and accessible beyond central hospitals.

5) What type of award mechanism is this?

This is a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means CDC expects substantial involvement during implementation, including collaboration on technical direction and coordination.

6) How many awards were expected under this opportunity?

Only one award was expected.

7) What is the maximum (ceiling) funding amount?

The award ceiling was listed as $1,000,000.

8) Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed.

9) What is the CFDA number and program area?

The CFDA number is 93.067 (Global AIDS), placing the opportunity within the PEPFAR/CDC global HIV portfolio.

10) What is the core problem this FOA is trying to solve?

The FOA aims to solve the gap between expanding ART services and having laboratory systems that can support them. Specifically, it targets the need for dependable HIV diagnostic testing and patient monitoring as services decentralize from central hospitals to lower levels of the health system.

11) What kinds of applicant organizations were eligible?

Eligibility was broad and included government entities, nonprofit and community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, hospitals, colleges and universities, research institutions performing non-research activities, and for-profit organizations (other than small business), among others.

12) What kind of partner is CDC looking for?

The award is designed for a technical assistance partner that can work alongside ministries of health to improve laboratory management, assure testing quality, and organize laboratory services across a countrywide network.

13) What are the main activity areas described in the announcement?

The described activities center on: strengthening top-tier national reference laboratories (NHL and CPHL); building the broader laboratory network that connects referral and peripheral sites; developing and implementing operational documentation such as SOPs, policies, guidelines, and training materials; and establishing strong quality systems for HIV diagnostics and patient monitoring.

14) What operational documentation is expected to be developed or implemented?

The FOA highlights developing and putting into practice SOPs, policies, guidelines, and training materials usable at national and sub-national levels. It also references management and operational documentation supporting routine workflows, staffing and supervision, biosafety practices, equipment use and maintenance, documentation and records, and standardized training approaches.

15) What does the FOA mean by "cross-cutting quality assurance and monitoring"?

It means building systems that ensure tests are performed correctly over time, not only during initial setup. The focus is on maintaining consistent performance through structured routines and oversight.

16) What quality system elements are implied by the FOA?

The FOA points to activities such as verification or validation of testing methods, internal quality control routines, participation in external quality assessment, proficiency testing follow-up, corrective and preventive actions, documentation and audit readiness, and ongoing performance monitoring.

17) What is the expected outcome of strengthening laboratory quality systems?

The objective is to make laboratory results dependable enough to guide clinical decisions, including confirming HIV status, monitoring treatment response, and managing ART safely as HIV services expand.

18) How does the opportunity address access issues outside capital cities?

It emphasizes strengthening the broader laboratory network so patients receiving care far from central facilities can still access reliable testing and monitoring through connected referral systems and appropriate service distribution across laboratory tiers.

19) What is "right-sizing" of laboratory tiers in this context?

Right-sizing refers to matching the complexity of services and equipment to the level of the health system, such as defining which tests should be performed at township or district facilities versus which should be referred to higher-level laboratories, to use resources efficiently and improve timeliness of results.

20) What network functions are specifically mentioned for strengthening?

The FOA mentions strengthening functions that connect facilities and levels of care, including specimen referral and transport systems, clarifying referral pathways, improving turnaround times, supporting logistics and coordination, and setting realistic service packages for different classes of laboratories.

21) What role do mentoring and supportive supervision play in this award?

The FOA places weight on ongoing mentoring, supportive supervision, and professional development for key national counterparts, suggesting an approach focused on longer-term capacity transfer rather than relying on short trainings alone.

22) Which national counterparts are specifically called out for mentoring support?

The announcement calls for ongoing mentoring for staff at Burma's National Health Laboratory (NHL) and within the Papua New Guinea National Department of Health (NDOH).

23) How does this work relate to decentralization of health services?

The FOA calls for implementing recommendations to help the Ministry of Health and the Papua New Guinea National Department of Health improve HIV laboratory services at provincial, district, and township levels, supporting continued decentralization so expanded ART delivery sites have appropriate laboratory support.

24) What coordination expectations are stated?

Coordination is expected with CDC country offices in Burma and Papua New Guinea, and with other major partners working in these settings to align efforts and avoid duplication.

25) Which external partners are specifically mentioned for coordination?

The FOA mentions WHO, Australia's aid program (DFAT), JICA, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative as partners in these settings, signaling the need for strong coordination.

26) Is this opportunity still active?

No. The posting dates indicate it was posted in August 2014, had an October 2014 closing date, and was archived shortly thereafter.

27) In plain terms, what is this award best understood as?

It is a targeted, country-support technical assistance award intended to make HIV laboratory services more reliable, standardized, and reachable as Burma and Papua New Guinea expand ART and decentralize care.