Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Enhancing Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (U01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the PPACA Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Enhancing Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (U01) opportunity?

This is a CDC cooperative agreement funding opportunity (RFA CI 10 003) designed to strengthen the core surveillance infrastructure of the existing Emerging Infections Program (EIP) network. The focus is on boosting epidemiology and laboratory capacity at participating state and local health departments so EIP sites can sustain and expand high-quality, active, population-based surveillance and related special studies.

2. What is the main purpose of this funding?

The purpose is to invest in and sustain the foundational capabilities that allow EIP sites to run many surveillance and special-study activities efficiently, consistently, and at scale. Instead of building a new system, it strengthens the infrastructure that supports rapid, reliable public health surveillance and applied research across multiple infectious disease areas.

3. What types of public health work does the EIP network support?

The opportunity supports the EIP network’s role as a national resource for tracking and studying major infectious disease priorities. The description specifically mentions invasive bacterial diseases, foodborne pathogens, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), influenza, and other emerging or re-emerging infections.

4. Why is additional investment in EIP infrastructure emphasized?

The announcement highlights the operational load involved in running EIP activities. Individual EIP sites may conduct as many as 65 different surveillance and research activities in a given year. Maintaining that level of output depends on strong basic infrastructure, including skilled staff, adaptable surveillance systems, partner relationships, and ongoing coordination with CDC and local collaborators.

5. What does “basic infrastructure” mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this announcement, basic infrastructure refers to the behind-the-scenes capacity needed to carry out surveillance and special studies. Examples given include trained personnel; time to implement or modify surveillance systems; maintaining relationships with hospitals, clinical laboratories, and healthcare providers; preparing and submitting protocols to multiple institutional review boards (IRBs); hiring, supervising, and training staff to ensure consistent methods; and managing continuous information exchange and coordination with CDC and local partners.

6. How does the EIP network demonstrate value according to the opportunity description?

The description provides several examples of the EIP’s public health value, including measuring the impact of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, shaping and evaluating prevention and treatment guidance for Group B Streptococcus, estimating the burden of foodborne disease, documenting the emergence of community-associated MRSA, and contributing to influenza vaccine safety monitoring during the 2009 H1N1 response.

7. What is meant by the EIP network being “flexible”?

Flexibility refers to the EIP’s ability to pivot its activities and special studies as emergency response needs and CDC program priorities change. The network is presented as especially useful when scientific and public health priorities evolve quickly or new threats emerge.

8. Is this grant meant to create new EIP sites?

No. The opportunity is explicitly designed to build on existing EIP capabilities, systems, and partnerships. Eligibility is restricted to current EIP cooperative agreement grantees (or their bona fide agents), reflecting the intent to strengthen an established, functioning network rather than start new sites.

9. What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01). The announcement indicates CDC is expected to have substantial involvement in programmatic direction and collaboration, rather than acting only as a pass-through funder.

10. What is the activity category and CFDA number listed?

The activity category is Health. The CFDA number listed is 93.521, identified as “The Affordable Care Act Building Epidemiology, Laboratory, and Health Information Systems Capacity in the Epidemiology.”

11. How much total funding is estimated under this opportunity?

The total estimated funding is $4,500,000.

12. What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed is $650,000.

13. How many awards did CDC anticipate making?

CDC anticipated making about 10 awards.

14. Is cost-sharing or matching required?

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

15. Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to current EIP cooperative agreement grantees: the health departments of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Oregon, or their bona fide agents.

16. Why is eligibility limited to those specific health departments?

The notice explains that limiting eligibility to existing EIP sites supports efficient implementation and ensures adequate scientific and technical capacity. This approach aligns with the PPACA intention to strengthen public health systems by improving prevention and data systems in ways that can improve healthcare quality and reduce costs.

17. What are the key partners and relationships involved in EIP work, based on the announcement?

The infrastructure described relies on working relationships with hospitals, clinical laboratories, and healthcare providers, along with ongoing collaboration and information exchange between CDC and local partners. The announcement also notes frequent calls, meetings, conferences, and collaborative investigations with CDC scientists.

18. What kinds of administrative and coordination tasks does this funding help support?

The description references tasks such as implementing or modifying surveillance systems, submitting protocols to multiple IRBs for numerous studies, hiring and supervising staff, training teams to maintain consistent methods, and managing continuous information exchange across CDC and local partners, including participation in frequent coordination activities (calls, meetings, conferences, and collaborative investigations).

19. When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on August 17, 2010. The original and current closing date listed is August 27, 2010.

20. When was the archive date?

The archive date listed is September 26, 2010.

21. Where can applicants get help accessing the full announcement?

For access help, the announcement lists the CDC Procurement and Grants Office (TIMS) as the contact point: phone 770-488-2700; email PGOTIM@cdc.gov.

22. What does the opportunity suggest about how EIP work is conducted across states?

It describes EIP as a well-coordinated, multi-state network capable of delivering high-quality, active, population-based surveillance and rapidly pivoting to address emerging infectious disease threats or urgent scientific questions. The funding is positioned as support for the shared capacity that enables consistent methods and scalable work across participating sites.

23. What is the program’s relationship to the Affordable Care Act (PPACA), based on the description?

The opportunity is presented as a PPACA-related investment intended to strengthen public health systems by expanding epidemiology and laboratory capacity and improving data and prevention capabilities. The notice connects this strengthening to goals such as improving healthcare quality and reducing costs through better prevention and better data.