Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH13 13660301SUPP16

  • The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Program Expansion Supplement: Supporting Laboratory Strengthening Activities in Resource-Limited Countries under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.067.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Aug 23, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 22, 2016 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
  • 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).
Apply for CDC RFA GH13 13660301SUPP16

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Opportunity Summary:

The Program Expansion Supplement: Supporting Laboratory Strengthening Activities in Resource-Limited Countries under PEPFAR is a CDC-led cooperative agreement funding opportunity designed to improve public health outcomes by strengthening laboratory systems that support HIV/AIDS programs in low-resource international settings. The core intent is not to generate new scientific knowledge through research, but to fund practical, service-oriented activities that help prevent and control disease, improve health, and improve the performance of public health programs. In other words, the award is meant to expand or supplement real-world laboratory capacity that directly supports HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and surveillance efforts aligned with PEPFAR priorities.

This opportunity sits within the broader PEPFAR strategy established in the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the five-year strategy covering 2009 to 2014. Those headline goals included the well-known "3,12,12" targets: providing antiretroviral therapy to at least three million people living with HIV, delivering care to twelve million people (including five million orphans and vulnerable children), and preventing twelve million new infections. To help countries reach these goals sustainably, PEPFAR also emphasized building local capacity, including training large numbers of new health care workers. Laboratory strengthening is a key piece of that capacity-building agenda because reliable testing underpins almost every major HIV program decision, from confirming diagnosis to staging disease, monitoring treatment, and detecting co-infections like tuberculosis.

CDC, working under the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, frames country support around host-country needs and national strategic plans. The approach described in the notice highlights that CDC typically concentrates on a few major program areas per country and designs assistance to fit within the host nation partnership framework. In practical terms, that means the awardee is expected to work in coordination with national HIV programs and other in-country partners so laboratory improvements are not isolated projects, but integrated into how the health system actually functions.

The program priorities described in the announcement connect laboratory strengthening to the full continuum of HIV services. On the prevention side, the work supports activities such as expanded confidential counseling and testing linked to evidence-based behavior change interventions, along with services that reduce mother-to-child transmission. On the treatment and care side, laboratory capacity is positioned as essential for better management of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and opportunistic infections, including the ability to diagnose and monitor conditions that commonly affect people living with HIV. The notice also explicitly calls out tuberculosis as a critical intercurrent disease, reinforcing that lab systems need to support integrated HIV/TB work. Another major focus is strengthening national surveillance and program management through improved data collection and use, expanded HIV/STI/TB surveillance, and better laboratory support for diagnosis, treatment monitoring, disease monitoring, and blood safety screening.

Although research is not allowable under this funding mechanism, the notice clarifies that certain activities that can look "research-like" may still be supported as long as they are primarily public health practice and program improvement rather than hypothesis-driven research. Examples listed include formative assessments, surveys, disease surveillance, routine program monitoring and evaluation, and field evaluation of diagnostic tests. Some of these activities may require human subjects review due to local or institutional policies, but they are framed as non-research public health functions that help improve services, quality, and targeting of interventions.

A recurring theme is coordination, integration, and efficiency in line with Global Health Initiative principles. The awardee may be asked to participate in programmatic activities that emphasize a woman- and girl-centered approach, greater impact through strategic coordination, leveraging multilateral organizations and partnerships (including private sector engagement), encouraging country ownership through country-led plans, and building sustainability through health systems investments. The opportunity also stresses strengthening metrics, monitoring, and evaluation so improvements can be tracked and programs can demonstrate results. It mentions promoting research, development, and innovation, while reiterating that actual research is not supported under this FOA, suggesting the emphasis is on implementing and scaling proven tools and improving how programs operate rather than conducting original research studies.

The justification for the investment is straightforward: in many resource-limited settings, providing consistent, high-quality laboratory services is difficult, yet laboratory testing is foundational to clinical care, infectious disease surveillance, and public health policy. The notice frames good laboratory practice as cost-effective and strongly tied to reliable and accurate results, better patient care, and increased patient confidence in testing. In practical program terms, this points to improvements such as quality management systems, training and mentorship of laboratory personnel, standard operating procedures, quality assurance and quality control, safer specimen handling and referral networks, stronger diagnostic platforms where appropriate, and management systems that keep testing reliable over time rather than only during a short-term project.

From an administrative standpoint, this was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically within the Center for Global Health. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means CDC expects substantial involvement in guiding, collaborating on, or coordinating program activities rather than operating at arm's length. The opportunity is identified as CDC RFA GH13-13660301SUPP16 under CFDA 93.067. It anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $500,000. The posting lists a creation date of August 23, 2016, and an original closing date of October 22, 2016, with electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with the specific eligibility details referenced as being provided in an additional eligibility information field in the full notice.

Overall, this supplement opportunity is best understood as targeted funding to expand or reinforce laboratory systems that enable PEPFAR-supported HIV prevention, care, treatment, and surveillance in resource-limited countries. The emphasis is on practical implementation, integration with national plans, measurable program improvement, and long-term sustainability of laboratory quality and diagnostic reliability, rather than on conducting research studies.

FAQs: Program Expansion Supplement - Supporting Laboratory Strengthening Activities in Resource-Limited Countries under PEPFAR (CDC Cooperative Agreement)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a CDC-led cooperative agreement supplement opportunity focused on strengthening laboratory systems that support HIV/AIDS programs in resource-limited international settings under PEPFAR. It is designed to improve public health outcomes by expanding or reinforcing real-world laboratory capacity tied to HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and surveillance.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The main purpose is to fund practical, service-oriented laboratory strengthening activities that help prevent and control disease, improve health, and improve public health program performance. The intent is implementation and program improvement, not generating new scientific knowledge through research.

Is research allowed under this opportunity?

No. The notice states that research is not allowable under this funding mechanism. The award is meant to support public health practice and program operations rather than hypothesis-driven research.

Are any activities allowed that might look like research?

Yes, certain activities that may appear research-like can be supported if they are primarily public health practice and program improvement rather than hypothesis-driven research. Examples specifically mentioned include formative assessments, surveys, disease surveillance, routine program monitoring and evaluation, and field evaluation of diagnostic tests.

Could supported activities require human subjects review?

Possibly. The notice indicates that some activities (even when framed as non-research public health functions) may require human subjects review depending on local or institutional policies.

How does this opportunity connect to PEPFAR priorities?

The opportunity is positioned within the broader PEPFAR strategy (including the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the 2009-2014 five-year strategy). It emphasizes laboratory strengthening as essential to sustaining HIV program goals such as expanding antiretroviral therapy, delivering care, and preventing new infections, while building local capacity and strengthening health systems.

Why is laboratory strengthening emphasized for HIV programs?

Reliable laboratory testing underpins key HIV program decisions, including confirming diagnosis, staging disease, monitoring treatment, detecting co-infections, and supporting surveillance. In resource-limited settings, consistent high-quality laboratory services are difficult to maintain, yet they are foundational to clinical care and public health policy.

What types of HIV program areas does the laboratory strengthening support?

The notice links laboratory strengthening to the full continuum of HIV services. This includes prevention services (such as counseling and testing linked to evidence-based behavior change interventions and services reducing mother-to-child transmission), as well as treatment and care needs (including diagnosing and monitoring HIV, STIs, and opportunistic infections).

Does the opportunity mention tuberculosis (TB)?

Yes. Tuberculosis is explicitly called out as a critical intercurrent disease. The notice reinforces that laboratory systems should support integrated HIV/TB work.

What does the opportunity say about surveillance and data use?

A major focus is strengthening national surveillance and program management through improved data collection and use, expanded HIV/STI/TB surveillance, and improved laboratory support for diagnosis, treatment monitoring, disease monitoring, and blood safety screening.

What kinds of laboratory strengthening activities are implied by the notice?

While the notice frames the work at a program level, it points to practical improvements associated with reliable and accurate results and long-term performance. Examples consistent with the notice include strengthening quality management systems, training and mentorship of laboratory personnel, implementing standard operating procedures, quality assurance and quality control, safer specimen handling and referral networks, strengthening diagnostic platforms where appropriate, and improving management systems to keep testing reliable over time.

What is meant by "service-oriented" activities?

Service-oriented activities are actions that directly improve delivery and reliability of laboratory services and the performance of public health programs. The emphasis is on real-world implementation that supports HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and surveillance, rather than conducting original research studies.

How is this award expected to align with host-country needs?

CDC frames country support around host-country needs and national strategic plans. The awardee is expected to work in coordination with national HIV programs and other in-country partners so laboratory improvements are integrated into the health system and not implemented as isolated projects.

What does "integration" mean in this context?

Integration refers to designing and implementing laboratory strengthening in a way that fits within the host nation partnership framework and aligns with national plans. It also includes supporting the broader continuum of HIV services (prevention, treatment, care, monitoring, and surveillance) and coordination across related areas like HIV/STI/TB.

What is a cooperative agreement, and why does it matter?

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically means CDC expects substantial involvement in guiding, collaborating on, or coordinating program activities rather than operating at arm's length. The relationship is intended to be collaborative and aligned to program priorities.

Which agency and CDC center issued this opportunity?

It was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Center for Global Health.

What is the opportunity identification information?

The opportunity is identified as CDC RFA GH13-13660301SUPP16 under CFDA 93.067.

How many awards were anticipated?

The notice anticipated a single award.

What was the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed in the notice is $500,000.

When was this opportunity posted, and what were the due dates?

The posting lists a creation date of August 23, 2016. The original closing date was October 22, 2016, with electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others." The notice indicates that specific eligibility details were referenced as being provided in an additional eligibility information field in the full notice.

What is the intended geographic or setting focus of the work?

The work is aimed at resource-limited countries in low-resource international settings, in support of PEPFAR-aligned HIV/AIDS programs.

What is the role of monitoring and evaluation in this opportunity?

The opportunity stresses strengthening metrics, monitoring, and evaluation so improvements can be tracked and programs can demonstrate results. It frames these efforts as part of effective public health practice and program performance improvement.

Does the notice mention innovation?

Yes, it mentions promoting research, development, and innovation, while reiterating that actual research is not supported under this FOA. The emphasis is on implementing and scaling proven tools and improving program operations rather than conducting original research studies.

How does the Global Health Initiative approach show up in this announcement?

The notice emphasizes coordination, integration, and efficiency consistent with Global Health Initiative principles. It notes that awardees may be asked to participate in programmatic activities that prioritize strategic coordination, leveraging multilateral organizations and partnerships (including private sector engagement), encouraging country ownership through country-led plans, and building sustainability through health systems investments.

Does the opportunity reference women and girls?

Yes. The notice notes programmatic activities that emphasize a woman- and girl-centered approach as part of broader coordination and impact principles.

Why does the notice describe good laboratory practice as cost-effective?

Because reliable, accurate laboratory results support better patient care and stronger public health decisions, which can reduce wasted resources and improve outcomes. The notice links good laboratory practice to increased patient confidence in testing and to sustained program performance.

What is the overall takeaway for prospective applicants?

This supplement opportunity is best understood as targeted funding to expand or reinforce laboratory systems that enable PEPFAR-supported HIV prevention, care, treatment, and surveillance in resource-limited countries, with an emphasis on practical implementation, integration with national plans, measurable improvement, and long-term sustainability rather than research.

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