Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH12 1219
Apply for CDC RFA GH12 1219
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Laboratory Infrastructure, Quality of Laboratory Services, and Strategic Information Capacity in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under the Presidents 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 Global AIDS.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 27, 2012 and posted on Jan 27, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $24,531,624.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,276,624.00 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).
- This funding announcement is not a request for applications. This is a public notice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s intention to fund the described project activities without full and open competition.
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity, titled "Strengthening Laboratory Infrastructure, Quality of Laboratory Services, and Strategic Information Capacity in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)," is a CDC-funded cooperative agreement designed to improve Ethiopias public health laboratory system with a strong emphasis on HIV and TB, including the growing need to detect and respond to multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). The overall intent is to reinforce an integrated national laboratory network that can reliably support diagnosis, treatment monitoring, surveillance, and program decision-making across the country, aligning with priorities laid out in Ethiopias national laboratory master plan. The work centers on making laboratory services more consistent, higher quality, and better connected to clinical programs and national health information needs.
A major focus of the program is strengthening quality systems across every tier of the laboratory network, from peripheral facilities up through regional and national reference laboratories. This includes expanding and decentralizing external quality assessment (EQA) so that proficiency testing and quality monitoring are not limited to a single central body but can be implemented more broadly and efficiently. Another key objective is advancing laboratory accreditation, meaning laboratories are supported to meet recognized standards for competence, reliability, and quality management. In practical terms, this type of support typically involves implementing quality management systems, standard operating procedures, staff mentoring, regular audits, corrective action processes, and ongoing performance monitoring so that test results are dependable and comparable across sites.
The opportunity also prioritizes the development of a more integrated specimen referral system for specialized testing. Ethiopias geography and varying facility capacity make it difficult for many patients to access advanced diagnostics, so building a functional referral network is critical. This includes clear specimen transport pathways, proper packaging and cold chain practices where required, tracking systems, and defined turnaround times so that samples can move from lower-level sites to regional or national laboratories that can perform more complex tests. A well-run referral system supports both patient care and surveillance by ensuring that confirmatory and specialized tests are accessible beyond major urban centers.
Capacity building of regional laboratories is another central element. The intent is to strengthen regional hubs so they can provide higher-level testing, mentorship, supervision, and quality oversight for lower-tier facilities. This kind of regional strengthening helps decentralize services, reduces burden on national laboratories, improves turnaround times, and creates more resilient systems that can maintain performance even when demand increases. Workforce development is implicitly tied to these goals, since maintaining quality and expanding services requires trained laboratorians, competent supervisors, and laboratory managers who can sustain improvements.
Equipment reliability is addressed through implementation of a comprehensive equipment maintenance strategy, recognizing that instrument downtime is a common reason for service interruptions and delayed results. Rather than treating maintenance as an ad hoc activity, the program emphasizes a systematic approach, which typically includes equipment inventories, preventive maintenance schedules, service contracts or service-level agreements, training for users and biomedical technicians, calibration plans, and supply chain coordination for spare parts and consumables. By reducing breakdowns and extending equipment life, the program aims to stabilize service delivery and protect the quality of results.
On the strategic information side, the program calls for systematic expansion of laboratory information systems (LIS). This reflects the need to move away from fragmented, paper-heavy reporting toward better data capture, reporting, and use. Strengthened LIS can improve result reporting to clinics, support specimen tracking in referral networks, reduce transcription errors, and generate routine performance indicators for managers. It also strengthens surveillance by enabling faster aggregation and analysis of laboratory data, which is essential for monitoring HIV and TB trends, identifying outbreaks or emerging resistance, and supporting national planning.
The opportunity also includes evaluation and implementation of improved diagnostic technologies, signaling an intent to keep the laboratory network current with more accurate, efficient, and program-relevant testing methods. This can involve assessing new assays or platforms, validating their performance in local conditions, training staff, and ensuring that quality systems, supply chains, and maintenance plans are in place so that technology adoption actually translates into better patient outcomes and stronger surveillance.
A distinct priority is building laboratory capacity to detect MDR TB at national and regional levels. MDR TB detection requires more advanced testing capacity than basic smear microscopy, along with rigorous biosafety practices, trained staff, and reliable systems for specimen referral and result reporting. Strengthening this capacity supports both individual patient management and public health control efforts by enabling earlier identification of drug resistance and helping programs adjust treatment regimens appropriately. It also ties directly into TB/HIV program integration, since co-infection is common and timely, accurate diagnosis is critical for reducing mortality and transmission.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means CDC expects substantial involvement in technical direction, coordination, and oversight compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area, under CFDA 93.067 (Global AIDS). The estimated total funding amount is 24,531,624, with an award ceiling listed as 3,276,624 and an award floor of 0, and the expected number of awards is 1. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement listed.
One important procedural detail is that this notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications and is a public notice of CDCs intention to fund the described project activities without full and open competition. In other words, it functions more as a sole-source or limited-competition announcement rather than an open call. The posting date was January 27, 2012, with an original and current closing date of March 27, 2012, and an archive date of April 26, 2012. For access issues, the contact listed is the CDC Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) at 770-488-2700.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Strengthening Laboratory Infrastructure, Quality of Laboratory Services, and Strategic Information Capacity in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)."
Which agency is funding this opportunity?
This is a CDC-funded cooperative agreement.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The intent is to improve Ethiopia's public health laboratory system, with a strong emphasis on HIV and TB, including the growing need to detect and respond to multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). The project is designed to reinforce an integrated national laboratory network that reliably supports diagnosis, treatment monitoring, surveillance, and program decision-making across the country, aligned with Ethiopia's national laboratory master plan.
Which diseases and program areas are emphasized?
The work emphasizes HIV and TB, with specific focus on MDR TB detection capacity and the connections between laboratory services, clinical programs, and national surveillance and information needs.
What parts of the laboratory network are included (national, regional, peripheral)?
The opportunity targets quality and capacity improvements across every tier of the laboratory network, from peripheral facilities up through regional laboratories and national reference laboratories.
What does the opportunity mean by strengthening laboratory quality systems?
The focus is on making laboratory services more consistent and higher quality across the network. Activities described include expanding external quality assessment (EQA), supporting accreditation efforts, and implementing quality management practices so results are dependable and comparable across sites.
What is external quality assessment (EQA) in the context of this project?
EQA refers to proficiency testing and quality monitoring approaches used to verify laboratory performance. This opportunity emphasizes expanding and decentralizing EQA so it is not limited to a single central body and can be implemented more broadly and efficiently across the country.
Does the opportunity include laboratory accreditation support?
Yes. A key objective is advancing laboratory accreditation by supporting laboratories to meet recognized standards for competence, reliability, and quality management.
What kinds of activities are typically involved in accreditation and quality improvement?
The notice describes practical support that typically includes implementing quality management systems, developing and using standard operating procedures, staff mentoring, regular audits, corrective action processes, and ongoing performance monitoring.
What is the specimen referral system, and why is it a priority?
The specimen referral system is the network and process for moving specimens from lower-level facilities to regional or national laboratories for specialized testing. It is prioritized because Ethiopia's geography and varying facility capacity can make access to advanced diagnostics difficult, so a functional referral network is critical for both patient care and surveillance.
What elements of specimen transport and referral are highlighted?
The opportunity highlights clear specimen transport pathways, proper packaging and cold chain practices where required, tracking systems, and defined turnaround times so samples can move reliably and results can be returned in a timely manner.
How does the opportunity plan to strengthen regional laboratories?
Regional laboratories are positioned as hubs to provide higher-level testing, mentorship, supervision, and quality oversight for lower-tier facilities. Strengthening regional capacity is intended to decentralize services, reduce burden on national laboratories, improve turnaround times, and create more resilient systems.
Is workforce development included?
Workforce development is implied as part of sustaining quality and expanding services, since the notice notes the need for trained laboratorians, competent supervisors, and laboratory managers who can maintain improvements.
How does the opportunity address equipment downtime and reliability?
It calls for implementing a comprehensive equipment maintenance strategy to reduce instrument downtime and service interruptions. The emphasis is on a systematic approach rather than ad hoc maintenance.
What does a comprehensive equipment maintenance strategy typically include?
Examples listed include equipment inventories, preventive maintenance schedules, service contracts or service-level agreements, training for users and biomedical technicians, calibration plans, and supply chain coordination for spare parts and consumables.
What is meant by "strategic information capacity" in this opportunity?
Strategic information capacity refers to improving laboratory-related data capture, reporting, and use to support clinical reporting, specimen tracking, routine performance indicators for managers, and faster aggregation and analysis of surveillance data.
Does the opportunity include laboratory information systems (LIS) work?
Yes. The program calls for systematic expansion of laboratory information systems (LIS) to reduce fragmented, paper-heavy reporting and to improve result reporting, specimen tracking, and performance monitoring.
How can improved LIS strengthen surveillance and program decision-making?
The notice states that stronger LIS enables faster aggregation and analysis of laboratory data, which supports monitoring HIV and TB trends, identifying outbreaks or emerging resistance, and supporting national planning and management decisions.
Does the project include evaluating or adopting new diagnostic technologies?
Yes. The opportunity includes evaluation and implementation of improved diagnostic technologies to keep the laboratory network current with accurate, efficient, and program-relevant testing methods.
What activities are associated with implementing improved diagnostic technologies?
Activities described include assessing new assays or platforms, validating performance in local conditions, training staff, and ensuring quality systems, supply chains, and maintenance plans are in place so adoption leads to better outcomes and surveillance.
How does the opportunity address multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB)?
A distinct priority is building laboratory capacity to detect MDR TB at national and regional levels. The notice emphasizes that MDR TB detection requires more advanced testing than basic smear microscopy, along with rigorous biosafety practices, trained staff, and reliable referral and result-reporting systems.
Why is MDR TB detection capacity important for public health?
The notice explains that strengthening MDR TB detection supports individual patient management and public health control by enabling earlier identification of drug resistance and helping programs adjust treatment regimens appropriately, especially in settings where TB/HIV co-infection is common.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
The notice indicates that a cooperative agreement typically means CDC expects substantial involvement in technical direction, coordination, and oversight compared with a standard grant.
How is this opportunity categorized (program area and CFDA number)?
It is categorized as discretionary funding in the health area under CFDA 93.067 (Global AIDS).
How much funding is associated with this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount is 24,531,624. The award ceiling is listed as 3,276,624, and the award floor is 0.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is 1.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is listed.
Is this notice an open request for applications (RFA)?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications and is a public notice of CDC's intention to fund the described project activities without full and open competition.
What does "without full and open competition" mean in this context?
Based on the notice wording, it functions more like a sole-source or limited-competition announcement rather than an open call where multiple applicants compete through a standard application process.
What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The posting date was January 27, 2012. The original and current closing date was March 27, 2012. The archive date was April 26, 2012.
Who should be contacted for access issues related to the notice?
For access issues, the notice lists the CDC Procurement and Grants Office Technical Information Management Section (TIMS) at 770-488-2700.
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