Supporting sustainable, accessible, integrated and quality laboratory systems for HIV/TB and related health threats in the Republic of Kenya under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | CDC RFA JG 25 0164

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is CDC RFA JG 25 0164?

CDC RFA JG 25 0164 is a PEPFAR-supported cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It focuses on strengthening laboratory systems in the Republic of Kenya to make them more sustainable, accessible, integrated, and consistently high quality for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and related health threats.

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

The main goal is to strengthen Kenya's laboratory systems so people across the country, including people living with HIV, can reliably access timely and accurate diagnostic testing that supports clinical care, treatment decisions, and public health response. The work is intended to build on existing progress in HIV/TB diagnostics while moving toward broader health system goals such as universal health coverage and the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.

3) Which country is the program focused on?

The program is focused on the Republic of Kenya.

4) What health areas and threats does the opportunity prioritize?

The opportunity prioritizes laboratory services and systems supporting HIV and TB, as well as related health threats. It also emphasizes building a resilient laboratory platform that can respond to emerging or related health threats beyond HIV/TB.

5) What type of funding mechanism is this?

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement. That means CDC expects substantial involvement beyond providing funds, including collaboration on planning, implementation approaches, monitoring, and technical direction.

6) What does "substantial involvement" by CDC generally mean in this cooperative agreement?

Based on the description, CDC's involvement can include working with recipients on planning, implementation approaches, monitoring, and technical direction. The recipient is not working in isolation; the model is collaborative rather than purely pass-through funding.

7) How much funding is anticipated for Year 1?

The opportunity anticipates approximately $6,000,000 in total funding for Year 1, dependent on the availability of funds.

8) Why does the award ceiling for Year 1 show as $0 if funding is expected?

The award ceiling for Year 1 is shown as $0 (none), but the same posting also lists an expected Year 1 funding amount. In this context, the $0 ceiling typically signals an administrative posting detail rather than indicating that no funding will be provided.

9) How many awards does CDC expect to make?

CDC expects to make up to 2 awards.

10) When is the application closing date?

The original closing date is February 20, 2025.

11) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity is 93.067.

12) What is the activity category for this program?

The activity category is health.

13) Who is the funding agency for this opportunity?

The funding agency is listed as Centers for Disease Control-GHC.

14) Who is expected to benefit from the activities funded under this opportunity?

The intent is that people across Kenya, including people living with HIV, benefit through improved access to timely, accurate diagnostic testing. Clinicians, patients, and public health programs benefit from test results that are reliable and delivered quickly enough to guide patient management and public health interventions.

15) What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are broad and include:

• Various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district)
• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (with certain exclusions as specified)
• For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other than small businesses)
• Tribal governments
• Tribal organizations
• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

16) What are recipients expected to do in Kenya?

Recipients are expected to provide technical assistance and support Kenya's Ministry of Health (MOH), county governments, and other PEPFAR-funded implementing partners to expand and improve diagnostic services. The emphasis is on integrated laboratory systems that serve multiple health needs and remain functional and responsive over time.

17) Is the focus limited to stand-alone HIV or TB programs?

No. The opportunity emphasizes approaches that are not limited to stand-alone HIV or TB programming. It prioritizes integrated laboratory systems embedded in the wider healthcare system.

18) What does "strengthening the end-to-end diagnostic pathway" include?

The end-to-end diagnostic pathway includes safe specimen collection, efficient specimen transport, reliable testing methods, and fast result reporting so results can inform clinical decisions and public health action.

19) What quality assurance activities are emphasized?

The opportunity highlights implementing and scaling quality assurance programs to ensure test results are accurate, consistent, and trusted. The description points to strengthening laboratory quality management systems, standard operating procedures, supportive supervision, proficiency testing/external quality assessment participation, corrective and preventive actions, and continuous quality improvement cycles.

20) What are sample referral systems in the context of this NOFO?

Sample referral systems refer to the logistics of moving specimens from collection sites to laboratories that can perform testing, and ensuring results are returned quickly and securely to the originating sites.

21) What does "optimizing diagnostic networks" mean here?

Optimizing diagnostic networks includes mapping testing capacity, defining appropriate tiered laboratory services, reducing duplication and bottlenecks, and aligning instrument and service placement with patient demand, geography, and turnaround time requirements.

22) What does the NOFO say about equipment efficiency?

The NOFO prioritizes improving equipment efficiency across the laboratory network, typically including better instrument management, reducing downtime, improving maintenance and service coverage, addressing utilization rates, and matching platforms to workload.

23) What role do information systems play in this opportunity?

Information systems are emphasized to improve data management and patient tracking. Examples described include laboratory information systems, interoperability with clinical systems, improved visibility of specimens and results across the referral network, improved data quality and completeness, and using data for decision-making, forecasting, and performance monitoring.

24) Are biosafety and infection prevention included in the scope?

Yes. The opportunity calls out biosafety and infection prevention protocols, indicating that safe laboratory practices, risk mitigation, and facility-level infection prevention and control measures are expected as part of implementation to protect staff and patients and support continuity of operations.

25) What is meant by "integration and efficiency" in this program?

Integration and efficiency refers to reducing parallel, disease-specific laboratory systems and instead integrating HIV and TB laboratory services into broader laboratory and healthcare structures. The intent is to reduce fragmentation, improve system performance, and build a platform that can respond to routine needs and emerging demands.

26) How does this opportunity address resilience and emerging health threats?

The NOFO frames the work as strengthening the overall resilience and responsiveness of Kenya's laboratory system so it can handle routine diagnostic demand while also scaling to support outbreaks, surges, or new priorities.

27) What sustainability approaches are explicitly mentioned?

The NOFO explicitly mentions financial and supply-side sustainability strategies, including supporting the development and implementation of cost-recovery systems for laboratory services and supporting local production of laboratory supplies to reduce dependence on external supply chains and improve availability over time.

28) What are "cost-recovery systems" in this context?

In this context, cost-recovery systems generally refer to establishing realistic mechanisms for financing portions of laboratory operations, in a way that aligns with national policy and equity goals.

29) What is the purpose of supporting local production of laboratory supplies?

The purpose is to reduce dependence on external supply chains, improve availability of supplies, and potentially lower costs over time, contributing to a more financially stable laboratory ecosystem.

30) Who are key government and partner stakeholders referenced in the opportunity?

Key stakeholders referenced include Kenya's Ministry of Health (MOH), county governments, and other PEPFAR-funded implementing partners.

31) What is the funding category for this opportunity?

The program is categorized as discretionary funding.

32) What kind of outcomes is this program trying to support at the health system level?

The opportunity aims to support broader health system goals, including universal health coverage and progress toward the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, by improving access to reliable and timely diagnostics and strengthening system-wide laboratory performance.