Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH21 2145
Supporting Laboratory Systems Strengthening Activities in Zimbabwe under PEPFAR (Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA GH21 2145) is a CDC cooperative agreement designed to strengthen Zimbabwe's national laboratory network so it can deliver reliable, timely, and high-quality diagnostic services tied to HIV and related public health priorities. The central goal is to help achieve universal access to quality testing for HIV viral load (VL), Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), tuberculosis (TB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). By improving how laboratories function as a system, the opportunity aims to save the lives of people living with HIV and reduce new HIV infections, aligning with PEPFAR's broader objectives in Zimbabwe.
From a funding and structure standpoint, the opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement (meaning CDC will remain substantively involved in the project through collaboration and technical direction rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal engagement). The listing is associated with CFDA 93.067. CDC projected an approximate total of USD 12,000,000 in fiscal year funding for Year 1, subject to funds being available, and anticipated making around three awards. Notably, the notice states the "Award Ceiling for Year 1 is 0 (none)," which typically indicates that applicants should not assume a maximum cap per award in the way some announcements specify; instead, proposed budgets are expected to be justified by the scope and approach, and final award levels depend on CDC decisions and available funding. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice. The NOFO was posted January 11, 2021, with an original closing date of March 12, 2021 (applications due by 11:59 p.m. ET).
Programmatically, the work focuses on strengthening the laboratory system end-to-end rather than only purchasing equipment or running tests. A major emphasis is expanding capacity and coverage for VL, EID, TB, and STI testing, including point-of-care (POC) testing where it makes sense for access and turnaround time. The NOFO highlights the use of technical assistance (TA) and human resources for health (HRH) approaches, signaling that workforce development, supportive supervision, mentoring, and practical on-the-job strengthening are core strategies. This includes ensuring labs have the skills, staffing models, workflows, and management practices needed to sustain high-volume testing and maintain quality over time.
Another core pillar is strengthening laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and integrating them with other e-health systems. In practical terms, this is about improving how samples, results, and patient data move through the health system so that results reach clinicians quickly, reduce losses and delays, and support clinical decision-making and program monitoring. Integration also supports more complete national reporting and helps ensure that laboratory data contribute meaningfully to patient care cascades, especially for HIV viral load monitoring and infant diagnosis follow-up.
The announcement also places strong weight on continuous quality improvement (CQI) and adherence to international standards across VL, EID, TB, and STI testing. This includes implementing innovative CQI approaches such as Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RT-CQI), which is often used to improve the reliability of HIV rapid testing in clinical settings, and strengthening the Clinic Laboratory Interface (CLI), which targets coordination problems between clinics and labs (for example, sample collection quality, transport, communication of critical results, and timely clinical action). The underlying intent is to reduce errors, improve consistency, shorten turnaround times, and ultimately make laboratory services more trustworthy and actionable at the point of care.
Beyond routine diagnostics, the opportunity also supports building laboratory capacity for broader disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment support, and disease monitoring, including preparedness for emerging diseases of public health concern. This reflects a systems-strengthening approach that benefits HIV/TB/STI programming while also improving the country's ability to detect and respond to outbreaks and other public health threats.
Finally, the NOFO includes support for national-level laboratory governance and professional development. This involves helping develop or update national laboratory policies, guidelines, and standards, and providing technical assistance to both laboratorians and clinicians through training and mentorship. The inclusion of clinicians is significant because it recognizes that lab improvements only translate into better outcomes when providers understand, trust, and act on results appropriately, and when clinical-laboratory collaboration is strong.Apply for CDC RFA GH21 2145
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supporting Laboratory Systems Strengthening Activities in Zimbabwe 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 Jan 11, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 12, 2021 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.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is this funding opportunity?
Supporting Laboratory Systems Strengthening Activities in Zimbabwe under PEPFAR (Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA GH21 2145) is a CDC cooperative agreement focused on strengthening Zimbabwe's national laboratory network so it can provide reliable, timely, and high-quality diagnostic services linked to HIV and related public health priorities.
2. Who is the funder and what type of award is this?
The funder is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning CDC is expected to be substantively involved through collaboration and technical direction (not a hands-off grant).
3. What is the main goal of the program?
The central goal is to help achieve universal access to quality testing for HIV viral load (VL), Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), tuberculosis (TB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by strengthening laboratories as an end-to-end system.
4. How does this opportunity align with PEPFAR objectives?
By improving laboratory system performance for HIV and related diagnostics, the work is intended to save the lives of people living with HIV and reduce new HIV infections, which aligns with PEPFAR's broader objectives in Zimbabwe.
5. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The listing is associated with CFDA 93.067.
6. How much funding is available?
CDC projected approximately USD 12,000,000 in total fiscal year funding for Year 1, subject to the availability of funds.
7. How many awards does CDC expect to make?
CDC anticipated making around three awards.
8. Is there an award ceiling (maximum) for Year 1?
The notice states the "Award Ceiling for Year 1 is 0 (none)." This typically means applicants should not assume a predefined maximum cap per award; proposed budgets are expected to be justified by the scope and approach, and final award levels depend on CDC decisions and available funds.
9. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types may apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
10. When was the NOFO posted and when were applications due?
The NOFO was posted on January 11, 2021. The original closing date was March 12, 2021, with applications due by 11:59 p.m. ET.
11. What diseases and testing areas are prioritized?
The opportunity prioritizes strengthening testing capacity and coverage for HIV viral load (VL), Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), tuberculosis (TB), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
12. Does the program support point-of-care (POC) testing?
Yes. The work includes point-of-care (POC) testing where it makes sense to improve access and reduce turnaround time.
13. Is the focus on buying equipment or something broader?
The focus is on end-to-end laboratory systems strengthening rather than only purchasing equipment or running tests. The emphasis is on how laboratories function as a coordinated network and how that translates into dependable services.
14. What strategies are emphasized for implementation?
The NOFO highlights technical assistance (TA) and human resources for health (HRH) approaches. This signals that workforce development, supportive supervision, mentoring, and practical on-the-job strengthening are core strategies.
15. What kinds of workforce and operational improvements are in scope?
Work includes ensuring laboratories have appropriate skills, staffing models, workflows, and management practices to sustain high-volume testing while maintaining quality over time.
16. What is the role of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in this opportunity?
Strengthening LIMS is a core pillar. The goal is to improve how samples, results, and patient data move through the health system so results reach clinicians quickly, losses and delays are reduced, and clinical decision-making and program monitoring are improved.
17. Does the opportunity support integrating LIMS with other digital health systems?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes integrating LIMS with other e-health systems to support more complete national reporting and ensure laboratory data contribute to patient care cascades, especially for HIV viral load monitoring and EID follow-up.
18. What is emphasized around quality improvement and standards?
The announcement places strong weight on continuous quality improvement (CQI) and adherence to international standards across VL, EID, TB, and STI testing, with the intent to reduce errors, improve consistency, and shorten turnaround times.
19. What is RT-CQI and how does it fit into the program?
RT-CQI stands for Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement. The NOFO cites it as an innovative CQI approach often used to improve the reliability of HIV rapid testing in clinical settings.
20. What is the Clinic Laboratory Interface (CLI) and why is it important here?
Strengthening the Clinic Laboratory Interface (CLI) is emphasized to address coordination gaps between clinics and laboratories, such as sample collection quality, transport, communication of critical results, and timely clinical action based on results.
21. Is surveillance and preparedness included, or only routine diagnostics?
In addition to routine diagnostics, the opportunity supports building laboratory capacity for broader disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment support, and disease monitoring, including preparedness for emerging diseases of public health concern.
22. What does "national laboratory governance" support mean in this NOFO?
It includes support for developing or updating national laboratory policies, guidelines, and standards, and strengthening the structures and practices that guide laboratory services at the national level.
23. Does the program include professional development and training?
Yes. The NOFO includes technical assistance, training, and mentorship for laboratorians and also for clinicians.
24. Why does the opportunity include clinicians as part of laboratory strengthening?
The inclusion of clinicians reflects that laboratory improvements lead to better outcomes only when providers understand, trust, and act on results appropriately, and when clinical-laboratory collaboration is strong.
25. What outcomes is the laboratory systems approach trying to improve?
Based on the NOFO description, the approach targets more reliable and consistent testing, fewer errors, shorter turnaround times, improved result delivery to clinicians, better clinical decision-making, stronger program monitoring, and stronger national capacity to detect and respond to public health threats.
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