Supporting Laboratory Systems Strengthening Activities in Zimbabwe under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | CDC RFA GH21 2145

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.

• 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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