Strengthening the Dominican Republic's National Health Services (SNS) in Prevention, Treatment, Capacity and Quality of Strategic Information and Human Resources for Health Related to HIV, TB, STIs under PEPFAR | CDC RFA GH21 2108

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH21 2108

The grant opportunity titled "Strengthening the Dominican Republic's National Health Services (SNS) in Prevention, Treatment, Capacity and Quality of Strategic Information and Human Resources for Health Related to HIV, TB, STIs under PEPFAR" is a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreement designed to support the Dominican Republic's public health system in managing and improving its national HIV response, with integrated attention to tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It sits under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) framework and is aimed at reinforcing national leadership and long-term sustainability by increasing the capacity of the Dominican Republic's National Health Services (SNS) to plan, implement, monitor, and continuously improve HIV-related programs.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), identified as CDC RFA GH21-2108, is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a cooperative agreement mechanism. That means CDC expects to be substantially involved in the work alongside the recipient, typically through joint planning, technical support, oversight, and ongoing collaboration to ensure activities align with program goals and PEPFAR priorities. The funding activity category is health, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.067. The opportunity was created on February 18, 2021, and the original closing date for applications was April 19, 2021, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

In terms of funding, CDC indicated an approximate total fiscal year funding amount of $500,000 for Year 1, contingent on the availability of funds. The listing also notes that the "Award Ceiling for Year 1 is 0 (none)," which typically signals that CDC did not establish a maximum cap for an individual award in the first year, rather than implying no funding will be provided. CDC expected to make one award under this announcement, suggesting a single implementing partner would be selected to work closely with SNS and other national stakeholders.

The central purpose of the award is to build on previous and ongoing investments so the Dominican Republic can move toward greater national ownership, accountability, and operational capacity in its HIV response. The intended outcome is not only stronger management and stewardship of the national program by SNS, but also measurable public health impact in the form of reduced HIV-related illness and deaths. The NOFO emphasizes strengthening systems that allow SNS to lead and sustain prevention and treatment services, and to use high-quality data for decision-making and performance improvement.

The key objectives focus on four interconnected areas: strategic information (SI), prevention, treatment, and human resources for health (HRH), all in the context of HIV with linkages to TB and STIs. Strategic information generally refers to the data systems and analytic capacity needed to understand the epidemic, target interventions, monitor service delivery, track patient outcomes along the care continuum, and report results consistent with national and PEPFAR requirements. Improvements in SI can include better data quality, stronger surveillance and case reporting practices, improved monitoring and evaluation, and building local capacity to analyze and use data for program management rather than simply for compliance reporting.

On prevention, the opportunity is oriented toward supporting evidence-based approaches that reduce new infections, particularly in populations and locations where transmission is highest. While the NOFO summary does not list specific interventions, the prevention scope in PEPFAR-supported programs commonly includes strengthening testing strategies, linkage to prevention and care services, risk reduction efforts, and targeted interventions for priority groups. The announcement makes clear that target populations and provinces are not fixed in the NOFO text; they will be determined based on current epidemic patterns and PEPFAR prioritization, meaning the work is expected to remain flexible and responsive to where the needs are greatest.

On treatment, the emphasis is on strengthening the SNS capacity to deliver high-quality HIV clinical services and to improve outcomes across the treatment cascade, which typically includes timely linkage to care, initiation and maintenance of antiretroviral therapy, retention in care, and viral load monitoring and suppression. The mention of reduced morbidity and mortality highlights a focus on clinical quality and continuity of care, rather than simply expanding service volume. Because TB and STIs are included, the intended approach is integrated: improving HIV programs in ways that also support TB screening and management among people living with HIV and strengthening STI services that intersect with HIV prevention and care.

Human resources for health is another core pillar, reflecting the reality that sustained improvements depend on trained, supported, and well-managed health workers and program staff. HRH work in a national health services context often involves training and mentoring, improving staffing models, strengthening supervisory structures, standardizing clinical and program practices, and building management capacity within SNS so functions that may previously have been heavily partner-driven can be increasingly led by government teams. In practice, this can include capacity building for clinicians, nurses, laboratory personnel, data managers, monitoring and evaluation staff, and program managers, along with quality improvement approaches that help teams identify gaps and implement corrective actions.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which signals that eligibility criteria are more detailed in the full announcement and may include particular types of organizations (for example, non-profits, universities, NGOs, or other entities with relevant experience). The administering agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically CDC's Center for Global Health (CGH), which indicates the award is part of CDC's global HIV/TB technical assistance and implementation support portfolio.

Overall, this grant opportunity is structured to advance a shift toward stronger government-led systems for HIV response in the Dominican Republic. The work is framed around improving the quality and use of data, strengthening prevention and treatment services, and building a capable health workforce, with geographic and population focus determined by evolving epidemic needs and PEPFAR program direction. The result CDC is aiming for is a more self-reliant SNS that can manage the national HIV program with greater accountability and effectiveness, contributing to fewer infections and better health outcomes for people affected by HIV, TB, and STIs.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening the Dominican Republic's National Health Services (SNS) in Prevention, Treatment, Capacity and Quality of Strategic Information and Human Resources for Health Related to HIV, TB, STIs under 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 Feb 18, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 19, 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 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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