Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Friday, July 24, 2026

Enhancing sustainable health information and laboratory systems and networks for quality detection, management, and monitoring to end HIV and TB as public health threats in India Opportunity number: CDC-RFA-JG-26-0143

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 9

Agency priorities 12

Program description 15

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 39

Get registered 40

Find the application package 41

Step 3: Build Your Application 42

Application checklist 43

Application contents and format 45

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 55

Application review 56

Award notices 65

Step 5: Submit Your Application 66

Submission requirements and deadlines 67

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 69

Post-award requirements and administration 70

Contacts and Support 76

Before you begin 3

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up to date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by the application due date Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 24, 2026.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 9

Agency priorities 12

Program description 15

Basic information U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Global Health Center

Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis

Making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous by reducing HIV, TB, and other priority disease incidence and mortality in global settings through data-driven activities and strengthened public health systems.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Enhancing sustainable health information and laboratory systems and networks for quality detection, management, and monitoring to end HIV and TB as public health threats in India

Opportunity number:

CDC-RFA-JG-26-0143

Announcement type:

New

Assistance listing:

93.067 Global HIV and TB

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

July 24, 2026

Expected award and start date:

September 30, 2026

We will inform you of your application status by the end of August 2026.

Summary CDC invites proposals to support India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), and related institutions to strengthen health systems and laboratory networks for HIV, TB, and other public health concerns. It aligns with the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS) to bolster health systems to prevent the global spread of infectious disease.

You should enhance innovative, cost-effective, and quality-assured laboratory services for HIV, TB, and related health programs by focusing on early detection, service delivery, and monitoring in priority regions. Strategic support will foster ownership, integrate broader health systems, and align will U.S. global health priorities.

Activities include:

• Optimizing health information and laboratory networks for HIV, TB, and co-infections to enhance access, early detection, and boost capacity for other public health concerns.

• Enhancing surveillance of infectious disease threats by integrating national data systems for coordinated public health action.

• Reinforcing biosafety, biosecurity, and laboratory quality systems.

• Adopting innovative technologies to meet disease containment goals.

• Supporting molecular diagnostics and epidemiology to track transmission networks and drug resistance for infectious diseases, focusing on HIV and co-infections.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/America-First-Global-Health-Strategy-Report.pdf

• Strengthening the health workforce to collect, analyze, and use data to improve patient care, feedback systems, and epidemic trend monitoring.

Funding details Funding Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total NOFO funding for Year 1: $6,000,000.00 This is the expected total Year 1 funding for all awards made under this NOFO.

Expected number of awards: 1-2

The number of awards is subject to available funds and program priorities.

Exact amounts for each award under this NOFO will be determined upon award.

We plan to award projects for five 12-month budget periods for a five-year period of performance, subject to available funds and program priorities.

Funding strategy

Funding amounts We encourage you to apply for the expected total NOFO funding for Year 1.

To align with the responsiveness criteria, if you request more than the Year 1 funding amount, your application will be deemed ‘non-responsive’ and will not be considered for award.

Funding amounts for years two through five will be set at continuation. We will continue funding based on:

• Availability of funds.

• Evidence of satisfactory progress, as documented in your required reports.

• The determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government.

Component funding Overview

We fund all CDC Global HIV and TB cooperative agreements using component funding.

Component funding allows us to provide funding as it becomes available. To do so, we fund sets of activities by quarter and project.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

CDC may fund one or more of your components to start the budget period, and then consider other components based on available funding and recipient performance related to meeting milestones. Component activation and sequence may vary based on buy-ins and interagency allocations. CDC will communicate any adjustments in writing.

Setting up components

You must set up your components in your application. While preparing your application:

• Review the expectations for year one activities in the strategies and activities section.

• Group your activities under the following anticipated components. Only include the activities planned for year one.

◦ Component 1:

CDC global HIV and TB planning Q1 targets and activities.

◦ Component 2:

CDC global HIV and TB planning Q2 targets and activities.

◦ Component 3:

CDC global HIV and TB planning Q3 targets and activities.

◦ Component 4:

CDC global HIV and TB planning Q4 targets and activities.

◦ Component 5:

CDC global HIV and TB planning additional targets and activities.

◦ Component 6: Other global health priorities.

For information on how to incorporate component funding into your application, see the following sections:

• Budget narrative

• Component funding instructions for SF-424A

Global HIV and TB local organization funding preference This NOFO includes a funding preference for local organizations. Your organization will receive 10 extra points during the selection process if you provide sufficient documentation demonstrating you meet the global HIV and TB local organization definition.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Results-based funding CDC may fund this Cooperative Agreement using a results-based funding approach, which would rely on articulated milestones and program indicators. Under this approach, CDC may provide federal funds during a budget period based on measurable results as defined in this NOFO (e.g., articulated milestones and program indicators), in the recipient’s approved work plan, and, to the extent allowable by federal law, as may be aligned with country, HHS/CDC, and US government global health priorities. If selected for award, you will receive more detailed information about this funding approach in your NoA or in subsequently issued CDC guidance.

In furtherance of this funding approach, you will have at least 120 days after the start date of this award to collaborate with CDC and submit proposed program indicators and milestones as part of your required Evaluation and Performance Management Plan and component funding structure. Though foundational funding will be provided at the start of the project period, continued funding will be linked to verified progress towards reaching milestones providing clear checkpoints on performance and helping to ensure resources support steady documented progress. These performance results are intended both to help support your progress during the award’s period of performance and to help determine funding amounts in subsequent budget periods.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Eligibility Statutory authority This NOFO supports U.S. government (USG) HIV and TB activities that are consistent with the AFGHS and other applicable guidance. Activities under this NOFO are authorized under applicable statutory authorities. Funding is provided through annual appropriations consistent with current law. This program is authorized under:

• The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003, Public Law 108-25 (22 U.S.C. 7601, et seq.).

• The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, Public Law 110-293.

• The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013, Public Law 113-56.

• Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242I).

Eligible applicants This is a fully competitive NOFO. Eligibility is unrestricted. All types of organizations are eligible and encouraged to apply, including:

• State governments.

• County governments.

• City or township governments.

• Special district governments.

• Independent school districts.

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized).

• Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities.

• Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments.

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education.

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses.

• Small businesses.

• Foreign or non-U.S. based entities.

Other required qualifying factors

Delivery location While any type of organization may apply, you must conduct the project in India.

Any local organization applying for this NOFO must comply with the Government of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and must submit documentation of active FCRA registration. Failure to provide FCRA registration as part of the application will render an application nonresponsive and your application will not move forward.

Responsiveness criteria We will review your application to make sure it meets these requirements.

These are the basic requirements you must meet to move forward in the competition. We won’t consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that doesn’t meet eligibility criteria. See requirements in eligibility.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Proposes research activities. See the definition of research.

• Requests more funding than the expected total NOFO funding for Year 1, as referenced in the funding amounts sub-section.

• Exceeds the 20-page limit for the project narrative (see the project narrative section for what counts toward the page limit).

• Is not in English.

• Includes a budget or budget narrative that uses a currency other than U.S. dollars.

• Does not respond to and is outside the scope of this NOFO.

• Failure to provide FCRA registration as part of the application will render an application nonresponsive and your application will not move forward.

See the application checklist to understand your application requirements.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-31.html

Application limits We do not limit the number of applications an organization may submit.

Cost sharing and matching funds This program has no cost-sharing or matching funds requirement. We will not consider cost-sharing fund contributions during your application review.

However, if you submit voluntary cost-sharing funds and we fund your project, we will require you to report on these funds.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

Agency priorities Required alignment with CDC priorities The recipient of this award must implement any funds awarded under this NOFO to effectuate program goals or agency priorities in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Priorities when authorized (for a full description of the CDC Priorities, please follow the provided hyperlink).

Funded activities must:

• Align with CDC’s core priorities by demonstrating a commitment to gold-standard science, transparency, and evidence-based practices.

• Support CDC’s mission to protect Americans from infectious and chronic diseases, strengthen public health systems, and advance innovation in health data and infrastructure.

• Contribute to rapid, science-driven responses to health threats, promote global health leadership, and adhere to principles of integrity, accountability, and compliance with applicable laws and federal priorities.

Consistent with CDC’s values, in carrying out any project funded under this NOFO, the recipient must adhere to the following principles where consistent with the authority and scope of the award and its activities:

• A commitment to gold-standard science and ensuring trust, transparency, and credibility: To build trust and improve CDC’s ability to lead during health crises, CDC will increase transparency, be more accountable, and follow strict, gold-standard scientific practices that are open, unbiased, and based on clear evidence.

• A commitment to global leadership: With staff in 63 countries and supporting 20 more, CDC’s Global Health Center:

◦ Works to prevent disease and advance emergency response.

◦ Detect health threats early, sends response teams, trains health workers, and provides personal protective equipment, vaccines, and medicines.

◦ Test disease samples from around the world to prepare for flu and other serious outbreaks.

◦ Has strengthened systems to better protect people at home and abroad after the COVID-19 outbreak.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.cdc.gov/about/cdc/index.html

• A commitment to ensuring rapid, evidence-based responses to crises:

During public health emergencies, ensuring rapid, science-driven responses is critical to minimizing harm, maintaining public trust, and restoring stability. To meet this goal, CDC must continue to strengthen its emergency response systems by:

◦ Streamlining internal processes.

◦ Improving risk communication strategies.

◦ Ensuring that laboratory capacity is fully equipped and tested—capable of rapidly developing and deploying scalable diagnostics during crises.

◦ Embedding structures for real-time learning, independent after-action reviews, and the application of lessons learned will ensure that each crisis response is smarter, faster, and more effective than the last.

• A commitment to vaccine safety and efficacy research: CDC will apply “gold-standard” science to all of its vaccine safety and effectiveness research. It will make vaccine data, research methods, and related datasets publicly available through simple data use agreements to improve transparency, accountability, and trust.

• A commitment to advancing our understanding of the causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), and chronic disease: CDC conducts research and works with partners to better understand the causes of autism spectrum disorder, neurodevelopmental disorders, and chronic diseases. It will use new and existing data to study the rise in these conditions, including the increase in autism diagnoses from 1 in 150 to nearly 1 in 31 over the past 25 years.

• A commitment to modernizing public health infrastructure and enhancing our approach to health data: CDC will modernize public health infrastructure to create a faster, more efficient health system that can detect and respond to outbreaks in real time. This effort includes:

◦ Replacing data silos with integrated systems.

◦ Using advanced technology.

◦ Strengthening partnerships with states to ensure shared responsibility and strong local health data systems.

◦ Emphasizing collaboration across federal and state partners, resilient and adaptable systems, and accountability for funded programs to ensure they align with these priorities and federal requirements.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

• Conflicts of interest: CDC will not support funding programs with conflicts of interest and ensure its work is based on transparent, unbiased science.

• Immigration: CDC funds will not be used to support or encourage illegal immigration, consistent with federal law.

• Protecting life and the family: CDC funds will not be used to support elective abortions, consistent with the Hyde Amendment, and will promote maternal health, the dignity of life, and strong families.

• Ending disorder on America’s streets: CDC will prioritize evidence-based programs that reduce homelessness, drug use, and public disorder. It will support comprehensive services for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorder. CDC will not support housing first strategies, harm-reduction or safe consumption sites, or related activities. To the extent allowable by federal law, CDC intends to give priority to grantees in States and municipalities that have laws and policies that support and enforce CDC’s priorities.

• Gender ideology and protecting children [PDF]: CDC will not fund medical interventions for minors seeking gender transition and will define sex based on biological criteria.

• DEI: CDC will not support DEI initiatives based on group identity and focus on merit-based, evidence-driven approaches to improve health outcomes.

• Parental rights: CDC will support policies that protect parental authority, promote transparency, and give parents greater control over their children’s education.

The recipient must demonstrate ongoing compliance with the full description and listing of CDC values and priorities, in all programs that are authorized to advance them, through program design, implementation, reporting, and evaluation.

Failure to meaningfully align funded activities with the applicable requirements may result in corrective action, additional reporting requirements, or other enforcement actions consistent with federal grant regulations found at 2 CFR Part 200 and the terms and conditions of this award. The full CDC Priorities Statement can be found here: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Priorities.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/gender-dysphoria-report.pdf

Program description Background overview and related work Background India has 2.56 million people living with HIV and a prevalence of 0.20%. It faces a concentrated HIV epidemic among at-risk populations and geographic hotspots. The National AIDS Control Program (NACP) Phase VI aims to eliminate HIV as a public health threat by 2030. Despite progress, gaps persist in achieving the 95-95-95 global targets, including early diagnosis, viral load (VL) coverage, sustained viral suppression, and integration with broader health systems.

Approach The priorities of this NOFO include improving:

• Laboratory capacity in high-burden areas.

• Consistent access to VL testing consistency.

• Biosafety and biosecurity practices.

• The quality and reliability of real-time data systems.

This NOFO is a follow-on to CDC-RFA-GH20-2037. It supports India’s MOHFW, NACO, State AIDS Control Societies (SACS), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and other relevant Government of India (GoI) institutions. It is expected to build upon prior achievements, including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 accreditation of all national reference laboratories (13/13), 94% of state reference laboratories (110/117), 84% of VL laboratories (54/64), and all early infant diagnosis (EID) labs (6/6), alongside scaling national VL coverage to 80%. Under this NOFO, laboratory systems are expected to be further strengthened by enhancing quality systems for accreditation, supporting transition of accreditation maintenance to local government, and expanding proficiency testing. VL and molecular testing capacity including for drug-resistant pathogens will be increased.

The NOFO expected to also advance integrated, tiered diagnostic networks for HIV, TB, and co-infections with a strong focus on continuous quality improvement and rapid result delivery. Service delivery is intended to be improved through differentiated models designed to reach at-risk populations. These models will help ensure strong linkages to treatment, prevention, and clinical monitoring. Molecular epidemiology capacity is

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 expected to be expanded to support multi-disease testing, tracking transmission networks, and informing targeted public health interventions.

Strategic information systems are expected to be strengthened at national and subnational levels to ensure timely, high-quality data for evidence-based decision-making. In addition, the NOFO expects the recipient(s) to leverage local and private-sector innovation and expertise to enhance digital health platforms, improve data connectivity, and strengthen capabilities for infectious disease prevention, detection, and response.

This NOFO aligns with U.S. foreign assistance policies and the AFGHS. It aims to accelerate HIV epidemic control and strengthen integrated laboratory and strategic information (SI) systems through interconnected, cross disease programs embedded within national health systems and supported by interoperable data platforms to combat global health security threats.

Expected outcomes include:

• Strengthened laboratory quality, biosafety, and biosecurity systems.

• Expanded infectious disease diagnostics in integrated networks with a focus in VL, EID, TB, and co-infection.

• Adopted use of innovative technologies for rapid diagnostics.

• Enhanced multi-disease molecular testing capacity for transmission tracking.

• Improved health data systems for patient care, disease trend monitoring, and strategic planning.

• Robust data quality mechanisms.

By addressing these priorities, the NOFO will accelerate progress toward 95-95-95 targets, strengthen India’s health systems, and enhance global health security.

Purpose The purpose of this NOFO is to strengthen the national health systems, laboratory networks, and SI platforms so that India can sustainably improve disease detection, treatment, and monitoring. This NOFO is expected to advance India’s goal of ending HIV as a public health threat and support U.S.

global health priorities, as outlined in the AFGHS.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16

Approach Program logic model The following logic model includes the expected strategies under this NOFO.

The logic model also includes the program’s expected outcomes. Outcomes are the results that you intend to achieve and usually show the intended direction of change, such as increase or decrease.

The asterisked ( * ) outcomes are those we expect you to achieve or substantially contribute to during the five-year period of performance. You must report on these outcomes.

Not all outcomes apply to all strategies. You will use these outcomes as a guide for developing performance measures.

Table: Strategies and outcomes

Strategies Short-Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes Long-Term Outcomes

Strategy 1:

Strengthen the scaled-up, integrated national laboratory network for infectious disease detection and response by enhancing laboratory and disease detection systems to deliver quality diagnostic services and build sustainable laboratory capacity.

Strategy 2:

Strengthen molecular testing capacitiesfor HIV, TB and associated pathogens to detect, mitigate transmission, optimize treatment, and reinforce global

Increased capacity of workforce to effectively manage laboratory diagnostics.*

Increased use of integrated, standardized protocols in the laboratory network.*

Increased adherence to laboratory guidelines at laboratories in the network.*

Increased cooperation between local and private interest holders for effective program management.*

Improved laboratory quality management systems using enhanced biosafety and biosecurity capacity.*

Increased availability of quality diagnostic services at all levels.*

Increased streamlining of performance monitoring system.*

Increased timely use of quality data to monitor the epidemic and related public health threats.*

Sustained use of quality assured laboratory diagnostics

Sustained capacity of MOHFW to effectively manage an integrated laboratory diagnostic network for program sustainability.

Increased progress towards eliminating HIV as a public health threat using high-quality data to inform program direction.*

Sustained resilient health data system managed by local government that enables effective ongoing infectious disease trend monitoring and rapid response capabilities.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17

Strategies Short-Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes Long-Term Outcomes health security initiatives.

Strategy 3:

Strengthen health information systems and technical capacity to enable sustainable local management of an evidence-based HIV and TB program in India.

Increased laboratory capacity to perform quality assured genomic sequencing.*

Increased use of functional data system for evidence-based program planning.*

Increased capacity of workforce to effectively manage program data for evidence-based program planning.* for program planning.*

Increased use of laboratory diagnostics for clinical decision-making.*

Sustained use of interoperable health data system for seamless evidence-based program planning.*

Increased use of standardized data quality frameworks for effective program management.*

Additional information on outcomes in the logic model:

• Increased capacity of workforce to effectively manage laboratory diagnostics includes:

◦ Coordinating with GOI to conduct training of staff and help ensure their ability to perform quality assurance, quality control, and biosafety protocols as management transitions to local ownership.

◦ Helping ensure the local workforce is trained and competent in disease diagnostics focusing on HIV, TB, and other coinfections affecting high-risk populations.

• Effective management of laboratory diagnostics includes efficient, timely, quality-assured data collection and use and rapid outbreak response to emerging public health priorities or global health security initiatives.

• Increased use of integrated, multi-disease protocols in the laboratory network includes establishing and standardizing testing protocols and quality control procedures into laboratory network protocols.

• Increased adherence to laboratory guidelines includes national and biosafety guidelines and procedures at all laboratories in the network.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18

• Increased cooperation between local and private interest holders for effective program management includes testing, reporting, and service delivery.

• Increased laboratory capacity to perform quality assured genomic sequencing includes:

◦ Implementing standardized testing protocols.

◦ Quality control standards.

◦ Training of laboratory staff to perform and assess sequencing.

• Increased use of functional data systems for evidence-based program planning includes:

◦ A standardized diagnostic network.

◦ A functional data system.

◦ Quality assured and timely data.

◦ Harmonized data collection and standardized reporting procedures.

◦ Use of data to monitor patient care and health program performance.

◦ Use of data to inform future program planning, track disease outbreaks, and provide timely response efforts to emerging public health threats and global health security concerns.

• Increased capacity of workforce to effectively manage program data for evidence-based program planning includes training staff on data use, quality, maintenance, and evaluation.

• Increased availability of quality diagnostic services at all levels includes:

◦ All levels of services in facilities and communities.

◦ Quality means that data is both accurate and reliable.

• Effective program management includes using evidence and data to address outbreak responses and improve health outcomes across priority health programs, including HIV, TB, and other comorbid conditions.

• Effective management includes use of the laboratory diagnostic network to detect, prevent, and respond to priority pathogens, including HIV.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19

Strategies and activities This section elaborates on the strategies described in the logic model. It provides priority activities and details about how we expect you to implement your program.

The following are strategies and the priority activities under this NOFO. You may also propose additional related strategies and activities to achieve the expected outcomes.

Strategy 1: Strengthen the scaled-up, integrated national laboratory network for infectious disease detection and response by enhancing laboratory and disease detection systems to deliver quality diagnostic services and build sustainable laboratory capacity Priority activities:

• Identify gaps to enhance and strengthen infectious disease testing capacity with a focus on HIV, coinfections, and viral load at facilities and communities across the tiered health system in the public sector to achieve NACP VI goal on lab system strengthening and 95-95-95 targets.

• Strengthen national public health laboratory and institutes to optimize national and sub-national laboratory networks for high quality infectious disease testing with a focus on HIV, TB, and priority pathogen testing.

• Enhance disease detection systems for early detection and response to HIV/TB disease threats through mentorship and operational support programs to ensure high-quality service delivery.

• Optimize use of laboratory equipment in laboratory facilities and point-of-care testing sites.

• Integrate laboratory services within the broader healthcare system.

• Implement standardized molecular testing and genomic sequencing protocols and quality control procedures in the assigned laboratories.

• Train laboratory staff in quality assurance, quality control, and biosafety protocols to ensure adherence to national and international standards.

• Build national capacity for cervical cancer screening and linkage to care for women living with HIV and other applicable populations.

• Use evidence-based approaches to incorporate innovative laboratory models to improve disease detection, coverage, and access to HIV-coinfection services.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20

• Support MOHFW in achieving and maintaining ISO 15189 accreditation and certification, especially through transition of program to local ownership.

• Facilitate public-private engagement and interoperability agreements for integrated disease detection under MOHFW.

• Strengthen integrated multi-disease laboratory information systems and national health data platforms for real-time reporting.

Strategy 2: Strengthen molecular testing capacities for HIV, TB, and associated pathogens to detect, mitigate transmission, optimize treatment, and reinforce global health security initiatives Priority activities:

• Implement standardized genomic sequencing protocols and quality control procedures in the assigned laboratories to inform clinical decision making around antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen optimization at the individual level.

• Develop and implement standardized diagnostic network protocols for priority pathogens including HIV drug-resistance testing.

• Enhance laboratory and program data systems to support collection, analysis, and reporting of genomic sequencing results for clinical management.

• Cooperate with GoI to train laboratory and clinical staff on the use of HIV drug-resistance data for clinical decision-making and ART regimen optimization.

• Integrate HIV drug-resistance results into routine ART program planning to improve treatment outcomes and viral suppression.

• Promote routine use of genomic sequencing information to:

◦ Guide interventions.

◦ Reduce transmission.

◦ Strengthen health system response, aligned with U.S. global health security priorities.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 21

Strategy 3: Strengthen health information systems and technical capacity to enable sustainable local management of an evidence-based HIV and TB program in India Priority activities:

• Ensure uptake of the national health information system as single source of reporting across all the NACP facilities.

• Enhance the utilization, quality, and use of data to inform and guide program implementation and monitoring while ensuring alignment with the national strategic plan.

• Improve the quality and use of data through implementing a robust monitoring framework ensuring that health information is accessible and actionable for policymakers and health practitioners at all levels.

• Support installation and implementation of a robust data governance framework is in place to ensure appropriate data privacy and security.

• Support systems that enable auto-generation of due lists and predictive analytics for service provision at the national and sub-national level.

• Facilitate smooth built-in mechanism of data protection, data quality assurance, analysis, and data usage leading to effective clinical monitoring and program management towards improved health outcomes and epidemiological monitoring.

• Support the integration of clinical management information systems with laboratory information systems to ensure timely and accurate reporting and use of clinical and programmatic data.

• Develop interoperability with other program-specific health data systems for related health data exchange.

• Strengthen accessibility and use of health data systems by healthcare workers and program managers, using digital technologies.

• Update and harmonize data collection and reporting tools.

• Develop and implement standard operating procedures for effective data generation, analysis, and use.

• Support data quality reviews intended to validate data management system and to improve quality of program data at subnational levels.

• Facilitate data triangulation activities to identify trends, address gaps, and guide program management.

• Strengthen SI MOHFW workforce capacity to analyze and manage high-quality data.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 22

You are expected to provide copies of and/or access to all data, software, tools, training materials, guidelines, and systems developed under this NOFO to Ministry of Health and other relevant interest holders, including HHS/CDC, for appropriate use consistent with underlying authorities.

Epidemic control activities In coordination with the Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD) Bureau at the U.S. Department of State, and as part of the global HIV and TB program, CDC assesses progress toward epidemic control using epidemiologic measures and supports sustainable, country-led systems capable of maintaining gains and advancing broader global health security objectives.

We consider a national HIV epidemic to be under control when the number of:

• HIV-related deaths are declining.

• New infections are less than the number of deaths.

Controlling the epidemic does not mean that HIV will be eliminated. Instead, it means that the number of people with HIV in the population is decreasing. If new infections or death rates increase, this means the epidemic is no longer under control.

During your award we may ask you to conduct additional activities to reach and maintain epidemic control and/or to ensure resilient and country-led health programs, consistent with the scope of this NOFO and the related policies below. In alignment with the America First Global Health Strategy, which emphasizes efficiency, sustainability, and self-reliance, this may include:

• Improving prevention, testing, and treatment efforts for HIV/AIDS, TB, sexually transmitted infections (STI), related opportunistic infections and other infectious diseases, especially among those most affected as defined in HHS/CDC Global HIV and TB, Department of State, bilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), subsequent implementation plans and/or other related USG guidance.

◦ Promoting sustainable, country-led approaches to managing HIV/ AIDS and TB and empowering national and local interest holders to take the lead in designing and conducting high-quality and cost-effective programs. This could involve forming new cooperative relationships with private, public, local, faith based and multi-sector entities that can complement and expand the reach of existing programs.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 23

◦ Enhancing and expanding laboratory, surveillance, and information systems and using the USG supported platform for broader disease surveillance and public health programs in ways that align with CDC Global HIV, TB, and other infectious disease program goals and initiatives. Where aligned with the award scope, these platforms may also be leveraged for cross-cutting surveillance, laboratory, and information-system strengthening across multiple health programs.

◦ Enhancing efforts to prevent, detect, respond to, and treat other diseases to keep America safe from infectious threats by supporting surveillance and outbreak response systems.

Related policies

• If awarded, and as applicable to the work and this NOFO and consistent with law, proposed work should align with:

◦ The America First Global Health Strategy [PDF].

◦ CDC priorities statement.

◦ CDC’s mission to:

▪ Protect Americans from infectious and chronic diseases.

▪ Strengthen public health systems.

▪ Advance innovation in health data and infrastructure.

Additionally, applicants should show how their work:

• Contributes to rapid, science-driven responses to public health threats.

• Promotes global health leadership.

• Adheres to principles of integrity, accountability, and compliance with applicable laws and applicable USG priorities.

• USG global health annual planning guidance and approved implementation plans coordinated through GHSD.

• HHS policies and the approved activities and targets in the global HIV and TB Planning Processes, as appropriate, except as otherwise agreed between GHSD and HHS.

• All proposed work, activities, and budgets should align or be adjusted to align with bilateral USG and host country MOUs, subsequent implementation plans and related guidance.

• To the extent consistent with law and applicable regulations, ensure the Child Safeguarding Principles, or substantively similar standards, are incorporated into programming that includes contact with children, to

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 24 protect children and youth from abuse, exploitation, and neglect to the greatest extent possible in such global HIV and TB-supported programs

• All statutory and policy requirements for foreign assistance, including related to abortion. HHS must keep full and complete records demonstrating that compliance approaches and systems are proactive, preventive, part of routine program administration, and tailored to local legal and policy contexts. Routine site-level program monitoring is required. For more information, please visit Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance.

• Grantees should keep up with the latest guidelines, guidance, and policies found on USG sites including Whitehouse.gov, HHS.gov, CDC.gov, and Department of State/Bureau of Global Health Security. Also, the Notice of Award (NoA) will include important terms and conditions that also apply to this award.

• For more information about CDC’s priorities, see CDC priorities statement.

Geographic focus Geographic prioritization may change over the course of the period of performance. CDC will work with the recipient(s) on any adjustments throughout the period of performance.

Outcomes We expect you to achieve or substantially contribute to the outcomes asterisked (*) in the logic model by the end of the five-year period of performance. You will be expected to report on these outcomes as well as milestones achieved in each performance period.

Communities served Under this NOFO communities served include people living with or at increased risk for HIV/AIDS, TB, or other priority diseases that can negatively affect the goals of keeping Americans safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Organizational capacity You must include a heading in your Project Narrative titled Organizational Capacity under which you should include a brief description of your organizational capacity to carry out these strategies and activities.

You must also provide supporting documentation in your attachments. See the attachments section for full instructions.

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Step 1: Review the Opportunity 25 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/27/2026-01519/protecting-life-in-foreign-assistance https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/27/2026-01519/protecting-life-in-foreign-assistance https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-foreign-assistance-humanitarian-affairs-and-religious-freedom/bureau-of-global-health-security-and-diplomacy/

Coordination If funded, we will expect you to coordinate with:

Government agencies and programs, including:

• MOHFW.

• NACO.

• NCDC.

• National TB Elimination Program.

• National Health Mission.

• Indian Councils of Medical Research.

• SACS.

• District Integrated Strategy for HIV/AIDS units.

• U.S. government agencies and programs.

• Local government agencies.

Non-government organizations and programs, including:

• Community groups.

• Faith based organizations.

• Multilateral organizations.

• Global Fund recipients.

• Private sector organizations.

• Current CDC-funded implementing groups supporting activities in HIV/TB prevention, testing, treatment.

Through the global HIV and TB program, CDC works with organizations to help prevent HIV and TB infection, provide life-saving treatment to people living with HIV and/or TB, and reduce HIV-and TB-related deaths. We encourage our recipients to coordinate with local organizations, U.S.-based organizations, and international organizations. The goal of this coordination is to complement efforts to lower costs, make programs more effective, enhance national capacity, sustain the gains, and accelerate progress towards epidemic control including where appropriate, programmatic treatment cascade goals related to diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression that are intended to contribute to HIV epidemic control and towards ending TB.

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Data, monitoring, and evaluation CDC strategy CDC collects and reports on indicators to measure progress toward achieving the activities and outcomes under this award. CDC will also use results for program planning, improvement, accountability, and reporting. CDC will share the results with key parties. These indicators may include or align with broader USG global health metrics where appropriate, reflecting CDC’s integrated approach to HIV, TB, and global health-security outcomes.

CDC will work with you throughout the life of an award to help ensure that all activities and expected outcomes align with your strategies and goals, and those of the USG.

You should dedicate some of award funds to evaluate and monitor the performance of your project. You and CDC will agree on the final funding amount, but we expect that you will dedicate approximately 5 to 10% of your project’s funding to monitoring, reporting, and evaluation activities.

CDC expectations CDC expects you to review, clean, and use routine performance data for program management. CDC and the recipient will jointly select partner-level indicators from the menu shortly after award based on activities within each activity and objective. As a result, you should hold regular review meetings to discuss performance and use data to inform program quality improvement activities.

In your application budget, you should allocate at least 10% of funds for monitoring activities and 5% for evaluation activities. We will discuss these percentages and finalize them at or after award. These are estimates for the total funding over the five-year project.

Required performance measures

Overview This program includes two types of indicators. These include:

• U.S. government standard indicators, which are common to all awards.

These standard indicators are based on the scope of the work proposed in the NOFO. You can find additional information regarding indicator reporting in the guidance and resource materials, available at this link.

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Step 1: Review the Opportunity 27 https://help.datim.org/hc/en-us/articles/360000084446-MER-Indicator-Reference-Guides

• Custom indicators that either we or you create. These monitor achievement of outcomes not directly measured by the standard indicators. These include process and outcome measures that directly correlate with the logic model.

The indicators and targets shown below may change before the award or in future years. For example, any gaps or unmet needs not fulfilled in the first year may affect the targets in later years.

Standard indicators Below, we show some anticipated standard indicators, targets, and reporting frequencies for the first year. You can propose any additional relevant standard indicators as part of your initial Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan.

• Number of U.S. government-supported laboratory-based testing and/or Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) sites engaged in continuous quality Improvement (CQI) and proficiency testing (PT) activities. [Target: Not Assigned; Reporting Frequency: Annual]

• Number of women living with HIV on ART screened for cervical cancer.

[Target: 1,000; Reporting Frequency: Semi-Annual]

• Percentage of ART patients with a suppressed viral load (VL) result (<1000 copies/ml) documented in the medical or laboratory records/laboratory information systems (LIS) within the past 12 months. [Target: 95%;

Reporting Frequency: Quarterly]

Custom indicators Below we show some anticipated custom indicators, targets, and reporting frequencies for the first year. You may also propose custom indicators.

• Percentage increase in timeliness of data reporting at targeted sites during the reporting period. [Target: 90%; Reporting Frequency:

Quarterly]

• Percentage of targeted sites using standardized data collection and reporting tools. [Target: 90%; Reporting Frequency: Quarterly]

• Percentage of laboratories implementing quality assurance and quality improvement protocols to manage data quality and reporting [Target:

>45%; Reporting Frequency: Quarterly]

• Percentage of laboratories in the national network that have adopted and implemented updated national laboratory guidelines and standard operation procedures. [Target: >50%; Reporting Frequency: Quarterly]

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 28

• Number of laboratories improved diagnostic performance and demonstrated competency through joint local/ or private sector partners organizations initiative. [(Target: 4; Reporting Frequency: Quarterly])

• Number of laboratories equipped and validated for genomic sequencing under the national network. [Target: 2; Reporting Frequency: Quarterly]

• Percentage of laboratory personnel demonstrated competency on molecular test in compliance with the standardized testing protocols and data quality assurance procedures. [(Target: 50%; Reporting Frequency:

Quarterly]) Data sources for standard and custom indicators

Data sources may include:

• Registers.

• Tally sheets.

• Electronic and paper patient records.

• Quarterly progress reports.

• Surveillance and survey reports.

• Other program monitoring tools without personal identifiable information.

Evaluation Below, we include examples of evaluation topics that we may expect you to answer through process, outcome, or economic evaluation. In your application, include at least one, but no more than three potential evaluation questions. We expect you to conduct a mid-term and end-term reviews to evaluate inform performance.

• Facilitators and barriers to implementation of quality laboratory systems, proficiency testing, and integrated diagnostics, for example: VL, EID, and TB co-infections, across tiered networks, including barriers to accreditation and biosafety adoption in high-burden regions:

process evaluation.

• Assess the efficiency of innovative technologies and scaled VL and EID networks against baseline costs to determine value for money in resource-limited settings. Assessment can be based on cost per test or per patient outcomes: economic evaluation.

• Effect of innovative HIV and TB interventions on program performance, for example mortality, VL response, and TB cure rates. These outcomes may be determined by key demographic, risk factor, and intervention strata to fully inform program performance: outcome evaluation.

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Evaluation data sources Final evaluation questions and data sources will be determined together with CDC within six months after the award and will be included in the submission of the Evaluation Performance Measurement Plan.