CDC-RFA-PS-24-0121 (Final).pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HIV, VIRAL HEPATITIS, STD AND TB PREVENTION

Secure Deduplication Tool for HIV Surveillance

CDC-RFA-PS-24-0121

05/01/2024

Table of Contents A. Funding Opportunity Description

B. Award Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

E. Review and Selection Process

F. Award Administration Information

G. Agency Contacts

H. Other Information

I. Glossary

Part I. Overview Applicants must go to the synopsis page of this announcement at www.grants.gov and click on the "Subscribe" button link to ensure they receive notifications of any changes to CDC-RFA-PS- 24-0121. Applicants also must provide an e-mail address to www.grants.gov to receive notifications of changes.

A. Federal Agency Name:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

B. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title:

Secure Deduplication Tool for HIV Surveillance

C. Announcement Type: New - Type 1:

This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be considered. For purposes of this NOFO, research is defined as set forth in 45 CFR 75.2 and, for further clarity, as set forth in 42 CFR 52.2 (see eCFR :: 45 CFR 75.2 -- Definitions and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2007-title42-vol1/pdf/CFR- 2007-title42-vol1-sec52-2.pdf. In addition, for purposes of research involving human subjects and available exceptions for public health activities, please see 45 CFR 46.102(l) (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-46/subpart-A/section- 46.102#p-46.102(l)).

New - Type1

D. Agency Notice of Funding Opportunity Number:

CDC-RFA-PS-24-0121

E. Assistance Listings Number:

93.940

F. Dates:

1. Due Date for Letter of Intent (LOI):

2. Due Date for Applications:

05/01/2024 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time, at www.grants.gov.

3. Due Date for Informational Conference Call:

March 14, 2024, 3:00 – 4:00pm ET

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G. Executive Summary:

1. Summary Paragraph CDC monitors trends in HIV infection, evidence of HIV medical care, and viral suppression through the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS). Due to migration, people living with diagnosed HIV may be reported to CDC by multiple states. Since NHSS is designed for redundancy of reporting from multiple sources to ensure complete reporting, deduplication of cases is a crucial activity to ensure accuracy of case counts. The purpose of this NOFO is to support a more efficient method for HIV surveillance jurisdictions to identify potential interstate duplicates. The recipient will develop and provide a secure, encrypted, ongoing secure data-sharing tool capable of identifying potential duplicates across jurisdictions. Developing this tool includes implementing necessary data security, confidentiality and privacy protections according to CDC standards, obtaining participation agreements with 59 state and local health department HIV surveillance programs, and reporting back to jurisdictions on matching levels in formats that are importable into state/local HIV surveillance data systems. This NOFO supports efforts to use HIV surveillance data to improve the health of populations disproportionately affected by HIV by improving the accuracy and completeness of the data. Accurate and complete data will maximize the health impact of public health services to reduce disease prevalence and promote health equity.

a. Eligible Applicants:

Open Competition

b. Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant)

c. Approximate Number of Awards

d. Total Period of Performance Funding:

$2,350,000 This single award is comprised of both Component A and Component B

Component A - $400,000 for the first and subsequent 12-month budget periods.

Component B – Proof of Concept - $350,000 for only the second 12-month budget period.

e. Average One Year Award Amount:

$400,000 Component A - $400,000 for the first 12-month budget period

Component B – Proof of Concept –$350,000 for only the second 12-month budget period.

f. Total Period of Performance Length:

5 year(s)

g. Estimated Award Date:

August 01, 2024

h. Cost Sharing and / or Matching Requirements:

No Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Although no statutory matching requirement for this NOFO exists, leveraging other resources and related ongoing efforts to promote sustainability is strongly encouraged.

Part II. Full Text

A. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Background

a. Overview CDC supports state and local health departments to collect the surveillance data, which use the Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System (eHARS) to submit de-identified surveillance data to CDC. Due to migration, people living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) may be reported to CDC by multiple states. To ensure complete reporting NHSS is designed for redundancy of reporting from multiple sources. To get accurate information on PLWDH, deduplication of the data must be conducted. A routine effort known as Routine Interstate Duplicate Review (RIDR) involves a jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction deduplication process based on a list of cases provided by CDC. Each jurisdiction conducts case-by-case reviews by phone with other jurisdictions and information for confirmed duplicates is entered in the case records and duplicate pairs are identified for merging during NHSS’s national data processing. Depending on the number of potential duplicates, the RIDR process can take months to complete.

Timely resolution of duplicates is important because of the increased emphasis on using HIV surveillance data to link/re-engage people in HIV medical care. Delays in identification and resolution of duplicates can lead to wasted efforts in implementing and completing activities focused on linking and/or retaining people in care if a jurisdiction does not know that a person with diagnosed HIV has relocated to another jurisdiction. Given the urgent need for high quality and timely HIV case surveillance data, CDC is seeking to develop and implement efficient electronic tools for data sharing to enhance the deduplication process.

This work expands on a 2015 pilot project with health departments in three jurisdictions to develop a proof of concept for a secure, automated tool for matching HIV surveillance records NHSS. This tool used HIV surveillance data and a person-matching algorithm to determine the level of matching for a case-pair, comprised of a record from one jurisdiction paired with a record from another jurisdiction. The algorithm determined whether each case-pair was an ‘exact’, ‘high’, ‘medium’, or ‘low’ match. Based on the matching report, the pairs identified as ‘exact’ and ‘high’ matches could be resolved quickly. For the three jurisdictions, the algorithm identified over 80% of the potential duplicates in less than 30 minutes. In addition, the tool was able to identify duplicates across jurisdictions that had not been previously identified through the RIDR process.

In 2016, eight jurisdictions participated in a second pilot to prove scalability of the tool, and CDC has continued to support the work for the last five years through PS18-1805.

The goal of NOFO PS24-0121 is to continue the successes of PS18-1805 to improve HIV surveillance data quality and to continue to support access to a secure, ongoing, automated data-sharing tool developed and implemented by the recipient that identifies duplicate HIV cases across HIV surveillance jurisdictions. In addition, PS-24-0121 aims to provide a proof a concept for a secure, server-to-server data sharing method to approximate data sharing between HIV surveillance data servers used by state and local health departments.

b. Statutory Authorities This program is authorized under Sections 301, 317(k) (2) and 318(c) of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. Sections 247b (k) (2) and 247c(c)], as amended

c. Healthy People 2030

This NOFO addresses the “Healthy People 2030” focus on HIV:

Increase linkage to HIV medical care — HIV04 - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

Increase knowledge of HIV status — HIV02 - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

Increase viral suppression — HIV05 - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

Reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses — HIV03 - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

Reduce the number of new HIV infections — HIV01 - Healthy People 2030 | health.gov

d. Other National Public Health Priorities and Strategies The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States: National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States 2022–2025

CDC National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) Strategic Plan: NCHHSTP Strategic Plan 2022 - 2026 (cdc.gov)

CDC Division of HIV Prevention: (DHP) Strategic Plan: Division of HIV Prevention Strategic Plan Supplement—An Overview of Refreshed Priorities for 2022–2025 (cdc.gov)

Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S.: Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) | CDC

e. Relevant Work CDC-RFA-PS18-1802 Integrated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Surveillance and Prevention Programs for Health Departments: PS18-1802 | Announcements | Funding |

HIV/AIDS | CDC

CDC-RFA-PS18-1805 Secure Data Sharing Tool to Support De-duplication of Cases in the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS): CDC-RFA-PS18-1805 (Final).pdf (govtribe.com)

CDC-RFA-PS20 2010 Integrated HIV Programs for Health Departments to Support Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States: PS20-2010 | Announcements | Funding | HIV/AIDS | CDC

2. CDC Project Description

a. Approach

Bold indicates period of performance outcome.

Component A

Strategy 1: Comply with CDC policies and standards related to security and confidentiality.

Adoption and familiarity of the data security and confidentiality guidelines

Enhanced security of the data sharing tool.

Enhanced HIV case information sharing among participants.

Improved security of data sharing

Improved data quality and completeness.

Reduced cost to perform interjurisdictional duplicate review.

Improved accuracy of local and national case counts.

Increased availability of high-quality HIV surveillance data to measure HIV prevention and care

Strategy 2: Support deduplication of cases.

- Collaborate with health departments for participation in a secure data sharing tool and provide training as needed.

- Provide a data sharing tool to allow for secure submission and matching of person-level HIV case surveillance data.

- Provide a matching algorithm based on HIV surveillance variables to determine the level of matching.

Strategy 3: Facilitate processing of results of duplicate review.

- Provide feedback reports to jurisdictions on the matching levels of case pairs.

- Develop and deliver tab-delimited files with required case information for pairs determined to be “exact” matches.

Strategy 4: Monitor and evaluate between HIV surveillance jurisdictions.

Improved resolution of duplicate reports.

Increased knowledge of the duplicate review process among health department staff.

Improved efficiency of the matching process.

Improved understanding of available secure data sharing methods to identify interstate duplicate case reports.

Improved efficiency of duplicate review process.

outcomes more accurately.

Enhanced use of surveillance data to support individuals through the HIV care continuum including data to care activities.

- Conduct routine monitoring of the matching process and outcomes and use to improve the efficiency of the matching process

Component B

Develop real-time novel method to identify duplicate cases.

- Develop a proof of concept for a secure, server-to-server data sharing application to approximate data sharing between data servers in local health departments.

- Assess feasibility for use of the application by health departments.

- Develop a plan to scale-up and deploy the application for potential widespread use by health departments.

- Develop a plan for ongoing maintenance of the application including costs.

i. Purpose The purpose of this NOFO is to support an efficient method for jurisdictions to de-duplicate cases reported to the National HIV Surveillance System. The recipient will develop and provide access to a privacy data-sharing tool that identifies potential duplicates across 59 jurisdictions;

allow for secure, encrypted submission and matching of person-level HIV surveillance data;

ensure data security, confidentiality, and privacy per CDC standards; recruit and collaborate with the 59 jurisdictions to participate; and provide them a report on matching levels. It aims to provide a proof of concept for a secure, server-to-server data sharing application to approximate data sharing between HIV surveillance data servers in state and local health departments.

ii. Outcomes The recipient is expected to demonstrate measurable progress toward achieving the bolded short-term and intermediate outcomes depicted in the logic model. Indicators that quantify these outcomes are described in the section entitled CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement Strategy.

Expected short-term outcomes:

Component A

• Enhanced security of the data sharing tool

• Enhanced HIV case information sharing among participants.

• Improved security of data sharing between HIV surveillance jurisdictions.

• Improved resolution of duplicate reports.

• Increased knowledge of the duplicate review process among health department staff.

• Improved efficiency of the matching process.

Component B

• Improved understanding of available secure data sharing methods to identify interstate duplicate case reports (e.g., using server to server data sharing application)

Expected intermediate outcomes:

• Improved data quality and completeness.

iii. Strategies and Activities (SLT)The recipient is required to implement all strategies and activities listed below.

Component A:

Comply with CDC policies and standards related to security and confidentiality.

• The recipient shall have the ability to host and maintain a system for data management, use, and reporting to support activities funded by the federal government.

• Implement data security, confidentiality and privacy according to applicable standards (including those established by CDC) for any data systems created for the project.

• No aspect of this work will be conducted at CDC/HHS facilities.

• The recipient will not have access to any CDC/HHS data system or receive any data from

CDC/HHS.

• The recipient shall develop a system in which data cannot be stored or shared beyond the purposes of the scope of the grant.

o Output: Provide a document describing the protocol to ensure security and confidentiality of data and data ownership.

• Establish data sharing agreements in accordance with the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention’s (NCHHSTP) Data Security and Confidentiality

Guidelines between the recipient and the participating health departments.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelines.pdf o Output: Provide copies of data sharing agreements with health departments that have agreed to participate and documentation for those not interested or able to participate.

Support deduplication of cases.

• Recruit local, state, and territorial health departments for participation in a secure data sharing tool and negotiate conditions. Variables that will be shared through the tool will be determined in collaboration with health departments and established in the data sharing agreements.

o Output: Provide status reports during regularly scheduled calls with CDC on the status of negotiations with all health departments. Calls will occur on at least a quarterly basis.

• Collaborate with local, state, and territorial health departments to develop a system that fits the needs of the participating jurisdictions. Facilitate establishing a coordinating board made up of a subset of participating jurisdictions to ensure efficient communication.

o Output: Provide status reports during regularly scheduled calls with CDC on the status of coordinating board. Calls will occur on at least a quarterly basis.

• Provide a data sharing system to allow for secure, on demand, ongoing, encrypted submission and matching of person-level HIV surveillance data.

o Output: Provide routine progress updates during regularly scheduled calls with CDC on core activities and deliverables in the planning and management of IT application development and implementation for the secure data sharing tool and matching algorithm. Calls will occur on at least a quarterly basis.

• Provide a matching algorithm based on HIV surveillance dataset variables to determine the levels of matching exactness.

o Output: Provide CDC with a detailed description of the matching algorithm.

o Output: Provide evidence of accuracy of matching algorithm, including percentage of ‘exact’ and ‘very high’ matches that are true duplicates.

• Provide application training and materials specific to the appropriate end users and application support organizations. Provide technical assistance to end-users as needed.

o Output: Provide CDC the training schedule, participant list, and training materials for any training provided to end users and application support organizations.

• Follow best practices as outlined in CDC's Enterprise Performance Lifecycle (EPLC) methodology to establish the core activities and deliverables for planning, managing, and documenting IT application development and implementation.

o Output: Provide a development and implementation plan for the secure data sharing tool and matching algorithm that includes activities, milestones, documentation, deliverables, and performance measures.

Facilitate processing of results of duplicate review.

• Provide feedback reports to participating jurisdictions on the matching levels of all case pairs for the jurisdiction.

• Develop and deliver tab-delimited files that contain required case information for pairs determined to be “exact” matches. The file must align with CDC’s eHARS importable RIDR file (in format and included variables).

o Output: Provide CDC an example of the matching feedback report and the tab-delimited file that will be provided to jurisdictions.

Monitor and evaluate.

• Provide quarterly reports regarding jurisdiction participation and matching process and outcomes.

• Report progress to CDC during regularly scheduled calls on jurisdiction participation, implementation of the secure data sharing tool, and matching process and outcomes.

Calls will occur on at least a quarterly basis.

• Produce an annual summary report that includes feedback from staff from each of the participating jurisdictions on the lessons learned and recommendations that resulted from the processes and outcomes of this NOFO.

o Output: Produce an annual summary report that includes feedback from staff from each of the participating jurisdictions on the lessons learned and recommendations that resulted from the processes and outcomes of this NOFO.

Component B:

Develop real-time novel method to identify duplicate cases.

• Develop a proof of concept for a secure, server-to-server data sharing application to approximate sharing data between HIV surveillance data servers (i.e., behind different firewalls) in local, state, and territorial health departments.

o Output: Provide CDC a server-to-server demonstration

• Assess feasibility for use of the application by health departments.

o Output: Provide CDC a written assessment of the determination of the feasibility of the use of the application by local, state, and territorial health departments with applications that use SQL (or comparably complex) databases to house stored data.

• Develop a plan to scale-up and deploy the application for potential widespread use by health departments.

o Output: Provide CDC a draft scaling and deployment plan for the potential widespread use of the application by local, state, and territorial health departments.

• Develop a plan for ongoing maintenance of the application including costs.

o Output: Provide CDC a draft support plan for the ongoing maintenance of the server-to-server data sharing application including costs.

1. Collaborations

a. With other CDC projects and CDC-funded organizations:

The recipient shall establish, build, and/or maintain working partnerships with CDC-funded health departments that conduct HIV surveillance to ensure communication, collaboration, and coordination for delivery of more accurate and timely data to aid in linkage to and re-engagement in HIV medical care activities at the state/local level and to support monitoring of HIV indicators at the national level.

For implementation activities, the recipient will collaborate with state/local health departments and/or the bona fide agents. Data sharing agreements shall be established with each health department in accordance with the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention’s (NCHHSTP) Data Security and Confidentiality Guidelines between the recipient and the participating health departments. As needed, a memorandum of agreement/memorandum of understanding (MOAs/MOUs) shall be established with each health department.

b. With organizations not funded by CDC:

Not Applicable

2. Population(s) of Focus The recipient shall work with state, local, and territorial health departments to improve the quality of HIV surveillance data for all persons with diagnosed HIV infection. This includes sub-groups based on local or state Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plans, Needs Assessments, and/or Epidemiological Profiles and persons affected by disparities by race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, geography, socioeconomic status, disability status, primary language, health literacy, and other relevant dimensions such as tribal communities.

This NOFO, including funding and eligibility, is not limited based on, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy) or other constitutionally protected statuses.

a. Health Disparities The goal of health equity is for everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare; and eliminate preventable health disparities.

Broadly defined, social determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces (e.g., racism, climate) and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, and political systems. See content below and in other sections (e.g., Approach, Collaborations, Populations of Focus) for information on how this specific NOFO affects social determinants of health.

A health disparity is a preventable difference in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by populations that have been socially, economically, geographically, and environmentally disadvantaged. Health disparities are inextricably linked to a complex blend of social determinants that influence which populations are most disproportionately affected by these diseases and conditions.

The program supports efforts to improve the health of populations disproportionately affected by HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and TB by maximizing the health impact of public health services, reducing disease incidence, and advancing health equity. A health disparity occurs when a health outcome is seen to a greater or lesser extent between populations. Health disparities in HIV, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB are inextricably linked to a complex blend of social determinants that influence which populations are most disproportionately affected by these infections and diseases. Social determinants are conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of life-risks and outcomes (https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm ). These include conditions for early childhood development; education, employment, and work; food security, health services, housing, income, and social exclusion. Health equity is a desirable goal that entails special efforts to improve the health of those who have experienced social or economic challenges. It requires: • Continuous efforts focused on elimination of health disparities, including disparities in health and in the living and working conditions that influence health, and • Continuous efforts to maintain a desired state of equity after health disparities are eliminated. Recipients should use data, including social determinants data, to identify communities within their jurisdictions that are disproportionately affected by HIV, viral hepatitis, STDs and TB and related diseases and conditions, and plan activities to help eliminate health disparities. In collaboration with partners and appropriate sectors of the community, recipients should consider social determinants of health in the development, implementation, and evaluation of program specific efforts and use culturally appropriate interventions and strategies that are tailored for the communities for which they are intended.

iv. Funding Strategy Funding based on the provision of secure data matching services to 59 surveillance jurisdictions at $400,000 per year for five years for Component A. Component B is a Proof of Concept at $350,000 for 1 year of funding subject to the availability of funds.

b. Evaluation and Performance Measurement

i. CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement Strategy

The strategy for monitoring and evaluating the recipient's performance will include several activities, spanning both process monitoring and evaluation and monitoring of outcomes, and will be consistent with the logic model and approach previously presented. Monitoring and evaluating the recipient’s performance will occur throughout the grant cycle.

Outcomes

Component A:

• Enhanced security of the data sharing tool.

• Enhanced HIV case information sharing among participants.

o Indicator: Number of completed matching events per year; Target: at least 4 times per year, based on the needs of the jurisdictions

• Improved security of data sharing between HIV surveillance jurisdictions.

o Indicator: Number of security breaches per year. Breaches of data security protocol should be investigated immediately and reported in accordance with CDC guidance and standards outlined in the NCHHSTP Data Security and Confidentiality Guidelines https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/programintegration/docs/PCSIDataSecurityGuidelin es.pdf.

• Improved resolution of duplicate reports.

o Indicator: Number of participating jurisdictions that can import the tab-delimited file into eHARS without errors each year. Target: 100% o Indicator: Number of participating jurisdictions that report satisfaction with the output of the matching process (matching report and tab-delimited file), based on responses in an annual feedback reporting tool developed by the recipient. Target:

100%

• Improved data quality and completeness.

o Indicator: Number of records in the semi-annual RIDR report generated by CDC compared to the average number prior to implementation of the secure data matching tool.

• Increased knowledge of the duplicate review process among health department staff.

o Indicator: Number of technical assistance requests on use of the secure data matching tool per year.

• Improved efficiency of the matching process.

o Indicator: The length of time it takes for jurisdictions to resolve duplicate pairs compared to duplicate resolution prior to the implementation of the secure data matching tool.

Component B:

• Provide CDC a server-to-server demonstration.

• Provide CDC a written assessment of the determination of the feasibility of the use of the application by local, state, and territorial health departments.

• Provide CDC a draft scaling and deployment plan for the potential widespread use of the application by local, state, and territorial health departments.

• Provide CDC a draft support plan for the ongoing maintenance of the server-to-server data sharing application including costs.

ii. Applicant Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan Applicants must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan that demonstrates how the recipient will fulfill the requirements described in the CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Project Description sections of this NOFO. At a minimum, the plan must describe:

• How applicant will collect the performance measures, respond to the evaluation questions, and use evaluation findings for continuous program quality improvement, including, as applicable to the award, how findings will contribute to reducing or eliminating health disparities and inequities.

• How key program partners will participate in the evaluation and performance measurement planning processes.

• Available data sources, feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data, and other relevant data information (e.g., performance measures proposed by the applicant).

• How evaluation findings will be disseminated to communities and populations of interest in a manner that is suitable to their needs.

• Plans for updating the Data Management Plan (DMP) as new pertinent information becomes available. If applicable, throughout the lifecycle of the project. Updates to DMP should be provided in annual progress reports. The DMP should provide a description of the data that will be produced using these NOFO funds; access to data;

data standards ensuring released data have documentation describing methods of collection, what the data represent, and data limitations; and archival and long-term data preservation plans. For more information about CDC’s policy on the DMP, see https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html.

Where the applicant chooses to, or is expected to, take on specific evaluation studies, the applicant should be directed to:

• Describe the type of evaluations (i.e., process, outcome, or both).

• Describe key evaluation questions to be addressed by these evaluations.

• Describe other information (e.g., measures, data sources).

Recipients will be required to submit a more detailed Evaluation and Performance Measurement plan, including a DMP, if applicable, within the first 6 months of award, as described in the Reporting Section of this NOFO.

Applicants must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan that demonstrates how the recipient will fulfill the requirements described in the CDC Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Project Description sections of this NOFO. At a minimum, the plan must describe:

• How applicant will collect the performance measures, respond to the evaluation questions, and use evaluation findings for continuous program quality improvement, including, as applicable to the award, how findings will contribute to reducing or eliminating health disparities and inequities.

• How key program partners will participate in the evaluation and performance measurement planning processes.

• Available data sources, feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data, and other relevant data information (e.g., performance measures proposed by the applicant).

• How evaluation findings will be disseminated to communities and populations of interest in a manner that is suitable to their needs.

If applicable, throughout the lifecycle, plans for updating the Data Management Plan (DMP) as new pertinent information becomes available. If applicable, throughout the lifecycle of the project. Updates to DMP should be provided in annual progress reports. The DMP should provide a description of the data that will be produced using these NOFO funds; access to data;

data standards ensuring released data have documentation describing methods of collection, what the data represent, and data limitations; and archival and long-term data preservation plans. For more information about CDC’s policy on the DMP, see https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html.

Where the applicant chooses to, or is expected to, take on specific evaluation studies, the applicant should be directed to:

Describe the type of evaluations (i.e., process, outcome, or both).

Describe key evaluation questions to be addressed by these evaluations.

Describe other information (e.g., measures, data sources).

Recipients will be required to submit a more detailed Evaluation and Performance Measurement plan, including a DMP, if applicable, within the first 6 months of award, as described in the Reporting Section of this NOFO.

c. Organizational Capacity of Recipients to Implement the Approach All applicants must demonstrate the existing capacity to successfully execute all proposed strategies and activities to meet the NOFO requirements for component A and component B.

Applicants must have demonstrable expertise, experience, and/or capacity to develop, rapidly implement, and evaluate the required strategies and activities. Working with HIV surveillance in state, local, and/or territorial health departments is integral to implementation. Applicants should describe their mission; organizational structure; overall organizational budget and funding sources; staff size and expertise; the nature and scope of their work and capabilities; long-term sustainability plan; and other information that would help CDC assess the organization’s infrastructure and capacity to implement the proposed activity. Applicants should address the physical infrastructure as it relates to equipment, electronic information and data systems, ensuring data security and confidentiality, and communication systems to implement the award.

The recipient must be able to take full responsibility of the security and confidentiality of the data while it is in their possession. The recipient will conduct all aspects of this work through their own institution(s) and not at a CDC/HHS facility.

Applicants shall provide a description of three (3) projects worked on or completed that clearly demonstrate the experience in performing projects of similar scope, size, and complexity. This should include the customer’s name and contract title and a brief narrative description of the work performed with a discussion of problems encountered, corrective actions, and significant accomplishments.

Workforce Capacity: Applicants must provide details on their workforce capacity, competence, expertise, and experience as they relate to all specific program strategies and activities (e.g., programming languages, applications, and managing operating systems).

Applicants must have a strategy to ensure that the development, implementation and delivery of a secure data sharing system meets the needs of the jurisdictions.

Staffing: Applicants must provide evidence of adequate program management/staffing plans, technical expertise, performance measurement and evaluation, financial reporting, management of travel requirements, and workforce development and training. Applicants should identify key staff including program management with expertise in disease surveillance systems, programming languages, applications, operating systems and hardware (Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator) and must have a plan to ensure that program staff have adequate skills and relevant experience and capacity to implement the activities and achieve the project outcomes, including the monitoring and evaluation plan. The staffing plan and project management structure should be sufficient to achieve the project outcomes (e.g., staff should have technical expertise; data management and data analysis capacity; cloud computing and machine learning expertise, if relevant to approach; and a plan for management accessing capacity building assistance to support workforce development), inclusive of subcontractors and consultants if applicable, throughout the duration of the five-year project. Staff must have the breadth of subject matter expertise and experience required to conduct all proposed work. When feasible, applicants must hire direct service staff who have at least 12 months minimum experience working in related disease surveillance. Applicants should describe how they will assess staff competencies and develop a plan to address gaps through organizational and individual training and development opportunities. Additionally, a curriculum vitae or resume must be submitted for each existing key personnel who will be affiliated with this program.

Applicants are also required to provide an agency-wide organizational chart and an organizational chart for the proposed program.

d. Work Plan Applicants are required to provide a work plan that provides both a high-level overview of the entire five-year project period for Component A (one-year for Component B) and a detailed description of the first year of the award. The work plan should incorporate all NOFO-related program strategies and activities. Applicants should propose specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based (SMART) process and/or outcome measures for each activity aligned with the related NOFO performance strategies. Also included should be the training, capacity building, and technical assistance (TA) needs to support the implementation of the proposed program. Included in the work plan should be a concise description on how the recipient plans to implement and monitor each program activity.

Note: Post-award, proposed work plan activities may be adjusted in collaboration with CDC to better address the overarching goals of the project.

The applicant shall address the following outline in their work plan:

1. Five-Year Overview of Project for Component A and One-Year overview for Component B (include narrative)

• Intended outcomes for the entire five-year project period.

2. Year 1 Detailed Work Plan

• Program strategies and activities

• SMART outcomes aligned with strategies and activities (including quantitative baselines and targets, based on the proposed program, that lead to an increase, decrease, or maintenance over time)

• Timeline for implementation (including development and implementation of data sharing tool (software) and data transmission system, staffing of the proposed program, and training, etc.)

Below is a sample work plan format to show the alignment with the logic model and narrative.

The table would be completed for each project period outcome. If a particular activity leads to multiple outcomes, it should be described under each outcome measure:

Period of Performance Outcome:

[from Outcomes section and/or logic model]

Outcome Measure:

[from Evaluation and Performance

Measurement section]

Strategies and

Activities

Process Measure

[from Evaluation and

Performance

Measurement section]

Responsible

Position /

Party

Completion

Date

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

e. CDC Monitoring and Accountability Approach Monitoring activities include routine and ongoing communication between CDC and recipients, site visits, and recipient reporting (including work plans, performance, and financial reporting).

Consistent with applicable grants regulations and policies, CDC expects the following to be included in post-award monitoring for grants and cooperative agreements:

• Tracking recipient progress in achieving the desired outcomes.

• Ensuring the adequacy of recipient systems that underlie and generate data reports.

• Creating an environment that fosters integrity in program performance and results.

Monitoring may also include the following activities deemed necessary to monitor the award:

• Ensuring that work plans are feasible based on the budget and consistent with the intent of the award.

• Ensuring that recipients are performing at a sufficient level to achieve outcomes within stated timeframes.

• Working with recipients on adjusting the work plan based on achievement of outcomes, evaluation results and changing budgets.

• Monitoring performance measures (both programmatic and financial) to assure satisfactory performance levels.

Monitoring and reporting activities that assist grants management staff (e.g., grants management officers and specialists, and project officers) in the identification, notification, and management of high-risk recipients.

After review of the first annual performance report, if the recipient is not conducting required recipient activities or not meeting process or outcome standards, CDC will provide or facilitate technical/capacity building assistance for program improvement. If the grantee is performing at a less than sufficient level to achieve program objectives within stated time frames, they will be placed on a time-phased Programmatic Improvement Plan (PIP) developed by CDC in collaboration with the grantee. The PIP is a comprehensive tool used to assist the grantee to improve program performance through identifying factors contributing to less than sufficient performance and developing specific action steps to address areas in need of improvement. If placed on a PIP, the grantee will have an opportunity to document a plan of action to improve the performance of program activities. In subsequent budget periods, funding may be affected based on performance.

These activities may include monitoring and reporting activities as outlined in Chapter 2.01.101 of the HHS GPAM that assists grants management staff (e.g., grants management officers [GMOs] and specialists [GMS], and project officers) in the identification, notification, and management of high-risk recipients.

B. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant)

2. Award Mechanism:

U62

3. Fiscal Year:

4. Approximate Total Fiscal Year Funding:

$400,000

5. Total Period of Performance Funding:

$2,350,000 This amount is subject to the availability of funds.

This single award is comprised of both Component A and Component B

Component A - $400,000 for the first and subsequent 12-month budget periods.

Component B – Proof of Concept - $350,000 for only the second 12-month budget period.

Estimated Total Funding:

$2,350,000

6. Total Period of Performance Length:

5 year(s) year(s)

7. Expected Number of Awards:

8. Approximate Average Award:

$400,000 Per Budget Period

Component A - $400,000 for the first 12-month budget period

Component B – Proof of Concept –$350,000 for only the second 12-month budget period.

9. Award Ceiling:

$0 Per Budget Period

This amount is subject to the availability of funds.

10. Award Floor:

$0 Per Budget Period

11. Estimated Award Date:

August 01, 2024

12. Budget Period Length:

12 month(s)

Throughout the period of performance, CDC will continue the award based on the availability of funds, the evidence of satisfactory progress by the recipient (as documented in required reports), and the determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government.

The total number of years for which federal support has been approved (period of performance) will be shown in the “Notice of Award.” This information does not constitute a commitment by the federal government to fund the entire period. The total period of performance comprises the initial competitive segment and any subsequent non-competitive continuation award(s).

13. Direct Assistance Direct Assistance (DA) is not available through this NOFO.

Direct Assistance is NOT available through this NOFO

If you are successful and receive a Notice of Award, in accepting the award, you agree that the award and any activities thereunder are subject to all provisions of 45 CFR part 75, currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility Category:

99 (Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility")

2. Additional Information on Eligibility

3. Justification for Less than Maximum Competition

4. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No Cost sharing or matching funds are not required for this program. Although no statutory matching requirement for this NOFO exists, leveraging other resources and related ongoing efforts to promote sustainability is strongly encouraged.

5. Maintenance of Effort Maintenance of Effort (MOE) is not required for this program.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Required Registrations An organization must be registered at the three following locations before it can submit an application for funding at www.grants.gov.

PLEASE NOTE: Effective April 4, 2022, applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) at the time of application submission (SF-424, field 8c). The UEI is generated as part of SAM.gov registration. Current SAM.gov registrants have already been assigned their UEI and can view it in SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Additional information is available on the GSA website, SAM.gov, and Grants.gov- Finding the UEI.

a. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):

All applicant organizations must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number associated with your organization’s physical location prior to submitting an application. A UEI number is a unique twelve-digit identification number assigned through SAM.gov registration. Some organizations may have multiple UEI numbers. Use the UEI number associated with the location of the organization receiving the federal funds.

b. System for Award Management (SAM):

The SAM is the primary registrant database for the federal government and the repository into which an entity must submit information required to conduct business as a recipient. All applicant organizations must register with SAM, and will be assigned a SAM number and a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). All information relevant to the SAM number must be current at all times during which the applicant has an application under consideration for funding by CDC.

If an award is made, the SAM information must be maintained until a final financial report is submitted or the final payment is received, whichever is later. The SAM registration process can require 10 or more business days, and registration must be renewed annually. Additional information about registration procedures may be found at SAM.gov and the SAM.gov Knowledge Base.

c. Grants.gov:

The first step in submitting an application online is registering your organization at www.grants.gov, the official HHS E-grant Web site. Registration information is located at the "Applicant Registration" option at www.grants.gov.

All applicant organizations must register at www.grants.gov. The one-time registration process usually takes not more than five days to complete. Applicants should start the registration process as early as possible.

Step System Requirements Duration Follow Up

System for Award Management

(SAM)

1. Go to SAM.gov and create an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC). You will need to have an active SAM account before you can register on grants.gov). The UEI is generated as part of your registration.

7-10 Business Days but may take longer and must be renewed once a year

For SAM Customer Service Contact https://fsd.gov/ fsd-gov/ home.do Calls:

866-606-8220

2 Grants.gov

1. Set up an account in Grants.gov, then add a profile by adding the organization's new UEI number.

2. The EBiz POC can designate user roles, including Authorized Organization Representative

(AOR).

3. AOR is authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization in their workspace.

Allow at least one business day (after you enter the EBiz POC name and EBiz POC email in SAM) to receive a UEI (SAM) which will allow you to register with Grants.gov and apply for federal funding.

Register early!

Applicants can register within minutes.

2. Request Application Package Applicants may access the application package at www.grants.gov. Additional information about applying for CDC grants and cooperative agreements can be found here:

https://www.cdc.gov/grants/applying/pre-award.html

3. Application Package Applicants must download the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, package associated with this notice of funding opportunity at www.grants.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times If the application is not submitted by the deadline published in the NOFO, it will not be processed. Office of Grants Services (OGS) personnel will notify the applicant that their application did not meet the deadline. The applicant must receive pre-approval to submit a paper application (see Other Submission Requirements section for additional details). If the applicant is authorized to submit a paper application, it must be received by the deadline provided by OGS.

a. Letter of Intent Deadline (must be emailed)

b. Application Deadline

Due Date for Applications 05/01/2024

05/01/2024 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time, at www.grants.gov. If Grants.gov is inoperable and cannot receive applications, and circumstances preclude advance notification of an extension, then applications must be submitted by the first business day on which Grants.gov operations resume.

Due Date for Information Conference Call March 14, 2024, 3:00 – 4:00pm ET

Join Zoom Gov Meeting https://cdc.zoomgov.com/j/1600321701?pwd=T3A1UWNLUEw2akVxcjNVNzM5elE2Zz09

Meeting ID: 160 032 1701

Passcode: 0aUMM?c?

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