Enhancing Strategic Information Capacity for HIV/AIDS Programs towards Sustaining Epidemic Control in Kenya through Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Science under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | CDC RFA GH20 2043

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH20 2043

This funding opportunity, titled "Enhancing Strategic Information Capacity for HIV/AIDS Programs towards Sustaining Epidemic Control in Kenya through Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Science under PEPFAR," is a CDC cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number: CDC RFA GH20-2043) intended to strengthen how HIV program data are collected, analyzed, and used in Kenya. The overall aim is to improve evidence-based decision making so that HIV programs can better sustain epidemic control and advance progress toward the global 95-95-95 targets: finding and diagnosing people living with HIV, ensuring those diagnosed are on sustained treatment, and achieving viral suppression among those on treatment. In practical terms, the opportunity focuses on making HIV program information more accurate, timely, and actionable so program leaders can target resources where they will have the most impact.

The award is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Global Health, and it uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument. A cooperative agreement typically means CDC expects to be substantially involved in the work through technical collaboration, joint planning, and ongoing engagement, rather than simply providing funds with minimal interaction. The CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) number associated with this opportunity is 93.067, which aligns with CDC global HIV-related work under PEPFAR.

A notable budgeting detail in the announcement is that the "Award Ceiling for Year 1 is 0 (none)," meaning the Notice of Funding Opportunity does not set a maximum cap per award in Year 1. Despite that, CDC states it anticipates an approximate total funding amount of $2,000,000 for Year 1, dependent on funds being available. The opportunity expected to make two awards, indicating CDC likely intended to support a small number of implementing partners capable of operating at national scale or across multiple high-burden areas while coordinating closely with government and other stakeholders. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning applications were open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.

The first major objective is to improve the development, implementation, and capacity building needed to build and sustain strategic information (SI) activities, particularly within monitoring and evaluation and the emerging field of data science. In context, strategic information generally covers the systems and processes that produce the data used to manage HIV programs: routine reporting, surveillance, data quality assurance, analytics, dashboards, and feedback loops that translate raw data into program decisions. By emphasizing both M&E and data science, CDC signals an expectation that partners go beyond basic reporting and strengthen more advanced analytic capabilities, such as predictive analytics, triangulation across multiple data sources, and stronger methods for identifying gaps in case finding, treatment continuity, and viral suppression.

The second objective is to strengthen comprehensive and evidence-based action for robust health information systems that support targeted interventions, policy formulation, program planning, and global reporting. This is essentially about making health information systems reliable enough to guide decisions at every level, from facility managers and county health teams up to national policymakers and international reporting requirements. It implies improvements in system design and governance, data standards and interoperability, routine use of data for performance management, and mechanisms to ensure that data are not only collected but actively used to adjust strategies, prioritize high-risk populations, and monitor progress over time.

The third objective is to complement existing mechanisms that support HIV/TB service delivery and health information systems. Rather than duplicating other PEPFAR and Government of Kenya investments, the work envisioned here is meant to fill gaps, add analytic and evaluation capacity, and strengthen coordination across platforms and partners. HIV and TB programs are closely linked in service delivery and outcomes, so improving information systems and analytic approaches can help track co-infection, ensure integrated care, and improve the monitoring of TB preventive therapy, TB screening, and TB treatment outcomes alongside HIV indicators.

The fourth objective focuses on improving understanding of the HIV program in Kenya through rigorous evaluations of programs and interventions. This points to a stronger emphasis on evaluation methods that can credibly assess what is working, for whom, and under what conditions. In a setting pushing toward sustained epidemic control, program questions often move from "Are we delivering services?" to "Are those services producing the intended outcomes, and how can we optimize them?" Rigorous evaluations can include impact and outcome evaluations, implementation science approaches, cost and efficiency analyses, and studies that examine barriers to linkage, retention, adherence, and suppression. The goal is to generate practical evidence that directly informs program adjustments and policy decisions.

The fifth objective is explicitly about building national capacity to apply data science principles to public health programs and improving coordination among stakeholders. This means strengthening the skills, tools, and institutional structures needed for advanced analytics within Kenya, not just producing one-off analyses. Capacity building could involve training and mentorship for analysts and M&E staff, development of reusable analytic pipelines, strengthening data governance and privacy practices, and establishing collaborative routines for sharing insights across government agencies, implementing partners, and other stakeholders. The coordination emphasis reflects a common challenge in large HIV responses: multiple partners and systems can produce fragmented data and duplicative analyses unless there is deliberate alignment on standards, roles, and decision-making processes.

Key administrative details from the source listing include the creation date of December 27, 2019, and an original application due date of February 27, 2020, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an investment in the "data-to-action" backbone of Kenya's HIV response, with CDC aiming to strengthen the quality, integration, analysis, and practical use of HIV program data so that Kenya can more effectively maintain epidemic control and meet ambitious treatment and viral suppression targets under PEPFAR.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing Strategic Information Capacity for HIV/AIDS Programs towards Sustaining Epidemic Control in Kenya through Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Science under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.067.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 27, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 27, 2020 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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