Advancing national epidemiologic, surveillance, research and laboratory capacities and systems to support a sustainable and resilient response to HIV/TB and related public health threats in the Kingdom of Eswatini under PEPFAR | CDC RFA JG 25 0071

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA JG 25 0071

This funding opportunity (CDC RFA JG 25 0071) is a PEPFAR-supported cooperative agreement focused on helping the Kingdom of Eswatini build stronger, more self-reliant national systems for epidemiology, public health surveillance, research, and laboratory services, with a particular emphasis on sustaining progress against HIV and TB while also improving readiness for other public health threats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is looking for partners that can work closely with the Government of Eswatini, especially the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other relevant public sector bodies, to reinforce the core capabilities needed to detect health threats early, analyze and interpret data quickly, and respond effectively to outbreaks and emerging risks.

For Year 1, CDC lists an approximate total funding amount of $5,500,000, contingent on the availability of funds. The notice also states that the “Award Ceiling for Year 1 is 0 (none),” which typically means CDC is not setting a maximum cap per award in the announcement even though the overall anticipated funding level is provided; final award sizes and budgets would therefore be shaped by CDC’s program priorities, the number of awards (expected to be 2), and the strength and realism of proposed workplans and budgets. Because this is a cooperative agreement, the CDC is signaling that it expects substantial involvement in the work, meaning awardees should anticipate close coordination, technical engagement, and ongoing collaboration with CDC and government counterparts rather than operating as a hands-off grant.

The main objective is to strengthen Eswatini’s ability to oversee and carry out public health surveillance and research activities in a way that informs policy and program decisions for HIV and TB and builds resilience for future threats. The opportunity emphasizes improving government capacity not just to collect information, but to manage surveillance systems, design and implement research and surveys, and expand local epidemiologic skills. The intention is to embed stronger competencies within national institutions so that the country can sustain high-quality surveillance and response capabilities over time, even as specific funding streams or disease priorities evolve.

On the epidemiology and surveillance side, CDC highlights several technical focus areas. One is outbreak detection, investigation, response, and recovery, which spans the full cycle from identifying unusual signals early to field investigation, implementing control measures, and learning lessons afterward to strengthen systems. Another priority is epidemic modeling, which can support planning and forecasting by helping decision-makers understand likely trends, resource needs, and the potential impact of interventions. A third area is data analytics and visualization, underscoring the practical need for timely, usable information products such as dashboards, routine situation reports, and targeted analyses that translate raw data into actionable insights for leadership and program teams.

Laboratory system strengthening is a major pillar of the opportunity, framed as a continuation and deepening of ongoing efforts to reinforce national lab systems. Priority activities include tackling structural barriers that limit performance and access, improving the operational efficiency of diagnostic networks (for example, specimen referral systems, testing coverage, and network coordination), and expanding molecular testing capacity, which is especially important for TB diagnostics, HIV viral load testing, and rapid detection of emerging pathogens. The announcement also calls for advancing laboratory information system interoperability, pointing to the need for different digital systems to share data smoothly across facilities, programs, and national levels so results are available quickly for clinical care and surveillance. Quality management improvements are also emphasized, reflecting the importance of consistent standards, proficiency, accreditation-oriented processes, and reliable testing. Finally, CDC highlights facilitating access to and uptake of quality laboratory services, which ties laboratory capacity to real-world use, ensuring that strengthened labs translate into better patient care and stronger surveillance coverage.

The opportunity is also explicitly about bolstering Eswatini’s broader public health preparedness and response architecture. A key element is support to MOH efforts to strengthen the Eswatini CDC, described as the National Public Health Institute (NPHI), across multiple pillars. These pillars include early warning surveillance and the national public health laboratory, but they go beyond that to incorporate the public health workforce, the emergency operations center (EOC), and health and risk communication. In practical terms, this signals interest in end-to-end preparedness: trained people, functional coordination structures, reliable data streams, operational response capacity, and clear communication with the public and stakeholders during health events.

Eligibility for the opportunity is broad, including various levels of government entities, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), tribal governments and organizations, and other unrestricted applicants. The CFDA numbers listed are 93.067 and 93.318, and the original closing date is March 5, 2025. Overall, the funding is designed to help Eswatini strengthen national systems that connect surveillance, laboratories, analytics, workforce capacity, and emergency response into a coherent structure capable of sustaining HIV/TB gains while responding more effectively to future outbreaks and related public health threats.

• The Centers for Disease Control-GHC in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing national epidemiologic, surveillance, research and laboratory capacities and systems to support a sustainable and resilient response to HIV/TB and related public health threats in the Kingdom of Eswatini under PEPFAR" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.067, 93.318.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-03-05. (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: 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/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Unrestricted.

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