Expanding Global Health Security through local partnerships in Senegal

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through its Global Health Center and Division of Global Health Protection, is offering the Expanding Global Health Security through local partnerships in Senegal cooperative agreement under opportunity CDC-RFA-JG-26-0048 and Assistance Listing 93.318. The opportunity is intended to make the United States safer by strengthening global health security through surveillance, prevention, and response in Senegal. Its purpose is to strengthen Senegal's ability to detect, notify, and respond to infectious disease threats, improve public health infrastructure, and prevent the regional and global spread of disease threats. The program builds on prior CDC work with Senegal's Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and aligns with the Global Health Security Agenda and other applicable CDC global health priorities. Funded work centers on four strategies. Applicants must strengthen national, regional, and district laboratory networks and diagnostic capacity; enhance electronic surveillance and laboratory data systems; support risk communication and community awareness and reporting of public health threats; and strengthen public health programs, workforce development, health service delivery, and implementation science programs. Activities include laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables, maintenance, metrology, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory information systems, staff training, event-based and case-based surveillance, DHIS2-related work, data quality assurance, dashboards, community outreach, health communications, public health campaigns, technical assistance, workforce training, and development of standard operating procedures. Applicants must provide access to data, software, tools, training materials, guidelines, and systems developed under the award to the Ministry of Health, CDC, and other relevant stakeholders as appropriate. CDC expects total Year 1 NOFO funding of $1,500,000 across an anticipated two to three awards. Projects are planned for five 12-month budget periods, for a five-year period of performance. Applicants must apply for all three funding components and provide separate budgets and work plans for each. Component 1, Core Global Health Security Priorities, has a $500,000 ceiling and is expected to be funded initially. Component 2, Rapid Small-Scale Response to Infectious Disease Outbreaks or other Public Health Emergencies, has a $1,000,000 ceiling, while Component 3, Rapid Large-Scale Response to Infectious Disease Outbreaks or other Public Health Emergencies, has a $2,000,000 ceiling. Components 2 and 3 may initially be approved but unfunded and subsequently funded if resources become available. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of project funding is expected to support monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. There is no required cost sharing or matching. Funds may not be used for research, generally may not support clinical care except as allowed by law, and may not support pre-award costs without authorization. Other federal cost restrictions and CDC program-specific requirements also apply. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and foreign or non-U.S.-based entities. The project must be conducted in Senegal, and each organization may submit only one application under its UEI. A 10-point funding preference is available to prime applicants that meet and document the NOFO's local partner definition. Applications proposing research, exceeding applicable Year 1 component ceilings, omitting any component, exceeding the 30-page project narrative limit, using a language other than English, using a currency other than U.S. dollars in the budget, or otherwise falling outside the NOFO scope will not advance. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 2, 2026. Applicants must maintain the required SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and use the UEI associated with the physical location receiving federal funds. The application includes a one-page project summary, a project narrative of up to 30 pages, a budget narrative, required attachments, SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-LLL if applicable. Required attachments include a table of contents, experience statement, financial capability statement, resumes and job descriptions, organizational chart, and applicable indirect cost agreement and overlap report. An initial evaluation and performance measurement plan and an initial data management plan are also required. Project summary, project narrative, and budget narrative files must follow the stated PDF, font, spacing, margin, and page-number requirements. Applications first undergo a responsiveness review and then merit review. The 100-point merit score consists of Background and Approach at 50 points, Evaluation and Performance Measurement Plan at 25 points, and Organizational Capacity at 25 points. Reviewers consider the clarity and alignment of the proposed approach, innovation, sustainability, data management, measurable indicators and outcomes, dissemination of findings, organizational structure, collaboration experience, and local operational capacity. CDC normally considers ranked merit results but may fund out of rank order for stated programmatic reasons, available funding, emergency needs, funding preferences, avoidance of duplication, geographic or activity coverage, and agency priorities. Eligible local partners that properly document their status receive 10 additional points during selection. CDC expects the award and project start date to be October 30, 2026 and expects to notify applicants of their status by the end of October 2026. Successful applicants receive an official Notice of Award by email to the authorized official. Program questions may be directed to DGHPNOFOs@cdc.gov. The named grants management contact is Randolph Williams, Grants Management Officer, at gur2@cdc.gov. Post-award requirements include detailed evaluation and data management plans within six months, annual performance reporting, financial reporting, performance measure reporting, final reports, and other applicable reporting. CDC will remain substantially involved through technical assistance, monitoring, review of performance and finances, and coordination with CDC offices and technical experts throughout the cooperative agreement.

Prioritize the 50-point Background and Approach section and clearly connect activities to NOFO objectives and outcomes. Demonstrate innovation and sustainability. Provide measurable indicators and a robust data management approach. Show strong collaboration experience with Ministry of Health partners and other GHSA stakeholders and document adequate local infrastructure and operational capacity. Apply for all three components without exceeding their respective Year 1 ceilings. Carefully verify the 30-page project narrative and 50-page appendix limits and all formatting requirements because violations can make the application nonresponsive. Document local partner status if eligible for the 10-point funding preference.