US Travelers Health Research, Surveillance, and Outreach Network

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Global Migration Health, is offering the US Travelers Health Research, Surveillance, Communication, and Outreach Network cooperative agreement under opportunity RFA-CK-26-036 and Assistance Listing 93.084. The program is intended to protect U.S. residents traveling internationally by improving access to timely health information before, during, and after travel. Its purpose is to increase the proportion of international travelers receiving pre-travel health consultations and recommended preventive services, improve the quality of health care advice provided during those consultations, and increase access to timely health information while travelers are abroad. The program is designed to reduce travelers' personal risk of illness or injury and help prevent pathogens acquired abroad from being introduced into the United States. The award will support research and surveillance through a network of domestic clinics providing pre-travel health services to people traveling outside the United States, particularly travelers at high risk for illness or injury. Funded activities are expected to use electronic medical record, web, and mobile tools to support provider recommendations, provide timely location-specific information to travelers, and collect anonymous health information and, when needed, specimens before, during, and after travel. Activities may include prospective traveler cohort studies, geospatial, economic, and genomic analyses, novel diagnostic techniques, outbreak-driven research, high-throughput technologies, rapid diagnostics, economic modeling, and real-time data collection. Applicants should also propose outreach to international travelers, especially high-risk travelers, and to healthcare providers who do not regularly practice travel medicine. The project should include measurable goals, SMART objectives, performance measures, an evaluation plan, and an appropriate plan for translating and disseminating scientific and traveler-focused findings. CDC expects to make one cooperative agreement award, subject to available funds and program priorities. The five-year period of performance consists of 12-month budget periods. Expected total program funding over the performance period is $5,000,000, with expected total program funding of $1,000,000 per budget period and expected funding of $1,000,000 per applicant per budget period. The maximum award is $1,000,000 per budget period and the minimum is $750,000 per budget period. There is no required cost sharing or matching. Support after the first budget year depends on appropriations, satisfactory progress, and the government's determination that continued funding is in its best interest. Funds may be used only for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award and applicable laws and regulations. Clinical care is generally unallowable except as permitted by law, and pre-award costs require prior authorization. Furniture and equipment generally may not be purchased unless clearly identified and justified. Human subjects research funding may be restricted until required assurances and IRB approvals are in place. 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 housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. Bona fide agents may apply on behalf of eligible state, territorial, local, and tribal government organizations when required documentation of the arrangement is provided. Only one application may be submitted per institution. Applicants should demonstrate an accomplished research team with travel medicine and public health research experience, nationwide clinical collaboration, and multidisciplinary epidemiological, laboratory, clinical, and health economics expertise. A required letter of intent is due September 15, 2026 and must be emailed to SPittBarnes@cdc.gov. It must identify the opportunity number and title, organization name and address, contact name, phone and email, descriptive title of the proposed research, PD or PI and other key personnel, and participating institutions. The full application is due November 5, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and must be submitted through Grants.gov, either directly using Workspace, through eRA ASSIST, or through another system-to-system interface connected to Grants.gov. Applicants must maintain the applicable SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons registrations. Required application materials include the PHS 398 Research Plan, SF-424 R&R and related forms, budget materials, PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information, Other Attachments, and applicable subaward, overlap, bona fide agent, and indirect cost documentation. Specific Aims are limited to one page and the Research Strategy is limited to 12 pages and must be organized under Significance, Innovation, and Approach. A data management plan is required for public health data to be collected. Responsive applications undergo a two-level scientific merit review. External scientists conduct the first level and CDC senior scientists conduct the second. Scored criteria include Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment. Reviewers also consider applicable human-subject protections, inclusion of children, vertebrate animals, biohazards, budget justification, and resource sharing. Overall impact is scored on a scale in which a final score of 10 represents high impact and 90 represents low impact. Second-level review considers program priorities, program relevance, research portfolio balance, geographic considerations, and budgetary considerations. CDC then considers scientific merit, fund availability, program relevance, portfolio balance, and geographic distribution in funding decisions and may fund applications in whole or in part, reduce requested amounts, or make no awards. The expected scientific review date is December 15, 2026, with secondary review expected January 12, 2027. The expected award date is September 1, 2027 and expected project start date is September 30, 2027. Successful applicants receive an official Notice of Award, and work may not begin under the award until that notice is received. Post-award requirements include annual performance and financial reporting, final performance and financial reporting, data management updates, and CDC monitoring. As a cooperative agreement, the award includes substantial CDC programmatic involvement. The primary scientific and research contact is Brian York at RYork@cdc.gov or 404-639-7094. Scientific merit review questions may be directed to Seraphine Pitt Barnes at SPittBarnes@cdc.gov or 770-488-6115, and grants management questions may be directed to Sharon Cassell at ZPR0@cdc.gov or 770-488-2703. No recurring application cycle is stated in the NOFO.

Align the proposal closely with the scored criteria of Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment. Demonstrate strong travel medicine and public health research accomplishments, nationwide clinical collaboration, and integrated epidemiological, laboratory, clinical, and health economics expertise. Explain concrete innovation and include economic modeling. Show capacity for real-time outbreak data collection, prospective data and specimen collection, high-interest pathogen research, user-friendly clinician and traveler technologies, measurable outcomes, and effective translation of findings. Keep the Research Strategy within the strict 12-page limit and ensure the requested budget does not exceed the stated ceiling.