Improving global health security in Cte d'Ivoire to stop the spread of infectious disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through its Global Health Center and Division of Global Health Protection, is offering the Improving global health security in Cote d'Ivoire to stop the spread of infectious disease funding opportunity, CDC-RFA-JG-26-0042. The program is a federal cooperative agreement under Assistance Listing 93.318, Protecting and Improving Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity, and Security. The opportunity continues prior U.S. government and partner investments in Cote d'Ivoire's capacity to detect, notify, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. Its purpose is to reinforce health security systems so infectious disease threats can be controlled at their source, reducing morbidity and mortality in Cote d'Ivoire while helping prevent threats from spreading to the United States and other countries. Funded work is organized around three required components and four major strategies. Applicants must apply for all components and submit a budget and work plan for each. Component 1 supports core global health security priorities and has a Year 1 ceiling of $2,000,000. Component 2 supports rapid small-scale responses to infectious disease outbreaks or other public health emergencies and has a $5,000,000 ceiling. Component 3 supports rapid large-scale responses and has a $10,000,000 ceiling. Only Component 1 core activities are expected to be funded initially, while Components 2 and 3 may be approved but unfunded until additional funds become available. Program strategies address surveillance and real-time data collection, emergency management and response, public health workforce development, and public health programs, service delivery, and implementation science. Activities include strengthening IDSR, community-based and event-based surveillance, DHIS2 and data linkages, emergency operations centers, response simulations, Field Epidemiology Training Program activities, public health campaigns, outbreak response capacity, diagnostic capacity, and public health workforce training. The CDC expects approximately $4,000,000 in total Year 1 funding across an expected two awards, subject to available funds and program priorities. Exact individual award amounts will be determined at award. Projects are planned for five 12-month budget periods, creating a five-year period of performance, with continuation funding dependent on available funds, satisfactory progress, and the determination that continued funding is in the federal government's best interest. Applicants should dedicate approximately 5 to 10 percent of project funding to monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. There is no required cost sharing or matching contribution. Funds may be used only for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award and applicable federal requirements. Research is prohibited, clinical care is prohibited except as allowed by law, and pre-award costs require authorization. Furniture and equipment generally may not be purchased without clear justification. Budgets must be stated in U.S. dollars, and applicable indirect cost rules must be followed. 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits 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 Cote d'Ivoire, and an organization may submit only one application under its UEI. The NOFO also provides a 15-point selection preference for qualifying local partners that document their status. Applicants must satisfy all responsiveness requirements, including applying for every component, remaining within applicable component ceilings, submitting in English and U.S. dollars, avoiding research activities, and keeping the project narrative within its 30-page limit. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 2, 2026. Applicants need the required federal registrations and an active UEI associated with the physical location receiving the federal funds. The application includes a one-page Project Summary, a Project Narrative of up to 30 pages, a Budget Narrative, SF-424, SF-424A, SF-LLL when applicable, and required attachments. The project narrative must use the prescribed headings and address Background and approach, Evaluation and performance measurement plan, and Organizational capacity. Applicants must also provide work plans for each component, an initial evaluation and performance measurement plan, and an initial data management plan. Required attachments include a table of contents, experience statement, financial capability statement, resumes and job descriptions, and an organizational chart, plus an indirect cost agreement and report on overlap when applicable. Local partner documentation is required for applicants seeking the 15-point funding preference. Applications first undergo a responsiveness review. Responsive applications advance to panel merit review and are scored on a 100-point scale: Background and approach is worth 35 points, Evaluation and performance measurement plan is worth 30 points, and Organizational capacity is worth 35 points. Review considerations include relevant strategies for improving IHR technical areas, activities affecting immunization, surveillance, and emergency management and response, experience working with Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health entities, monitoring and evaluation experience, timely programmatic and financial reporting, and field capacity outside Abidjan. CDC also conducts a pre-award risk review and considers agency priorities, available funding, geographic and program coverage, and the local partner preference. CDC may fund applications in whole or in part, make awards below requested amounts, fund out of rank order under stated circumstances, or make no awards. Successful applicants will receive an emailed Notice of Award, while disqualified or unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email or letter. CDC expects applicants to be informed of their status by the end of October 2026, with an expected award and project start date of October 30, 2026. The Notice of Award is the official authorization to begin work. Post-award requirements include financial and performance reporting, an expanded evaluation and performance measurement plan and data management plan within six months, annual performance reports, financial reports, performance measure reporting, and final reports. The program contact is DGHP NOFOs at DGHPNOFOs@cdc.gov. The Grants Management Officer is Randolph Williams at gur2@cdc.gov. No recurring application cycle is stated in the NOFO.

Address all three components and stay within each Year 1 component ceiling; use the exact required project narrative headings and order; keep the project narrative within 30 pages and appendices within 50 pages; demonstrate relevant Ministry of Health experience, including national and sub-national work; emphasize activities affecting immunization, surveillance, and emergency management and response; show monitoring and evaluation experience and timely financial/program reporting; document regional field offices outside Abidjan where applicable; submit local partner documentation to receive the 15-point preference; ensure all materials are in English, budgets use U.S. dollars, and Grants.gov validation is completed before the deadline.