Enhancing sustainable health information and laboratory systems and networks for quality detection, management, and monitoring to end HIV and TB as public health threats in India

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global HIV and Tuberculosis program is seeking proposals under solicitation CDC-RFA-JG-26-0143 to enhance sustainable health information and laboratory systems in India aimed at ending HIV and TB as public health threats. The opportunity, structured as a cooperative agreement with an anticipated Year 1 funding of $6,000,000, focuses on strengthening the capacities of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National AIDS Control Organization to improve early detection, surveillance, and monitoring of HIV, TB, and related co-infections. Activities include integrating national data systems, optimizing laboratory networks with quality assurance protocols, expanding molecular diagnostics and epidemiological tracking of drug resistance, and reinforcing biosafety and biosecurity frameworks. The initiative aligns with the America First Global Health Strategy and requires alignment with U.S. and Indian regulatory standards, including compliance with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by local partners. Project implementation must occur entirely in India with all operations, reporting, and performance assessment tied to local infrastructure and government coordination. Applicants must demonstrate strong organizational capacity and technical expertise through detailed submissions including resumes of key personnel, organizational charts, financial management systems, and proof of FCRA registration. Proposals are evaluated on approach (40%), organizational capacity (35%), and data monitoring and evaluation (25%), with awards made through a trade-off process rather than lowest-price technically acceptable criteria. Required documentation includes SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-LLL forms submitted via Grants.gov by the July 24, 2026 deadline, and attachments must not exceed 90 pages in total, excluding the optional local organization funding preference documentation. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov is mandatory, and indirect costs must adhere to the HHS/CDC rate cap or a 15% de minimis rate. The award period spans five years beginning September 30, 2026, with performance expectations tied to specific metrics such as laboratory quality assurance uptake, data reporting timeliness, viral load suppression rates, and adoption of standardized tools. All data, tools, and systems developed under the award must be shared with Indian government entities and HHS/CDC, and salary costs for U.S.-funded staff are subject to a $228,000 cap. Final acceptance of deliverables occurs in India under U.S. government oversight, with continued funding contingent on meeting performance targets and maintaining