Support for laboratory diagnosis and monitoring to scale up and improve HIV/AIDS care and treatment services for Caribbean countries supported under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has announced a forecasted cooperative agreement opportunity to strengthen laboratory diagnosis and monitoring to improve HIV/AIDS care and treatment services in Caribbean countries supported under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This opportunity, listed under Assistance Listing 93.067 (Global AIDS), reflects the CDC’s ongoing commitment to building sustainable public health laboratory systems in regions where HIV and related diseases pose a significant burden. The program builds upon more than a decade of CDC support to laboratories in the Caribbean, where efforts have already resulted in the accreditation of twelve public health laboratories and strengthened systems for disease detection and monitoring. The purpose of this forecasted opportunity is to expand and sustain high-quality laboratory diagnostic services that are essential for effective public health programs addressing HIV, tuberculosis (TB), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other related diseases. Although substantial progress has been made in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, further support is needed to achieve widespread accreditation, enhance in-service training for laboratory personnel, expand laboratory information systems, and better integrate them with national health information systems. These improvements will help ensure efficient diagnostic services, timely monitoring, and better care and treatment outcomes in countries supported by PEPFAR. The funding scope emphasizes several core objectives. Applicants are expected to provide technical support for achieving laboratory accreditation, expand workforce development through specialized training, and enhance laboratory systems capable of detecting HIV-related opportunistic infections. The program also seeks to strengthen monitoring and reporting functions that directly support HIV and TB treatment and prevention programs. By improving infrastructure and human capacity, CDC aims to establish resilient laboratory systems that can sustain quality diagnostics, data management, and integration into wider health networks. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes a wide range of applicant types. Eligible applicants include state governments, county and city governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, public housing authorities, independent school districts, small businesses, for-profit organizations, and special district governments. The eligibility section specifically notes that the program is open to unrestricted applicants subject to certain clarifications, making this a widely accessible funding opportunity. The estimated total program funding amount for Year 1 is approximately $1,500,000, subject to the availability of funds. Although the award ceiling, award floor, and total program funding are currently indicated as zero in the forecast notice, the CDC has clarified that Year 1 funding is anticipated to reach $1.5 million. The expected number of awards is one, and the instrument type will be a cooperative agreement, indicating close collaboration between CDC and the recipient. No cost sharing or matching is required for applicants. The forecasted posting date for the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is December 2, 2025, with an estimated application due date of February 17, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The anticipated award date is September 30, 2026, with the project start date scheduled for the same day. The archive date for the opportunity is March 19, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the official posting once released for additional submission requirements and evaluation criteria, which are not provided in the forecast notice. The primary contact for this funding opportunity is the Division of Global HIV and TB at the CDC. Inquiries should be directed via email to pepfarfoas@cdc.gov. No phone contact was provided in the forecast notice. As the opportunity is still in forecast stage, detailed application instructions, specific evaluation criteria, and reporting requirements will be available when the final NOFO is posted. Applicants should prepare by reviewing past CDC global HIV laboratory initiatives and aligning their proposals with CDC’s established goals of laboratory strengthening, capacity building, and integration of health information systems.