Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions regarding Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) PS19-1906, please review this PS19-1906 Frequently Asked Questions document.

However, if your questions are not addressed in the PS19-1906 FAQ, please send an email to PS19-1906@cdc.gov.  A response to your question will be provided within 48 business hours from upon receipt.

General Information

Where can I find notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) PS19-1906: Strategic Partnerships and Planning to Support Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States?

To access the application package for PS19-1906: Strategic Partnerships and Planning to Support Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States

1. Go to: www.grants.gov
2. Select: “Applicants” from the top menu
3. Select: “Apply for Grants”
4. Select: “Download a Grant Application Package”
5. In the “Funding Opportunity Number” box, type: CDC-RFA-PS19-1906

For additional information, please visit the PS19-1906 website. The website will be updated regularly with new information.

Award Information

Approximate Period of Performance Length:

Component A: National Network to Enhance Strategic Communications, Partnerships, Policy Analysis and Interpretation – 5 years

Component B:  Accelerating State and Local HIV Planning to End the HIV Epidemic – 1 year

Approximate Number of Awards: 33

1. Component A: National Network to Enhance Strategic Communications, Partnerships, Policy Analysis and Interpretation- 1 award
2. Component B: Accelerating State and Local HIV Planning to End the HIV Epidemic- 32 awards

Total Period of Performance Funding: $19,500,000

1. Component A: National Network to Enhance Strategic Communications, Partnerships, Policy Analysis and Interpretation- $7,500,000
2. Component B: Accelerating State and Local HIV Planning to End the HIV Epidemic- $12,000,000

Average One Year Award Amount: $0

1. Component A: National Network to Enhance Strategic Communications, Partnerships, Policy Analysis and Interpretation- $1,500,000 Per Budget Period
2. Component B: Accelerating State and Local HIV Planning to End the HIV Epidemic- $375,000 Per Budget Period

Total Period of Performance Length: 5

Cost Sharing and / or Matching Requirements: N

What is the overall approach of this funding opportunity?
The overall approach is to implement the following two components.

Component A: National Network to Enhance Strategic Communications, Partnerships, Policy Analysis and Interpretation
This cooperative agreement requires the recipient to actively assist participants in CDC-supported multi-sectoral national and state partnerships, support communication channels, and provide peer-to-peer TA to participants that include state and local HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs, national partners, the community, and other stakeholders. It is important for HIV program staff to understand how policies affect the work they do, and how to effectively communicate their work to others. Moreover, staff in HIV programs need support to better promote the important work being done to prevent new HIV infections. Applicants must propose a program that describes how they will collaborate with CDC and other partners to implement the following strategies and activities.

Component B: Accelerating State and Local HIV Planning to End the HIV Epidemic
Support health departments with Phase 1 jurisdictions to conduct a rapid planning process that engages the community, HIV planning bodies, HIV prevention and care providers, and other partners in aligning resources and activities to develop jurisdictional End the HIV Epidemic plans. This project will support health departments to conduct local collaborative planning for HIV prevention and care programming in alignment with the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative. Activities funded under this component may facilitate future implementation activities associated with Phase 1 of the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative.

Component A: Award

How many awards will be awarded under Component A?

Component A will have one award.

Is Component A for 5 years?

Yes, Component A is for 5 years.

Component A: Eligibility

On page 27, under Component A, it states that applicant must have ongoing access to a partnership system that represents state and local health department programs and staff. One example of a partnership system listed was a membership roster. Is membership required and how do we demonstrated regular and on-going communication?

As a requirement of Component A, applicants must submit proof of an existing partnership system that represents state and local health department HIV programs and staff. Examples of membership include, but are not limited to: membership rosters, organization bylaws or policies and procedures that include language that is supportive of an established partnership system, etc. Examples of on-going communication can be demonstrated through newsletters, meeting minutes, etc.

How many contractual partnerships can an applicant submit in their application?

Applicants may propose to execute contractual partnerships with up to two national partners to support the implementation of the NOFO requirements.

Does contractual partnership mean monetary compensation?

Contractual can mean monetary compensation or agreement for exchange of services.

How is CDC defining strategic partnerships?

Examples of strategic partnerships include, but are not limited to: federal agencies (e.g., the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and their recipients; public health departments; tribal governments and/or tribally designated organizations; local and state education agencies; colleges and universities; non-CDC funded CBOs; capacity building assistance organizations; faith-based organizations; for-profit organizations; clinics and hospitals; non-governmental organizations; state and local governments; community advocates; community members; and other stakeholders that may have a vested interest in promoting health through HIV prevention, care, and treatment.

Are MOAs/MOUs required at submission?

MOAs/MOUs are not required at the time the application is submitted.

Does table of contents, project abstract summary, and project narrative have to be in separate documents?

No, but all sections need to be labeled accordingly. The requirements need to be easily identified in the document. Please ensure you follow the guidance provided in GrantSoultions specific to uploading of the required documents.

Can a for-profit partner apply with another applicant?

No, the applicant and all contractual partnerships must have an establish 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than institutions of higher education.

Component A: Submission Requirements

Is the Letter of Intent (LOI) required?

The LOI is requested, not required.

Can the work plan be included as an attachment and not count toward the page limit of 20 pages?

Yes, the work plan can be submitted as a separate attachment. The attachment does not count towards the narrative page limit.

Component A: Budget and Funding Requirements

What is the amount of the award for Component A?

The approximate award amount for Component A is $1.5 million per year and is subject to the availability of funds.

When should the proposed budget period begin?

The budget period begins on September 30, 2019.

Component A: Additional Questions

Where are the FAQs? The link is not working.

All questions received via the PS19-1906 mailbox and during the informational calls will be posted on the PS19-1906 website under the FAQ tab. We will post questions that applicants are asking from the webinar and the PS19-1906 mailbox in the FAQ link.

Is a data management plan (DMP) required for Component A?

Yes, A Data Management Plan (DMP) is required for Component A.

Can an organization submit an application and also be a contractual partner on someone else’s application?

Yes, an organization can submit an application and be listed as a contractual partner on another organization’s application.

Component B: Eligibility

Can listed eligible counties apply directly for funding or must the application be submitted by the state health department and passed through to the county?

Eligible applicants are CDC-directly-funded health department, listed in the eligibility section of the NOFO (page 27).

Is this open to non-profit organizations?

Eligible applicants are CDC-directly-funded health departments, listed in the eligibility section of the NOFO (page 27).

Is future funding contingent upon applying for these funds?

Eligibility for funding to operationalize the proposed Ending the Epidemic plan is contingent upon responsiveness to Component B of this NOFO or the existence of a comprehensive Ending the HIV Epidemic plan.

If our Territory isn’t on the list of Eligible Phase 1 Jurisdictions can we still apply?

Eligible applicants are CDC-directly-funded health department, listed in the eligibility section of the NOFO (page 27).

On page 22, bullets 2 and 4 ask for demonstration of experience at National Level for 5 years. Was this for Component A only?

Yes, bullet 2 on page 22 is specific to the Component A.

Component B: Submission Requirements

Is the Letter of Intent (LOI) required?

The LOI is requested, not required. It is due by June 19, 2019.

Can the work plan be included as an attachment and not count toward the page limit of 20 pages?

Yes.

If we have multiple Phase 1 counties within our state, should we submit a separate application for each or one with subsections? Should the budget also be separated?

Each eligible health department should submit only one application. For cases in which the health department has multiple eligible jurisdictions, the application should be clear to specify how each will be addressed. In cases where these may be adjacent counties and may constitute areas that are already in one existing planning jurisdiction, separating among them may not be needed. For other cases in which counties are not adjacent and each may require separate planning efforts, this should be specified in the application. Budgets should be consistent with the planning approach.

Component B: Budget and Funding Requirements

Is the period of performance for Component B only one year or is it a 5-year project?

The period of performance for Component B is for one year (12 month budget period).

What is the floor amount?

$200,000

Is the funding floor at the county level or state level? In a state with multiple counties listed, what would be the total funding structure and amount?

As this NOFO is to support planning activities only, the floor funding amount ($200,000) and the average award amounts ($375,000) would be the same, regardless of the number of counties listed.

Should we budget for national meetings or conferences required by 19-1906?

No, there is no need to budget for attendance at a PS19-1906 grantee meeting.

Pulling meetings together with partners to do planning may require working a whole day. Is food allowed in the budget plans?

Nutritional supplements are an allowable costs. Please refer to the Office of Grants Services (OGS) regarding budget guidelines.

Are incentives allowable to engage community partners?

Yes.

Can funding for new epidemiologic analysis and data collection permitted, if they are needed for planning purposes?

Yes, to a limited degree. A major consideration is both the expedited timeline for this planning as well as the limited amount of resources provided that could feasibly cover data collection and analysis efforts in addition to necessary planning activities. A detailed justification in the application and budget would be recommended.

Can state and county health departments collaborate on the plan but have money subcontracted to CBOs?

All funds available via this NOFO must be used for planning. If a subcontract to a CBO can support the expedited planning process as outlined by this NOFO, it could be permissible.

Is the budget narrative distinct from the program narrative and not part of the 20 page max?

Yes. The budget narrative does not count towards the 20 page max for the narrative. The budget should be itemized and consistent with the activities in the application narrative.

When should the proposed budget period begin?

It should be a 12-month budget, beginning September 30, 2019.

Component B: Strategies and Activities

What activities will be required for Component B?

Strategies and activities to take place during this planning process are outlined in the NOFO (pages 11 – 12). Additional guidance on the specific activities will be provided post-award. Applicants are encouraged to reference information that has been communicated about the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative and the Pillars described.

Our County has a Ryan White Part A Planning Council; it does not have a prevention planning body. Can we create a new planning body for this NOFO? If we cannot create a new planning group, can we create a subcommittee of the Planning Council and add additional people to that group?

New activities should build on and not replace existing integrated planning efforts. If needed, subcommittees of the planning bodies or planning councils can be established at the local/county level.

Is the Ending the Epidemic plan different from the Integrated Plan?

An Ending the HIV Epidemic plan must have an explicitly stated goal of eliminating new HIV infections and be consistent with the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative. Additionally, it must have: 1) Activities consistent with each Pillar; 2) A timeline consistent with eliminating 75% of new infections within 5 years and; 3) A focus on the identified counties, for those health department jurisdictions with identified counties.

How will we know if our existing integrated HIV care and prevention plan will count as our Ending the HIV Epidemic Plan?

The specific programmatic requirements of the planning will be clarified via guidance provided post-award. Planning guidance will clarify what is needed in the Ending the HIV Epidemic plans above and beyond content in existing integrated plans. Content consistent with the pillars of the initiative as well as increased and ongoing community engagement within the Phase 1 jurisdictions will be emphasized. This NOFO is to support the process needed to conduct the planning.

Component B: Additional Questions

How will HRSA and SAMHSA be involved?

The CDC, HRSA and SAMHSA will be coordinating throughout this planning process. An interagency approach will be used for reviewing plans developed from this NOFO. Additionally, these plans are intended to add to and build upon existing CDC-HRSA integrated HIV prevention and care planning efforts.

Page 19 states a data management plan (DMP) is not required; but page 20, 4th bullet (under ii states) we must submit a plan for updating DMP. Please clarify?

A Data Management Plan (DMP) is not required for PS19-1906-Component B.

Please clarify what will be involved in Phase 2?

For the purposes of this NOFO, ‘Phase 1’ refers to the geographic location of ‘hotspots’ and the corresponding eligible health departments (see page 27).

Will the webinars be posted online or can I have it emailed to me?

The informational calls were recorded and will be posted to the PS19-1906 website: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/funding/announcements/ps19-1906/index.html

We have two cities in our state that are identified at Phase 1 jurisdictions. Can we focus on only one of them in our application for 19-1906?

For states that have identified counties within health department jurisdictions, those counties should be the focus of the final plan and community engagement efforts. Within the application, please address planning efforts for the two cities and plans to focus funding resources on the one city.