Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program Information for Awardees
This section provides VFC Program information for awardees in states and territories to assist with childhood vaccine distribution and no-cost vaccine administration to enrolled private physician offices and public health clinics.
To find department of health webpages, visit state & territorial health department websites.
ISD Awardee SharePoint Portal
The ISD Awardee SharePoint Portal ensures resources are readily available for awardees and serves as a centralized repository for cleared documents—this includes documents and resources from the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program library that is located within the Portal. The VFC Program library contains documents and resources needed to assist awardee staff in their VFC Program operations and management.
To be granted access to the ISD Awardee SharePoint Portal
Contact your supervisor or your Immunization Operations and Services Branch (IOSB) Project Officer.
To visit the Portal
Awardees will have to log into the Secure Access Management Services (SAMS) Portal which is a website that allows public health partners and providers to access information and computer applications managed by the CDC. Many CDC programs use the SAMS Portal as their entry point for partner-only information and applications.
If you do not already have SAMS access, please reach out to your Immunization Operations and Services Branch Project Officer for assistance. If you are unsure who your Project Officer is, you should reach out to your program’s VFC Program Coordinator.
CDC Vaccine Price List
Review the CDC Vaccine price list.
Provider Education Assessment and Reporting (PEAR) System
Awardee oversight and program management is important to ensure provider compliance within the VFC Program. Oversight and management reporting is completed utilizing the Provider Education Assessment and Reporting (PEAR) system.
To access the PEAR system
Awardees will have to log into the Secure Access Management Services (SAMS) Portal in order to access PEAR. SAMS is a website that allows public health partners and providers to access information and computer applications managed by CDC. Many CDC programs use the SAMS Portal as their entry point for partner-only information and applications.
If you do not already have SAMS access, please reach out to your Immunization Operations and Services Branch Project Officer for assistance. If you are unsure who your Project Officer is, reach out to your VFC Program Coordinator.
How the PEAR System Supports VFC Program Awardee Work
The PEAR system was developed to:
- Capture the VFC Program’s provider compliance site visit activities online
- Provide a central repository of all site visit results across the United States in a central location
- Note: PEAR now has functions that support the VFC Program management and oversight at awardee and federal levels.
- Conduct VFC Management Survey (VMS) reporting
- Report VFC and Vaccine Accountability Metrics (VVAM)
- Report fraud and abuse allegations
Defining Fraud and Abuse
Federal fraud and abuse laws apply to awardee VFC Programs. State regulations (e.g., related to insurance, consumer protection, or medical licensure) may likewise be appropriate for parts of awardee VFC Programs involving state funds.
The terms “fraud” and “abuse” used by the VFC Program are consistent with the definitions for fraud and abuse in Medicaid regulations
- Fraud
- An intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to himself/herself or some other person.
- It includes any act that constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state laws.
- Abuse
- Provider practices that are inconsistent with sound fiscal, business, or medical practices and result in an unnecessary cost to the Medicaid program (and/or including actions that result in an unnecessary cost to the immunization program, a health insurance company, or a patient), or in reimbursement for services that are not medically necessary or that fail to meet professionally recognized standards for health care.
- Abuse also includes recipient practices that result in unnecessary cost to the Medicaid program.
Reporting Fraud and Abuse in the PEAR system
All fraud and abuse allegations/cases must be documented and tracked within the PEAR system.
Preventing Fraud and Abuse
Efficient and accurately managed VFC Program accountability programs are the foundation for preventing fraud and abuse incidents. Communication with providers can support and assist with preventing situations that may develop into fraud and abuse.
Awardee VFC Program policies and systems must have well-defined processes for addressing the prevention, detection, investigation, and resolution of VFC Program claims, as well as federal requirements regarding reporting of suspected fraud and abuse.
For more information and training on documenting and tracking fraud and abuse allegations, please refer to Module 5 of the VFC Program Operations Guide, or visit the “Help” tab within the PEAR system to view the training series.
VFC Program Vaccine Storage and Handling Resources
CDC has developed resources that describe proper vaccine storage and handling procedures. Please refer to these resources for storage and handling procedures of VFC Program vaccines:
- Vaccine Storage and Handling Module in You Call the Shots
- Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit
- The Pink Book: Course Textbook – 14th Edition (2021)
VFC Program Promotional Materials
Materials Provided by CDC
Infographics and flyers answering common questions about the VFC Program are available, which you can print and share with others: