Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA OT18 1804
The CDC grant opportunity titled Technical Assistance for Response to Public Health or Healthcare Crises (Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA OT18 1804; CFDA 93.391) is set up to improve how quickly and effectively the United States can respond when a major public health or healthcare emergency occurs. Rather than funding a single pre-defined project with a fixed set of activities from day one, the CDC is using this announcement to build a ready-to-activate bench of qualified organizations that can provide rapid, expert technical assistance and operational support during a crisis. The basic idea is preparedness through capability: the CDC wants to know, in advance, which organizations are able to move fast, manage complex response tasks, and deliver specialized expertise to the people and institutions on the front lines.
A central feature of this NOFO is its "approved but unfunded" approach. Applicants submit proposals and, if deemed responsive and qualified, may be placed into a pool of organizations that are essentially on standby. Funding is not automatically awarded upon selection into the pool. Instead, the CDC only releases funds when it determines there is an actual public health emergency response need. When that happens, the CDC can choose specific applicants from the pool and fund only the parts of their proposals that match the crisis scenario. Selection for activation can depend on practical and strategic factors such as where the emergency is occurring, how it may spread (especially for infectious diseases), the applicant's demonstrated capabilities, national priorities, which jurisdictions are eligible and impacted, and which populations are most affected.
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which signals that the CDC expects to be actively involved once an organization is funded for a real event. In practice, awardees are expected to function as rapid providers of information and resources and to coordinate project management elements needed to keep response work organized and moving. Because emergencies can take many forms, the CDC keeps the potential range of supported partners intentionally broad. Depending on the event, an awardee might be asked to support state, local, territorial, or tribal health departments; other government agencies; hospitals or health systems; a governor's office; nonprofit and charitable organizations; or even commercial partners that are part of the response supply chain or service delivery ecosystem.
The work is organized into two main strategy domains. Strategy 1 focuses on ensuring effective process implementation, emphasizing that during emergencies, outcomes often depend on speed and coordination rather than long planning cycles. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strength in three process areas. First is expedited procurement, meaning the ability to accelerate acquisition and delivery of critical goods and services by moving beyond routine purchasing timelines and procedures when necessary. Second is agile administration and operations, which includes rapidly responding to requests, developing plans, deploying resources, and completing administrative actions quickly while maintaining tight communication across teams. Third is strategic partnering, or the ability to quickly engage multi-sector partners to broaden capacity, fill gaps, and improve overall response effectiveness through collaboration.
Strategy 2 addresses the delivery of critical content expertise. The CDC frames this as being built on the operational backbone established in Strategy 1: the organization needs to be able to execute quickly and cleanly before its technical expertise can make a real difference in the field. Applicants must show they can provide support in one or more content areas. These include administrative logistics, such as travel coordination, transportation, shipping, printing, transcription, event planning, convenings, and small purchases that keep response operations running. Another content area is communications, which can cover situational awareness, risk communication, media support, monitoring and reporting, translation for different languages and cultures, graphic design, writing and editing, and developing and delivering training. A third area is human resources and specialized expertise, including recruiting and hiring, staff augmentation, payroll, onboarding and orientation, and sourcing specialized technical experts (examples mentioned include epidemiology, entomology, infectious disease, environmental health, and emergency response). A fourth area is direct services, clarified as not providing clinical care, but rather carrying out specific emergency response tasks on behalf of another entity when that entity has a capability gap that the CDC believes could undermine the response.
Because applicants are being asked to prepare for emergencies that have not happened yet, the CDC explicitly adjusts what it wants to see in the application. The initial submission is expected to focus heavily on the applicant's capabilities and organizational strengths rather than a fully specified activity plan with detailed metrics. The CDC anticipates more specificity in narrative sections such as background, purpose, strategies and activities (framed as capability descriptions), collaborations, and organizational capacity. At the same time, it expects more generality in sections that typically require numbers and detailed planning, like outcomes, evaluation and performance measurement, work plans, and the budget narrative. If an emergency occurs and the CDC decides to fund an organization, the awardee should expect to produce a revised, scenario-specific work plan and budget, and to work with CDC staff to develop tailored performance measures that make sense for that particular incident.
The NOFO also encourages applicants to think about how they would leverage CDC resources to amplify their support. Examples include evidence-based guidance, CDC recommendations, communications materials, and online training assets like the CDC Train learning management system. The CDC also points to training capabilities within the agency, such as laboratory-related training offered through components like the Division of Laboratory Systems and the Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, which could be relevant depending on the emergency.
Budgeting under this NOFO is treated differently than in many other competitions. The budget narrative is not scored, and CDC reviewers are not judging whether the proposed dollar amounts are "right." Instead, the budget is used as a reference to understand how the applicant would approach mobilization and delivery of services, which helps demonstrate readiness. Applicants are instructed to build a sample budget around a 12-month period (even though real activations could be shorter or longer) and to assume a sample scenario where the CDC funds them to mobilize experts, assess the situation and threats, develop recommendations, brief CDC program staff, and provide follow-up consultation as needed.
Administratively, the opportunity was listed as discretionary funding through HHS/CDC (OSTLTS), with an unrestricted eligible applicant category (open broadly, subject to any eligibility clarifications in the full notice). The original posting indicates an expected number of awards of about 10, a submission deadline of March 16, 2018 (5:00 p.m. ET), and an award ceiling listed as 0, reflecting that funding amounts are not pre-set and are instead determined when a specific crisis triggers an award action. In plain terms, this program is less about proposing a single project and more about proving that an organization is capable of stepping into high-pressure response environments, coordinating complex operational demands, and delivering specialized support quickly when the CDC calls.Apply for CDC RFA OT18 1804
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - OSTLTS in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Technical Assistance for Response to Public Health or Healthcare Crises" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.391.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 16, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 16, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: CDC Technical Assistance for Response to Public Health or Healthcare Crises (CDC RFA OT18-1804; CFDA 93.391)
What is this CDC funding opportunity trying to achieve?
This opportunity is designed to strengthen how quickly and effectively the United States can respond to major public health or healthcare emergencies by establishing a ready-to-activate group of qualified organizations that can provide rapid technical assistance and operational support during a crisis.
Is this a traditional grant for a single, pre-defined project?
No. This announcement is not centered on funding one fixed project with set activities from the start. Instead, it focuses on preparedness and capability: demonstrating that an organization can rapidly mobilize, manage complex response tasks, and deliver specialized expertise when an emergency occurs.
What does "approved but unfunded" mean in this NOFO?
"Approved but unfunded" means applicants may be deemed responsive and qualified and placed into a standby pool, but they do not automatically receive funding upon selection. Funds are only released when CDC determines there is an actual emergency response need.
Does being selected into the pool guarantee funding later?
No. Selection into the pool does not guarantee an award. Funding is contingent on an emergency occurring and on CDC deciding to activate specific organizations based on the incident and response needs.
How does CDC decide which organizations in the pool to activate?
CDC may select organizations based on factors tied to the specific crisis, such as where the emergency is occurring, how it may spread (especially for infectious diseases), the applicant's demonstrated capabilities, national priorities, which jurisdictions are eligible and impacted, and which populations are most affected.
What type of award is used if an organization is activated?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which indicates CDC expects to be actively involved once an organization is funded for a real event.
What does a cooperative agreement imply about CDC involvement?
It implies substantial CDC involvement during an activation. Awardees should expect to work closely with CDC staff during the response and to coordinate project management elements needed to keep response work organized and moving.
Who might an activated awardee be asked to support during a crisis?
Depending on the event, an awardee might support state, local, territorial, or tribal health departments; other government agencies; hospitals or health systems; a governor's office; nonprofit and charitable organizations; or commercial partners involved in the response supply chain or service delivery ecosystem.
How is the work under this NOFO organized?
The work is organized into two strategy domains: Strategy 1 (effective process implementation) and Strategy 2 (delivery of critical content expertise). Strategy 2 is framed as being enabled by the operational backbone of Strategy 1.
What is Strategy 1 focused on?
Strategy 1 focuses on effective process implementation, emphasizing speed and coordination during emergencies. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strength in expedited procurement, agile administration and operations, and strategic partnering.
What is meant by expedited procurement?
Expedited procurement refers to the ability to accelerate acquisition and delivery of critical goods and services by moving beyond routine purchasing timelines and procedures when necessary.
What is meant by agile administration and operations?
Agile administration and operations includes rapidly responding to requests, developing plans, deploying resources, completing administrative actions quickly, and maintaining tight communication across teams.
What is meant by strategic partnering?
Strategic partnering means the ability to quickly engage multi-sector partners to broaden capacity, fill gaps, and improve overall response effectiveness through collaboration.
What is Strategy 2 focused on?
Strategy 2 focuses on providing critical content expertise that supports emergency response, built on the operational readiness established in Strategy 1. Applicants must show they can provide support in one or more content areas described in the notice.
What content areas does CDC list under Strategy 2?
The notice lists four content areas: (1) administrative logistics, (2) communications, (3) human resources and specialized expertise, and (4) direct services (not clinical care) to carry out specific response tasks on behalf of another entity when a capability gap could undermine the response.
What are examples of administrative logistics support?
Examples include travel coordination, transportation, shipping, printing, transcription, event planning, convenings, and small purchases that keep response operations running.
What are examples of communications support?
Examples include situational awareness, risk communication, media support, monitoring and reporting, translation for different languages and cultures, graphic design, writing and editing, and developing and delivering training.
What are examples of human resources and specialized expertise support?
Examples include recruiting and hiring, staff augmentation, payroll, onboarding and orientation, and sourcing specialized technical experts. The notice gives examples of specialties such as epidemiology, entomology, infectious disease, environmental health, and emergency response.
What does "direct services" mean here, and does it include clinical care?
Direct services in this NOFO do not mean providing clinical care. It refers to carrying out specific emergency response tasks on behalf of another entity when that entity has a capability gap that CDC believes could undermine the response.
What is CDC expecting in the initial application since emergencies are unpredictable?
CDC expects the initial submission to focus heavily on capabilities and organizational strengths rather than a fully specified activity plan with detailed metrics. More specificity is anticipated in narrative sections describing background, purpose, strategies and activities (as capability descriptions), collaborations, and organizational capacity.
Which application sections are expected to be more general at the initial stage?
CDC expects more generality in sections that typically require detailed numbers and planning, including outcomes, evaluation and performance measurement, work plans, and the budget narrative.
What happens to the work plan and budget if an actual emergency triggers funding?
If CDC decides to fund an organization for a real incident, the awardee should expect to produce a revised, scenario-specific work plan and budget and to work with CDC staff to develop tailored performance measures appropriate to that specific emergency.
How does CDC recommend applicants think about leveraging CDC resources?
The NOFO encourages applicants to consider how CDC resources could amplify support, such as evidence-based guidance, CDC recommendations, communications materials, and online training assets like the CDC Train learning management system.
Does the NOFO mention any CDC training capabilities that could be relevant during an activation?
Yes. It points to training capabilities within CDC that may be relevant depending on the emergency, including laboratory-related training offered through components such as the Division of Laboratory Systems and the Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development.
How is budgeting handled under this NOFO?
Budgeting is treated differently than in many competitions. The budget narrative is not scored, and reviewers are not judging whether the proposed dollar amounts are "right." The budget is used as a reference to understand how the applicant would approach mobilization and service delivery to demonstrate readiness.
What time period should applicants use for the sample budget?
Applicants are instructed to build a sample budget around a 12-month period, even though real activations could be shorter or longer.
What sample scenario should the budget be built around?
The sample scenario assumes CDC funds the organization to mobilize experts, assess the situation and threats, develop recommendations, brief CDC program staff, and provide follow-up consultation as needed.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
The opportunity is described as having an unrestricted eligible applicant category and being open broadly, subject to any eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
How many awards were expected?
The original posting indicated an expected number of awards of about 10.
What was the submission deadline listed for this opportunity?
The submission deadline was listed as March 16, 2018 (5:00 p.m. ET).
Why does the award ceiling show as 0?
The award ceiling is listed as 0 because funding amounts are not pre-set under this approach. Amounts are determined when a specific crisis triggers an award action and CDC decides to fund selected organizations from the pool.
Which CDC organizational unit was associated with this listing?
The opportunity was listed as discretionary funding through HHS/CDC (OSTLTS).
What is the main thing CDC is looking for from applicants?
The core emphasis is demonstrating capability to step into high-pressure response environments, coordinate complex operational demands, and deliver specialized support quickly when CDC calls, rather than proposing a single fixed project with fully detailed activities from day one.
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