[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 112 (Thursday, June 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32560-32561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13137]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 04231]


Enhancement of HIV/AIDS Laboratory Training and Quality Assurance 
Center in the United Republic of Tanzania; Notice of Intent To Fund 
Single Eligibility Award

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
intent to fund fiscal year (FY) 2004 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program to facilitate the development of a national HIV Laboratory 
Quality Assurance Center and support the strengthening of strategic 
information systems to enable the Ministry of Health of the United 
Republic of Tanzania to analyze and disseminate data on the various 
levels of HIV/AIDS interventions in a timely fashion. The Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 93.941.

[[Page 32561]]

B. Eligible Applicant

    Assistance will be provided only to the National Institute for 
Medical Research, Tanzania. NIMR is mandated by Act No. 29 of 1979, 
passed by the Tanzanian Parliament, to undertake public health 
interventions and research in Tanzania. NIMR has experience and 
capacity to undertake national programs under the MOH. NIMR has 
demonstrated its capability in assisting all 120 local authorities in 
Tanzania to conduct needs assessment and develop plans to implement 
health sector reforms. NIMR is currently implementing the National 
Lymphatic Filariasis Control Program. Because of its experience and 
expertise, NIMR is currently the only appropriate and qualified 
organization to conduct a specific set of activities supportive of the 
CDC/GAP goals for enhancing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment 
services in Tanzania because: Tanzania does not currently have a 
National Public Health Laboratory that would form the apex of and 
support to the HIV Laboratory network supporting HIV/AIDS 
interventions. Such activities would support the PEPFAR goals of 
diagnosing HIV infection, staging HIV/AIDS disease and monitoring 
antiretroviral therapy (ART). The MOH has assigned NIMR the 
responsibility of supporting the set up of a national HIV Laboratory 
Quality Assurance Center. NIMR will collaborate with a number of in-
country partners to implement these activities.
    The MOH has various initiatives and continuing interventions in 
HIV/AIDS in the country including prevention of mother to child 
transmission (PMTCT), Blood safety, voluntary counseling and testing 
(VCT) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) management in health 
facilities, and HIV and syphilis surveillance in antenatal (ANC) 
settings. In order to monitor and evaluate these programs, there is a 
need to strengthen information systems at the central level and at the 
sites where these services are implemented. The MOH, with support from 
CDC, has strengthened and improved the quality of sentinel surveillance 
data from ANC, STI and blood donors; behavioral surveillance was 
introduced in 2002. Currently, NIMR is supporting the MOH to implement 
the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Program supported by 
CDC. The MOH has requested NIMR to support the strengthening of 
strategic information systems to enable the Ministry to analyze and 
disseminate data on the various levels of HIV/AIDS interventions in a 
timely fashion to policy makers, health providers and the public at 
large and to link HIV/AIDS surveillance system with the integrated 
disease surveillance and response strategy.
    NIMR has the ability to technically oversee the project, ensuring 
the activities implemented are integrated into the national strategy 
for combating HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

C. Funding

    Approximately $2,500,000 is available in FY 2004 to fund this 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before July 1, 
2004, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project 
period of up to 5 years. Funding estimates may change.

D. Where To Obtain Additional Information

    For general comments or questions about this announcement, contact: 
Technical Information Management, CDC Procurement and Grants Office, 
2920 Brandywine Road, Atlanta, GA 30341-4146, Telephone: 770-488-2700.
    For technical questions about this program, contact: Cecil Threat, 
Project Officer, Global AIDS Program, C/o American Embassy, 2140 Dar es 
Salaam Place, Washington, DC 20521-2140, Telephone: 255 22 212 1407, 
Fax: 255 22 212 1462, E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: June 4, 2004.
William P. Nichols,
Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-13137 Filed 6-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P