Collaborative research on influenza and other respiratory pathogens in South Africa | RFA IP 24 017

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title and reference number of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Collaborative research on influenza and other respiratory pathogens in South Africa" and is identified as RFA IP 24 017.

2) Who is offering and administering this grant?

This is a CDC-led notice of funding opportunity administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically through the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).

3) What type of funding mechanism is being used?

The award uses a cooperative agreement mechanism. This typically means CDC expects substantial involvement in shaping, coordinating, and supporting the project work, rather than providing funds with minimal interaction.

4) What is the main purpose of the funding?

The purpose is to support applied public health research on influenza and other respiratory pathogens that are important for population health in South Africa, with an emphasis on generating practical evidence to guide prevention and control decisions.

5) Which country and public health context does the work focus on?

The work focuses on South Africa, targeting influenza and other respiratory pathogens relevant to population health in that setting.

6) Who is the intended partner and eligible applicant highlighted in the announcement?

The announcement highlights the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in the Republic of South Africa as the intended partner and eligible applicant, reflecting an emphasis on an in-country public health institute with established surveillance and laboratory capacity.

7) What kinds of research topics or activities are included?

The opportunity emphasizes collaborative studies across interconnected areas including surveillance and epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and laboratory methods that underpin surveillance and research.

8) What does "surveillance and epidemiology" mean in the context of this opportunity?

It includes measuring disease burden and understanding who gets sick, where illness occurs, and when it occurs (for example, patterns by location, population, and time).

9) What does the opportunity mean by "transmission dynamics"?

Transmission dynamics refers to how respiratory pathogens spread in communities and in healthcare settings.

10) What laboratory-related work is included?

The opportunity includes improving or expanding diagnostic, virologic, and other laboratory approaches that support surveillance and research.

11) Is the opportunity only about detecting and describing outbreaks or seasonal trends?

No. In addition to detecting and describing trends, the grant is meant to evaluate and strengthen preventive tools and strategies and to study how to increase coverage and uptake of interventions that reduce illness and death.

12) What kinds of preventive tools and strategies are mentioned?

The opportunity specifically mentions vaccines and antivirals as examples of preventive tools and strategies to evaluate and strengthen.

13) What is the emphasis regarding populations at higher risk?

The work is intended to guide prevention and control decisions particularly for groups at higher risk of severe illness and death, with an overall goal of reducing morbidity and mortality.

14) What are the expected deliverables or outputs?

A central deliverable is high-quality data that can be used to prioritize public health interventions and translate surveillance and research results into actionable public health guidance.

15) How will findings be used?

Findings are intended to inform decision-making in South Africa, across the region, and potentially at a global level, including evidence to support prioritization and targeting of interventions.

16) What kinds of public health decisions could this research inform?

The announcement indicates potential use in decisions such as targeting vaccination campaigns, informing antiviral use policies, and guiding non-pharmaceutical interventions in specific settings, as well as other strategies to mitigate morbidity and mortality.

17) Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The posting describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement.

18) What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA numbers listed are 93.083 and 93.326.

19) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The posting lists an award ceiling of $2,500,000.

20) How many awards are expected?

The posting indicates an expectation of a single award, suggesting the funding is designed for one major collaboration rather than multiple smaller grants.

21) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2023-12-22.

22) What was the original closing date?

The original closing date listed was 2024-03-07.

23) What is the overall goal of the program?

The overall goal is to translate surveillance and research results into actionable public health guidance, especially for high-risk populations, by generating practical evidence that supports prevention and control decisions.

24) Does the opportunity indicate a focus beyond influenza?

Yes. While influenza is a central focus, the opportunity also supports research on other respiratory pathogens important for population health in South Africa.

25) Why does the announcement emphasize collaboration?

The opportunity is described as "collaborative research" and uses a cooperative agreement mechanism, both of which point to an approach where CDC is substantially involved and the work is coordinated closely with an in-country public health institute.