Summary
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), in cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH), is seeking to award one-time funding for up to twelve state or local public health laboratories (PHLs) for the purpose of establishing and/or enhancing capacity to implement the CDC recommended two-step HCV Diagnostic Testing Algorithm for the diagnosis of current HCV infection within a PHL. Funding will be awarded via a contract with APHL.
Eligibility
All state or local US public health laboratories are eligible to apply for the one-time funding, though priority will be given to public health laboratories who were not awarded a contract for expansion of HCV NAT in 2020.
Anticipated RFP Schedule
November 2, 2022 RFP Issued
November 23, 2022 Required Letter of Intent Due to APHL (see below) *NOTE: THIS DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE (NOVEMBER 16)
December 14, 2022 RFP Responses Due *NOTE: THIS DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE (December 9)
December 23, 2022 Proposal review completed
January 2-9, 2023 If needed, follow-up interviews and updated proposals due
January 16, 2023 Final review completed and awardees selected
February 1, 2023 Estimated contract start date
APHL will communicate any modification to this anticipated schedule on APHL's procurement website (www.aphl.org/rfp) and via an email blast to the public health laboratories.
Response Submittal
Confirmation of Intent to Respond
To allow for appropriate review process planning, a letter of intent is required for consideration. APHL requires that prospective applicants submit a brief email statement indicating an intent to submit a proposal to
sarah.buss@aphl.org with a copy to
erin.estes@aphl.org. APHL has extended the deadline to submit a letter of intent. The new deadline by which APHL must receive this email is by no later than
5:00pm EST on November 23, 2022.
Final Response
APHL must receive complete responses by 11:59 pm EST on December 14, 2022. Please see Proposal-Required Submissions section for items that must be included in the completed proposal. Applicants may send proposals via email to
sarah.buss@aphl.org with a copy to
erin.estes@aphl.org.
APHL will send an email acknowledging the receipt of your application; if you do not receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours, please email the RFP point of contact above to confirm receipt.
Materials
The official RFP document will provide detailed information in regards to this request, please read it in its entirety.
Questions and Answers
Is current HCV testing capability a requirement for this grant?
A: No, current HCV testing capability is not a requirement for this grant. However the intent is to ensure that public health laboratories can complete the entire HCV testing algorithm with a specimen(s) obtained during a single patient visit. Therefore, a laboratory must have a mechanism in place to generate or otherwise obtain samples that are reactive for HCV antibody and reflex these reactive samples to an HCV NAT for diagnosis of current HCV infection.
Would this grant consider a laboratory that doesn't currently have HCV capability, but has the capacity to implement testing under CLIA or research?
A: We will not support implementation of testing for research purposes. We will support HCV NAT implementation in a CLIA (or CAP, etc.) certified lab for diagnosis of current HCV infection.
When a lab is awarded an APHL contract, do the funds go to the laboratory or does APHL make purchases on the laboratories behalf?
A: For the purposes of this RFP, once a laboratory ratifies a contract with APHL, up to 50% of the awarded funds will be distributed to the laboratory. The remaining amount will be awarded upon APHL's receipt of the final progress report. Distributed funds can then be used by the laboratory to make the purchases described in the RFP.
What is the anticipated average award amount?
A: Award amounts will depend on the scope of the proposed project with an estimated award per site of $10,000-$25,000.
What type of expenditures would the laboratory be expected to make with the awards?
A: Expenditures detailed in the submitted budget would be appropriate and could include (but not be limited to) reagents, supplies or specimens needed for test validation or verification, the purchase of small equipment required for specimen processing, costs associated with creating an interface between an instrument and a LIMS, costs associated with implementation of electronic laboratory reporting or third party billing, etc.
In Proposal Question #5, are you looking for only measurable objectives that can be completed within the term of the project (2/1 – 6/30/23) or are you also looking for objectives/goals upon the term of the project?
A: For question 5, we are looking for measurable goals/objective(s) that would be attainable because of the award and that would have a positive impact on HCV testing (especially ability to complete the whole algorithm with a sample(s) collected during a single patient visit) within your jurisdiction. Ideally the objective(s) would be attainable within the term of the project, however the impact would last beyond the term.