APHL and the Newborn Screening Technical assistance and Evaluation Program (NewSTEPs) is seeking a fourth cohort of newborn screening programs to participate in a continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiative. The Newborn Screening Systems Quality Improvement Project provides tailored support to successful applicants allowing for a customized/collaborative approach to quality improvement and is guided by the following goals:
- Assess needs and engage state newborn screening programs for participation in a multidisciplinary collaborative network focused on newborn screening quality improvement projects.
- Coordinate and facilitate quality improvement projects and data-driven outcome assessments, utilizing evidence-based quality improvement methodologies within each participating state newborn screening program.
- Create a model for replication, sharing and sustainability of continuous newborn screening quality improvement projects.
RFP Process Overview
September 15, 2021 – RFP Issued
September 22, 2021 – Technical Assistance Webinar at 1:00 pm ET
October 29, 2021 – RFP responses due by 11:59 pm ET to APHL
November 12, 2021 – Awardees notified
December 27, 2021 – Contracts ratified between APHL and awardees
NOTE: Funding begins December 27, 2021. However, the drafting and ratification of contracts may take longer than planned depending on the NBS program. 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 NBS Programs and the public health laboratories.
Technical Assistance Webinar
The registration window for this webinar has closed. Review the technical assistance recording
here. Additional support and resources can be found
here.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include all US and territorial states including newborn screening programs and stakeholders who have identified a quality improvement project of interest.
Materials
The Official RFP Document will provide detailed information in regards to this request, please read it on its entirety. You may also download the fillable Appendices PDF and review past funded proposals. Feel free to contact Chenelle Norman at Chenelle.Norman@aphl.org with any questions.
If you have additional questions, office hours will be held on
Monday October 4 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET, Friday, October 8 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET, and Monday, October 11 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET. Connection information for office hours are as follows:
MS Teams Meeting or call in at +1 240-673-1998/conference ID: 148 980 380#
Questions and Answers
What is the funding ceiling per QI Project?
A: Each selected program will be eligible for the award amount of up to $100,000 for a one-year project or $200,000 for a two-year project.
Can applicants apply for more than one year of funding?
A: Yes, applicants can apply for more than one year of funding (page 4 and 7 of the RFP).
You mentioned earlier that a state program can apply for multiple projects. Can you please elaborate? Within the same fiscal year or an annual basis?
A: Yes, programs can apply for multiple projects on an annual basis.
Can we apply unique Quality Improvement (QI) projects – uniquely specific to our state newborn screening (NBS) program needs?
A: Yes, we encourage NBS programs to identify any QI project of interest to them.
Can states work on disorders that are not included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP)?