Project Title: Ending Neglected Diseases through Operational Research (ENDOR)
Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number: 7200AA24RFA00001
Deadline for Question/Clarifications: November 6, 2023; 1:00PM, Washington, DC Time
Closing Date: December 8, 2023
Closing Time: 1:00PM, Washington, DC Time
Under this five-year cooperative agreement, USAID intends to transfer federal Global Health (GH) assistance funds by awarding one cooperative agreement to an organization or to a consortium of organizations. WHO's 2030 NTD Roadmap Gap Assessment, and recent WHO NTD Global Partners Meeting, highlight several gaps in disease-specific strategies for mapping, monitoring and evaluation, availability of accurate and field-friendly diagnostics, and sustainable public health and surveillance systems, to name some. Within USAID's existing flagship implementation projects, Act | East led by RTI and Act | West led by FHI360, endemic countries and implementing partners frequently encounter these highlighted challenges in implementation. Increasingly, there are challenges in approaching post-elimination strategies, such as country-specific periodic surveillance and provision of NTD services after elimination/control has been reached (thereafter community-wide drug treatments have ended).
ENDOR will support national governments, local research institutions, and local NGOs by addressing the following high level Focus Areas:
1. Fostering and convening a network of local and international research investigators, including young and mid-career researchers, and identifying and prioritizing NTD OR needs in a more diverse and equitable manner;
2. Defining and undertaking relevant coordinated research initiatives as prioritized by USAID and USAID NTD Program implementing partners to target the gaps and barriers highlighted by the WHO 2030 NTD Roadmap and the NTD community;
3. Improving the timeliness and quality of OR initiatives through issuance of subaward agreements under ENDOR directly to local and endemic country institutions in response to persistent and new challenges, and translating these into programmatic solutions to solve endemic country issues; and
4. Working collaboratively with the NTD donor community to ensure that support for research is equitable and appropriate to meet project needs.
Background
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the Ending Neglected Diseases through Operational Research (ENDOR) project. USAID supports disease-endemic countries to control and/or eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) with proven, cost-effective public health interventions to treat and measure treatment impact against 7 NTDs. The ENDOR project aims to address several gaps in disease-specific strategies for mapping, monitoring and evaluation, availability of accurate and field-friendly diagnostics, and sustainable public health and surveillance systems highlighted by the WHO 2030 NTD Roadmap and the NTD community.
Grant Details
Under this five-year cooperative agreement, USAID intends to transfer federal Global Health (GH) assistance funds by awarding one cooperative agreement to an organization or to a consortium of organizations. The ENDOR project will support national governments, local research institutions, and local NGOs by fostering and convening a network of local and international research investigators, defining and undertaking relevant coordinated research initiatives as prioritized by USAID and USAID NTD Program implementing partners.
Improving the timeliness and quality of OR initiatives through issuance of subaward agreements under ENDOR directly to local and endemic country institutions in response to persistent and new challenges, and working collaboratively with the NTD donor community to ensure that support for research is equitable and appropriate to meet project needs.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted. U.S. and non-US organizations may participate under this NOFO. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization. U.S. federal government agencies and entities are not eligible for this award.
Period of Performance
The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years with an estimated start date of March 1, 2024.
Grant Value
USAID intends to provide up to $45M in total USAID funding over a five (5) year period. The estimated start date will be March 1, 2024.
Place of Performance
Activities supported under ENDOR may be worldwide, though the current USAID implementation country program focus referenced above will serve as key countries where ENDOR should collaborate to remove barriers to elimination/control goals.
