[Federal Register: August 9, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 152)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48246-48247]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09au04-74]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement 04287]

 
Purchase, Distribution and Tracking of Supplies to Support HIV/
AIDS-Related Laboratory Services in the Republic of Uganda; 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 The overall aim of this program is ensure a full-supply of 
laboratory reagents and materials for HIV-related laboratory services 
at all health center III (HC III) facilities and above, but excluding 
reference laboratories, to enable President's Emergency Plan for AIDS 
Relief (PEPFAR) goals of expanded HIV testing, care and treatment to be 
met. This program announcement (PA) is intended to complement PA 
 04223, ``Laboratory Service Strengthening at Health Centre IV 
and Above in the Republic of Uganda''. The Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance number for this program is 93.941.

B. Eligible Applicant

    Assistance will be provided only to the National Medical Stores 
(NMS) of the Republic of Uganda.
    NMS is the mandated institution in Uganda for the purchase and 
distribution of health-related commodities to government health 
facilities in Uganda. NMS has

[[Page 48247]]

demonstrated their capacity for procurement, distribution and tracking 
of health-related commodities to government health facilities over the 
past 12 months through the essential drugs pull system. Because program 
implementation is to begin in September 2004 it is necessary to work 
with an organization already providing supplies to the government 
health sector. NMS will in addition work with the Joint Medical Stores 
(JMS) to ensure that NGO and faith-based health facilities have access 
to laboratory supplies through an integrated logistics system. The 
logistics system will have the capacity to absorb donations from donors 
other than CDC, either as cash or product, and to distribute and track 
these supplies; examples are the HIV test kits procured by MAP funding 
and the laboratory supplies purchased and distributed by the TB and 
malaria control programs.
    NMS is based in Entebbe and has good warehousing facilities and 
well-developed systems for procurement, storage, stock control and 
distribution. It is expected that the existing facilities and systems 
will absorb the increased level of activities resulting from 
implementation of the laboratory logistics system though inevitably 
some increase in capacity will be needed. Vehicles, which currently 
deliver essential drug kits around the country, will, in addition, 
carry the laboratory supplies pre-packaged for each health unit.

C. Funding

    Approximately $1,000,000 is available in FY 2004 to fund this 
award. It is expected that the award will begin on or before September 
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: Jonathan 
Mermin, MD, MPH, Global Aids Program [GAP], Uganda Country Team, 
National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention [CDC], PO Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda. Telephone: 
+256-41320776. E-mail: jhm@cdc.gov.

William P. Nichols,
MPA, Acting Director, Procurement and Grants Office,Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-18101 Filed 8-6-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163-18-P