Improving Standard Immunization Practices Among Pharmacists and Other Healthcare Providers | CDC RFA IP18 1803

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA IP18 1803

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and specifically the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), offered a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled "Improving Standard Immunization Practices Among Pharmacists and Other Healthcare Providers" (Funding Opportunity Number: CDC RFA IP18-1803; CFDA: 93.268). The overall goal of the opportunity is to strengthen and standardize vaccination services delivered in pharmacy settings, recognizing that pharmacies are a major access point for immunizations and can play a meaningful role in increasing coverage across pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations.

The project focus is practical and implementation-oriented: awardees are expected to conduct activities that directly promote and support high-quality vaccination services within pharmacies and improve how pharmacists coordinate with the broader healthcare and public health systems. A core emphasis is education and outreach to pharmacists on current immunization recommendations across age groups, along with reinforcing proper vaccine administration practices. This includes helping pharmacists stay aligned with evolving schedules and clinical guidance so that vaccinations provided in pharmacies are consistent with standard recommendations and delivered safely and correctly.

Another major component is improving coordination and information flow between pharmacists, other healthcare providers, and public health programs. The opportunity highlights the need to facilitate communication and exchange of information so that immunization decisions and follow-up are better connected across care settings. In practice, this can involve establishing routine channels for sharing vaccination updates, clarifying roles and responsibilities between pharmacies and clinics, and ensuring pharmacists are integrated into local or state immunization initiatives rather than operating in isolation.

Quality improvement is also explicitly called out as an expected activity area. That means awardees should support efforts that improve the consistency, reliability, and overall performance of pharmacy-based immunization services. While the announcement does not prescribe a single model, the intent is to implement and refine processes that measurably improve service delivery, reduce errors, and strengthen adherence to recommended practices.

Improving immunization documentation is a central priority, particularly through increased use of immunization information systems (IIS) and better data sharing. The CDC is signaling that it is not enough to administer vaccines; providers also need to ensure vaccinations are properly recorded and accessible to other parts of the healthcare system. Strengthening IIS use helps avoid missed opportunities, reduces duplicate vaccination, improves patient record completeness, and supports more accurate public health monitoring of immunization coverage.

The opportunity also prioritizes preparedness by encouraging coordination with public health preparedness and immunization programs to establish formalized agreements that support pandemic vaccine readiness and response. The intent is to ensure that pharmacies can be quickly and effectively mobilized during a pandemic vaccination campaign, with clear operational agreements in place before an emergency occurs. This could include setting expectations for coordination, reporting, logistics, communication, and integration with public health response structures.

By the end of the project period, awardees are expected not only to implement these activities but also to disseminate and promote best practices and documented successes to a national audience of healthcare providers. Importantly, that audience includes pharmacists as well as other healthcare professionals, reflecting the CDC's interest in broader system improvement and cross-provider learning rather than pharmacy-only impact.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a cooperative agreement (meaning the CDC would typically have substantial involvement compared to a standard grant), with an award ceiling of $200,000 and an expectation of two awards. The opportunity was open to a wide range of eligible applicants, including state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; small businesses; and other eligible entities as described in the full eligibility text. The posting date was June 6, 2018, with an original closing date of June 11, 2018, and electronically submitted applications due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCIRD in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Standard Immunization Practices Among Pharmacists and Other Healthcare Providers" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.268.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 06, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for CDC RFA IP18 1803

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