PEPFAR Community Led Monitoring (CLM)-Zambia | PCLM 2025

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): PEPFAR Community Led Monitoring (CLM) - Zambia

1) What is the PEPFAR Community Led Monitoring (CLM) - Zambia opportunity?

This is a U.S. Mission to Zambia (U.S. Embassy Zambia) cooperative agreement that supports community-led monitoring of HIV services in Zambia. The goal is to strengthen the quality of PEPFAR-supported HIV services by systematically collecting feedback from people receiving care and using that feedback to identify and fix service delivery gaps.

2) What is the main purpose of Community Led Monitoring (CLM) in this program?

The program is designed to gather client experiences directly from health facility users through trained community members. That information is then triangulated, summarized, and shared with key decision-makers so recurring barriers and quality issues can be addressed and HIV outcomes can improve.

3) Who is involved in using CLM findings to improve services?

PEPFAR Zambia and Zambia's Ministry of Health (MOH) use CLM findings to improve the client experience and strengthen HIV outcomes, working alongside bodies such as the National HIV/AIDS, STI, and TB Council (NAC), plus other stakeholders.

4) When does PEPFAR intend to continue CLM under this opportunity?

PEPFAR intends to continue CLM starting around May 2025, building on monitoring work that began in 2021.

5) How does this round differ from earlier CLM work supported since 2021?

This round is intended to strengthen prior efforts and place stronger emphasis on systematically addressing the feedback communities provide, including discussing recurring problems and barriers at the site and facility level through regular stakeholder review processes.

6) What are the key activities grantees are expected to implement?

Grantees are expected to collect client feedback using a harmonized reporting tool, analyze and synthesize feedback, share findings (subject to PEPFAR and MOH approval), participate in stakeholder coordination and review meetings, document changes over time, and produce actionable recommendations that can realistically improve client care.

7) What is meant by a "two-phase" approach to feedback collection?

Implementers are expected to collect feedback in two phases: phase one establishes a baseline picture of service quality and client experience, and phase two measures change over time to show whether service delivery improved after issues were raised and addressed.

8) Are applicants expected to monitor both rural and urban facilities?

Yes. The monitoring is expected to be representative and to reflect rural and urban realities. Grantees are also expected to cover both low- and high-volume facilities.

9) Which client constituencies must be included in CLM data collection?

The monitoring must be inclusive and representative, explicitly covering all constituencies of people living with HIV (PLHIV), including but not limited to key populations (KP), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), persons with disabilities, pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBFW), and pediatrics (as referenced in the proposal instructions).

10) How strict is the requirement to include all constituencies (KP, AGYW, persons with disabilities, PBFW, pediatrics, etc.)?

The NOFO states that applications without a credible plan to include all constituencies will not be considered. Inclusivity is a non-negotiable requirement in this opportunity.

11) What tool should grantees use to collect and report feedback?

Grantees must use a harmonized reporting tool that was developed by stakeholders, and they must collect client feedback across their province using that tool.

12) Can grantees share findings publicly on their own?

Feedback must be synthesized and shared with stakeholders subject to PEPFAR and MOH approval. This implies that sharing of findings is coordinated and reviewed through the appropriate stakeholder processes.

13) What are the routine reporting requirements under this award?

Routine reporting is central to the award. Grantees must submit monthly programmatic reports, quarterly summarized program indicators, and quarterly financial reports.

14) Are grantees required to participate in coordination meetings?

Yes. Grantees must participate in quarterly coordination meetings that include government, community representatives, the USG, and implementing partners, and they must support quarterly review meetings that focus on recurring problems and barriers to service uptake.

15) What is expected in terms of quality assurance and supervision?

The program emphasizes supportive supervision and quality assurance of field teams to ensure feedback is collected correctly and reports are submitted on time throughout the award period.

16) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are not-for-profit entities, including civil society organizations, NGOs, and public or private educational institutions.

17) Is PEPFAR looking for applicants in specific locations?

PEPFAR is specifically looking for community-based applicants in every province in Zambia.

18) Is there any emphasis on PLHIV-focused community organizations?

Yes. Applicants are encouraged to integrate PLHIV-focused community organizations as local structures to help reach clients and support sustained engagement.

19) What capacity or experience should applicants be prepared to demonstrate?

Applicants should be able to demonstrate capacity to collaborate with PEPFAR, MOH, NAC, and other stakeholders, and the ability to manage a province-wide community monitoring program. Proposal instructions also ask for organizational experience and past operations, including prior management of funding programs of at least USD 25,000 and any previous U.S. government grants.

20) Are sub-awards allowed, and what must an applicant include if they plan to sub-award?

If an applicant plans to sub-award, they must explain how sub-awardees will be managed, how reporting will be tracked, and how compliance will be maintained. They must also provide assurance they are not operating under a competing interest for this program.

21) What type of award is this?

This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement (CFDA 19.029). Because it is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect meaningful ongoing involvement from PEPFAR Zambia in oversight and coordination, especially related to how feedback is synthesized, validated, and shared.

22) What is the maximum funding amount per award?

The posted award ceiling is USD 115,000.

23) How many awards are anticipated?

The opportunity anticipates approximately 10 awards.

24) In what currency should budgets be prepared, and what exchange rate should be used?

Applicants are instructed to prepare budgets in U.S. dollars and to calculate using an exchange rate of USD 1 = ZMW 25 (as of July 2024).

25) How must applications be submitted?

Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov only. Paper or email submissions will not be accepted.

26) What is the application deadline?

The deadline is February 17, 2025 by midnight Zambia time.

27) What standard federal forms are required in the application package?

Required standard federal forms include SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B.

28) What additional documents are required besides the standard forms?

Required components include a summary cover sheet naming the organization and the province applied for, a detailed proposal describing methodology and monitoring plans in plain terms, key personnel details (roles and level of effort), partner/sub-awardee information, and a budget justification provided as both a detailed budget and a narrative.

29) What attachments are required?

Attachments must include CVs/resumes of key personnel, letters of support from partners (if applicable), and three reference letters, including one from an international organization with annual funding of USD 25,000 or more.

30) When is SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) required?

Applicants requesting more than USD 100,000 must submit SF-LLL.

31) Where can applicants send questions, and what is the deadline for questions?

Questions must be submitted by email to the PEPFAR Zambia Grants Team at lusakasmallgrants@state.gov by January 20, 2025.

32) When will answers to submitted questions be available?

Responses are expected to be posted by February 3, 2025 on the PEPFAR Zambia webpage.

33) What role do quarterly review meetings play in the CLM approach?

A key feature of the approach is holding quarterly review meetings with government and other stakeholders to discuss recurring problems and barriers to service uptake at site and facility level, and to push toward practical resolutions based on what clients report.

34) What does "triangulated" feedback mean in this program context?

Based on the description provided, triangulation refers to compiling and validating community-collected client experiences by comparing and synthesizing information into a summarized form that can be shared with decision-makers to identify consistent patterns and gaps in service delivery.