Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HS 17 010
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems V (CAHPS V) (U18), Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HS-17-010, is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) under CFDA 93.226. The grant continues AHRQ's long-running CAHPS program, which began in 1995 and has spent more than two decades building the evidence and tools needed to measure and understand patients' experiences with health care. At its core, this opportunity is about strengthening how patient experience is captured and used, especially through the ongoing development and improvement of CAHPS surveys and supporting materials that help consumers evaluate health plans, providers, and care delivered in facility settings.
A central reason this program matters is its wide real-world adoption. CAHPS surveys are already used broadly by major health care stakeholders, including government agencies and large national organizations such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Those groups rely on CAHPS results for practical, high-stakes purposes like value-based purchasing, public reporting of quality, and accreditation. In other words, this RFA is not just funding academic measurement work in isolation; it is supporting an infrastructure that directly influences how health care organizations are compared, how performance is communicated to the public, and how incentives are designed.
The RFA calls for research and program work organized around five broad areas. First, it seeks projects that advance the science of consumer assessment of patient experience, meaning stronger methods for measuring what patients experience and how those experiences relate to quality. Second, it emphasizes continued innovation so the surveys stay relevant as health care delivery changes and as survey methodology evolves, including alignment with best practices in survey design, administration, and interpretation. Third, it supports efforts focused on reporting patient experience data, which can include how results are displayed, explained, and made meaningful to different audiences such as patients, purchasers, policymakers, and providers. Fourth, it explicitly calls for quality improvement (QI) studies, highlighting that the goal is not only to measure experience but also to test and learn what actually improves it in real care settings. Fifth, it requests development of internal and external communication strategies for the CAHPS program, recognizing that adoption, correct use, and ongoing engagement depend on clear guidance, outreach, and coordination across the CAHPS community.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The RFA also highlights additional eligible categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Foreign entities are generally not eligible to apply directly. The announcement specifies that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions cannot apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as applicants. However, foreign components may participate as part of a consortium or as subcontractors, consistent with the HHS Grants Policy Statement definition of foreign components. This structure keeps the award anchored in U.S. institutions while still allowing projects to draw on international expertise when it is needed and appropriately justified.
As a cooperative agreement (U18), the award mechanism signals that AHRQ expects substantial involvement in the work beyond typical grant oversight, often meaning closer collaboration, coordinated planning, and shared decision-making between the awardees and the agency to ensure the CAHPS program goals are met. The opportunity anticipated up to two awards, with an original closing date of May 26, 2017, and a creation date of March 24, 2017. Overall, the CAHPS V (U18) opportunity is designed to keep a nationally important patient experience measurement program current, scientifically strong, and usable in the policy, purchasing, accreditation, and quality improvement systems that shape U.S. health care.Apply for RFA HS 17 010
- The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems V (CAHPS V) (U18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.226.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-03-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-05-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CAHPS V (U18) funding opportunity?
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems V (CAHPS V) (U18) is a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It continues AHRQ's long-running CAHPS program focused on measuring and understanding patients' experiences with health care and improving the surveys and tools used to capture and report those experiences.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-HS-17-010.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.226.
What does CAHPS stand for, and what is the program about?
CAHPS stands for Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. The program builds evidence and tools to measure patients' experiences with care and provides surveys and supporting materials that help consumers evaluate health plans, providers, and care delivered in facility settings.
When did the CAHPS program begin?
The CAHPS program began in 1995.
Why is this program described as having real-world impact?
CAHPS surveys are already widely used by major stakeholders such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Results are used for practical, high-stakes purposes including value-based purchasing, public reporting of quality, and accreditation.
What is the primary goal of CAHPS V funding?
The opportunity is designed to strengthen how patient experience is captured and used, particularly through ongoing development and improvement of CAHPS surveys and related materials, so they remain scientifically strong, current, and useful across the U.S. health care system.
What award mechanism is being used, and what does it imply?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U18). This indicates AHRQ expects substantial involvement beyond standard grant oversight, typically involving close collaboration, coordinated planning, and shared decision-making with awardees to achieve CAHPS program goals.
How many awards were anticipated under this funding opportunity?
The announcement anticipated up to two awards.
What are the key program areas or focus areas described in the RFA?
The RFA describes five broad areas of work: (1) advancing the science of consumer assessment of patient experience, (2) continued innovation to keep surveys relevant and aligned with evolving best practices in survey methodology, (3) reporting patient experience data in ways that are meaningful to different audiences, (4) quality improvement studies to test what actually improves patient experience in real care settings, and (5) development of internal and external communication strategies for the CAHPS program.
Does the RFA support quality improvement (QI) studies, or is it only about measurement?
It explicitly calls for quality improvement studies. The intent is not only to measure patient experience but also to test and learn which interventions improve experience in real-world care settings.
What kinds of reporting activities are included in this opportunity?
The RFA emphasizes reporting patient experience data, including how results are displayed, explained, and made meaningful to different audiences such as patients, purchasers, policymakers, and providers.
Why does the RFA include communication strategies as a core area of work?
The RFA highlights the need for internal and external communication strategies because adoption, correct use, and ongoing engagement with CAHPS depend on clear guidance, outreach, and coordination across the broader CAHPS community.
Who is eligible to apply for CAHPS V (U18)?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are special institution types (such as minority-serving institutions) eligible?
Yes. The RFA highlights additional eligible categories including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The RFA lists faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The RFA includes U.S. territories or possessions as eligible applicants.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) entities eligible to apply directly?
No. The announcement specifies that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions cannot apply as applicants, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply as applicants.
Can foreign organizations participate in any way if they cannot apply as the applicant?
Yes. The RFA notes that foreign components may participate as part of a consortium or as subcontractors, consistent with the HHS Grants Policy Statement definition of foreign components.
What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is May 26, 2017.
What is the creation date listed for the announcement?
The creation date listed is March 24, 2017.
How is this opportunity positioned within the broader U.S. health care system?
The opportunity supports an infrastructure that influences how health care organizations are compared, how performance information is communicated to the public, and how incentives are designed, because CAHPS results are used in value-based purchasing, public reporting, and accreditation contexts.
What settings or subjects do CAHPS surveys and tools help evaluate?
The surveys and supporting materials help consumers evaluate health plans, providers, and care delivered in facility settings.
Is the work intended to be purely academic research?
The description emphasizes that this RFA is not only funding academic measurement work in isolation. It supports a widely adopted program with direct operational uses by major health care stakeholders.
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