Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) Project Cooperative Agreement No. 7200AA19CA00002

President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project, awarded to FHI 360 in April 2019, aims to achieve and maintain epidemic control through strategic technical assistance to improve HIV prevention, case finding, care, and treatment programming in PEPFAR-supported countries. EpiC has four objectives focused on filling existing HIV prevention, case-finding, and treatment gaps, and on building long-term sustainability to attain and maintain epidemic control. The objectives include attaining and maintaining HIV epidemic control among at-risk adult men, women, and priority populations, attaining and maintaining HIV epidemic control among key populations, improving program management and financial systems, and supporting the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners. The project has received a total of $760 million in funding, with a ceiling increase in August 2021. EpiC is designed to break through persistent barriers and promote self-reliant management of national HIV programs to help countries reach the 95-95-95 targets set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The headquarters report is organized into several sections, including Headquarters Bridge Funding, Collaboration for HIV Prevention Options to Control the Epidemic (CHOICE), Key Population Investment Fund Update, Sustainable Financing Initiative, COVID-19 Mitigation and Response, Knowledge Management, Program Management, Operations and Performance, Gender, Environmental Compliance, Family Planning Compliance, and Financial Report. The report highlights various activities and achievements under the EpiC project, including decentralized drug distribution of antiretroviral therapy, community-led monitoring systems, PrEP scale-up through CHOICE, and HIV self-testing. The report also provides information on the project's collaboration with local partners, including the Key Population Investment Fund, and its efforts to support the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners. In terms of geographic focus, the EpiC project is implemented in several countries, including Nigeria, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, and others. The project's timeframes and recommendations are not explicitly stated in the report, but it is clear that the project is ongoing and will continue to work towards achieving its objectives. The report also highlights the project's efforts to address the impact of COVID-19 on HIV programs, including the implementation of virtual community dialogue and the scaling up of PrEP services. The report notes that the project has made significant progress in improving program management and financial systems, and has supported the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners. Overall, the EpiC project is a comprehensive initiative aimed at achieving and maintaining epidemic control through strategic technical assistance to improve HIV prevention, case finding, care, and treatment programming in PEPFAR-supported countries. The project's efforts to address the impact of COVID-19 on HIV programs and to support the transition of prime funding and implementation to capable local partners are particularly noteworthy.