This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks applications for the development of an Open Data Science Platform and Coordinating Center as part of a broader initiative entitled Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa). The goal of DS-I Africa is to spur new health discoveries and catalyze innovation in healthcare, public health, and health research on the continent through application of data science.

The FOA is comprised of two components – the DS-I Africa Open Data Science Platform (ODSP) and Coordinating Center (CC) – funded via one U2C award.  The ODSP core will develop and maintain a scalable data-sharing gateway available to the research community with access to disparate types of open and controlled-access data and tools, generated from the DS-I Africa Research Hubs as well as other existing sources. The CC core will provide the organizational framework for the management, direction, and overall coordination of all common DS-I Africa consortium activities.

The cooperative agreement will be awarded to an African academic or other non-profit institution. Multisectoral partnerships with other organizations in Africa, the U.S., or other countries are encouraged.