Tribal Implementation Center

Chickasaw Health Consulting serves as the Tribal IC responsible for partnering with Tribes, Tribal Consortia, and Tribal Epidemiology Centers (T/C/TECs) on public health data modernization projects.

As the Tribal IC, Chickasaw Health Consulting will:

• Engage T/C/TECs to collaborate on the design of the program to ensure it aligns with Tribal priorities.
• Convene a Tribal Expert Working Group to serve as an advisory body for the program.
• Provide technical implementation support to participating T/C/TECs for their data modernization projects. Learn how to apply for implementation project support >
• Provide general guidance and resources to all Tribes interested in learning more about public health data modernization.
• Help with project management and program communications.

 

Below are examples of implementation projects the Tribal IC may support. Additional project types (or “project tracks”) can be identified in collaboration with the Tribal IC.

1. Planning data systems: This may include developing data governance structures, assessing current workforce capacity, developing project plans, and developing staffing plans.
2. Building data infrastructure: This may include improving processes to load and store data, building data analysis capabilities, and developing data dashboards.
3. Making data connections: This may include connecting to healthcare, connecting to data exchange intermediaries (e.g., health information exchanges/HIEs), and performing linkages to improve data quality.

The Tribal IC offers three types of support:

The Tribal IC Program offers funding support to T/C/TECs to support their data modernization projects. Specific awards will depend on the project, but average funding amounts are anticipated to be approximately $600,000 – $800,000. Funding can be used for the following project expenses:

• Relevant personnel, including indirect costs.
• Relevant training courses or membership fees (e.g., HL7 or HIMSS).
• Relevant travel, meetings, and events.
• Direct costs relevant to/within project-scope including but not limited to:
  • Hardware, software, and vendor costs.
  • System fees and maintenance costs.
  • Broadband internet, network connectivity, and similar infrastructure costs.
  • Fees related to connection to health information exchanges (HIEs), health data utilities (HDUs), and similar intermediaries.

Funding is available through a subaward, but it depends on your Tribe, Tribal Consortia, or Tribal Epidemiology Centers and the national partner (ASTHO, NNPHI, or PHAB) agreeing on the terms of the contract. These partners will work with you to finalize the details.

Tribal IC support is available at no cost to you. The Tribal IC is here to help you move your project forward. Your T/C/TEC can work with the Tribal IC to identify what types of support would be helpful. You don’t need to use your subaward funding to pay for this support — it’s provided free of charge. Some projects may only need technical or strategic support from the Tribal IC and won’t require any funding. Others may need financial support to get started, and the Tribal IC will assist with project planning and management.

This is a one-time funding opportunity. It’s important to think ahead and build a strategy for how your project can continue once the funding period ends. The Tribal IC will help Tribes, Tribal Consortia, and Tribal Epidemiology Centers plan for the long term. Sustainability planning will be key to long-term success.

To be eligible for the program, your organization must meet the following requirements:

• Be a federally-recognized T/C/TEC.
• Have a SAM.gov registration or a SAM Unique Entity Identifier before being brought onto the program. PLEASE NOTE: gov registration or SAM Unique Entity Identify is only required for T/C/TECs interested in receiving funding support.
  • If your T/C/TEC does not already have one and wants to receive funding through the program, we are here to help! Please email tribalic@nnphi.org to receive resources and assistance to register with SAM.gov.

Update: On September 30, 2025, the National Partners received verbal instruction from CDC to pause all Data Modernization Implementation Center Program-related work, which includes the Tribal Implementation Center. As a result, applications for the Tribal Implementation Center program are currently suspended, and the duration of this pause is unknown. We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause applicants and will share more information as it becomes available.

The Tribal IC Program is accepting applications on a rolling basis, so there is no deadline to apply. However, we encourage T/C/TECs to apply as soon as they can so their projects can be reviewed earlier.

The application is available in two formats: an online application and a fillable PDF. Both application formats contain the same content and questions. The fillable PDF is offered as an option in the event that a T/C/TEC does not feel comfortable submitting their data via an online form. Additionally, some T/C/TECs may find the fillable PDF helpful as a tool to draft the application with their team before officially submitting it via the online application. Links to both applications can be found below.

T/C/TECs can only submit one application. Applications can be submitted either via the online application form OR by emailing a completed PDF application to tribalic@nnphi.org. To get started on your application, think about what kinds of projects would benefit your T/C/TEC. Consider which types of projects are similar to the examples listed above, who would need to be involved, and what kind of funding or support your T/C/TEC would need to carry them out.

Selection decisions will be made by the National Partners (ASTHO, PHAB, NNPHI) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based on the selection criteria below.

• Alignment: Proposed project alignment with project types/tracks: (1) Assessment and planning, (2) building data infrastructure and planning investments or (3) Making data connections (e.g., health information exchange, state health department sharing).
• Timeline: Proposed project can be completed by Fall 2027.
• Feasibility: Proposed project can be completed with the subaward funding and Tribal IC support provided.
• Scalability: Proposed project can be scaled up through adoption by other T/C/TECs or public health entities.
• Sustainability: Proposed project can be sustained by the T/C/TEC after the Tribal IC Program ends its support.
• Equity: Selection of a T/C/TEC aligns with objective to support T/C/TECs with varying levels of data capacity.

If selected, participating T/C/TECs will be expected to:

• Engage with the Tribal IC to draft a project charter that describes high-level project scope and milestones for the proposed implementation project.
• Demonstrate Tribal support for their proposed implementation project with a Tribal Resolution. Tribal Consortia and Tribal Epidemiology Centers must provide a Tribal resolution from all Tribes whose data will be involved in the proposed implementation project. While a Tribal Resolution is not required for initial application, it will be required for full onboarding to the program. As such, we encourage T/C/TECs to begin this process early if you know that it will take a significant amount of time.
• Engage with the National Partner who is issuing the subaward (ASTHO, NNPHI, or PHAB) and come to a mutual agreement on subaward contract terms and conditions.

Help co-design the evaluation of Tribal IC Program to the best of their ability. Please note that no T/C/TECs implementing projects in the program will be asked to submit Tribal-level data, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI), as part of the Tribal IC Evaluation.

In addition to implementation support, all applicants are invited to participate in Tribal IC Program Community Support, where they can access educational resources and participate in peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Specific Community Support offerings may include virtual webinars, playbooks, toolkits, and knowledge sharing sessions.

Through the development of a Tribal Community of Practice, T/C/TECs will be able to learn from one another and share tips on how to successfully carry out data modernization projects. More information on Community Support will be shared soon.

In recognition of Tribal sovereignty and the unique data challenges and opportunities that exist for Tribal communities, PHIG National Partners are taking a deliberate approach to engage Tribal representatives throughout the life of the program. The Tribal IC will be guided by the Tribal Expert Working Group mentioned at the top of the page, and Tribes will have the opportunity to provide feedback on program design during in-person events and webinars. Additionally, Tribes, Tribal Consortia, and Tribal Epidemiology Centers receiving implementation support will be invited to work with the Tribal IC to co-design the approach used to evaluate the program. To date, PHIG National Partners have used in-person events and webinars to ask Tribes to provide guidance on:

• Data opportunities and challenges that should be prioritized.
• Technical implementation services and support that should be offered.

How to ensure Tribal sovereignty is upheld through new data technologies and policies.

• Sign up for one of our office hours on getting your application ready.
• Sign up for our Tribal IC Email List to learn about opportunities to engage and receive program updates.
• Email your ideas for potential Tribal data modernization projects and any additional thoughts, suggestions, and questions to tribalic@nnphi.org.