Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement - Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) Cooperative Agreement | NAP AX 19 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for NAP AX 19 001

The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) - Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) Cooperative Agreement is a federal funding opportunity from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) focused on accelerating nationwide interoperability of Electronic Health Information (EHI). The core idea is to create a more consistent, trusted way for health information to move across the country so that clinicians can access relevant patient data regardless of where care happened, individuals can more fully use and control their own health information, communities and care teams can deliver safer and more efficient care, and the broader health IT ecosystem can keep innovating rather than getting stuck in fragmented exchange models.

A key point in the opportunity is that TEFCA is made up of two separate but connected pieces: the Trusted Exchange Framework (TEF) and the Common Agreement. ONC retains responsibility for the TEF itself, while the selected RCE is expected to take the lead on developing, updating, implementing, and maintaining the Common Agreement, with ONC providing oversight and retaining final approval authority for the Common Agreement and any future revisions. In practice, this means the awardee is not just writing a one-time set of terms; they are operating an ongoing governance and coordination function that will need to evolve over time as technology, policy, and stakeholder needs change.

The RCE role described in the notice is broad and operational. Beyond maintaining the Common Agreement, the RCE is expected to work closely with ONC to identify, onboard, and monitor Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs), which are the major network-to-network exchange participants envisioned under TEFCA. The RCE will also be responsible for modifying and updating the QHIN Technical Framework, which is the detailed technical and operational companion that helps translate the Common Agreement into real-world exchange requirements. In addition, the RCE must actively engage the public and the industry through virtual public listening sessions, creating a formal channel for stakeholder feedback and transparency as policies and technical requirements are refined.

Another major responsibility is compliance and accountability. The RCE is expected to adjudicate noncompliance with the Common Agreement, meaning it must have the processes, governance structures, and organizational credibility to investigate issues, make determinations, and drive corrective actions when participants do not meet their obligations. This requires a careful balance: being trusted as neutral and fair, while also being capable of enforcing the rules strongly enough that participants take them seriously. The notice also emphasizes sustainability planning. The RCE is expected to propose strategies that allow this coordinating function to continue supporting trusted exchange and QHIN connectivity after the cooperative agreement period ends, which implies a need for a realistic long-term operating model rather than dependence on grant funding alone.

From an eligibility and competition standpoint, ONC describes this as an open competition and explicitly signals that it is seeking an existing, industry-based organization with demonstrated expertise and capability to execute these responsibilities. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and other eligible entities as indicated in the listing. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement during performance, aligning with the notice language that ONC will maintain the TEF, collaborate with the RCE, and retain final approval over the Common Agreement and updates.

Administratively, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number NAP AX 19 001, categorized as discretionary funding in the health area, with CFDA number 93.347. The opportunity was created on 2019-04-19 and had an original closing date of 2019-06-20. The award ceiling is stated as 900,000, and the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided source data. Overall, the grant is less about building a single software product and more about standing up and operating a national-scale coordinating and governance entity that can translate TEFCA policy into enforceable participation rules, manage technical frameworks, oversee QHIN participation, engage stakeholders transparently, and set the exchange ecosystem up for durability beyond the grant term.

• The Office of the National Coordinator in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement - Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) Cooperative Agreement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.347.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-04-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-06-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $900,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: 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, Others.

Apply for NAP AX 19 001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: