Establishment of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, 1238-1240 [2023-00151]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1238-1240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00151]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Establishment of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak 
Analytics

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has 
modified its structure. This notice announces the establishment of the 
Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.

DATES: This reorganization was approved by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services on December 19, 2022, and became effective on January 4, 
2023.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part C (Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention) of the Statement of Organization, Functions, and 
Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and Human Services 
(45 FR 67772-76, dated October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, 
October 20, 1980, as amended most recently at 87 FR 51670-51675, dated 
August 23, 2022) is amended to reflect the reorganization of the Office 
of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Background: Establishing the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak 
Analytics is the result of the National Security Memorandum #1 (Section 
5B) indicating the need to establish an interagency national Center and 
modernize global early warning and trigger systems to prevent, detect, 
respond to, and recover from emerging biological threats, as well as 
Section 2404 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, 
which provides funding in support of public health data surveillance 
and analytic infrastructure modernization initiatives at the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention. Specifically, the changes are as 
follows:
    Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, make the 
following change:

Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CD)

    The mission of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics 
(CFA) is to advance U.S. forecasting, outbreak analytics, and 
surveillance capacities related to disease outbreaks, epidemics, and 
pandemics to support public health response and preparedness. To carry 
out its mission, CFA will: (1) forecast, model, and characterize the 
risks associated with outbreaks; (2) inform public health decision-
makers and the public; (3) innovate public health solutions and 
capabilities related to forecasting, surveillance, and analytics; (4) 
accelerate access to and use of data for public health decision-makers 
to mitigate the effects of disease threats; and (5) serves as a hub for 
research and development for public health analytics and modeling.

Office of the Director (CD1)

    (1) Provides strategic direction regarding forecasting, 
surveillance, and data analytics; (2) coordinates strategic activities 
in areas of outbreak, epidemic and pandemic forecasting, surveillance, 
and data analytics within CDC and across the United States Government 
(USG); (3) guides the facilitation and coordination across federal, 
state, tribal, local, or territorial (STLT), and healthcare entities 
and engagement with relevant federal advisory committees with respect 
to disease modeling, forecasting, outbreak analytics, and critical data 
collections to support those efforts; (4) manages, directs, 
coordinates, and evaluates the activities of the Center; (5) defines 
goals and objectives for policy formation, scientific oversight, and 
guidance in program planning and development related to forecasting, 
surveillance, and analytics; (6) provides oversight for the evaluation 
of programmatic performance of forecasting, surveillance, and 
analytics; (7) manages inter-governmental and external affairs and 
cultivates strategic partnerships related to CFA activities; (8) 
ensures scientific quality, integrity, and clearance across the Center; 
(9) provides guidance and strategic oversight to the processes within 
the Center that access, collect, manage, analyze, and visualize data, 
including assistance for involvement with relevant federal advisory 
committees and other stakeholder groups; (10) collaborates and consults 
with other Centers, working groups, state and local health departments, 
other federal agencies, international partners, and other partners on 
CFA activities; (11) represents CFA and CDC at professional and 
scientific meetings on topics consistent with CFA's mission; and (12) 
establishes and oversees the two offices within the Office of the 
Director.

Office of Policy and Communications (CD12)

    (1) Provides leadership on issues management, budget formulation, 
and performance integration; (2) reviews, coordinates, and prepares 
legislation, briefing documents, Congressional testimony, and other 
legislative matters; (3) coordinates the development, review, and 
approval of federal regulations, Federal Register notices and 
announcements, Freedom of Information Act requests, General Accounting 
Office and Inspector General reports, and related activities for the 
Center; and (4) establishes and implements a communication strategy in 
support of CFA overarching goals and priorities.

Office of Management Services (CD13)

    (1) Provides overall budgetary, employee relations, human capital 
management, logistics, and administrative support; (2) provides 
direction, strategy, analysis, and operational support in all aspects 
of human capital management, including workforce and career development 
and human resources operations; (3) manages operational budget 
processes, including planning, execution, and monitoring; (4) manages 
acquisition and grants management processes; (5) serves as point of 
contact on all matters concerning facilities management, property 
management, records management, equipment, travel, and space 
utilization and improvements; and (6) serves as coordinator of 
continuity of operations activities.

Inform Division (CDB)

    (1) Communicates with expert disease modelers and emergency 
responders to provide public health policy decision support; (2) shares 
timely, actionable information with the federal government, STLT 
leaders, international partners, and the public; (3) works with and 
through public health partners to provide decision support and 
technical assistance; (4) develops, maintains, enhances data 
visualization capabilities to support CFA mission; (5) coordinates 
real-time monitoring efforts between CDC subject matter experts and USG 
interagency; and (6) maintains liaison with related Center staff, other 
officials of CDC, USG, and private sector partners.

[[Page 1239]]

Office of the Director (CDB1)

    (1) Works with CFA OD to ensure spending plans and budgets are in 
line with overall division strategies and priorities; (2) ensures the 
CFA strategy is executed by the Inform Division and aligned with 
overall CDC goals; (3) develops execution strategies for outbreak 
communication, data visualization, and real-time monitoring efforts; 
(4) builds leadership at the division and team levels; (5) identifies 
and coordinates synergies between the division and federal, STLT, and 
international partners; (6) works directly with public health partners 
to provide decision support; (7) proposes resource priorities 
throughout the budget cycle; (8) works with CDC procurement office to 
facilitate procurement opportunities with industry partners; (9) 
ensures scientific quality, integrity, and clearance across the 
division; and (10) liaises with related Center staff, other officials 
of CDC, USG, and private sector partners.

Predict Division (CDD)

    (1) Generates forecasts and analyses to support outbreak 
preparedness and response efforts; (2) provides real-time monitoring of 
disease outbreaks; (3) collaborates with federal, state, territorial, 
local, and tribal leaders and international partners on performing 
analytics to support decision-making; (4) assists with tabletop 
exercises to match policies and resources with forecasts; (5) supports 
the development of pandemic planning guidance; (6) develops scientific 
collaborations to harmonize analytic approaches and develop tools; (7) 
maintains analytic data sets and models during emergencies to address 
questions that arise with short latency; (8) identifies and gains 
access to sources of data relevant to outbreak analytics, forecasting, 
and modeling; and (9) builds, maintains, and improves modeling and 
forecasting platforms to be deployed during public health emergencies, 
including public-facing forecasts.

Office of the Director (CDD1)

    (1) Works with CFA Office of the Director to ensure spending plans 
and budgets are in line with overall division strategies and 
priorities; (2) ensures the CFA strategy is executed by the Predict 
Division and aligned with overall CDC goals; (3) develops execution 
strategies for pandemic forecasting, surveillance, and outbreak 
response; (4) builds leadership at the division and team levels; (5) 
evaluates the strategies, focus, and prioritization of the division; 
(6) identifies and coordinates synergies between the division and 
federal, STLT, and international partners; (7) facilitates tabletop 
exercises; (8) proposes resource priorities throughout the budget 
cycle; (9) works with CDC procurement office to facilitate procurement 
opportunities with industry partners; (10) ensures scientific quality, 
integrity, and clearance across the division; and (11) oversees the 
development and successful deployment of modeling and forecasting 
capabilities in emergency response situations.

Real Time Monitoring Branch (CDDB)

    (1) Monitors outbreak events through established analytical tools 
and surveillance methods; (2) generates short-term forecasts of disease 
spread during an active outbreak; (3) utilizes data of previous 
outbreaks to monitor and forecast the behavior of potential and/or 
current outbreaks; and (4) generates multiple scenario models of 
potential/current outbreaks using established methodologies.

Analytics Response Branch (CDDC)

    (1) Utilizes established analytical tools to help inform decision 
making for key partners during a potential and/or current outbreak; (2) 
Analyzes disease spread through existing data sources to identify key 
populations/settings at highest risk; (3) identifies potential economic 
impact of a forecasted/ongoing outbreak event; (4) provides essential 
information to key partners in decisions surrounding community 
migration; (5) utilizes data analytics to inform decisions on potential 
variants of a pathogen; and (6) works with key partners to inform 
decisions on medical countermeasures during an active outbreak.

Technology and Innovation Division (CDE)

    (1) Oversees the development, maintenance, and improvement of CFA's 
analytical architecture; (2) provides high-level support for CFA's 
strategic direction with respect to technology and innovative 
practices; (3) oversees product development for CFA and CFA's 
customers; (4) collaborates with other divisions within CFA to support 
research and development and provide technical assistance on an adhoc 
basis; (5) oversees the deployment of grants and cooperative agreements 
to support innovation within the Center.

Office of the Director (CDE1)

    (1) Works with CFA OD to ensure spending plans and budgets are in 
line with overall division strategies and priorities; (2) ensures that 
the CFA strategy is executed by the Technology & Innovation Division 
and aligned with overall CDC goals; (3) develops execution strategies 
for maintaining CFA's analytical architecture and supporting research 
and development across the division; (4) builds leadership at the 
division and branch levels; (5) coordinates with other divisions across 
CFA to support modeling, code development, and general research & 
development; (6) maintains strategic relationships with academic, 
private sector, and interagency partners; (7) works with CDC 
procurement office to facilitate procurement opportunities with 
industry partners; and (9) ensures scientific quality, integrity, and 
clearance across the division.

Technology Branch (CDEB)

    (1) Establishes and maintains CFA analytical architecture; (2) 
devises information technology practices and procedures, and provides 
direction, innovation, planning, and evaluation for information 
technology systems, services, security, and resources for CFA; (3) 
monitors projects for effective focus on the analytical, informatics, 
data management, and statistical infrastructure to deliver timely, 
quality data, accurate analysis services, and dependable software 
products and systems to customers and partners; (4) develops, 
maintains, and operates analytics technology platforms; (5) engages in 
product development for CFA systems, enterprise systems, and analytical 
tools; (6) supports CFA in modeling and general code development, data 
engineering, and software development; (7) enables cloud environment 
architecture, development, deployment, and access; (8) supports CDC, 
USG efforts to maintain, enhance, and develop relevant systems that 
will address the CFA mission; and (9) maintains awareness of trends in 
technology and evaluates technology that would benefit the CFA mission.

Innovate Branch (CDEC)

    (1) Supports research and development to improve outbreak forecasts 
and analyses; (2) collaborates with academic, private sector, and 
interagency partners; (3) creates translational tools, products, and 
enterprise enhancements to make analyses of pandemic data flexible, 
fast, and scalable for CFA customers including STLT authorities; (4) 
provides grants and cooperative agreements to support innovations in 
data analytics and modeling.

[[Page 1240]]

Delegations of Authority

    All delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials 
and employees of affected organizational components will continue in 
them or their successors pending further redelegation, provided they 
are consistent with this reorganization.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101)

Xavier Becerra,
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-00151 Filed 1-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-P