---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 299b–34"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "299b–34"
heading: "Quality improvement technical assistance and implementation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/299b-34"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter VII — Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality"
  - "Part D — Health Care Quality Improvement"
  - "Subpart 2 — health care quality improvement programs"
---

# §299b–34. Quality improvement technical assistance and implementation

- (a) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5), through the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety of the [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for Healthcare Research and Quality (referred to in this section as the “Center”), shall award—
  - (1) technical assistance grants or contracts to eligible entities to provide technical support to institutions that deliver health care and [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) (including rural and urban [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) and suppliers with limited infrastructure and financial resources to implement and support quality improvement activities, [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) and suppliers with poor performance scores, and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) and suppliers for which there are disparities in care among subgroups of patients) so that such institutions and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) understand, adapt, and implement the models and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) identified in the research conducted by the Center, including the Quality Improvement Networks Research [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4); and
  - (2) implementation grants or contracts to eligible entities to implement the models and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) described under [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Eligible entities—**
  - (1) **Technical assistance award—** To be eligible to receive a technical assistance grant or contract under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1), an entity—
    - (A) may be a [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) association, professional society, health care worker organization, Indian health organization, quality improvement organization, [patient safety organization](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=4), local quality improvement collaborative, the Joint Commission, academic health center, university, physician-based research network, primary care extension [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established under [section 280g–12 of this title](/usc/42/280g–12.md), a Federal Indian Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) or a health [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) operated by an Indian tribe (as defined in [section 1603 of title 25](/usc/25/1603.md)), or any other entity identified by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c); and
    - (B) shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) regarding quality improvement.
  - (2) **Implementation award—** To be eligible to receive an implementation grant or contract under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), an entity—
    - (A) may be a [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) or other [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) or [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) or[^1] [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c); and
    - (B) shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) regarding quality improvement.
- (c) **Application—**
  - (1) **Technical assistance award—** To receive a technical assistance grant or contract under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) at such time, in such manner, and containing—
    - (A) a plan for a sustainable business model that may include a system of—
      - (i) charging fees to institutions and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) that receive technical support from the entity; and
      - (ii) reducing or eliminating such fees for such institutions and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) that serve low-income populations; and
    - (B) such other information as the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may require.
  - (2) **Implementation award—** To receive a grant or contract under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) at such time, in such manner, and containing—
    - (A) a plan for implementation of a model or practice identified in the research conducted by the Center including—
      - (i) financial cost, staffing requirements, and timeline[^2] for implementation; and
      - (ii) pre- and projected post-implementation quality measure performance data in targeted improvement areas identified by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c); and
    - (B) such other information as the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may require.
- (d) **Matching funds—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may not award a grant or contract under this section to an entity unless the entity agrees that it will make available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant or contract in an amount equal to $1 for each $5 of Federal funds provided under the grant or contract. Such non-Federal matching funds may be provided directly or through donations from public or private entities and may be in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a).
- (e) **Evaluation—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) shall evaluate the performance of each entity that receives a grant or contract under this section. The evaluation of an entity shall include a study of—
    - (A) the success of such entity in achieving the implementation, by the health care institutions and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) assisted by such entity, of the models and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) identified in the research conducted by the Center under [section 299b–33 of this title](/usc/42/299b–33.md);
    - (B) the perception of the health care institutions and [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) assisted by such entity regarding the value of the entity; and
    - (C) where practicable, better patient health outcomes and lower cost resulting from the assistance provided by such entity.
  - (2) **Effect of evaluation—** Based on the outcome of the evaluation of the entity under [paragraph (1)](#e-1), the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) shall determine whether to renew a grant or contract with such entity under this section.
- (f) **Coordination—** The entities that receive a grant or contract under this section shall coordinate with health information technology regional extension centers under [section 300jj–32(c) of this title](/usc/42/300jj–32.md?p=c) and the primary care extension [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established under [section 280g–12 of this title](/usc/42/280g–12.md) regarding the dissemination of quality improvement, system delivery reform, and best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) information.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “of”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “a timeline”.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IX, § 934, as added and amended Pub. L. 111–148, title III, § 3501, title X, § 10501(f)(3), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 511, 996.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 934 of act July 1, 1944, was renumbered section 944 and is classified to section 299c–3 of this title.

### Amendments

2010—Subsecs. (b)(1)(A), (f). Pub. L. 111–148, § 10501(f)(3), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 280g–12 of this title.