Table 1.

Key actors in the Avahan initiative transition process

Level	Government	Avahan*
National	National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) responsible for strategy and oversight of national AIDS control program	Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) staff directly involved in the design and management of the Avahan Initiative
State	State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) government actors that oversee HIV/AIDS services within the state and manage contracts with organizations providing targeted interventions Technical Support Units (TSU) contracted units designed to provide technical support to HIV prevention programs	State Lead Partners (SLP) international NGOs or large domestic NGOs that manage contracts with and support targeted interventions under Avahan Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) – one designated staff providing oversight of each state program.
District and Community level	District AIDS Prevention and Control Units (DAPCU) responsible for district level planning and monitoring Targeted interventions - NGOs or Community Based Organizations contracted by SACS to provide HIV/AIDS prevention services	Targeted interventions – NGOs or Community Based Organizations contracted by State Lead Partners to provide HIV/AIDS prevention services

*We use the term “Avahan” to refer to the whole array of partners involved in implementing the Avahan initiative