The FY18 Defense Appropriation provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program (OPORP) to support research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes for Service members and Veterans who have undergone limb amputation.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate, manages the Defense Health Program Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation appropriation.  The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC).

FY18 OPORP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov. 

OPORP awards are focused on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of prosthetic and orthotic device options currently available, not on the development of new or the improvement of existing technology.  The intent of the awards is to generate clinically useful evidence that will enhance and optimize patient outcomes.

Focus Areas:  The OPORP will only consider applications that specifically address the critical needs of the Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes research community in one or more of the FY18 Focus Areas.  The OPORP will solicit research applications that address at least one of the following FY18 Focus Areas:

• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Form:  Understand patient outcomes through the analysis and characterization of variables related to the form of currently available clinical options such as device size, shape, material, and/or configurations.
• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Fit:  Understand patient outcomes related to human-device interface and component connection through the analysis of variables in currently available clinical options that facilitate fit-related metrics such as comfort and/or usability.
• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Function:  Understand patient outcomes through the analysis of variables related to currently available device function such as device control, sensors, and passive or active response with respect to activities of daily living and other real-world activities.

http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/oporp

 

Clinical Research Award – Preproposal due August 6, 2018

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• Supports research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and/or prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes for Service members and Veterans with limb loss and/or limb impairment.
• Proposed projects should be designed to provide outcomes data regarding orthotic and/or prosthetic devices and must include the anticipated effect on patient care metrics.
• Collaboration among academia, industry, the DoD, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is highly encouraged, including longitudinal outcomes studies.
• Applications submitted to the FY18 OPORP CRA must address one or more of the FY18 OPORP Focus Areas.
• Animal studies are not allowed.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.

·         Funding Level 1:

o   Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs)

o   Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

·         Funding Level 2:

o   Maximum funding of $1,500,000 for total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs)

 

Clinical Trial Award – Preproposal due August 6, 2018

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)

·         Supports rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to make significant impacts on improving health and well-being of Service members and Veterans with limb loss and/or limb deficit.

·         Supports research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and/or prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes.

·         Proposed projects should be designed to provide outcomes data regarding orthotic and/or prosthetic devices and must include the anticipated effect on patient care metrics.

·         Collaboration among academia, industry, the DoD, and the VA is highly encouraged, including longitudinal outcomes studies.

·         Applications submitted to the FY18 OPORP CTA must address one or more of the FY18 OPORP Focus Areas.

·         Preclinical research is not allowed.

·         Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• Preclinical research is not allowed.

·         Funding Level 1:

o   Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs)

o   Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

·         Funding Level 2:

o   Maximum funding of $2,500,000 for total costs (direct costs plus indirect costs)

 

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline.  All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website.  The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov.  A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRMC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

 

For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the OPORP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk
301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org