The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $22 million (M) to the Department of Defense Gulf War Illness Research Program (GWIRP)to support research addressing Gulf War Illness pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment. 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 (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) 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).
FY19 GWIRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.
https://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/gwirp
Idea Award – Preapplication is Due July 12, 2019
Independent investigators at all academic levels
· Supports innovative high-risk/high-reward research in the earliest stages of development that will contribute to markers or treatments for Gulf War illness (GWI).
· Impact and innovation are important review criteria.
· Preliminary data not required.
· Clinical trials not allowed.
· Biorepository Contribution Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Application to this option is not a requirement for Idea Award submission.
· Maximum funding of $150,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum funding of $170,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum period of performance is 2 years
· Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
Clinical Evaluation Award – Preapplication due July 12, 2019
Independent investigators at all academic levels
· Supports translation of validated GWI research, including qualified and replicated preclinical findings, to a Gulf War Veteran population.
· Statistically powered biomarker trials with the potential to validate use of biomarkers as clinical endpoints – or – proof-of-concept intervention trials (e.g., pilot, first in human, Phase I-IIa) are encouraged under this funding opportunity.
· Preliminary data required.
· Funding for this award mechanism must support research in a Gulf War Veteran population. Proof of availability and access to necessary cohort(s) and/or critical reagents must be provided.
· Biorepository Contribution Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Applications to this option is not a requirement for Clinical Evaluation Award submission.
· Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC) and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Clinical Consortium Collaboration options applications are not eligible to also submit under the Biorepository Contribution Option. Application to this option not a requirement for Clinical Evaluation Award submission.
· Maximum funding of $1,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum funding of $1,020,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs).
· Maximum funding of $1,200,000 for direct costs with the Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option (plus indirect costs).
· Maximum period of performance is 3 years
· Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award - Preapplication due July 12, 2019
Independent investigators at all academic levels
· Supports large-scale, pivotal (Phase IIb or III) trials that revolutionize the clinical management of GWI.
· Objective biomarkers to measure the biological effect of an investigational therapeutic or predictive/cohort-selective biomarkers that indicate whether a specific therapy will be effective in an individual with Gulf War Veteran or Gulf War Veteran subgroup must be included in the trial design.
· Investigators must have experience in leading large-scale projects and demonstrated ability to implement a clinical project successfully.
· Funding must be used to support a clinical trial.
· Biorepository Contribution Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Application to this option is not a requirement for Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award submission.
· Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC) and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option applications are not eligible to also submit under the Biorepository Contribution Option. Application to this option is not a requirement for Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award submission.
· Funding must be used to support a clinical trial.
· Maximum funding of $5,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum funding of $5,020.000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum funding of $5,500,000 for direct costs with the Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum period of performance is 4 years
· Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
Patient-Provider and Health Communications Award - Preapplication due July 12, 2019
Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor
· Supports projects aimed at tools and processes to raise awareness of GWI research and clinical findings within communities, including Veterans with GWI and/or their caregivers or advocates, healthcare providers who serve Veterans with GWI, or public health professional relevant to Veterans with GWI.
· Maintenance and sustainment of the dissemination effort past the award period for continued awareness of GWI research and clinical findings is an important review criterion.
· Must include a description of evaluation metrics and tracking to assist in measuring the success of the communication tool or process.
· Must include at least one Gulf War Veteran with GWI, who will be integral throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.
· Near-term impact is expected.
· Clinical trials are not allowed.
· Maximum funding of $700,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum period of performance is 3 years
· Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
New Investigator Award - Preapplication due July 12, 2019
PIs may apply under one of the following three eligibility categories:
Transitioning Postdoctoral Fellow: Senior postdoctoral fellows who have completed at least 3 years of postdoctoral training
Early-Career Investigator:Independent investigators within 5 years since their last training position
New GWI Researcher: Established independent investigators who have received less than $300,000 in Federally funded, non-mentored GWI research
· Encourages applications from early-stage and established investigators new to the field of GWI research.
· Previous experience in GWI research is not required; however, collaborations with experienced GWI researchers is strongly encouraged.
· Preliminary data are not required.
· Clinical trials are not allowed.
· Biorepository Contribution Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding, Application to this option is not a requirement for New Investigator award submission.
· Maximum funding of $500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
· Maximum funding of $520,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs)
· The maximum period of performance is 3 years
· Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
Research Advancement Award - Preapplication due July 12, 2019
Independent investigators at all academic levels
- Supports preclinical research already supported by preliminary or published data in the GWI field that is ready for validation through expansion, replication, or comparative studies.
- Impact is an important review criterion.
- Preliminary data in the field of GWI and other supporting information is required.
- Clinical trials are not allowed.
- Biorepository Contribution Option: Applications including a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network and that meet the criteria outlined in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity will qualify for a higher level of funding. Application to this option is not a requirement for Research Advancement Award submission.
- Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
- Maximum funding of $700,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
- Maximum funding of $720,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs).
- Maximum period of performance is 3 years.
- Preapplication is required; application submission is by invitation only.
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 GWIRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).
Point of Contact:
CDMRP Help Desk
301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org
