The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $12 million (M) to the Department of Defense Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) to support research projects that specifically address needs in the field of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA).  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 Development Command (USAMRDC).

The RTRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY19 RTRP Program Announcement and General Application Instructions for the Qualitative Research Award mechanism are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in August 2019.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcement is released.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Focus Area:  To meet the intent of the FY19 RTRP Qualitative Research Award mechanism, applicants must address at least one of the FY19 RTRP Qualitative Research Award Focus Areas listed below:

• Define/assess the benefit or value of VCA, which may include, but is not limited to the following:

• ○       Determine the relative value of VCA compared to other treatment options (e.g., prosthetics, orthotics, reconstruction)
• ○       Determine how VCA benefits the recipient’s communication and interactions with family, friends, workplace, and the community, as well as their individual sense of self

• Develop or adapt existing quality of life measures for face transplant recipients
• Determine how psychosocial functioning changes over time within VCA recipients

https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2019/19rtrppreann_qra

Qualitative Research Award

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• New for FY19:  Multi-institutional partnerships among two to four investigators are required.  Single PI and single institution applications are not permitted.
• Pre-application (Letter of Intent) is required.
• Supports qualitative research studies that will help researchers and clinicians to better understand the experiences of individuals who are considering, or have already received, reconstructive transplant surgery.
• Demonstrated qualitative research experience within the research team is required.
• Applications must address at least one of the FY19 RTRP Qualitative Research Award Focus Areas.
• Maximum funding of $1.5M for combined total costs (direct plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

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 Announcement and General Application Instructions that will be 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 USAMRDC extramural Funding Opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcement is released.  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 RTRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil