DOD Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic, Applied Research Award | HT9425 23 PRORP ARA

PRORP Applied Research Award (ARA) FAQs

What is the DOD PRORP Applied Research Award (ARA)?

The Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program (PRORP) Applied Research Award (ARA) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity focused on applied, preclinical orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injury research. Its goal is to move practical, near-term solutions closer to real-world use, with an emphasis on improving military readiness and helping injured Service Members return to duty, work, and everyday function faster.

What problem areas is this award trying to address?

The ARA is motivated by the scale and seriousness of extremity and musculoskeletal injuries in military settings, including combat-related wounds as well as very common non-combat injuries that occur during training, sports, and routine service life. A major theme is that earlier stabilization, treatment, and rehabilitation can reduce complications, minimize long-term disability, and potentially reduce limb loss, especially when effective tools can be deployed as close to the point of injury as possible.

Is the focus only on military needs, or can civilian patients benefit too?

Military impact is the primary emphasis, but the DOD expects funded work to translate broadly and benefit civilian patients with similar orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries.

What type of research does the ARA fund?

This mechanism supports applied, preclinical research. In the PRORP definition, applied research takes promising concepts and turns them into workable, testable solutions, generating evidence about feasibility and performance so the solution can advance toward clinical translation.

What are examples of projects or deliverables that fit this award?

Examples described for this award include developing and testing knowledge products, devices or systems, pharmacologic or biologic candidates, rehabilitation or behavioral interventions, diagnostic or therapeutic techniques, clinical guidance, and other emerging approaches or technologies, as long as the work is applied and preclinical.

What is the expected endpoint of an ARA project?

By the end of the project, deliverables are expected to be meaningfully closer to practical use, not limited to exploratory findings. The intent is to generate the kind of feasibility and performance data that supports a credible next step toward translation.

What is a "transition plan" and why does it matter?

A transition plan explains how the project results will be positioned for the next stage (for example, advanced development, regulatory planning, or eventual clinical evaluation under a different award mechanism). The opportunity emphasizes that a strong transition plan is an important part of competitiveness.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility notes that may appear in the full announcement.

Do applications have to align with specific topic areas?

Yes. Proposals must align with and explicitly address one of the FY23 PRORP ARA Focus Areas referenced in the opportunity. The list of Focus Areas is provided in the full solicitation text.

Is preliminary evidence required to apply?

Yes. The program requires preliminary and/or published data that is directly relevant to the proposed work. Applications are expected to present a clear scientific rationale and a well-formed, testable hypothesis grounded in a critical review of the existing literature.

What kinds of research are explicitly not funded under this ARA?

The opportunity states it cannot be used for fundamental basic research (work aimed at understanding underlying phenomena without a specific application in mind). It also cannot be used for clinical research as defined by the DOD/CDMRP in this listing.

How does the program define "clinical research" for purposes of what is not allowed?

Clinical research is defined broadly to include patient-oriented research involving direct interaction with human subjects; studies of mechanisms of human disease in humans; therapeutic interventions in people; clinical trials; and epidemiologic, behavioral, outcomes, and health services research.

Are any human-data activities allowed under this award?

A narrow exception is noted: studies that qualify for Institutional Review Board (IRB) Exemption 4 (using existing, de-identified specimens or data that are publicly available) are not considered clinical research under CDMRP definitions.

If a project involves human subjects or a clinical trial, what mechanism should applicants consider instead?

Applicants who want to do human studies are directed to separate FY23 PRORP mechanisms: the Clinical Translational Research Award (CTRA) or the Clinical Trial Award (CTA).

What are typical ARA project activities that the program considers a good fit?

Examples include refining and validating potential solutions or research tools; evaluating and down-selecting candidate products (such as drugs, biologic constructs, or devices/systems) using in vitro and/or in vivo testing; and conducting preparatory activities that support a later clinical trial or regulatory submission. The common thread is de-risking a technology or approach and building a data package that enables the next step toward translation.

What kind of award instrument will be used (grant vs cooperative agreement)?

The DOD expects to make assistance agreements, issued as either grants or cooperative agreements. The choice depends on whether substantial DOD involvement is anticipated during performance. If substantial involvement is expected (such as agency collaboration or participation), the award will be a cooperative agreement; otherwise it will be a grant.

What is the budget limit for this opportunity?

The planned budget guideline is that total costs over the entire period of performance should not exceed $750,000 per award.

How many awards and how much total funding were projected?

The opportunity projected roughly $3.75 million total to support about five awards, with final funding dependent on federal fund availability and on the number and quality of applications as determined by scientific and programmatic review.

When were awards expected to be made?

Awards were expected to be made by no later than September 30, 2024.

What is the funding opportunity number and who is the sponsoring organization?

The funding opportunity number is HT9425-23-PRORP-ARA. The sponsoring organization is the Department of Defense, with involvement through the Department of the Army and USAMRAA.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The listing includes CFDA 12.420.

What was the application closing date shown in the listing?

The original application closing date shown was September 13, 2023.

How long are FY23 funds expected to remain available for use?

The funding is tied to FY23 appropriations and is expected to remain available for obligation and use within the allowable window. The listing notes FY23 funds as expiring for use on September 30, 2029.

What makes an application competitive based on the description provided?

Based on the information provided, competitiveness centers on: clear alignment to an FY23 ARA Focus Area; relevant preliminary and/or published data; a well-formed, testable hypothesis grounded in a critical literature review; applied, preclinical study designs that answer concrete, decision-driving questions; and a strong transition plan that explains credible next steps toward translation.