DoD Scleroderma, Idea Development Award | W81XWH 21 SRP IDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 21 SRP IDA

The Department of Defense Scleroderma Research Program (SRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) is designed to push forward early-stage research ideas that are not yet mature, but could open up major new directions in scleroderma science and patient care if they work. The emphasis is on conceptually bold, high-risk/high-reward projects that can generate high-impact findings, including critical discoveries or substantial advances in understanding scleroderma causes and progression and/or tangible improvements in clinical care and quality of life. Even though the award supports innovative ideas, proposals still need to be grounded in a clear, testable hypothesis and backed by strong scientific rationale and preliminary data.

A key feature of this opportunity is that preliminary data are required, but the data do not have to come directly from scleroderma studies. Applicants can use relevant results from their own lab, from collaborators included on the application, or from the published literature, as long as the evidence supports the project logic and makes the hypothesis credible. At the same time, the program is explicit that it is not looking for incremental projects that simply represent the next obvious step in a line of work. Reviewers will be looking for genuine innovation, such as research that introduces a new paradigm, challenges existing assumptions, applies new perspectives to stubborn problems, or uses approaches that are risky but plausibly transformative.

The FY21 announcement also includes a New Investigator Collaboration Option meant to accelerate the careers of promising early faculty who are building independence. Under this option, a New Investigator partners with an established scleroderma researcher with a track record shown through current funding and recent publications. The New Investigator must serve as the Initiating Principal Investigator (PI) and handle most administrative responsibilities for submission, while the established collaborator serves as the Partnering PI. Both PIs are expected to make meaningful intellectual contributions to the science and key application elements such as the project narrative and statement of work. If funded, each PI is named on an individual award within the recipient organization, reinforcing that the collaboration is intended to build the New Investigator rather than simply add a junior person to an existing program.

Another major priority is relevance to military health. The SRP is part of the Defense Health Program mission, so applications are expected to connect the proposed work to the needs of Service Members, Veterans, and their families, while also benefiting the broader public. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate this relevance in concrete ways, such as using military or Veteran populations, biospecimens, or datasets; collaborating with Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs investigators; engaging military clinical consultants or specialty leaders; or explaining how the resulting knowledge or technology could be implemented in a dual-use way that addresses a military need and also helps civilians. Projects that address scleroderma issues with direct relevance to military beneficiaries, including environmental exposures, are specifically highlighted. Partnerships with investigators at DoD treatment facilities or laboratories and VA medical centers and research labs are encouraged.

From a funding and award-structure perspective, this opportunity is issued as an assistance agreement, meaning it will be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement depending on how much substantial involvement the DoD expects to have during performance. If the agency anticipates no substantial involvement, the award is a grant; if meaningful collaboration, participation, or intervention by the DoD is expected, it becomes a cooperative agreement, with that involvement described in the award terms. Budgets are capped at 300,000 in total direct costs for a single-PI application, or 450,000 in total direct costs for the New Investigator Collaboration Option, with the additional requirement that at least 50 percent of direct costs be allocated to the New Investigator under the collaboration option.

In FY21, the program planned to allocate about 1.92 million dollars total to make roughly three awards in this category: about one standard IDA and two New Investigator Collaboration Option awards, though actual funding depends on federal fund availability, application volume, scientific merit, and programmatic priorities. The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-21-SRP-IDA) was released by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, USAMRAA, with an original closing date of August 25, 2021, and awards anticipated by no later than September 30, 2022. Awards made with FY21 funds were expected to remain available for use only within the period allowed for those fiscal-year funds, with the note that FY21 funds would expire for use on September 30, 2027.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Scleroderma, Idea Development Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 14, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 25, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 21 SRP IDA

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