Naval Medical Research Center: Research and Development of Protective Vaccines and Other Countermeasures Against Infectious Disease Agents of Military Importance | N62645 PA 17 1

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled: "Naval Medical Research Center: Research and Development of Protective Vaccines and Other Countermeasures Against Infectious Disease Agents of Military Importance."

2) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is N62645 PA 17 1.

3) Which government organizations are involved?

This is a Department of Defense opportunity issued by the Naval Medical Logistics Command on behalf of the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Infectious Diseases Directorate (IDD-NMRC).

4) What is the main purpose of this award?

The purpose is to support large-scale research and development to help protect U.S. military forces from infectious disease threats, with an emphasis on advancing and evaluating preventive tools (especially vaccines) and therapeutic countermeasures for pathogens relevant to deployed personnel.

5) Is this intended to fund a single narrow research project?

No. The award is structured to support an organization that can provide broad, hands-on support to strengthen and accelerate IDD-NMRC infectious disease research programs rather than a single narrowly defined project.

6) What types of outcomes or products is the work expected to support?

The supported work is expected to contribute to the pipeline of candidate vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, or other medical countermeasures, including preclinical and clinical evaluation activities to assess safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness.

7) What is the funding mechanism (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity is a cooperative agreement, not a traditional grant.

8) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

It means the government, through IDD-NMRC, is expected to have substantial involvement in planning and executing the work. The recipient is expected to collaborate closely with IDD-NMRC on research plans, study implementation, coordination of resources, and program management, typically involving frequent technical coordination and shared responsibility for milestones and deliverables.

9) What scientific areas and pathogens are prioritized?

The scientific scope is broad and focused on infectious agents of military importance. Priority areas include malaria (Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax), bacterial causes of infectious diarrhea, rickettsial pathogens, and emerging and re-emerging viral threats.

10) Which viral threats are specifically called out?

The opportunity specifically lists dengue, MERS-CoV, chikungunya, Zika, and novel influenza viruses.

11) Does the opportunity address antimicrobial resistance?

Yes. It highlights the growing threat of multi-drug resistant bacteria and the need for countermeasures that remain effective as antimicrobial resistance increases.

12) What kinds of activities may be supported (preclinical vs. clinical)?

The description anticipates both preclinical and clinical evaluation activities to assess candidate countermeasures, including work related to safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness.

13) Are clinical trials included in the scope?

Yes. The announcement explicitly includes clinical trials logistics support, including compensation for research subjects, indicating that human studies may be a meaningful component of the supported work.

14) What types of support is the award designed to provide?

The award is structured around enabling capacity, including manpower, materiel, and clinical trial support.

15) What personnel roles does the opportunity anticipate funding?

The opportunity indicates funding may support personnel who augment government-led research efforts, including scientists, research associates, research assistants, laboratory aides, nurses, clinical trials staff, program managers, and technicians.

16) What does "materiel" support include?

Materiel support includes research supplies and equipment needed to conduct laboratory and field studies.

17) Does the opportunity specify any compliance expectations for clinical research?

It states that the recipient must be capable of operating in compliance with applicable clinical research and regulatory requirements, particularly because clinical trials logistics and human subject compensation are included.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is open to a broad range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility details contained in the full announcement.

19) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

20) Is this a discretionary grant opportunity?

Yes. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary.

21) What is the CFDA number?

The CFDA number is 12.340.

22) How many awards does the government anticipate making?

The government anticipated making a single award.

23) What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $27,700,000.

24) What does the size and single-award structure suggest about the program?

Based on the stated ceiling and the expectation of a single award, the opportunity reflects a sizable, centralized effort intended to consolidate broad R and D support under one primary partner organization to expand NMRC capability across multiple infectious disease priorities.

25) When was the announcement created?

The announcement was created on June 21, 2017.

26) What was the original closing date?

The original closing date was July 21, 2017.

27) What is the overarching mission context for the work?

The work is framed around military readiness and force health protection, aiming to reduce operational and public health risks from infectious disease threats to deployed personnel.

28) What kind of relationship is expected between the recipient and IDD-NMRC?

The recipient is expected to work collaboratively with IDD-NMRC, aligning capabilities with NMRC mission needs through joint planning, coordination, and shared accountability for technical progress, milestones, and deliverables.

29) Is the opportunity focused only on vaccines?

No. While preventive tools (especially vaccines) are emphasized, the opportunity also supports therapeutic countermeasures and a broader set of medical countermeasures, potentially including diagnostics, across multiple high-priority pathogens.

30) What types of study settings are implied (lab, field, or both)?

The description indicates support for laboratory and field studies through funded research supplies and equipment, and it also includes clinical trials logistics, implying a continuum from lab work to clinical evaluation.