Promoting Partnerships To Improve Veterans’ Health

The FY18 Defense Appropriation provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program (OPORP) to support research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes for Service members and Veterans who have undergone limb amputation.  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 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation 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).

The OPORP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY18 OPORP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in June 2018.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

OPORP awards are focused on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of prosthetic and orthotic device options currently available, not on the development of new or the improvement of existing technology.  The intent of the awards is to generate clinically useful evidence that will enhance and optimize patient outcomes.

Focus Areas:  The OPORP will only consider applications that specifically address the critical needs of the Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes research community in one or more of the FY18 Focus Areas.  The OPORP will solicit research applications that address at least one of the following FY18 Focus Areas:

• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Form:  Understand patient outcomes through the analysis and characterization of variables related to the form of currently available clinical options such as device size, shape, material, and/or configurations.
• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Fit:  Understand patient outcomes related to human-device interface and component connection through the analysis of variables in currently available clinical options that facilitate fit-related metrics such as comfort and/or usability.
• Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Function:  Understand patient outcomes through the analysis of variables related to currently available device function such as device control, sensors, and passive or active response with respect to activities of daily living and other real-world activities.

http://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2018/18oporppreann

Clinical Research Award

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• Funding Level 1 may support pilot research that has the potential to make significant advancement towards clinical translation. Preliminary data are allowed but not required.
• Funding Level 2 is supported by preliminary data and has the potential to make significant impact towards clinical translation.
• Animal studies are not allowed.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• Funding Level 1:
• • Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
• Funding Level 2:
• • Maximum funding of $1.5M for total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Clinical Trial Award

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent

• Funding Level 1 may support pilot clinical trials for exploratory studies involving limited human exposure with the potential to make significant advancement towards clinical translation. Preliminary data are allowed but not required.
• Funding Level 2 supports rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to make significant impacts on improving the health and well-being of Service members, Veterans, and other individuals with limb deficit.

• Preclinical research is not allowed.
• Funding Level 1:
• • Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

• Funding Level 2:
• • Maximum funding of $2.5M for total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 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 Announcements 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 USAMRMC 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 Announcements are 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 OPORP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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