Key Dates
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) intends to publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for Biocontainment Facility Improvements and Building System Upgrades to Support Pandemic Preparedness. This program will focus on facility improvements and building systems upgrades at existing BSL3 and/or BSL4 biocontainment laboratories engaged in research on RNA viruses of pandemic potential to facilitate the advancement of vaccines and therapeutics. Biocontainment facility capacity and capability are critical to pandemic preparedness and response goals, as outlined in the American Pandemic Preparedness: Transforming Our Capabilities plan and the Antiviral Program for Pandemics (APP).
This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop responsive applications. The open FOA is expected to publish in March 2022 with applications due in April 2022.
NIAID is interested in ensuring biocontainment facilities are adequate to support research efforts directed toward therapeutics and vaccines against RNA virus families/orders of pandemic potential. The FOA will support facility improvements and building system upgrades for existing biocontainment facilities at institutions with multiple investigators researching countermeasures against multiple viral families/orders of pandemic potential. Among the 7 families/orders of interest, five have members that must be studied in biocontainment: Bunyavirales, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae. and Togaviridae.
These proposed facility enhancements are expected to add value to the applicant institution's research efforts relevant to pandemic preparedness by providing support for activities that cannot easily be obtained through standard research awards. This support should provide added value that goes beyond the resources, services and collaborations that currently exist at the institution. Applicant institutions must leverage a critical mass of investigators with demonstrated experience with RNA viruses relevant to pandemic preparedness efforts. The institutional ‘critical mass’ should be supported by cumulative data across all investigators from the most recent five-year period to include funding (NIH, US Government or other) and peer-reviewed publications describing the outcomes from research on relevant RNA viruses.
The FOA will support repair, renovation and modernization of building systems to enhance functions and operations of existing research facilities, i.e., renovating space or updating the facility’s HVAC, plumbing or electrical systems; equipment connected to building systems that modernizes, streamlines, or improves efficiencies of the operations of the facility, i.e., specialized autoclaves, glass washers, hoods, changing stations, downdraft tables, and biosafety cabinets; and building automation systems related to functioning of the facility.
Eligibility
Applicant organizations may only submit one application. Foreign (non-US) applications and foreign components will not be allowed. Applicant organizations must, at the time of application submission, operate a BSL3 or BSL4 biocontainment facility and have a current or previous permit by CDC/USDA to work on the identified agents of pandemic preparedness. All permits must be up to date at the time of award.
$37,000,000
NIAID anticipates funding up to 8 awards.
NIAID intends to cap awards at $7.5 million direct costs
93.855
Private Institution of Higher Education
Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)
Small Business
For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)
State Government
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)
County governments
Independent school districts
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization (Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
U.S. Territory or Possession
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity (Foreign Organization)
Regional Organization
Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
Applications are not being solicited at this time.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Gary Zackowitz, RA
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
240-627-3397
and Human Services (HHS)
