Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
and Human Services (HHS)
May 26, 2021
OTA-21-008 - Data Generation Projects for the NIH Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI) Program (OT2)
Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund)
This Notice announces the publication of a new Research Opportunity Announcement (ROA), Data Generation Projects for the NIH Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI) Program, and the key dates for submitting Letters of Intent (LOI) and full proposals. The ROA was released on the NIH Common Fund website.
Data Generation Project Letter of Intent (LOI) Due Date (Required): July 20, 2021
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time): August 20, 2021
The Bridge2AI Program seeks to bridge the biomedical and behavioral research communities with the rapidly growing community of experts developing AI/ML models by producing flagship datasets that adhere to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reproducible) and critically integrate ethical considerations in preparing data for computation. The program will use biomedical and behavioral research grand challenges to drive the development of ethics, standards, tools, data sets, and skills and workforce development strategies for linking scientific workflows, protocols, and other information about the data collection process into computable knowledge. Data sets may be linked to existing clinical, environmental and surveillance data as required by the chosen grand challenges. The overall goal of the Bridge2AI Program is to generate flagship datasets and best practices for the collection and preparation of AI/ML-ready data to address biomedical and behavioral research grand challenges. The Bridge2AI program will require multiple scientific domains to come together with data science, data management and analytic experts to unlock the potential of AI/ML for the scientific community.
Planned objectives of the Bridge2AI program include: 1) New biomedical and behavioral datasets, which are ethically sourced, trustworthy, well-defined and accessible; 2) Software to standardize data attributes across multiple data sources and across data types (establishing new standards as needed); 3) Automated tools to assist the creation of FAIR and ethically sourced datasets (e.g.: through intelligent workflows, sensorized instruments, etc.); 4) Resources to disseminate data, ethical guidance, tools and best practices; and, 5) Cross-training materials and activities for workforce development that bridges the AI/ML and biomedical/behavioral research communities. Completion of these objectives will establish a culture for rigorously generating FAIR, credible, ethical and generalizable data which will enable AI/ML methods to address key biomedical and behavioral grand challenge problems.
Applications submitted in response to this ROA may not duplicate or be substantially similar to other applications concurrently under consideration by other programs or study sections of the NIH or other federal agencies, including those in response to NIH investigator-initiated ‘parent’ Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). Duplicate or substantially similar applications will not be reviewed.
Award Information
The planned budget for this effort is approximately $96 million over a 4-year period. NIH anticipates making 5-8 data generation awards. However, NIH Common Fund procedures and OT mechanisms allow for significant flexibilities and adjustments as may be necessary to pursue catalytic and transformative initiatives. Award levels may increase or decrease over time based on programmatic needs, funding availability, and recipient performance. Each proposed Module may be combined with Modules from other data generation projects in the final awards to create the Bridge2AI Consortium. In addition to the due date given above, additional due dates may be made available in the future and will be announced by posting on the program website.
Eligibility Information
Who May Submit Proposals:
Successful applicants may or may not have received NIH funding in the past. All entities public and private, small or large, for-profit or not-for-profit, are eligible to apply. Unaffiliated individuals who are U.S. citizens are also eligible to apply.
Who May Serve as PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Additional Eligibility Info:
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Applicants) are eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.)
components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components are allowed.
The following entities are eligible to apply under this ROA:
Higher Education Institutions
• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education
The following types of Higher Education Institutions are strongly encouraged to apply for NIH support
along with Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
For-Profit Organizations
• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)
Governments
• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession Other
• Independent School Districts
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations.
Proposal Limit:
Proposals submitted in response to this ROA may not duplicate or be substantially similar to other proposals concurrently under consideration by other programs or study sections of the NIH or other federal agencies. Duplicate or substantially similar proposals will not be reviewed.
Budgetary Information Cost Sharing Requirements:
Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:
Not Applicable
Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this ROA for further information, https://commonfund.nih.gov/sites/default/files/OT2-Data-Generation-Projects-B2AI-051321-508.pdf.
Please direct all inquiries to the Bridge2AI program staff who will respond to inquiries sent to this email: bridge2AI@od.nih.gov.