Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 15 001
Apply for RFA CA 15 001
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment Technologies for Global Health (UH2/UH3)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 24, 2014 and posted on Nov 24, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 6, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
Cancer Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment Technologies for Global Health (UH2/UH3) (RFA-CA-15-001) is an NIH funding opportunity focused on turning promising health technologies into practical cancer tools that can realistically be used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The core idea is not to fund basic cancer biology, but to support the adaptation, application, and validation of existing or emerging technologies so they become a new generation of low-cost, user-friendly devices or assays. These tools are expected to be clinically comparable to technologies commonly used in higher-resource settings, but redesigned to fit the real constraints of LMIC healthcare environments, such as limited infrastructure, staffing, supply chains, and budgets. The FOA spans cancer imaging, in vitro detection and diagnosis, prevention, and treatment technologies intended for human use in LMIC settings.
The award uses a phased innovation cooperative agreement mechanism (UH2/UH3), which is structured to reduce risk and force clear progress before larger-scale support begins. Applicants are expected to start with something tangible: a working assay or prototype already exists at the time of application, although it does not have to be cancer-specific yet. The first phase, UH2, is an exploratory feasibility stage. During UH2, teams must demonstrate technical functionality and credible clinical potential specifically for LMIC use, and they must meet defined performance milestones. These milestones are a central feature of the FOA, because they determine whether the project is eligible to move forward.
Projects that successfully hit their UH2 milestones can be considered for transition to the UH3 phase. This transition is not automatic; it is an administrative review step led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), who then prioritize which projects advance. The UH3 phase is the validation stage, supporting further improvements, field-relevant optimization, and validation of the technology in LMIC settings. In other words, UH2 is meant to prove the concept works and could matter clinically, while UH3 is meant to prove it can perform reliably and comparably in real-world LMIC conditions.
Because moving a technology into practical clinical use in LMICs requires more than engineering, the FOA emphasizes multidisciplinary teams. Each applicant team is expected to include expertise across engineering or assay/treatment development, oncology, global healthcare delivery, and business development. The inclusion of business development signals that NIH is looking for technologies that have a plausible route to scaling, manufacturing, distribution, servicing, regulatory or policy alignment, and sustainable adoption, not just a one-off pilot tool.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH staff are expected to have substantial involvement compared with a standard grant. The opportunity anticipated around six awards, with an estimated total funding level of about $3,000,000 and an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement listed. The CFDA program areas include technological innovations to improve human health and cancer detection/diagnosis/treatment research (93.286, 93.394, 93.395).
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. organization types (universities, nonprofits, small businesses, for-profit entities, state/local/tribal governments, school districts, and others) as well as non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions. Foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are permitted, reflecting the global-health focus and the expectation that meaningful LMIC validation may require on-the-ground partnerships and study sites.
Key logistics from the posted record include a posted date of November 24, 2014, with an original (and listed current) closing date of March 6, 2015, and an archive date of April 6, 2015. The full announcement was hosted through NIH Grants, with support contacts routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for access or linking issues.
FAQs: Cancer Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment Technologies for Global Health (UH2/UH3) (RFA-CA-15-001)
What is this funding opportunity trying to support?
This NIH funding opportunity supports the adaptation, application, and validation of promising health technologies so they can become practical, low-cost cancer detection, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment tools that can realistically be used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The emphasis is on technologies that can work under LMIC constraints such as limited infrastructure, staffing, supply chains, and budgets.
Is this opportunity focused on basic cancer biology research?
No. The core intent is not to fund basic cancer biology. It is focused on translating existing or emerging technologies into user-friendly devices or assays intended for human use in LMIC healthcare environments.
What types of technologies or projects are in scope?
The FOA spans cancer imaging, in vitro detection and diagnosis, prevention technologies, and treatment technologies. The tools are intended for human use in LMIC settings.
Do projects need to be cancer-specific at the time of application?
Not necessarily. Applicants are expected to start with something tangible (a working assay or prototype already exists at the time of application), but the starting technology does not have to be cancer-specific yet.
What is the award mechanism used for this opportunity?
The FOA uses a phased innovation cooperative agreement mechanism (UH2/UH3). This structure is designed to reduce risk and require clear progress before larger-scale support begins.
What is the UH2 phase meant to accomplish?
UH2 is an exploratory feasibility stage. During UH2, teams are expected to demonstrate technical functionality and credible clinical potential specifically for LMIC use, and to meet defined performance milestones.
Why are milestones so important in this FOA?
Performance milestones are central because they are used to determine whether the project is eligible to be considered for transition from UH2 to UH3. The FOA is structured to force measurable progress before validation-stage support is provided.
Is transition from UH2 to UH3 automatic?
No. Transition is not automatic. Projects that meet their UH2 milestones can be considered for transition, but the move to UH3 occurs through an administrative review led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), who then prioritize which projects advance.
What is the UH3 phase meant to accomplish?
UH3 is the validation stage. It supports further improvements, field-relevant optimization, and validation of the technology in LMIC settings. The goal is to show the technology can perform reliably and comparably in real-world LMIC conditions.
What does "clinically comparable" mean in the context of this FOA?
The FOA expects technologies to be clinically comparable to those commonly used in higher-resource settings, but redesigned to fit LMIC realities (for example, limited infrastructure, staffing, supply chains, and budgets).
What kind of team does NIH expect for this opportunity?
The FOA emphasizes multidisciplinary teams. Each team is expected to include expertise spanning engineering or assay/treatment development, oncology, global healthcare delivery, and business development.
Why is business development expertise emphasized?
The FOA signals that NIH is looking for technologies with a plausible path to scaling and sustainable adoption. That includes considerations such as manufacturing, distribution, servicing, and alignment with regulatory or policy needs, rather than producing a one-off pilot tool.
Is this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?
This is a cooperative agreement, which means NIH staff are expected to have substantial involvement compared with a standard grant.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated funding level?
The opportunity anticipated around six awards, with an estimated total funding level of about $3,000,000.
What is the maximum award amount mentioned for this opportunity?
The posted record lists an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed in the information provided.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. It includes many U.S. organization types (such as universities, nonprofits, small businesses, for-profit entities, state/local/tribal governments, school districts, and others) as well as non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions.
Are foreign components or foreign institutions allowed?
Yes. Foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are permitted. This aligns with the global-health focus and the expectation that LMIC validation may require on-the-ground partnerships and study sites.
Which NIH institutes were involved in the UH2 to UH3 transition review?
The transition review is led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).
What were the key dates listed for the opportunity?
The posted date was November 24, 2014. The listed closing date was March 6, 2015 (shown as both original and current). The archive date was April 6, 2015.
Where was the full announcement hosted, and who was listed for support?
The full announcement was hosted through NIH Grants. Support contacts for access or linking issues were routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
Which CFDA program areas were associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA program areas listed include technological innovations to improve human health and cancer detection/diagnosis/treatment research: 93.286, 93.394, and 93.395.
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| BRAIN Initiative Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (STTR) (R41/R42) Apply for PAR 15 090 Funding Number: PAR 15 090 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (SBIR) (R43/R44) Apply for PAR 15 091 Funding Number: PAR 15 091 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploratory/Developmental Grants Program for Basic Cancer Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R21) Apply for PAR 15 092 Funding Number: PAR 15 092 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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