DoD Breast Cancer Multi Team Award | Apply Online

DoD Breast Cancer Multi Team Award (BCRP MTA) - FAQs

What is the DoD Breast Cancer Multi Team Award (BCRP MTA)?

The Breast Cancer Multi Team Award (MTA) is a Department of the Army funding opportunity under the DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP). It is designed to advance breast cancer research by supporting a single, tightly integrated project carried out by three coordinated research teams that work together intensively across disciplines.

What is the core purpose of this award mechanism?

The award is built to promote consistent, high-level collaboration rather than three loosely connected projects. It aims to reshape how the research is done, speed translation into patient impact, and open new directions where the field may not yet have established paradigms, standard methods, or technical frameworks.

How many research teams are required?

Three coordinated research teams are required. The project is expected to function as one integrated effort with continuous interaction across all teams.

Who leads each team?

Each team must be led by a Principal Investigator (PI). The three PIs are expected to share real intellectual ownership of the overall project and jointly develop both the research plan and the collaboration/management approach.

What disciplines must be represented among the three PIs?

The PI group must include: (1) a basic scientist, (2) a clinician, and (3) a third PI from another relevant discipline (for example, epidemiology or a similarly appropriate area of expertise).

Are multiple institutions required?

Yes. At least two different institutions must be represented among the three PIs, encouraging cross-institutional coordination rather than a single-site effort.

What kind of research question should the project address?

The work must revolve around a major breast cancer question that is high impact and insufficiently addressed to date, especially in areas where established paradigms or standard methods may be missing. The program emphasizes broad, disease-level issues with real implications for prevention, prognosis, and risk management.

What kinds of topics are explicitly emphasized as examples?

The opportunity gives examples such as risk factors and tumor dormancy to illustrate the kind of broad, disease-level questions it is interested in supporting.

What kinds of projects are discouraged?

The program indicates the focus should not be limited to narrow, incremental work such as studying a single pathway or gene in isolation.

Is a clinical research component required?

Yes. The project must include a clinical research component, reinforcing the expectation that the effort connects basic discovery to patient-oriented investigation.

Are clinical trials allowed under this award?

Yes. Clinical trials may be included.

How is collaboration expected to work in practice?

The award expects consistent, intensive teamwork across disciplines, with all teams actively engaged in planning, execution, problem-solving, and decision-making throughout the project period. The intent is continuous collaboration rather than independent workstreams that only connect at reporting time.

What is required regarding consumer advocate involvement?

Meaningful integration of breast cancer consumer advocates is required. Each PI-led team must include one or more consumer advocates who are active participants in planning, implementation, and collaboration management, not occasional advisors.

What roles can consumer advocates play in the project?

The announcement describes involvement spanning key functions such as shaping the research question, contributing to study design, helping oversee progress, supporting recruitment where relevant, and participating in evaluation.

How often should consumer advocates interact with the teams?

Interactions are expected to be ongoing and well-integrated. The opportunity notes that participation should not be limited to occasional attendance at presentations or periodic meetings.

Who qualifies as a consumer advocate for this award?

Consumer advocates must be lay representatives diagnosed with breast cancer, affiliated with a breast cancer advocacy organization, and acting independently of their employment. Even as lay representatives, they are expected to be well trained and familiar with current issues in breast cancer research.

Are there restrictions on consumer advocates being employees of applicant organizations?

Yes. Consumer advocates cannot be employees of any organization applying for the grant.

What are the required in-person meeting expectations?

Regular in-person multi-team meetings are required at least twice per year. These meetings must include all three PIs and key members of the teams, including consumer advocates.

Are remote meetings expected as well?

Yes. The award anticipates frequent remote meetings (for example, weekly) using teleconferencing or web-based tools to share data, track progress toward aims, and coordinate work in real time.

Is shared collaboration infrastructure required?

Yes. The announcement expects the creation of a shared server or equivalent infrastructure so that presentations and source data are accessible to all team members, supporting transparency and continuous collaboration.

Is cross-disciplinary training required?

Yes. Cross-disciplinary training is required and is described as not optional for this mechanism.

What exactly is required for cross-training?

At least two key members from each research team must spend time working in another collaborating team’s lab or clinical setting. This can be one extended visit lasting several weeks or multiple shorter visits, with the intent being hands-on exposure to the other discipline’s methods, constraints, and workflows.

Is a collaboration management plan required?

Yes. Applicants must present a clear, credible collaboration management plan describing how the teams will coordinate day to day, resolve problems, make decisions, and keep the effort aligned with milestones.

What does the announcement say about intellectual property (IP) and materials issues?

Participating institutions are expected to proactively address intellectual property and materials issues and remove institutional barriers that could limit cooperation.

What application elements are mentioned as required for organization and accountability?

The proposal should include an organizational chart clarifying roles, responsibilities, and workflow within and between labs and clinical settings. A required Statement of Work (SOW) must lay out specific milestones and describe how aims will be staged or integrated to reach those milestones.

What does the Statement of Work (SOW) need to emphasize?

The SOW should identify specific milestones, explain how aims will be staged or integrated to reach those milestones, and clearly identify key decision points, including how decisions affect downstream tasks and overall project success.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this award?

The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-10-BCRP-MTA.

What is the sponsoring agency?

The sponsoring agency is the Department of the Army through USAMRAA.

What is the CFDA listing for this program?

The CFDA listing is 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

What type of funding instrument is used?

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary Science and Technology / R&D program using a cooperative agreement or grant instrument.

How many awards were anticipated?

The program anticipated making about three awards.

What was the estimated total funding level?

The estimated total funding level was $23,000,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open broadly to entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 29, 2010.

What was the closing date for applications?

The original and current closing date was June 23, 2010.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was July 23, 2010.

Where can applicants get help with accessing the announcement or submitting an application?

The announcement provides contacts for assistance accessing the announcement and for submission support through CDMRP help resources.