Research in Prevention and Treatment of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Office of Naval Research (ONR), through its Biomedical and Biological Division within the Warfighter Performance Department (Code 342), offered this grant opportunity to support research aimed at preventing and treating Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). The announcement invites both short white papers (used as pre-proposals) and full proposals covering multiple stages of research and development. The overall intent is to generate scientific and technical advances that can reduce the burden of NIHL, a problem that is especially relevant to military environments where personnel can be exposed to hazardous noise from weapons systems, aircraft, ships, vehicles, and industrial operations.

The program scope is broad and is designed to accommodate basic research, applied research, and selected advanced technology development (ATD). In practical terms, that means ONR was open to proposals ranging from early-stage investigations into biological mechanisms and protective pathways, through more mature translational work that could inform interventions, diagnostics, therapies, or protective strategies. The announcement also clarifies how different categories of work are funded within Department of Defense research budget activities: basic research is associated with Budget Activity 1, applied research with Budget Activity 2 (especially when performed on a university campus), and advanced technology development with Budget Activity 3. This matters because the funding category influences award instruments, oversight expectations, and potential publication or dissemination constraints.

A major feature of the opportunity is its treatment of fundamental research and publication restrictions. ONR states it will follow the Department of Defense guidance on "contracted fundamental research" described in the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) memorandum dated June 26, 2008, along with the principles in National Security Decision Directive 189. For unclassified fundamental research, ONR indicates it generally will not restrict how the research is conducted or how results are reported, unless a law, regulation, or Executive Order requires otherwise. This is important for academic teams that need the ability to publish findings and train students. By contrast, projects categorized as ATD may be more sensitive and may require restrictions during performance and Department of Defense pre-publication review of results, reflecting the possibility that the work could involve capabilities, systems, or information with operational implications.

The opportunity was issued as a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under Funding Opportunity Number ONRBAA09-006, titled "Research in Prevention and Treatment of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)." It is listed under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and associated with CFDA 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research). The announcement specifies that there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for applicants that might not have discretionary funds available to meet a mandatory match.

In terms of award mechanisms, ONR indicated multiple possible funding instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction-like instruments (as applicable), and procurement contracts. This mix signals flexibility in how ONR intended to structure relationships with performers. In general, the announcement notes that fundamental research is typically awarded as grants to universities and as contracts to industry, while ATD is typically supported through contracts, reflecting the more deliverable-driven nature of technology maturation and the potential need for tighter control over sensitive technical outputs.

Eligibility is described as essentially open to all responsible sources in academia and industry, meaning universities, nonprofits, and companies could all submit, provided they meet the standard responsibility requirements for federal awards. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) are explicitly encouraged to apply and to partner with others, although the announcement makes clear that no portion of the funding is formally set aside for them. Several categories of organizations are not eligible to receive awards directly under this BAA, including Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), Department of Energy national laboratories, Navy laboratories and warfare centers, and other federal laboratories (Department of Defense or civilian). However, the BAA allows these organizations to participate through teaming arrangements with eligible prime applicants, as long as such participation is permitted under the organizations' sponsoring agreements. The intent is to ensure the prime award goes to eligible non-federal entities while still allowing collaboration with federal labs and FFRDCs when appropriate.

The timeline information included in the source data shows the opportunity was posted on January 6, 2009, with an original closing date of February 20, 2009, later extended to a current closing date of June 1, 2009, and an archive date of July 1, 2009. This kind of extension is common for BAAs, where the agency may keep a solicitation open longer to broaden participation or to allow more time for white paper review and subsequent full proposal development.

Finally, the announcement provides an access path to additional ONR BAAs and includes a business point of contact for help accessing the full announcement electronically (Mike Evonick). Overall, this solicitation is best understood as a flexible research and development call focused on NIHL, supporting both discovery-driven science and, where appropriate, later-stage technology development, while clearly spelling out how ONR will handle fundamental research openness versus the potential sensitivities associated with advanced technology development.

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