Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 RTRP IIRA
The FY20 DoD Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to support innovative, investigator-driven studies that can meaningfully advance reconstructive transplantation research and ultimately improve patient care and quality of life. While the mechanism is meant to enable bold and potentially field-shifting ideas, proposals are still expected to rest on a strong scientific foundation and show clear, practical relevance to military medicine. The program explicitly encourages multi-institutional teamwork, particularly collaborations that bring together clinicians and research scientists, and it also encourages partnership with military researchers and clinicians when possible.
A central expectation is that the proposed work is methodologically rigorous and realistically translatable. Applicants need to lay out a clear study design with attention to feasibility, reproducibility, and pathways to translation. Where it makes sense for the project, the application should include a statistical analysis plan and a power analysis to justify sample sizes and ensure the study is capable of producing interpretable results. The program is looking for research that does not just ask interesting questions, but is designed in a way that can credibly answer them and support follow-on development.
Impact is another major review pillar. Applicants are expected to clearly explain both the near-term value of the work (for example, what specific knowledge or capability it will generate) and the long-term payoff (such as how it could change reconstructive transplant practice, improve functional outcomes, reduce complications, or enhance quality of life). Projects must align with at least one of the FY20 RTRP Focus Areas, meaning the proposal needs to fit within the program priorities for that year rather than being broadly related to transplantation in a general sense.
Military relevance is not optional. Projects must be responsive to the real healthcare needs of Service members and/or Veterans recovering from traumatic injuries, and may also address needs affecting their families, caregivers, or clinicians, as well as the broader public. In practice, this means the application should make a concrete case for why the work matters in a military or Veteran context, such as addressing combat-related trauma, improving rehabilitation and long-term outcomes, or reducing burdens associated with complex reconstructive care. The announcement notes that collaboration with military clinical and research partners is encouraged as a way to strengthen relevance and increase the likelihood that findings can be implemented in DoD or VA-related care settings.
The award also requires preliminary support for the research idea. The program recognizes that early insights can come from different sources, including lab discoveries, population-based studies, clinical experience, or even anecdotal observations. Even so, applications must include preliminary and/or published data relevant to reconstructive transplantation that support the scientific rationale and justify why the proposed approach is likely to work. In other words, the program is open to novel directions, but not to purely speculative concepts without grounding evidence.
In terms of what kinds of studies are allowed, the IIRA supports research across the spectrum from basic science through translational work. This includes preclinical studies (including animal models), studies involving human subjects or human anatomical substances, and correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial. However, new clinical trials are explicitly not permitted under this opportunity. The announcement defines a clinical trial as research in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (including placebo or controls) to evaluate the effects on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes, and proposals fitting that definition would be considered out of scope.
A distinctive feature of this mechanism is the Multiple PI option, which allows up to four Principal Investigators. One PI is designated the Initiating PI and is responsible for most submission-related administrative duties, while the others serve as Partnering PIs with their own submission requirements. Importantly, the intent is not to add names for formality; all PIs are expected to substantially contribute to developing key components such as the project narrative and statement of work. If selected for funding, each PI is named on an individual award within their organization, which supports genuine multi-institutional collaboration rather than forcing everything under a single institution.
Administratively, the opportunity is run through the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA) under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-20-RTRP-IIRA and is offered as discretionary funding using either grants or cooperative agreements. Eligibility is broadly open (unrestricted, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement). The posting lists an expected six awards, with an original application closing date of November 12, 2020. The source entry lists an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that applicants need to consult the full announcement for budget limits or that the ceiling is not specified in the summarized dataset.Apply for W81XWH 20 RTRP IIRA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Reconstructive Transplant, Investigator- Initiated Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 10, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 12, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: FY20 DoD Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)
What is the FY20 RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)?
The FY20 DoD Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity intended to support innovative, investigator-driven studies that advance reconstructive transplantation research with the goal of improving patient care and quality of life.
Which Department of Defense office runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered through the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-20-RTRP-IIRA.
What type of funding instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This is discretionary funding and may be awarded using either grants or cooperative agreements.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The posting lists an expectation of six awards.
When was the application due?
The original application closing date listed for this opportunity was November 12, 2020.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broadly open (unrestricted), subject to any additional clarifications or requirements that may appear in the full announcement.
What kind of research does the IIRA support?
The IIRA supports reconstructive transplantation research across a range from basic science through translational work. Examples specifically mentioned include preclinical studies (including animal models), studies involving human subjects or human anatomical substances, and correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial.
Are new clinical trials allowed under this award?
No. New clinical trials are explicitly not permitted under this opportunity.
How does the announcement define a clinical trial for purposes of determining what is out of scope?
A clinical trial is defined as research in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (including placebo or controls) to evaluate the effects on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes. Proposals that fit this definition would be considered out of scope.
Do projects need to align with specific program priorities?
Yes. Projects must align with at least one of the FY20 RTRP Focus Areas, meaning the proposal must fit within that year's program priorities (not just be generally related to transplantation).
How important is military relevance in the review?
Military relevance is required. Projects must be responsive to real healthcare needs of Service members and/or Veterans recovering from traumatic injuries. The announcement also notes projects may address needs affecting families, caregivers, or clinicians, as well as the broader public, but the military or Veteran relevance must be clearly made.
What are examples of how an applicant might justify military relevance based on the announcement?
The opportunity highlights relevance such as addressing combat-related trauma, improving rehabilitation and long-term outcomes, and reducing burdens associated with complex reconstructive care in DoD or VA-related settings.
Does the program encourage collaboration?
Yes. The program explicitly encourages multi-institutional teamwork, especially collaborations that bring together clinicians and research scientists. Partnership with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged when possible.
Is collaboration with military clinical or research partners required?
The announcement states it is encouraged, not required, but it is presented as a way to strengthen relevance and increase the likelihood that findings can be implemented in DoD or VA-related care settings.
What is the Multiple PI option and how many PIs can be included?
The mechanism includes a Multiple PI option that allows up to four Principal Investigators.
What is the difference between the Initiating PI and Partnering PIs?
One PI is designated as the Initiating PI and is responsible for most submission-related administrative duties. The other PIs serve as Partnering PIs and have their own submission requirements.
Can investigators add PIs just to show collaboration on paper?
The intent is not to add names for formality. All PIs are expected to substantially contribute to developing key components such as the project narrative and the statement of work.
If selected for funding, is there one award or multiple awards for a multi-institution team?
If selected, each PI is named on an individual award within their organization. This structure supports multi-institutional collaboration without forcing the entire effort under a single institution.
What level of methodological detail is expected in the application?
The program expects methodologically rigorous and realistically translatable work. Applicants are expected to present a clear study design with attention to feasibility, reproducibility, and pathways to translation.
Is a statistical analysis plan or power analysis required?
Where it makes sense for the project, the application should include a statistical analysis plan and a power analysis to justify sample sizes and ensure results are interpretable.
What does the program mean by "translatable" research?
Based on the announcement, translatable research is work with realistic pathways to translation, designed to credibly answer the research questions and support follow-on development, with practical relevance to military medicine.
What kind of "impact" is the program looking for?
Impact is a major review pillar. Applicants are expected to explain both near-term value (what specific knowledge or capability the work will generate) and long-term payoff (how it could change reconstructive transplant practice, improve functional outcomes, reduce complications, or enhance quality of life).
Is preliminary evidence required?
Yes. Applications must include preliminary and/or published data relevant to reconstructive transplantation to support the scientific rationale and justify why the proposed approach is likely to work.
What sources of preliminary support are acceptable according to the announcement?
The program recognizes early insights can come from lab discoveries, population-based studies, clinical experience, or anecdotal observations, but the application must still include preliminary and/or published data relevant to reconstructive transplantation.
Are purely speculative ideas allowed if they are innovative?
No. The program is open to novel directions, but not to purely speculative concepts without grounding evidence.
Does the award focus only on science, or also on practical relevance?
Both. While it is intended to enable bold, potentially field-shifting ideas, proposals are expected to have a strong scientific foundation and clear practical relevance to military medicine.
What is the listed award ceiling for this opportunity?
The source entry lists an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates applicants need to consult the full announcement for budget limits or that the ceiling is not specified in the summarized dataset.
Where should applicants look for definitive budget limits and detailed requirements?
Because the summary indicates the award ceiling is not specified (or is listed as 0), applicants are expected to consult the full announcement for budget limits and any additional administrative or program requirements.
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