Opportunity Information: Apply for HT942526NFRPSIA
The FY26 Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Synergistic Idea Award (SIA) is a Department of Defense-sponsored grant opportunity administered through the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA). It is designed to fund new and innovative neurofibromatosis (NF) research ideas that are intentionally built around collaboration. The key emphasis is on synergy: the proposed project should be stronger and more compelling because it is being pursued by a small team of investigators who bring genuinely complementary expertise, perspectives, or technical capabilities to a shared NF research problem. The opportunity sits in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 12.420) and uses a traditional grant funding instrument.
A defining requirement of this award is that the research team must consist of either two or three Principal Investigators (PIs). Rather than a single-lab project with minor collaborators, this mechanism expects a true partnership where each PI plays an essential role in tackling a central scientific question or problem in NF. The investigators are expected to explain clearly why their combined approach is synergistic, meaning the collaboration creates added value beyond what each PI could accomplish independently. In practice, that often means integrating different disciplines or methods, such as pairing clinical insight with mechanistic biology, combining computational approaches with experimental validation, or linking therapeutic development with biomarker work. The application should make the case that the partnership is necessary to achieve the proposed aims and that responsibilities are meaningfully distributed across the team.
The award also has a distinctive administrative structure. One investigator is designated as the Initiating PI, and this person is responsible for most of the administrative coordination tied to the application submission. The other investigator(s) are designated as Partnering PI(s). Importantly, each PI is formally recognized as a PI under this opportunity, and each PI must submit a separate application package, even if all PIs are based at the same institution. Each PI also receives an individual award, which underscores that this is not a single award with subawards, but a coordinated set of linked awards that together support one collaborative project. Applicants should be prepared to align their submissions carefully so that the separate applications read as parts of a single integrated plan with consistent aims, timelines, and collaborative workflows.
From a scientific readiness standpoint, the SIA is not intended for purely speculative concepts with no grounding evidence. Applications must include preliminary data and/or published data that is relevant to NF and directly connected to the proposed work. That requirement signals that the program is looking for bold, synergistic ideas that are still anchored in credible feasibility. Teams should be ready to show that their concept is informed by existing NF-related observations and that the proposed next steps are realistic within the grant period, while still being innovative enough to justify the “new ideas” framing of the mechanism.
In terms of basic logistics and competitiveness, the opportunity number is HT942526NFRPSIA, the program anticipates making a small number of awards (expected awards: 2), and eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning there are no special applicant-type limitations stated in the summary provided. The original closing date is September 22, 2026. The notice lists an award ceiling field, but no dollar amount is provided in the supplied source text, so prospective applicants would need to consult the full funding announcement for budget limits, period of performance, allowable costs, and any requirements specific to DoD medical research awards. Overall, this opportunity is best suited for NF researchers who already have some supporting evidence and who can form a tightly integrated two- or three-PI team capable of addressing an NF research question through a coordinated, cross-cutting strategy.Apply for HT942526NFRPSIA
- The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoW Neurofibromatosis Synergistic Idea 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 2026-06-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-22. (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 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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FY26 Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Synergistic Idea Award (SIA) - FAQs
What is the FY26 NFRP Synergistic Idea Award (SIA)?
The FY26 Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Synergistic Idea Award (SIA) is a Department of Defense-sponsored grant opportunity administered through the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA). It is intended to support new and innovative neurofibromatosis (NF) research ideas that are deliberately designed around collaboration and synergy among a small team of investigators.
What is the main purpose or emphasis of this award?
The defining emphasis is synergy. The project should be stronger and more compelling specifically because it is pursued by a small team whose members bring genuinely complementary expertise, perspectives, or technical capabilities. The application is expected to clearly explain why the collaboration creates added value beyond what each investigator could accomplish independently.
What kind of research does this funding opportunity support?
This opportunity supports neurofibromatosis (NF) research within the science and technology research and development category. It is designed for innovative ideas that are anchored in relevant evidence (preliminary and/or published NF-related data) and that can be executed through a coordinated, collaborative approach.
Is this award intended for single-investigator projects with minor collaborators?
No. This mechanism expects a true partnership, not a single-lab project with minor collaborators. Each Principal Investigator (PI) is expected to play an essential role in addressing a central NF scientific question or problem, with responsibilities meaningfully distributed across the team.
How many Principal Investigators (PIs) are required on the research team?
The research team must consist of either two or three Principal Investigators (PIs). This is a defining requirement of the award.
What does "synergy" mean in the context of this award?
Synergy means that the collaboration produces outcomes, capabilities, or scientific strength that would not be achievable by the investigators working independently. Applications should explain how combining complementary strengths makes the overall approach more powerful or compelling than separate efforts.
What are examples of synergistic collaborations (as described in the opportunity summary)?
The summary describes synergy as often involving integration of different disciplines or methods, such as pairing clinical insight with mechanistic biology, combining computational approaches with experimental validation, or linking therapeutic development with biomarker work. These examples illustrate the kind of complementary teaming the program expects.
Does the award have a specific administrative PI role?
Yes. One investigator is designated as the Initiating PI and is responsible for most of the administrative coordination tied to application submission. The other investigator(s) are designated as Partnering PI(s).
Are Partnering PIs formally recognized as PIs under this mechanism?
Yes. Each investigator on the team is formally recognized as a PI under this opportunity.
Do all PIs need to submit an application, or is there one application for the team?
Each PI must submit a separate application package, even if all PIs are based at the same institution. The separate submissions should align closely so that they read as parts of a single integrated collaborative plan.
Is this structured as one award with subawards to partners?
No. Each PI receives an individual award. The opportunity is described as a coordinated set of linked awards supporting one collaborative project, rather than a single award that issues subawards.
How should the team handle consistency across separate PI submissions?
The opportunity indicates that teams should align their submissions carefully so the separate applications present consistent aims, timelines, and collaborative workflows and collectively reflect one integrated plan.
Is preliminary data required to apply?
Yes. Applications must include preliminary data and/or published data that is relevant to NF and directly connected to the proposed work.
Is this award meant for purely speculative ideas without supporting evidence?
No. The summary states the SIA is not intended for purely speculative concepts with no grounding evidence. The intent is to fund bold, synergistic ideas that are still anchored in credible feasibility.
What does the preliminary or published data need to relate to?
The data must be relevant to neurofibromatosis (NF) and directly connected to the proposed work, signaling feasibility and grounding the proposed idea in NF-related observations.
What is the funding instrument used for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a traditional grant funding instrument.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is HT942526NFRPSIA.
How many awards does the program expect to make?
The program anticipates making a small number of awards. The expected number of awards listed in the summary is 2.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted in the provided summary, meaning no special applicant-type limitations are stated there.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is September 22, 2026.
Is an award ceiling (maximum budget) provided in the summary?
An award ceiling field is referenced, but no dollar amount is provided in the supplied text. Prospective applicants would need to consult the full funding announcement for budget limits and related details.
Where can applicants find details on budget limits, period of performance, and allowable costs?
The summary indicates that applicants should consult the full funding announcement for budget limits, period of performance, allowable costs, and any requirements specific to Department of Defense medical research awards.
What category does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is in the science and technology research and development category and is identified with CFDA 12.420 in the summary.
What types of teams are best suited to this award based on the summary?
The opportunity is best suited for NF researchers who already have supporting evidence and who can form a tightly integrated two- or three-PI team capable of addressing an NF research question through a coordinated, cross-cutting strategy.
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