DoW Melanoma Research Program Team Science Award

The FY26 Melanoma Research Program Team Science Award is a congressionally directed research funding opportunity designed to support multidisciplinary, hypothesis-driven projects that bring together at least two and up to three Principal Investigators to collaboratively address complex challenges in melanoma research and patient care. This mechanism requires joint design and execution of a single research project, with multi-institutional partnerships strongly encouraged; each PI will receive a separate award under the same project. Funding is limited to a maximum total cost of $2.1 million per award, with an anticipated $18.9 million available to fund approximately nine awards across a three-year performance period, and all awards must be obligated by September 30, 2027. Applicants must first submit a pre-application through the initiating PI, after which an invitation to submit a full application is required before proceeding. The full application must include a comprehensive set of attachments totaling up to 12 pages for the Project Narrative, five pages for the Statement of Work, one page for the Impact Statement, and two pages for the Research Collaboration Plan, among other required documents such as biographical sketches, current/pending support, and a Lay Abstract. Consumer collaboration with the melanoma patient community is encouraged but optional, and if pursued, must be detailed in a dedicated plan. All proposals are evaluated on five key factors: Research Strategy and Feasibility, Personnel and Collaboration, Impact, Post-Award Transition Plan, and Melanoma Consumer Collaboration Plan, with the first two carrying equal weight in the review. Selection is based on a best-value trade-off process that weighs scientific merit against programmatic alignment, not on lowest price. Applications must comply with federal regulations including inclusion of sex as a biological variable, ethical use of human subjects, and disclosure of foreign affiliations in accordance with NSPM-33. All applicant organizations must maintain an active UEI registration in SAM.gov, and clinical trials are explicitly prohibited. Proposals must align with specified FY26 focus areas and may not involve classified research or the use of military/VA clinical trial resources without proper collaboration agreements. Funding is administered through grants, not contracts, and is subject to federal oversight, reporting requirements, and post-award transition planning to ensure scientific progress translates into tangible benefits for Service Members, Veterans, and the broader patient population.