DoW Neurofibromatosis Synergistic Idea Award

The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity is soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year 2026 Neurofibromatosis Research Program Synergistic Idea Award, a research grant opportunity designed to support innovative, collaborative projects involving two or three Principal Investigators who bring complementary expertise to address a central challenge in neurofibromatosis research. Each team must include one Initiating PI responsible for administrative coordination and one or two Partnering PIs, with each individual submitting a separate application and receiving an individual award despite the collaborative nature of the work. Applications must include preliminary or published data relevant to neurofibromatosis and must demonstrate strong scientific synergy, a well-developed research strategy with feasible methods and adequate statistical power, and significant potential impact on NF research or patient care, particularly as aligned with the FY26 NFRP Areas of Emphasis. Funding is limited to a maximum total cost of $3.2 million per award, with approximately $6.4 million available overall to fund two such awards, and the period of performance may not exceed three years, though full funding may be requested even for shorter durations. All awards are funded with FY26 appropriations, which expire on September 30, 2032, and must be obligated no later than September 30, 2027. Submission follows a two-phase process beginning with a one-page Letter of Intent due September 8, 2026, through the eBRAP portal, followed by a full application due September 22, 2026. Extramural applicants must submit through Grants.gov, while intramural applicants use eBRAP; both require active registrations in SAM.gov, eBRAP.org, and Grants.gov, along with a Unique Entity Identifier. The full application consists of eleven mandatory attachments including a detailed Project Narrative (10 pages), Technical and Lay Abstracts, Synergy Statement, Statement of Work, Impact Statement, Research Sharing Plan, Biographical Sketches, Current/Pending Support documents, and Required Representations for Grants.gov submitters. Applications must comply with Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations and National Security Presidential Memorandum-33, mandating disclosure of foreign affiliations for all key personnel. No classified research is permitted, and any work involving human or animal subjects requires prior approval from the DHA R&D ORRC and relevant institutional review boards. Successful applicants must submit annual and final progress reports using the Research Performance Progress Report format, and organizations with federal awards exceeding $10 million must routinely