Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 20 026
This funding opportunity, titled "Limited Competition: National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) Operations Support (UC7 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-AI-20-026), is a cooperative agreement from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) within the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its central purpose is to provide continued operational support for the two U.S. National Biocontainment Laboratories that house Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) capability: the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas and Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. The program is structured as a limited competition, meaning it is intended specifically for these designated facilities rather than being open broadly to all institutions.
The award focuses on keeping these high-containment laboratories functioning safely, securely, and in full compliance with the extensive requirements that come with handling the most hazardous pathogens. The supported activities emphasize the core "behind-the-scenes" infrastructure that makes BSL-4 work possible, including facility maintenance and day-to-day operations, biosecurity measures, environmental health and safety programs, adherence to applicable regulations and standards, and overall regulatory compliance. The FOA also highlights the need for specialized research support services, which typically includes the technical and operational capabilities required to run high-containment experiments, manage specialized equipment, maintain validated systems, and support investigators working with dangerous biological agents.
From a mission standpoint, the NBLs are positioned as national resources for pre-clinical and laboratory research, including both in vitro (test tube or cell culture) and in vivo (animal) studies. The intent is to enable research and testing on hazardous biological agents that advances NIAID priorities in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. In practical terms, this means the laboratories are expected to sustain readiness and capacity so that researchers can conduct high-consequence pathogen studies under conditions that protect workers, the surrounding community, and the environment, while generating reliable data to inform medical countermeasure development and public health preparedness.
A notable expectation in the announcement is the role of these facilities during national emergencies tied to biodefense or emerging infectious diseases. In such events, the NBLs may be asked to rapidly shift or realign their activities to support the U.S. response under NIAID direction. That requirement reflects the unique value of BSL-4 infrastructure: it is not only a research asset in routine periods, but also a surge-capable platform that can be redirected when urgent national needs arise, for example to support accelerated testing, characterization of pathogens, or other high-containment laboratory work that becomes critical during an outbreak or biothreat situation.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies substantial involvement by NIH/NIAID in program coordination, expectations, and oversight compared to a standard grant. The activity category is health, with CFDA number 93.855. Eligibility is listed for public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, aligning with the limited-competition nature and the fact that the supported laboratories are embedded within major academic institutions. The FOA was created on April 6, 2020, with an original closing date of July 17, 2020. It anticipated two awards, consistent with the two NBL sites, and listed an award ceiling of $11,500,000.
Finally, the label "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" clarifies that the supported work under this award is not intended to include clinical trials. The emphasis is on operational sustainment and laboratory-based, pre-clinical research support functions rather than human subject interventional studies.Apply for RFA AI 20 026
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) Operations Support (UC7 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 06, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 17, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $11,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official title and number of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Limited Competition: National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) Operations Support (UC7 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is identified as RFA-AI-20-026.
Which federal agency and institute are sponsoring this opportunity?
This is a cooperative agreement opportunity from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
What is the main purpose of this award?
The central purpose is to provide continued operational support for the two U.S. National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) that have Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) capability, ensuring they can function safely, securely, and in compliance with applicable requirements for handling the most hazardous pathogens.
Which laboratories are specifically supported under this limited competition?
The two designated facilities are:
- University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas
- Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
What does "limited competition" mean in this context?
What mechanism of support is being used?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UC7). This typically implies substantial involvement by NIH/NIAID in coordination, expectations, and oversight compared to a standard grant.
What kinds of activities does the funding support?
The award supports core operational and infrastructure functions required to keep BSL-4 laboratories running, including:
- Facility maintenance and day-to-day operations
- Biosecurity measures
- Environmental health and safety programs
- Adherence to applicable regulations and standards
- Overall regulatory compliance
- Specialized research support services needed for high-containment work (for example, technical/operational capabilities to run experiments, manage specialized equipment, maintain validated systems, and support investigators)
Is this funding intended to support research, or only facility operations?
Based on the description provided, the emphasis is on operational sustainment and the specialized support services that enable high-containment laboratory research. The NBLs are positioned as national resources for pre-clinical and laboratory research, and the funded activities focus on the infrastructure and readiness needed to support that work.
What research scope is associated with the NBLs under this program?
The NBLs are described as national resources for pre-clinical and laboratory research, including both:
- In vitro studies (for example, test tube or cell culture work)
- In vivo studies (animal studies)
The intent is to enable research and testing on hazardous biological agents aligned with NIAID priorities in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases.
Why are these laboratories important to NIAID priorities?
They support high-consequence pathogen studies that advance biodefense and emerging infectious disease priorities by enabling safe, secure, and compliant work that can generate reliable data relevant to medical countermeasure development and public health preparedness.
What expectations are described for national emergencies or urgent response situations?
The announcement notes that during national emergencies tied to biodefense or emerging infectious diseases, the NBLs may be asked to rapidly shift or realign activities to support the U.S. response under NIAID direction. This reflects an expectation of surge readiness and the ability to redirect high-containment capabilities when urgent national needs arise.
What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean for this opportunity?
It means supported work under this award is not intended to include clinical trials. The focus is on operational sustainment and laboratory-based, pre-clinical research support functions rather than human subject interventional studies.
What is the funding category and CFDA number?
The activity category is health, and the CFDA number is 93.855.
Who is eligible to apply, based on the information provided?
Eligibility is listed for public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The description also indicates the competition is limited to the designated NBL facilities housed within major academic institutions.
How many awards were anticipated?
Two awards were anticipated, consistent with the two NBL sites described.
What was the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed was $11,500,000.
When was the FOA created and what was the original closing date?
The FOA was created on April 6, 2020, and the original closing date was July 17, 2020.
What does it mean that this is "discretionary" funding?
It is categorized as discretionary funding, meaning it falls within a category of federal funding that agencies administer and award based on program priorities and selection decisions, rather than being automatically distributed by formula.
What types of compliance and safety expectations are highlighted?
The supported work emphasizes safe and secure functioning of BSL-4 operations, including biosecurity, environmental health and safety programs, and adherence to applicable regulations and standards, along with overall regulatory compliance.
What is the overarching operational goal of the funded support?
To sustain readiness and capacity so that high-consequence pathogen studies can be conducted under conditions that protect workers, the surrounding community, and the environment, while supporting the generation of reliable data for biodefense and emerging infectious disease needs.
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