This program announcement must be read in conjunction with the General Application Instructions, version CD26_01.

Program Announcement for the Defense Health Agency

Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program

Idea Award

Funding Opportunity Number: HT942526PRCRPIA

Pre-Application Due: June 26, 2026

Application Due: October 5, 2026 https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01

FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 2

Content

Before You Begin 3

Basic Information Summarizes the funding opportunity, funding details, submission deadlines and review dates

Eligibility Details eligibility factors for the applicant organization and Principal Investigator

Program Description Describes the program mission and intent of the Idea Award; provides key award information and considerations; and outlines funding details

Application Contents Presents the two-step application process and instructions for preparing a pre-application and full application

Submission Requirements Provides locations for application packages, instructions for submitting pre-applications and full applications, and describes application verification

Application Review Information Outlines the processes for application compliance review, pre-application and full application selection/notification, and risk assessment. Also, details the review criteria for pre-application screening and both tiers of the CDMRP application review process – Peer Review and Programmatic Review

Federal Award Notices Outlines what a successful applicant can expect if recommended for funding

Post-Award Requirements References policy requirements for funded research; outlines reporting requirements and restrictions related to Principal Investigator changes and institutional award transfers

Other Information Outlines criteria for administrative actions including application rejection, modification, withdrawal and withhold

Appendix 1 Includes a checklist for all full application components to facilitate application submission

Appendix 2 Acronym List

FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 3

Before You Begin

• Active SAM.gov, eBRAP.org and Grants.gov registrations are required for application submission. User registration for each of these websites can take several weeks or longer.

Each applicant must ensure their registrations are active and up to date prior to application preparation.

• Read this funding opportunity announcement in the order it is written before beginning to prepare application materials. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine whether the proposed research meets the intent of this funding opportunity and that all parties meet eligibility requirements.

• To support application preparation, additional resources are available including an application process FAQ, a Guide for Intragovernmental & Intramural Applicants and a CDMRP Video Series detailing the application process.

Who to Contact for Support

This document uses internal links; you can go back to where you were by pressing the Alt + left arrow keys (Windows) or command + left arrow keys (Macintosh) on your keyboard.

Click to be taken to additional guidance and instructions within the General Application Instructions (GAI).

eBRAP Help Desk

301-682-5507 help@eBRAP.org

Questions regarding funding opportunity submission requirements, as well as technical assistance related to pre-application or intramural application submission.

Grants.gov Support Center

800-518-4726 International: 1-606-545-5035 support@grants.gov

Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace.

https://sam.gov/ https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/index.htm https://grants.gov/register https://cdmrp.health.mil/#:~:text=Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20%C2%BB https://cdmrp.health.mil/#:~:text=Guide%20for%20Intragovernmental%20%26%20Intramural%20Applicants https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/Program.htm#:~:text=Journey%20of%20an,Tier%20Review%20Process mailto:help@eBRAP.org mailto:support@grants.gov https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01

Section Shortcuts Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

Application Review Information | Federal Award Notices | Post-Award Requirements | Other Information

FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 4

1. Basic Information About the Funding Opportunity

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Idea Award (IA) supports innovative, untested, high-risk/potentially high-reward concepts, theories, paradigms, and/or basic cancer research. The advancement of knowledge in cancer research, patient care, and/or treatment options in the Military Health System (MHS) is critical to Service Members, Veterans, other military beneficiaries and the American public.

Distinctive Features: The proposed project should demonstrate creative thinking and innovation.

• Incremental advances, the next logical step, or switching a model system from one cancer to another cancer are not appropriate for this award.

• Inclusion of preliminary data is not required; however, the project must be based on strong scientific rationale.

• New for FY26: Early Career Investigator Option: The Early Career Investigator option is designed to support the continued development of promising independent investigators that are early in their faculty appointments.

Funding Details: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) expects to allot roughly $18.0M to fund approximately 30 Idea Award applications with total cost caps of $600,000 per award and $9.0M to fund approximately 15 Idea Award-Early Career Investigator Option applications with total cost caps of $600,000 per award. The maximum period of performance is 2 years. It is anticipated that awards made from this fiscal year 2026 (FY26) funding opportunity will be funded with FY26 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2032. Awards supported with FY26 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2027.

Submission and Review Dates and Times

• Pre-Application (Preproposal) Submission Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), June 26, 2026

• Invitation to Submit an Application: August 10, 2026

• Application Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET, October 5, 2026

• End of Application Verification Period: 5:00 p.m. ET, October 8, 2026

• Peer Review: December 2026

• Programmatic Review: February 2027

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: HT942526PRCRPIA

Assistance Listing Number: 12.420

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 5

2. Eligibility Information

2.1. Eligible Applicants

2.1.1. Organization

Extramural and intramural U.S. Department of Defense (DOW) organizations are eligible to apply, including foreign and domestic organizations, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and public or private entities.

2.1.2. Principal Investigator

Although a PI may be eligible for both the Early Career Investigator and Established Investigator categories, only one category may be chosen; the choice of application category is at the PI’s discretion provided the eligibility criteria are met.

Established Investigator:

To be named as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the application, the PI must be independent investigator at all career levels.

Early Career Investigator (ECI):

The FY26 PRCRP IA mechanism encourages applications from investigators in the early stages of their research career. At the application submission deadline PI must:

• Be an Independent Investigator and below the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent).

• Be within seven years of his/her last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.), clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent at the time of full application submission deadline (excluding time spent in residency, clinical fellowship or on family medical leave).

• Receive less than $150,000 (direct cost) in extramurally funded, non-mentored funding for research annually.

Individuals affiliated with an eligible organization are eligible to be named PI on the application, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or citizenship status.

2.2. Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is not an eligibility requirement.

2.3. Other

Awards are made to eligible organizations, not to individuals. Refer to the GAI for additional recipient qualification requirements.

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Content_Form_Full_App_Submission:~:text=pre%2Dapplication%20submission.-,Extramural%20Organization%3A,-A%20foreign%20or https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=Intramural%20DOW%20Organization%3A%20A%20subset%20of%20intragovernmental%20organizations%3B%20refers%20specifically%20to%20DOW%20organizations%2C%20including%20DOW%20laboratories%2C%20DOW%20military%20treatment%20facilities%2C%20and/or%20DOW%20activities%20embedded%20within%20a%20civilian%20medical%20center https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=APPENDIX%201.%0ARECIPIENT%20QUALIFICATION%20AND%20RESTRICTION%20INFORMATION

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

Application Review Information | Federal Award Notices | Post-Award Requirements | Other Information

FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 6

3. Program Description

The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA) is soliciting applications to this funding opportunity using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, Section 4001 (10 USC 4001). The CDMRP is the program office managing this FY26 funding opportunity as part of the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). The CDMRP is located within the Defense Health Agency Research and Development (DHA R&D), which is a part of the Department of Defense, DOD, herein referred to using the secondary title Department of War, DOW. Congress initiated the PRCRP in 2009 to provide support for research of high potential impact and exceptional scientific merit. Appropriations for the PRCRP from FY09 through FY25 totaled $1.17 billion. The FY26 appropriation is $165 million (M).

Congressional language stipulates the FY26 PRCRP must be relevant to Service Members, and address at least one of the congressionally directed FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas listed below.

• Bladder cancer

• Blood cancers

• Brain cancer

• Colorectal cancer

• Endometrial cancer

• Esophageal cancer

• Germ cell cancers

• Glioblastoma

• Liver cancer

• Lymphoma

• Mesothelioma

• Metastatic cancers

• Myeloma

• Neuroblastoma

• Neuroendocrine Tumors

• Pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers1

• Pediatric brain tumors

• Sarcoma

• Stomach cancer

• Thyroid cancer

Research proposed to the PRCRP must not address research in melanoma, or cancers originating in the breast, kidney, lung, pancreas, prostate or ovary. In addition, FY26 PRCRP funds must not be used to study rare cancers except FY26 PRCRP Topic Area cancer types that are rare by definition.

FY26 PRCRP Portfolios and Strategic Goals

To meet the intent of the funding opportunity, all applications for FY26 PRCRP funding must specifically address one of the FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas as directed by the U.S.

Congress and have direct relevance to military health. Additionally, the PRCRP implements a portfolio-driven approach by grouping related topic areas with strategic goals as a framework within which to address critical gaps in cancer research and patient care. All applications must address one of the FY26 PRCRP strategic goals as it relates to the portfolio-assigned FY26 PRCRP Topic Area. Some topic areas are present in more than one portfolio.

Applications must align to the strategic goal of the portfolio in which a topic area is included. If the proposed research does not specifically address one FY26 PRCRP Topic Area and one FY26 PRCRP strategic goal from a single portfolio, then the government reserves the right to administratively withdraw the application. The government reserves the right to reassign

1 The definition of adolescents and young adults is derived from the National Cancer Institute (https://www.cancer.gov/types/aya). Research should be targeted toward pediatric (ages 0-14 years), adolescents (ages 15-24 years), and/or young adults (ages 25-39 years).

https://www.cancer.gov/types/aya

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 7 the application’s topic area if submitted to an incorrect topic area. The table below lists the FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas and strategic goals in each PRCRP portfolio category.

Portfolio: Blood Cancers

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Areas: Blood, Lymphoma, Myeloma

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Improve risk assessment of precancerous conditions

• Develop early intervention strategies to prevent initiation and/or progression

• Investigate autoimmune disorders as risk factors for lymphoma to inform surveillance strategies

• Understand the role of cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment in the development of blood cancers

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Improve methods for early detection, prognostic evaluation and/or therapeutic stratification

• Develop more cost-effective molecular diagnostics

• Identify biomarkers to predict progression from indolent disease

• Identify unique prognostic factors in pediatric, adolescent and young adult malignancies

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Develop methods to predict therapeutic vulnerabilities

• Develop therapies that don’t require hospitalization

• Develop therapies employing gene editing technologies and cell therapies

• Identify contribution of immune niche to initial treatment response and relapse

• Develop therapeutic options for patients who fail last line therapies

Survivorship • Develop strategies to minimize and mitigate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

• Identify long-term effects of gene editing and cell therapies and develop risk-based standards for surveillance of treated patients

• Improve understanding of the effects of long-term immunosuppression

Epidemiology • Design population-based studies to identify and characterize risk factors related to malignancy

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 8

Portfolio: Gastroenterological Cancers

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Areas: Colorectal cancer, Esophageal cancer, Liver cancer, Stomach cancer

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors to inform prevention strategies

• Identify factors driving the increasing rates of early-age onset disease

• Identify environmental and genetic factors associated with an increased cancer risk

• Identify key drivers of conversion from precancerous lesions into cancer

• Explore the interplay between the microbiome and infectious agents in cancer initiation and progression

• Conduct integrative studies that analyze stool, blood and the microbiome as they impact disease onset and patient outcomes

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Improve methods for early detection, prognostic evaluation and/or therapeutic stratification

• Develop cost-effective and minimally invasive tools for early detection

• Develop preclinical models to study disease development

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Develop effective treatments for advanced disease

• Develop immunotherapies and novel targeting therapies

• Identify combination therapies to improve patient outcomes

• Identify predictive biomarkers to determine treatment response

• Develop integrated treatment plans to address short and long-term impacts of cancer

Survivorship • Develop strategies to minimize and mitigate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

• Improve post treatment surveillance guidelines

• Develop validated tools to measure patient quality of life

Epidemiology • Design population-based studies to identify and characterize risk factors related to malignancy

• Implement systems to analyze disease patterns and track patient outcomes to inform best practices

• Examine the influence of familial genetics and geographic location on disease onset and treatment outcome

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 9

Portfolio: Neurological Cancers

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Areas: Brain cancer, Glioblastoma, Pediatric Brain Tumors

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Identify biological and environmental exposures, including maternal exposures during pregnancy, that increase risk

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Develop early detection methods that avoid diagnostic uncertainties

• Develop effective monitoring for recurrence/refractory disease

• Develop less invasive diagnostic procedures

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Prevent or overcome treatment resistance

• Develop personalized oncological care and synergistic multi-modal therapies

• Identify protective therapies to be used in conjunction with toxic therapies to reduce treatment-related damage

• Develop less invasive treatment options

• Develop therapies that cross the blood-brain-barrier

Survivorship • Develop strategies to minimize and mitigate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

• Develop effective screening, monitoring, and provision of psychosocial support/care for the patient and family

• Develop care for patients as they transition from pediatric to adult survivors

Epidemiology • Analyze and assess the incidence/prevalence of brain tumors over time to identify changes in trends

Technology Development

• Advance the development or adoption of technologies in areas including artificial intelligence and machine learning, human microbiota, genomics, nanoparticles and robotics

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 10

Portfolio: Pediatric Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers (PAYAC)

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Areas: PAYAC, Germ cell cancers, Neuroblastoma, Sarcoma, Thyroid cancer

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Determine the molecular basis of cancer predisposition syndromes

• Determine the extent to which development of disease is attributable to genetic versus environmental differences

• Increase understanding of epigenetic influences on cancer development and progression

• Identify biological and environmental exposures, including maternal exposures during pregnancy, that increase risk

• Investigate the role of microbiome composition in cancer risk and outcomes

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Improve methods for early detection, prognostic evaluation and/or therapeutic stratification

• Develop noninvasive techniques for monitoring progression and recurrence

• Identify biomarkers present in early-stage disease

• Develop preclinical models that accurately mimic disease

• Improve accurate and rapid diagnosis of sub-types of disease

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Develop treatments for relapse/recurrence, metastatic and advanced disease

• Increase the number of clinical trials, including ones that may not be curative but may improve the quality of life for terminal patients

• Generate evidence-based treatment and surveillance strategies to preserve fertility

• Reduce secondary cancers arising from treatment regimen

Survivorship • Develop strategies to minimize and mitigate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

• Develop strategies to improve the full implementation of survivorship guidelines

• Develop survivorship guidelines based on current/modern therapeutic agents

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 11

Portfolio: Solid Tumors

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Areas: Bladder cancer, Endometrial cancer, Mesothelioma, Sarcoma, Germ cell cancers, Thyroid cancer, Neuroendocrine tumors

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Develop methods that mitigate or identify risk

• Develop prevention strategies

• Explore the mechanistic relationship between novel and known risk factors and oncogenesis

• Identify convergent etiologies underlining the development of malignancies

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Improve methods for early detection, prognostic evaluation and/or therapeutic stratification

• Investigate the interactions of pre-existing autoimmune disease and cancer

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Develop feasible precision medicine approaches

• Identify ways to tailor therapeutic strategies to minimize toxicity

Survivorship • Develop strategies to minimize and mitigate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 12

Portfolio: Metastatic Disease

All applications under this portfolio must address one topic area and one strategic goal listed below.

Topic Area: Metastatic Cancers, limited to PRCRP topic area cancers

Knowledge Areas:

Strategic Goals:

Prevention and Etiology

• Identify biomarkers in primary disease that could predict metastatic potential

• Prevent immune evasion by circulating tumor cells

• Identify how dormant, disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) persist

• Identify drivers that initiate DTCs progression to metastatic colonies

• Prevent metastatic colonization by maintaining dormancy of DTCs

• Investigate clonal divergence of primary tumor cells between metastatic sites to immunological disease

Diagnosis and Prognosis

• Improve early detection of metastasis and dormant residual disease

• Develop biomarkers that predict and monitor treatment efficacy

Treatment • Develop new, less toxic therapies

• Revert metastatic cells to a dormant state

• Identify strategies to prevent or overcome treatment resistance

• Investigate abscopal effects of primary disease treatment

• Determine optimal sequencing of treatments

• Eliminate chemotherapy-induced metastasis

Survivorship • Develop strategies to alleviate treatment toxicities

• Improve quality of life for survivors and/or caregivers

Basic Information | Eligibility | Program Description | Application Contents and Format | Submission Requirements

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 13

Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from its original location to another place in the body, representing what are known as stage III and stage IV cancer diagnoses. While recent research has revealed that there is a genetic basis for susceptibility or resistance to metastasis, more research is needed to develop a comprehensive understanding of this complex process.

Applications submitted under any PRCRP topic area, including the Metastatic Cancers topic area, may not address or include research focused on melanoma or cancers that originate in the breast, kidney, lung, pancreas, prostate, or ovaries, or rare cancers (excluding relevant subtypes of the FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas) as part of the research study; such applications will be administratively withdrawn.

FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Areas

It is central to the Vision and Mission of the PRCRP that applications are related to military health and mission readiness, and investigators must demonstrate how the proposed research will decrease the burden of cancer on Service Members, their dependents, Veterans and other military beneficiaries (i.e., Retirees and their Family members).

In addition to addressing at least one of the required FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas and FY26 Strategic Goals, applications for the FY26 Idea Award must define how the research is relevant to Service Members and their Families by addressing at least one of the FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Areas listed below.

FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Areas:

• Environmental exposure risk factors associated with cancer

○ Environmental and/or occupational risk factors should be relevant to activities specific to the military, such as assigned duties or deployments that may lead to exposures to potential carcinogens (ionizing radiation, chemicals, infectious agents, etc.). For more information on military-related exposures and risk factors for cancer, applicants should refer to Exposure-Related Health Concerns at https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/health-concerns.asp

• Mission Readiness and Gaps in Cancer Research

○ Gaps in cancer prevention, early detection/diagnosis, prognosis, and/or treatment that may impact mission readiness and the health and well-being of military members, Veterans, their beneficiaries and the general public.

○ Gaps in quality of life and/or survivorship that may impact mission readiness and the health and well-being of military members, Veterans, their beneficiaries, and the general public.

Mission readiness under the FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Areas refers to the impact of cancer on the Service Member. Decreasing the impact of cancer on Service Members and/or their Families protects the overall military missions. Some examples of relevant research to decrease the impact on mission readiness may include, but are not limited to:

• Studies on the improvement in survival while minimizing effects that would allow a Service Member to return to full duty;

• Treatments to minimize a cancer patient’s (either a Service Member’s or their Family member’s) time in the hospital, thus maximizing the time the Service Member is on duty;

• Effective ways to minimize cancer relapse for Service Members or their Families; and https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/health-concerns.asp

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 14

• Research into improvements in cancer detection that would lead to earlier diagnosis, thus allowing for improved treatment of the Service Member and early return to duty.

For more information on military health and cancer:

• PRCRP (https://cdmrp.health.mil/prcrp/default)

• MHS (https://www.health.mil)

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (https://www.va.gov/)

The PRCRP strongly encourages investigators to collaborate, integrate, and/or align their research projects with DOW and/or VA research laboratories and programs (Refer to GAI Appendix 10).

3.1. Intent of the Idea Award

The FY26 PRCRP Idea Award supports innovative, untested, high-risk/potentially high-reward concepts, theories, paradigms and/or basic cancer research.

The intention of the Idea Award is to fund innovative basic research that may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. The Idea Award is not intended to support a logical progression of an already established research project or line of research. Incremental advances, the next logical step, or switching a model system from one cancer to another cancer are not considered innovative. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis base on strong scientific rationale and study design and generate robust preliminary data for use as a foundation for future research projects.

3.1.1. Key Elements for the IA

• Innovation is a key element of the Idea Award. Research deemed innovative may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities. Studies supported by this award mechanism are expected to lay the groundwork for future avenues of scientific investigation.

This award is not intended to support well-developed research.

• Military Relevance: Relevance to the health care needs of Service Members, Veterans and their Families is a key feature of this award. Investigators are encouraged to consider the following characteristics as examples of how a project may demonstrate relevance to military health:

○ Explanation of how the project addresses an aspect of the target disease that has direct relevance to the health of Service Members, Veterans and their Families.

○ Description of how the knowledge, information, products, or technologies gained from the proposed research could be implemented in a dual-use capacity to benefit the civilian population and also address a military need.

○ Use of military or Veteran populations, samples, or datasets in the proposed research, if appropriate.

○ Collaboration with DOW or VA investigators or consultants. A list of websites that may be useful in identifying additional information about ongoing DOW and VA areas of research interest or potential opportunities for collaboration within the FY26 PRCRP Topic Areas can be found in Appendix 10 of the GAI.

https://cdmrp.health.mil/prcrp/default https://www.health.mil/ https://www.va.gov/ https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=APPENDIX%2010.%0ADOW%20AND%20VA%20WEBSITES https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=APPENDIX%2010.%0ADOW%20AND%20VA%20WEBSITES

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 15

• Early Career Investigator Option: The Early Career Investigator option is designed to support the continued development of promising independent investigators that are early in their faculty appointments. This mechanism is created to encourage young researchers in various scientific fields to work in topic areas under PRCRP and promote high-impact research for Service Members, their families, Veterans and the American public.

○ The Early Career Investigator category is designed to allow applicants early in their faculty appointments to compete for funding separately from established investigators.

Applications from Established Investigators and New Investigators will be peer- and programmatically reviewed in separate groups.

○ All applicants for the Early Career Investigator category must meet specific eligibility criteria as described in Section 2.1.2, Eligibility Information.

It is the responsibility of the PI to select the funding opportunity that is most appropriate for the research proposed. Advanced research with robust preliminary data is more appropriate for the FY26 PRCRP Impact Award (HT942526PRCRPIPA).

3.1.2. Other Important Considerations for the IA

Applications from investigators within the DOW and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the DOW, the VA and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure and access to unique clinical populations that the collaborators bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing research that is of significance to Service Members, Veterans, their Families and the American Public. If the proposed research relies on access to unique resources or databases, the application must describe the access at the time of submission and include a plan for maintaining access as needed throughout the proposed research.

In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, Section 732, CDMRP does not support the conduct of painful research (U.S. Department of Agriculture pain category D or E) involving domestic cats or dogs, except for studies relating to military or service animals.

Clinical trials are not allowed within this funding opportunity.

For the purposes of this funding opportunity, research that meets the definition of a clinical trial is distinct from clinical research.

All projects should adhere to a core set of standards for rigorous study design and reporting to maximize the reproducibility and translational potential of clinical and preclinical research, such as those described in the STROBE, CONSORT, SPIRIT and ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines.

A congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY26 PRCRP priorities.

3.2. Funding Instrument

The funding instrument for awards made under the program announcement will be grants (31

USC 6304).

https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=or%20hardware%20procurement.-,Clinical%20Trial%3A,-As%20defined%20in https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Definition_List:~:text=considered%20clinical%20trials.-,Clinical%20Research%3A,-For%20the%20purposes https://www.strobe-statement.org/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03635-5#:~:text=SPIRIT%20and%20CONSORT%20are%20evidence,relevant%20empirical%20evidence%20where%20possible https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03668-w?fromPaywallRec=false https://arriveguidelines.org/arrive-guidelines https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer-Research

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3.3. Funding Details

Period of Performance: The maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Cost Cap: The application’s total costs budgeted for the entire period of performance should not exceed $600,000. If indirect cost rates have been negotiated, indirect costs are to be budgeted in accordance with the organization’s negotiated rate. Collaborating organizations should budget associated indirect costs in accordance with each organization’s negotiated rate.

All direct and indirect costs of any subaward or contract must be included in the direct costs of the primary award.

The applicant may request the entire maximum funding amount for a project that may have a period of performance less than the maximum 2 years.

The appropriateness of the budget for the proposed research will be assessed during peer review.

Direct Cost Restrictions: For this award mechanism, direct costs:

May be requested for (not all-inclusive):

• Costs for one investigator to travel to one scientific/technical meeting per year. The intent of travel to scientific/technical meetings should be to present project information or disseminate project results from the FY26 PRCRP Idea Award.

Must not be requested for:

• Costs for travel to scientific/technical meeting(s) beyond the limits stated above.

• Clinical trial costs.

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4. Application Contents and Format

4.1. Application Overview

Application submission is a two-step process requiring both a pre-application submitted via the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) and a full application submitted through eBRAP or Grants.gov. Depending on the submission portal, certain aspects of the application will differ.

Intramural DOW organizations submitting a full application should follow instructions for submission through eBRAP.

Extramural organizations submitting a full application must follow instructions for submission through Grants.gov.

4.2. Pre-Application Components

Pre-application submissions must include the following components.

Upload documents as individual PDF files unless otherwise noted. Files must comply with the formatting guidelines listed in the GAI.

• Preproposal Narrative (one-page limit): The Preproposal Narrative page limit applies to text and non-text elements (e.g., figures, tables, graphs, photographs, diagrams, chemical structures, drawings) used to describe the project. Inclusion of URLs that provide additional information to expand the Preproposal Narrative and could confer an unfair competitive advantage is prohibited and may result in administrative withdrawal of the pre-application.

The Preproposal Narrative should include the following:

○ Research Idea: State the FY26 PRCRP Topic Area(s) and FY26 PRCRP Strategic Goal the application will address. Describe the rationale and hypothesis and how these support the study’s objectives and specific aims. Describe how methodology and experimental design support the project’s goals.

○ Innovation: Explain how the project is innovative (i.e., how it may lead to a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, interrogates existing problems from new perspectives or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities).

○ Impact: Describe how the research will lead to a breakthrough or make an impact in the FY26 PRCRP Topic Area(s).

○ Military Relevance: Explain how the proposed research will lead to promising outcomes for one or more of the selected FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Area(s).

• Pre-Application Supporting Documentation: The items to be included as supporting documentation for the pre-application must be uploaded as individual files and are limited to the following:

○ References Cited (one-page limit): List the references cited (including URLs if available) in the Preproposal Narrative using a standard reference format that includes the full citation (i.e., author[s], year published, reference title, and reference source, including volume, chapter, page numbers, and publisher, as appropriate).

○ List of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols: Provide a list of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols used in the Preproposal Narrative.

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○ Key Personnel Biographical Sketches: All biographical sketches should be uploaded as a single combined file. Biographical sketches should be used to demonstrate background and expertise through education, positions, publications, and previous work accomplished.

4.3. Full Application Components

Applicants must receive an invitation to submit a full application. Uninvited full application submissions will be rejected.

Each application submission must include the completed full application package for this program announcement. See Appendix 1 for a checklist of the full application components.

(a) SF424 Research & Related Application for Federal Assistance Form (Grants.gov submissions only):

IMPORTANT: When completing the SF424 R&R, enter the eBRAP log number assigned during pre-application submission into Block 4a – Federal Identifier.

(b) Attachments:

Each attachment of the full application components must be uploaded as an individual file in the format specified and in accordance with the formatting guidelines in the GAI.

○ Attachment 1: Project Narrative (six-page limit): Upload as “ProjectNarrative.pdf”.

Describe the proposed project in detail using the outline below.

– Background: Describe how the proposed project addresses an FY26 PRCRP Topic Area and corresponding FY26 PRCRP strategic goal. Briefly state how the project addresses an FY26 PRCRP Military Health Focus Area(s). Applicants must provide additional details about the Military Health focus in Attachment 6.

– Hypothesis or Objective: State the hypothesis or objective.

– Rationale: State concisely the rationale for the proposed research. Applications do not require preliminary data.

– Specific Aims: State the specific aims of the study.

– Relevance to the Idea Award Intent: Describe how the research that may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives or exhibit other highly creative that may result in a new research avenue in the laboratory. Applications must provide additional details on innovation in Attachment 7.

– Research Strategy:

▪ Describe the proposed study in sufficient detail to evaluate its appropriateness and feasibility to test the hypothesis and reach the final objective.

▪ Articulate how the proposed research will have the potential to generate robust preliminary data for use as a foundation for future research projects.

▪ Describe how the application designs all proposed animal studies to achieve the objectives, including the choice of model and endpoints or outcome measures, if applicable. Application must describe additional details on animal studies in Attachment 9.

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▪ If the proposed research will use human subjects or anatomical samples, include a plan for the recruitment of subjects or the acquisition of samples and document the experience of the PI(s) and/or key collaborators in recruiting human subjects for similar projects. This award does not allow clinical trials.

▪ Describe potential problems and potential pitfalls and address alternative approaches.

▪ If applicable, describe the statistical and other data analyses to be used to justify the number of research subjects or samples (animal or human) and assess the data collected.

▪ Consult appropriate guidelines to ensure relevant aspects of rigorous and reproducible research are adequately planned for and, ultimately, reported.

○ Attachment 2: Supporting Documentation: Combine and upload as a single file named “Support.pdf”.

There are no page limits for these components unless otherwise noted. Include only components described below; inclusion of items not requested or viewed as an extension of the Project Narrative will result in the removal of those items or may result in administrative withdrawal of the application.

References Cited: List the references cited in the Project Narrative using a standard reference format (include URLs, if available).

List of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols: Provide a list of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols.

Facilities, Existing Equipment and Other Resources: Describe the facilities and equipment available for performance of the proposed project; include any additional facilities or equipment proposed for acquisition at no cost to the award. Indicate whether government-furnished facilities or equipment are proposed for use. If so, reference the original or present government award under which the facilities or equipment items are now accountable. There is not a standardized form for this information.

Publications and/or Patents: Include a list of relevant publication URLs and/or patent abstracts. If articles are not publicly available, then copies of up to five published manuscripts may be included in Attachment 2. Extra items will not be reviewed.

Letters of Support: Provide individual letters signed by collaborating individuals and/or organizational officials demonstrating that the PI has the support and resources necessary for the proposed work. Letters from the PI’s Department Chair, or appropriate organization official, should also confirm that the PI(s) meet eligibility criteria. If applicable, provide a letter of support, signed by the lowest-ranking person with approval authority, confirming participation of intramural DOW collaborator(s) and/or access to military populations, databases or DOW resources. If applicable, provide a letter of support signed by the VA Facility Director(s), or an individual designated by the VA Facility Director(s), confirming access to VA patients, resources and/or VA research space.

Sex as a Biological Variable Strategy (two-page limit is recommended):

Describe the strategy for how sex will be considered as a biological variable. This strategy should include a brief discussion of what is currently known regarding sex differences in the applicable research area. Clearly articulate how sex as a biological https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/gai.htm?version=CD26_01#_Recipient_Qualification_Restriction_Info:~:text=%C2%B7-,Supporting%20Documentation%3A,-Combine%20and%20attach

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FY26 Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award 20 variable will be factored into the data analysis plan and how data will be collected and disaggregated by sex. If needed, provide a strong rationale for proposing a single-sex study, based on justification from scientific literature, preliminary data or other relevant considerations. Refer to the CDMRP Directive on Sex as a Biological Variable in Research for additional information.

Inclusion Enrollment Plan (only required if clinical research is proposed):

Provide an anticipated enrollment table(s) for the inclusion of women and minorities using the Public Health Service (PHS) Inclusion Enrollment Report, a three-page fillable PDF form, that can be downloaded from eBRAP. The enrollment table(s) should be appropriate to the objectives of the study with the proposed enrollment distributed on the basis of sex, race and ethnicity. Studies utilizing human biospecimens or datasets that cannot be linked to a specific individual, sex, ethnicity or race (typically classified as exempt from Institutional Review Board [IRB] review) are exempt from this requirement.

Research Sharing Plan: Describe the type of data or research resources (e.g., bio-specimen, analysis tool/software, training material) to be made publicly available as a result of the proposed work. Describe the mechanism (e.g., direct sharing, repository, mixed mode) by which data and resources generated during the period of performance will be shared with the research community and other affected communities, including clinical research participants. Include the name of the repository(ies) where scientific data and resources arising from the proposed study will be archived, if applicable. Identify and provide the rationale for any data or resources that will not be shared (e.g., for intellectual property, feasibility, cost, or other considerations). The plan should also protect participant privacy, confidential and proprietary data, and performer/third-party intellectual property. Provide a milestone plan for disseminating data/results including when data and resources will be made available to other users.