PHPA 3661 - Maryland Professional and Volunteer Firefighter Innovative Cancer Screening Technologies

Maryland's Center for Cancer Prevention and Control (a unit of the Department of Health's Prevention and Health Promotion Administration) is soliciting applications for grants to local fire departments and volunteer fire companies to procure innovative cancer screening technologies for professional and volunteer firefighters, with applications due November 14, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. EST and questions due November 7, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. EST. This is a grant program under Maryland Health General Article 13-4001–13-4007, not a traditional procurement contract.

Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status, local or state government agencies, public colleges, state universities, certified fire departments and volunteer fire companies in Maryland, and county governments authorized by a local fire department. Volunteer fire companies must obtain assistance from their county in filing applications, though the statute does not specify minimum assistance requirements.

Applicants must identify a specific innovative cancer screening test employing novel technologies such as DNA sequencing, genomics, proteomics, machine learning, or artificial intelligence, with demonstrated capability to screen for multiple cancer types simultaneously. Grant funds are restricted to procurement and administration of screening tests; diagnostic testing, treatment, and follow-up care are excluded. Applicants must partner with a healthcare team to select, plan, administer, and manage follow-up pathways. Screening may occur at department sites or at home depending on the test selected.

The total available funding is $480,000 for the period February 2, 2026 through June 30, 2026 with no renewal option. No predetermined award amounts exist; applicants request funding appropriate to their scope. If applications exceed available funds, grants are awarded on a pro rata basis using weighted evaluation criteria: test validity (40%), implementation planning (30%), healthcare team identification (10%), firefighter identification (10%), and organizational capacity (4%). No matching funds are required. Awardees must carry Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 annual aggregate and comply with OMB 2 CFR 200 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Interim financial reports are due April 15, 2026; final invoices and financial reports are due August 15, 2026.