Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 18 031
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Data Integration and Resource Center (DIRC) for Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures Program (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-18-031) is a cooperative agreement designed to stand up a centralized resource hub for the NIH Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Program. In practical terms, NIH is seeking a single, well-equipped coordinating center that can pull together the many moving parts of the broader A2CPS research effort and make them function like one integrated program rather than a set of disconnected projects.
The core purpose of the DIRC is to integrate and harmonize the work produced across all funded A2CPS components and to serve as a program-wide, community-facing nexus for key research assets. Those assets include study protocols, datasets, assay-related resources, data standards, and other tools or materials generated throughout the A2CPS Program. The emphasis on being a "community-wide nexus" signals that the DIRC is expected not only to manage internal coordination among awardees, but also to package outputs in a way that supports broader reuse, consistency, and transparency across the pain research community. The DIRC function is therefore both operational (coordination, integration, standardization) and infrastructural (resource curation and dissemination).
This opportunity uses the U54 activity code and is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH anticipates substantial programmatic involvement from the agency during the award period. Cooperative agreements typically require close coordination with NIH staff, active participation in program governance, and responsiveness to evolving program needs, which fits the DIRC role as an integrating center supporting a larger multi-site or multi-component initiative. The announcement is marked "Clinical Trial Optional," indicating applicants may propose work that includes a clinical trial if it is justified, but a clinical trial is not inherently required simply because of the mechanism.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. Both nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status) and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses, as well as small businesses) may apply. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Restrictions and nuances apply to non-U.S. participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed. This structure is common in NIH funding: the prime award must be held by an eligible U.S.-based entity, but specific parts of the work can involve international activities or collaborations when they meet NIH policy requirements and are justified scientifically.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, with a health funding activity category, and is associated with CFDA number 93.310. The sponsoring agency is NIH. The original closing date listed for applications was October 24, 2018, and the FOA record indicates a creation date of August 24, 2018. An explicit award ceiling is not provided in the supplied text, and the expected number of awards is not specified in the extracted fields, which often means applicants needed to consult the full FOA to understand budget expectations, project period, and the anticipated scope of support.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as NIH seeking a central "data and standards backbone" for the A2CPS Program: an entity responsible for unifying protocols and data practices, supporting consistent assay and data standards, integrating outputs across multiple funded projects, and making resulting resources accessible and useful to the broader community. This is less about conducting a single standalone research project and more about building and operating the shared infrastructure that allows a large, complex pain research initiative to generate comparable, interoperable, and reusable results over time.Apply for RFA RM 18 031
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Data Integration and Resource Center (DIRC) for Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures Program (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-08-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-10-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Data Integration and Resource Center (DIRC) for Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures Program (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)."
2. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-RM-18-031.
3. What is NIH trying to fund through this opportunity?
NIH is seeking a single, centralized coordinating center that serves as the Data Integration and Resource Center (DIRC) for the NIH Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Program. The goal is to help the many A2CPS-funded components operate as one integrated program rather than as separate, disconnected projects.
4. What does "DIRC" stand for, and what is it supposed to do?
DIRC stands for Data Integration and Resource Center. Its role is to integrate and harmonize work produced across all funded A2CPS components and to act as a program-wide, community-facing hub for key research assets.
5. What kinds of research assets is the DIRC expected to manage and share?
The DIRC is expected to serve as a nexus for assets generated throughout the A2CPS Program, including study protocols, datasets, assay-related resources, data standards, and other tools or materials produced by the program.
6. Is this award mainly for doing a research project, or for building program infrastructure?
Based on the description provided, this opportunity is primarily about building and operating shared infrastructure and coordination capacity for the broader A2CPS initiative. The emphasis is on integration, standardization, resource curation, and dissemination rather than a single standalone research project.
7. What does it mean that this FOA uses the U54 activity code?
The FOA uses the U54 activity code, which is a specialized center mechanism. In this context, it supports a centralized resource hub intended to coordinate and integrate multiple parts of a larger program.
8. What does "cooperative agreement" mean for this funding opportunity?
This is a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH anticipates substantial programmatic involvement during the award period. This typically implies close coordination with NIH staff, active participation in program governance, and responsiveness to evolving program needs, which aligns with the DIRC role as an integrating center.
9. What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean here?
"Clinical Trial Optional" indicates that applicants may propose work that includes a clinical trial if it is justified, but a clinical trial is not required simply because of the funding mechanism.
10. Who is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
11. What program is this DIRC supporting?
The DIRC supports the NIH Common Fund Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Program.
12. What is the overall purpose of the A2CPS DIRC in practical terms?
In practical terms, the DIRC is meant to pull together many moving parts across the A2CPS research effort and help them function like one coordinated program by integrating outputs, harmonizing protocols and data practices, and making resulting resources usable by the broader research community.
13. What does it mean that the DIRC is a "community-wide nexus"?
It means the DIRC is expected to support not only internal coordination among A2CPS awardees, but also to package and disseminate program outputs in ways that support reuse, consistency, and transparency across the broader pain research community.
14. What types of U.S. organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and government entities, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments.
15. Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Both nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status are eligible to apply.
16. Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (including small businesses and for-profit organizations other than small businesses) are listed as eligible applicants.
17. Are minority-serving institutions and other specific institution types eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out eligibility for categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and additional organization types such as faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations.
18. Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicants.
19. Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes eligible federal agencies.
20. Can a non-U.S. (foreign) institution apply as the main applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
21. Can a U.S. organization include international work or collaborations?
Yes. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means the prime award must be held by an eligible U.S.-based entity, but parts of the work may involve international activities if they meet NIH policy requirements and are scientifically justified.
22. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 93.310.
23. What type of funding is this categorized as?
It is categorized as discretionary funding, with a health funding activity category.
24. When was the FOA created?
The FOA record indicates a creation date of August 24, 2018.
25. What was the listed application closing date?
The original closing date listed for applications was October 24, 2018.
26. Is an award ceiling provided in the information shown?
No. An explicit award ceiling is not provided in the supplied text.
27. Is the expected number of awards specified in the information shown?
No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the extracted fields provided.
28. What are the main themes NIH emphasizes for the DIRC?
The main themes emphasized are integration and harmonization across A2CPS components, coordination and standardization of protocols and data practices, support for consistent assay and data standards, and curation and dissemination of program-generated resources for broader community use.
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