Forecast to Renew the Funding Opportunity Announcement for Multiple Chronic Disease Research Centers Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Required)

This forecast is to renew the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Multiple Chronic Diseases Research Coordinating Center (MCD-RCC; RFA-MD-21-008). This research coordinating center supports regional P50 comprehensive research centers studying the timely prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of co-existing chronic diseases to reduce health disparities as authorized by Public Law 116-260, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The MDC-RCC will coordinate activities, including data collection and management, promoting collaboration and communication, promoting skills development among early-stage investigators, building a community of practice, and facilitating community and healthcare setting/system engagement. The MCD-RCC will serve as a national resource to help the centers achieve their primary goals to develop, test, and evaluate novel models or strategies, and/or implement effective interventions in various settings such as community or healthcare settings/systems. The MCD-RCC will lead a community of practice and activities to facilitate in four core domains: (1) consortium organization, management, and communication, (2) research coordination and data standardization, sharing, harmonization, analysis, (3) research skills development, and (4) community and healthcare setting/system engagement. The overarching goal is to support the objectives of the multiple chronic disease research initiative. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the P50 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into the proposed scientific areas are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in clinical care, health services, data science, and community engaged research, will be encouraged and such interdisciplinary research teams should also consider applying for this NOFO.

The major elements in evaluating all new grant and renewal grant applications include assessments of the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; and the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project and the relevance and importance to the announced program objectives. SBIR and STTR grants: For Phase I grant applications, the criteria used are the soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; the technological innovation of the proposed research; the potential of the proposed suitability of the facilities and research environment; and where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for safeguarding human or animal subjects and/or protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. For Phase II grant applications, the criteria used are the degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff and consultants; the technological...