DoD Lung Cancer, Concept Award | W81XWH 19 LCRP CA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 19 LCRP CA

The DoD Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Concept Award (FY19) is designed to fund bold, early-stage ideas in lung cancer research that could open up entirely new directions for the field. The emphasis is on exploring a highly innovative concept or an untested theory that tackles an important lung cancer problem, especially where the approach is genuinely different from what is already being done. This award is meant to help investigators chase promising, sometimes unexpected observations and take scientific risks that would be hard to support through more traditional mechanisms that expect a well-established foundation.

A key point of this opportunity is what it does not want to fund: incremental next steps of an ongoing, established research line. Instead, applicants need to make a clear case that the proposed work is conceptually novel and that it can meaningfully expand current knowledge or set up a new and inventive investigative path. The program recognizes that transformative research often starts without a large body of supporting evidence, so the Concept Award is structured to allow investigators to test an idea before it has accumulated extensive proof.

Because the goal is to enable high-risk, high-reward exploration, preliminary data is not expected and is not considered central to a strong application. While applicants are allowed to include preliminary results, proposals should stand on the strength of the idea itself, the logic behind it, and the potential for impact rather than relying on existing datasets to validate feasibility. In practice, the award is positioned as a springboard: the research supported here may produce the initial findings needed to compete for larger, follow-on grants later.

The opportunity also places strong emphasis on military health relevance. The LCRP is part of a broader mission to address the healthcare needs of military Service members, Veterans, and their families, and that relevance is factored into programmatic review. Applicants are encouraged to show a clear connection to the Military Health System, including lung cancer risks and needs that may be especially pertinent to these populations. One explicit example is attention to environmental or occupational exposures beyond tobacco, which can be particularly relevant in military contexts.

Several concrete pathways are highlighted for demonstrating military relevance. Proposals can incorporate military or Veteran populations, or use related biospecimens, data resources, databases, or existing programs. Collaboration is strongly encouraged, especially partnerships with investigators at DoD military treatment facilities or laboratories and with Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and research labs. The program also notes the potential value of involving military consultants or specialty leaders connected to the Surgeons General in relevant clinical or research areas, which can strengthen alignment with real-world military health priorities.

Another theme is dual-use impact: applicants are encouraged to explain how the knowledge, tools, products, or technologies developed could be implemented in ways that meet military needs while also benefiting civilian patients. In other words, even when the science is broadly applicable, the proposal should spell out how it could translate into improvements for military and Veteran communities, whether through prevention, detection, biology, or care-related innovations.

Administratively, this funding opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA) under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-19-LCRP-CA. It is listed as a discretionary opportunity, using grant and/or cooperative agreement instruments, and falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 12.420). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement. The posting indicates an expected 14 awards, and while an award ceiling is not specified in the provided summary (listed as 0), applicants typically must rely on the full solicitation for budget limits, performance period details, and submission requirements. The opportunity was created May 1, 2019, with an original closing date of August 7, 2019.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Lung Cancer, Concept Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 01, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 07, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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