The FY20 Defense Appropriation Act provides $15 million to the Department of Defense Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program (OPORP) to support research on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of prosthetic and orthotic device options currently available, not on the development of new or the improvement of existing technology as directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY20 OPORP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. OPORP supports research that evaluates orthoses and/or prostheses using patient-centric outcomes relevant to Service Members and Veterans with limb loss and/or limb impairment. The intent of this research is to generate clinically useful evidence that will enhance and optimize patient outcomes. Applications submitted to the FY20 OPORP must address at least one of the following Focus Areas:

• Orthoses or Prostheses Form: Optimize patient outcomes through the analysis and characterization of variables related to the form of currently available clinical options such as device size, shape, material, and/or configurations.
• Orthoses or Prostheses Fit: Optimize patient outcomes related to human-device interface through the analysis of variables in currently available clinical options that facilitate fit-related metrics such as comfort and/or usability.
• Orthoses or Prostheses Function: Optimize patient outcomes through the analysis of variables related to currently available device function such as device control, sensors, and passive or active response with respect to activities of daily living and other real-world activities.

Clinical Research Award – Letter of Intent due June 10, 2020

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent):

• Supports research that evaluates orthoses and/or prostheses using patient-centric outcomes relevant to Service Members, Veterans, and other individuals with limb loss and/or limb impairment.
• Supported research is intended to generate clinically useful evidence with potential to enhance and optimize patient outcomes.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration among academics, industry, patient advocacy, the military Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and/or other Federal Government agencies is highly encouraged.
• Applications submitted to the FY20 OPORP CRA must address one or more of the FY20 OPORP Focus Areas.
• Preclinical studies using animals are not allowed.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• The FY20 CRA offers two funding levels:
  • Funding Level 1: Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs (direct plus indirect costs). Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
  • Funding Level 2: Maximum funding of $2,000,000 for total costs (direct plus indirect costs). Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Clinical Trial Award – Letter of Intent due June 10, 2020

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent:

• Supports implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on improving the health and well-being of Service Members, Veterans, and other individuals living with limb loss and/or limb impairment.
• Supports clinical trials that evaluate orthoses and/or prostheses using patient-centric outcomes for the purpose of generating clinically useful evidence to enhance and optimize patient outcomes.
• Multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, patient advocacy, the Military Services, VA, and/or other Federal Government agencies is highly encouraged.
• Applications submitted to the FY20 OPORP CTA must address one or more of the FY20 OPORP Focus Areas.
• Preclinical research is not allowed.
• The FY20 CTA offers two funding levels:
• Funding Level 1
  • Funding Level 1 supports pilot clinical trials which are exploratory and involve limited human exposure with the potential to make significant advancement toward clinical translation. Preliminary data are allowed but not required. Maximum funding of $350,000 for total costs (direct plus indirect costs). Maximum period of performance is 2 years
  • Funding Level 2 supports clinical trials with the potential to make significant advancement toward clinical translation. Preliminary data relevant to the proposed clinical trial are required. Maximum funding of $4,000,000 for total costs (direct plus indirect costs). Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage. For more information about the OPORP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website.