Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Data Coordination Center (DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA OD 20 019

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 20 019

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), released this emergency funding opportunity to support the federal COVID-19 response under the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Radical (RADx-rad) initiative. The opportunity is titled "Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Data Coordination Center (DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and was created specifically under the public health emergency declaration for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). It is designed as an expedited mechanism, meaning NIH intended to move quickly to stand up essential infrastructure that could help coordinate and accelerate diagnostic-related research activities tied to RADx-rad.

At its core, the announcement seeks to fund a single Data Coordination Center (DCC) through a U24 cooperative agreement. A DCC in this context functions as both a communications hub and a centralized data resource for the network of RADx-rad awardees. The expectation is that the funded DCC would help awardees share information efficiently, standardize and manage data flowing in from multiple projects, and provide the operational backbone needed to keep a fast-moving emergency research program organized. Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a typical grant, NIH would anticipate substantial programmatic involvement from the agency during the project period, with the DCC working closely with NIH staff and RADx-rad leadership to meet the initiative's goals.

The notice emphasizes that clinical trials are not allowed under this specific U24 funding opportunity, signaling that NIH was not looking to fund interventional clinical trial activities through this award. Instead, the DCC role is primarily supportive and coordinating: building systems, processes, and communication pathways that enable RADx-rad projects to generate, submit, curate, and use data in a consistent and timely way. In practical terms, this kind of center often supports common data elements, data quality oversight, secure data transfer and storage approaches, reporting dashboards, cross-project analytics support, and structured communication among awardees, while also helping the overall program meet federal expectations around documentation and accountability.

Financially, the award had a ceiling of $4,000,000 and NIH expected to make one award total, reflecting the intent to establish a single centralized coordinating entity rather than multiple competing centers. Funding for the award was provided through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, 2020, which supplied emergency appropriations used to bolster pandemic response capabilities, including diagnostic development and related infrastructure.

Eligibility was broad, reflecting an urgency to attract capable organizations from across sectors. Eligible applicants included various levels of government (state, county, city or township, and special districts), federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where specified), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, along with other entities as described in the full eligibility language. The program sits under multiple CFDA numbers (now commonly referred to under the Assistance Listing system), indicating that several NIH institutes and program authorities could be associated with the funding stream supporting this emergency initiative.

In terms of timing, NIH posted the opportunity on August 6, 2020, with an original closing date of September 30, 2020, aligning with the urgent, time-limited nature of many COVID-era emergency solicitations. Overall, the opportunity was meant to quickly stand up a single, well-resourced data and communications coordinating center to help RADx-rad awardees operate as a coherent program, accelerate progress, and ensure that data and reporting were organized, usable, and shareable during a rapidly evolving public health emergency.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Data Coordination Center (DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.310, 93.350, 93.361, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 06, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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