Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 27 002
The Infectious Diseases Clinical Trials Network (IDCTN) funding opportunity (RFA-AI-27-002) is an NIH cooperative agreement (UM1, clinical trial required) intended to build and run a coordinated national network for evaluating interventions for both emerging infectious threats and chronic infectious diseases. The overall goal is to support well-designed, efficiently executed clinical trials and related clinical studies that can generate actionable evidence on prevention, treatment, diagnostics, and other intervention strategies in infectious diseases. Because this is a cooperative agreement, NIH expects to have substantial scientific and programmatic involvement in the network's activities, which typically means closer collaboration with NIH staff than in a standard research grant.
The network is structured around two main components that work together as an integrated system: Clinical Trial Evaluation Units (CTEUs) and a Network Coordination Center (NCC). The CTEUs are the on-the-ground clinical research units responsible for designing and implementing trials and studies, including activities like protocol development, participant recruitment and retention, regulatory compliance, study conduct, and data collection at clinical sites. The NCC functions as the operational backbone of the network, providing the administrative and coordinating infrastructure needed to run a multi-site program. In practical terms, that includes facilitating cross-site collaboration, harmonizing operational procedures, supporting communications and governance, and helping to ensure studies move from concept to activation to completion in a timely and consistent way across the network.
A central feature of this NOFO is an emphasis on collaborative concept generation and expert engagement. The NCC is expected to actively engage with subject-matter experts to solicit and develop clinical trial concepts, rather than operating as a passive administrative hub. The NCC and CTEUs are also expected to work jointly to create deliberate pathways for workforce development, specifically by creating opportunities for early-career investigators and investigators who are new to infectious diseases clinical research. This signals that NIH is looking not only for scientific productivity, but also for a network that strengthens the pipeline of clinical trial leadership and expands participation in the field.
Eligibility is broad for U.S.-based organizations and can include government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, tribal governments and eligible tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other eligible applicants as described in the NOFO's Section III. The opportunity is categorized under Health (CFDA/Assistance Listing 93.855) and is run by the National Institutes of Health.
There are important restrictions related to foreign participation that applicants need to plan around carefully. Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, NIH does allow "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally refers to certain project elements performed outside the U.S. that are integral to the project, but this allowance should not be confused with permission to issue funded foreign subawards or subcontracts. NIH policy now prohibits awards that include foreign subawards/subcontracts unless the application is submitted to a NOFO that is explicitly designated for funded international collaborations. Applications submitted under this NOFO that propose foreign subawards/subcontracts will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed for funding. The policy does not prevent unfunded international collaborations or other permissible arrangements such as using foreign consultants (paid as consultants rather than subrecipients), or purchasing specialized equipment or supplies from foreign vendors, but any monetary collaboration that would be structured as a foreign subaward/subcontract is effectively disallowed here.
Key administrative details provided in the listing include the original application due date of 2026-11-10 and a posting/creation date of 2026-09-01. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided summary, meaning applicants would need to consult the full NOFO for budget limits, anticipated funding levels, and the planned scale of the network awards.Apply for RFA AI 27 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Infectious Diseases Clinical Trials Network (IDCTN) (UM1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-10. (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 Infectious Diseases Clinical Trials Network (IDCTN) funding opportunity?
The IDCTN funding opportunity (RFA-AI-27-002) is an NIH cooperative agreement (UM1; clinical trial required) intended to build and operate a coordinated national clinical trials network focused on infectious diseases.
2) What is the overall purpose of this NIH cooperative agreement?
The goal is to support well-designed, efficiently executed clinical trials and related clinical studies that generate actionable evidence for infectious diseases interventions, including prevention, treatment, diagnostics, and other intervention strategies, across both emerging infectious threats and chronic infectious diseases.
3) What does "clinical trial required" mean for this opportunity?
This opportunity is structured to support clinical trials as a required element of the program (UM1 mechanism). The network is intended to evaluate interventions through clinical trials and related clinical studies.
4) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard research grant?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, NIH expects substantial scientific and programmatic involvement in the network's activities. In practice, this typically means closer collaboration with NIH staff than would occur under a standard research grant.
5) What are the main components of the IDCTN network?
The network is structured around two integrated components: Clinical Trial Evaluation Units (CTEUs) and a Network Coordination Center (NCC). These components work together as a coordinated system to design, launch, and execute multi-site infectious disease clinical research.
6) What are Clinical Trial Evaluation Units (CTEUs) responsible for?
CTEUs are the clinical research units responsible for on-the-ground trial and study design and implementation. This includes protocol development, participant recruitment and retention, regulatory compliance, study conduct, and data collection at clinical sites.
7) What is the role of the Network Coordination Center (NCC)?
The NCC serves as the operational backbone of the network. It provides administrative and coordinating infrastructure for a multi-site program, including facilitating cross-site collaboration, harmonizing operational procedures, supporting communications and governance, and helping ensure studies move from concept to activation to completion in a timely and consistent way.
8) Is the NCC expected to do more than administrative coordination?
Yes. A central feature of this NOFO is an emphasis on collaborative concept generation and expert engagement. The NCC is expected to actively engage subject-matter experts to solicit and develop clinical trial concepts, rather than acting as a passive administrative hub.
9) How are clinical trial concepts expected to be generated and developed?
The NOFO emphasizes collaborative concept generation, including active engagement of subject-matter experts. The NCC is expected to help solicit and develop concepts, in coordination with the CTEUs, to advance trials and studies within the network.
10) What kinds of diseases does the network focus on?
The network is intended to evaluate interventions for both emerging infectious threats and chronic infectious diseases.
11) What kinds of interventions and evidence is the network supposed to produce?
The network is expected to produce actionable evidence related to prevention, treatment, diagnostics, and other infectious disease intervention strategies, using well-designed and efficiently executed clinical trials and related clinical studies.
12) Is workforce development part of the expectations under this NOFO?
Yes. The NCC and CTEUs are expected to work jointly to create deliberate pathways for workforce development, including opportunities for early-career investigators and investigators who are new to infectious diseases clinical research.
13) Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is broad for U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants can include government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, tribal governments and eligible tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other eligible applicants as described in the NOFO's Section III.
14) Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
15) Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
16) Does NIH allow any foreign involvement at all under this NOFO?
NIH allows "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (generally, certain integral project elements performed outside the U.S.). However, this should not be confused with permission to include funded foreign subawards or subcontracts.
17) Can an application include a funded foreign subaward or subcontract?
No. NIH policy prohibits awards that include foreign subawards/subcontracts unless the application is submitted to a NOFO explicitly designated for funded international collaborations. Applications under this NOFO that propose foreign subawards/subcontracts are considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed for funding.
18) What happens if an application proposes a foreign subaward or subcontract anyway?
It will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed for funding under this NOFO.
19) Are unfunded international collaborations permitted?
Yes. The policy does not prevent unfunded international collaborations, as described in the provided summary.
20) Are foreign consultants allowed under this opportunity?
Yes. The summary indicates foreign consultants may be used (paid as consultants rather than subrecipients), as long as the arrangement does not become a funded foreign subaward/subcontract.
21) Can applicants purchase equipment or supplies from foreign vendors?
Yes. The summary notes that purchasing specialized equipment or supplies from foreign vendors may be permissible, provided it is not structured as a foreign subaward/subcontract.
22) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number and program area for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under Health and lists CFDA/Assistance Listing 93.855. It is run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
23) What is the funding opportunity number (NOFO/RFA identifier)?
The identifier provided is RFA-AI-27-002.
24) What is the original application due date?
The original application due date provided in the summary is 2026-11-10.
25) What is the posting/creation date for this opportunity?
The posting/creation date provided in the summary is 2026-09-01.
26) Are the award ceiling and the expected number of awards provided?
No. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided summary. Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO for budget limits, anticipated funding levels, and the planned scale of network awards.
27) Where should applicants look for complete budget and award-scale details?
The summary indicates that applicants should consult the full NOFO for budget limits, anticipated funding levels, and the planned scale of the network awards.
28) What kinds of operational coordination is the NCC expected to support?
Based on the summary, the NCC is expected to facilitate cross-site collaboration, harmonize operational procedures, support communications and governance, and help ensure consistent and timely movement of studies from concept through activation and completion.
29) How do the NCC and CTEUs work together?
They function as an integrated system: CTEUs conduct and implement trials and studies at clinical sites, while the NCC provides the administrative and coordinating structure across sites. They are also expected to work jointly on concept development and workforce development pathways.
30) What is NIH looking for beyond scientific output?
The summary signals NIH is looking not only for scientific productivity, but also for a network that strengthens the pipeline of clinical trial leadership and expands participation through opportunities for early-career and new-to-field investigators.
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