Limited Competition: Additional Sequencing for the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 234

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 234

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a limited-competition funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Additional Sequencing for the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-19-234. This is a discretionary health research award made through a cooperative agreement (U01), meaning the NIH is expected to have substantial scientific and programmatic involvement during the project period rather than functioning only as a passive funder. The announcement is focused on expanding and supporting the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP) Follow-Up Study by generating additional genetics and genomics data that can be used by the broader research community to better understand the genetic architecture of Alzheimer's disease.

The work supported by this FOA centers on the practical and technical activities required to produce high-quality sequencing and association data at scale. Specifically, applicants are invited to propose efforts related to sample acquisition, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), whole genome sequencing (WGS), and the downstream steps needed to make those data usable and reliable, including quality control checks, variant calling, and broader data processing ("data calling"). In plain terms, the opportunity is aimed at groups that can help obtain appropriate samples and then carry out, standardize, and validate the laboratory and computational workflows that turn biological specimens into clean, well-annotated datasets suitable for Alzheimer’s genetics research. The "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" designation indicates that the proposed work must not include a clinical trial component as defined by NIH, keeping the scope centered on data generation and analysis rather than interventional human subjects research.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types across government, academia, nonprofits, and industry. Eligible domestic applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The FOA also allows nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. In addition, the announcement explicitly highlights a range of other eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. Notably, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are also listed as eligible, reflecting the reality that large-scale genomics efforts can involve international sequencing capacity, analytic expertise, or access to specific cohorts.

The FOA is associated with CFDA number 93.866 and was created on April 2, 2019. The original closing date shown is May 7, 2022. The public summary does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, suggesting applicants would need to consult the full FOA text and related NIH guidance for budget limits, project period expectations, and program priorities. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as NIH support for the infrastructure and execution of additional Alzheimer’s sequencing and genetics work: acquiring or organizing samples, running GWAS and whole genome sequencing, and delivering rigorously quality-controlled variant datasets that strengthen the ADSP Follow-Up Study and accelerate downstream discovery.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Additional Sequencing for the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (U01 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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-04-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 19 234

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