Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-26-106

Category of Funding Activity: Health

CFDA Number(s): 93.310; 93.352

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) solicits applications to develop shared-use research facilities or research-supporting facilities that enable collaborative research and benefit broad research communities at large. The NOFO supports two existing construction programs: the Biomedical Research Facilities (BRF) program and the HIV/AIDS Research Facilities (HRF) program.The BRF program supports the construction or modernization of biomedical research facilities that advance basic, translational, clinical, or behavioral science research in all areas. Intended facilities include shared research spaces, core facilities, biorepositories, or other shared-use resource facilities that serve a broad scientific community with a significant, long-term impact on biomedical research.The HRF program funds the development of HIV/AIDS research or research-supporting resources that the empowered research activities must align with the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) priorities, as outlined at OAR HIV/AIDS Research Priorities, including research focusing on the long-term health consequences of HIV infection.NIH encourages applications from institutions across all geographic regions of the country, including Institutions of Emerging Excellence (IEE) in biomedical research, to strengthen the nation"s research capacity.

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

The NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) administers two extramural construction programs: the Biomedical Research Facilities (BRF) program and the HIV/AIDS Research Facilities (HRF) program. These programs support the construction and modernization of biomedical research facilities that advance basic, translational, clinical, or behavioral science research, including those dedicated to the HIV/AIDS research. The primary goal of this NOFO is to support the development of modern, shared-use facilities that enhance collaborative biomedical research with broad and high impact, create research training opportunities, cultivate the future generations of the biomedical research workforce, and sustain critical biomedical research resources for broad and long-lasting impact.

The BRF program solicits applications from eligible higher education and research institutions to construct new or modernize existing shared-use research facilities. BRF facilities support biomedical and behavioral research in all scientific areas, especially research in emerging scientific areas with strong potential for impact. Supported facilities must serve a wide research community, locally (within the applicant institution), regionally (across several institutions), or nationally, demonstrating value beyond a single research group or department. Appropriate facilities include but are not limited to: institution-wide multidisciplinary collaborative research spaces, core laboratories, state-of-the-art facilities to house advanced technologies such as imaging centers, biorepositories, and other shared-use facilities that support emerging new approach methodologies or human-based research technologies. Additionally, these facilities can play a crucial role in advancing implementation science by providing the physical infrastructure necessary to develop, test, refine, and scale evidence-based interventions, ensuring their effective integration into real-world applications. Facilities that solely or primarily focus on supporting animal research or animal care activities are not among the priorities of this NOFO.

The HRF program supports the development or modernization of shared-use research facilities that the supported research must align with the HIV/AIDS research priorities established by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR). These facilities are expected to strengthen a sustainable infrastructure that enables cutting-edge, collaborative biomedical and behavioral HIV/AIDS research, enhances preservation and advancement of critical HIV/AIDS research resources, and offers robust training opportunities to foster the next generation of HIV/AIDS researchers.

This NOFO encourages applications from eligible institutions across all geographic regions of the country, including Institutions of Emerging Excellence (IEEs) in biomedical research, as defined in 42 USC 283k(c)(2)(D), to contribute to strengthening our nation's biomedical research capability. All proposed projects must align with an institution s current infrastructure and long-term strategic vision and demonstrate lasting benefit for the broader research community. Successful projects are expected to provide shared, collaborative environments that advance a broad range of research teams and promote institutional excellence. Laboratory spaces dedicated solely to individual investigators or single research groups are not supported under this NOFO.

NIH intends to allocate at least 25% of the funds appropriated to the BRF program to support IEE projects. IEEs are expected to have demonstrated emerging excellence in a biomedical or behavioral research field and are located in a geographic area facing significant public health challenges, such as limited access to healthcare services or inadequate research infrastructure. Per 42 USC 283k(c)(2)(D), eligible IEEs must be actively engaged in addressing the health deficit of the populations they serve. While many IEEs reside in regions that traditionally receive fewer NIH or other federal research grants, such as Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible states, geographic location alone does not determine IEE eligibility. For example, an institution in a non-IDeA state may qualify if it lacks essential research infrastructure and demonstrates a focused, mission-driven effort to advance research in areas aligned with the unmet health needs of its local population.

For the BRF program, to be considered as an IEE under this NOFO, an applicant institution must explicitly identify itself as such and justify its status in the Project Narrative section. IEE applicants must clearly articulate the biomedical or behavioral research focus they are striving to establish or expand and describe how the proposed facility project will significantly advance that goal. Applications should also demonstrate how the institution is building research capacity and training the next generation of scientists to address regional health deficit. While IEE faculty is expected to dedicate significant time to teaching, this NOFO does not support projects with purely instructional or didactic activities.

NIH recognizes that cutting-edge physical infrastructures are essential for the conduct of novel, advanced research and the support of specialized research-enabling operations. Dedicated collaborative research facilities and shared-use resource spaces, such as clean rooms for barrier housing or GLP-compliant spaces for compound synthesis, as well as biosafety-level laboratories for research involving human participants, are critical to support specialized equipment and technologies, emerging experimental protocols, and enhance institutional research capacity. Modern physical infrastructure necessitates the implementation of advanced engineering designs that comply with required engineering standards to sustain the intended operation over many years.

Therefore, all construction design must conform to the latest edition of the NIH Design Requirements Manual (DRM) and its referenced policies, codes, standards, and technical criteria. For applications submitted to this NOFO, it is expected that each project will implement the best engineering solutions and modern technologies. In situations where animal facilities are proposed, the proposed animal facilities must be compliant with the Required Codes and Standards as specified in Section 1.2.1, including the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy) and Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide).

Note: There is no maximum for the total cost of a construction project under this NOFO. Each of the two programs, however, allows a different range of the Total Federal Funds Requested. Specifically, the Total Federal Funds Requested allows the range of $2,000,000 to $8,000,000 for applications under the BRF program and $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 for the HRF applications.

Moreover, the HRF program supports HIV/AIDS-related research that aligned with the NIH OAR priorities, including implementation science for preventing HIV infection, facilities for manufacturing safe HIV interventions/treatments with more effective viral eradication or sustained viral suppression for viruses in their latent reservoirs, or vaccines more potent to suppress viruses with high mutational potential or multiple genetic variants.

While this NOFO permits a nominal level of supports for fixed equipment listed in Section IV, it is not intended for applications requesting research instruments, replacement of aging or failing equipment, or funding for routine operational needs. Requests for these purposes are not appropriate and will not be supported. Applications for billable medical care, office space, or classrooms are not appropriate in response to this NOFO.

Applicants may request funds to cover design and implementation costs of the project. Specifically, the allowable costs include the architectural and engineering design fees, contingency fees, construction and fixed equipment expenses, and fees for commissioning of the facility. See the Funding Restrictions section for further details on allowable and non-allowable costs. Applicants are encouraged to follow sustainable design principles and to use green technologies.

To appropriately conceive, develop, construct, and successfully complete the project, a Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) should possess knowledge of the relevant scientific field(s) to be served by the proposed facility, demonstrate leadership skills, and assemble a team with technical expertise related to all aspects of the project. The PD/PI does not need to be a currently NIH-funded investigator but is expected to have an appropriate standing in the institutional administration and the research community to lead and oversee the project.

The project should meet the following criteria and documentation requirements:

The project must be essential for biomedical research activities supported and the space involved will be used for these activities.
The facility must be utilized for the biomedical research purposes for which it was constructed or improved for at least 10 years beginning on the date of beneficial occupancy of the space.
For modernization and renovation projects, the structure must be architecturally and physically suitable for conversion to the type of research space required.
If the space is rented, evidence must be provided that the terms of the lease and expected subsequent use of the facility are consistent with the proposed project. Specifically, a signed document from the building owner must be provided, detailing that the terms of the lease agreement and subsequent use of the facility will comply with the 10-year term of the Notice of Federal Interest (NFI) requirement following the occupancy of the facility. A statement of agreement by the owner of the space must be included at the time of application submission. These documents will be verified if/when the application is considered for funding.
If the project affects a site listed (or eligible for inclusion) in the National Register of Historic Places, the requirements specified in "Preservation of Cultural and Historic Resources" must be followed.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Scientific/Research Contact listed in Section VII. Agency Contacts to discuss their planned projects before submitting applications. For additional guidance, visit the C06 Frequently Asked Questions web page.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

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