Implementation Science for Cancer Control: Advanced Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 19 006

FAQs: Implementation Science for Cancer Control: Advanced Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA-CA-19-006)

What is the NIH funding opportunity RFA-CA-19-006?

RFA-CA-19-006 is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Implementation Science for Cancer Control: Advanced Centers (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)." It supports advanced, multi-project research centers that focus on implementation science in cancer control.

What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The central purpose is to strengthen the ability to move proven, evidence-based cancer control interventions into routine practice more effectively, more equitably, and with better long-term sustainment. The emphasis is on improving how known interventions are adopted, implemented, and maintained in real-world settings, rather than discovering brand-new interventions.

What does "implementation science for cancer control" mean in this context?

In this FOA, implementation science is about developing knowledge, strategies, methods, and measurements that improve real-world delivery of evidence-based cancer control interventions. It targets persistent gaps such as low reach, slow uptake, inconsistent quality, inequities in access or outcomes, challenges with fidelity, cost barriers, and lack of long-term maintenance.

What kinds of cancer control topics are included?

The FOA covers the cancer control continuum, including prevention, screening, and symptom management. It specifically points to priorities aligned with the Cancer Moonshot and the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) recommendations, including prevention and screening implementation of evidence-based approaches, symptom management, and prevention and screening for high-risk cancers, along with other cross-cutting Moonshot priorities.

Is this FOA looking for new interventions or better delivery of existing ones?

This program is geared toward improving adoption, implementation, scaling, evaluation, and sustainment of evidence-based interventions that already have strong evidence of effectiveness. It is not primarily focused on discovery or invention of new clinical or programmatic interventions.

What is a P50 Advanced Center in this program?

A P50 Advanced Center is a multi-project research center funded through the NIH P50 center mechanism. Under this FOA, the center is expected to serve as a well-resourced hub that accelerates implementation science for cancer control by bringing together interdisciplinary teams and real-world practice settings.

What is meant by "multi-project research center" in the FOA description?

The FOA describes these centers as multi-project hubs, meaning they are designed to support more than a single standalone study and instead operate as an integrated center with capacity, shared infrastructure, and coordinated efforts to advance implementation science across projects and sites.

What are the main expectations for funded P50 Advanced Centers?

The FOA indicates that these centers are expected to function as hubs that can: (1) develop and test innovative implementation strategies, (2) create implementation laboratories by leveraging existing clinical and community service sites, (3) advance implementation science methods, and (4) improve measurement by developing and validating reliable measures for key implementation constructs.

What is an "implementation laboratory" as described in the FOA?

An implementation laboratory refers to leveraging existing clinical and community service sites (such as health systems, community clinics, and public health programs) as real-world environments where implementation strategies can be rapidly tested, iterated, and evaluated under everyday conditions.

What kinds of real-world settings are envisioned for this work?

The FOA references a range of service environments, including health systems, community clinics, public health programs, and other settings where cancer control services are delivered to patients and communities.

What does the FOA mean by improving "sustainment" or long-term staying power?

It refers to ensuring that evidence-based cancer control interventions are not only adopted initially but are maintained over time in routine practice, including under typical operational constraints and changing real-world conditions.

What types of problems is NIH trying to solve through these centers?

The FOA highlights persistent implementation gaps, such as barriers in reach, uptake, quality, equity, fidelity, cost, and long-term maintenance of evidence-based cancer control approaches. The intent is to address high-impact implementation bottlenecks where there is already strong evidence for what works, but practice and outcomes still lag.

How does this FOA relate to the Cancer Moonshot and Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations?

The FOA states that its scientific focus areas align with Cancer Moonshot priorities and BRP recommendations, particularly for prevention and screening implementation, symptom management, and prevention and screening for high-risk cancers, as well as other cross-cutting Moonshot priorities.

What is the ISCCC Program mentioned in the description?

The FOA positions each funded center as part of the Implementation Science Centers in Cancer Control (ISCCC) Program. The ISCCC is intended to be a broader national consortium that collectively speeds progress by sharing implementation laboratories, measures, methods, lessons learned, and potentially harmonized approaches across projects and sites.

Are there different types of centers within the ISCCC Program?

Yes. The description states that the ISCCC Program includes both P50 Advanced Centers (this FOA, RFA-CA-19-006) and P50 Developing Centers (a separate companion announcement, RFA-CA-19-005). Together, they create a pipeline supporting centers at different stages of maturity while contributing to a shared network.

Is this grant mechanism discretionary, and what mechanism does it use?

Yes. The FOA is described as a discretionary NIH grant using the P50 center mechanism.

Are clinical trials required under this FOA?

No. The FOA specifies that clinical trials are optional ("Clinical Trial Optional").

What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The public record listed for this opportunity includes an award ceiling of $1,200,000.

Which agency sponsors this funding opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is NIH (the National Institutes of Health).

When was this opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was created on November 15, 2018, and the original closing date shown is February 11, 2019.

Is this FOA current or historical?

Based on the creation date and the closing date provided, this specific solicitation is historical. The description indicates that applicants planning a new submission would typically look for any reissues, successor FOAs, or related current announcements.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broad and includes government, academic, nonprofit, and for-profit entities. Examples listed include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions when applicable); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other organizations.

Does the FOA mention specific institution types that are eligible?

Yes. It highlights additional eligible applicant types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Can foreign (non-U.S.) organizations apply as the applicant?

No. The description states that non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.

Are foreign components allowed in any way?

Yes. The FOA description notes that foreign components are allowed as defined by NIH policy. This means a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign collaborations when justified and compliant with NIH rules.

What would a competitive center be expected to demonstrate?

The description indicates that competitive centers would typically be expected to show they can tackle high-impact implementation bottlenecks, produce generalizable implementation knowledge, and generate tools and methods that other researchers and systems can use.

What is meant by generating "generalizable implementation knowledge"?

Within the framing provided, it means producing findings, methods, measures, and practical tools that can be transferred beyond a single local program or site, so other researchers and service systems can apply and benefit from the center's work.

What is the intended national impact of these centers?

The intended payoff is not only better local implementation of cancer control programs, but also a stronger national toolkit of implementation laboratories, measures, and methods that can improve cancer prevention, screening, and symptom management outcomes at population scale.

What is the core emphasis: research infrastructure or individual projects?

Based on the description, a major emphasis is on building capacity and infrastructure that accelerates implementation science, including shared laboratories, improved measurement, and advanced methods, alongside the development and testing of innovative implementation strategies.

What types of gaps in cancer control delivery does the FOA emphasize?

The FOA emphasizes gaps where there is strong evidence for an intervention, but real-world delivery falls short, including gaps in reach, uptake, quality, equity, fidelity, cost, and maintenance over time.

How are centers expected to work together across the program?

The FOA frames funded centers as part of a consortium (ISCCC) intended to share laboratories, measures, methods, lessons learned, and potentially harmonized approaches across projects and sites to speed progress collectively.