Targeted Implementation Science to Achieve 90/90/90 Goals for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 279

FAQs: Targeted Implementation Science to Achieve 90/90/90 Goals for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) - PA-18-279

What is this NIH funding opportunity?

This is an NIH funding opportunity announcement (FOA) titled "Targeted Implementation Science to Achieve 90/90/90 Goals for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" with Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-279. It supports research projects focused on improving the real-world delivery of HIV prevention and treatment services using implementation science approaches.

What is the main focus of the program?

The main focus is implementation science: studying how to put proven HIV interventions into practice effectively in specific settings. The emphasis is on improving uptake, quality, reach, and sustainability of HIV prevention and treatment services, rather than discovering new drugs or basic biological mechanisms.

What does "implementation science" mean in the context of this FOA?

In this FOA, implementation science refers to research that identifies practical barriers to delivering proven HIV services and tests strategies to address those barriers. Projects are expected to be grounded in real service settings and designed to improve how interventions are adopted, delivered, and sustained.

How are the 90/90/90 goals defined?

The 90/90/90 goals are benchmarks across the HIV care continuum: (1) 90 percent of all people living with HIV know their HIV status (testing and diagnosis), (2) 90 percent of those diagnosed receive timely and effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) (linkage to care and treatment initiation), and (3) 90 percent of those on treatment achieve sustained viral suppression (retention in care and adherence leading to durable clinical outcomes).

What types of research projects are encouraged?

Projects are encouraged that directly move communities closer to the 90/90/90 benchmarks by testing and refining strategies that improve testing coverage, speed and success of treatment initiation, and long-term viral suppression. The FOA favors work that is context-specific and responsive to the needs of the selected community.

Does the FOA require projects to be tailored to specific communities?

Yes. The FOA emphasizes tailoring approaches to the "particular needs" of the selected community. This signals a preference for context-specific strategies rather than one-size-fits-all approaches, informed by local epidemic patterns, gaps in the care continuum, and structural, social, and health-system factors affecting service delivery.

Is partnership with service providers required?

Yes. A central requirement is that projects be designed in partnership with service providers in the United States and globally. Applicants are expected to work closely with implementers such as clinics, health systems, community organizations, and public health programs so the research addresses practical barriers to service delivery.

What kinds of partners does NIH expect applicants to work with?

The FOA points to frontline implementers, including clinics, health systems, community organizations, public health programs, and other service delivery entities. The intent is for research to be practice-facing and aligned with real operational constraints and opportunities.

What does the R01 mechanism imply for project scope?

Because this is an R01, the FOA is geared toward full-scale research projects with rigorous designs and strong analytic plans. Proposals are expected to be methodologically strong and clearly tied to improving outcomes related to the 90/90/90 goals.

What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean?

"Clinical Trial Optional" means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials if appropriate, but they are not required to do so. Non-trial implementation studies are also responsive as long as they are rigorous and clearly connected to improving progress toward 90/90/90 outcomes.

What outcomes should projects measure?

Competitive projects would be expected to define measurable implementation outcomes (for example, adoption, fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, penetration, cost, and sustainability) alongside patient or population outcomes (such as diagnosis rates, ART initiation, and viral suppression).

Why does the FOA emphasize both implementation outcomes and patient/population outcomes?

The FOA aims to support research that not only improves clinical or population-level HIV outcomes (like viral suppression) but also explains how and why service delivery strategies work in real settings. Measuring implementation outcomes helps identify what is practical, scalable, and sustainable for partners to use during and after the study.

Can projects focus on only one part of the HIV care continuum?

The FOA is organized around the full 90/90/90 continuum (diagnosis, treatment initiation, and viral suppression) and encourages projects that improve progress toward these benchmarks. Based on the description provided, projects should be clearly tied to improving one or more of these linked targets.

What kinds of barriers should projects address?

The FOA highlights barriers rooted in local context, including structural, social, and health-system factors that prevent people from accessing services or staying engaged in care. It also points to "care continuum gaps" as a key organizing concept for intervention strategy selection.

Is this opportunity limited to U.S.-based projects?

No. The FOA explicitly supports partnerships with service providers both in the United States and globally, and it lists non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) as eligible applicants.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic and international organization types. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other organizations.

Are community-based and faith-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA highlights faith-based or community-based organizations among the additional eligible applicant categories.

Are minority-serving institutions and tribal colleges eligible?

Yes. The FOA highlights eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Are U.S. territories and federal agencies eligible?

Yes. The FOA highlights eligible federal agencies, as well as regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions.

What is the CFDA information for this opportunity?

The activity areas are listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers provided are 93.242 and 93.361.

What is the application deadline shown in the provided information?

The original closing date shown in the provided source data is January 7, 2020.

When was the record created?

The record creation date in the provided information is November 29, 2017.

Is there an award ceiling or expected number of awards listed?

No. The provided source data does not list an award ceiling or expected number of awards. This suggests those figures were not specified in the excerpt or may vary by institute, budget justification, and available appropriations.

What makes a strong application based on this FOA description?

Based on the information provided, strong applications would likely include: close partnership with service providers; a clear understanding of the local epidemic and care-continuum gaps; context-specific strategies; rigorous study design and analytic plans consistent with an R01; measurable implementation outcomes alongside patient/population outcomes; and a clear plan for how partners will use findings to improve programs during and after the study.

How should applicants think about sustainability and real-world impact?

The FOA emphasizes improving sustainability of services and encourages research that helps partners adopt and sustain successful approaches beyond the life of the grant. Measuring outcomes like cost and sustainability, and designing with implementers, supports long-term real-world impact.