Science-Based Quality Measurement and Management Development for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA DA 19 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 19 005

The National Institutes of Health announced this discretionary grant opportunity, RFA-DA-19-005, titled "Science-Based Quality Measurement and Management Development for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)," under CFDA 93.279. It is designed to fund research that strengthens how opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment quality is measured and managed, with an emphasis on making quality measurement more directly useful for real-world quality improvement. In practical terms, the program is looking for projects that do more than propose new metrics on paper. Applicants are expected to build, refine, and then rigorously test strategies that change clinical practice and organizational behavior in ways that measurably improve care.

A central feature of this funding announcement is the phased R61/R33 mechanism. The first phase (R61) supports early, developmental work to create or adapt quality measurement and management approaches, and to prepare them for real-world testing. The second phase (R33) supports the later, more definitive evaluation stage. Movement from the R61 to the R33 phase is not automatic; it depends on whether the project meets pre-specified transition milestones. Those milestones are meant to keep projects accountable and ensure that the work progresses from development into rigorous testing rather than remaining conceptual. The "Clinical Trial Required" designation signals that the funded work must include a clinical trial component, meaning applicants need to plan for a study design that can credibly test the impact of the proposed strategies.

The research focus is specifically on strategies that improve opioid treatment quality measures and demonstrate that those improvements matter. The FOA calls for studies that evaluate effects in two linked ways: first, whether the strategy leads to changes in the quality measures themselves (for example, measurable improvements in adherence to evidence-based practices, continuity of care, engagement, retention, or other relevant indicators), and second, whether those measure changes translate into better patient outcomes. This dual requirement reflects the broader goal of the program: to advance the field of clinical quality measurement and management in OUD treatment by better aligning what gets measured with what actually drives better care and better health outcomes. In other words, the program is pushing the field toward quality metrics that are not only easy to report, but also meaningful, actionable, and tied to improvements patients can feel.

The applicant pool is intentionally broad and includes many types of organizations positioned to influence OUD treatment systems. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), 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, U.S. territories or possessions, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This breadth suggests NIH was aiming to attract applicants ranging from academic research centers to community-based treatment networks and governmental systems that can test quality strategies in diverse real-world settings.

Administratively, the opportunity was created on March 5, 2018, with an original closing date of November 7, 2018. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is listed under education and health. While the provided data do not specify an award ceiling or the number of expected awards, the structure and requirements make clear that NIH intended to fund milestone-driven, implementation-oriented research capable of producing credible evidence about how to improve OUD treatment quality measurement and the management practices that support sustained improvement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science-Based Quality Measurement and Management Development for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-11-07. (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 RFA DA 19 005

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: