Limited Competition: National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) Operations Support (UC7 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications to continue to provide operations support to the National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas and Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. Operations support is provided in the following areas: facility maintenance and operations; biosecurity; environmental health and safety regulations and requirements; regulatory compliance; and specialized research support services. The NBLs serve as a national resource for efforts in conducting pre-clinical and laboratory (in vitro and in vivo) research and testing on hazardous biological agents in support of NIAID's biodefense and emerging infectious diseases research efforts. Additionally, in times of a national biodefense or emerging infectious disease (EID) emergency, the NBLs may be expected to rapidly realign their activities to assist response efforts within the United States (U.S.) under the direction of NIAID. This NOFO will utilize the UC7 activity code. Applications are not being solicited at this time. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of biocontainment laboratory operations are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this NOFO.