Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Opportunities for Cancer-relevant Innovative Technologies with Transformative Potential


Notice Number: NOT-CA-13-009


Key Dates

Release Date: May 1, 2013
Response Date: June 30, 2013

Issued by

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Purpose

While many scientific fields, including cancer research, have moved dramatically forward through critically enabling technologies, challenges clearly persist in many areas of cancer research and clinical care. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supports the development of new tools to overcome these hurdles, which it does through a variety of funding opportunities for the research community.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to seek input from members of the cancer research community on the most important needs and promising opportunities for the development of technologies with strong potential for accelerating cancer research or clinical care. More specifically, the NCI is interested in understanding the communities' perspective on areas where state-of-the-art capabilities are insufficient for clinical care or for exploring biological or epidemiological facets of cancer. This RFI is part of a planning effort to identify current challenges in cancer, as perceived by the research community, which will contribute to the consideration of funding priorities and possibly drive future funding opportunities.

The NCI does not intend to make any awards based on responses to this RFI or to otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the Government's use of such information.

Information Requested

While the NCI provides support for technology development through a variety of mechanisms, it is important to understand whether or not these are sufficient for catalyzing and supporting the development of tools with significant potential for advancing important fields of cancer research or clinical care. In order to better understand these research priorities, the NCI, through this RFI, invites comments from the cancer research community to assist in identifying and understanding these needs.

Specifically, the NCI requests that cancer researchers, clinicians, and other interested members of the community share their perspectives on areas where state-of-the-art capabilities are insufficient for exploring important options for clinical care or understanding biological or epidemiological facets of cancer.

As stated above, responses to this RFI will be used for consideration of research priorities and may help in the development of future funding opportunities.

Note: Do not include any proprietary or confidential information.

How to Submit a Response

Responses will be accepted through June 30, 2013 and should be marked with this RFI identifier "NOT-CA-13-009." Responses are preferred in electronic format and should be e-mailed to nciimat@mail.nih.gov.

If you are willing to do so, you are encouraged to include the following optional information in your response:

  • Identification of the nature of your involvement and/or interest in cancer research (i.e., are you a biomedical researcher or clinician or other);
  • If you are an investigator, please indicate your main area of research interest, including whether the focus is basic or human based research; and
  • Your name and email address.

All individual responses will remain confidential. Any identifiers (e.g., names, institutions, e-mail addresses, etc.) will be removed when responses are compiled. Only the processed, anonymized summaries will be shared beyond NIH staff members and/or any scientific working groups convened by the NCI, as appropriate.

Respondents will receive an automated email confirmation acknowledging receipt of their response but will not receive any individualized feedback. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the Government s use of such information.

Orientation Teleconference

The NCI plans to conduct an orientation teleconference about this RFI for prospective respondents at the end of May. Specific information about the teleconference, including its date and time, will be available at http://innovation.cancer.gov. All interested individuals are invited to participate in this orientation.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Tony Dickherber, Ph.D.
Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives
Office of the Director
National Cancer Institute
31 Center Drive, Room 10A-33
Bethesda, MD 20892-
Telephone: (301) 547-9980
Email: dickherberaj@mail.nih.gov