DoD Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award Level 3

The Breakthrough Award Level 3 (BTA3) is part of the Department of Defense’s Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Established in 1992, the BCRP's overarching mission is to eliminate breast cancer for Service Members, Veterans, their Families, and the general public. Since its inception, the program has received $4.39 billion in appropriations, with a $130 million appropriation for fiscal year 2025. The BTA3 mechanism funds advanced translational studies, and allows for small-scale clinical trials, although they are not required. The managing office is the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), with the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) serving as the contracting office. The primary objective of the Breakthrough Award Level 3 is to support research that has the potential for major breakthroughs in breast cancer. Projects must address at least one of the BCRP’s overarching challenges, which include preventing breast cancer, identifying risk factors, differentiating deadly from non-deadly forms, reducing overdiagnosis, understanding metastasis and dormancy, and creating more effective, less toxic treatments. Research must be poised for near-term clinical application and have a substantial impact on patients or populations at risk. This opportunity is open to a broad range of organizations including extramural (academic institutions, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and other non-DOD federal entities) and intramural DOD organizations. Applicants may be from domestic or foreign entities. Principal Investigators (PIs) at all academic levels are eligible, and each application must involve two or more consumer advocates who are breast cancer survivors and active members of advocacy organizations. Proposals may be submitted by a single PI or through the Partnering PI Option (PPIO), which involves two PIs with equal intellectual input and distinct but integrated contributions. The application process consists of two steps: a required pre-application submitted via eBRAP, and a full application submitted through Grants.gov for extramural applicants or eBRAP for intramural DOD applicants. The pre-application is due by June 13, 2025, with invitations for full application submission sent by July 18, 2025. Full applications are due September 10, 2025, with peer review in November 2025 and programmatic review in January 2026. Awards are expected to be made by September 30, 2026. Funding for single PI applications is capped at $5.6 million and $7 million for Partnering PI Option applications, with a maximum period of performance of four years. Applications must include numerous specific attachments including project narratives, technical and lay abstracts, a statement of work, impact statements, consumer advocate integration plans, and, if applicable, clinical trial and regulatory strategy documentation. Evaluation criteria include impact, feasibility, research strategy, statistical rigor, personnel qualifications, and alignment with program goals. For support and inquiries, applicants can contact the eBRAP Help Desk at help@eBRAP.org or 301-682-5507 for pre-application assistance, and Grants.gov Support at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 for submission platform issues. Detailed application instructions and requirements are outlined in the General Application Instructions CD25_01, referenced throughout the program announcement.