Improving Protection against Influenza and Other Respiratory Pathogens: the US Flu VE Network

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to continue the work of the US Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (Flu VE) Network. Influenza and other respiratory pathogens are important causes of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden across the age spectrum. This network provides evidence needed to improve the effectiveness of influenza and other respiratory pathogen vaccines. You would propose work under this NOFO to include: 1) annual VE and correlates of protection surveillance from active enrollment and systematic respiratory pathogen testing of outpatients; 2) electronic acute respiratory illness and VE surveillance; 3) household transmission research studies; and 4) immunogenicity research studies.

This is a multi-component NOFO of Component A, B, C and D. The anticipated award number for each component is: five for Component A (VE and correlates of protection), one for Component B (Coordination and surge capacity), two for Component C (Household transmission studies) and three for Component D (Immunogenicity studies). You are required to apply for either Component A (VE and correlates of protection) or B (Coordination and surge capacity) but not both.  If you apply for Component A, you may also apply for optional Components C (Household transmission studies) or D (Immunogenicity studies) or both.  If you apply for Component B, you may also apply for optional Component D.

We expect to fund 5 sites for Component A up to $1,800,000 per site annually and 1 site for Component B up to $1,800,000 annually.  Up to 2 sites selected for Component A may be awarded optional Component C to be funded up to $1,00,000 per site annually.  Up to 3 sites selected for either Components A or B may be awarded optional Component D to be funded up to $750,000 per site annually.