CDMRP: Pharmacotherapies for Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder Alliance (PASA)
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
PASA has four live RFA 8 opportunities under the Study Research Planning Program (SRPP), and the first deadline comes fast: pre-applications are due 04/15/2026 across all four opportunities. Full applications are then due either 06/05/2026 or 06/17/2026 depending on the award type. In plain terms, this is a staged PASA funding cycle for teams working on drug discovery, pre-clinical animal research, human participant clinical trial planning, or expansion of previously funded PASA work. The planning award is for human participant clinical trial planning, the pre-clinical award is for animal research, the drug discovery award is for nonclinical discovery work, and the expansion award is only for current or previously funded PASA studies.
How much funding would I receive?
RFA 8a / Planning Award
Maximum Total Cost (Direct and Indirect): $150,000.
Period of Performance: 9-12 months.
RFA 8b / Pre-Clinical Award
The maximum total cost is not specified in the source materials I reviewed.
The period of performance is not specified in the source materials I reviewed.
RFA 8c / Drug Discovery Award
Maximum Total Cost (Direct and Indirect): $600,000.
Period of Performance: 24 months.
RFA 8d / Expansion Award
Maximum Total Cost (Direct and Indirect): $250,000-$750,000.
Period of Performance: 12-24 months.
What could I use the funding for?
RFA 8a / Planning Award
Use this for a specific compound or combination of compounds where you need a clinical implementation strategy to move toward FDA approval for ASUD treatment. PASA says the award supports development of a series of studies, the protocol for the first study, and related regulatory pathway work.
RFA 8b / Pre-Clinical Award
Use this for proof-of-principle pre-clinical animal research to determine which compounds are most appropriate for human research trials.
RFA 8c / Drug Discovery Award
Use this for proof-of-principle nonclinical drug discovery research to determine which compounds are most appropriate for later human research trials. The RFA says this can include computational-based analysis, including in silico and augmented intelligence research.
RFA 8d / Expansion Award
Use this only to continue or extend research that was previously funded by PASA. PASA says the expansion award may support drug discovery, pre-clinical, or clinical research, as long as it is the next step or an expansion on currently funded work.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
PASA says successful projects are conducted as part of PASA with PASA Management Core involvement. Across the RFAs, that support includes oversight and coordination, data repository functions, and analytic support. PASA’s support page also says PASA statisticians are available during proposal development to review or help develop power, sample size, and analytic plans, and that PASA-funded projects receive centralized management and statistical support after award.
For the Planning Award specifically, PASA says a productive award will yield a clinical implementation strategy, a protocol for the first study in the plan, and FDA approval or exemption for the plan and protocol.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
RFA 8a / Planning Award
Pre-application Due 04/15/2026.
Go/ No Go Response from PASA Management Core (for submission of full applications) 04/24/2026.
Full Application Due 06/05/2026.
Peer Review Process July 2026.
Consortium Steering Committee Review Mid-August 2026.
Notification of Award Recommendations August 2026.
Award Negotiations Begin September 2026.
RFA 8b / Pre-Clinical Award
Pre-application Due 04/15/2026.
Go/ No Go Response from PASA Management Core (for submission of full applications) 04/24/2026.
Full Application Due 06/17/2026.
Peer Review Process Ends July 2026.
Consortium Steering Committee Review Mid-August 2026.
Notification of Award Recommendations August 2026.
Award Negotiations Begin September 2026.
RFA 8c / Drug Discovery Award
Pre-application Due 04/15/2026.
Go/ No Go Response from PASA Management Core (for submission of full applications) 04/24/2026.
Full Application Due 06/17/2026.
Peer Review Process Ends July 2026.
Consortium Steering Committee Review Mid-August 2026.
Notification of Award Recommendations August 2026.
Award Negotiations Begin September 2026.
RFA 8d / Expansion Award
Pre-application Due 04/15/2026.
Go/ No Go Response from PASA Management Core (for submission of full applications) 04/24/2026.
Full Application Due 06/05/2026.
Peer Review Process Ends July 2026.
Consortium Steering Committee Review Mid-August 2026.
Notification of Award Recommendations August 2026.
Award Negotiations Begin September 2026.
The solicitations say award negotiations begin in September 2026. They do not specify an exact award date or disbursement date.
Where does this funding come from?
The solicitations and FAQ say PASA is funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) through the Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders Research Program (ASUDRP). The FAQ states PASA’s work is supported by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense, managed by CDMRP under Awards W81XWH-15-2-0077, W81XWH-18-2-0044, W81XWH-22-2-0081 and HT94252520002.
Who is eligible to apply?
The FAQ says any institution can apply. It also says international submissions are allowed, more than one application from the same institution is allowed, and those applications are reviewed independently. Co-PIs are allowed. You do not need to already be associated with PASA to apply. For studies involving human participants, the FAQ says applications with Veteran’s Administration (VA) collaborators may be viewed more positively.
There is one major award-specific eligibility limit: RFA 8d / Expansion Award is only for current or previously funded PASA studies.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
The solicitations consistently favor projects that align closely with PASA’s goals and focus areas, address ASUD particularly but not limited to comorbid PTSD and other mental health conditions, and have strong potential to inform future clinical trials or improve pharmacotherapies.
The strongest projects are likely to be those that:
show clear alignment with PASA strategic goals and focus areas;
present a strong research idea and clear impact;
demonstrate feasibility, appropriate budget, and strong team qualifications;
show how the work could support regulatory progression and future clinical trials; and
for planning awards and clinical work, show a path toward pharmaceutical collaboration or eventual marketing.
The FAQ says a commercial partnership is not required for funding, but for planning awards and clinical trials it is recommended, and a demonstrated relationship with a pharmaceutical company with a path to eventual marketing will be a factor in award selections.
For RFA 8d, the strongest projects are likely to be previously funded PASA studies that can clearly justify why the research is ready for the next phase and how the proposed work builds on prior PASA-funded results.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
All four opportunities require a pre-application before a full application. PASA states that a “go” response from the PASA Management Core is required to proceed with the full application.
RFA 8d is limited to current or previously funded PASA work.
The FAQ says PASA RFA8 does not include the development and/or validation of animal models of disease.
For pre-clinical studies, PASA says most funded studies must be conducted in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements, though some basic science studies may not require GLP and PASA will make that determination in consultation with the PI.
For expansion awards, PASA says most studies must be conducted in accordance with GCP and/or GLP requirements.
Because PASA funding comes through CDMRP/ASUDRP, the solicitations say subaward funds will be subject to policies and restrictions based on that source of funding.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
What is specified is the application structure. Each RFA requires a pre-application first, followed by a full application only if you receive a go decision. The pre-application is limited to four pages. Full applications then require multiple technical sections, budget materials, and supporting documentation. The planning award, pre-clinical award, drug discovery award, and expansion award each have different required components, so preparation time will depend on which RFA you target.
How can BW&CO help?
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Drafting the initial submission and managing the project of applying
Increasing likelihood of success and saving time
How much would BW&CO Charge?
We have both fractional engagements ($250 an hour) and full engagements ($13,000 + 5%) available.