Pain Management Evidence-Based Guideline | 693JJ919R000078

Opportunity Information: Apply for 693JJ919R000078

The Department of Transportation, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), offered a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled "Pain Management Evidence-Based Guideline" (Funding Opportunity Number 693JJ919R000078). The purpose of the award was to support the development of an evidence-based guideline (EBG) and a model EMS treatment protocol focused specifically on the pharmacologic management of acute pain in the prehospital environment. In practical terms, the project was designed to help standardize and strengthen how emergency medical services assess and treat acute pain before a patient reaches the hospital, using a clearly documented, research-informed approach.

The project was structured to work with a national organization that represents EMS medical directors, reflecting an intent to produce guidance that is credible, clinically grounded, and readily adoptable by the physician leaders who oversee EMS clinical care. Key deliverables included (1) the evidence-based guideline itself, (2) a model protocol that EMS systems could adapt for local use, and (3) a manuscript that explains both the final recommendations and the methodology used to develop them. The manuscript was intended for submission to a peer-reviewed scientific journal such as Prehospital Emergency Care, signaling that NHTSA expected the work to be transparent, methodologically defensible, and suitable for scrutiny by the broader EMS and medical research community.

From an implementation standpoint, the outputs were meant to function as practical tools for EMS medical directors to improve patient care, particularly by promoting consistent, evidence-driven decisions about medication options and dosing strategies for acute pain in the field. While the listing emphasizes pharmacologic management, the broader implication is improved quality of care through clearer clinical direction, alignment with best available evidence, and support for EMS agencies that may lack the resources to independently produce high-quality guidelines and protocols.

The award had an estimated maximum funding level (ceiling) of $200,000, with NHTSA anticipating a single award. The opportunity fell under the Transportation funding activity category and was associated with CFDA number 20.614. Eligible applicants were limited to nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, provided they were not institutions of higher education. The opportunity was posted on August 14, 2019, with an original application closing date of September 13, 2019, indicating a short application window typical of targeted, single-award cooperative agreements.

• The Department of Transportation, DOT/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pain Management Evidence-Based Guideline" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.614.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 14, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 13, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for 693JJ919R000078

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