Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System | EDSUSS 2021

Opportunity Information: Apply for EDSUSS 2021

The Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System (EDSUSS 2021) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to improve and expand an early warning approach for detecting emerging illicit drug trends. The core idea is to take urine specimens that were already collected and tested as part of routine clinical or institutional drug testing, and then, before those specimens are discarded, re-test them using an expanded laboratory panel that looks beyond the standard screening menu. This approach was first developed in criminal justice settings (such as people in pre-trial detention, on probation or parole, or in drug court), and ONDCP now wants to apply and scale the same concept within emergency department populations, building on evidence from Maryland that expanded testing in ED settings can reveal high prevalence of substances like fentanyl that may not be fully captured through conventional protocols.

The practical purpose of the project is surveillance: producing timely, geographically diverse indicators of what drugs are actually present in patients, including newer synthetic substances that may be missed by standard tests. ONDCP intends to expand the work beyond Maryland to a purposive sample of emergency departments across the United States to examine how drug findings vary by location and by subpopulation. The awardee is expected to coordinate with ONDCP on the technical design of the expanded test panel, including selection of specific metabolites to target beyond the NIDA-5 drug classes, with explicit mention of synthetic cannabinoids and opioids. A major implementation component is relationship-building and coordination with participating emergency departments so that specimens can be provided for re-testing under the project workflow.

Because the methodology re-uses specimens that were already collected for other purposes, the program emphasizes cost-effectiveness and speed. Rather than paying to recruit participants and collect new biospecimens, the project leverages existing specimen streams that already have initial testing results, allowing the expanded panel to identify what conventional testing detects versus what it misses. The expected output is analytic reporting that helps ONDCP and partners understand the presence of both long-standing and emerging drugs, identify potential gaps in routine testing, and see how patterns shift across regions and patient groups, which is the kind of information public health and public safety systems use for rapid situational awareness.

The legal and administrative framework is tied to the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (Public Law 115-271; 21 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and standard federal grant rules under 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (as adopted by ONDCP under 2 C.F.R. Part 3603). ONDCP anticipates making one award, and it will be a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, meaning ONDCP expects substantial ongoing involvement. That involvement is described as regular consultation (at least monthly), review of draft reports, and coordination with other government agencies as needed, with ONDCP staff (notably from the Office of Performance and Budget) actively engaged during the project.

Funding is capped at an award ceiling of up to $300,000 for a 12-month project period, expected to run from September 2021 through September 2022, with only one award anticipated. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 95.007. Awardees must maintain sound financial management practices and internal controls, including compliance with federal requirements, monitoring for compliance issues, addressing noncompliance promptly, and protecting sensitive information and personally identifiable information consistent with privacy and confidentiality obligations.

Eligibility is focused on public nonprofit institutions and organizations, including institutions of higher education and hospitals, with an emphasis on applicants that can demonstrate expert knowledge and extensive experience in research, analysis, and reporting. ONDCP signals that strong candidates will have hands-on experience with urine specimen collection and analysis, and especially with expanding drug testing panels to capture new and emerging substances (including the ability to advise on which metabolites to include). Experience recruiting organizations in specific localities and establishing workable relationships with emergency departments to obtain specimens for re-testing is described as highly desirable, reflecting that success depends as much on operational partnerships as on laboratory and analytic capacity.

The application package requires a program narrative (no more than 20 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) that lays out the project design and implementation plan, the organization and key personnel capabilities, and a timeline with deliverables and expected completion dates for both draft and final products. Applicants must also submit a detailed, itemized budget and a budget narrative (combined in one file) covering standard cost categories such as personnel, fringe, travel, equipment, supplies, services, other costs, and indirect costs, with clear explanations of calculations and relevance to the work. ONDCP flags three elements as critical for responsiveness and review: proof of eligibility, the program narrative, and the budget detail worksheet and narrative. Applications also include standard federal forms like the SF-424, and applicants must maintain required registrations (SAM) and provide a valid DUNS number (as specified in the solicitation).

Reporting expectations are structured and frequent. The awardee must provide quarterly progress reports tied to required performance areas, and monthly progress reports that serve as the basis for regular check-ins with ONDCP, including monthly conference calls or meetings to review progress and keep deliverables on schedule. There is no cost-sharing or match requirement, but the solicitation notes that if an applicant proposes a voluntary match and it is accepted into the approved budget, it becomes mandatory and subject to audit. ONDCP generally does not approve pre-agreement costs, and any such costs require prior written approval and are otherwise incurred at the applicant’s risk.

Applications were required to be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, with a deadline of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 27, 2021 (creation date August 13, 2021). The announcement also provides a fallback process for applicants facing Grants.gov technical issues, allowing submission by email to the ONDCP point of contact by the deadline (or within a defined window, depending on the circumstance) with an explanation and a request for acceptance. The solicitation lists June Sivilli at ONDCP as the program contact for non-Grants.gov questions, and it directs technical submission questions to the Grants.gov support hotline and email.

• The Office of National Drug Control Policy in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 95.007.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 13, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2021. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for EDSUSS 2021

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