Open federal opportunity, but the mandatory preapplication/preproposal deadline has passed. The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity, through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, is administering the DoW Joint Warfighter Medical, Military Medical Research and Development Award (HT942526JWMRPMMRDA), Assistance Listing 12.420.
Funding and controlling dates
CDMRP expects approximately $8.8 million in FY26 program funding for approximately four awards. The standard MMRDA track is expected to support about two awards with a $1.4 million total-cost cap per award. The MMRDA Clinical Research or Clinical Trial Option (MMRDA-CRCTO) is expected to support about two awards with a $3 million total-cost cap per award. The maximum period of performance is three years. Cost sharing is not required.
The mandatory preapplication/preproposal was due August 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Invitations to submit were scheduled for September 3, 2026. Invited full applications/proposals are due November 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with the verification period ending November 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
What the program supports
The mechanism supports the logical continuation of previous Department of War-funded research and development that can augment and accelerate high-priority military medical requirements. Supported work spans late-stage preclinical research, advanced technology development and demonstration, translational research, and clinical research.
Projects must address at least one FY26 Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program focus area and must begin from a mature development position. The announcement requires a minimum Technology Readiness Level or Knowledge Readiness Level of 5. Applicants proposing work involving human subjects, human biological samples, or human data sets must use the MMRDA Clinical Research or Clinical Trial Option and submit the additional required clinical materials.
Eligibility and current-cycle control
Although the federal synopsis lists applicant type as unrestricted, the program announcement imposes a critical substantive eligibility condition: applicants/offerors must already have received DOD/DOW core funding or DOD/DOW Congressional Special Interest funding. The mechanism is therefore not a general entry point for new applicants without qualifying prior Department of War support.
Current-cycle routing is restricted to teams that completed the mandatory August 18 preapplication/preproposal and received an invitation to submit. Do not initiate new applicant outreach for the FY26 cycle based solely on the November full-application deadline.
Atlas strategy
Atlas Opportunity Score: 94/100. This is a high-value advanced military-medical development opportunity, but eligibility and maturity requirements are unusually specific. A credible team must have qualifying prior DOD/DOW funding, a project at TRL/KRL 5 or higher, clear military medical relevance, and the development, regulatory, and clinical capabilities required by the selected track.
Preferred posture: Partner-Led / Already-Preapplied Prior-DOW-Funded Advanced Medical R&D Team.
Next action
Route only after confirming a timely FY26 preapplication/preproposal, an invitation to submit, qualifying prior DOD/DOW core or Congressional Special Interest funding, TRL/KRL 5 or greater, and alignment to an FY26 JWMRP focus area. For any human-subjects, human-sample, or human-data project, verify that the team is using the MMRDA-CRCTO pathway and has all required clinical and regulatory materials.
Official federal opportunity: Simpler.Grants.gov.