Nonfatal Overdoses in Emergency Departments: Bridging Patient Characteristics, Biospecimen Toxicology, and Drug Supply Composition

The Office of National Drug Control Policy, within the Executive Office of the President, leads and coordinates national drug policy, develops and implements the National Drug Control Strategy, oversees the federal drug control budget, and coordinates federal efforts addressing addiction and the overdose epidemic. Through the Nonfatal Overdoses in Emergency Departments: Bridging Patient Characteristics, Biospecimen Toxicology, and Drug Supply Composition funding opportunity, ONDCP seeks to strengthen local and national drug consumption surveillance, identify gaps in existing drug testing protocols, improve information exchange between public health and public safety organizations, and support an informed response to the drug crisis. The assistance will be provided through one cooperative agreement for a one year period of performance beginning in September 2026, with an award of up to $500,000, subject to availability of funds. The research project has four principal objectives. The recipient will collect and analyze toxicologically confirmed information about drugs consumed by emergency department patients; conduct structured patient interviews concerning substance use patterns, drugs patients intended to consume before an overdose, previous overdoses, and addiction and treatment history; compare toxicology findings with drugs present in the illicit drug supply, post mortem toxicology, and information from patient interviews; and analyze differences in toxicological data according to patient, health care, and geographic characteristics. To the extent possible, patients younger than 18 should be recruited because of gaps in available knowledge about drug use among this population. The surveillance system is expected to collect urine or other biological specimens from patients presenting to emergency departments with drug overdose or intoxication symptoms and retest specimens for a broader range of substances than traditional testing panels normally cover. Data collection must use a sufficient sample size to support estimates at least quarterly by study site, nationally in aggregate, and by Census region across a wide geographic range of United States communities. Structured patient interviews are expected to supplement laboratory findings and provide context concerning counterfeit pill use, polysubstance combinations, and intentional and unintentional exposures. These findings should also be complemented by information about the illicit drug supply in comparable geographic areas, such as quantities and types of drugs seized by law enforcement or relevant drug checking information. The recipient is expected to develop working relationships with hospital systems, emergency departments, laboratories, public safety organizations, and other stakeholders and use the resulting information to collect, analyze, interpret, report, and disseminate drug policy insights. Results are to be reported through quarterly reports and a data dashboard. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including institutions of higher education and hospitals. Applicants must demonstrate expert knowledge and extensive experience conducting research and analysis as well as collecting biological specimens from emergency departments and testing them for illicit drugs and their metabolites. Proof of nonprofit status and exemption from income tax under applicable Internal Revenue Code requirements is required. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching. ONDCP does not typically approve pre agreement costs, and applicants must obtain prior written approval before treating such costs as allowable. Proposed budgets must be complete, reasonable, allowable, cost effective, necessary for project activities, and supported by an itemized budget worksheet and narrative addressing personnel, fringe benefits, overtime, travel, facilities, services, equipment, supplies, and other costs. Applications require proof of eligibility, a project narrative limited to 20 pages, a budget detail worksheet and budget narrative, performance measures, applicable disclosures, and the required SF-424. The project and budget justification narratives must be submitted in PDF format using Times New Roman or Arial, 12 point main text, one inch margins, and required page numbering. Applicants must include a clear statement committing to the principles and tenets of Gold Standard Science. Applicants must have active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and a valid Unique Entity Identifier. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, pass its validation checks, and must not contain encrypted, zipped, or password protected files. Applications are due and must receive a successful Grants.gov validation message by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 31, 2026. ONDCP first conducts an initial review for eligibility, required content, deadline and page limit compliance, demonstrated capacity to recruit emergency department sites and collect and retest biological specimens, and the required Gold Standard Science commitment. Responsive applications proceed to merit review under a 100 point framework consisting of Technical Approach for 50 points, Key Personnel for 30 points, and Organizational Capability for 20 points. Technical Approach considers understanding of the work, site selection, specimen collection, testing methods, structured interviews, integration of illicit drug supply information, and plans for analysis, reporting, and dissemination. Key Personnel evaluation includes relevant expertise, professional credentials, patient interview experience, and at least five years of related experience for key personnel in collecting emergency department biospecimens and testing for broader panels of illicit drugs and metabolites. Organizational Capability considers the ability to complete the study, conduct research, establish partnerships, and work with drug testing laboratories. ONDCP also conducts a risk review using the federal integrity and performance system accessible through SAM. The expected award date is September 2026, with the one year period of performance planned to begin that month. Successful applicants receive the official Notice of Federal Award through GrantSolutions and may not begin work before receiving that notice. Awardees must submit quarterly progress reports through GrantSolutions and quarterly Federal Financial Reports through the HHS Payment Management System, with financial reports due within 30 days after each quarter and within 90 days after the end of the period of performance. For program requirements, applicants may contact Wioletta Szeszel-Fedorowicz at Wioletta.Szeszel-Fedorowicz@ondcp.eop.gov or 202-881-4910. Grants.gov support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. The notice does not state that this opportunity recurs annually or on another regular cycle.

Prioritize the Technical Approach because it carries 50 of 100 merit review points and provide detailed site selection, specimen collection, drug testing, structured interview, illicit drug supply integration, analysis, reporting, and dissemination methods. Clearly document key personnel expertise and at least five years of relevant experience where required because Key Personnel carries 30 points. Demonstrate organizational capacity, successful data partnerships, and laboratory communication experience for the 20-point Organizational Capability criterion. Ensure the application demonstrates the ability to recruit emergency department study sites, collect biological specimens, retest specimens for a wider panel of illicit drugs, and includes the required Gold Standard Science commitment because failure on these requirements can eliminate the application during initial review.