NIOSH Underground Mine Evacuation Technologies and Human Factors Research | RFA OH 25 183

FAQs: NIOSH Underground Mine Evacuation Technologies and Human Factors Research (RFA OH 25 183)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the NIOSH Underground Mine Evacuation Technologies and Human Factors Research program (RFA OH 25 183). It is a CDC/NIOSH cooperative agreement intended to support a focused, safety-driven research program aimed at improving how miners survive and escape during underground emergencies.

2) What problem is NIOSH trying to solve through this award?

The program targets deaths and injuries during underground mine emergencies such as fires, explosions, and other hazardous conditions where evacuation is difficult, communications can fail, and human decision-making is under extreme stress. The goal is to advance practical solutions that measurably improve emergency readiness and evacuation success.

3) What law or policy is this program grounded in?

The opportunity is grounded in the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006, which drives the emphasis on improving emergency response and miner survivability in underground mining.

4) Is this opportunity focused only on new equipment and technology?

No. A central theme is that improving survivability is not only about building equipment, but also about understanding the human factors that determine whether evacuation plans, training, and emergency tools actually work in real mine conditions.

5) What are the main research priority areas?

The notice emphasizes three core research areas:

• Improved wireless communications for underground mines (devices and methodologies that remain reliable when normal systems fail).
• Research that strengthens miner self-escape (training, decision-support, procedures, and tools that help miners recognize hazards and choose correct actions under pressure and low visibility).
• Continued improvement of refuge alternatives (design and usability so shelters are more effective and aligned with human behavior during emergencies).

6) What does "improved wireless communications" mean in this context?

It refers to communications devices and methodologies designed to function reliably in underground conditions, including scenarios involving smoke, heat, structural damage, power loss, or other disruptions where standard systems may fail.

7) What does "self-escape" research include?

Self-escape research includes developing or improving training approaches, decision-support systems, procedures, and other tools that help miners identify hazards, select correct evacuation actions, and navigate to safety when visibility is limited and time pressure is high.

8) What are "refuge alternatives" and what kind of research is expected?

Refuge alternatives are shelters intended to protect miners during emergencies. The priority area focuses on improving their design and usability so they are more effective in real emergencies and better aligned with how people actually behave, communicate, and cope under stress.

9) Can applicants propose related mine health and safety research outside the three core areas?

The notice allows room for related health and safety research tied to mine emergencies, especially issues linked to mine fires and explosions, as long as the work clearly supports emergency response and evacuation outcomes.

10) What makes eligibility unusual or highly specific for this NOFO?

Eligibility is a defining feature. Congress intended a single award to go to a very specific type of U.S. academic institution with specialized mining and explosives engineering programs.

11) Which institutions are eligible to apply?

To be eligible, an institution must:

• Offer an ABET-accredited undergraduate program in mining or mineral engineering under the "Mining and Similarly Named Engineering Programs" criteria; and
• Offer graduate degree programs in both mining engineering and explosives engineering.

12) What eligibility documentation must be included in the application?

Applicants are explicitly instructed to include documentation proving (1) the ABET-accredited undergraduate program and (2) the two required graduate programs (mining engineering and explosives engineering) to establish eligibility.

13) The posting lists many organization types as eligible. Does that mean non-university organizations should apply?

Although the general eligibility list may include many organization types, the narrative states that the target applicant is a qualified U.S. academic institution meeting the ABET undergraduate program requirement and the two specified graduate program requirements.

14) How many awards does NIOSH expect to make?

The opportunity anticipates making only one award. Practically, that makes the competition winner-take-all.

15) What is the maximum funding amount for the award?

The award ceiling is $3,000,000.

16) What is the application due date?

The original closing date listed for the opportunity is February 24, 2025.

17) What is the CFDA number and funding category?

The activity is categorized under health with CFDA 93.262, reflecting NIOSH's workplace safety and health mission even though much of the work is engineering-focused.

18) What is a cooperative agreement and why does it matter?

This opportunity is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which generally signals more substantial federal involvement during the project period. That can include collaboration with NIOSH on technical direction, coordination, and/or dissemination of results.

19) How many applications can an institution submit?

Only one application per institution is allowed, so internal coordination is important to ensure the institution submits a single, unified proposal.

20) What are the restrictions on overlapping or duplicate applications?

CDC/NIOSH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping proposals that are simultaneously under review. The NOFO specifies that it will not accept:

• A new application submitted before the summary statement is issued for an overlapping new or resubmission.
• A resubmission filed before the prior review is complete.
• An application that substantially overlaps with another application that is still pending appeal.

21) What does "substantial overlap" mean in practical terms for applicants?

Based on the notice language, institutions should avoid parallel submissions that cover the same aims and should ensure the proposal is clearly scoped and differentiated from any other pending NIOSH applications or actions related to the same work.

22) What kinds of projects are likely to be competitive under this opportunity?

Competitive projects will typically connect engineering innovation (such as communications hardware, tracking approaches, refuge systems, sensors, and survivability improvements) with human factors research (training effectiveness, decision-making under stress, usability in smoke or low visibility, communication clarity, and behavioral responses during emergencies), with the end goal of improving evacuation success and protecting miner lives.

23) What emergency conditions does this research program focus on?

The program highlights emergencies like fires and explosions, along with other emergency conditions where evacuation becomes difficult, communication breaks down, and miners must make high-stakes decisions under severe stress.

24) What is the overall intended outcome of the research program?

The program is designed to produce deployable improvements in underground mine emergency readiness by leveraging the specialized expertise, graduate training pipeline, and facilities of a mining-and-explosives engineering university program.