Is a feasibility phase required for PLACER awards?

PCORI expects projects submitted to the PLACER PFA to be of significant scale, scope, and complexity and thus require support of an initial feasibility phase for study refinement, feasibility testing, stakeholder engagement, and infrastructure establishment. Continued funding of the second phase to carry out the full-scale trial will be contingent upon the achievement of specific milestones and deliverables in the feasibility phase. PCORI has not set a minimum duration for the feasibility phase. Applicants are advised to propose a well-justified plan and duration for their feasibility phase that will maximize the likelihood that the full-scale trial will achieve its aims in an efficient and timely way. Applicants should propose specific milestones and deliverables to be achieved in the feasibility phase. If an award is made, final milestones will be negotiated in conjunction with PCORI and used in the evaluation of whether the full-scale study may continue with PCORI support. For more information and examples of appropriate activities to include in feasibility phase, please refer to the PLACER PFA.