Why did the Broad PFA and Pragmatic Clinical Studies (PCS) PFA merge into the Broad Pragmatic Studies (BPS) PFA?

PCORI is aware from applicant feedback and inquiries that applicants sometimes experience confusion about which PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA) to apply for and each cycle several applications are typically reassigned from the PCS PFA to the Broad PFA and vice versa.  This updated PFA will simplify the submission process for applicants, reduce confusion about which funding opportunity is most appropriate for a given study, and assist applicants and PCORI in long-range research planning.  In addition, combining the PCS and Broad funding opportunities will have the added benefit of allowing PCORI to more effectively leverage the specific expertise of particular merit reviewers for similar submission topics and enhance the overall quality of reviews, while also enabling PCORI to offer submission opportunities for the full spectrum of relevant research proposals each cycle.