Notice Number: NOT-AT-15-006

Key Dates
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Response Date: May 18, 2015

Issued by
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Purpose

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is developing a new strategic plan to guide the Center’s research efforts and priority setting. Seeking input into the strategic planning process through this Request for Information (RFI) is critical for identification and consideration of research areas and topics to be included in the new plan. NCCIH leadership and staff will review and consider the comments received under this RFI with regard to current and future needs and directions for complementary and integrative health research and research training.

Information Requested

Through this RFI, NCCIH invites input from researchers, health care providers, patient advocates and health advocacy organizations, scientific or professional organizations, Federal agencies, and other interested parties. Organizations are strongly encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their organization and membership as a whole.

Please provide your perspective on the following issues as they relate to the Center’s strategic planning efforts:

• Emerging research needs and opportunities that should be considered as the Center’s 2016 plan is developed.
• Research needs and opportunities articulated in the Center’s current strategic plan that should be modified because of progress over the past 5 years. (The Center’s current plan is available at nccih.nih.gov/about/plans/2011/.)
• Challenges or barriers to progress in research on complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care.
• Gaps and opportunities across the research continuum from basic through clinical studies. The Center is particularly interested in feedback on clinical research needs and opportunities.

When commenting on a research need or scientific opportunity, the Center suggests that your comments contain the following for our full consideration:

• Description of the need or opportunity
• Scientific rationale and potential public health impact
• Anticipated challenges that will need to be addressed
• Appropriate benchmarks for gauging progress.

NCCIH also welcomes your general comments, including those regarding the extent to which the 2011?2015 plan has guided and encouraged the field.

Responses

Responses to this RFI must be submitted via e-mail at [email protected] or the Web-based form available at nccih.nih.gov/Strategic-Plan/RFI. Responses will be accepted through May 18, 2015.

Responses are voluntary and may be submitted anonymously. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Please do not include any personally identifiable or other information that you do not wish to make public. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response.

This request is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the United States Government. NCCIH will not make any awards based on responses to this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the Government’s use of such information.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Karin Lohman, Ph.D.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NICCIH)
Email: [email protected]