Notice Number: NOT-DC-16-006

Key Dates
Release Date: September 7, 2016
Response Date: September 30, 2016

Related Announcements
None

Issued by
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Purpose

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is updating its Strategic Plan (Plan). The purpose of this Notice is to solicit comments from the public on the draft 2017-2021 NIDCD Strategic Plan.

Background

The NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training in the areas of hearing and balance; taste and smell; and voice, speech, and language. The Plan serves as a guide to the NIDCD in prioritizing its research investment, illustrates the current state-of-the-science, and highlights recent advances in the communication sciences. The draft Plan presents a series of goals and objectives that represent the most promising research needs within the NIDCD’s mission areas.

The draft Plan has been developed over the past 12 months by NIDCD staff in consultation with scientific experts and the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council. (Details of the development process are included in Appendix B of the draft Plan).

The NIDCD anticipates that the finalized Plan will be published on the NIDCD website in January 2017.

Responses

All comments must be submitted electronically. You can view the draft Plan and comment via the web-based form at: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/strategic-plan/2017-2021/public-comment. The web-based form accepts text but cannot accept attachments. You will receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback from NIDCD on any comments. Comments will be accepted through September 30, 2016.

Responses to this Notice are voluntary. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response. View the NIDCD Privacy Policy here. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). Names and emails (when submitted) may be subject to release in response to requests made under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

This Notice is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Federal Government, or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH does not intend to award a grant or contract to pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the NIH’s use of such information. No basis for claims against the NIH shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or the NIH’s use of such information as part of the NIDCD Strategic Plan.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Science Policy and Planning Branch
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Email: NIDCDStrategicPlan@mail.nih.gov