Notice Number: NOT-HL-14-219

Key Dates
Release Date: March 28, 2014
Response Date: April 29, 2014

Related Announcements
None

Issued by
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Purpose

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) seeks input from members of the pediatric and congenital heart disease community about opportunities, appropriate infrastructure, critical needs and key questions that will advance research in order to optimize the care and treatment of individuals with pediatric acquired or congenital heart disease. NHLBI invites comments from researchers, patient advocacy groups, parents, patients and their healthcare providers.

Background Information

NHLBI currently supports the Bench to Bassinet Program which spans basic research from heart development (Cardiovascular Development Consortium) to genetic causes of congenital heart disease (Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium) to clinical research in congenital and acquired pediatric heart disease (Pediatric Heart Network). NHLBI is particularly interested in understanding how its investment in pediatric cardiovascular research can be maximized for future challenges and whether the current configuration could be improved to better address key scientific priorities.

Information Requested

This RFI is intended to solicit perspectives and comments from the broad community on scientific opportunities, critical needs and optimal configurations for conducting research in pediatric acquired and congenital heart disease. Comments can include but are not limited to the following concerns:

1. The most important questions, in the field, that need to be answered over the next 5-10 years.

2. Programs, investments, and/or grant mechanisms that NHLBI should employ to foster basic, genetic and clinical research in pediatric cardiovascular disease and how these programs or investments should be configured to best address the important questions in this field.

Your comments can be submitted anonymously. If you choose not to identify yourself when replying, please identify your role in the field to help us better understand the thoughts of particular groups. For example, please indicate if you are a pediatric cardiovascular care provider, parent/patient, patient advocate, pediatric cardiovascular researcher, etc.

Responses

To ensure consideration, all responses should be submitted by April 29, 2014.

Respond by e-mail to: NHLBI_PedsCardioResearch. Please include the text “RFI Reply” in your subject line.

This RFI 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. The NIH does not intend to make any awards based on responses to this RFI or to otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the Government's use of such information.

The NIH will use the information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion and will not provide comments to any responder's submission. However, responses to the RFI may be reflected in future funding opportunity announcements. The information provided will be analyzed and may appear in reports. 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.  No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Victoria Pemberton, RNC, MS
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Phone: 301-435-0510
Email: pembertonv@nhlbi.nih.gov