Notice Number: NOT-HS-10-010

Key Dates
Release Date:  December 28, 2009

Issued by
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), (http://www.ahrq.gov)

This Notice is to provide clarification and inform the scientific community that AHRQ is amending Section II.2.1 of RFA-HS-10-007 “AHRQ ARRA Recovery Act 2009 Limited Competition: AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientists Comparative Effectiveness Development Award (K12)” (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-10-007.html), released on December 11, 2009. 

The Allowable Costs section for Candidates/Scholars notes that “AHRQ provides a salary for K12 scholars of up to 100% of the individual’s institutional base annual salary, up to a maximum of $90,000 annually.  Note that the salary allowance must be commensurate with the actual level of effort up to 100%.  Candidates must commit a minimum of 75% of full-time professional effort conducting clinical research and career development activities related to comparative effectiveness and three years to their appointments on this grant over the entire project period.

The total salary requested for each proposed candidate must be based on a full-time, 12-month staff appointment.  The salary must be consistent both with the established salary structure at the institution and with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities.  If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be appropriately related to the existing salary structure.”

This Notice clarifies that AHRQ will provide salary and fringe benefits for the scholars appointed to the K12 grant commensurate with the above terms and conditions.   Also, a sponsoring institution may supplement the AHRQ salary contribution up to a level that is consistent with the institution's salary scale.  However, supplementation may not be from Federal funds unless specifically authorized by the Federal program from which such funds are derived. In no case may PHS funds be used for salary supplementation.  Institutional supplementation of salary must not require extra duties or responsibilities that would interfere with the purpose of the K12 award. 

Inquiries

Inquiries concerning this Notice may be directed to the Scientific Contact listed in the program announcement.