Department of Health and Human Services
Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)

Funding Opportunity Title

Administrative Supplements for Research on Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Populations (Admin Supp)

Activity Code

Administrative Supplement

Additional funds may be awarded as supplements to parent awards using the following Activity Code(s):

Administrative supplement requests must be submitted on paper for the following activity codes:

P01 Research Program Projects
P20 Exploratory Grants
P30 Center Core Grants
P50 Specialized Center
P51 Primate Research Center Grants
P60 Comprehensive Center
U10 Cooperative Clinical Research Cooperative Agreements
U19 Research Program Cooperative Agreements
U54 Specialized CenterCooperative Agreements
U56 Exploratory Grants Cooperative Agreements

Administrative supplement requests may be submitted electronically for the following activity codes:

DP1 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (NDPA)
DP2 NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards
DP3 Type 1 Diabetes Targeted Research Award
DP4 NIH Director’s Pathfinder AwardMulti-Yr Funding
DP5 Early Independence Award
R01 Research Project Grant
R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA)
R24 Resource-Related Research Projects
R37 Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award
U01 Research Project Cooperative Agreements
UG1 Clinical Research Cooperative Agreements Single Project
UM1 Multi-Component Research Project Cooperative Agreements
UP5 Cooperative Agreement

Announcement Type

New

Related Notices
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

PA-15-329

Companion Funding Opportunity

None

Number of Applications

Only one application per parent award is allowed as defined in Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.856; 93.855; 93.399; 93.396; 93.395; 93.394; 93.393; 93.273; 93.242; 93.865; 93.307; 93.173; 93.213; 93.279; 93.846, 93.313

Funding Opportunity Purpose

The NIH Office of the Director announces the availability of administrative supplements to expand existing research to focus on Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) health. SGM populations include, but are not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and individuals with differences or disorders of sexual development (sometimes referred to as intersex or as specific diagnoses). This trans-NIH effort, which involves multiple Institutes, Centers and Offices from across NIH, is intended to encourage investigation in this underrepresented growing field of research. To increase our collective understanding of the broad range of the health needs of SGM populations, the supplement will focus on areas of specific research interest beyond HIV/AIDS, including, but not limited to: studies on increased disease risk; behavioral and social health; approaches to personalized medicine; access to care; reproductive and sexual development; and resilience.

Key Dates
Posted Date

August 11, 2015

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

October 30, 2015

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

November 30, 2015 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

Not Applicable

Advisory Council Review

Not Applicable

Earliest Start Date

June 2016

Expiration Date

December 1, 2015

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Application Guide (SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, eRA Commons Administrative Supplement User Guide or PHS 398 Application Guide, as appropriate) except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose

The mission of the NIH is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems, and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The NIH is committed to supporting research that will increase scientific understanding of the health and wellbeing of various population groups and improve the effectiveness of health interventions and services for individuals within those groups. NIH places high priority on research with populations that appear to have distinctive health risk profiles but have received insufficient attention from investigators. This Supplement announcement highlights sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, which include (but are not limited to) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and individuals with differences or disorders of sex development (DSD) (sometimes referred to as intersex ). Basic, social, behavioral, clinical, translational, and services research relevant to the missions of the sponsoring Institutes, Centers and Offices may be proposed.

Background

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report issued in March 2011 (http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/The-Health-of-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-Transgender-People.aspx) stated, in reference to SGM health, that the existing body of evidence is sparse, and that substantial research is needed. This situation has improved, but there is still a need for further research on a range of health-related issues. Recent data from national health surveys and targeted studies suggest that prevalence rates for some health conditions are higher among SGM populations than for the general population. There is evidence that SGM individuals may delay health care treatment because they fear stigmatization or because their experiences have led them to believe that many health care providers lack knowledge and experience working with SGM individuals.

NIH encourages potential applicants to read the IOM report, as a number of specific issues are raised and discussed therein; however, readers should note that this IOM report addresses most, but not all, of the populations within NIH’s SGM definition.

Defined in the March 2011 IOM report, SGM populations encompass several broad, partially overlapping, groups:

One group includes individuals whose sexual orientation as typically conceptualized in terms of sexual attraction, behavior, and/or sexual orientation and identity is not exclusively heterosexual. This group includes people who identify as (or are labeled) as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, as well as people who do not adopt such labels but nevertheless experience same-sex attraction or engage in same-sex sexual behaviors. A second group includes individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex originally assigned to them at birth; whose gender expression varies significantly from what is traditionally associated with or typical for that group; and/or who vary from or reject traditional cultural conceptualizations of gender in terms of male-female dichotomy. This group includes people who identify as (or are labeled) as transgender, transsexual, cross-dressers, transvestites, and/or two-spirit. A third group, which was beyond the scope of the IOM report, includes individuals with conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is atypical. This group includes people with conditions known as differences or disorders of sex development (DSD), sometimes referred to as intersex .

Following recent usage, NIH uses the term SGM (Sexual and Gender Minority) for these diverse populations as well as for individuals within them. However, applicants may adopt other classification frameworks and terminologies as appropriate for their proposed research in such understudied populations.

Specific Areas of Research Interest

This FOA calls for research that will enrich scientific understanding of how sexual orientation, gender identity, and being born with DSD/Intersex influence and/or relate to health and health risks, perceptions and expectations about health, health behaviors, and barriers and access to health-related services. This FOA also calls for research on how the household and family structures (both family of origin and family of choice) of SGM individuals influence the health, development, coming-out process, and wellbeing of children born and/or raised in these households and families. This knowledge will also guide new directions for studies of the health and wellbeing of all populations across the lifespan.

Appropriate topics/studies include, but are not limited to, those listed below:

  • Addition of SGM individuals to a study which either originally excluded them or has not enrolled enough SGM participants to make any meaningful comparisons between groups; sample sizes need to be powered to allow for meaningful comparisons
  • Expansion of an ongoing SGM study focused on one group to add another; sample sizes need to be powered to allow for meaningful comparisons
  • Expansion of questionnaires administered in any setting where it is relevant to address issues of sexual behavior, sexual identity, or sexual orientation
  • Assessment of reliability and validity of questionnaires relevant to sexual behavior, sexual identity, or sexual orientation
  • Methodological innovations to improve the recruitment and retention of SGM individuals in any research initiative
  • Inclusion of a new methodology or technology that enhances the study data and the answers to questions being asked
Scope of Support

The funding mechanism being used to support this program, administrative supplements, can be used to cover cost increases that are associated with achieving certain new research objectives as long as they are within the original scope of the project. Any cost increases need to result from making modifications to the project in order to take advantage of opportunities that would increase the value of the project consistent with its originally approved objectives and purposes.

The research proposed under the administrative supplement program must be within the original scope of the parent grant. Applicants should propose research that, if successful, would contribute to a greater understanding of the health and wellbeing of sexual and gender minority communities.

IC-Specific Considerations

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposed supplement project with the IC Program Official of the parent grant prior to submission of a supplement application in order to ensure that the supplement content area fits with the scientific priorities of the IC and is within the scope of the parent grant; and to ensure that the parent grant mechanism is one the IC will support for a supplement. In addition to contact with the IC Program Official for the parent grant, applicants are strongly encouraged to include the Scientific/Research Contact listed in Section VII. Agency Contacts in these communications.

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

The funding instrument will be the same as the parent award.

Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Cooperative Agreement: A support mechanism used when there will be substantial Federal scientific or programmatic involvement. Substantial involvement means that, after award, NIH scientific or program staff will assist, guide, coordinate, or participate in project activities.

Application Types Allowed

Non-competing Administrative Supplements

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

The NIH Office of the Director and partner ICOs intend to commit up to $1M in FY 2016 to fund approximately 10 awards.

Award Budget

Application budgets may be for no more than $100,000 in total costs, and must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

The funding mechanism being used to support this program, administrative supplements, can be used to cover cost increases that are associated with achieving certain new research objectives, as long as the research objectives are within the original scope of the peer reviewed and approved project, or the cost increases are for unanticipated expenses within the original scope of the project. Any cost increases need to result from making modifications to the project that would increase or preserve the overall impact of the project consistent with its originally approved objectives and purposes.

Award Project Period

The project and budget periods must be within the currently approved project period for the existing parent award. All awards are for a one-year period.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible Organizations

All organizations administering an eligible parent award may apply for a supplement under this announcement.

Higher Education Institutions

  • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

    • Hispanic-serving Institutions
    • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
    • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
    • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
    • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

For-Profit Organizations

  • Small Businesses
  • For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

  • State Governments
  • County Governments
  • City or Township Governments
  • Special District Governments
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
  • Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
  • U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

  • Independent School Districts
  • Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
  • Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
  • Regional Organizations

This announcement is for supplements to existing projects. To be eligible, the parent award must be active and the research proposed in the supplement must be accomplished within the competitive segment. The proposed supplement must be to provide for an increase in costs due to unforeseen circumstances. All additional costs must be within the scope of the peer reviewed and approved project.

IMPORTANT: The research proposed by the NIH grantee in the supplement application must be within the original scope of the NIH-supported grant project.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Since administrative supplements are made against active grants and cooperative agreements, many of these registrations may already be in place. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

  • Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
  • System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
  • eRA Commons Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
  • Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration. Grants.gov registration is only required if you plan to submit using the 'Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov' option.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons.If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Individual(s) must hold an active grant or cooperative agreement, and the research proposed in the supplement must be accomplished within the competitive segment of the active award. Individuals are encouraged to work with their organizations to develop applications for support.

For supplements to parent awards that include multiple PDs/PIs, the supplement may be requested by any or all of the PDs/PIs (in accordance with the existing leadership plan) and submitted by the awardee institution of the parent award. Do not use this administrative supplement application to add, delete, or change the PDs/PIs listed on the parent award. Visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for more information.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility
Number of Applications

Only one application per parent award may be submitted.

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each is sufficiently distinct from any other administrative supplement currently under consideration by the awarding NIH Institute or Center.

Since applications in response to this announcement will only receive administrative review by the awarding Institute or Center, and will not receive a peer review, the NIH policy on resubmissions will not apply.

Only active awards with at least 18 months remaining at the time of submission will be considered. Awards in no-cost extension periods are not allowed to submit an application in response to this FOA.

The administrative funds are not to be used for constructions, renovations and alterations, purchase of research equipment and/or instrumentation for enhancement of laboratories or facilities.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants must prepare applications using current forms in accordance with the Application Guide.

For electronic submissions, applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this announcement, or use the eRA Commons streamlined submission process.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

All forms must be completed for the supplemental activities only and must not reflect funding or activities for the previously awarded parent award.

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions for their submission option (SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, eRA Commons Administrative Supplement User Guide or PHS 398 Application Guide, as appropriate) including Supplemental Grant Application Instructions except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to documented requirements is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Page Limitations

All page limitations applicable to the parent award as described in the Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed, with the following exceptions or additional requirements:

The Research Strategy section of the administrative supplement may not exceed 6 pages.

Application Submission

Administrative supplement requests for most single-project activity codes can be submitted using either paper or electronic submission processes. Administrative supplement requests for multi-project activity codes must be submitted using the paper submission process. See Activity Code section in Part 1 to determine if electronic submission is an option for your activity code.

Applicants submitting paper applications must use the PHS 398 Application Forms and the PHS 398 Application Guide.

Instructions for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov

Use the Apply button(s) in Part I of this announcement to access the application forms package posted at Grants.gov. If presented with more than one form package, use the Competition ID and Competition Titles provided to determine the most appropriate application forms package for your situation.

Prepare applications using the SF424 (R&R) forms associated with the chosen package. Please note that some forms marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this announcement. Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate required and optional forms, with the following additional guidance:

  • R&R Cover form: Select Revision in the Type of Application field.
  • Research Plan form: At a minimum, the Research Strategy section should be completed and must include a summary or abstract of the funded parent award or project. Other sections should also be included if they are being changed by the proposed supplement activities.
  • Project/Performance Site Location form: Include the primary site where the proposed supplement activities will be performed. If a portion of the proposed supplement activities will be performed at any other site(s), identify the locations in the fields provided.
  • Sr/Key Personnel form: List the PD/PI as the first person (regardless of their role on the supplement activities). List any other Senior/Key Personnel who are being added through this supplement, or for whom additional funds are being requested through this supplement; include a biographical sketch for each.
  • Budget forms (e.g., R&R Budget, PHS 398 Training Budget): Only include funds requested for the additional supplement activities.
  • R&R Other Project Information form: If applicable, attach PDF documents in the Other Attachments field indicating that the proposed research experience was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or human subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the grantee institution. Name the documents IACUC Documentation.pdf and/or IRB Documentation.pdf . Adherence to the NIH policy for including women and minorities in clinical studies must also be ensured, if additional human subjects involvement is planned for the supplement.

Special Instructions for Streamlined Submissions using the eRA Commons for electronic-based submissions

NIH offers a streamlined system through the eRA Commons for submitting administrative supplements. Login to the eRA Commons, identify the parent award, and prepare an administrative supplement request. A User s Guide for submitting through this system is available, with the following additional guidance:

  • Budget information should be entered for the grantee institution in the tabs provided for each selected budget period.
  • Since there is no template or form available for subaward budget information, all subaward information must be included as a PDF attachment in the Subrecipient Budgets section showing the funds requested (by budget period) and using the same categories provided for the grantee institution. The attachment must also include any related budget justification information.
  • Use the Add Other Attachments function to include the following PDF documents:
    • Research Strategy including a summary or abstract of the funded parent award or project.
    • If applicable, attach documents indicating that the proposed research experience was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or human subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the grantee institution. Adherence to the NIH policy for including women and minorities in clinical studies must also be ensured, if additional human subjects involvement is planned for the supplement component.

Instructions for Paper-based Submissions using the PHS 398 Application Forms

Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application forms and instructions for preparing a research grant application, with the following additional guidance:

  • Checklist: Select Revision in the Type of Application field.
  • Face Page (Form Page 1): On the face page of the application form, note that your application is in response to a specific program announcement, and enter the title and number of this announcement.
  • Research Plan: At a minimum, the Research Strategy section should be completed and must include a summary or abstract of the funded parent award or project. Other sections should also be included if they are being changed by the proposed supplement activities.
  • Project/Performance Sites section (Form Page 2): Include the primary site where the proposed supplement activities will be performed. If a portion of the proposed supplement activities will be performed at any other site(s), identify the locations in the fields provided.
  • Sr/Key Personnel section (Form Page 2): List the PD/PI as the first person (regardless of their role on the supplement activities). List any other Senior/Key Personnel who are being added through this supplement, or for whom additional funds are being requested through this supplement; include a biographical sketch for each.
  • Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period (Form Page 5): A proposed budget should be submitted using the PHS 398 budget forms and should only include funds requested for the additional supplement activities.
    • If applicable, attach documentation in the Appendix section indicating that the proposed research experience was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or human subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the grantee institution. Adherence to the NIH policy for including women and minorities in clinical studies must also be ensured, if additional human subjects involvement is planned for the supplement component.

The grantee institution, on behalf of the PD/PI of the parent award, must submit the request for supplemental funds directly to the awarding component that supports the parent award. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, to:

National Institutes of Health
Office of the Director
Attention: Tara Schwetz, PhD
9000 Rockville Pike
Building 1
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: 301-443-7975
Email: sgmhealthresearch@od.nih.gov

3. Submission Dates and Times

See Part I. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirements for obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number and for completing and maintaining an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration. Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit electronic applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their electronic application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

For electronic application submission, information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424(R&R) Application Guide.

For paper-based application submission, information on the process of receipt and determining if your application is considered on-time is described in detail in the PHS 398 Application Guide.

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted using the instructions specified above.

Applicants must complete all required registrations prior to submission. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Guidelines for Applicants Experiencing System Issues.

Important reminders:
For applications submitted electronically on the SF424 (R&R) Application forms, all PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form of the SF 424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the (SAM). Additional information may be found in the Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Post Submission Materials

Not Applicable

Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria

Administrative Supplements do not receive peer review. Instead, the administrative criteria described below will be considered in the administrative evaluation process.

The staff of the NIH awarding component will evaluate requests for a supplement to determine its overall merit. The following general criteria will be used:

Budget and Period of Support

NIH staff will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

Overall Impact

NIH staff will consider the ability of the proposed supplement activities to increase or preserve the parent award’s overall impact within the original scope of award:

  • Will the administrative supplement increase or preserve the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved?
  • Will the administrative supplement increase or preserve the likelihood for the program to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved?
  • Will the administrative supplement add significantly to ICO sexual and gender minority research?

In addition, each of the following criteria will be evaluated as applicable for the proposed supplement.

Protections for Human Subjects:

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, NIH staff will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, NIH staff will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of children to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

NIH staff will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

NIH staff will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

2. Review and Selection Process

Administrative supplement requests will undergo an administrative evaluation by NIH staff, but not a full peer review. Applications submitted for this funding opportunity will be assigned to the awarding component for the parent award and will be administratively evaluated using the criteria shown above.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Not Applicable

Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. This may be as an NoA for the supplemental activities only; alternatively, it may be as either a revision to the current year NoA or included as part of a future year NoA. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee’s business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this website. When calculating the award for additional funds, NIH will 1) prorate funding if the requested budget period is adjusted at the time of award, and 2) use the institution’s current F&A rate; i.e., the rate in effect when the new funding is provided.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Any supplements to Cooperative Agreements will be subject to the same Cooperative Agreement terms and conditions as the parent award.

3. Reporting

Reporting requirements will be specified in the terms and conditions of award as applicable to the supplemental activities. In most non-competing continuation applications, the progress report and budget for the supplement must be included with, but clearly delineated from, the progress report and budget for the parent award. The progress report must include information about the activities supported by the supplement even if support for future years is not requested. Continuation of support for the supplement activities in the remaining years of the competitive segment of the grant will depend upon satisfactory review by the NIH awarding component of progress for both the parent award and the supplement project, the research proposed for the next budget period, and the appropriateness of the proposed budget for the proposed effort. This information is submitted with the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons registration, submitting and tracking an application, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, post submission issues)
Finding Help Online: http://grants.nih.gov/support/ (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Web ticketing system: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/ContactUs.aspx
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-710-0267

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Rebecca Huppi
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 301-496-4995
Email: liddellr@exchange.nih.gov

Chyren Hunter
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-496-9322
Email: hunter@mail.nih.gov

Robert Freeman
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-8820
Email: rfreeman@mail.nih.gov

Phillip Renzullo
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-627-3041
Email: prenzullo@mail.nih.gov

Carl C. Baker, M.D., Ph.D.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Telephone: 301-594-5032
Email: bakerc@mail.nih.gov

Susan Newcomer
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-435-6981
Email: newcomes@exchange.nih.gov

Alberto Rivera-Rentas
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Telephone: 301-402-6251
Email: riverara@nidcd.nih.gov

Jeffrey Schulden
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Telephone: 301-402-1526
Email: schuldenj@nida.nih.gov

Catherine Roca, MD
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-3945
Email: rocac@mail.nih.gov

Jennifer Alvidrez
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Telephone: 301-594-9567
Email: jennifer.alvidrez@nih.gov

John Williamson
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Telephone: 301-496-2583
Email: john.williamson@nih.gov

Vanessa A. White, MPH
Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
Telephone: 301-594-4668
Email: vanessa.white@nih.gov

Amy Lossie
Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
Telephone: 301-594-4574
Email: amy.lossie@nih.gov

William Elwood
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
Telephone: 301.402.0116
Email: elwoodwi@od.nih.gov

Amy Mistretta, MPH
Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)
Telephone: 301-496-9200
Email: mistrettaac@od.nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Not Applicable

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Crystal Wolfrey
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-6277
Email: wolfreyc@mail.nih.gov

Lesa McQueen
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-496-1472
Email: McQueenL@nia.nih.gov

Judy Fox
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-4704
Email: jfox@mail.nih.gov

Ann Devine
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-669-2988
Email: ADEVINE@niaid.nih.gov

Melinda Nelson
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Phone: 301-435-5278
Email: nelsonm@exchange.nih.gov

Bryan Clark
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-435-6975
Email: clarkb1@mail.nih.gov

Chris Myers
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Telephone: 301-435-0713
Email: myersc@nidcd.nih.gov

Jen Schermerhorn
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Telephone: 240-631-2090
Email: schermerhornj@nida.nih.gov

Rebecca Claycamp
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-2811
Email: rclaycam@mail.nih.gov

Priscilla Grant
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Telephone: 301-594-8412
Email: grantp@mail.nih.gov

Shelley Carrow
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Telephone: 301-594-3788
Email: carows@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75.

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