Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Funding Opportunity Title
Substance Use/Substance Use Disorder Dissertation Research Award (R36 - Clinical Trials Optional)
Activity Code
R36 Dissertation Award
Announcement Type

Reissue of PA-16-443

Related Notices

See Notices of Special Interest associated with this funding opportunity

June 15, 2023 - This PA has been reissued as PAR-23-194

  • March 03, 2023 - Notice of Intent to Reissue PA-20-208, Substance Use/Substance Use Disorder Dissertation Research Award. See Notice NOT-DA-23-018.
  • NOT-OD-23-012 Reminder: FORMS-H Grant Application Forms and Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After January 25, 2023 - New Grant Application Instructions Now Available

    NOT-OD-22-190 - Adjustments to NIH and AHRQ Grant Application Due Dates Between September 22 and September 30, 2022

    See Notices of Special Interest related to this funding opportunity

    • October 28, 2021 - Reminder: FORMS-G Grant Application Forms & Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After January 25, 2022 - New Grant Application Instructions Now Available. See Notice NOT-OD-22-018.
    • September 13, 2021 - Updates to the Non-Discrimination Legal Requirements for NIH Recipients. See Notice NOT-OD-21-181.
    • August 5, 2021 - New NIH "FORMS-G" Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2022. See Notice NOT-OD-21-169
    • August 5, 2021 - Update: Notification of Upcoming Change in Federal-wide Unique Entity Identifier Requirements. See Notice NOT-OD-21-170
    • April 20, 2021 - Expanding Requirement for eRA Commons IDs to All Senior/Key Personnel. See Notice NOT-OD-21-109
    • October 26, 2020 - Notice of Change to PA-20-208. See Notice NOT-DA-20-085.
    Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number
    PA-20-208
    Companion Funding Opportunity

    None

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

    93.279

    Funding Opportunity Purpose

    The goal of this FOA is to support doctoral candidates from a variety of academic disciplines for up to two years for the completion of the doctoral dissertation research project. Research projects should align with NIDA funding priorities detailed here (https://www.drugabuse.gov/funding/funding-priorities) or within the NIDA Strategic Plan (https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/2016-2020-nida-strategic-plan). This award will facilitate the entry of promising new investigators into the field of substance use/substance use disorder (SU(D) research, enhancing the pool of highly talented SU(D) researchers. Applications are particularly encouraged from those who can contribute to diversifying the research workforce as described in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031).

    Key Dates

    Posted Date
    May 8, 2020
    Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)
    May 16, 2020
    Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

    30 days prior to the application due date

    Application Due Date(s)

    Standard dates apply.

    The first standard due date for this FOA is June 16, 2020.

    All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s).

    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)

    Standard AIDS dates apply.The first AIDS due date for this FOA is September 7, 2020.

    All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of AIDS and AIDS-related applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s).

    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.

    Scientific Merit Review
    Advisory Council Review
    Earliest Start Date
    Expiration Date
    May 08, 2023
    Due Dates for E.O. 12372
    Not Applicable
    Required Application Instructions
    It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide,except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from 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 2. Full Text of Announcement

    Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose

    The goal of this FOA is to support doctoral candidates from a variety of academic disciplines for up to two years for the completion of the doctoral dissertation research project. Dissertation research topics should align with the funding priority areas of NIDA (http://www.drugabuse.gov/funding/funding-priorities) and the NIDA strategic plan (https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/2016-2020-nida-strategic-plan), or within the NIDA HIV/AIDS research priorities (https://www.drugabuse.gov/offices/office-nida-director-od/aids-research-program-arp/hiv-research-priorities). This program will ultimately facilitate the entry of promising new investigators into the field of substance use/substance use disorder research and promote transdisciplinary collaborations.

    Every facet of the United States scientific research enterprise from basic laboratory research to clinical and translational research to policy formation requires superior intellect, creativity and a wide range of skill sets and viewpoints. NIH’s ability to help ensure that the nation remains a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation is dependent upon a pool of highly talented scientists from diverse backgrounds who will help to further NIH's mission. Applications are particularly encouraged from individuals who can contribute to the diversifying the biomedical research workforce as detailed in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031).

    Research Objectives

    Research supported by NIDA encompasses basic, behavioral, and treatment research related to the underlying mechanisms and health effects of substances of abuse. This FOA will provide students with support to perform substance use/substance use disorder (SU/D) dissertation research on a topic related to the study of basic, clinical, developmental, epidemiology, prevention, treatment, services, or women and sex/gender differences as they relate to SU/D research, and thereby increase the pool of highly talented SU/D scientists who conduct research in these areas. NIDA is especially interested in improving the research career preparedness of individuals from underrepresented groups by providing support to complete the dissertation. This FOA seeks to help individuals obtain the necessary qualifications at the doctoral-level with an intent to subsequently establish and lead a research program in NIDA-relevant fields. The R36 program provides support to complete SU/D-related dissertation research and includes funds that may not be readily or sufficiently available in NRSA predoctoral programs that limit support to stipends, tuition and fees, and institutional allowance

    The descriptions below are examples of research areas supported by this program and are provided to help potential applicants determine whether a particular scientific topic is appropriate for this initiative. These descriptions are not intended to be comprehensive. In addition, given the complexity of SU/D research, it is permitted to conduct the proposed dissertation research in conjunction with an ongoing research study or to use extant data. Research studies focused on high-priority NIDA HIV/AIDS topics (https://www.drugabuse.gov/offices/office-nida-director-od/aids-research-program-arp/hiv-research-priorities) and health disparities are also encouraged

    Basic and Clinical Research

    • Studies in cognitive neuroscience to understand the neural basis of interrelationships between addictive and cognitive processes
    • Studies of basic HIV and substance use using big data approaches to understand interactions of substances of abuse with non-neuronal cells and tissues impacted by HIV infection.
    • Studies in the clinical neurobiology of HIV/AIDS to investigate how substance use affects the onset, progression, and severity of HIV/AIDS-related alterations of the CNS.
    • Studies of innovative chemical design of new entities and probes based on computer-aided drug design.
    • Studies of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of substances to characterize drug absorption, disposition, elimination, and kinetics.
    • Studies of the genetic and epigenetic basis of vulnerability and adaptation and the identification of molecular mechanisms underlying substance preference and related behavior
    • Both methodological and applied studies using data analytic strategies applied to data with exceptionally complex volume, velocity and variety (i.e. big data approaches)

    Development and Epidemiology

    • Studies of multiple factors that influence drug use outcomes. That is, studies that examine genetic, neurological, biomedical, familial, behavioral, environmental, social, cultural, developmental, psychopathological, and psychological factors, their interactions, and mediating characteristics.
    • Studies of the underlying physiological and psychosocial mechanisms associated with the transition from lower to higher levels of drug involvement and from higher levels of drug involvement to dependence and addiction.
    • Development and improvement of techniques for studying substance misuse, including enhancements in measurement, development of improved sampling procedures, and refinement of analytic methods for diverse populations across human development.
    • Development of innovative approaches to identify both physical (ecological) and social environmental/contextual characteristics of local communities that influence substance use, emerging substance use patterns, and adverse drug-related outcomes.
    • Delineation of the underlying dynamic causal mechanisms associated with substance use patterns and adverse drug-related outcomes by integrating individual, family, peer, and community level factors. Mechanistic studies and research that address critical time points in development which may influence risk or resilience are of interest.
    • Studies of emerging trends (e.g. synthetics, opioids, marijuana products, different modes of consumption), including studies that relate these trends to influences such as changes in social attitudes, new substances of abuse, new patterns of social interaction and social media, new technologies, and similar macro-level changes. Research on substance use and substance-related consequences among racial/ethnic minority groups and other underserved populations. This includes studies that uncover the basis for racial/ethnic/gender disparities in substance use and social, behavioral, and health outcomes related to substance use across development.
    • Research to assess the impact of mental health interventions in childhood on subsequent substance use.
    • Studies to assess the nature, scope, and consequences of substance-related trauma, violence, and crime including violent and nonviolent crime, interpersonal violence, and substance misuse and other comorbid physical and mental health problems.
    • Research to assess the impact of substance use on adverse behavioral, social, and health consequences (e.g., trauma, violence, educational attainment, HIV) as well as the role of adverse consequences on further drug involvement.

    Prevention

    • Studies that apply insights from genetics, neurobiology, neurocognition, and physiology to inform prevention interventions and test the effects of prevention interventions.
    • Studies on the efficacy or effectiveness of substance use prevention programs to address emerging drug trends (e.g. e-cigarette use, synthetic drug use, resurgent drug epidemics).
    • Studies on interventions and approaches to prevent opioid misuse and opioid use disorder in older adolescents and in adults.
    • Studies to develop and test the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions in contexts opportune for providing/delivering preventions and services, including health care, criminal/juvenile justice, workplace, and child welfare, among other systems and settings.
    • Methodological research to improve the analysis of complex prevention trial data for example, statistical modeling for multi-level data, analysis of longitudinal data, and research examining complex interactions between qualitative and quantitative outcome data.
    • Studies on the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of evidence-based substance use prevention interventions, including analysis of data to determine factors that account for quality of implementation and outcomes, or program sustainability.
    • Pilot substance use prevention or drug-related HIV prevention studies designed to identify novel approaches to risk reduction, such as through new technologies or new modalities.
    • Research aimed at developing improved substance use and HIV prevention strategies for high-risk populations, understudied populations, and populations who experience greater rates of substance use and/or serious adverse consequences of substance use.

    Treatment

    • Utilizing genetic, neurobiological, neuropsychological, behavioral, or other diagnostic data to tailor treatment to specific subgroups.
    • Utilizing relevant research from the animal model literature (e.g., avoidance and impulsivity paradigms) to develop or improve treatments/interventions.
    • Utilizing relevant research from the developmental (e.g., basic research on familial and peer influences during adolescence) or social psychology (e.g., basic research on stereotyping) literature to improve treatments.
    • Stage I studies developing or adapting behavioral interventions that promote adherence to pharmacotherapy to treat substance misuse.
    • Adapting/modifying evidence-based treatments for use in non-traditional and community settings, into community-friendly formats (e.g., individual to group, briefer formats, less intensive delivery, computer-assisted delivery), and evaluating their resulting potency.
    • Developing and assessing treatment provider training procedures for evidence-based treatments (e.g., computerizing training procedures; this can include initial training as well as supervision requirements).
    • Developing interventions to promote adherence to medical treatment regimens.
    • Computerizing, or partially computerizing evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders, as well as for HIV prevention interventions for individuals in substance use treatment.
    • Developing interventions to reduce pain in individuals dependent on prescription drugs, non-drug abusing populations, or individuals with chronic pain.
    • Research involving secondary analyses of existing behavioral treatment research data sets to identify predictors, moderators, or mediators of treatment outcome, mechanisms of action of treatment, or secondary effects of treatment on participants in various contexts (e.g., peer group, school, work, family) or on participants' family members (e.g., children).
    • Conducting secondary analysis of combined behavioral and pharmacological treatment clinical trials.
    • Research on instrument development and/or psychometric analysis of tools for the clinical assessment of substance use, treatment efficacy, treatment fidelity, and HIV risk, or for constructs believed to be related to mechanisms of action of behavioral treatment efficacy.
    • Research to develop and test a therapy module to be added to an existing therapy to address targeted issues (e.g., adding an HIV risk reduction module to a family therapy for substance using adolescents).
    • Research to integrate innovative health technologies into new or existing behavioral and integrative treatments.
    • Research testing a principle of behavior change among substance users in treatment (e.g., by adding more frequent or multi-method assessments to an existing study in order to track behavior change over time).
    • Development of improved medication compliance markers.
    • Development of medications to treat substance use disorders, including medications for smoking cessation.
    • Studies of the neurodevelopmental differences among adolescents in the neurobiological processing of drug-related information, as well as differences in general reward valuation, and reinforcement (both positive and negative) in laboratory decision-making or imaging paradigms relevant to treatment development.
    • Studies of developmental cognitive processes of rewards, losses, social cues in decision-making, and value incentives relevant to treatment and integration of relevant developmental cognitive processes into the development of treatments.
    • Studies to inform our understanding of how peer influence contributes to decision making processes in group treatment settings.
    • Studies that use neuroimaging and other techniques to characterize specific neurobiological circuitry during adolescence to inform treatment development (e.g., to determine incentive-motivational circuitry that can be involved in emotional regulation, drug seeking, addiction, reward, relapse, and maintenance of behavioral change).

    Services:

    • Clinical quality improvement studies to examine factors that may improve the appropriateness, effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of treatment and recovery interventions, as well as services delivered to individuals, including vulnerable populations, individuals experiencing chronic pain, sex and gender minorities, and racial and ethnic minorities, in a variety of settings including substance use and mental health treatment programs, schools, general health care settings, criminal and juvenile justice systems, child welfare systems and social service agencies.
    • Quality improvement studies in services organization and management studies that address organizational contexts and service delivery models, the interaction of providers and programs within and across systems, and at multiple levels (e.g., program, practice network, state), and their collective impact on the quality of service delivery.
    • Implementation science studies that seek to identify effective strategies for enhancing the adoption, adaptation, and sustainment of evidence-based treatment practices. Studies that examine causal models of implementation success or failure are especially encouraged.
    • Studies examining the effects of practice and policy changes on service quality and outcomes, including unintended consequences.
    • Economic studies falling within NIH’s priorities for health economics research as described in NOT-OD-16-025.
    • Studies developing or applying new methods, technologies or other innovative tools to improve the rigor and reach of health services research.
    • Studies to identify and address barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based prevention interventions in settings and systems.
    • Studies on strategies for implementation of evidence-based prevention interventions and approaches into health care and other service systems and settings (e.g., juvenile justice, child welfare, FQHCs, community-based organizations).

    Women and Sex/Gender Differences

    Through this dissertation award program, NIDA seeks to foster research on females (both humans and in animal models) and sex/gender differences in all areas of substance use research. From basic cellular and genetics research to epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and services research, investigators are encouraged to explore the possible importance of sex/gender differences in their chosen area of study and to explore substance use issues specific to females.

    Examples of research areas appropriate for this announcement include:

    • Sex/Gender differences in the basic behavioral, physiological, neurobiological, and genetic mechanisms underlying substance use; and laboratory (both human and animal), clinical, and epidemiological studies of sex/gender differences in the determinants of initiation, progression, maintenance of substance use, and responsiveness to treatment.
    • Laboratory (both human and animal), field, and clinical research aimed at: (1) identifying sex/gender differences in the consequences of substance use, misuse, and addiction following acute use, chronic use, as well as residual effects following prolonged abstinence, and (2) examining substance-related consequences that are unique to females.
    • Clinical studies aimed at characterizing sex differences in the effects of substance exposure on the developing brain, or studies aimed at detecting sex differences in acute and chronic substance use effects (and abstinence effects) on the brains of children, adolescents and adults.
    • The application of sex/gender-specific theories and empirical research on the origins, pathways, and risk and protective factors related to substance use, progression/transition, and maintenance, to the design, development, and testing of gender-sensitive prevention and treatment strategies and interventions to determine effectiveness and efficacy.
    • The development and testing of theoretically-based drug treatment approaches (including behavioral treatment and pharmacotherapies) that address sex/gender-specific topics related to the effective and efficient delivery of substance use treatment services.
    • Substance use and HIV/AIDS research from a sex/-gender-based perspective that addresses the high priority topics of research listed here https://www.drugabuse.gov/offices/office-nida-director-od/aids-research-program-arp/hiv-research-priorities are highly encouraged

    Special Considerations

    National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse Recommended Guidelines for the Administration of Drugs to Human Subjects: The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) recognizes the importance of research involving the administration of drugs with abuse potential, and dependence or addiction liability, to human subjects. Potential applicants are encouraged to obtain and review these recommendations of Council before submitting an application that will administer compounds to human subjects. The guidelines are available on NIDA's Web site at http://www.drugabuse.gov/funding/clinical-research/nacda-guidelines-administration-drugs-to-human-subjects.

    Points to Consider Regarding Tobacco Industry Funding of NIDA Applicants: The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) encourages NIDA and its grantees to consider the points it has set forth with regard to existing or prospective sponsored research agreements with tobacco companies or their related entities and the impact of acceptance of tobacco industry funding on NIDA's credibility and reputation within the scientific community. Please see http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/advisory-boards-groups/national-advisory-council-drug-abuse-nacda/council-statements/points-to-consider-regarding- for details.

    Data Harmonization for Substance Abuse and Addiction via the PhenX Toolkit: NIDA strongly encourages investigators involved in human-subjects studies to employ a common set of tools and resources that will promote the collection of comparable data across studies and to do so by incorporating the measures from the Core and Specialty collections, which are available in the Substance Abuse and Addiction Collection of the PhenX Toolkit (www.phenxtoolkit.org). Please see NOT-DA-12-008 (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-DA-12-008.html) for further details.

    See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

    Section II. Award Information

    Funding Instrument

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

    Application Types Allowed
    Resubmission
    New

    The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this FOA.

    Clinical Trial?
    Optional: Accepting applications that either propose or do not propose clinical trial(s)

    Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

    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.

    Award Budget

    Grants to support dissertation research will provide no more than $50,000 in direct costs per year.

    Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees, consortium costs in excess of $25,000, and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.

    Award Project Period

    Applications may request a minimum of one and a maximum of two years of support.

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

    Section III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible Organizations

    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
    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 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. 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) 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 to register in eRA Commons.Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration, but all registrations must be in place by time of submission. 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.

    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)
    Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

    For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    2. Cost Sharing

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

    3. Additional Information on Eligibility

    Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

    The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time. This means that the NIH will not accept:

    • A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
    • A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
    • An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101)

    Section IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Requesting an Application Package

    The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this FOA. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

    2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guideexcept where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

    Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

    By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

    • Descriptive title of proposed activity
    • Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
    • Names of other key personnel
    • Participating institution(s)
    • Number and title of this funding opportunity

    The letter of intent should be sent to: NIDALetterofIntent@mail.nih.gov

    Applicants are encouraged to send the letter of intent by email to the email address above but as an alternative the letter may also be sent to:

    Office of Extramural Policy and Review
    National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH/DHHS
    6001 Executive Boulevard, Suite 4243, MSC 9550
    Bethesda, MD 20892-9550

    Page Limitations
    All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed
    Instructions for Application Submission

    Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023 a Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this FOA.

    The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this FOA.
    SF424(R&R) Cover
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.
    SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.
    SF424(R&R) Other Project Information
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.
    SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

    R&R Subaward Budget
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.
    PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.
    PHS 398 Research Plan
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

    Letters of Support: All letters must be combined into a single pdf file.?

    Letter of Certification: The faculty advisor, dissertation committee chair, or university official directly responsible for supervising the dissertation research must submit a letter certifying that the PD/PI meets the eligibility criteria for this award.

    Advisor and Reference Letters: The faculty advisor and at least one other member of the dissertation committee must submit letters, each no longer than 2 pages, that assess (a) the doctoral candidate’s progress to date; and (b) the candidate’s commitment to substance use/substance use disorder r?esearch and their prospect of becoming an independent investigator in this area.

    Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    The following modifications also apply:

    • All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan.
    Appendix:
    Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
    PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information
    When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-definedclinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

    If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

    Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

    Delayed Onset Study

    Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start).All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

    PHS Assignment Request Form
    All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

    3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

    See Part 1. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

    4. Submission Dates and Times

    Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

    Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Policy on Late Application Submission.

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

    Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

    This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

    6. 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.

    7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

    Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

    Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

    For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

    Important reminders:

    All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(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. See Section III of this FOA for information on registration requirements.

    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 System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    See more tips for avoiding common errors.

    Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete or non-compliant will not be reviewed.

    Post Submission Materials
    Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy. Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy.

    Section V. Application Review Information

    1. Criteria

    Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials: A proposed Clinical Trial application may include study design, methods, and intervention that are not by themselves innovative but address important questions or unmet needs. Additionally, the results of the clinical trial may indicate that further clinical development of the intervention is unwarranted or lead to new avenues of scientific investigation.

    Overall Impact
    Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
    Scored Review Criteria
    Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

    Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? Is the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project rigorous? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

    Are the scientific rationale and need for a clinical trial to test the proposed hypothesis or intervention well supported by preliminary data, clinical and/or preclinical studies, or information in the literature or knowledge of biological mechanisms? For trials focusing on clinical or public health endpoints, is this clinical trial necessary for testing the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention that could lead to a change in clinical practice, community behaviors or health care policy? For trials focusing on mechanistic, behavioral, physiological, biochemical, or other biomedical endpoints, is this trial needed to advance scientific understanding?

    Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or those in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

    With regard to the proposed leadership for the project, do the PD/PI(s) and key personnel have the expertise, experience, and ability to organize, manage and implement the proposed clinical trial and meet milestones and timelines? Do they have appropriate expertise in study coordination, data management and statistics? For a multicenter trial, is the organizational structure appropriate and does the application identify a core of potential center investigators and staffing for a coordinating center?

    Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

    Does the design/research plan include innovative elements, as appropriate, that enhance its sensitivity, potential for information or potential to advance scientific knowledge or clinical practice?

    Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Have the investigators included plans to address weaknesses in the rigor of prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project? Have the investigators presented strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach, as appropriate for the work proposed? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? Have the investigators presented adequate plans to address relevant biological variables, such as sex, for studies in vertebrate animals or human subjects?

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

    Does the application adequately address the following, if applicable

    Study Design

    Is the study design justified and appropriate to address primary and secondary outcome variable(s)/endpoints that will be clear, informative and relevant to the hypothesis being tested? Is the scientific rationale/premise of the study based on previously well-designed preclinical and/or clinical research? Given the methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions, is the study design adequately powered to answer the research question(s), test the proposed hypothesis/hypotheses, and provide interpretable results? Is the trial appropriately designed to conduct the research efficiently? Are the study populations (size, gender, age, demographic group), proposed intervention arms/dose, and duration of the trial, appropriate and well justified?

    Are potential ethical issues adequately addressed? Is the process for obtaining informed consent or assent appropriate? Is the eligible population available? Are the plans for recruitment outreach, enrollment, retention, handling dropouts, missed visits, and losses to follow-up appropriate to ensure robust data collection? Are the planned recruitment timelines feasible and is the plan to monitor accrual adequate? Has the need for randomization (or not), masking (if appropriate), controls, and inclusion/exclusion criteria been addressed? Are differences addressed, if applicable, in the intervention effect due to sex/gender and race/ethnicity?

    Are the plans to standardize, assure quality of, and monitor adherence to, the trial protocol and data collection or distribution guidelines appropriate? Is there a plan to obtain required study agent(s)? Does the application propose to use existing available resources, as applicable?

    Data Management and Statistical Analysis

    Are planned analyses and statistical approach appropriate for the proposed study design and methods used to assign participants and deliver interventions? Are the procedures for data management and quality control of data adequate at clinical site(s) or at center laboratories, as applicable? Have the methods for standardization of procedures for data management to assess the effect of the intervention and quality control been addressed? Is there a plan to complete data analysis within the proposed period of the award?

    If the project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, are the plans to address 1) the protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion or exclusion of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults), justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

    Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?

    In addition, for applications involving clinical trials

    If proposed, are the administrative, data coordinating, enrollment and laboratory/testing centers, appropriate for the trial proposed?

    Does the application adequately address the capability and ability to conduct the trial at the proposed site(s) or centers? Are the plans to add or drop enrollment centers, as needed, appropriate?

    If international site(s) is/are proposed, does the application adequately address the complexity of executing the clinical trial

    If multi-sites/centers, is there evidence of the ability of the individual site or center to: (1) enroll the proposed numbers; (2) adhere to the protocol; (3) collect and transmit data in an accurate and timely fashion; and, (4) operate within the proposed organizational structure?

    Additional Review Criteria

    As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

    Specific to applications involving clinical trials

    Is the study timeline described in detail, taking into account start-up activities, the anticipated rate of enrollment, and planned follow-up assessment? Is the projected timeline feasible and well justified? Does the project incorporate efficiencies and utilize existing resources (e.g., CTSAs, practice-based research networks, electronic medical records, administrative database, or patient registries) to increase the efficiency of participant enrollment and data collection, as appropriate?

    Are potential challenges and corresponding solutions discussed (e.g., strategies that can be implemented in the event of enrollment shortfalls)?

    For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of thecategories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee 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 categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee 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.

    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 individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) 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.

    The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following criteria: (1) description of proposed procedures involving animals, including species, strains, ages, sex, and total number to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals versus alternative models and for the appropriateness of the species proposed; (3) interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury; and (4) justification for euthanasia method if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Reviewers will assess the use of chimpanzees as they would any other application proposing the use of vertebrate animals. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

    Reviewers 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.

    For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

    Not applicable.

    Not applicable.

    Additional Review Considerations

    Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Sharing Plan and Genomic Data Sharing Plan (GDS) as part of the Resource Sharing Plan will not be evaluated at time of review, and a Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this FOA.

    As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

    Not applicable.

    Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

    Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: (1) Data Sharing Plan; (2) Sharing Model Organisms; and (3) Genomic Data Sharing Plan (GDS).

    For projects involving key biological and/or chemical resources, reviewers will comment on the brief plans proposed for identifying and ensuring the validity of those resources.

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

    2. Review and Selection Process

    Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the Center for Scientific Review, in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

    As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:
    • May undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.
    • Will receive a written critique.

    Applications will be assigned to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications . Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse . The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

    • Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.

    • Availability of funds.

    • Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.

    3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.

    Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

    Section VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices

    If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

    A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. 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.

    Individual awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by, the NIH and are subject to the IC-specific terms and conditions identified in the NoA.

    ClinicalTrials.gov: If an award provides for one or more clinical trials. By law (Title VIII, Section 801 of Public Law 110-85), the "responsible party" must register and submit results information for certain applicable clinical trials on the ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System Information Website (https://register.clinicaltrials.gov). NIH expects registration and results reporting of all trials whether required under the law or not. For more information, see https://grants.nih.gov/policy/clinical-trials/reporting/index.htm

    Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Grantee institutions must ensure that all protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the awardee must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols. Data and Safety

    Monitoring Requirements: The NIH policy for data and safety monitoring requires oversight and monitoring of all NIH-conducted or -supported human biomedical and behavioral intervention studies (clinical trials) to ensure the safety of participants and the validity and integrity of the data. Further information concerning these requirements is found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/hs/data_safety.htm and in the application instructions (SF424 (R&R) and PHS 398).

    Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption Requirements: Consistent with federal regulations, clinical research projects involving the use of investigational therapeutics, vaccines, or other medical interventions (including licensed products and devices for a purpose other than that for which they were licensed) in humans under a research protocol must be performed under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational new drug (IND) or investigational device exemption (IDE).

    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.

    Recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS must administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age and, in some circumstances, religion, conscience, and sex. This includes ensuring programs are accessible to persons with limited English proficiency. The HHS Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/provider-obligations/index.html and http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/understanding/section1557/index.html.

    HHS recognizes that research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator’s scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research. For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this FOA.

    Please contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697.

    In accordance with the statutory provisions contained in Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417), NIH awards will be subject to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) requirements. FAPIIS requires Federal award making officials to review and consider information about an applicant in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS) prior to making an award. An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a Federal agency previously entered and is currently in FAPIIS. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgement about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 45 CFR Part 75.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants. This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.

    Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
    Not Applicable

    3. Reporting

    When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
    A final RPPR, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award, as described 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 agreementsare 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.

    In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at 45 CFR 75.113 and Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75, recipients that have currently active Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies with a cumulative total value greater than $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a Federal award, must report and maintain the currency of information reported in the System for Award Management (SAM)about civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in connection with the award or performance of a Federal award that reached final disposition within the most recent five-year period. The recipient must also make semiannual disclosures regarding such proceedings.Proceedings information will be made publicly available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS). This is a statutory requirement under section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313). As required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information posted in the designated integrity and performance system on or after April 15, 2011, except past performance reviews required for Federal procurement contracts, will be publicly available. Full reporting requirements and procedures are found in Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75 Award Term and Conditions for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

    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, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threatensubmission by the due date, and 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)

    General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
    Email:GrantsInfo@nih.gov(preferred method of contact)
    Telephone: 301-637-3015

    Grants.gov Customer Support(Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
    Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
    Email:support@grants.gov

    Scientific/Research Contact(s)

    Keisher Highsmith, Ph.D.
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
    Telephone: 301-402-1984
    Email: keisher.highsmith@nih.gov

    Peer Review Contact(s)
    Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).
    Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

    Pam Fleming
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
    Telephone:301-480-1159
    Email: pfleming@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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