EXPIRED
Department
of Health and Human Services
Participating
Organizations
National
Institutes of Health (NIH) (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of Participating Organizations
National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (http://www2.niddk.nih.gov)
Title: NIDDK Multi-Center Clinical Study Implementation
Planning Grants (U34)
Announcement Type
New
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Program Announcement (PA) Number: PAR-08-057
Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.847,
93.848, 93.849
Key
Dates
Release/Posted Date: December 19,
2007
Opening Date: February 19, 2008 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters
of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not
applicable
NOTE: On time submission requires
that applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov no later than 5:00
p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization).
Application Submission
Date(s): March 19, 2008; November 18, 2008;
June 23, 2009; March 18, 2010
Peer Review Date(s): July 2008; April 2009; December 2009; July 2010
Council Review Date(s): October 2008; May 2009; January 2010; October 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): December 2008; July 2009; April 2010; December 2010
Additional Information To
Be Available Date (Activation Date): Not Applicable
Expiration Date: March 19, 2010
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not
Applicable
Additional
Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity
Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility
Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
1.
Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review
Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Sharing Research Data
D. Sharing Research Resources
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration
Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
3. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information
- Required Federal Citations
Part II
- Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1.
Research Objectives
As
announced in Notice NOT-DK-07-015, NIDDK will support investigator-initiated,
multi-center clinical studies through a two part
grant process: (1) implementation planning (U34) grant followed by (2)
multi-center cooperative agreement (U01). This program announcement, NIDDK
MULTI-CENTER CLINICAL STUDY IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING (U34) GRANTS, addresses the
U34 grant; a companion PAR-08-058, NIDDK
MULTI-CENTER CLINICAL STUDY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS (U01), addresses the second
part of the grant process.
Overview of the NIDDK policy for investigator-initiated, multi-center clinical studies
Part 1. Implementation Planning (U34) Grant. NIDDK will support clinical study planning (U34) grants for multi-center clinical studies. These grants are intended to support all administrative study group activities that are required in order to begin recruitment of subjects. These activities include, but are not limited to: establishing the research team, developing tools for data management and oversight of the research, defining recruitment strategies, finalizing the protocol and investigators brochure, writing of the Manual of Operations, establishing a data and safety monitoring plan, and initiating the IRB approval process. The U34 is not designed for the collection of preliminary data, for the conduct of pilot studies to support the rationale for a clinical study, or for the design of the study. The U34 application will include the proposed study design.
All applications for multi-center clinical studies must complete this two-part process, unless an exemption from this requirement is obtained from NIDDK. The U34 grant will provide up to two years of support. Pre-approval from NIDDK will be required for submission of an U34 application. U34 applications will be peer reviewed by special emphasis panels set up by the NIDDK Review Branch.
The product of an awarded U34 will be an application (U01) to conduct the clinical study. It is expected that receipt of a U34 grant will lead to the timely submission of an application for support of the full-scale study (PAR-08-058), incorporating the elements developed under the planning grant. If the planning phase is not successful, a decision may be made not to proceed to an application for the study.
Prospective applicants should note that funding of a U34 does not guarantee or imply funding for a subsequent application.
Part 2. Multi-Center Clinical Study Cooperative Agreement (U01). NIDDK will accept, peer review, and consider for funding applications for investigator-initiated, multi-center clinical studies from U34 awardees only, unless an exemption from this requirement is obtained from NIDDK. An applicant who can demonstrate that all the work required for a submission of a multi-center clinical study cooperative agreement has been completed, may request an exemption from the prerequisite of holding an U34 award prior to submitting the U01 proposal.
The materials developed in the U34 phase will allow the applicant to initiate study staff training followed by study subject recruitment. In order not to delay the initiation of the study, the peer review and award of grant will be completed within four months of the receipt of the application, when possible.
The U34 Grant
The U34 grant will provide support to include, but is not limited to, the establishment of the research team, the development of tools for data management and oversight of the research, the definition of recruitment strategies, and the development of the protocol and Investigators Brochure (or equivalent) and all essential elements of the study such as a manual of operations/procedures for the clinical trial. (See Scope for more detail.) The U34 is not designed for the collection of preliminary data, for the conduct of pilot studies to support the rationale for a clinical study, or for the design of the study. The U34 application will include the proposed study design.
Background
Most large, multi-center clinical studies supported by NIDDK are conducted by research networks awarded as cooperative agreements under NIDDK Requests for Applications (RFAs). The networks are composed of coordinating centers, statistical units, data centers, central laboratories, clinical centers, and other specialized resources. Additionally, the networks are provided with assistance from NIDDK staff. This combination of collaborating organizations and specialists ensures that all elements of the planning and design of clinical study can be addressed and fully documented before a decision is made to implement a study.
NIDDK has determined that all investigator-initiated, multi-center clinical studies it supports should be developed with the same rigor in planning, design, and documentation. Once a clinical study is designed and subjected to peer review, extensive administrative planning (e.g., protocol finalization, manual of operations development) is required before subject recruitment can occur. Investigators considering submission of an investigator-initiated research grant application for a multi-center clinical study will generally not have the resources to complete this rigorous planning and documentation process without support from NIDDK. NIDDK believes that a two part grant process that separates administrative implementation from subject recruitment and study conduct will remedy these issues. The U34 grants will give the investigators the time and funds necessary to complete detailed clinical study planning to meet NIDDK standards and regulatory requirements.
Scope
The U34 planning grant process is designed to:
The activities required in the U34 will depend on the type of study (e.g., epidemiologic study; drug trial, behavior intervention). Activities supported by the U34 include, but are not limited to, the following examples:
In the event of an award, the NIDDK and the Principal Investigator will agree on a list of milestones to be completed during the U34 project period.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal
Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
will use the NIH
Clinical Trial Planning Grant (U34) award mechanism. The applicant will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed
project.
This FOA uses just-in-time concepts. It also uses the modular as well as the non-modular budget formats (see the Modular Applications and Awards section of the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less (excluding consortium Facilities and Administrative [F&A] costs), use the PHS398 Modular Budget component provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (see specifically Section 3.4, Modular Budget Component, of the Application Guide).
All foreign applicants must complete and submit budget requests using the Research & Related Budget component found in the application package for this FOA. See NOT-OD-06-096.
The U34 is for new projects only; renewal applications will not be accepted. Each U34 will support planning for one clinical study only. Applicants may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct.
The NIH U34 is a cooperative agreement award mechanism. Under the U34 mechanism, the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) retains the primary responsibility and dominant role for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project, with NIH staff being substantially involved as a partner with the PD/PI, as described in Section VI.2.A., "Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award.
2. Funds Available
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from
application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of
each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the Institutes and
Centers (ICs) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding
opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of
a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed two years. Applicants may request up to $250,000 in direct costs per year. The funds requested are expected to vary based on the number of clinical sties involved in the study and the complexity of the study.
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.
Facilities
and Administrative (F&A) costs requested by consortium participants are not
included in the direct cost limitation. See NOT-OD-05-004,
November 2, 2004.
Section
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
You may submit an application(s) if your
institution/organization has any of the following characteristics:
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) 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.
More than one PD/PI, or multiple PDs/PIs, may be designated on the application for projects that require a team science approach that clearly does not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research projects is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi. All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH eRA Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).
The decision of whether to apply for a single PD/PI or multiple PD/PI grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for multiple PD/PI grants will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. When considering multiple PDs/PIs, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PD/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. For further information on multiple PDs/PIs, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.
2.
Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special Eligibility
Criteria
Applicants
must obtain written approval from the appropriate NIDDK Division Director or
designee before submitting a U34
application. This approval letter must be included when submitting the U34
application. Details regarding information required
in an approval request letter can be found at http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/Research/ClinicalResearch/multcenterclinicalstudies.
Applicants may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Registration:
Appropriate registrations with Grants.gov and eRA Commons must be completed on or before the due date in order to successfully submit an application. Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered with both Grants.gov and the Commons. All registrations must be complete by the submission deadline for the application to be considered ?on-time? (see 3.C.1 for more information about on-time submission).
To download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and
SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for
this FOA, link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant institution/organization can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Started
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Both the PD/PI(s) and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Note that if a PD/PI is also an NIH peer-reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on any grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R)
application forms and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
Note: Only the forms package
directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You will not be able to use
any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms, forms from another FOA),
although some of the "Attachment" files may be useable for more than
one FOA.
For further assistance, contact GrantsInfo: Telephone
301-710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY
301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/APPLY.
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. There are fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components that, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PIs assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The SF424 (R&R) application is comprised of data arranged in separate components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY will include all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA will include the following components:
Required
Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover component)
Research & Related Project/Performance Site
Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
Research & Related Budget
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Research Plan
PHS398 Checklist
Note: While both budget components are included in the SF424 (R&R) forms package, the NIH U34 uses ONLY the PHS398 Modular Budget. (Do not use the detailed Research & Related Budget.).
Optional
Components:
PHS398 Cover Letter File
Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s)
Form
Note: While both budget components are included in the SF424 (R&R) forms package, only applications from foreign (non-U.S.) institutions should use the Research & Related Budget; all other applicants must use the PHS 398 Modular Budget.
Foreign Organizations (Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity)
NIH policies concerning grants to foreign (non-U.S.) organizations can be found in the NIH Grants Policy Statement at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part12.htm#_Toc54600260.
Applications from foreign organizations must:
Proposed research should provide special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries that are not readily available in the United States or that augment existing U.S. resources.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs
When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NIH requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NIH, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the project. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs, but has no other special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above.
Information for the Contact PD/PI should be entered in Item 13 of the SF424(R&R) Cover component. All other PDs/PIs should be listed in the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component and assigned the project role of PD/PI. Please remember that all PDs/PIs must be registered in the eRA Commons prior to application submission. The Commons ID of each PD/PI must be included in the Credential field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component. Failure to include this data field will cause the application to be rejected.
All projects proposing Multiple PDs/PIs will be required to include a new section describing the leadership of the project.
Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan, must be included. A rationale for choosing a multiple PD/PI approach should be described. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the research project should be described, including communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts. The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.
If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award.
Applications Involving a Single Institution
When all PDs/PIs are within a single institution, follow the instructions contained in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Applications Involving Multiple Institutions
When multiple institutions are involved, one institution must be designated as the prime institution and funding for the other institution(s) must be requested via a subcontract to be administered by the prime institution. When submitting a detailed budget, the prime institution should submit its budget using the Research & Related Budget component. All other institutions should have their individual budgets attached separately to the Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. See Section 4.8 of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the subaward budget form.
When submitting a modular budget, the prime institution completes the PHS398 Modular Budget component only. Information concerning the consortium/subcontract budget is provided in the budget justification. Separate budgets for each consortium/subcontract grantee are not required when using the Modular budget format. See Section 3.4 of the Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the PHS398 Modular Budget component.
3. Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A for
details.
3.A.
Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening Date: February 19, 2008 (Earliest date an application may be submitted
to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not
applicable
Application Submission Date(s): March 19, 2008; November 18, 2008; June 23, 2009; March 18,
2010.
Peer Review Date(s): July 2008; April 2009; December 2009; July 2010.
Council Review Date(s): October 2008; May 2009; January 2010; October 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): December 2008; July 2009; April 2010; December 2010.
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is not required for the funding opportunity.
3.B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the
NIH
To submit an application in response to this FOA, applicants should access this
FOA via http://www.grants.gov/Apply and follow steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted
electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
In order to expedite the review, applicants are requested to notify the NIDDK Referral Office by email (calvof@mail.nih.gov) when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.
3.C.
Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be successfully
received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local
time(of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application due date(s). (See Section
IV.3.A. for
all dates.) If
an application is not submitted by the due date(s) and time, the application
may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed. All applications must meet the following criteria to be considered on-time:
Please visit http://era.nih.gov/electronicReceipt/app_help.htm for detailed information on what to do if Grants.gov or eRA system issues threaten your ability to submit on time.
Submission to Grants.gov is not the last step - applicants must follow their application through to the eRA Commons to check for errors and warnings and view their assembled application!
3.C.2 Two Day Window to Correct eRA Identified Errors/Warnings
IMPORTANT NOTE! NIH has eliminated the error correction window for due dates of January 25, 2011 and beyond. As of January 25, all corrections must be complete by the due date for an application to be considered on-time. See NOT-OD-10-123.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov NIH provides applicants a two day error correction window to correct any eRA identified errors or warnings before a final assembled application is created in the eRA Commons. The standard error correction window is two (2) business days, beginning the day after the submission deadline and excluding weekends and standard federal holidays. All errors must be corrected to successfully complete the submission process. Warnings will not prevent the application from completing the submission process.
Note that the following caveats apply:
3.C.3 Viewing an Application in the eRA Commons
Once any eRA identified errors have been addressed and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the assembled application before it automatically moves forward to NIH for further processing.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on their application status in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial merit review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of an application already reviewed with substantial changes, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique. Note such an application is considered a "resubmission" for the SF424 (R&R).
4. Intergovernmental Review
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. A grantee may, at
its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures
to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget
period of a new award if such costs: are necessary to conduct the project, and
would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If
specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must
obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required
for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the
initial budget period of a new award.
The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a
competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make
the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made
for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award
costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs
result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not
impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the
approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project.
See the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
6. Other Submission
Requirements
PD/PI
Credential (e.g., Agency Login)
The NIH requires the PD/PI to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component. The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Registration FAQs Important Tips -- Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
Organizational DUNS
The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
Warning: Please be sure that you observe the direct cost, project period, and page number limitations specified above for this FOA. Application processing may be delayed or the application may be rejected if it does not comply with these requirements.
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections
While each section of the Research Plan needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Research Plan component as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to better monitor formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
All application instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide are to be followed, incorporating "Just-in-Time" information concepts, and with the following requirements for U34 applications: The Research Strategy may not exceed 12 pages.
NIH has published new limitations on grant application appendix materials to encourage applications to be as concise as possible while containing the information needed for expert scientific review. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-018.html.
Applicants must follow the specific instructions on Appendix materials as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm).
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations. An application that does not observe the required page limitations may be delayed in the review process.
Note: While each section of the PHS398 Research Plan component needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Research Plan component as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to monitor better formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
Foreign Applications (Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity)
Minimum Application Requirements for a U34 Grant are the following:
Awardees must agree to Section VI.2.A., "Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award.
Plan for Sharing Research Data
Not applicable
to the U34; however, data sharing must be addressed in the subsequent U01 application.
Sharing Research Resources
NIH
policy expects that grant recipients make unique research resources readily
available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific
community after publication (See the NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600131).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a sharing
research resources plan addressing how unique research resources will be shared
or explain why sharing is not possible.
The adequacy of the resources sharing plan and any
related data sharing plans will be considered by Program staff of the funding organization
when making recommendations about funding applications. The effectiveness of
the resource sharing will be evaluated as part of the administrative review of
each Non-Competing
Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590). See Section VI.3.,
Reporting.
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria (Update: Enhanced review criteria have been issued for the evaluation of research applications received for potential FY2010 funding and thereafter - see NOT-OD-09-025).
Only
the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
2. Review and Selection
Process
Applications
that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an
appropriate peer review group convened by NIDDK in accordance with the review criteria stated below.
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
The mission of the NIH is to support science in pursuit
of knowledge about the biology and behavior of living systems and to apply that
knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and
disability. As part of this mission, applications submitted to the NIH
for grants or cooperative agreements to support biomedical and behavioral
research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer
review system.
Overall Impact. Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority 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 five core review criteria, and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).
Core Review Criteria. Reviewers will consider each of the five review criteria below in the determination of scientific and technical 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.
Significance: Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? 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?
Investigator(s): Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, 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?
Innovation: 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?
Approach: Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? 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?
If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
Environment: 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?
Additional Review Criteria
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider the following additional items in the determination of scientific and technical merit, but will not give separate scores for these items.
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, 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 six 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.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children. When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children.
Vertebrate Animals. The committee 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.
Resubmission Applications. When reviewing a Resubmission application (formerly called an amended application), 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.
Renewal Applications. When reviewing a Renewal application (formerly called a competing continuation application), the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.
Revision Applications. When reviewing a Revision application (formerly called a competing supplement application), the committee will consider the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of the scope of the project. If the Revision application relates to a specific line of investigation presented in the original application that was not recommended for approval by the committee, then the committee will consider whether the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and whether substantial changes are clearly evident.
Biohazards. 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.
Additional Review Considerations
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will address each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.
Budget and Period Support. Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
Select Agents Research. 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).
Applications from Foreign Organizations. Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.
Resource Sharing Plans.
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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_guidance.htm);
2) Sharing Model Organisms (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-04-042.html);
and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-088.html).
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not applicable.
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1.
Award Notices
After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able
to access his/her Summary Statement (written critique) via the NIH eRA Commons.
If the application is under
consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time"
information from the applicant. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH
Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart
A: General.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award
(NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the
grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative
and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email
notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official.
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. See Section IV.5.,
Funding Restrictions.
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.
The following terms and conditions
will be incorporated into the NoA and will be provided to the PD/PI and the
appropriate institutional official at the time of award.
2.A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
The following special terms of award are in
addition to, and not in lieu of, otherwise applicable Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) administrative guidelines, Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) grant administration regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 (Part 92 is
applicable when State and local Governments are eligible to apply), and other
HHS, PHS, and NIH grant administration policies.
The administrative and funding instrument used
for this program will be the cooperative agreement (U34), an
"assistance" mechanism (rather than an "acquisition"
mechanism), in which substantial NIH programmatic involvement with the awardees
is anticipated during the performance of the activities. Under the cooperative
agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and stimulate the recipients'
activities by involvement in and otherwise working jointly with the award
recipients in a partnership role; it is not to assume direction, prime
responsibility, or a dominant role in the activities. Consistent with this concept,
the dominant role and prime responsibility reside with the awardees for the
project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may be shared among
the awardees and the NIH as defined below.
2.A.1. Project Director/Principal
Investigator (PD/PI) Rights and Responsibilities
The PD/PI will have the primary responsibility
for all aspects of development and implementation of the
protocols, including any modification of study design, conduct of the study,
quality control, data analysis and interpretation,
preparation of publications, and collaboration with other investigators, unless
otherwise provided for in these terms or by action of the Steering Committee.
Modifications of protocols will be approved by the Steering Committee. The
NIDDK Project Scientist, on behalf of the NIDDK, will
have the same access, privileges and responsibilities regarding the
collaborative data as the other members of the Steering Committee. The NIDDK
expects that biologic samples and associated clinical data will be made available to the broader scientific community at an
appropriate juncture. The NIDDK has established Central
Biosample, Genetic and Data Repositories for
the archival and storage of data and biosamples. All samples and data
transferred to the repositories will be under the
custodianship of the NIDDK, although the studys Steering Committee will have
proprietary control of and exclusive access to the samples and data for an
agreed-upon period of time.
Support
or other involvement of industry or any other third party in any study
performed by the Consortium may be advantageous and appropriate. However,
except for licensing of patents or copyrights, support or involvement of any
third party will occur only following notification to, and concurrence, by NIDDK.
The PD/PI will retain
custody of, and have primary rights to, information developed under the
cooperative agreement, subject to Government rights of access consistent with
the current HHS, PHS, and NIH policies. Publication and copyright agreements
and the requirements for financial status reports, retention of records, and
terminal progress reports will be as stated in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
Awardees will retain custody of and
have primary rights to the data and software developed under these awards,
subject to Government rights of access consistent with current HHS, PHS, and
NIH policies.
2.A.2. NIH Responsibilities
An NIH Project Scientist will have
substantial programmatic involvement that is above and beyond the normal
stewardship role in awards, as described below.
The NIDDK Project Scientist will have one vote on the Steering Committee and on all key study group subcommittees. The Project Scientists will have substantial scientific-programmatic involvement in quality control, interim data analysis, safety monitoring, and final data analysis and interpretation, preparation of publications, and coordination and performance monitoring. The dominant role and prime responsibility for these activities resides with the awardees for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities in carrying out the studies will be shared among the awardees and the Project Scientists.
The NIDDK reserves the right to terminate or curtail the study (or an individual award)
in the event of (a) failure to develop or implement a mutually agreeable
collaborative protocol, (b) substantial shortfall in participant recruitment,
follow-up, data reporting, quality control, or other
major breach of the protocol, (c) substantive changes in the agreed-upon
protocol with which NIDDK cannot concur, (d) reaching a major study endpoint
substantially before schedule with persuasive statistical significance, or (e)
human subject ethical issues that may dictate a
premature termination.
Additionally, an agency Program Official or IC
Program Director will be responsible for the normal scientific and programmatic
stewardship of the award and will be named in the NoA. The
assigned Program Director may also serve as the Project Scientist.
2.A.3. Collaborative Responsibilities
A steering committee will serve as the governing board for
the clinical protocol or group of protocols. Membership may vary depending on
unique needs of the study group. Generally, the
steering committee is composed of: the study chair; the principal investigator
of each field site, the data coordinating center and any core facilities; and
the NIDDK project scientist.
Each full member will have one vote. Awardee members
of the Steering Committee will be required to accept and implement policies
regarding the scientific design of the project as approved by the Steering
Committee.
2.A.4. Arbitration Process
Any disagreements that may arise in scientific
or programmatic matters (within the scope of the award) between award
recipients and the NIH may be brought to arbitration. An Arbitration Panel
composed of three members will be convened: a designee of the Steering
Committee chosen without NIH staff voting, one NIH designee, and a third
designee with expertise in the relevant area who is chosen by the other two; in
the case of individual disagreement, the first member may be chosen by the
individual awardee. This special arbitration procedure in no way affects the awardee's
right to appeal an adverse action that is otherwise appealable in accordance
with PHS regulations 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart D and HHS regulations 45 CFR Part
16.
3.
Reporting
When multiple years are involved, awardees will be
required to submit the Non-Competing Grant
Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in
the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
Section VII. Agency
Contacts
We encourage your inquiries
concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer
questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas:
scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research
Contacts:
Marva M. Moxey-Mims, M.D.
Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard, Room 639
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-5458
Phone: (301) 594-7717
Fax: (301) 480-3510
Email: mm726k@nih.gov
Patricia Robuck, Ph.D.
Division of Digestive Diseases and
Nutrition
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases
Two Democracy Plaza, Room 659
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, M D 20892-5450
Telephone: (301) 594-8872
Fax: (301) 480-8300
Email: robuckp@mail.nih.gov
Barbara
Linder, M.D., Ph.D.
Division
of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Two Democracy Plaza, Room 699
6707
Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-5460
Telephone:
(301) 594-0021
Fax:
(301) 480-3503
Email: linderb@mail.nih.gov
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Francisco
Calvo, Ph.D.
Review Branch
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease
Two Democracy Plaza, Room752
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, M D 20892-5452
Telephone: (301) 594-8897
Fax: (301) 480-3505
Email: calvof@mail.nih.gov
3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:
Robert Pike
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6707 Democracy Boulevard, Room 731
Bethesda, MD 20892-5456
Telephone: (301) 594-8854
FAX: (301) 480-3504
Email: pikera@mail.nih.gov
Section VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Vertebrate Animals:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving
live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory
Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf)
as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm),
and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm)
as applicable.
Human Subjects Protection:
Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against these
risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, and
the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types
of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies
(Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative
trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The
establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for
multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks
to the participants (NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking
$500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a
plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing).
Investigators should seek guidance from their
institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local IRB rules,
as well as local, State and Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy
Rule. Reviewers will consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the
plan into the determination of the scientific merit or the impact/priority score.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of
Information Act:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110
has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first
produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds
and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an
action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be
accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic
scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a
public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include
information about this in the budget justification section of the application.
In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent
statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider
use of data collected under this award.
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage
sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model
organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm).
At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to
elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding
pursuant to the Bayh Dole Act (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Beginning October 1, 2004, all investigators submitting an NIH application or
contract proposal are expected to include in the application/proposal a
description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model
organism research resources generated using NIH funding or state why such
sharing is restricted or not possible. This will permit other researchers to
benefit from the resources developed with public funding. The inclusion of a
model organism sharing plan is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and
is expected to be included in all applications where the development of model
organisms is anticipated.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children:
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of
minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported
clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is
provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health
of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the
NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All
investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines
for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html);
a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical
research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB
standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical
trials consistent with the SF424 (R&R) application; and updated roles and responsibilities
of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for
all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or
proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct
analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or
racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators
must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate,
by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical
Research:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e.,
individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research,
conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical
reasons not to include them.
All investigators proposing research involving human
subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion
of children as participants in research involving human subjects (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human
Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of
human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications
for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key
personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for federal funding of research on hESCs can
be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-116.html.
Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic
Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov). It is the responsibility
of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the
application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s)
to be used in the proposed research.
NIH Public Access Policy:
NIH-funded investigators are requested to submit to
the NIH manuscript submission (NIHMS) system (http://www.nihms.nih.gov)
at PubMed Central (PMC) an electronic version of the author's final manuscript
upon acceptance for publication, resulting from research supported in whole or
in part with direct costs from NIH. The author's final manuscript is defined as
the final version accepted for journal publication, and includes all
modifications from the publishing peer review process.
NIH is requesting that authors submit manuscripts
resulting from 1) currently funded NIH research projects or 2) previously
supported NIH research projects if they are accepted for publication on or
after May 2, 2005. The NIH Public Access Policy applies to all research grant
and career development award mechanisms, cooperative agreements, contracts,
Institutional and Individual Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service
Awards, as well as NIH intramural research studies. The Policy applies to
peer-reviewed, original research publications that have been supported in whole
or in part with direct costs from NIH, but it does not apply to book chapters,
editorials, reviews, or conference proceedings. Publications resulting from
non-NIH-supported research projects should not be submitted.
For more information about the Policy or the submission
process, please visit the NIH Public Access Policy Web site at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/ and view
the Policy or other Resources and Tools, including the Authors' Manual.
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable
Health Information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
issued final modification to the "Standards for Privacy of Individually
Identifiable Health Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August
14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection
of individually identifiable health information, and is administered and
enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Decisions about applicability and implementation of
the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher and his/her institution. The OCR
website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/)
provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text
and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information
on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review,
funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications
and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page
limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report,
Internet addresses (URLs) or PubMed Central (PMC) submission identification
numbers must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal
articles. Publicly accessible on-line journal articles or PMC
articles/manuscripts accepted for publication that are directly relevant to the
project may be included only as URLs or PMC submission
identification numbers accompanying the full reference in either the
Bibliography & References Cited section, the Progress Report Publication
List section, or the Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant application.
A URL or PMC submission identification number citation may be repeated in each
of these sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the number of URLs or
PMC submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of
"Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting
priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas.
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and Regulations:
This program is described in the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. 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
Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost
principles, and other considerations described in the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products.
In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits
smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in
which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early
childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of
the American people.
Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages applications for educational loan
repayment from qualified health professionals who have made a commitment to
pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric, contraception,
infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an important
component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of
researchers by providing the means for developing a research career unfettered
by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not required for
eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are encouraged.
The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the LRP recipient
with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees must commit at
least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week)
for two years to the research. For further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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