Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Funding Opportunity Title
Biological Testing Facility (X01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Activity Code

X01 Resource Access Award

Announcement Type
New
Related Notices
  • October 26, 2022 - Reminder: FORMS-H Grant Application Forms & Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After January 25, 2023 - New Grant Application Instructions Now Available. See Notice NOT-OD-23-012.
  • August 31, 2022 - Implementation Changes for Genomic Data Sharing Plans Included with Applications Due on or after January 25, 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-22-198.
  • August 8, 2022 - New NIH "FORMS-H" Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-22-195.
  • August 5, 2022 - Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. See Notice NOT-OD-22-189.
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number
PAR-23-192
Companion Funding Opportunity
None
Assistance Listing Number(s)
93.865
Funding Opportunity Purpose

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to provide investigators with a mechanism to request services from this facility that would advance their contraceptive development program. This NOFO aims to position innovative and validated methods for future clinical development. Applicants do not need to have current NIH funding to apply, but priority may be given to programs receiving NIH support at the time of application submission.

Key Dates

Posted Date
April 28, 2023
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)
April 30, 2023
Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

Not applicable.

Application Due Date(s)

May 30, 2023; January 2, 2024; May 2, 2024; January 2, 2025; May 2, 2025

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

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

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

June 2023, February 2024, June 2024, February 2025, June 2025

Advisory Council Review

Not Applicable

Earliest Start Date

July 2023, March 2024, July 2024, March 2025, July 2025

Expiration Date
May 03, 2025
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 NOFO or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the NOFO) 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.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

  1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
  2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.

  3. Use Grants.gov Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application.


  4. Table of Contents

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

Background

Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. There is a critical need for fertility regulation methods that fit the needs of women and men throughout their reproductive lives. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) supports the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in its mission to develop novel, safe and effective contraceptive methods for men and women.

Purpose and Scope

The NICHD has a state-of-the art Biological Testing Facility (BTF) for advancing male and/or female non-hormonal contraception development with the capabilities and capacity for preclinical and Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) or Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies (e.g., fertility studies, pharmacology, toxicology, reproductive tract histopathology, sperm morphology). The long-term objective is the enablement of an IND/IDE study of a preclinical candidate, which offers a safe, non-hormonal based therapy for male and/or female contraception that acts prior to fertilization and does not act via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

The purpose of this NOFO is to provide investigators with a mechanism to request services from this facility that would advance their contraceptive development program. This NOFO aims to position innovative and validated methods for future clinical development. Applicants do not need to have current NIH funding to apply, but priority may be given to programs receiving NIH support at the time of application submission.

Potential services available to support that goal include but are not limited to fertility studies, pharmacology, toxicology, reproductive tract histopathology, and sperm morphology and motility in pursuit of an IND or IDE application for FDA submission. The facility has the capability to advance multiple projects simultaneously across the entire development continuum.

It is envisioned that a primary purpose of this resource will be for the advancement of late stage preclinical compounds and devices, and those projects will be granted highest priority. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out to the Scientific/Research Contact to discuss potential services prior to application submission. Applicants with chemical(s) hits and/or leads, or device(s) where the target and/or mechanism of action is unknown will be deprioritized; however, they are strongly encouraged to contact the Scientific/Research Contact for discussion.

Important Notes

  • Researchers granted access to resource services will be required to work with NICHD staff for all communications with the facility over the course of the project.
  • Services provided will not exceed 12 months in duration unless approved prior to application submission. Applicants may request the service for multiple compounds (e.g., an efficacy study of multiple compounds) but must justify the value of doing so.
  • There is no budget associated with this PAR. If you are considering applying for a service request that you estimate would exceed $200,000, please reach out to the Scientific/Research Contact(s). Resource access is awarded depending on availability of funds and in consultation with the Contractor.
  • More than one X01 request can be submitted per cycle. Requested services may not overlap with efforts already funded through the PHS.

Types of Activities

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) uses the Biological Testing Facility (BTF) for the interest of but not specifically limited to the support of the following activities:

  1. Preparation and delivery of vehicle and compound formulations at concentrations suitable for efficacy, safety and toxicological evaluation for oral, injectable, implant, transdermal or other route of administration.
  2. In vitro assays and in vivo model studies (rodent, rabbit, monkey) of new chemical entities (NCEs) or devices, including but not limited to: pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME), plasma and microsome stability, maximum tolerated dose, toxicology, oral bioavailability, efficacy in mating trials, measurement of drug concentration in rete testis, transport across blood testis-barrier, effects on sperm morphology, motility, capacitation.
  3. Reproductive tract pharmacology, toxicology, and histopathology

The long-term objective is the enablement of an IND/IDE study of a preclinical candidate, that offers a safe, non-hormonal based therapy for male and/or female contraception that acts prior to fertilization and does not act via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Target Validation

An important component of any early stage product development project is to conduct the necessary research to demonstrate that if the proposed modulation is successful (e.g., inhibition of a specific enzyme), the desired result will be achieved (e.g., infertility). This is commonly referred to as "validation". When a specific and defined molecule is targeted for modulation (e.g., inhibition of a specific enzyme), the specific molecule is referred to as a "target" and the validation process is referred to as "target validation". If the proposed research is focused on a defined molecular target (e.g., an inhibitor of a specific molecular target), the target must be validated prior to X01 submission, and the basis of validation must be justified by applicable data and/or literature citations in the application. If more than one specific molecule is targeted (e.g., two related enzymes), the same principles apply for the two molecules (i.e., demonstration that a well characterized modulation of both molecules will achieve the desired result).

NICHD Data Sharing Expectations and Requirements

X01 recipients that access the BTF will be required to adhere to the separate award conditions that are associated with the BTF’s plan for data sharing and any limitations to the extent of or timelines for data sharing to ensure that the proper balance is maintained between maximizing the timely sharing of scientific data and the protection of intellectual property (IP), following the NIH guidelines for data sharing and IP. Applicants should discuss projects with the COR/Scientific Program Lead/Program Officer and other proposed collaborators early to avoid agreements that prohibit or unnecessarily restrict data sharing.

Considerations for Proprietary Data

NIH recognizes that the extent of data sharing may be limited by restrictions imposed by licensing limitations attached to materials needed to conduct the research or by existing or anticipated agreements, such as those with the original compound supplier. Additionally, timelines for sharing may be delayed by plans to seek IP claims, such as patent filing. For example, in this initiative, many of the chemicals to be investigated and much of the data to be generated may be proprietary, intended to become proprietary, or confidential to the original compound supplier, and the supplier may have significant business value that needs to be protected or withheld from the public domain. These considerations will be addressed in the data use agreement, as outlined above.

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

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

Other: A mechanism that is not a grant or cooperative agreement. Examples include access to research resources or pre-applications.

Application Types Allowed
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 NOFO.

Clinical Trial?

Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

Not applicable; there are no funds associated with a resource access award.

Award Budget

Not applicable. There is no budget associated with X01 Resource Access Awards.

Award Project Period

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is one year.

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

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)

Local 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)

Federal Governments

  • 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
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions)
Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are 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.

  • 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.
    • NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.
    • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) - A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
  • eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registrations; 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 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 their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. See, Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities, NOT-OD-22-019.

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

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

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, per 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. 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 2.3.9.4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications).

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 NOFO. 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 Guide except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity 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.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

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.

R&R Budget

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

All costs will be covered by the Biological Testing Facility under an NICHD-funded contract. X01 applicants do not need to include a budget.

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:

Specific Aim:

Applicants are expected to provide a single specific aim in their application. The specific aim should refer directly to the services requested and should clearly and concisely describe the potential impact of the proposed study(ies). The specific aim must be able to be achieved within one year of the time of study approval.

Research Strategy:

The research strategy should provide a clear outline of requested services, including but not limited to:

  • The relevant background to justify the request, including the importance of the requested study to the overall program, and how completion of the requested study(ies) will set the stage for the next well-planned objective leading towards an IND/IDE enabling study.
  • Defined deliverables to be obtained at the end of the study(ies).
  • Demonstration that the applicant can provide test article in sufficient quantity and purity for the requested services.
  • An indication of whether compound formulation will need to be developed.
  • A proposed study protocol with defined deliverables and metrics for success (e.g., fertility studies, pharmacology, toxicology, etc.)
  • Anticipated timeline to accomplish the described task with feasibility justification.
  • For studies longer than 6 months in duration, milestones that clearly describe a path towards advancement of the project.
  • Clearly identified alternative strategies if applicable.
  • For in vivo studies:
    • The rationale for species and any proposed dose range (e.g., maximum tolerated dose, pharmacodynamics, minimum effective dose, etc.) for the proposed test compound(s)
  • For DMPK/ADME studies:
    • Any data demonstrating effectiveness in vivo for the proposed test compound(s)
    • Any data evaluating bioavailability of the proposed test compound(s)
    • Any data on microsome-based stability for the proposed test compound(s)

For studies focused on a defined molecular target (e.g., an inhibitor of a specific molecular target), the target must be validated prior to submission of the X01, and the basis of validation must be detailed.

Applications do not need to include finalized study protocols at the time of submission, but a general protocol description should be detailed enough to support the request. The facility has a number of standard protocols in place. However, if a specialized protocol is required, it must be submitted to NICHD for review and comment within 30 days of award notification unless granted an extension by NICHD staff.

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 Resource Sharing Plan.

The Resource Sharing Plan must satisfy the following requirements, which will be incorporated into the task order:

  • Excess quantities of reagents generated by the facility will be stored at the Biological Testing Facility.
  • All resources generated by the facility will be shared after one-year post completion of the service provided (allowing time to address intellectual property concerns or publication).
  • Upon completion of the requested activity, all reagents and data associated with the activity will become publicly available after a period of one-year by the point of contact affiliated with this NOFO.

Other Plan(s): Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Management and Sharing Plan will be attached in the Other Plan(s) attachment in FORMS-H application forms packages.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

  • A Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable to this NOFO.

Appendix: Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

  • No publications or other material, with the exception of blank questionnaires or blank surveys, may be included in the Appendix.

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical 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.

Foreign Institutions

Foreign (non-U.S.) institutions must follow policies described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and procedures for foreign institutions described throughout the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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.

Not applicable. No funds are associated with this NOFO.

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 form. 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 NOFO for information on registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier 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.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

The X01 Resource Access Program invites eligible institutions to seek access to NIH research resources, which are specified in each X01 NOFO. This includes programs where institutions will request access to submit to the resource (e.g., high throughput screening assays) as well as programs where access to a specific NIH research resource is needed to conduct certain research. Important factors in the peer review of X01 applications are the need for, and potential benefit of, gaining access to the resource, specifications for any assays proposed, timelines for completion and plans for follow-on studies.

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?


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?


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?


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?

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?

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.

X01s requesting facility access do not receive peer review. A committee with the appropriate expertise comprised of NIH staff will evaluate requests to determine their overall merit.

For this announcement, the following review criteria will be used:

  • Is the rationale for the requested service(s) appropriate for the stage of the program and the goals of the research project?
  • Is the work requested likely to lead to significant advances for development of the compound/method/device towards clinical evaluation?
  • Does the proposed study provide well-defined deliverables and metrics of success?
  • Is the work requested feasible within the time frame specified?
  • For animal dosing studies, does the applicant provide a rationale for species and dose range?
  • Is there demonstration that the applicant can provide material (e.g., test article) in sufficient quantity, purity and in a formulation suitable for the requested services?
  • For studies longer than 6 months in duration, does the application include clearly specified milestones?
  • Does the application include clearly specified alternative strategies if applicable?
  • If the research is focused on a defined molecular target (e.g., an inhibitor of a specific molecular target), is the target validated?


For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the 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 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 Animals 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.


For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.


For Revisions, 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.

Additional Review Considerations

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.


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.


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 Resource Sharing Plan(s) (e.g., Sharing Model Organisms) or the rationale for not sharing the resources, is reasonable.


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

X01 applications will undergo an administrative evaluation by NIH staff but not a full peer review. Applications submitted for this funding opportunity will be administratively evaluated using the criteria shown above.

The following will be considered in making decisions:

  • Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by administrative review
  • Available capacity of the facility at the time of review
  • Impact of the requested services on resources available to support other projects
  • Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

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.

Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted.

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.

An X01 does not result in a Notice of Award (NoA). Rather, selected applicants will receive access to resources described in this NOFO. Successful applicants will receive instructions for next steps.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

An X01 does not result in a Notice of Award. Instead, successful applicants will receive instructions on accessing the resources described in this NOFO.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable

3. Data Management and Sharing

Note: The NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing is effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023.

Consistent with the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, when data management and sharing is applicable to the award, recipients will be required to adhere to the Data Management and Sharing requirements as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Upon the approval of a Data Management and Sharing Plan, it is required for recipients to implement the plan as described.

4. Reporting

Not applicable. An X01 does not result in a Notice of Award. Instead, successful applicants will receive instructions on accessing the resources described in this NOFO.

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 threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)

Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (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)

Leigh Allen, PhD
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-594-9151
Email: leigh.allen@nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Applications submitted to this NOFO will not undergo peer review. Questions should be directed to the Scientific/Research Contact(s).

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Margaret Young
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-642-4552
Email: margaret.young@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 and 2 CFR Part 200.

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