Full Text CA-96-007
 
MINORITY ENHANCEMENT AWARDS
 
NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 4, February 16, 1996
 
RFA:  CA-96-007
 
P.T. 34, FF

Keywords: 
  Cancer/Carcinogenesis 
  Disease Prevention+ 
  Disease Control+ 

 
National Cancer Institute
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  March 20, 1996
Application Receipt Date:  May 14, 1996
 
PURPOSE
 
The Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Program (CMBP), Division of
Extramural Activities (DEA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), invites
research grant applications from interested investigators with access
to large or predominantly minority populations to promote minority
group participation in cancer research with a special focus on cancer
control research.  Support provided by this initiative would broaden
the operational base of each institution by:
 
1.  Expanding cancer control and prevention efforts in early
detection, prevention, screening, pre-treatment evaluation,
treatment, continuation care, and rehabilitation;
 
2.  Increasing the involvement of minority population primary care
providers early in the course of clinical treatment research;
 
3.  Promoting the involvement in treatment research at the
institutional level with a focus on the development of treatment
protocols for cancers that have a high incidence in minorities;
 
4.  Supporting programs involving diet and nutrition cancer control
research activities;
 
5.  Coordinating the contributions of investigators from various
relevant disciplines, psychology and nutrition; and
 
6.  Promoting the inclusion of minority individuals at all levels in
the conduct of the research with the increased recruitment of
minority scientists into the research base of the institution as an
expected outcome.
 
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000
 
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Request
for Applications (RFA), Minority Enhancement Awards, is related to
the priority area of cancer.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy
of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or
Healthy People 2000" (Summary report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington,D.C. 20402-9325 (telephone(202) 783-3238).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and non- profit
organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges,
hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government, and
eligible agencies of the federal government. Racial/ethnic minority
individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to
apply as Principal Investigators. Institutions are eligible if they
can demonstrate the following:
 
1.  Broad research capabilities in cancer prevention, cancer control
and cancer treatment as evidenced by significant research support in
these areas.  This would include past and current examples of ability
to design and implement strong clinical trials research programs.
 
2.  An organizational infrastructure that promotes and sustains a
strong interdisciplinary, interactive cancer research environment
which links basic research effectively to research in patient and
population settings (e.g., NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer
Centers); the dissemination of information to minorities about cancer
and its prevention; investigations of patient perspectives of cancer
risks; the design and evaluation of interventions to minimize and
control distress of minority patients with cancer; the development of
pilot studies for minority clinical prevention trials; and
psychosocial studies and perception of cancer risk in minorities.
 
3.  Clear access to large numbers of minorities who are
representative of the minority populations in the communities and/or
regions associated with the institution.
 
4.  Demonstrated capability to work with minority populations in a
research setting within communities and/or regions.
 
Applicants who do not adequately meet the above eligibility
requirements of this initiative may have their applications returned.
Thus, the NCI strongly encourages applicants to communicate with the
appropriate NCI program official before submitting a letter of intent
(see INQUIRIES section).
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research
project grant (R01).  Responsibility for the planning, direction, and
execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the
applicant.  The total project period for an application submitted in
response to this RFA may not exceed three years.  The anticipated
award date is September 30, 1996.
 
Because the nature and scope of the research proposed in response to
this RFA may vary, it is anticipated that the size of an award will
vary also.
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited competing
continuation applications will compete with all
investigator-initiated applications and be reviewed according to the
customary peer review procedures.
 
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
Funding in the amount of $1,600,000 in total costs has been set aside
for the first year to specifically fund applications which are
submitted in response to this RFA.  It is anticipated that six awards
will be made.  This funding level is dependent on the receipt of
sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit.  The
total project period for applications submitted in response to the
present RFA may not exceed three years.  The earliest feasible start
date for the initial awards will be September 30, 1996.  Although
this program is provided for in the financial plans of the NCI, the
award of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent upon the
availability of funds for this purpose.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
The NCI is committed to reducing the cancer mortality disparity
between disadvantaged populations, which include African Americans,
Hispanics and Native Americans, and the general population.  One
approach to achieving this objective is through the NCI DEA CMBP,
which is committed to providing support to institutions for
increasing their efforts to broaden minority involvement in programs
developing the latest and most effective measures in cancer
prevention, cancer control, and clinical treatment research.  One
primary goal is the delivery of state-of-the-art cancer prevention
and control as well as treatment modalities to underserved and
minority populations.
 
Cancer survival statistics verify that certain segments of the
population, African Americans for example, have substantially lower
cancer survival rates than that of American Whites with the same
disease.  By targeting minority populations with the highest
mortality in different regions of the country, it is hoped that this
initiative will have significant impact on minority population cancer
survival.  This initiative is to encourage institutions to develop
research programs in cancer prevention, cancer control and cancer
treatment that will specifically benefit minority populations.
 
General research objectives within the scope of this initiative
include, but are not limited to, studies of smoking behavior in
minority youth; studies of communication strategies for presenting
information to minorities about cancer and its prevention;
investigations of patient perspectives of cancer risks; the design
and evaluation of interventions to minimize and control distress of
minority patients with cancer; the development of pilot studies for
minority clinical prevention trials; and psychosocial studies and
perception of cancer risk in minorities.
 
Specific research strategies include:
 
1.  Targeting and facilitating the involvement of minority
populations in cancer control research.
 
2.  Investigating the impact of cancer therapy and control advances
on minorities in community medical practice settings
 
3.  Increasing the involvement of minority primary health care
providers and other specialists in treatment and other cancer control
research, thereby providing both educational opportunities for health
providers and facilitating exchange of information about current
advances in cancer control research.
 
4.  Increasing the number of underserved patients entered into
clinical cancer treatment protocols.
 
5.  Delivery of state-of-the-art cancer treatment to underserved
minority populations.
 
6.  Significantly impacting minority population cancer treatment and
survival.
 
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS
 
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects, unless a
clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that
inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects
or the purpose of the research.  This new policy results from the NIH
Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492 B of Public Law 103-43) and
supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the
Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion
of Minorities in Study Populations), which have been in effect since
1990 . The new policy contains some provisions that are substantially
different from the 1990 policies.
 
Investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read
the "NIH Guidelines for the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508- 14513) and reprinted
in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11,
March 18, 1994.
 
Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program
staff listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide
additional relevant information concerning the policy.
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit by March 20, 1996 a letter
of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research,
the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal
Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating
institutions, and the number and title of the RFA in response to
which the application may be submitted.
 
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does
not enter into the review of subsequent applications, the information
that it contains allows NCI staff to estimate the potential review
workload and to avoid conflict of interest in the review.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to:
 
Lemuel Evans, Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 620 - MSC 7405
Bethesda, MD  20892-7405
Telephone:  (301) 496-7344
FAX:  (301) 402-4551
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used
in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most
institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from
the Grants Information Office, National Institutes of Health, 6701
Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone
301/710-0267, email: girg@drgpo.drg.nih.gov; and from the NCI
Information Office listed under INQUIRIES.
 
The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form
must be affixed to the  bottom of the face page of the application.
Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the
application such that it may not reach the review committee in time
for review.  In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on
line 2a of the face page of the application form and the YES box must
be marked.
 
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including
the Checklist, and three signed photocopies, in one package to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD  20892-7710 (U. S. Postal Service)
Bethesda, MD  20817 (express/courier service)
 
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application
must be sent to:
 
Ms. Toby Freidberg
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza North, Suite 636
6130 Executive Boulevard - MSC 7405
Bethesda, MD  20892-7405 (U. S. Postal Service)
Rockville, MD  20852 (express/courier service)
 
Applications must be received by May 14, 1996.  If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review.
 
The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application
in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently
pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending
application.  The DRG will not accept any application that is
essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude
the submission of substantial revisions of applications already
reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction
addressing the previous critique.
 
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
 
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG
and for responsiveness by the NCI Program Staff.  Incomplete
applications will be returned to the applicant without further
consideration.  If the application is not responsive to the RFA, NCI
staff will contact the applicant to determine whether to return the
application to the applicant or submit it for review in competition
with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle.
 
Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be
evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer
review group convened by NCI in accordance with NIH peer review
procedures.  As part of the initial merit review, all applications
will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only
those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit,
generally the top half of applications under review, will be
discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level
review by the National Cancer Advisory Board.
 
REVIEW CRITERIA
 
o  Extent to which the proposed research plan addresses the goals and
objectives of the RFA;
 
o  Scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of
proposed research;
 
o  Appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and
methodology proposed to carry out the research;
 
o  Qualifications and research experience of the Principal
Investigator and staff, particularly, but not exclusively, in the
area of the proposed research;
 
o  Availability of the resources necessary to perform the research;
and
 
o  Appropriateness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to
the proposed research.
 
o  Adequacy of plans to include both genders and their subgroups as
appropriate for the scientific goals of the research.  Plans for the
recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated.
 
The initial review group will also examine the provisions for the
protection of human and animal subjects, the safety of the research
environment, and conformance with the NIH Guidelines for the
Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research.
 
AWARD CRITERIA
 
The earliest anticipated date of award is September 30, 1996.  The
following will be considered for making funding decisions:
 
o  quality of the proposed research project as determined by peer
review
o  availability of funds
o  program balance among research areas
o  geographical distribution of awards
 
INQUIRIES
 
Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.  The opportunity to
clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.
 
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:
 
Lemuel Evans, Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza North, Room 620
6130 Executive Boulevard - MSC 7405
Bethesda, MD  20892-7405
Telephone:  (301) 496-7344
FAX:  (301) 402-4551
Email:  evansl@dea.nci.nih.gov
 
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:
 
Ms. Joan Metcalfe
Grants Administration Branch
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza South, Room 243
6120 Executive Boulevard - MSC 7150
Bethesda, MD  20892-7150
Telephone:  (301) 496-7800, Extension 228
FAX:  (301) 496-8601
Email:  MetcalfJ@gab.nci.nih.gov
 
AUTHORIZATION AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.3 99.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78- 410, as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR part 52 and
45 CFR part 74 and 92.  This program is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency review.
 
The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-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.
 
.

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