and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
Department of Health and Human
Services
Participating Organizations
National Institutes of
Health (NIH) (http://www.nih.gov)
Center
for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov)
US
Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov)
Components of Participating Organizations
National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) (http://www.niehs.nih.gov)
National
Cancer Institute (NCI) (http://www.cancer.gov)
National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh)
US
EPA Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental
Research (http://www.epa.gov/ncer)
National
Eye Institute (NEI) (http://www.nei.nih.gov/)
National
Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) ( http://www.genome.gov/)
National
Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/)
Key Dates
Release Date: September 29, 2006
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): December 13, 2006
Application Receipt Date(s): January 12, 2007
Peer Review Date(s): April-May,
2007
Council Review Date(s): September,
2007
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September, 2007
Additional Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation
Date): Not Applicable
Expiration Date: January 13, 2007
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(s) 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. Address to Request Application
Information
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt and Review and
Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of
Intent
B. Sending an Application 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
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
Background
Nanoscale science and technology involve the imaging, measuring, modeling and manipulation of matter on the scale of 1 to 100 nanometers - a scale at which novel physical, chemical and biological properties enable novel applications. Quantum properties strongly influence the physico-chemical properties of nanoscale materials, conferring electrical, optical and magnetic properties not present in corresponding materials at a larger scale. A large surface area to mass ratio, crystalline structure, shape, surface chemistry and potential for self assembly make nanoscale materials useful in industry and medicine. The nanotechnology industry is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2015.
This projected increase in demand and production of nanoscale materials will be accompanied by an increased opportunity for population-based exposures. The initial population-based exposures are most likely to occur in the US workforce engaged in manufacture and production of nanoscale materials; the size of this workforce is currently not known. Nanoscale materials in industrial settings and in consumer products represent the categories of materials most likely to result in unintentional, population-based exposures and least likely to undergo rigorous safety testing prior to release. These materials, designated in this document as manufactured nanoscale materials, include nanoparticles, nanotubes and wires, fullerenes, dendrimers, quantum dots and metal oxides. Current studies indicate that the biological consequences of nanomaterials exposure—biocompatibility or toxicity—are material and formulation specific. Biological consequences include oxidative stress and inflammation, impaired pulmonary clearance, cardiac compromise, a skewed immune response, and development of pulmonary fibrosis and foreign body granulomas. Other nanomaterials, in particular several with highly derivatized surfaces, are compatible with biological systems and permissive for cell growth and differentiation. Research is needed to understand the fundamental properties of nanoscale materials that support toxicity and biocompatibility. The relationship of dose as a mass measurement to surface area and particle number, the routes of exposure, and the mechanisms of cellular uptake and response, including transport and sequestration in the body, biotransformation and biopersistence are critical to the development of nanoscale materials with a high biocompatibility / toxicity ratio.
Purpose
The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to support research that will identify the physico-chemical properties of manufactured nanoscale materials that support biocompatibility and thus protect public health. This knowledge will be directly applicable to responsible development of manufactured nanoscale materials for industry and consumer products as well as medical devices and therapeutics.
Research Program
Research programs that explore the systemic, cellular and molecular responses to manufactured nanoscale materials in vivo, or in vitro studies based on physiology or pathobiology previously identified through in vivo studies, are considered responsive to this Announcement. Because the physico-chemical properties of nanoscale materials may change during preparation, administration, or over time in the experimental model, the experimental design must include evaluation of the physical and chemical characteristics of nanoscale materials at multiple points in the exposure paradigm and link these measurements to biological endpoints. Physical and chemical characteristics that should be considered include elemental composition, particle number, particle size distribution, particle shape, surface area of the primary particle and agglomerated material, intracellular or in vivo agglomeration/de-agglomeration status, charge and chemistry. Interdisciplinary research teams that combine expertise in the physical and biological sciences and state-of-the-art methodologies including “omics” and imaging technologies are strongly encouraged.
NIH, EPA and NIOSH support research on the biological consequences of exposure of manufactured nanoscale materials, however applications responsive to the NIOSH mission must address occupationally-relevant nanoscale materials and health effects.
Examples of research on manufactured nanoscale materials include, but are not limited to:
Exclusions
Nanomaterials, devices and products with medical application and whose safety testing falls within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) purview are excluded from this RFA unless direct applicability to industrial and consumer applications can be demonstrated.
Ambient ultrafine particulates that occur as byproducts in industrial processes, e.g., combustion byproducts, are excluded.
Because nanotechnology research often requires highly sophisticated instrumentation and facilities, the nanotechnology centers supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) represent opportunities to leverage research through collaboration. Collaboration with these centers, while it may enhance the research design, is NOT required for submission of an application.
Although expertise varies by Center, DOE laboratories provide support for materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, and molecular biology. The Centers may contain some combination of state-of-the-art clean rooms, general laboratories, wet and dry laboratories for sample preparation, fabrication and analysis, and equipment to synthesize, manipulate, and characterize nanoscale materials and structures. The applicant is responsible for contacting the facilities to discuss potential collaboration. Examples of these Centers include:
DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (http://www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/BESfacilities.htm#NSRC)
The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a research center and user facility that focuses on nano-dimensioned soft materials, complex nanophase materials systems, and the crosscutting areas of interfaces and reduced dimensionality that become scientifically critical on the nanoscale. For more information, contact: CNMS User Coordinator at 865.576.2858
• The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) uses existing LBNL facilities such as the Advanced Light Source, the National Center for Electron Microscopy, and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. Photo, uv, and e-beam lithography equipment and advanced preparative and analytical chromatographic equipment are also available. For more information, contact: Molecular Foundry Administrator at 510.486.7632
• The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) focuses on exploring the path from scientific discovery to the integration of nanostructures into the micro- and macro-worlds. CINT focus areas are nanophotonics and nanoelectronics, complex functional nanomaterials, nanomechanics, and the nanoscale/bio/microscale interfaces. CINT For more information, contact: CINT Outreach Coordinator at 505.844.5457
• The Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory will have as its focus understanding the chemical and physical response of nanomaterials to make functional materials such as sensors, activators, and energy-conversion devices. For more information, contact: CFN User Coordinator at 631.344.5763
• The Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory conducts research in advanced magnetic materials, complex oxides, nanophotonics, and bio-inorganic hybrids. The facility uses existing facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source, the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, and the Electron Microscopy Center. For more information, contact: CNM User Administrator at 630.252.2725
The NSF has established numerous Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) at academic institutions across the country. To investigate the potential for collaboration with these facilities, please use the weblink http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104462.
Optional Research Project
Because nanotechnology offers significant improvements in industrial materials and devices to nations around the world, international collaborations represent a cost effective mechanism to maximize the nanomaterials health and safety research investment. To support this goal, applicants may choose to submit a collaborative supplemental project that is designed and implemented by the Principle Investigator and an international co-investigator. This collaborative research project should be integrated with the overall research plan, and the description of the project should follow the Research Methods and Design Section of the main proposal. This section should be clearly titled Optional Research Project and should not exceed 5 pages. An additional budget of $50,000 may be requested and should be detailed on a separate budget page entitled Budget for the Optional Research Project in the budget section of the application.
These collaborative projects are encouraged, but NOT required, and will be evaluated according to the NIH review criteria (Section V.2) and scored separately from the main body of the research plan.
For EPA:
Specific Research Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes.
[Note to applicants: The term "output" means an environmental activity or effort, and associated work products, related to a specific environmental goal(s), (e.g., testing a new methodology), that will be produced or developed over a period of time under the agreement. The term "outcome" means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from the above activit(ies) that is related to an environmental, behavioral, or health-related objective].
Expected outputs of this research would include progress review workshops geared towards increasing the collaboration and coordination of toxicological research on manufactured nanomaterials on both national and international levels and publication of workshop proceedings. Examples of outcomes of this research would include providing researchers with critical information concerning the potential effect upon living organisms of manufactured nanomaterials and enhanced environmental protection through the increased availability of important toxicity data on these materials. Relevant goals of this research would include providing scientific information concerning the potential effects of engineered nanomaterials on the biosystem that may initially impact one or more organisms and improved data on biotransformation, bioaccumulation and bioavailability capacities.
Quality Assurance Statement
Quality Assurance Statements will be necessary for analytical, quantitative measurements in support of the applicant's projects.
EPA regulations as stated in 40CFR30.54 require the inclusion of a Quality Assurance Narrative Statement (QANS, OMB # 2080-0033, approved 8/14/97) for any project application involving data collection or processing, environmental measurements, and/or modeling. The QANS provides information on how quality processes or products will be assured. Please visit the EPA web page for additional guidance on QA statements at: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/guidance/qa.html.
While applications to NIEHS/NIH cannot be considered incomplete without this statement, EPA cannot fund any application without a reviewed QANS; therefore it is requested that the QANS be included with all applications. For awards that involve environmentally related measurements or data generation, a quality system that complies with the requirements of ANSI/ASQC E4, "Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs," must be in place. The Quality Assurance Statement should not exceed two pages. This Statement should, for each item listed below, present the required information, reference the specific page and paragraph number of the project description containing the information, or provide a justification as to why the item does not apply to the proposed research.
1. Discuss the activities to be performed or hypothesis to be tested and criteria for determining acceptable data quality. (Note: Such criteria may be expressed in terms of precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, and comparability or in terms of data quality objectives or acceptance criteria. Furthermore, these criteria must also be applied to determine the acceptability of existing or secondary data to be used in the project. In this context secondary data may be defined as data collected for other
purposes or from other sources, including the literature, compilations from computerized data bases, or results from mathematical models of environmental processes and conditions.)
2. Describe the study design, including sample type and location requirements, all statistical analyses that were or will be used to estimate the types and numbers of samples required for physical samples, or equivalent information for studies using survey and interview techniques.
3. Describe the procedures for the handling and custody of samples, including sample collection, identification, preservation, transportation, and storage.
4. Describe the procedures that will be used in the calibration and performance evaluation of all analytical instrumentation and all methods of analysis to be used during the project. Explain how the effectiveness of any new technology will be measured and how it will be benchmarked to improve an existing process, such as those used by industry.
5. Discuss the procedures for data reduction and reporting, including a description of all statistical methods with reference to any statistical software to be used to make inferences and conclusions; discuss any computer models to be designed or utilized with associated verification and validation techniques.
6. Describe the quantitative and/or qualitative procedures that will be used to evaluate the success of the project, including any plans for peer or other reviews of the study design or analytical methods prior to data collection.
ANSI/ASQC E4, "Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs," is available for purchase from the American Society for Quality, phone 1-800-248-1946, item T55. Only in exceptional circumstances should it be necessary to consult this document.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
1. Mechanism(s) of Support
This funding opportunity
will use the R01 award mechanism.
As an applicant, you
will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed
project.
This funding opportunity
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: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm#gps).
Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each
year of $250,000 or less (excluding consortium F&A costs), use the Modular
Budget Component provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Package and
Instructions Guide (see specifically Section 5.4). Otherwise, follow the
instructions for non-modular research grant applications.
2. Funds Available
NIH and NIOSH:
EPA:
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
For NIH
and NIOSH:
You may submit (an) application(s) if your organization has any of the following characteristics:
Applications
from foreign institutions will not be accepted, however, international
co-investigators are required for the optional international collaborative
project.
For EPA:
Eligible institutions include public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program
Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations that meet the definition of nonprofit in OMB Circular A-122. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply.
National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, “FFRDCs”) may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism.
Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency’s appropriations in other ways through awards made under this program.
The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector. Examples are purchase of satellite data, census data tapes, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.
Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Tom Barnwell in NCER, phone (202) 343-9862, email: [email protected].
1.B.
Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and
resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with
their institution 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.
Multiple Principal Investigators are not permitted on this FOA.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Cost sharing is not required.
The most current Grants Policy Statement can be found
at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/nihgps_Part2.htm#matching_or_cost_sharing
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Relevance to the goals of
the RFA described under Section I, Research Objectives,
will be considered in accepting applications for review. Applications
that are not relevant to these goals will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit more than one application
under this announcement provided they are scientifically distinct.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Information
The PHS 398 application
instructions are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of
the PHS 398. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301)
710-0267, Email: [email protected].
Telecommunications for
the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Applications must be
prepared using the most current PHS 398 research grant application instructions
and forms. Applications must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number as the universal identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative
agreements. The D&B number can be obtained by calling (866) 705-5711 or
through the web site at http://www.dnb.com/us/.
The D&B number should be entered on line 11 of the face page of the PHS 398
form.
The title and number of this funding opportunity must
be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box
must be checked.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be
received on or before the receipt date described below (Section
IV.3.A). Submission times N/A.
3.A.
Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
Letters of Intent
Receipt Date(s): December 13,
2006
Application
Receipt Date(s): January 12,
2007
Peer Review Date: April-May, 2007
Council Review
Date: September, 2007
Earliest
Anticipated Start Date: September, 2007
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
Prospective applicants
are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent
is to be sent by the date listed at the beginning of this document.
The letter of intent
should be sent to:
Sally E. Eckert-Tilotta, Ph.D.
Scientific Review Administrator
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
79 TW Alexander Drive
Building 4401, Room 3173
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
Telephone: (919) 541-1446
FAX: 919-541-2503
Email: [email protected]
3.B. Sending an
Application to the NIH
Applications must be
prepared using the research grant applications found in the PHS 398
instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed,
typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one
package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express
or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service;
non-USPS service)
Personal deliveries of
applications are no longer permitted (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-040.html).
At the time of
submission, two additional copies of the application and all copies of the
appendix material must be sent to:
Sally E. Eckert-Tilotta, Ph.D.
Scientific Review Administrator
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
79 TW Alexander Drive
Building 4401, Room 3173
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
Telephone: (919) 541-1446
FAX: 919-541-2503
Email: [email protected]
Using the RFA
Label: The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application instructions must be affixed
to the bottom of the face page of the application. Type the RFA number on the
label. 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 2 of the face page
of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The RFA label is also
available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/labels.pdf.
3.C. Application
Processing
Applications must be received on or before the
application receipt date(s) described above (Section IV.3.A.).
If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the
applicant without review. Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for
completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by NIEHS. Incomplete and non-responsive
applications will not be reviewed.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to
this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending
initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application.
However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an
investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding
opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the
application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction
describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked
to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
Information on the status of an application should be
checked by the Principal Investigator in the eRA Commons at: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/.
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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm).
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 or competing continuation 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 or competing continuation 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 NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part6.htm.
For EPA Awards:
The funding mechanism for all awards issued under STAR solicitations will consist of assistance agreements from the EPA. All award decisions are subject to the availability of funds. In accordance with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act, 31 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., the primary purpose of an assistance agreement is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by federal statute, rather than acquisition for the direct benefit or use of the Agency. In issuing a grant, the EPA anticipates that there will be no substantial EPA involvement in the design, implementation, or conduct of the research. However, the EPA will monitor research progress through annual reports provided by grantees and other contacts, including site visits, with the Principal Investigator.
If you wish to submit applications for more than one STAR funding opportunity you must ensure that the research proposed in each application is significantly different from any other that has been submitted to the EPA or from any other financial assistance you are currently receiving from the EPA or other federal government agency.
Collaborative applications involving more than one institution must be submitted as a single administrative package from one of the institutions involved.
Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 40 CFR Part 30 and/or Part 31. Moreover, naming a specific contractor in the application does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with competitive procurement requirements. Also, the regulations contain limitations on consultant compensation.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Specific
Instructions for Modular Grant applications. Applications requesting up to
$250,000 per year in direct costs must be submitted in a modular budget format.
The modular budget format simplifies the preparation of the budget in these
applications by limiting the level of budgetary detail. Applicants request
direct costs in $25,000 modules. Section C of the research grant application
instructions for the PHS 398 at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step guidance for preparing modular budgets. Applicants must
use the currently approved version of the PHS 398. Additional information on
modular budgets is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm.
Plan for Sharing Research
Data
All applicants must
include a plan for sharing research data in their application. The data sharing
policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing.
All investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a
description of how final research data will be shared, or explain why data
sharing is not possible.
The reasonableness of
the data sharing plan or the rationale for not sharing research data will be
assessed by the reviewers. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed data
sharing plan into the determination of scientific merit or the priority score.
Sharing Research Resources
NIH policy requires that
grant awardee recipients make unique research resources readily available for
research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific community
after publication (NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm and http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600131).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a plan for
sharing research resources 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, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm).
See Section VI.3. Reporting.
Section
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria
described below will be considered in the review process.
The following will be
considered in making funding decisions:
2. Review and Selection Process
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 NIEHS in accordance with the review
criteria stated below.
As part of the initial
merit review, all applications will:
The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
Significance: Does this study address an important problem or research needs in the topic area? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What are the projected benefits of the proposed activity to society, such as improving the environment or health? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding?
Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Are there specific plans within the experimental design for physico-chemical characterization of nanomaterials both pre and post-administration? Is the approach technically defensible and achievable in the project period? Is there an adequate plan to track and assess progress toward meeting the goals as described in the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
Innovation: Does the project challenge existing paradigms; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area?
Investigators: Are the investigators appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers? Does the applicant or a co-investigator have the ability to perform physico-chemical characterization of the nanomaterials? Does the investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the project? Have they demonstrated an understanding of the pertinent literature? Have the key personnel committed adequate time to the project?
Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the proposed studies supported by adequate facilities and equipment, or are there any deficiencies that threaten the success of the project? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements?
Quality Assurance Statement: Are the proposed Quality Assurance procedures well described and adequate to ensure integrity of the data generated?
Optional Project Review
The optional project will be reviewed and scored separately using the same criteria described above with the following addition:
Integration of Optional Project: Is the
collaborative project well integrated with, but not duplicative of, the overall
research plan of the application? For example, is it a natural extension
of the scope of the main project, does it fill a particular deficiency in expertise
or capability, or does it take advantage of a unique opportunity? Does
the international collaborator make a meaningful contribution to the project?
2.A. Additional Review
Criteria:
In addition to the above criteria, the following items
will continue to be considered in the determination of scientific merit and the
priority score:
Protection of Human Subjects from
Research Risk: The involvement of
human subjects and protections from research risk relating to their
participation in the proposed research will be assessed (see the Research Plan,
Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form 398).
Inclusion of Women, Minorities and
Children in Research: The adequacy of
plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the
research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects
will also be evaluated (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in
the PHS Form 398).
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in
Research: If vertebrate animals are to
be used in the project, the five items described under Section F of the PHS
Form 398 research grant application instructions will be assessed.
Biohazards: If materials or procedures are proposed that are
potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine
if the proposed protection is adequate.
2.B. Additional Review
Considerations
Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed
budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed
research. Input on the appropriateness of requested instrumentation is
helpful. The priority score should not be affected by the evaluation of the
budget.
2.C. Sharing Research Data
Data Sharing Plan: The reasonableness of the
data sharing plan or the rationale for not sharing research data will be
assessed by the reviewers. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed data
sharing plan into the determination of scientific merit or the priority score.
The presence of a data sharing plan will be part of the terms and conditions of
the award. The funding organization will be responsible for monitoring the data
sharing policy.
2.D. Sharing Research
Resources
NIH policy requires that grant awardee 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/part_ii_5.htm#availofrr and http://www.ott.nih.gov/policy/rt_guide_final.html). 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.
Program staff will be responsible for the
administrative review of the plan for sharing research resources.
The adequacy of the resources sharing plan will be considered
by Program staff of the funding organization when making recommendations about
funding applications. Program staff may negotiate modifications of the data and
resource sharing plans with the awardee before recommending funding of an
application. The final version of the data and resource sharing plans
negotiated by both will become a condition of the award of the grant. 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 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 or her Summary
Statement (written critique) via the 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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part4.htm).
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 (designated in item 12 on the Application Face Page). If a
grantee is not email enabled, a hard copy of the NoA will be mailed to the
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 Also Section
IV.5. Funding Restrictions.
For EPA:
After the peer review, potential EPA applicants who received scores of excellent (NIH scores 1.0 – 1.4) or very good (NIH scores 1.5 – 1.9) as a result of the peer review process will be asked to provide additional information for the programmatic review pertaining to the proposed Lead Principal Investigator's (PI) "Past Performance and Reporting History." The applicant must provide the EPA Project Officer with information on the proposed Lead PI's past performance and reporting history under prior Federal agency assistance agreements in terms of: (i) the level of success in performing each agreement, and (ii) how progress towards achieving the results intended under each agreement was reported. This information is required only for the proposed Lead PI's performance under Federal assistance agreements initiated within the last three years that were similar in size and scope to the proposed project.
The specific information required for each agreement is shown below, and must be provided within two weeks of EPA's request. A maximum of three pages will be permitted for the response; excess pages will not be reviewed. Note: If no prior past performance information and/or reporting history exists, you will be asked to so state.
1. Name of Granting Agency.
2. Grant/Cooperative agreement number.
3. Grant/Cooperative agreement title.
4. Brief description of the grant/cooperative agreement.
5. A description of how the agreement is similar in size and scope to the proposed project and whether or not it was successfully performed; if not successfully performed, provide an explanation.
6. Information relating to the proposed Lead PI's past performance in reporting on progress towards achieving the expected results (outputs/outcomes) under the agreement. Include the history of submitting timely progress/final technical reports, describe how progress towards achieving the expected results was reported/documented, and if such progress was not being made, provide an explanation of whether, and how, this was reported.
7. Total (all years) grant/cooperative agreement dollar value.
8. Project period.
9. Technical contact (project officer), telephone number, and E-mail address (if available).
Final funding decisions are made by the NCER Director based on the results of the peer review and internal programmatic review including past performance considerations. In addition, in making the final funding decisions, the NCER Director may also consider program balance, available funds, and the Congressionally-mandated Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR) (see http://es.epa.gov/ncer/other/). Applicants selected for funding will be required to provide additional information listed below under "Award Notices." The application will then be forwarded to EPA's grants administration office for award in accordance with the EPA's procedures.
Applicants to be recommended for funding will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract. They may also be asked to provide responses to
comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, and/or to resubmit their proposal. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. Before or after an award, applicants may be required to provide additional quality assurance documentation.
All researchers considered for a grant by the Environmental Protection Agency, must note the following information:
The primary EPA Strategic Goal, Objective and Sub-objective that relates to this solicitation is: Goal 4: Healthy Communities and Ecosystems, Objective 4.5: Enhance Science and Research, Sub-objective 4.5.2 Conduct Relevant Research. EPA's Strategic Plan can be found on the following web page: http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/2003sp.pdf.
The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants Administration Division. Applicants are cautioned that only a grants officer is authorized to bind the Government to the expenditure of funds; preliminary selection by the NCER Director in the Office of Research and Development does not guarantee an award will be made.
EPA Award Notices:
Customarily, applicants are notified about evaluation decisions within six months of the application closing date. A summary statement of the scientific review by the peer panel will be provided to each applicant with an award or declination letter.
Applicants to be recommended for funding will be required to submit additional certifications and an electronic version of the revised project abstract. They may also be asked to provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, a revised budget, and/or to resubmit their proposal. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. Before or after an award, applicants may be required to provide additional quality assurance documentation.
Nonprofit applicants recommended for funding will be subject to a preaward administrative capability review consistent with sections 8.b, 8.c, and 9.d of EPA Order 5700.8, EPA Policy on Assessing Capabilities of Non-Profit Applicants for Managing Assistance Awards (http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/regulations.htm).
The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants Administration Division. Applicants are cautioned that only a grants officer is authorized to bind the Government to the expenditure of funds; preliminary selection by the NCER Director in the Office of Research and Development does not guarantee an award will be made.
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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm)
and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and
Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part9.htm).
3. Reporting
NIH
and NIOSH awardees will be required to submit the PHS Non-Competing Grant
Progress Report, Form 2590 annually (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm)
and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Expectations and responsibilities of NCER grantees and cooperative agreement holders are summarized in this section, although the terms grant and grantee are used. See http://www.epa.gov/ncer/guidance for the full terms and conditions associated with an award, including which activities require prior approval from the EPA.
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:
NIH:
Sally S. Tinkle, Ph.D.
Program Administrator
Division of Extramural Research and Training
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
79 TW Alexander Drive
MD:
EC-23
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
Telephone: 919-541-5327
FAX: (919) 541-5064
Email: [email protected]
NIOSH:
W. Allen Robison, Ph.D.
Scientific Program Administrator
Office of Extramural Programs
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE, MS E-74
Atlanta, GA 30333
Telephone: 404/498-2509
FAX: (404) 498-2571
Email: [email protected]
EPA:
Nora Savage, PhD
Environmental Engineer
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Mail Code 8722F
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: 202-343-9858
FAX: (202) 233-0678/0679
Email: [email protected]
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Not applicable
3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:
Dwight Dolby
Grants
Management Specialist
Division
of Extramural Research and Training
National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
79 TW Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
MD:
EC-22
Telephone:
919-541-7824
FAX:
(919) 541-2860
Email: [email protected]
Section VIII. Other Information
For NIH and NIOSH Funded Applications:
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals in
Research:
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
(45CFR46) 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 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 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm).
All investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal, beginning
with the October 1, 2004 receipt date, 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
And Minorities in Clinical Research:
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 new PHS Form 398; 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-02-005.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. Applications that do not provide
this information will be returned without review.
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 (http://publicaccess.nih.gov/publicaccess_Manual.htm).
Standards for Privacy
of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) 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 DHHS 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) must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal
articles. Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation,
Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide any other information necessary for the review because reviewers are under no obligation
to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their
anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.
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 PA 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 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
NIH Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.
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.
For EPA Funded Applications:
EPA's
authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Toxic
Substances Control Act,Section 10, 15 U.S.C. 2609 and the Solid Waste Disposal
Act, Section 8001, 42 U.S.C. 6901.
Agency policy prevents EPA technical staff and managers from providing individual applicants information that may create an unfair competitive advantage. Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs, endorse an application or discuss in any manner how the Agency will apply the published evaluation criteria for this competition.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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