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Department of Health and Human Services
Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers listed above. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.

Funding Opportunity Title

Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) (K12 Clinical Trial Optional)

Activity Code

K12 Physician Scientist Award Program (PSA)

Announcement Type

Reissue of RFA-OD-16-013 - Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (K12)

Related Notices

  • February 26, 2024 - This PAR has been reissued as RFA-OD-24-013.
  • NOT-OD-21-036 - Notice of Intent to Publish the Reissuance of Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Program (K12 Clinical Trial Optional)

    Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

    RFA-OD-21-006

    Companion Funding Opportunity

    None

    Assistance Listing Number(s)

    93.313; 93.398; 93.866; 93.273; 93.865; 93.279; 93.121; 93.113; 93.855

    Funding Opportunity Purpose

    The NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) and participating NIH Institutes and Centers invite institutional career development award applications for Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Career Development Programs, hereafter termed "Programs". Programs will support mentored research career development of junior faculty members, known as BIRCWH Scholars, who have recently completed clinical training or postdoctoral fellowships, and who will be engaged in interdisciplinary basic, translational, behavioral, clinical, and/or health services research relevant to the health of women and, where appropriate, the use of both sexes to better understand the influence of sex as a biological variable on health and disease.

    This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) allows appointment of Scholars (K12) proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial; or proposing a separate ancillary clinical trial; or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, as part of their research and career development.

    Key Dates
    Posted Date

    April 16, 2021

    Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

    May 11, 2021

    Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

    May 11, 2021

    Application Due Date(s)

    June 11, 2021

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

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

    AIDS Application Due Date(s)

    Not applicable

    Scientific Merit Review

    October-November, 2021

    Advisory Council Review

    January, 2022

    Earliest Start Date

    May 1, 2022

    Expiration Date

    June 12, 2021

    Due Dates for E.O. 12372

    Not Applicable

    Required Application Instructions

    It is critical that applicants follow the Training (T) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.


    Table of Contents

    Part 1. Overview Information
    Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
    Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
    Section II. Award Information
    Section III. Eligibility Information
    Section IV. Application and Submission Information
    Section V. Application Review Information
    Section VI. Award Administration Information
    Section VII. Agency Contacts
    Section VIII. Other Information


    Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
    Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development programs is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Extramural Training Mechanisms website.

    This FOA encourages applications from organizations that propose creative and innovative institutional research career development programs in the mission area(s) of the NIH.

    The proposed institutional research career development program may complement other, ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but the proposed career development experiences must be distinct from those career development programs currently receiving Federal support.

    Purpose

    In order to expand the number and skills of Women's Health researchers, the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) and participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) invite institutional career development award applications for the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) Career Development Program. Each program will support mentoring the research career development of junior faculty members, known as BIRCWH Scholars, who have recently completed clinical training or postdoctoral fellowships, and who will be engaged in interdisciplinary basic, translational, behavioral, clinical, and/or health services research relevant to the health of women and, where appropriate, the use of both sexes to better understand the influence of sex as a biological variable on health and disease.

    Background

    The ORWH serves as a focal point for women's health research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The ORWH works in partnership with the NIH ICs, as well as with federal agencies to ensure that women's health research is an integral part of the scientific framework throughout the scientific community.

    The BIRCWH program is an ORWH signature initiative co-sponsored with multiple NIH ICs. This initiative supports the ORWH mission and advances the 2019-2023 Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women's Health Research "Advancing Science for the Health of Women", and its goal to promote training and careers of a robust workforce to advance science on the health of women. This program sets the stage for improved health for women and their families and career opportunities and advancement for a diverse biomedical workforce. Since the program was created in 1999, ORWH has awarded over 88 grants to 44 institutions sponsoring more than 730 women and men as BIRCWH Scholars.

    This FOA encourages applications from organizations that propose creative and innovative institutional research career development programs in the mission area(s) of the NIH. The applicant organization is encouraged to contact the NIH ICs that are listed on this RFA to explore scientific areas that are relevant to Women's Health Research and Sex and Gender Differences that also meet the mission areas of the ICs.

    Within the framework of this Program's longstanding commitment to excellence and the projected need for diverse teams to advance biomedical, behavioral, and clinical sciences, attention must be given to recruiting potential Scholars from diverse backgrounds. including individuals from underrepresented groups.

    Program Objective.

    The objectives of this BIRCWH initiative are to increase the number and skills of investigators through a mentored research and career development experience leading to an independent scientific career that will benefit the health of women; advance research on sex/gender influences on health; and encourage interdisciplinary research methodology. This BIRCWH FOA will provide opportunities for an interdisciplinary, mentored career development experience that would otherwise not be available to facilitate the transition to research independence for junior faculty researchers who are conducting interdisciplinary research relevant to the health of women, and where appropriate, the use of both sexes to better understand the influence of sex as a biological variable on health and disease. For additional information, please visit ORWH website for SABV, and (NOT-OD-15-102).

    The BIRCWH Program is built around three pillars: interdisciplinary research, mentoring, and career development. Interdisciplinary research, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 2008, is a mode of research that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding, or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice. As such, interdisciplinary science teams work to advance fundamental understanding and solve problems that those from a single discipline could not.

    Interdisciplinary mentoring teams are essential to the BIRCWH Program, and as such, an inter-professional, team-based approach for mentoring BIRCWH Scholars is expected. These teams should include mentors from diverse disciplines to carry out interdisciplinary projects. Team members may include individuals from medical, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, public health, health services, biotechnology, behavioral and social sciences, anthropology, genetics, and other disciplines representing different perspectives and areas of expertise. These teams come together to collaborate as a unit, with the common goal of supporting a BIRCWH Scholar in the transition from trainee to independent researcher. In this funding opportunity announcement (FOA), the interdisciplinary team approach is applied to the study of the health of women across the lifespan, bridging basic and clinical science and incorporating new models of collaboration and institutional support. Proposed Programs must ensure the integration of interdisciplinary mentoring teams.

    Considerations

    This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) allows appointment of Scholars proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial; or proposing a separate ancillary clinical trial; or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, as part of their research and career development. The clinical trial must be a NIH-defined clinical trial. Scholars may also propose fundamental research or human subjects research that is not a clinical trial.

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

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

    Section II. Award Information
    Funding Instrument

    Grant

    Application Types Allowed

    New
    Renewal

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

    Clinical Trial?

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

    Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

    Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

    The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

    The ORWH and partner components intend to commit an estimated total of $5,000,000 per year.

    Award Budget

    Applicants may request no more than $600,000 in direct costs per year.

    Award Project Period

    The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is 5 years.

    Other Award Budget Information
    Personnel Costs

    Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the career development program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap. If mentoring interactions and other activities with scholars are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then mentoring and other interactions with scholars are non-reimbursable from grant funds.

    The salaries of administrative and clerical staff should normally be treated as indirect (F&A) costs. Direct charging of these costs may be appropriate only if all of the following conditions are met: (1) Administrative or clerical services are integral to a project or activity; (2) Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity; (3) Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have the prior written approval of the Federal awarding agency; and (4) The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs. When specifically identified and justified, these expenses must be itemized in Sections A and B, as appropriate, of the R&R Budget.

    A Research Director may be appointed to perform day-to-day administration and management of the award. This should be an experienced investigator with skills and qualifications complementing those of the PD/PI. Salary and fringe benefits for the Research Director, if any, up to 1.2 person months may be requested. Also, salary and fringe benefits up to 6 person months effort for a program assistant may be requested; the level of effort may be adjusted. If the PD/PI elects to delegate the day-to-day administration and management of the award to a separate Research Director, then compensation will not be provided for the PD/PI.

    Scholar Costs

    Scholars are those individuals who benefit from the proposed activities and experiences involved in the career development program. Scholar costs must be justified as specifically required for the proposed career development program and based on institutional policies for salaries paid to individuals in similar positions, regardless of the source of funds. These expenses must be itemized in the proposed budget.

    Salary: BIRCWH Scholars salary and fringe support is intended to offset only that portion of the salary that is devoted to research and career development. Each Scholar may be provided salary support up to $100,000 direct costs plus fringe benefits plus 8% indirect cost from the NIH, , annually.

    Research and Career Development Support: For each BIRCWH Scholar, the budget must include funds for research and career development support in an amount between $25,000 and $50,000. Research and career development costs may include the following expenses: (1) tuition and fees related to career development; (2) research expenses, such as supplies, equipment, and technical personnel; (3) travel to training or scientific meetings other than the annual BIRCWH meeting; (4) statistical services including consultant costs and computer time; and (5) other project infrastructure including relevant secondary data sets.

    Patient care costs such as inpatient bed days or outpatient visits, except for clinical laboratory analyses essential for the Scholars' research, will not be supported with K12 funds.

    At any point in time, there can be no more than three (3) BIRCWH Scholars supported on the grant.

    Other Program Related Expenses

    Travel to an annual BIRCWH meeting for the PD/PI, Research Director, and current Scholars must be requested in this application. Travel to the annual BIRCWH meeting for Scholars should not come from their research support. Travel of the PD/PI, Program Director, or program mentors to scientific meetings other than the annual BIRCWH meeting will not be supported with K12 funds.

    Shared consultant, equipment, and supply costs, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses such as guest speaker fees and/or honoraria may be included in the proposed budget. These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution.

    With strong justification, a shared Resource Laboratory may be requested as part of the Program, within the total budget. Such a resource must be a new entity, not an extension or enhancement of an existing facility. The Shared Resource Laboratory might include scientific services such as, but not limited to, assays, molecular biology or biostatistics. Requests for this Resource Laboratory must be justified in terms of cost-effective enhancement of the research resources that will serve the three BIRCWH Scholars' projects.

    With strong justification, if a Scholar's research can benefit from research collaborations/career development at another BIRCWH Program, or another resource, detailed description, cost estimate, and justification can be included for scientific consideration and review.

    Indirect Costs

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

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

    Section III. Eligibility Information
    1. Eligible Applicants
    Eligible Organizations

    Higher Education Institutions

    • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
    • Private Institutions of Higher Education

    The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

    • Hispanic-serving Institutions
    • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
    • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
    • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
    • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

    Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

    • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
    • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

    Governments

    • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
    • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
    • U.S. Territory or Possession

    Other

    • Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
    • Faith-based or Community-based Organizations

    The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program.

    The applicant institution must have a strong and high quality research program in the area(s) proposed under this FOA and must have the requisite faculty, staff, potential scholars, and facilities on site to conduct the proposed institutional program. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed program will complement other ongoing career development programs occurring at the applicant institution and that a substantial number of program faculty will have active research projects in which participating Scholars may gain relevant experiences consistent with their research interests and goals.

    Foreign Institutions

    Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.

    Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

    Required Registrations

    Applicant Organizations

    Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

    • Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
    • System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
    • 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.
    • eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number to register in eRA Commons. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration, but all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
    • Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

    Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

    All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

    Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

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

    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 SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    2. Cost Sharing

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

    3. Additional Information on Eligibility
    Number of Applications

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

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

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

    Program faculty should have strong records as researchers, including recent publications and successful competition for research support in the area of the proposed research training program. Program faculty should also have a record of research training, including successful, former trainees who have established productive careers relevant to the NIH mission. Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as mentors.

    Mentors from collaborating departments are expected to have the requisite research expertise relevant to the health of women and sex and gender influences. If relevant to the proposed program, mentors should also have research expertise on factors that contribute to disparities in health status or health outcomes for different populations of women.

    Scholars

    Scholars to be supported by the institutional career development program must be at the career level for which the planned program is intended. Scholars are expected to devote a minimum of 9 person-months (75% of full-time professional effort) during the appointment on the K12 award, or at least 6 person-months for surgical specialties, during the appointment on the K12 award, except as noted in NOT-OD-18-157.

    Scholars must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additional details on citizenship requirements are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

    At the time of appointment, BIRCWH Scholars must:

    • Have a clinical doctorate or Ph.D. degree or its equivalent.
    • Have completed any postgraduate training normally expected for a faculty appointment in their field (including clinical or postdoctoral fellowship training, or residency if they have chosen not to subspecialize).
    • Have no more than eight years of research or research training experience beyond their last doctoral degree.
    • Have been assigned mentors with extensive research experience relevant to the Scholars' individual research and career development goals.
    • Not be or have been a PD/PI on a Center (P50, P60, P20, P30, U54) grant or project leader on a subproject of a Program Project (P01) or Center (P50) grant, a PD/PI on an individual career development (K-series) award, or a PD/PI on independent research project grant award (R01) or equivalent.
    Section IV. Application and Submission Information
    1. Requesting an Application Package

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

    2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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

    Letter of Intent

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

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

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

    The letter of intent should be sent to:

    Lisa Begg, Dr.P.H., R.N.
    Telephone: 301-496-3975
    Email: [email protected]

    Page Limitations

    All page limitations described in the SF424 (R&R) 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 FOA.

    SF424(R&R) Cover

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application.

    SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application, with the following additional modifications:

    Substitute the term scholars for all references to trainees in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and substitute the term career development for all references to training in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    Project Summary/Abstract. Provide an abstract of the entire application. Include the objectives, rationale and design of the research career development program, as well as key activities in the training plan. Indicate the planned duration of appointments, the projected number of scholars including their levels (i.e., junior faculty, f), and intended scholar outcomes.

    Other Attachments. An Advisory Committee is a required component of the BIRCWH Career Development program. Please provide a plan for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress of the career development program. The composition, roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of committee members, frequency of committee meetings, and other relevant information should be included. Describe how the Advisory Committee will evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. Proposed Advisory Committee members should be named in the application if they have been invited to participate at the time the application is submitted. Renewal applications with Advisory Committees should include the names of all committee members during the past project period. Please name your file Advisory_Committee.pdf .

    The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.

    SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application.

    Research Director. The PD/PI of the application may also serve as the Research Director with responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Program. Alternatively, the application may designate an individual other than the PD/PI to serve as Research Director. If the Research Director is an individual other than the PD/PI, a biographical sketch including the description of the Research Director's scientific expertise relevant to the application, leadership, and administrative capabilities essential to coordinate a program for developing investigators must be included in the application.PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application.

    PHS 398 Training Subaward Budget Attachment(s)

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following additional modifications:

    Training Budget
    Research and Related (R&R) Budget

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional modifications:Include all personnel other than the Training PD(s)/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff. Also include proposed salary costs for planned scholars.

    Do not complete the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs

    The applicant institution may request support for three Scholars in each budget period.

    With strong justification, a shared Resource Laboratory may be requested as part of the Program, within the total budget. Such a resource must be a new entity, not an extension or enhancement of an existing facility. The Shared Resource Laboratory might include scientific services such as, but not limited to, assays, molecular biology or biostatistics. Requests for this Resource Laboratory must be justified in terms of cost-effective enhancement of the research resources that will serve the three BIRCWH Scholars' projects.

    • The salaries and laboratory costs of the mentors may not come directly from the K12 grant.
    • OPTION FOUR: For T90/R90, and TU2 ONLY
    PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan

    The PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan Form is comprised of the following sections:

    • Training Program
    • Faculty, Trainees, and Training Record
    • Other Training Program Sections
    • Appendix- Note that the Appendix should only be used in circumstances covered in the NIH policy on appendix materials or if the FOA specifically instructs applicants to do so.

    Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional modifications:

    Training Program

    Program Administration.

    Institutions with existing programs must explain what distinguishes this program from the others, how their programs will synergize with one another, if applicable, and make it clear that the pool of faculty, potential scholars, and resources are robust enough to support additional programs. When a program administrator position is planned, a description of the scientific expertise, leadership, and administrative capabilities essential to coordinate a program for developing investigators must be included in the application.

    Describe plans for administering the overall program including immediate and long-term objectives of the program, and the proposed strategy and structure for monitoring the program, including any planned courses, seminars, workshops, and any activities designed to enhance program effectiveness.

    Applicants should provide their plan(s) for the recruitment of Scholars, as well as Scholar review and selection procedures. Scholar appointments are limited to three (3) Scholars at any point in time, and should be based on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee. Scholars are appointed in 12-month appointments, renewable in annual increments up to five years total, and is contingent upon satisfactory progress as reported to the Advisory Committee. A total of two to three years of consecutive support on this K12 program is considered optimal. Circumstances where less than two years of support is likely to occur include early promotion or other career development milestones reached earlier than expected.

    Any crucial details of the program evaluation plan not included under Other Attachments (Section IV.2) should be captured in this Program Plan.

    Career Development

    Applicants must propose a comprehensive career development plan that has: (1) intrinsic research importance relevant to the health of women; (2) will serve as a suitable vehicle for learning the methodology, theories, and concepts needed for a well-trained, independent interdisciplinary researcher in an area relevant to women's health and/or sex and gender differences research; and (3) ensure high research productivity. This comprehensive plan should clearly show how the purpose and objectives meet the broader research priorities identified by the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health to support the career development of junior faculty who are conducting interdisciplinary research relevant to the health of women. The plan should also include a description of the professional development skills training and career guidance to be provided to Scholars, including training in the consideration of SABV, grantsmanship and other training to apply successfully for career development or independent research support during the course of K12 support. More details about Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) can be found at: https://orwh.od.nih.gov/sex-gender/nih-policy-sex-biological-variable.

    The description should include a plan to assign each Scholar a minimum of two mentors from different disciplines and training backgrounds, to form an interdisciplinary mentoring team. The Scholars' research experiences may include basic, behavioral, translational, clinical, and/or health services research approaches to biomedical or behavioral problems relevant to the health of women. It is required that assigned mentors will interact closely with the Scholar and provide guidance to develop a tailored career development plan, which may include the use of a formal Individual Development Plan (IDP) with individually tailored milestones.

    Program Administration.

    In the event that a clinical trial may be proposed, provide documentation of the PD/PI(s) expertise, experience, and ability to oversee the organization, management and implementation of the clinical trial, including any feasibility or ancillary study, proposed by Scholar(s).

    Proposed Training.

    In the event that a clinical trial may be proposed, provide documentation of the administrative, data coordinating, enrollment and laboratory/testing centers, appropriate for the clinical trial, including any feasibility or ancillary study, proposed by Scholar(s).

    For renewal applications, highlight how the training program has evolved in response to changes in relevant scientific and technical knowledge, educational practices, and to evaluation of the training program.

    Institutional Environment and Commitment to the Program.

    The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program including assurance that sufficient time will be allowed for the PDs/PIs and other Program Faculty to contribute to the proposed program, and that there will be protected time for scholars (9 person months, equivalent to 75%) selected for the program, or at least 6 person months for surgical specialties) selected for the program

    Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

    Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

    Program Faculty.

    If any mentors will supervise a Scholar (K12) proposing to either lead a clinical trial, or gain research experience in a clinical trial, provide documentation of his/her expertise, experience, and ability to provide guidance in the organization, management and implementation of the proposed clinical trial, ancillary, or feasibility study and help him/her to meet the study timelines.].

    Scholar Candidates.

    If the event that a clinical trial may be proposed, discuss the potential of prospective Scholars to organize, manage, and implement the proposed clinical trial, feasibility or ancillary study.

    Appendix

    Limited items are allowed in the Appendix. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to theSF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions.

    PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

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

    Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

    DO NOT USE. Attempts to submit a full, detailed study record will result in a validation error.

    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).

    If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must complete a Delayed Onset Study.

    If you check the Anticipated Clinical Trial box within your Delayed Onset Study, then the Justification attachment must acknowledge that additional clinical trial information will be provided to the awarding component before any appointee begins independent clinical trial research.

    PHS Assignment Request Form

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

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

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

    4. Submission Dates and Times

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

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


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

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

    5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

    This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

    6. Funding Restrictions

    All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

    Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Any additional costs associated with the decision to allow research elective credit for short-term research training are not allowable charges on an institutional training grant.

    7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

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

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

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

    Important reminders:

    All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

    The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). 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 and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive 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.

    Overall Impact

    Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the proposed career development program will prepare individuals for successful, productive scientific research careers and thereby exert a sustained 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 the merit of the career development program, and give a separate score for each. When applicable, the reviewers will consider relevant questions in the context of proposed short-term career development. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

    Career Development Program and Environment

    • Does the proposed program clearly outline a plan to recruit and develop well-qualified junior investigators for successful careers as biomedical or clinical researchers?
    • Is there evidence of an adequate pool of potential scholars who could benefit from receiving career development support? Are the content and duration of any proposed didactic, training-related, and research-related activities of the program appropriate?
    • Do the program activities foster the development of skill and expertise in transparent, rigorous, and reproducible research methodologies, including relevant areas of data science?
    • Are appropriate timelines indicated for career progression and transition to independence?
    • Does the institutional environment (e.g., research facilities and other relevant resources) in which the program will be conducted contribute to the probability of success?
    • Does the proposed career development program benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements?
    • Is the institutional commitment to the proposed program appropriate?
    • If multiple sites are participating, is this adequately justified in terms of the career development and research experiences provided?
    • Is there sufficient assurance that the required effort of the PD/PI, mentors and scholars will be devoted directly to the research training, career development, and related activities?
    • When applicable, is there adequate documentation describing the responsibilities of the advisory committee with regard to the provision of input, guidance and oversight of the program?
    • If clinical trials may be proposed, are the administrative, data coordinating, enrollment, and laboratory/testing centers, appropriate for the trial proposed? Does the application adequately address the capability and ability to conduct the trial feasibility or ancillary study at the proposed site(s) or centers? If applicable, are there plans to add or drop enrollment centers, as needed, appropriate? If international site(s) is/are proposed, does the application adequately address the complexity of executing the clinical trial? If multi-sites/centers, is there evidence of the ability of the individual site or center to: (1) enroll the proposed numbers; (2) adhere to the protocol; (3) collect and transmit data in an accurate and timely fashion; and, (4) operate within the proposed organizational structure?

    Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s))

    • With regard to the proposed leadership for the career development (K12) program, do the PD/PI(s) have the expertise, experience, and ability to oversee the organization, management and implementation of the proposed clinical trial?
    • Do the PD/PI and Research Administrator (if applicable) have the experience to develop, direct and administer the proposed program?
    • Does the leadership team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the program? Is there evidence that an appropriate level of effort will be devoted by the program leadership to ensure program objectives?
    • Are the research qualifications, scientific stature, previous leadership and mentoring experience, and track record(s) appropriate for the proposed career development program?
    • Are the PD(s)/PI(s) currently engaged in research relevant to the scientific area of the proposed program?

    For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs:

    • Is a strong justification provided that the multiple PD/PI leadership approach will benefit the career development program and the scholars?
    • Is a strong and compelling leadership approach evident, including the designated roles and responsibilities, governance, and organizational structure consistent with and justified by the aims of the career development program and the complementary expertise of the PDs/PIs?

    Mentors

    • Are sufficient numbers of experienced mentors with appropriate expertise and funding available to support the number and level of Scholars proposed in the application?
    • Do the mentors have strong records as researchers, including recent publications and successful competition for research support in areas directly related to the proposed career development program?
    • Do the mentors have strong records of training individuals at the level of Scholars in the program? Are appropriate plans in place to ensure that mentors lacking sufficient research training experience are likely to provide strong and successful mentoring?
    • If the program will support clinical trial research experience for the Scholars, do the mentor(s) who will supervise the Scholar(s) have the expertise, experience, resources, ability to provide guidance in the organization, management and implementation of a clinical trial, ancillary, or feasibility study and help him/her to meet timelines?
    • Do the mentors have appropriate expertise and experience, as well as track records of past mentoring and training?
    • Are the quality and extent of the mentors roles in providing guidance and scientific advice to the scholars acceptable? Are the mentors currently engaged in relevant research?

    Scholars

    • Is a recruitment plan proposed with strategies likely to attract high quality scholars?
    • Are there well-defined and well justified recruitment and selection strategies?
    • Is there evidence of a sufficiently large, competitive scholar pool to warrant the proposed size of the career development program?
    • Are the content, phasing, and proposed duration of the career development plan appropriate for achieving scientific independence of the scholars?
    • What is the likelihood that the career development plan will contribute significantly to the scientific development of the scholars?
    • Does the plan for selection of the scholars include all of the eligibility criteria stated in the FOA?
    • Do prospective Scholars have the potential to organize, manage, and implement the proposed clinical trial, feasibility or ancillary study?
    • Are there plans to providing instruction in data management and statistics including those relevant to clinical trials to the prospective Scholars?

    Training Record

    • Is there evidence of a successful past training record of the PD/PI and mentors, including the success of former scholars in seeking independent support and establishing productive scientific careers? Does the program have a rigorous evaluation plan to assess the quality and effectiveness of the training?
    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.

    Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity

    Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment of individuals from underrepresented groups. The plan will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the consensus of the review committee will be included in an administrative note in the summary statement.

    Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

    All applications for support under this FOA must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Taking into account the specific characteristics of the career development program, the level of Scholar experience, and the particular circumstances of the Scholars, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g., lectures, coursework and/or real-time discussion groups, including face-to-face interaction? (A plan involving only on-line instruction is not acceptable.); 2) Subject Matter Does the plan include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics? 3) Faculty Participation - Does the plan adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? For renewal applications, are all training faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period named in the application? 4) Duration of Instruction - Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least eight contact hours of instruction? 5) Frequency of Instruction Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least once during each career stage (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty levels) and at a frequency of no less than once every four years?

    For renewal applications, does the progress report document acceptable RCR instruction in the five components described above? Does the plan describe how participation in RCR instruction is being monitored? Are appropriate changes in the plan for RCR instruction proposed in response to feedback and in response to evolving issues related to responsible conduct of research?

    Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

    Budget and Period of Support

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

    Protections for Human Subjects

    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.

    Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan

    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.

    Vertebrate Animals

    Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

    Biohazards

    Generally, not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

    Training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility

    Does the plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility describe how the program will provide training in scientific reasoning, rigorous research design, relevant experimental methods, consideration of relevant biological variables such as sex, authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, quantitative approaches, and data analysis and interpretation, appropriate to field of study and the level and prior preparation of the Scholars?

    Resubmissions

    Not Applicable.

    Renewals

    For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period, including on the Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity, and Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research. Does the application describe the program’s accomplishments over the past funding period(s)? Are changes proposed that would improve or strengthen the career development experience? Is there evidence of a successful past training record of the PD/PI and mentors, including the success of former scholars in seeking independent support and establishing productive scientific research careers?

    Revisions

    Not applicable.

    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.

    Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity

    Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment of prospective individuals from underrepresented groups. The plan will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the consensus of the review committee will be included in an administrative note in the summary statement.

    Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

    All applications for support under this FOA must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Taking into account the specific characteristics of the career development program, the level of Scholar experience, and the particular circumstances of the Scholars, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g., lectures, coursework and/or real-time discussion groups, including face-to-face interaction? (A plan involving only on-line instruction is not acceptable.); 2) Subject Matter Does the plan include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics? 3) Faculty Participation - Does the plan adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? For renewal applications, are all career development faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period named in the application? 4) Duration of Instruction - Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least eight contact hours of instruction? 5) Frequency of Instruction Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least once during each career stage (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty levels) and at a frequency of no less than once every four years?

    For renewal applications, does the progress report document acceptable RCR instruction in the five components described above? Does the plan describe how participation in RCR instruction is being monitored? Are appropriate changes in the plan for RCR instruction proposed in response to feedback and in response to evolving issues related to responsible conduct of research?

    Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

    Select Agent Research

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

    Budget and Period of Support

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

    2. Review and Selection Process

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

    As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

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

    Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted response to this FOA.

    Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

    • Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
    • Availability of funds.
    • Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.
    3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

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

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

    Section VI. Award Administration Information
    1. Award Notices

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

    A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the recipient’s business official.

    Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

    Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this website.

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

    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Recipients, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

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

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

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

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

    Inventions and Copyrights .
    Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

    Not Applicable

    3. Reporting

    When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted.

    Failure by the recipient institution to submit required forms in a timely, complete, and accurate manner may result in an expenditure disallowance or a delay in any continuation funding for the award.

    The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

    Other Reporting Requirements
    • The institution must submit a completed Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271) for each Scholar appointed or reappointed to the career development grant for 8 weeks or more. Recipients must submit the PHS 2271 data electronically using the xTrain system. More information on xTrain is available at xTrain (eRA Commons). An appointment or reappointment may begin any time during the budget period, but not before the budget period start date of the grant year.
    • A notarized statement verifying possession of permanent residency documentation must be submitted with the Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271). Individuals with a Conditional Permanent Resident status must first meet full (non-conditional) Permanent Residency requirements before receiving support.

    A final RPPR, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Evaluation results should be included as part of the final RPPR.

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

    4. Evaluation

    In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

    Section VII. Agency Contacts

    We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

    Because of the difference in individual Institute and Center (IC) program requirements for this FOA, prospective applications MUST consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts, to make sure that their application is responsive to the requirements of one of the participating NIH ICs. Prior consultation with NIH staff is strongly encouraged.

    Application Submission Contacts

    eRA Commons Help 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: http://grants.nih.gov/support/ (preferred method of contact)

    Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

    General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
    Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
    Telephone: 301-945-7573

    Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
    Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
    Email: [email protected]

    Scientific/Research Contact(s)

    Lisa Begg, Dr.P.H., R.N.
    NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)
    Telephone: 301-496-3975
    Email: [email protected]

    Mark W. Damico, Ph.D.
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
    Phone: 240-276-5650
    Email: [email protected]

    Kate Nagy, M.A.
    National Institute on Aging (NIA)
    Phone: 301-451-8396
    Email: [email protected]

    Ivana Grakalic, Ph.D.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
    Phone: 301-443-7600
    Email: [email protected]

    Juliane Caviston, Ph.D.
    National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
    Phone: 301-761-5094
    Email: [email protected]

    Lisa Halvorson, M.D.
    Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
    Phone: 301-480-1646
    Email: [email protected]

    Holly Moore, Ph.D.
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
    Phone: 301-827-7376
    Email: [email protected]

    Lynn M. King, Ph.D.
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
    Phone: 301-594-5006
    Email: [email protected]

    Carol A. Shreffler, Ph.D.
    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
    Phone: 984-287-3322
    Email: [email protected]

    Peer Review Contact(s)

    Lisa Steele, Ph.D.
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
    Phone: 301-257-2638
    Email: [email protected]

    Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

    NICHD serves as the administrative institute for the BIRCWH program; Questions can also be directed to the other institutes below.

    Bryan S. Clark, MBA
    Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
    Phone: 301-435-6975
    Email: [email protected]

    Jason Gill
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
    Phone: 240-276-6885
    Email: [email protected]

    Jessi Perez
    National Institute on Aging (NIA)
    Phone: 301/402-7739
    Email: [email protected]

    Judy Fox
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
    Phone: 301-443-4704
    Email: [email protected]

    Kalaya Goffigan
    National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
    Phone: 301-761-7159
    Email: [email protected]

    Bryan S. Clark, MBA
    Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
    Phone: 301-435-6975
    Email: [email protected]

    Pamela G. Fleming
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
    Phone: 301-480-1159
    Email: [email protected]

    Diana Rutberg, MBA
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
    Phone: 301-594-4798
    Email: [email protected]

    Jenny L. Greer
    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
    Phone: 984-287-3332
    Email: [email protected]

    Section VIII. Other Information

    Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

    Authority and Regulations

    Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75.

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