and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
Department of Health and Human Services
Participating
Organizations
National
Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
This FOA is
developed as an NIH Roadmap initiative (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov) through the
Office of Strategic Coordination (http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/osc/). All NIH
Institutes and Centers participate in Roadmap initiatives. This FOA is being administered by the National Institute of
General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) on behalf of NIH.
Title: 2010 NIH Director’s Pioneer
Award Program (DP1)
Announcement
Type
This
is a reissue of RFA-RM-09-001
Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:
Request for Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-RM-09-010
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.310
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: August 18, 2009
Opening Date: September
20, 2009 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not applicable
NOTE: On-time
submission requires that applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov
no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization).
Application Due Date(s): October 20, 2009
Peer Review
Date(s): April, 2010
Council Review Date(s): May, 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): September 30, 2010
Additional
Information To Be Available Date (Activation Date): Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/faq.apsx
Expiration
Date: October 21, 2009
Additional
Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity
Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and
Submission Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt, Review, and Anticipated
Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
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 Contacts
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review
Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants
Management Contact(s)
Section
VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations
Part II
- Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1.
Research Objectives
This
Common Fund initiative is part of a series of
programs known collectively as the NIH Roadmap (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/). Roadmap programs are designed to foster new ways of doing
research, to fill fundamental knowledge gaps, and to encourage risk taking to solve complex problems. The overarching criterion
for Roadmap programs is that they are expected to transform the way research is
conducted across the spectrum of health research. The programs in their
entirety therefore do not address specific diseases,
although individual awards within a program may be disease-specific. The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program is a High-Risk Research initiative of Research Teams of the Future. Pioneer Awards are
designed to support individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose
pioneering and possibly transforming approaches
to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research. The term
pioneering is used to describe highly innovative approaches that have the
potential to produce an unusually high impact on a broad area of biomedical or
behavioral research, and the term award is used to
mean a grant for conducting research, rather than a reward for past
achievements. To be considered pioneering, the proposed research must reflect
ideas substantially different from those already being pursued in the investigator’s laboratory or elsewhere. The program is
not intended to expand the funding of persons already well supported for the
proposed project. Biomedical and behavioral research
is defined broadly in this announcement as encompassing scientific investigations in the biological, behavioral, clinical,
social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical
sciences that have the potential to improve the public health.
This initiative is to support investigators who intend to pursue new research directions research that is distinct from that currently or previously conducted by the investigator. Applications for projects that are extensions of ongoing research should not be submitted. Pioneer awardees are required to commit the major portion (at least 51%) of their research effort to activities supported by the Pioneer Award program. Those who will not be able to meet this requirement should not submit applications. Investigators who were not selected for an award in prior years may submit applications this year; however, all applications must be submitted as new applications regardless of any previous submission to the program.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal
Citations, for policies related to this
announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This FOA will use the DP1 award
mechanism. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will
be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts (see SF424 (R&R) Application Guide). Budgets are not required.
2.
Funds Available
This is a Roadmap initiative. The NIH Common Fund has set aside sufficient funds
in FY2010 to provide at least 7 awards, contingent upon the availability of
funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Awards will be for $500,000 in direct costs each year for five years, plus applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs to be determined at the time of award.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1.
Eligible Applicants
1.A.
Eligible Institutions
The following
organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:
Foreign (non-U.S.) organizations are not eligible to apply.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the 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.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Number
of Applications. Applicants may submit only one application as a PD/PI in
response to this FOA. There is no limit to the number of applications that an
institution may submit.
Number
of PDs/PIs. Only one PD/PI (i.e., no multiple PDs/PIs) may be
designated on the application.
Resubmissions. Resubmission applications are not
permitted.
Renewals. Renewal applications are not permitted. All applications will be
considered new applications, regardless of any
previous applications to the Pioneer Award Program.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
To
download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the Apply for
Grant Electronically button in this FOA or link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow
the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the NIH eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Registered
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Note that for this FOA, only one PD/PI will be allowed (i.e., no multiple PD/PIs.)
Both the PDs/PI and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants must
download the SF424 (R&R) application forms and the SF424 (R&R)
Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply. Applicants will be presented with a list of 10 application packages which
correspond to 10 broad scientific areas as listed in section 2 below.
Applicants must choose one of these packages and
thereby designate an area of science for their application.
Note: Only the forms package directly attached to a
specific FOA can be used. You will not be able to use any other SF424 (R &R)
forms (e.g., sample forms, forms from another FOA);
although some of the "Attachment" files may be useable for more than
one FOA.
For further assistance, contact GrantsInfo --
Telephone 301-710-0267; Email: [email protected].
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY:
(301) 451-5936
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms modified as outlined below and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply .
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. Some fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The exceptions from the
SF424 instructions and detailed information on the application structure and
components are provided in section IV.6, Other Submission Requirements. All
applicants must follow the specific instructions in that section.
The SF424 (R&R) application has several components. Some components are
required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY includes all applicable components, required and optional. A completed
application in response to this FOA includes the data in the following
components:
Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover
component)
Research & Related
Project/Performance Site Locations
Research & Related Other
Project Information
Research & Related
Senior/Key Person
Optional Components:
PHS398 Cover Letter File
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
All application instructions outlined in the SF 424
(R&R) Application Guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_General_Ver2.pdf) are to be followed, incorporating Just-in-Time
information concepts, with the following exceptions, which are specific
requirements for Pioneer Award applications. Applications that do not conform
to the specific instructions detailed below will not be reviewed.
The following documents must be attached to
the application: Abstract, Public Health Relevancy Statement, Essay,
Biographical Sketch (PD/PI only), List of Current and Pending Research Support,
a description of the applicant’s most significant research accomplishment, a
Facilities Statement, and, if applicable, plans for Human and Vertebrate Animal
Subjects. All documents must be in PDF format and must comply with page limits
shown below. No additional documents should be uploaded to the application.
(See detailed information on each component below)
1. AREA
OF SCIENCE DESIGNATION:
In order to assist NIH staff in assigning applications to the most appropriate
reviewers, applicants must designate their area of science by choosing one
application package in Grants.gov from ten packages corresponding to the
following science areas:
01 Behavioral and Social Sciences
02 Chemical Biology
03
Clinical and Translational Research
04 Epidemiology
05 Immunology
06
Instrumentation and Engineering
07 Molecular and Cellular Biology
08 Neuroscience
09
Physiology and Integrative Systems
10
Quantitative and Computational Biology
Download the application package that best describes your area of proposed research. You may download and submit only one of the ten application packages.
The application requirements and instructions are identical for all ten packages and are described further in the sections that follow. The only difference between the packages is the indicated category of scientific research. The selection of scientific area by applicants is solely to aid in selection of the most appropriate group of peer reviewers and does not in itself affect an application’s funding potential. All ten scientific areas are considered as a single competition, are reviewed in the same time period, and compete for a single source of funds.
2. SF424 (R&R) COVER COMPONENT:
Item Number 8. Type of Application: Must be New .
Item Number 13. Proposed Project: Enter start date: 09/30/2010; Enter end date: 7/31/2015.
Item Number 16. Estimated Project Funding: Enter $2,500,000.
Item Number 16a. Total Estimated Project Funding: Enter $2,500,000. (See note below.)
Item Number 16b. Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds: Enter $2,500,000.
Note: The Budget Request is entered only on Line 16a and b, as described above.
Funds may be requested for personnel (including co-investigators and
collaborators), supplies, equipment, sub-contracts, and other allowable costs.
Only the five-year total $2.5 million -- should be entered on Line 16a and b.
Applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs will be determined at
the time of award and should not be included in the budget request. A detailed
budget is not requested and will not be accepted.
3. R&R Other Project Information Component:
Item Number 1. Are Human Subjects Involved? If Yes , upload plan for protection of human subjects to Item 11, Other Attachments, on this form.
Item Number 2. Are Vertebrate Animals Used? If Yes, upload plan for protection of vertebrate animal subjects to Item 11, Other Attachments, on this form.
Item Number 6. Project Summary/Abstract: Attach abstract of 300 words or less describing the goals of the project. Text only no figures, animations, or Web links are allowed.
Item Number 7. Project Narrative: Attach Public Health Relevance Statement: In 2 3 sentences using plain language, describe how the proposed research can positively impact public health.
Item Number 8. Bibliography & References Cited: Do not use. Reference citations are not required, but may be included in the essay and would be included in the five-page limit.
Item Number 9. Facilities & Other Resources: Do not use. Include a brief statement of the facilities to be used for the conduct of the research in the List of Current and Pending Research Support document.
Item Number 10. Equipment: Do not use.
Item Number 11. Other Attachments: All applicants must attach the following two documents: 1) Essay; 2) Most Significant Research Accomplishment (see detailed instructions immediately below). If appropriate, applicants must also attach plans for protection of human subjects and/or vertebrate animals.
1) Essay: In five pages maximum, describe the applicant’s innovative vision for addressing a major biomedical or behavioral problem or challenge, the importance of this problem or challenge, and the applicant’s qualifications to engage in groundbreaking research. No detailed scientific plan should be provided since the research plan is expected to evolve during the tenure of the grant. The essay should include the following sections in the order given with the headings as shown below:
2) Most Significant Research Accomplishment: Attach a description of no more than one page of the applicant’s single most significant publication or research accomplishment. Applicants should submit one single accomplishment, not a summary of several accomplishments, multiple publications, or background narratives. Publications or other documents will not be accepted.
3) Human/Animal
Subjects Plans: If appropriate, separately attach human subjects/animal
subjects information.
Note: Applicants may upload a maximum of four documents in Field 11 of the
Other Project Information component as follows: (1) the essay; (2) the
applicant’s most significant research accomplishment; and, if appropriate, (3)
human subjects information, and (4) animal subjects information. Applicants
uploading more than two documents to this field may receive a warning stating
that the maximum number of documents has been exceeded. This warning should be
ignored as it does not apply to Pioneer Award applications.
4. SF424 (R & R) SENIOR/KEY PERSON PROFILE COMPONENT:
Profile PD/PI Attach Biographical Sketch: Complete items only for Project Director/Principal Investigator. Do not submit profiles for other senior/key personnel. Attach PD/PI s biographical sketch, two pages maximum, following the sample format shown in the URL in Section 4.5.2 of the Application Guide, omitting Section C, Research Support.) No other biographical sketches are to be submitted.
Profile PD/PI Attach Current and Pending Support: Attach a list of Current and Pending Support from all sources, including current year direct costs and percent effort devoted to each project. Use the format shown in Section 3.1.1.8 of the Application Guide. A statement must be included that, if chosen to receive an award, the applicant will commit a minimum of 51% of his/her research effort to the project supported by the Pioneer Award.
Profile Senior Key Person 1: Do not use. Submit information only for PD/PI. Information on collaborators or other key personnel is not required but may be included in the Essay.
5. PHS 398 Cover Letter (Optional):
Cover letters should be included only when submitting late applications or Changed/Corrected applications after the submission deadline. Do not submit cover letters for initial submissions or for changed/corrected applications submitted before the submission deadline. The cover letter should contain only the following information:
PD/PI name; Funding Opportunity Title: 2010 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (DP1); and an explanation of the reason for the late submission.
(See full instructions for submitting the Cover Letter Component in Section 5.2 of the Application Guide. Note: Items 3 6 of the Guide do not apply to Pioneer Award applications.)
6. Letters of Reference:
Letters of reference are an important component of the Pioneer Award application. Applicants must arrange to have three (and no more than three) letters of reference submitted on their behalf. Applications that are missing letters of reference may be considered non-responsive and may not be reviewed. Late letters will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for monitoring the submission of their letters to ensure that three letters have been submitted prior to the submission deadline. Applicants are encouraged to check the status of their letters in their Commons accounts.
Letters may be submitted beginning September 20, 2009, and must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST) October 20, 2009.
To submit a letter of reference, the referee will need the following information:
Letters of reference are confidential. Applicants will not have access to the letters. E-mail confirmations will be sent to both the applicant and the referee. The confirmation sent to the applicant will include the referee’s name and the date and time the letter was submitted. The confirmation sent to the referee will include the referee and applicant’s names, a confirmation number, and the date and time the letter was submitted.
Note: Since e-mail can be unreliable, it is the applicant’s responsibility to check the status of his/her letters of reference periodically in the Commons.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to send the following to their referees or to send their referees the following link to this information: (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/LettersofReferenceFormat.aspx). (Note: referees will not be able to submit letters without this information):
Instructions for Referees:
Letters may be submitted to the Commons at (https://public.era.nih.gov/commons/public/reference/submitReferenceLetter.do?mode=new) beginning September 20, 2009, and must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST), October 20, 2009. Late letters will not be accepted and applications with fewer than three letters may not be reviewed. Letters must be submitted electronically paper copies will not be accepted.
The applicant’s name should be placed at the top of the letter. Although signatures are not required, the letter must include a signature block with the referee’s full name, title, institution, and contact information.
In two pages or less, describe the applicant s qualities that support the applicant’s claim to scientific innovativeness and creativity. When possible, give specific examples that illustrate these qualities. Address the likelihood that the applicant will conduct groundbreaking research in the proposed research area.
Note: The letter submission
page can be accessed without signing into the Commons, and referees do not need
to be registered in the Commons. Referees must provide the applicant’s Commons User Name (User ID) and the other information below:
REFEREE INFORMATION (the individual providing the letter of reference):
APPLICANT INFORMATION (applicants must send this information to their referees):
E-mail confirmations will be sent to both the applicant and the referee following submission of the letter. The email confirmation will include a Confirmation Number that will be required only when submitting a revised or changed/corrected letter. Please print the confirmation email for your records.
Note: If you submitted letters for Pioneer Award applicants in a prior year, you must submit new letters of reference this year. Previously submitted letters will not be retrieved.
Please see the detailed instructions on submitting letters of reference at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/LettersofReferenceFormat.aspx and the Frequently Asked Questions at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/faq.aspx. Send question to [email protected].
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections:
Not applicable
Appendix Materials:
Appendices are not allowed and will not be accepted. Applications that contain attachments other than those specified may be rejected during the agency validation process.
3.
Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A. for details.
3.A. Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening Date: September 20, 2009 (Earliest date an
application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Application Due Date(s): October 20, 2009
Peer Review
Date(s): April, 2010
Council Review
Date(s): May 2010
Earliest
Anticipated Start Date(s): September
30, 2010
3.B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the
NIH
To submit an application in response to this
FOA, applicants should access this FOA via http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp
and follow Steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted
electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
3.C.
Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be
successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application due date(s). (See Section IV.3.A. for all dates.) If an application is not submitted by the due date(s)
and time, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the application image to determine if any further action is necessary.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by the IC. Incomplete and non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
There will be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons. The submitting AOR/SO receives the Grants.gov acknowledgments. The AOR/SO and the PI receive Commons acknowledgments. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on the application status in the Commons.
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.
4.
Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not
subject to intergovernmental
review.
5.
Funding Restrictions
All NIH awards are
subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations
described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award
costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior
approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days
before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or renewal
award if such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct the project, and 2) 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 renewal award.
The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a
competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make
the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made
for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award
costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs
result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not
impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the
approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project
(see the NIH
Grants Policy Statement).
6. Other Submission Requirements
PD/PI Credential (e.g., Agency Login)
The NIH requires the PD(s)/PI(s) to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component.
Organizational DUNS
The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections
Not applicable
Appendix Materials
Appendices are not allowed and will not be accepted. Applications that contain attachments other than those specified may be rejected during the agency validation process.
Resource Sharing Plan(s)Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only
the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
2. Review and
Selection Process
Applications that are complete and responsive to this FOA will compete for available funds with all other applications submitted in response to this FOA, and will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by a multidisciplinary group of outside experts convened by NIGMS on behalf of the Office of the Director, NIH, and in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer), using the review criteria stated below. Those candidates who are identified as the most outstanding will be invited to NIH for interviews in May 2010. Interviews will be conducted by a panel of distinguished outside experts. In addition, the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), NIH, will conduct the final level of review. The Director, NIH, will make the final selection of awardees based on the outcome of the initial peer review, the recommendations of the ACD, and programmatic considerations. Final selection of awardees will be in July 2010.
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
The mission of the NIH is to support science in pursuit of knowledge about the biology and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. As part of this mission, applications submitted to the NIH for grants or cooperative agreements to support biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
Applications will be evaluated based on the likelihood that the submitting individual will pursue a pioneering approach to a problem or challenge of relevance to biomedical or behavioral research , and compelling justification for the advantage of evaluation by the Pioneer Award process. In particular, reviewers will evaluate:
The following core review criteria also will be used in assessing the merit of applications
Significance. Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
Investigator(s). Is the PD/PI well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)?
Innovation. Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?
Approach. Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project?
If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
Environment. Will the scientific environment in which the
work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the
institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the
investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit
from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or
collaborative arrangements?
Additional Review Criteria. As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider the following additional items in the determination of scientific and technical merit.
Protections for Human Subjects. For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children. When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children.
Vertebrate Animals. The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.
Biohazards. Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
Additional Review Considerations. As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will address each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.
Budget and Period Support. Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
Select 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).
Resource
Sharing Plans. Will be expected if an award is
considered likely, or an explanation of why sharing is not possible.
All applicants will receive summary statements with brief reviewer comments.
Additionally, applicants selected for finalist interviews will receive overall
impact/priority scores. No criterion scores will be provided to either
finalists or non-finalists.
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Applicants will be notified of their status - whether or
not they have been selected for interviews - in March, 2010. Awardees will be
notified in July, 2010, and awards will begin September 30, 2010.
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. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH
Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart A: General
.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award
(NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the
grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative
and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email
notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official.
Selection of an application for award is not an
authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the
NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the
extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Section
IV.5., Funding Restrictions.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All NIH grant
and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH
Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart A: General and Part
II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions
for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities.
The following terms and conditions will be incorporated into the NoA and will be provided to the PD/PI and the appropriate institutional official at the time of award.
1. This award provides funding for an application submitted in response to RFA-OD-09-010. This grant should be administered in accordance with the guidelines described in this specific announcement. These guidelines are in addition to the standard Terms and Conditions referenced in Section III of this Notice of Grant Award.
2a. When issuing statements, press releases, and other documents describing projects or programs funded as a NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, please use the following acknowledgement: "This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH Director's Pioneer Award Program, grant number DP1-OD-xxxxxx. Information on the Pioneer Award Program is at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/.
2b. As indicated in the FOA, awardees are expected to commit at least 51% of their research effort to the project supported by the Pioneer Award.
2c. Awardees are expected to attend an annual symposium in the Bethesda, MD, area.
3.
Reporting
Awardees will be
required to submit the Non-Competing
Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial
statements as required in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
Awardees will be required to submit a scientific progress report on June 1 of each year describing the progress made under this grant and to submit a final progress report, Final Invention Statement, and Financial Status Report at the end of the budget/project period.
A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is terminated.
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 (program), peer review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s):
Pre-award
Judith H. Greenberg, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 2As25, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-0943
Email: [email protected] (e-mail
is the strongly preferred method for inquiries)
Post-award
Warren Jones, Ph.D.
National
Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 2As19e, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-3827
Email: [email protected]
2. Peer Review Contact(s):
Ravi Basavappa, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 2As19e, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-0828
Email: [email protected] (e-mail
is the strongly preferred method for inquiries)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s):
Marcia F. Cohn
Grants Management Officer
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-3918
FAX: 301-480-2554
Email: [email protected]
Section VIII. Other Information
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 (45 CFR 46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others,
and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety
Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types
of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies
(Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative
trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The establishment
of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site
clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks to the
participants ( NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for
Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking
$500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a
plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing). Investigators should seek guidance from their
institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local
institutional review board (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.
Policy for Genome-Wide
Association Studies (GWAS):
NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association
studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and
disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this
policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic
variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic
associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the
presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of
the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to
provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data
repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the
repository is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access)
is governed by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or
Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088.
For additional information, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage
sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model
organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm).
At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to
elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding
pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act (see the NIH
Grants Policy Statement. Beginning October 1, 2004, all investigators
submitting an NIH application or contract proposal are expected to include in
the application/proposal a description of a specific plan for sharing and
distributing unique model organism research resources generated using NIH
funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not possible. This will
permit other researchers to benefit from the resources developed with public
funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan is not subject to a
cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included in all applications
where the development of model organisms is anticipated.
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.
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 SF424 (R&R) application; and updated roles and
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all
applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans
to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender
and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b)
investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses,
as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e.,
individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research,
conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical
reasons not to include them. All investigators proposing research involving
human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the
inclusion of children as participants in research involving human subjects (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of
human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications
for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key
personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for Federal funding of research on hESCs can
be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-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.
NIH Public Access Policy Requirement:
In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy, investigators
funded by the NIH must submit or have submitted for them to the National
Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central (see http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed
manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available no
later than 12 months after the official date of publication. The
NIH Public Access Policy is available at (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html). For more
information, see the Public Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
issued final modification to the "Standards for Privacy of Individually
Identifiable Health Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August
14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection
of individually identifiable health information, and is administered and
enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Decisions about applicability and implementation of
the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher and his/her institution. The OCR
website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/)
provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text
and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information
on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review,
funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs
in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals
for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. For
publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report, Internet addresses
(URLs) or PubMed Central (PMC) submission identification numbers must be used
for publicly accessible on-line journal articles. Publicly accessible
on-line journal articles or PMC articles/manuscripts accepted for publication
that are directly relevant to the project may be included only as URLs or PMC submission identification numbers accompanying the full reference
in either the Bibliography & References Cited section, the Progress Report
Publication List section, or the Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant
application. A URL or PMC submission identification number citation may be
repeated in each of these sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the
number of URLs or PMC submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of
"Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting
priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential
applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority
and Regulations:
This
program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not
subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372.
Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public
Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284)
and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All
awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other
considerations described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products.
In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking
in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early
childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of
the American people.
Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages applications for educational loan
repayment from qualified health professionals who have made a commitment to
pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric, contraception,
infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an important
component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of
researchers by providing the means for developing a research career unfettered
by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not required for
eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are encouraged.
The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the LRP
recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees must
commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a 40
hour week) for two years to the research. For further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov/.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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