Part I Overview Information


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: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

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 Pioneer@NIH.gov.

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)

The following resource sharing plans will be requested as just-in-time information if an award is being considered:

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.

Section VII. Agency Contacts


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: pioneer@nih.gov (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: JonesW@nigms.nih.gov

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: pioneer@nih.gov (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: cohnm@mail.nih.gov

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/.


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