Full Text RR-96-001
 
EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
 
NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996
 
RFA:  RR-96-001
 
P.T. 02

Keywords: 
  Animal Breed. & Facil., Scientific 

 
National Center for Research Resources
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  March 22, 1996
Application Receipt Date:  April 19, 1996
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) is authorized under
Public Law (PL) 103-43, Sections 481A and 481B of the Public Health
Service Act (PHS), as amended by the National Institutes of
Health(NIH) Revitalization Act, to "make grants to public and
nonprofit private entities to expand, remodel, renovate or alter
existing research facilities or construct new research facilities"
for biomedical and behavioral research and research training.
 
The President's Fiscal Year 1996 budget request for the NIH includes
$11 million in the budget of the NCRR for extramural facilities
construction grants to be awarded competitively, with special
provisions made for institutions of emerging excellence, designated
under section 739 of the PHS Act as revised in PL 102-408, and the
Regional Primate Research Centers (RPRCs).  The NCRR is issuing a
Request for Applications (RFA) RR-96-001 for support of construction
and renovation of facilities for biomedical and behavioral research
and research training.
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Under Section 481A of the PHS Act, domestic, non-Federal, public and
private non-profit institutions, organizations, and associations that
conduct or support biomedical or behavioral research are eligible to
apply, including, for example, allied health professional
schools.Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with
disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators.
Applications are particularly encouraged from institutions of
emerging excellence as defined in the PHS Act, Section 739 as amended
by PL 102-408.
 
In addition to any applications submitted from RPRCs or recipients of
Fiscal Year 1995 PHS Centers of Excellence awards, an institution may
submit only one application in response to this specific
announcement.  For example, two components of the same
institution,e.g., a medical school and a dental school, even if
separated geographically, may not submit separate applications.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation that will use the NIH research
facilities construction grant (C06).  Responsibility for the
planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be
solely that of the applicant.  The total project period for an
application submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed one year
and no indirect costs or continuation costs will be awarded.  The
anticipated award date is September 30, 1996.
 
Matching funds will be required for the specific project
awarded.Under Section 481A, up to 50 percent of the necessary and
allowable costs of a project may be awarded, or 40 percent of costs
proportionate to use in a multi-purpose facility.  Under Section
481B, RPRCs may receive up to 80 percent of necessary and allowable
costs.  The maximum award amount will be $1.5 million.  Applications
proposing a Federal share of less than $500 thousand or more than
$1.5 million will not be accepted.
 
Because the nature and scope of the activities proposed in response
to this RFA may vary, it is anticipated that the size of an award
will vary also.
 
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
Based on the requested Fiscal Year 1996 budget, up to $11 million
maybe available for this initiative.  Up to 25 percent of these funds
are targeted for institutions of emerging excellence, and
approximately $2.5 million of the total amount available is set aside
for the purpose of improving the research facilities of the RPRCs as
outlined in Section 481B of Title IV of the PHS Act as amended.  It
is anticipated that eight to ten new awards at different levels will
be made.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
The main objective of this program is to facilitate the conduct of
PHS-supported biomedical and behavioral research by supporting the
costs of designing and constructing non-Federal basic and clinical
research facilities to meet the biomedical or behavioral
research,research training, or research support needs of an
institution or are search group at an institution, and for the
purchase of essential associated fixed research equipment.
 
Facility construction that may be supported under this program
includes construction of new facilities, additions to existing
buildings, completion of uninhabitable "shell" space in new or
existing buildings, and major alterations and renovations.  Support
for instrumentation or equipment that usually would be requested as
part of a research project grant will not be provided, and neither
land acquisition nor off-site improvements will be supported.
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by March 22, 1996, a
letter of intent that includes a brief description of the type of
facility proposed and the areas of research or research support to be
conducted in the proposed facility, the name, address, and telephone
number of the Principal Investigator, and the number and title of the
RFA in response to which the application may be submitted.
 
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does
not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the
information that it contains allows NCRR staff to estimate the
potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in the
review.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to:
 
Dr. Charles L. Coulter
Research Infrastructure Area
National Center for Research Resources
One Rockledge Centre, Room 6148
6705 Rockledge Drive MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD 20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0766
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
Applicants must use Standard Form 424, "Application for Federal
Assistance."  Application forms and special instructions for
completing them must be requested from the grants management official
listed under INQUIRIES.  Individuals considering applying are advised
to consult with appropriate officials at their institution before
completing the application forms.
 
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including
appendices, and one signed photocopy, in one package to:
DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier)
 
At the time of submission, one additional copy of the
application(with appendices, if any) must be sent under separate
cover to:
 
Dr. Jill L. Carrington
Office of Review
National Center for Research Resources
One Rockledge Centre, Room 6018
6705 Rockledge Drive MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD 20892
email:  jillc@ep.ncrr.nih.gov
 
Applications must be received by April 19, 1996.  If an application
is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review.  The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not
accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially
the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the
applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept
any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.
this does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of
applications already reviewed, but such applications must included an
introduction addressing the previous critique.
 
o  Intergovernmental Review -- Executive Order 12372
 
Applicants are required to comply with Executive Order (E.O.) 12372
as supplemented by DHHS 45 CFR Part 100, Intergovernmental Review of
Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities.E.O.
12372 sets up a system for State and local government review of
proposed Federal assistance applications.  Applicants (other than
federally-recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact their
State Single Point of Contact (SPOCs) as early as possible to alert
them to the prospective applications and receive any necessary
instructions on the State process.  For proposed projects serving
more than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of
each affected State.  A current list of SPOCs is included in the
application kit.  The SPOC must be given 60 days to review a
construction grant application.  Applicants are to provide the SPOC
with a copy of the application NOT LATER THAN the time theapplication
is submitted to the Division of Research Grants, NIH.  Applications
submitted to NIH in response to this solicitation must contain either
SPOC comments or documentation indicating the date on which the
application was submitted to the SPOC for review.  The SPOC comment
period ends 60 days after the application receipt date.  The granting
agency does not guarantee to "accommodate or explain" for State
process recommendations it receives after that date.
 
All SPOC comments must be forwarded to both the applicant and to the
NCRR fiscal contact given below. If comments are provided by the
SPOC, the applicant may wish to submit to the NIH a statement of its
reaction to the comments and any appropriate changes to its
application.  If no response is received from the SPOC by the end of
the 60 days allotted for review of the application, the applicant
must notify the NIH that no response was received.
 
o  Public Disclosure
 
Applicants must also make a public disclosure of the project by
publication and describe its environmental impact at the time the
SPOC is notified.  It is suggested that the notice be published in a
large-circulation newspaper in the area.  This public disclosure is
required by Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969 and by Federal Executive Order 11514.
 
One example of a suitable disclosure statement follows:
 
"PUBLIC NOTICE"
 
"Notice is hereby given that the Uptown Medical School proposes to
construct additional space, partially utilizing Federal funds.  The
proposed construction project is the addition of 2,700 square feet
connected to the existing Allen Building, which is located at 5333
Main Street, Downtown, Ohio.
 
"The Medical School has evaluated the environmental and community
impact of the proposed construction.  There will be construction
noise and increased construction traffic during the construction
period.  No significant permanent environmental impacts are
foreseen.All building permits and zoning approvals have been
obtained.
"In accordance with Federal Executive Order 11514, which implements
the NEPA of 1969, any individual or group may comment on, or request
information concerning, the environmental implications of the
proposed project. Communications should be addressed to the Office of
Planning, Uptown Medical School, and be received by (date).  The
Federal grant application may be reviewed at the Office of the
Dean,School of Medicine, 5333 Main Street, during working hours."
 
o  Design Standards
 
Design requirements are imposed to protect the health and safety of
persons using the proposed facility, assure that the new facility is
accessible to and useable by the physically handicapped, control the
project's impact on the natural environment, conserve energy
resources, achieve economy in construction costs, and protect against
natural disasters such as earthquake and flood.  Therefore, the
documents listed under REFERENCES at the end of the RFA must be
consulted, and the design requirements incorporated in the
development, review, and evaluation of all drawings and
specifications.
 
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
 
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the
Division of Research Grants and responsiveness by NCRR.  Those
applications judged to be unresponsive, incomplete, or ineligible
will be returned to the applicant.  Applications that are complete
and responsive will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by
the Scientific and Technical Review Board on Biomedical and
Behavioral Research Facilities established for this purpose by the
NCRR.  The second level of review will be conducted by the National
Advisory Research Resources Council.
 
As part of the initial merit review, a process may be used by the
initial review group in which applications will be determined to be
competitive or non-competitive based on their scientific merit
relative to other applications received in response to the RFA.
Applications judged to be competitive will be discussed and be
assigned a priority score.  Applications determined to be
non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration and the
Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant
organization will be notified.
 
Review Criteria
 
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of criteria intended to
assess the following overall questions:  (1) How will the proposed
change in the research environment facilitate the applicant
institution's ability to conduct, expand, improve, or maintain
biomedical/behavioral research?  (2) How will the proposed project
meet national unmet health needs for biomedical/behavioral research,
research training and/or research support facilities?
 
Thus, reviewers will consider the following factors:
 
o  The overall scope of the ongoing PHS-supported biomedical and
behavioral research, research training and/or research support
activities that will be impacted by the proposed construction, as
well as the expanded or proposed future biomedical/behavioral
research and/or research support activities.
 
o  Appropriateness and suitability of the proposed facilities,
including safety and biohazard aspects, for the research to be
conducted and/or research support and training to be provided.
 
o  Specific deficiencies in the existing research facilities that
would be remedied and the impact of the proposed project on current
and future research activities, particularly for institutions of
emerging excellence.
 
o  The appropriateness of the proposed physical location and layout
of the new facility and the reasonableness of the proposed
time-course, cost and sequence for the construction.
 
o  Adequacy of the proposed administrative arrangements with respect
to institutional commitment to use the space for
biomedical/behavioral research, research training and/or research
support and the capabilities of the Principal Investigator and staff
for scientific and fiscal administration of the facility.
 
AWARD CRITERIA
 
Factors considered in making awards include the merit of the
proposal; the needs of the institution, with special consideration
for RPRCs and for institutions designated as institutions of emerging
excellence; the commitment of the institution; the availability of
funds; and overall programmatic priorities including geographic
distribution of the awards.
 
Award Conditions
 
Prior to award, an applicant must provide an assurance that required
matching funds are available and that additional funds have been
secured to meet project costs in excess of the Federal award and
non-Federal matching amounts.
 
Advertisement for construction bids and construction can be initiated
only after receipt of the construction grant award and subsequent
approval of the working drawings and specifications by NIH staff.
Therefore, no requests to initiate construction, consistent with
Public Health Service policy, will be entertained prior to receipt of
a construction grant award from NIH and subsequent approval of
working drawings and specifications by NIH staff.
 
The Principal Investigator should be a highly placed institutional
official, at the level of Dean or equivalent, who has the
responsibility for allocation of space for the program(s) of
biomedical or behavioral research and research training addressed in
the submitted application.
 
The facility must be utilized for biomedical or behavioral research
purposes for which it was constructed for at least 20 years beginning
90 days following completion of the construction project.  The NIH
staff will evaluate use of the facility periodically to assure its
continued use for the approved purposes.  Failure to comply with the
20 year utilization requirement will result in recovery of the
Federal share of the value of the facility in accordance with Federal
Regulation 45 CFR 74.32.
 
INQUIRIES
 
Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.  The opportunity to
clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.
 
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:
 
Dr. Charles L. Coulter
Research Infrastructure Area
National Center for Research Resources
One Rockledge Centre, Room 6148
6705 Rockledge Drive MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD 20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0766
FAX:  (301) 480-3770
Email:  charlesc@ep.ncrr.nih.gov
 
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters and requests for
application Standard Form 424 and special application instructions,
to:
 
Mr. Paul Karadbil
Office of Grants and Contract Management
National Center for Research Resources
One Rockledge Centre, Room 6086
6705 Rockledge Drive MSC 7965
Bethesda, MD  20892-7965
Telephone:  (301) 435-0844
Email:  paulk@ep.ncrr.nih.gov
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.214.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as
amended by Public Law 99-158 and Public Law 103-43, 42 USC 241, 285,
and 481) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  Applicants are required to
comply with Executive Order 12372 as supplemented by DHHS 45 CFR Part
100, Intergovernmental Review of Health and Human Services Programs
and Activities.
 
The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco
products.  In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of
1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care or early childhood development
services are provided to children.  This is consistent with the PHS
mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the
American people.
 
REFERENCES
 
A.  PHS Policy.  The project shall meet the PHS policies as described
in the "Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement," DHHS
Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000 (Rev.) April 1, 1994 as updated.
 
B.  The design of facilities to be constructed or altered with PHS
grant funds will be evaluated for compliance with design requirements
contained in the most recent edition of Technical Handbook 2.1,
"Information for Project Applicants and State Agencies on Design and
Construction Related Activities."  The Handbook is part of the
Department's Facilities Engineering and Construction Manual and is
available from the Office of Engineering Services.  Applicants from
Regions I, II, III and V should write to:
 
Director of the Regional Office of Engineering Services
Office of the Regional Health Administrator, PHS, DHHS
Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
26 Federal Plaza, Room 3309
New York, NY  10278
Telephone:  (212) 264-3600
 
Applicants from Regions IV, VI, VII, and IX should write to:
 
Director of the Regional Office of Engineering Services
Office of the Regional Health Administrator, PHS, DHHS
1200 Main Tower Building, Room 1900
Dallas, TX  75202
Telephone:  (214) 767-3491
 
Applicants from Regions VIII and X should write to:
 
Director of the Regional Office of Engineering Services
Office of the Regional Health Administrator, PHS, DHHS
Blanchard Plaza Building
2201 6th Avenue, M/S RX24
Seattle, WA  98121
Telephone:  (206) 615-2452
 
Where State and local codes or requirements exceed the design
requirements set forth in Technical Handbook 2.1 or standards
incorporated in it, the more stringent requirement will be applied.
State or local codes may be used as a basis for facility design in
lieu of the design requirements in Technical Handbook 2.1 but a prior
determination must be made by HHS that the specific State or local
code is equivalent to, or exceeds, HHS requirements.
 
.

Return to RFAs Index

Return to NIH Guide Main Index

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.