Notice Number: NOT-AI-20-037

Key Dates
Release Date: March 3, 2020

Issued by
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to clarify the instruction on proposed and external advisory committees for PAR-20-106, "Centers for AIDS Research (P30 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

PHS 398 Research Plan (Overall)

Currently Reads:

Research Strategy: Describe the proposed Overall Research Strategy and the strategic planning process of the CFAR and how it will contribute to meeting the overarching goals and objectives, and/or the potential for unique contributions to the overall HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution(s). Specifically, define the impact that a CFAR could have on enhancing HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution(s) and exerting a sustained influence on the HIV/AIDS research field.

• Succinctly summarize HIV/AIDS science at the institution(s) that justifies the need for CFAR support.
• Describe how the CFAR provides added value to NIH-funded HIV/AIDS research conducted at the institution(s).
• Describe how the overall structure was determined for the CFAR including any organizational work or support contributed.
• Describe the leadership plan for the CFAR, including rationale for the leadership structure and how decisions are made within the leadership.
• Discuss and provide plans for the CFAR scientific planning and management process.
• Demonstrate the CFAR’s ability to support the research base, foster synergy, enhance HIV/AIDS research collaborations, and produce an economy of scale.
• Describe the unique ways resources that are not part of the CFAR structure are incorporated and supported in the CFAR.
• Discuss planned strategies for fostering collaboration among HIV/AIDS investigators from divergent disciplines within the proposed CFAR.
• Discuss utilization of CFAR resources in unique ways to achieve the scientific goals of all HIV/AIDS investigators at the participating institution(s).
• Describe plans and illustrate unique ways the CFAR will foster community engagement, involvement, collaboration, and outreach in the CFAR. Indicate how these may evolve over the award period. A community advisory board (CAB) is not required, but may be one component of an overall community engagement plan and may help to inform community engagement activities. However, a CAB, by itself, is not sufficient to satisfy the need to actively engage the broader community of stakeholders.
• Describe plans for scientific communications, collaborations and outreach with key stakeholders and partners.
• Provide evidence that a previous HIV/AIDS center has been productive, has substantially increased HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution, and has resulted in the identification of gaps and lost opportunities that serves to strengthen the CFAR application. Indicate the beneficial outcomes among the current and potential partners in the CFAR.
• Discuss proposed internal and external advisory committees, and how their input would benefit the CFAR functions and success. NOTE: POTENTIAL OR PROPOSED EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE CONTACTED OR NAMED IN THE APPLICATION.
• For applicants proposing multiple institutions to create a CFAR, please address the following items:
• Demonstrate an exceptional need to establish collaboration among multiple investigators at each proposed institution
• Provide plans to overcome potential scientific and management barriers associated with multi-institutional collaborations
• Describe specific plans to address any anticipated budgetary challenges in the transfer of funds and resources among participating institutions

Revised to read:

Research Strategy: Describe the proposed Overall Research Strategy and the strategic planning process of the CFAR and how it will contribute to meeting the overarching goals and objectives, and/or the potential for unique contributions to the overall HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution(s). Specifically, define the impact that a CFAR could have on enhancing HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution(s) and exerting a sustained influence on the HIV/AIDS research field.

• Succinctly summarize HIV/AIDS science at the institution(s) that justifies the need for CFAR support.
• Describe how the CFAR provides added value to NIH-funded HIV/AIDS research conducted at the institution(s).
• Describe how the overall structure was determined for the CFAR including any organizational work or support contributed.
• Describe the leadership plan for the CFAR, including rationale for the leadership structure and how decisions are made within the leadership.
• Discuss and provide plans for the CFAR scientific planning and management process.
• Demonstrate the CFAR’s ability to support the research base, foster synergy, enhance HIV/AIDS research collaborations, and produce an economy of scale.
• Describe the unique ways resources that are not part of the CFAR structure are incorporated and supported in the CFAR.
• Discuss planned strategies for fostering collaboration among HIV/AIDS investigators from divergent disciplines within the proposed CFAR.
• Discuss utilization of CFAR resources in unique ways to achieve the scientific goals of all HIV/AIDS investigators at the participating institution(s).
• Describe plans and illustrate unique ways the CFAR will foster community engagement, involvement, collaboration, and outreach in the CFAR. Indicate how these may evolve over the award period. A community advisory board (CAB) is not required, but may be one component of an overall community engagement plan and may help to inform community engagement activities. However, a CAB, by itself, is not sufficient to satisfy the need to actively engage the broader community of stakeholders.
• Describe plans for scientific communications, collaborations and outreach with key stakeholders and partners.
• Provide evidence that a previous HIV/AIDS center has been productive, has substantially increased HIV/AIDS research at the applicant institution, and has resulted in the identification of gaps and lost opportunities that serves to strengthen the CFAR application. Indicate the beneficial outcomes among the current and potential partners in the CFAR.
• Discuss proposed internal and external advisory committees, and how their input would benefit the CFAR functions and success. NOTE: For new applications, External Advisory Committee Members should not be pre-recruited or named as part of an application.
• For applicants proposing multiple institutions to create a CFAR, please address the following items:

• Demonstrate an exceptional need to establish collaboration among multiple investigators at each proposed institution
• Provide plans to overcome potential scientific and management barriers associated with multi-institutional collaborations
• Describe specific plans to address any anticipated budgetary challenges in the transfer of funds and resources among participating institutions

All other aspects of the FOA remain the same.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Candice Beaubien, M.P.H.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-627-3098
Email: candice.beaubien@nih.gov