NOT-OD-06-083: NIH Announces the Opportunity for Funded Extensions and/or One-Time Administrative Supplements to Grants Located in New Orleans Affected by Hurricane Katrina

NIH Announces the Opportunity for Funded Extensions and/or One-Time Administrative Supplements to Grants Located in New Orleans Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Notice Number: NOT-OD-06-083

Key Dates
Release Date: July 14, 2006

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH) (http://www.nih.gov)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the opportunity for investigators and institutions located in New Orleans with active NIH grants to request up to a one-year funded extension at the same funding level as the current final year of the grant and/or one-time administrative supplements of up to $50,000 in direct costs. The requests must be submitted by August 15, 2006 to be considered for funding in FY 2006. This notice applies to single project research project grants active at the time of the storm, that remain in New Orleans (Activity Codes: R01, R03, R15, R21, R23, R24, R33, R34, R36, R37, R55, and R56). Only institutions in New Orleans will be eligible for the one-year funded extension. If a grant has relocated or relocates prior to the award of the additional year of support, the additional year may be withdrawn.

This opportunity does not preclude additional requests for administrative supplements on other NIH grant programs or for these mechanisms. Institutes and Centers will still consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

One-year funded extension Principal Investigators at institutions located in New Orleans with active awarded grants that meet the requirements described above are eligible to apply for up to one-year of funded extension at the same funding level as the current final year of the grant. The active grant can have multiple future years still committed; e.g., it need not be in the final year. For those approved for funding, the additional year of support will be added to the end of the current project period as an additional future year commitment. If the grant is currently in the final year of committed support, a funded extension of that year will be awarded.

How to apply: A request for a one-year funded extension must be submitted by August 15, 2006 to be considered for funding in FY 2006 either by mail or electronically. A brief document (not to exceed 5 pages) from the institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative should be sent to the NIH grants management specialist and program director noted in the current Notice of Grant Award. This information is also available in the eRA Commons.

A copy of the request should be sent to George Gardner at address below.

The request should include a budget and address the following points, as applicable:

Status of vertebrate animal research availability of research organisms, description of housing facility, status of that facility, timeline for facility re-opening (if applicable), status of IACUC approval of facility and research protocol
Status of human subjects research availability of subject population, feasibility of achieving recruitment goals, status of IRB approval of project
Personnel list of key personnel on project, justification for changes in key personnel from previous grant period, status/availability of key personnel
Scope of research if the specific aims are changed from the original proposal, the new aims should be listed and the changes justified.
Resources and Environment list any changes from original proposal and discuss impact on proposed research.
Milestones include specific milestones that could be used for judging progress on the project in the extended project period
A current estimate of the unobligated balance for the project.

Allowable Costs: This opportunity is intended to support activities that restore lost or disrupted work. This support will neither duplicate nor overlap with the reimbursements provided by FEMA for loss of materials or property damage. Funds provided will be adjusted as appropriate based on any previous supplements provided to support recovery from Hurricane Katrina damage for the project.

Review and funding decisions: Applications will be reviewed administratively by NIH program and grants management staff of the appropriate Institute or Center (IC) to determine that:

- The project remains active in New Orleans

- Project team is active and engaged in productive research

- Project is not carrying a large unobligated balance (greater than 25% of the current year’s total budget).

- Project can be completed with the funded extension without major revision in its aims and objectives

Staff will then make a funding recommendation to the senior leadership of the relevant IC that they represent.

Note for those grants where this additional funding will be provided as an additional future year commitment, a regular progress report will be required within the normal business process. As with all future commitments, the actual award will be subject to availability of funds and satisfactory progress of the project.

One-time supplements Principal Investigators at institutions located in New Orleans with existing awarded grants will be eligible to apply for a one-time administrative supplement of up to $50,000 direct costs and applicable Facilities and Administrative costs. The request must be submitted by August 15, 2006 to be considered for funding in FY 2006. If both a one-year funded extension and a one-time supplement are approved and awarded, the amount of the supplement will be deducted from the amount provided for the additional year of support described above. Applicants requesting supplements must justify the requests adequately to allow for programmatic review. The status of the research project, including the status/availability of animals required for the research and/or human subjects to be included in the project, personnel available to carry out project, and the existing resources and environment should be addressed as applicable.

How to apply: Provide a brief request and budget describing the immediate needs for one-time research expenses to facilitate the re-building of the research efforts following the damage to the research programs incurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The request must be signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative and submitted by August 15, 2006 to be considered for funding in FY 2006. Send the request to the designated grants management specialist/ program director noted on the current Notice of Grant Award. This information is also available in the eRA Commons.

A copy of the request should be sent to George Gardner at address below.

Allowable Costs: The requested supplemental funds are intended primarily to support small pieces of equipment or their repair, supplies, reagents, animals, etc. Any expenditure used on these items by NIH funds will not be re-cooped by application to FEMA. Excluded are salaries, training costs, alterations and renovation, travel, and recurring supplies.

If both a one-year funded extension and a one-time supplement are granted, the supplemental funds will be subtracted from funds provided for an approved funded-extension request.

Review and funding decisions: Applications will be reviewed administratively by NIH program and grants management staff in the appropriate Institute or Center, who will make recommendations to the senior leadership of the Institute or Center on the basis of the status of the research, as reflected in progress toward the specific aims of the grant, and demonstrated need for the supplement.

Receipt Date: August 15, 2006.

Inquiries

George B. Gardner
Asst. Grants Policy Officer
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Admin.
Office of Extramural Research, OD
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 3521
Bethesda, MD 20892-7974
Phone; 301.435.0949
FAX 301.435.3059
Email: NIH Grants Hurricane Recovery [email protected]

Cheryl A. Kitt, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Center for Scientific Review
NIH, DHHS
6701 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7768
Tel: 301-435-1112
Email: [email protected]

For further information contact the program director responsible for the scientific administration of your grant or the grants management specialist for budgetary issues. See the NIH e-mail directory for phone numbers and e-mail addresses.