COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED PERINATAL STUDIES AND INTERVENTIONS INMINORITY POPULATIONS



NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 16, May 1, 1992



RFA AVAILABLE:  HD/NR/OMP-92-07



P.T. 34, FF



Keywords:

  Prenatal Factors 

  Community/Outreach Programs 

  Health Promotion 

  Risk Factors/Analysis 

  Social Psychology 



National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

National Center for Nursing Research

Office of Minority Programs



Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  May 25, 1992

Application Receipt Date:  July 22, 1992



THE REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA) ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTICE CONTAINS

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR THE PREPARATION OF AN APPLICATION.  POTENTIAL

APPLICANTS MAY OBTAIN THE RFA FROM THE CONTACT NAMED IN INQUIRIES,

BELOW.



PURPOSE



The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD),

in cooperation with the National Center for Nursing Research (NCNR) and

the Office of Minority Programs (OMP), invites applications for

cooperative agreements to participate in planning and conducting

research that addresses the problem of the unacceptably high infant

mortality rate among minority populations in this country.

Specifically, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will assist the

community (using the cooperative agreement mechanism) in establishing

a model population-based perinatal epidemiology and clinical research

effort to conduct research aimed at increasing the understanding of the

determinants of the high infant mortality rate in Washington DC and its

related outcomes, such as low birth weight, intrauterine growth

retardation, and preterm delivery.  It is expected that research will

include areas that lend themselves to intervention and may address

different aspects of the overall infant mortality problem.  It may

include outreach and provisions of appropriate and enriched prenatal

care for high risk pregnant women; interventions to improve health

behavior during pregnancy, such as smoking, drinking, and drug abuse;

and the testing of methods to increase early participation in prenatal

care for population groups that traditionally receive no or late

prenatal care.  The results of this model program are expected to be

applicable to other cities with large minority populations.



Applications for a cooperative agreement with a Data Center for the

network are also invited.  This center will manage data from

interventions and surveys at the funded sites.  The Data Center should

be functionally independent of all research sites, although it could be

physically located at one of them.



HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000



The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health

promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"

a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This RFA,

Cooperative Community-Based Perinatal Studies and Interventions in

Minority Populations, is related to the priority areas of infant

mortality, fetal deaths, low birth weight, severe complications of

pregnancy, and prenatal care.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy

of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or

"Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00473-1)

through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,

Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238).



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications may be submitted by for-profit and non-profit, public and

private, organizations WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, (although the

Data Center may be located elsewhere), such as medical schools,

universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, community-based

organizations, and units of local government.  For-profit organizations

interested in applying under this RFA should note that no profit or

fees may be requested under this kind of assistance award.  In

addition, since there are no-cost principles applicable to for-profit

organizations receiving financial assistance awards, those set forth in

Federal Acquisition Regulations in 48 CFR Part 31.2 will generally be

used.



Institutions may submit singly or in partnerships with two or more

organizations or groups.  Both community and research capabilities must

be represented regardless of which organization is submitting as the

applicant entity.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The funding mechanism to be used to assist the community in undertaking

this coordinated program of community-based clinical trials will be a

cooperative agreement mechanism, the Research Demonstration Cooperative

Agreement (U18).  This grant mechanism provides "support for testing,

by means of a research design, the effectiveness of the transfer and

application of techniques or interventions derived from a research base

for the control of diseases or disorders, or for the promotion of

health.  The project should be capable of making conclusions which are

generally applicable to other sites."



The major difference between a cooperative agreement and a research

project grant is that there will be substantial programmatic

involvement of the NICHD Project Coordinator above and beyond the

levels required for traditional program management of grants.

Specifically, an NICHD staff member will cooperate with Principal

Investigators as a partner in the funded projects and serve as the

Project Coordinator.  All parties will agree to accept the

participatory and cooperative nature of the group process.  Due to the

cosponsorship by the NCNR, a project coordinator from that Center will

also participate, as will the Director of the OMP or his designee.



For details about the primary rights and responsibilities of the

awardees, and the nature of NICHD, NCNR, and OMP staff participation in

this cooperative effort, applicants should contact the Project

Coordinator(s) and request a copy of the RFA, in which all the terms

and conditions of the grant are described.



This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  However, if it becomes apparent

that there is a continuing program need, the NICHD may reannounce this

RFA at the end of the current project period.  The total project period

for applications submitted in response to the present RFA may be five

years.  The anticipated award date will be September 30, 1992.



FUNDS AVAILABLE



The estimated funds available for the first year of support for the

entire program, which will consist primarily of planning and protocol

development, are $500,000 total costs.  It is estimated that Data

Center costs for year one could be up to $38,000 total costs.

Approximately $462,000 total cost would be available or an average of

$57,750 per research award.  Supplemental funds will be added in future

years to cover costs of the protocols.  It is estimated that Data

Center costs could be up to $345,000 for year 02.  Approximately $4,655

million total cost would be available or an average of $581,875 total

cost per research award.  It is expected that seven to nine awards will

be made, including the Data Center.  This level of support is dependent

on the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high

scientific merit.  Although this program is provided for in the

financial plans of the participating organizational entities, the award

of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent on the availability

of funds for this purpose.



LETTER OF INTENT



Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by May 25, 1992, a letter

of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research,

the name, address and telephone number of the Principal Investigator,

the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions,

and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the

application will be submitted.



Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does

not enter into the review of subsequent applications, the information

that it contains is helpful in planning for the review of applications.

It also allows staff to estimate the potential review workload and to

avoid possible conflict of interest in the review.



The letter of intent is to be sent to:



Heinz W. Berendes, M.D., M.H.S.

Director, Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

6130 Executive Boulevard

Executive Plaza North, Room 640

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-5064



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used

in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most

institutional business offices and from the Office of Grants Inquiries,

Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 5333

Westbard Avenue, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 596-

7441.  Applications must be received by July 22, 1992.



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Applications will be received by the Division of Research grants and

reviewed for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be returned to

the applicant without further consideration.  NICHD, NCNR, and OMP

staff will review for responsiveness.  Applications not responsive to

the RFA will also be returned.  Complete and responsive applications

will be evaluated for scientific/technical merit by a review group

specifically convened by NICHD for this purpose.  Applications may be

subjected to triage by an NICHD peer review group to determine

scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to

this RFA.  The second level of review will be provided by the Advisory

Councils of the participating awarding components.



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged, and

the opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential

applicants is welcome.  Direct requests for the RFA and inquiries

regarding programmatic issues to Dr. Heinz W. Berendes at the address

under LETTER OF INTENT.



Inquiries regarding fiscal matters may be directed to:



E. Douglas Shawver

Office of Grants and Contracts

National Institute of Child Health and Human development

Executive Plaza North, Room 505

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-1303

FAX:  (301) 402-0915



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

No. 93.865, Research for Mothers and Children.  Awards will be made

under the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Section 301 (42

USC241), and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal

Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not

subject to review under the intergovernmental review requirements of

Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.



.


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