INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE BIODIVERSITY GROUPS

NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 22, June 12, 1992



RFA AVAILABLE:  TW-92-01



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Biological Sciences 

  HEALTH CARE 

  Cancer/Carcinogenesis 

  Cardiovascular Diseases 

  Infectious Diseases/Agents 

  Mental Disorders 



National Institutes of Health

National Institute of Mental Health

National Science Foundation

U.S. Agency for International Development



Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  September 1, 1992

Application Receipt Date:  November 17, 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 CONTACTS NAMED IN "INQUIRIES"

BELOW.



PURPOSE



The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of

Mental Health (NIMH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), (hereafter "the

Government" or "the Participating Agencies") invite applications for

the establishment of "International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups

(ICBGs)."  The purpose of these Groups will be to address the

interdependent issues of biodiversity conservation, sustained economic

growth, and human health in terms of drug discovery for cancer,

infectious diseases including AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, mental

disorders, and diseases of primary concern to developing countries.



Under this program, the NIH will be allocated funds pursuant to their

respective authorizing statutes from the NIMH, NSF, and USAID.  The

Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the NIH will administer this

program.



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,

International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups, is related to the

priority needs of several diseases of interest to the NIH.  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



Public and private non-profit institutions, Governments and their

agencies, and foreign institutions are eligible to participate.

Applicant institutions must be in the United States or in a

participating developing country.  For-profit institutions may

participate as members of the Group.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



Awards will be made as cooperative agreements (U01).  Assistance via

cooperative agreement differs from grant awards in that sponsoring

Government components anticipate substantial programmatic involvement

in the project.



A Group, under a single Group Leader (Principal Investigator), is

expected to be a consortium of Associate Programs working together to

form a multidisciplinary and/or multi-institutional team from academic,

non-profit, and/or commercial organizations.  At least one of the

Group's Associate Programs must be located in a developing country.

Although not required, it is likely that one or more U.S. institutions

will play a key role.



Interaction of academic and non-profit research institutions with

commercial (including industrial) organizations and the sponsoring

Government agencies will favor development of novel approaches to drug

development, biodiversity conservation, and sustained economic growth.

Active participation of the private sector is encouraged.  Interaction

of academic and non-profit institutions with industry and Government

will encourage the creation of innovative, interdisciplinary

approaches.



FUNDS AVAILABLE



The Government anticipates making three awards (cooperative agreements)

for project periods of three to five years, contingent upon the

availability of funds.  Approximately $1.5 million (total costs) for

first-year funding has been set aside.  Cost effectiveness of program

design in relation to proposed budgets is an important funding

criterion.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



The goals of the ICBG Program are to:



o  Discover, isolate, and evaluate, preclinically, agents from natural

sources to treat and prevent cancer, infectious diseases including

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), cardiovascular diseases,

mental disorders, and other diseases and medical conditions of primary

concern to developing countries.



o  Undertake inventories of biological diversity and develop collection

practices compatible with conserving biodiversity and produce

documentation of all collected material.



o  Support research training targeted toward the needs of developing or

other countries represented within the Group and related to the scope

of the RFA, and to augment field experience and training of U.S.

scientists in areas unique to the developing country.  Research

training supported through an appointment related to this award may

take place in-country or in the U.S. and may be degree-earning.

Training costs and plans, including letters of commitment from

institutions where training is to be conducted, must be specified in

the application.



o  Assist in improving the scientific infrastructure within

participating developing country(ies) where the biodiversity resources

are found.  This could include assistance for herbaria, museums, and

laboratories, supply of necessary equipment in these facilities, and

enhancement of collecting and screening capabilities, and intellectual

property management in the host country.



Applications should stress creative, synergistic, and multidisciplinary

approaches, with substantial developing country participation, to

biodiversity conservation, drug development, and sustainable economic

growth.



SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS



Applicants should emphasize, among other factors, developing country

participation and collaboration.



STUDY POPULATIONS



SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL

RESEARCH STUDIES



NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for grants and cooperative

agreements to conduct any research involving human subjects or human

materials be required to include minorities and women in study

populations such that research findings can be of benefit to all

persons at risk of the disease, disorder or condition under study.



LETTER OF INTENT



Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by September 1, 1992, a

letter of intent including a descriptive title of the proposed project,

a description of the intended components, and to the extent known,

names of members of the proposed ICBG (Group Leader and Associate

Programs) and their institutions.  The letter of intent, which helps in

planning for the review, does not commit the sender to submit an

application, nor is it required for submission of applications.



The letter of intent is to be sent to:



Dr. Sherry Dupere

Scientific Review Administrator

Fogarty International Center

National Institutes of Health

Building 31, Room B2C32

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-2516

FAX:  (301) 402-2056



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



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

in applying for this grant.  These forms are available from sponsored

research offices at most institutions and from the Division of Research

Grants, National Institutes of Health, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449,

Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 496-7441.



The deadline for receipt of applications is November 17, 1992.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE RETURNED WITHOUT REVIEW.



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Applications will be received by NIH Division of Research Grants (DRG)

and reviewed by the DRG and FIC for completeness.  Incomplete

applications will be returned to the applicant without further review.



The FIC will evaluate applications for responsiveness to determine if

they meet the goals and objectives of the program as described in this

RFA.  Applications judged to be non-responsive will be administratively

withdrawn, and the proposed Group Leader and institutional official

will be notified.



The Government may conduct an initial peer review to eliminate

applications clearly not competitive for award. The Government will

withdraw from further competition those applications judged to be

noncompetitive and notify the Group Leader and institutional official.

Those applications judged both competitive and responsive will be

further evaluated, using the review criteria in the RFA for scientific

and technical merit by a peer review group convened by the NIH.

Subsequent review will be provided by the FIC Advisory Board.  Based on

recommendations from the peer review process, the Participating

Agencies will recommend funding levels and priorities.  Final funding

decisions will be made by the Director, FIC.



INQUIRIES



It is strongly advised that prospective applicants contact the FIC

early in the planning process to discuss prospective applications and

to obtain supplemental clarifying information and instructions

including information about a briefing for prospective applicants in

June or July that may be developed.  It is essential that prospective

applicants receive a copy of the RFA from the FIC before applying.



Direct written and telephone inquiries concerning the RFA to:



Dr. Kenneth Bridbord

Chief, International Studies Branch

Fogarty International Center

National Institutes of Health

Building 31, Room B2C32

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-2516



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Mrs. Silvia Mandes

Grants Management Officer

Fogarty International Center

National Institutes of Health

Building 31, Room B2C39

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-1653



Questions related to the review of applications may be directed to Dr.

Sherry Dupere at the address and telephone number indicated in LETTER

OF INTENT.



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



Awards under this program are made under authorization of the Public

Health Service Act, Sections 301, 307, and 482, 42 U.S.C. 241, 242l and

287b and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations

42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the

intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or

Health Systems Agency review.  The participation by other agencies in

funding the program is authorized under the Economy Act (31 U.S.C.

1535).



.

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