NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING SUPPORT OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AS 
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Release Date:  August 2, 2000

PA NUMBER:  PA-00-128

National Institute on Aging

PURPOSE

The purpose of the program announcement (PA) is to inform the scientific 
community that the National Institute on Aging (NIA) will now support 
scientific meetings as cooperative agreements in addition to the current 
practice of supporting them through the traditional grant mechanism. This 
document provides guidelines for when it is appropriate to request support of 
a meeting as a cooperative agreement and explains procedures for preparing and 
submitting such applications.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion 
and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS led national 
activity for setting priority areas.  This PA, National Institute On Aging 
Support Of Scientific Meetings As Cooperative Agreements, is related to one or 
more of the priority areas.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy of 
"Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be submitted by U.S. institutions, including scientific or 
professional societies eligible to receive grants from Public Health Service 
(PHS) agencies.  Foreign institutions are not eligible.  In the case of an 
international conference, the U.S. representative organization of an 
established international scientific or professional society is the eligible 
applicant.  Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with 
disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This Program Announcement will use the NIH conference cooperative agreement 
award mechanism (U13).  The rules and regulations that apply to U13s are the 
same as those that apply to R13 conference grants, as described in the 
document, "Guidelines for Support of Scientific Meetings by NIH", NIH Guide, 
October 30, 1998
(https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-151.html). The 
difference is that after award, NIA staff will be substantially involved in 
the planning and conduct of the scientific meeting, assisting the Principal 
Investigator according to specific Terms and Conditions.  These Terms and 
Conditions are given below and will be included in each Notice of Grant Award.

The total project period for an application submitted in response to this PA 
may not exceed 5 years.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Outside investigators occasionally develop scientific meetings that involve 
NIA staff in the planning of the meeting (such as in the organizing, agenda-
setting or speaker selection roles) or in an editorial role when manuscripts 
are prepared from the results of the meeting. In such circumstances the NIA 
staff member is providing substantial assistance to the principal 
investigator, beyond the traditional role of a program administrator. When the 
NIA staff role in a meeting is substantial, NIA will support such meetings as 
cooperative agreements.

Other scientific meetings are planned and organized independently of NIA 
staff. The principal investigator may invite staff members as speakers or may 
contact program staff to determine current policies and procedures or seek 
advice on whether NIA is an appropriate funding source. These latter roles do 
not commit NIA staff members to planning the meeting or to responsibility in 
publishing the results of the meeting. NIA will support such meetings as 
scientific meeting grants.

When an investigator intends to involve NIA staff in a substantial role, the 
investigator should follow the procedures described in this announcement. When 
the meeting is proceeding with only minor involvement of NIA staff, 
investigators should follow the guidelines for scientific meeting grants 
listed in https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-151.html.
 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Terms and Conditions of Cooperative Agreement Award

The Principal Investigator will have the primary authority and responsibility 
to define objectives and approaches; plan, publicize, and conduct the 
scientific meeting; and publish the results of the meeting.

The Principal Investigator will retain custody of, and have primary rights to, 
information developed under the cooperative agreement, subject to Government 
rights of access, consistent with current Department of Health and Human 
Services (DHHS), PHS, and NIH policies.

The NIA staff member(s) named in the Notice of Award will assist, but not 
direct, the Principal Investigator in the planning and conduct of the 
scientific meeting.  This work may include assisting the Principal 
Investigator in finalizing the meeting format and agenda, selecting topics for 
discussion, publicizing the meeting, selecting speakers and other meeting 
participants, and publishing the meeting proceedings.

Publication and copyright agreements and the requirements for financial status 
reports; retention of records; and terminal progress reports will be as stated 
in the NIH document, "Guidelines for Support of Scientific Meetings by NIH, 
"NIH Guide, October 30, 1998.

An independent, third-party individual acceptable to both the Principal 
Investigator and NIA will be asked to serve as an arbitrator of any serious 
differences of opinion on scientific and programmatic issues that may arise 
during the planning and conduct of the scientific meeting.  This special 
arbitration process will in no way affect the rights of the recipient to 
appeal an adverse action in accordance with PHS regulations of 42 CFR Part 50, 
Subpart D, and DHHS regulations of 45 CFR Part 16.

These special Terms and Conditions are in addition to, not in lieu of, 
otherwise applicable Office of Management and Budget administrative 
guidelines; DHHS grant administrative regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92, 
as appropriate; and other DHHS, PHS, and NIH grants administration policies.

URLS IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES

All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within 
specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, 
internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary 
to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet 
sites. Reviewers are cautioned that their anonymity may be compromised when 
they directly access an Internet site.

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants for cooperative agreement meeting funds are strongly 
encouraged to submit a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of 
the proposed meeting, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal 
Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating 
institutions, including any NIA staff already identified, and the number and 
title of this program announcement. 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 staff to estimate the 
potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent to the program staff listed under INQUIRIES 
at least 60 days before the intended receipt date of the application.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 
4/98) and will be accepted at the standard application deadlines as indicated 
in the application kit.  Application kits are available at most institutional 
offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Division of 
Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/710-0267, email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

Applicants planning to submit an investigator-initiated new (type 1), 
competing continuation (type 2), competing supplement, or any amended/revised 
version of the preceding grant application types requesting $500,000 or more 
in direct costs for any year are advised that he or she must contact the 
Institute or Center (IC) program staff before submitting the application, 
i.e., as plans for the study are being developed.  Furthermore, the applicant 
must obtain agreement from the IC staff that the IC will accept the 
application for consideration for award.  Finally, the applicant must 
identify, in a cover letter sent with the application, the staff member and 
Institute or Center who agreed to accept assignment of the application.

This policy requires an applicant to obtain agreement for acceptance of both 
any such application and any such subsequent amendment.  Refer to the NIH 
Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 20, 1998 at 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-030.html

The NIH notice Guidelines for Support of Scientific Meetings by NIH 
(https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-151.html.) should be 
consulted, because it provides important information and supplemental 
instructions for completing the application.  In addition, this publication 
states NIH policy regarding the application, receipt, assignment, review, 
award, administration, and reporting requirements when funds are requested and 
awarded for the support of scientific meetings. Applicants should also review 
the NIH policy announcement concerning the inclusion of women, minorities, and 
persons with disabilities in NIH sponsored and supported scientific meetings 
and conferences: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not95-123.html

In the Research Plan section of the application describe the anticipated 
role(s) of NIA staff members in the proposed meeting.

Following the Research Plan, the applicant should provide a statement 
acknowledging and agreeing to NIA staff post-award involvement in planning and 
conducting the scientific meeting, and should describe plans to accommodate 
this involvement.

The title and number of this program announcement  must be typed on line 2 of 
the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the 
Checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040, MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD  20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD  20817 (for express/courier service)

At the same time, two exact copies, including any appendices, should be sent
to:

Mary Nekola, Ph.D.
Chief, Scientific Review
Scientific Review Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 2C212
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral 
guidelines.  Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit 
by an appropriate scientific review group convened in accordance with the 
standard NIH peer review procedures.  As part of the initial merit review, all 
applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which 
only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally 
the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a 
priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national 
advisory council or board.

Review Criteria

The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of 
biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health.  In 
the written comments reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects 
of the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research 
will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals.  Each of these 
criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, 
weighting them as appropriate for each application.  Note that the application 
does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major 
scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score.

(1) The importance of the proposed scientific meeting to investigators in the 
area and to the general biomedical community;
(2) Timeliness and the need for the proposed scientific meeting;
(3) Adequacy of the scope and content of the proposed scientific meeting;
(4) Qualifications of the conference organizers and the proposed participants;
(5) Adequacy of the applicant's efforts and plans to seek out and encourage 
the participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented 
minorities;
(6) Appropriateness of the proposed format for achieving the stated goals;
(7) Adequacy of plans to disseminate the information generated by the 
scientific meeting;

In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all 
applications will also be reviewed with respect to the reasonableness of the 
proposed budget.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended 
applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:  
Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of 
funds, and program priority.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions 
from potential applicants is welcome.

For applications with primary emphasis on the biology of aging contact:

Dr. Huber Warner
Biology of Aging Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2C231, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 496-6402
FAX:  (301) 402-0010
Email:  BAPquery@exmur.nia.nih.gov

For applications with primary emphasis on behavioral or social research on 
aging contact:

Ms. Georgeanne Patmios
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 5C533, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 496-3138
FAX:  (301) 402-0051
Email:  BSRquery@exmur.nia.nih.gov

For applications with primary emphasis on the neuroscience or neuropsychology 
of aging contact:

Dr. Judy Finkelstein
Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 3C307, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 496-9350
FAX:  (301) 496-1494
Email: NNAquery@exmur.nia.nih.gov

For applications with primary emphasis on geriatrics research contact:

Ms. Wanda Solomon
Geriatrics Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 3E327 MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 435-3046
FAX:  (301) 402-1784
Email: GPquery@exmur.nia.nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Mr. Joe Ellis
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2N212, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1472
FAX:  (301) 402-3672
Email:  ellisJ@exmur.nia.nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS 

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 
93.866. Awards are made under authorization of sections 301 and 405 of the 
Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and administered 
under NIH grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 
74 and 92.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review 
requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

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, and 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.

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