It is critical that applicants follow the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in an AHRQ Notice in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV and follow the AHRQ Grants Policy and Guidance found on the AHRQ website at http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/foaguidance/index.html.

When the program-specific instructions in this NOFO deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.

Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.
   
   
3. Use Grants.gov Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application.



Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information


Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background

1. Conference Objectives:

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), announces its continued interest in supporting conferences through its Conference Grant Program. A conference is a symposium, seminar, workshop, or any other organized and formal meeting, whether conducted face-to-face or via the Internet where individuals assemble (or meet virtually, e.g., through webinars) to exchange information and views or explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge, whether or not a published report results from such a meeting. A meeting that is conducted as part of the normal course of doing business is not considered a conference. AHRQ support for a conference grant will not exceed $50,000 direct costs annually over any project period duration. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs (indirect) are not allowed for conference grants.

This program is intended to complement and promote AHRQ's core research, dissemination, and implementation activities by providing a mechanism for Agency stakeholders and others to:

• Develop health services research agendas and identify strategies and mechanisms for studying them.
• Discuss and develop consensus around health services research methodological and technical issues.
• Disseminate and implement health services research information and tools for formulating or evaluating health policy, and for managing health care programs.
• Improve quality and effectiveness of health care or purchasing health services.
• Develop partnerships with stakeholder organizations and build their capacity to participate in research activities and use the results of health services research.

2. Conference Types:

AHRQ seeks to support conferences that help to further its mission to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable and affordable, and to work with HHS and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used. The types of conferences eligible for support include:

• Research Development - conferences where issues or problems in the practice and delivery of health care are defined and a research agenda or strategy for studying them is developed.
• Research Design and Methodology - conferences where methodological and technical issues of major importance in the field of health services research are addressed or new study designs and methodologies are developed.
• Dissemination and Implementation - conferences where research findings and evidence-based information and tools are summarized, communicated and used by organizations and individuals that have the capability to use the information to improve the outcomes, quality, access to, and cost and utilization of health care services. AHRQ is especially interested in supporting conferences that disseminate AHRQ-sponsored evidence and tools.
• Research Training, Infrastructure and Career Development - conferences where faculty, trainees and students are brought together with stakeholders to develop, share or disseminate research products, experiences, curricula, syllabi, or competencies. These types of conferences are not for the didactic training of individuals in health services research.

The applicant must clearly indicate in the project summary/abstract section of the application which of the 4 conference types is being proposed. Failure to do so can result in the application being returned without review

Conference Format

While in-person meetings hold an intrinsic value when it comes to building team chemistry, fostering participation, clearer communication and fewer distractions, online meetings have their own benefits including allowing participants to join from around the world, technology features that can improve the meeting experience, and the ability to hold large conferences without the costly expenses of travel, lodging, or food. Alternatively, a hybrid approach to meeting, including in-person meeting space and remote meeting space, can provide a solution to some meeting needs and requirements. Conferences convened virtually are expected to cost less than conferences held in-person. Costs of all conferences, whether in-person or virtual, must be well-justified.

3. Other Conference Requirements:

Conference sessions must include health services research. AHRQ is particularly interested in supporting conference grants that support agency priorities. To learn more about AHRQ's priorities, please visit: (http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/foaguidance/index.html).

• The topic selected must be important to Agency stakeholders such as consumers and patients; clinicians and other providers; institutions; health plans; purchasers; and policymakers in all sectors (e.g., Federal, State and local governments; voluntary associations; international organizations; and foundations).
• AHRQ is especially interested in supporting conferences which include plans for disseminating conference materials and products beyond the participants attending the event. Such strategies might include, but are not limited to, submitting articles for publication, posting information on a website and other current forms of social media methods, implementation of conference findings and seeking formal opportunities to discuss conference information with others.
• Recipients of awards under this NOFO must provide annual and final reports of performance in achieving the NOFO objective to support conferences that complement and promote AHRQ's core research, dissemination, and implementation activities (see section VI.3. Reporting).

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Mechanism of Support:

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcement will use the conference grant (R13) award mechanism. A grant is a support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

AHRQ encourages applicants to seek additional sources of support for the proposed conference, if needed. The applicant is solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed conference. Sources and amounts of other funding for the conference must be clearly identified in a Composite Categorical Budget within the application. See Section IV "Special Budget Requirements" for details. If funding for the conference is being requested solely from AHRQ, so state in the application.

Applications that do not include a composite budget will not undergo peer review or funding consideration.

AHRQ's "Grants by States" search engine provides abstracts of recent and past funded projects. (See https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/grant-mgmt/grants-by-state.html

In addition, examples of AHRQ funded conference grants are available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/fund-opps/sample-applications.html.

Application Types Allowed

New or Resubmission

The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.

Clinical Trial?

Not Applicable.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The nature and scope of proposed conferences will vary from application to application. Thus, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of AHRQ provide support for this program, the number of awards is contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Future year funding is contingent upon the availability of funds for each year of support.

Award Budget

Direct costs for a project awarded under this NOFO will not exceed $50,000 annually. Facilities and administrative (F&A) costs (indirect) are NOT allowed on grants in support of conferences.

It is important that applicants review the Special Budget Requirements, Allowable and Unallowable Costs, under Section IV.7 of this NOFO.

Award Project Period

The project period may not exceed one year for single-year conference grants and three years for multiple-year conference grants.

Although it is anticipated that most applications will request a project period that does not exceed one-year (single-year), AHRQ will accept applications with a project period of up to three years (multiple-year) that support the same conference on an annual basis, for up to a maximum 5 years, if proposed by a permanently sponsoring organization.

Applicants may request full or partial support for conferences. In the case of partially-supported conferences, AHRQ's objective review will consider the overall structure and design of the conference as well as the portion of the conference for which support is being requested.

Note: After 3 consecutive years of single-year funding for the same conference topic, applicants are no longer eligible to apply for single-year funding but must instead apply for multiple-year conference support for up to a maximum of 5 years, funded annually based on the availability of AHRQ funds.

While grant awards are made to institutions rather than individuals, this announcement and its instructions are written to inform individual researchers of this funding opportunity announcement and facilitate the submission of grant applications by their organizations.

These conferences are being funded pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 299a, which provides that AHRQ shall conduct and support research, support demonstration projects, and disseminate information on health care and on systems for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness, and value of health care services.

All applications submitted and AHRQ grants made in response to this NOFO are subject to 45 CFR Part 75 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for HHS Awards; http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt45.1.75), the HHS Grants Policy Statement (see http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/hhspolicy/index.html), and the terms and conditions set forth in the Notice of Award.

Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for AHRQ support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs)
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

Governments

• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

AHRQ's authorizing legislation does not allow for-profit organizations to be eligible to lead applications under this research mechanism. For-profit organizations may participate in projects as members of consortia or as subcontractors only. Because the purpose of this program is to improve healthcare in the United States, foreign institutions may participate in projects as members of consortia or as subcontractors only. Applications submitted by for-profit organizations or foreign institutions will not be reviewed. Organizations described in section 501(c) 4 of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying are not eligible.

HHS grants policy requires that the grant recipient perform a substantive role in the conduct of the planned project or program activity and not merely serve as a conduit of funds to another party or parties. If consortium/contractual activities represent a significant portion of the overall project, the applicant must justify why the applicant organization, rather than the party(s) performing this portion of the overall project, should be the grantee and what substantive role the applicant organization will play. Justification can be provided in the Specific Aims or Research Strategy section of the PHS398 Research Plan Component sections of the SF424 (R&R) application. There is no budget allocation guideline for determining substantial involvement; determination of substantial involvement is based on a review of the primary project activities for which grant support is provided and the organization(s) that will be performing those activities.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

While grant funds may not be used to provide support for international conferences held outside the U.S. or Canada, grant funds may be awarded to specific aspects of an international conference held outside the U.S. or Canada provided the applicant is a U.S. representative organization of an established international scientific or professional society.



Required Registrations

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.

NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.

eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov registrations; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.

Grants.gov Applicants must have an active SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)

The PD/PI must have an eRA Commons account. The PD/PI should work with their organizational official to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply AHRQ support.

Only one PD/PI may be designated on the application.

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing.

While there is no cost sharing requirement included in this NOFO, AHRQ welcomes applicant institutions, including any collaborating institutions, to devote resources to this effort. An indication of institutional support from the applicant and its collaborators indicates a greater potential of success and sustainability of the project. Examples of institutional support would include: donated equipment and space, institutional funded staff time and effort, or other resource investments. Applicant institutions should indicate institutional support by outlining the specific contributions to the project and providing assurances that their organization and any collaborators are committed to providing these funds and resources to the project. This information can be included at the end of the budget justification section of the application, but institutional support dollars are not to be shown/included in the detailed budget request.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility
Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

The AHRQ will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the AHRQ will not accept:

• A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
• A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
• An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see 2.3.9.4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications). See NOT-OD-18-197).
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Appendices: Limited items are allowed in the Appendix. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to theSF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions.

Letter of Intent

A letter of intent is not required for this funding opportunity announcement.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Other Project Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

R&R or Modular Budget

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Budget Component: Special Instructions for AHRQ applications.

AHRQ is not using the Modular Grant Application and Award Process. Applicants applying for funding from AHRQ are to ignore application instructions concerning the Modular Grant Application and Award Process, and prepare applications using instructions for the Research and Related Budget Components of the SF 424 (R&R). Applications submitted in the Modular format will not be reviewed.

Applicants who propose the use of identifiable Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data are advised to review NOT-HS-19-007 (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-19-007.html) for important changes to how applicants are to budget for the cost of this data.

R&R Subaward Budget

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Research Plan

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Appendix:

• Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Delayed Onset Study

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

PHS Assignment Request Form

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

See Part 1. Section III. for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

4. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration. AHRQ and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected, and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

6. Funding Restrictions

For efficient grant administration, AHRQ grant administration procedures will be used and conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. The HHS Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf.

Pre-award costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without AHRQ prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new award if such costs are necessary to conduct the project and would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without AHRQ prior approval. If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain AHRQ approval before incurring the cost. AHRQ prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new award.

The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on AHRQ either to make the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. AHRQ expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

The PD/PI must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH. See Section III of this NOFO for information on registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

SPECIAL BUDGET REQUIREMENTS:

• Applicants may request full or partial support for conferences.
• AHRQ will support up to $50,000 direct costs annually. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) indirect costs are NOT allowed on grants in support of conferences.
• Where partial support of a conference is requested from AHRQ, peer reviewers will consider the overall structure and design of the conference as well as the portion of the conference for which support is being requested.
• Sources and amounts of other funding for the conference must be clearly identified. In addition to the required detailed budget reflecting the amount of funding requested from AHRQ, applications must include a Composite Categorical Budget, in the Budget Justification Section of the Research & Related Budget Component of the SF-424 (R&R). The Composite Categorical Budget must reflect the total cost of the conference including ALL anticipated sources of funding (including from the applicant organization). Any anticipated program income (e.g., Registration Fees) should be specified as one source of funding. Note: Program Income may not be used for otherwise unallowable costs.
• If funding for the conference is being requested solely from AHRQ, so state in the application.
• Applications that do not include a composite budget will not undergo peer review or funding consideration.

Allowable and Unallowable Costs

Expenses allowed under the R13 Conference Grant Program follow the guidelines described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement (http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/hhspolicy.htm) unless otherwise stated in this funding opportunity announcement. Areas of particular relevance to conference grants and exceptions to the general policies are described below.

Direct Cost Expenditures

a. Equipment: Grant funds may be used for rental of necessary equipment for the conference. Funds may NOT be used for the purchase of equipment. Rental expenses should be listed under the other expenses category.

b. Travel: Proposed per diem or subsistence allowances must be reasonable and will be limited to the days of attendance at the conference plus actual travel time required to reach the conference location by the most direct route available. Travel costs are limited to the extent provided for by formal institutional travel policy. If the grantee institution has no formal travel policy, the Department of Health and Human Services travel regulations shall be applied in determining the amount of travel chargeable to grant funds. Where meals and/or lodging are furnished without charge or at a nominal cost, the proposed per diem or subsistence allowance must take this into consideration. Transportation costs for those attending and participating in the conference and paid with grant funds may NOT exceed economy class fares. U.S. carriers must be used where possible. For local participants in the conference, grant funds may NOT be used to pay per diem or expenses other than local mileage.

c. Supplies: Grant funds may be used for the purchase of conference supplies, provided the supplies are received and used during the project period.

d. Conference Services: Grant funds may be used for necessary recording of proceedings, simultaneous translation, and subsequent transcription.

e. Publication Costs: Grant funds may be used to pay for the publication and dissemination of conference proceedings.

f. Registration Fees: Charges for registration fees may NOT be paid from grant funds.

g. Entertainment and Personal Expenses: Costs of amusement, diversion, social activities, ceremonials, and related incidental costs such as meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, gratuities, bar charges and personal telephone calls of participants or guests, are NOT allowable.

h. Federal Employees: Grant funds may NOT be used to cover the cost of travel or any payment to a full-time Federal employee, except when that employee is on leave without pay status from his or her employing office.

i. Honoraria: Honoraria or other payments given for the purpose of conferring distinction on or to symbolize respect, esteem, or admiration for the recipient may NOT be paid from grant funds. Speaker fees for services rendered, however, are allowable.

j. Alterations and Renovations: Grant funds may NOT be used to support facility alterations or renovations of any kind.

k. Food: Grant funds may NOT be used for the purchase of food of any kind (refreshments, meals, etc.). AHRQ will NOT award funds to support the cost of food for any conference grant. Funds requested for travel per diem are not considered food costs for the conference.

l. Promotional Items: Grant funds may NOT be used for the purchase of promotional items which include, but are not limited to, clothing and commemorative items such as pens, mugs/cups, folders/folios, lanyards, and conference bags.

m. Salaries: In accordance with the established policies of the recipient, salaries of professional personnel, clerical assistants, editorial assistants, and other nonprofessional staff are allowable, but only in proportion to the time or effort spent directly related to the conference/meeting.

n. Consultant Services: Consultant fees, including travel and supporting costs (e.g., per diem) are allowable.

The following costs are NOT allowable costs:

• Purchase of equipment
• Transportation costs exceeding U.S. carrier coach class fares; cost of visas or passports
• Entertainment; tips; bar charges
• Personal telephone calls; laundry charges; dues
• Honoraria or other payments for the purpose of conferring distinction or communicating respect, esteem, or admiration for the recipient
• Patient care
• Alterations or renovations
• Facilities and administrative (F&A) costs (indirect costs)
• Registration fees
• CME credits or costs associated with obtaining CME certification
• Purchase of food (refreshments, meals, or otherwise)
• Purchase of promotional items

Note: This list above is not all inclusive. The applicant should contact AHRQ Grants Management staff regarding any other items being considered for which there are questions regarding whether or not the costs are allowed to be included.

Warning: Please be sure that you observe the total cost, project period, and page number limitations specified above for this NOFO. Application processing may be delayed or the application may be rejected if it does not comply with these requirements.

The applicant should pay particular attention to the SF424 (R&R) application guide instructions (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/forms-g/general-forms-g.pdf) concerning letters of support. Letters of support, recommendation, or affirmation from any entity or individual not directly participating in the project should not be included.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH, and for responsiveness by AHRQ. Applications that are incomplete or non-compliant will NOT be reviewed.

In order to expedite the review, applicants are requested to notify AHRQ Receipt & Referral Officer by mail: Kathryn.Marron@ahrq.hhs.gov when the application has been submitted. Please include the NOFO number and title, PD/PI name and title of the application.

Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an application, applicants are generally notified of the review and funding assignments within eight (8) weeks.

Post Submission Material

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-20-179 - Extending the Special Exception to the NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Post-Submission Material Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: August/October 2021 Councils. Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy.

Priority Populations

AHRQ is committed to the inclusion of priority populations in health services research. The overall portfolio of health services research that AHRQ conducts and supports shall include the populations specifically named in AHRQ’s authorizing legislation: inner city; rural; low income; minority; women; children; elderly; and those with special health care needs, including those who have disabilities, need chronic care, or need end-of-life health care. 42 U.S.C. 299(c)(1). AHRQ also includes in its definition of priority populations those groups identified in Section 2(a) of Executive Order 13985 as members of underserved communities: Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. AHRQ must ensure that these requirements are reflected in the overall portfolio of research conducted and supported by the Agency. 42 U.S.C. 299(c)(2).

AHRQ will broadly implement this inclusion policy across the research that AHRQ supports and conducts so that the portfolio of research is inclusive of all populations. AHRQ intends that these populations be included in studies such that the research design explicitly allows conduct of valid analyses. The policy applies to all grant applications. Investigators should review the document entitled, AHRQ Policy on the Inclusion of Priority Populations, which is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-21-015.html. Applicants under this NOFO must consider and discuss including priority populations in research design as specified in this Notice.

Public Access to AHRQ-Funded Scientific Publications

Investigators should review the document titled AHRQ Announces new Policy for Public Access to AHRQ-Funded Scientific Publications , which is available at (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-16-008.html). For all research arising from AHRQ support, this policy requires that AHRQ-funded authors submit an electronic version of the author’s final peer-reviewed accepted manuscript to the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central (PMC) to be made publicly available within 12 months of the publisher s date of publication.

AHRQ Data Management Plan Policy

Investigators should review the document titled AHRQ Data Management Plan (DMP) Policy, which is available at (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-20-011.html). This policy requires applicants for AHRQ new/competing grants and research contracts to include a DMP for managing, storing and disseminating the primary data, samples, physical collections and other supporting materials created or gathered in the course of research funded by AHRQ, or state why data management is not possible, as a component of their grant application or research contract proposal.

Plan for Sharing Research Data

The precise content of the data-sharing plan will vary, depending on the data being collected and how the investigator is planning to share the data. Applicants who are planning to share data should describe briefly the expected schedule for data sharing; the format of the final dataset; the documentation to be provided; whether or not any analytic tools also will be provided; whether or not a data-sharing agreement will be required and, if so, a brief description of such an agreement (including the criteria for deciding who can receive the data and whether or not any conditions will be placed on their use); and the mode of data sharing (e.g., under its own auspices by mailing a disk or posting data on its institutional or personal website or through a data archive or enclave). Investigators choosing to share under their own auspices may wish to enter into a data-sharing agreement. References to data sharing may also be appropriate in other sections of the application.

The reasonableness of the data sharing plan or the rationale for not sharing research data will be assessed by the reviewers. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed data sharing plan into the determination of scientific merit or the priority score.

Data Confidentiality

The AHRQ confidentiality statute, 42 USC 299c-3(c), requires that information that is obtained in the course of AHRQ supported activities and that identifies individuals or establishments be used only for the purpose for which it was supplied. Information that is obtained in the course of AHRQ-supported activities and that identifies an individual may be published or released only with the consent of the individual who supplied the information or is described in it. There are civil monetary penalties for violation of the confidentiality provision of the AHRQ statute. 42 USC 299c-3(d). In the Human Subjects section of the application, applicants must describe procedures for ensuring the confidentiality of the identifying information to be collected (see NOT-HS-18-012: Confidentiality in AHRQ-Supported Research). The description of the procedures should include a discussion of who will be permitted access to this information, both raw data and machine-readable files, and how personal identifiers and other identifying or identifiable data will be restricted and safeguarded. Identifiable patient health information collected by recipient under this RFA will also be obtained and managed in accordance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164.

The recipient should ensure that computer systems containing confidential data have a level and scope of security that equals or exceeds that established by the HIPAA Security Rules if applicable (see HIPAA website in prior paragraph) and that established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in OMB Circular No. A-130, Appendix III - Security of Federal Automated Information Systems. The applicability and intended means of applying these confidentiality and security standards to subcontractors and vendors, if any, should be addressed in the application.

Sharing Research Resources: Rights in Data

Unless otherwise provided in grant awards, AHRQ recipients may copyright, or seek patents for, as appropriate, final and interim products and materials developed in whole or in part with AHRQ support, including, but not limited to, methodological tools, measures, software with documentation, literature searches, and analyses. Such copyrights and patents are subject to a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable AHRQ license to reproduce, publish, use or disseminate for any purpose consistent with AHRQ’s statutory responsibilities and to authorize others to do so for any purpose consistent with AHRQ’s statutory responsibilities. In accordance with its legislative dissemination mandate, AHRQ purposes may include, subject to statutory confidentiality protections, making project materials, databases, results, and algorithms available for verification or replication by other researchers. In addition, subject to AHRQ budget constraints, final products may be made available to the health care community and the public by AHRQ or its agents if such distribution would significantly increase access to a product and thereby produce substantial or valuable public health benefits. Ordinarily, to accomplish distribution, AHRQ publicizes research findings but relies on recipients to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and to market grant-supported products. AHRQ requests that recipients notify the Office of Communications (OC) when an AHRQ-funded research article has been accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Researchers should submit manuscripts that have been accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal to JournalPublishing@ahrq.hhs.gov at least four to six weeks in advance of the journal’s expected publication date.

Regulations applicable to AHRQ recipients concerning intangible rights and copyright can be found at 45 CFR 75.322.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow our Post Submission Application Materials policy.

Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria

The mission of AHRQ is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.

AHRQ's priority areas of focus available at (https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/foaguidance/index.html) are:

• Research to improve health care patient safety.
• Harnessing data and technology to improve health care quality and patient outcomes and to provide a 360-degree view of the patient.
• Research to increase accessibility and affordability of health care by examining innovative market approaches to care delivery and financing.

Applications submitted to AHRQ to support health services research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the AHRQ peer review system.

Applications that are complete and responsive to the NOFO will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate objective group convened in accordance with standard AHRQ peer-review procedures that are described in 42 CFR Part 67, Subpart A. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications or applications not following instructions given in this NOFO will not be reviewed. Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

1. Does the conference address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? Is the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed conference rigorous?

2. The conference topic selected must clearly address AHRQ's mission to produce the evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable and affordable, and to work with HHS and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.

3. The conference and objective(s) must be succinctly and clearly stated, and reflected in all aspects of the conference proposal.

4. The conference's target population and audience must be clearly stated in the conference plan.

5. Conference sessions must include health services research. AHRQ has particular interest in supporting conference grants that support AHRQ priorities. To learn more about AHRQ's priorities (see: http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/foaguidance/index.html).

6. The topic selected must be important to Agency stakeholders such as consumers and patients; clinicians and other providers; health care institutions; health plans; purchasers; and policymakers in all sectors (e.g., Federal, State and local governments; voluntary associations; international organizations; and foundations).

7. The products of the conference should have the potential to inform future research, policy, practice, training of health services researchers, or enhance AHRQ's collaborative relationships.

8. Expected conference outcomes should have a national or regional impact or make a significant contribution to a particular field. If the conference is state or regionally-based, plans for a broad dissemination of conference materials and some indication of national relevance must be included.

Investigator(s)

Are the PD/PI, collaborator(s), and/or other researcher(s) well suited to carry out the work of the project? Has the PD/PI demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that has advanced his/her role in field(s)? If the project is collaborative does the PD/PI, collaborations and/or other researchers have complementary and integrated expertise; is their leadership approach, governance, and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Please note that Multiple PD/PI does not apply to conference grant applications: (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HS-16-018.html

Innovation

Is the conference design original and innovative? For example: Does the project challenge current research or seek to shift clinical practice paradigms; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the conference develop or employ novel concepts, approaches or methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area?

Approach

1. Is the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the conference? Have the investigators included plans to address weaknesses in the rigor of prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project? Have the investigators presented strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach, as appropriate for the work proposed? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented?

2. Does the applicant clearly identify the conference type/category? The conference must be for the purpose of one of the following categories: 1. disseminate research results; 2. formulate a research agenda; 3. develop a research methodology; or 4. research training, infrastructure and career development.

3. If the meeting format includes a call for abstracts, the application should include a summary of the process for soliciting, reviewing and selecting research to be presented at the conference.

4. The conference format must support the conference purpose and facilitate expected outcomes.

5. If a planning committee is included, it should include representation from the research, implementation, and user communities, and include a process for outreach to a subset of the conference target audience. To the extent consistent with the conference design, topic and goal(s), the planning process should include outreach to people of differing views, and outreach to representatives of one or more of the Agency priority groups.

6. Speakers selected or proposed, or criteria for speaker selection, must be appropriate for the session topic. A plan should be in place to identify other presenters if those originally sought are unavailable.

7. Evaluation of the conference results must be included in the conference design.

8. A draft agenda with supporting details and speakers should be included. A "timeline" is not an acceptable agenda. If a timeline is submitted in the application, a draft agenda must also be included.

9. The Conference Date and Venue must be clearly stated in the application's Project Summary/Abstract and in the Conference Plan section. If the conference date is unknown, a "tentative" date for when the conference is expected to happen must be included.

10. Regionally-based conferences are expected to have a plan to disseminate products and/or outcomes nationally.

Environment

Does the environment in which the conference is being planned contribute to the probability of success? Does the proposed conference benefit from unique features of the environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? Does the applicant organization have the institutional resources, infrastructure, and demonstrated capacity to support the proposed conference?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will NOT give individual scores for these items.

How well does the proposed conference plan align with AHRQ s mission and research priorities?

1. Inclusion of Priority Populations

Peer reviewers must include their assessment of the proposed inclusion plan for priority populations in evaluating the overall scientific and technical merit of the application and assigning the impact score.

In conducting peer review for scientific and technical merit, the peer review groups will:

• Evaluate the application for the presence or absence of the inclusion plan based on the proposed conference objectives.
• Evaluate the adequacy of the proposed plan for the inclusion of priority populations.
• Evaluate the proposed justification for the exclusion of priority populations when a requirement for inclusion is described as inappropriate with respect to the purpose of the conference.
• Assess the plan as being acceptable or unacceptable with regard to the appropriateness of the inclusion or exclusion of priority populations in the proposed conference.

Budget and Period of Support

Is the proposed budget reasonable and is the requested period of support appropriate in relation to the proposed conference? Is a composite budged included? Justification must be provided for conferences held by webinar or by other virtual platform. Application's submitted without the required Composite Budget will be returned without review.

Degree of Responsiveness

Reviewers will assess how well the application addresses the purpose and objectives of the NOFO? Is the application responsive to the special eligibility criteria noted in the NOFO?

Resubmissions

Reviewers will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration whether or not the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and changes made to the project are presented in the appropriate section of the resubmission.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications that are complete and responsive to the NOFO will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate Scientific Review Group convened in accordance with standard AHRQ peer review procedures that are described in 42 CFR Part 67, Subpart A. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications or applications not following instructions given in this NOFO will not be reviewed.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

• May undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.
• Will receive a written critique.

Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this NOFO.

The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
• Availability of funds.
• Responsiveness to goals and objectives of the NOFO.
• Relevance and fit within AHRQ research priorities, as well as overall programmatic and geographic balance of the proposed project to program priorities.
• Proposed plan to address health equity.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. HHS Grants Policy Statement (see https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/hhspolicy/index.html).

Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, AHRQ will request "Just-In-Time" information from the applicant. Just-In-Time information generally consists of information on other support, any additional information necessary to address administrative and budgetary issues.

If all administrative and programmatic issues are resolved, a formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the AHRQ grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the recipient s business official at the e-mail address designated by the recipient organization during the eRA Commons registration process.

Recipients must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this NOFO will be subject to the UEI, SAM Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the AHRQ web site at https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/grant-mgmt/index.html.

Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NOA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See also Section IV.6., "Funding Restrictions".

In addition to the standard grant requirements, the grantee is required to comply with the following terms and conditions:

• Agreement to hold the conference within 12-months of the budget period start date of the award.
• The understanding that under no circumstance will support be provided for conferences held prior to the budget period start date of the grant award.
• Agreement to submit to AHRQ, no later than 90 days after the dates of the conference, an original and two copies of an executive summary and one-page abstract of the conference and summary of participant's evaluation ratings/comments. This summary should include a discussion of what was learned from the conference, as well as what might be done differently in the future based on lessons learned. At the time of the award, the program official will determine how many copies of the conference products will be required for distribution to AHRQ staff and other DHHS colleagues.
• To the extent relevant to the particular conference design, topic and goal, agreement to disseminate germane AHRQ product(s).
• Agreement to list AHRQ as a conference supporter on conference materials, subsequent proceedings and references. Note that AHRQ is NOT to be listed as a sponsor of the conference.
• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) logo is for the official use of AHRQ and not for the use of the private sector, including grantees. The AHRQ logo may not be used in any way in promoting the conference or in reports resulting from the conference.
• The HHS Seal and Logo are for the official use of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and not for the use of the private sector, including grantees.
• Applicants who list or name AHRQ staff who have agreed to participate in a conference as speakers or presenters must include a letter of agreement.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All AHRQ grants awards are subject to HHS’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for HHS Awards, (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt45.1.75), and the HHS Grants Policy Statement (see http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/hhspolicy/index.html), and the terms and conditions set forth in the Notice of Award (NoA).

All applicants will be subject to a term and condition that applies the terms of 48 CFR section 3.908 to the award, and requires that grantees inform their employees in writing of employee whistleblower rights and protections under 41U.S.C. 4712 in the predominant native language of the workforce.

As necessary, additional Terms and Conditions will be incorporated into the NoA.

If you are successful and receive a Notice of Award, in accepting the award, you agree that the award and any activities thereunder are subject to all provisions of 45 CFR part 75, currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.

Accessibility Provisions for All Grant Application Packages and Funding Opportunity Announcements.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.216: there is a prohibition on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment that became effective on or after August 13, 2020.

AHRQ regulatory procedures that pertain to suspension and termination are specified in 45 CFR Parts 75.371 through 75.375

For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to AHRQ grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this NOFO.

Please contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697.

In accordance with the statutory provisions contained in Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417), AHRQ awards will be subject to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) requirements. FAPIIS requires Federal award making officials to review and consider information about an applicant in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS) prior to making an award. An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a Federal agency previously entered and is currently in FAPIIS. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgement about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 45 CFR Part 75.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

3. Reporting

Awardees are required to submit, no later than 90 days after the dates of the conference, an original and two copies of an executive summary and one-page abstract of the conference and summary of participant's evaluation ratings/comments. This summary should include a discussion of what was learned from the conference, as well as what might be done differently in the future based on lessons learned.

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually unless specified otherwise in the terms of the award. Grantees are required to submit expenditure data on the Federal Financial Report (FFR; SF 425) annually.

For details regarding progress report submission, refer to http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/noncomp.htm. If instructions on the AHRQ website are different from the RPPR Instructions, follow the instructions on the AHRQ website. Progress reports are due 3 months before the anniversary of the award. In addition to the annual progress report, recipients may be required to submit quarterly progress reports to AHRQ. If applicable, detailed instructions on additional reporting requirements will be provided with the grant award.

Recipients are required to submit expenditure data on the Federal Financial Report (FFR; SF 425) annually.

Expenditure data is to be reported on the Federal Financial Report (FFR; SF 425) of the parent grant. AHRQ requires annual financial expenditure reports for ALL grant programs as described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement (https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/hhspolicy/index.html). AHRQ implementation of the FFR retains a financial reporting period that coincides with the budget period of a particular project. However, the due date for annual FFRs is 90 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the budget period ends. For example, if the budget period ends 4/30/2023, the annual FFR is due 9/30/2023 (90 days after the end of the calendar quarter of 6/30/2023).

A final Progress Report, final Federal Financial Report, and Final Invention Statement are required when an award ends. All final reports are due within 90 days of the project period end date. For further details regarding grant closeout requirements, refer to https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/grant-mgmt/closeout.html.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All recipients of applicable AHRQ grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the HHS Grants Policy Statement (http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/hhspolicy/index.html) for additional information on this reporting requirement.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at 45 CFR 75.113 and 2 CFR Part 200.113 and Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200, recipients that have currently active Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies with a cumulative total value greater than $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a Federal award, must report and maintain the currency of information reported in the System for Award Management (SAM) about civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in connection with the award or performance of a Federal award that reached final disposition within the most recent five-year period. The recipient must also make semiannual disclosures regarding such proceedings. Proceedings information will be made publicly available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS). This is a statutory requirement under section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313). As required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information posted in the designated integrity and performance system on or after April 15, 2011, except past performance reviews required for Federal procurement contracts, will be publicly available. Full reporting requirements and procedures are found in Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200 Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.



Application Submission Contacts

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons registration, submitting and tracking an application, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, post submission issues)

Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help

Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552 (Press 1 for eRA Commons or ASSIST)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 (Press 1 for eRA Commons or ASSIST)


Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

Grants Info (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-480-7075

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Direct your questions about general NOFO issues:

Linda Franklin
Conference Grant Program Administrator
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations
Division of Policy, Coordination and Analysis
Telephone: (301) 427-1904
Email: linda.franklin@ahrq.hhs.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Direct your questions about peer review issues of grant applications made in response to this NOFO to:

Linda Franklin
Conference Grant Program Administrator
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations
Division of Policy, Coordination and Analysis
Telephone: (301) 427-1904
Email: linda.franklin@ahrq.hhs.gov

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Direct your questions regarding fiscal matters to:

Brian Campbell
Office of Management Services
Division of Grants Management
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Telephone: (301) 427-1266
Email: brian.campbell@ahrq.hhs.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued AHRQ policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by AHRQ is provided at https://www.ahrq.gov/funding/policies/polnotice/index.html.

Authority and Regulations

This program is described in the Assistance Listing Number(s) (formerly called the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) at https://sam.gov/content/assistance-listings/federal and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

Awards are made under the authority of 42 USC 299 et seq., and in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 and other referenced applicable statutes and regulations. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the HHS Grants Policy Statement. The HHS Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/hhspolicy.htm.