NCRR SHARED INSTRUMENTATION GRANT (SIG) PROGRAM
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2003
PA Number: PAR-04-029 (This PAR has been reissued, see PAR-05-028)
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
(http://www.nih.gov)
COMPONENT OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION:
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
(http://www.ncrr.nih.gov)
CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBER 93.389
APPLICATION RECIEPT DATE: March 19, 2004
EXPIRATION DATE: March 20, 2004
THIS PAR CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose of this PAR
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism of Support
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Submitting an Application
o Supplementary Instructions
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Program Announcement (PAR) is to continue the competitive
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) Shared Instrumentation Grant
(SIG) Program initiated in Fiscal Year 1982. Results of the most recent study,
The National Survey of Academic Research Instruments and Instrumentation,
published in 1997 identified bioanalytical equipment of the type provided
through this Program as the top most priority. The objective of the program is
to make available to institutions expensive research instruments that can only
be justified on a shared-use basis and for which meritorious research projects
are described. The SIG Program provides a cost-effective mechanism for groups
of NIH-supported investigators to obtain commercially-available,
technologically sophisticated equipment costing more than $100,000.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
This program is designed to provide for the acquisition or updating of
expensive shared-use instrumentation not generally available through other NIH
mechanisms, such as the regular research project, program project, or center
grant programs. Proposals for research on advancing the design or for the
development of new instrumentation will not be considered.
Types of instrumentation supported include, but are not limited to, nuclear
magnetic resonance systems, electron and confocal microscopes, mass
spectrometers, protein and DNA sequencers, biosensors, x-ray diffractometers
and cell sorters. Support will not be provided for general purpose equipment or
purely instructional equipment, personal computers, personal workstations,
printers, and Ethernet interfaces. Proposals for "stand alone" computer systems
will only be considered if the instrument is solely dedicated to the research
needs of a broad community of NIH-supported investigators.
For purpose of eligibility, a major user group of three or more investigators
must be identified. A minimum of three major users must be Principal
Investigators on NIH peer reviewed research grants at the time of the
application and award. For purposes of this program, research grants are
defined as those grants awarded with the following activity codes: P01, R01,
U01, R35, and R37.
The application should also show a clear need for the instrumentation by
projects supported by multiple NIH peer review research grants (including, but
not limited to those listed above) and demonstrate that these projects will
require at least 75 percent of the total usage of the instrument. Major users
can be individual researchers, or a group of investigators within the same
department or from several departments at the applicant institution. NIH
extramural awardees from other nearby institutions may also be included.
If the major user group does not require total usage of the instrument, access
to the instrument should be made available to other users upon the advice of
the internal advisory committee (see below). These users need not be NIH
awardees, but priority should be given to NIH-supported scientists engaged in
biomedical/behavioral research. To promote cost effectiveness, to encourage
optimal sharing among individual investigators, research groups and
departments, and to foster a collaborative multidisciplinary environment, the
instrument should be integrated into a central core facility, whenever
possible.
Each applicant institution must propose a Principal Investigator who can assume
administrative/scientific oversight responsibility for the instrumentation
requested. This person need not be an NIH grantee. An internal advisory
committee must be named to assist the Principal Investigator in administering
the grant and overseeing the responsibility for the instrument. The membership
of this committee should be broadly based and include members without a
conflict of interest who can resolve disputes if they arise. The Principal
Investigator and the advisory committee are responsible for the development of
guidelines for:
o Maximum utilization of the instrument, including time allocation.
o A detailed plan for the day-to-day management of the instrument.
o A financial plan for the long term operation and maintenance of the
instrument during the post award period.
During the post award period, the Principal Investigator will also be
responsible for obtaining appropriate no-cost extensions of the project period
if needed. Ninety days following the end of the project period, a final
progress report is required that describes the instrument purchased, and a list
of all users and description of the value of the instrument to the
investigators and to the institution as a whole. The Principal Investigator and
the advisory committee are also responsible for the relocation of the
instrument within the institution if the major user group is significantly
altered.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
This (PAR) will use the SIG mechanism (S10). SIG provides support for expensive
state-of-the-art instrumentation utilized in both basic and clinical research.
Applications are limited to instruments that cost at least $100,000 per
instrument or integrated instrument system. The maximum award is $500,000.
Since the nature and scope of the instruments that may be requested will vary,
it is anticipated that the size of an award will vary also. Awards will be
made for the direct costs only. The institution must meet those costs (not
covered in the normal purchase price) required to place the instrumentation in
operational order as well as the maintenance, support personnel, and service
costs associated with maximum utilization of the instrument. There is no upper
limit on the cost of the instrument, but the maximum award is $500,000. Grants
will be awarded for a period of one year and are not renewable. Supplemental
applications will not be accepted. The program does not provide facilities and
administrative (F&A) costs or support for construction or alterations and
renovations. Cost sharing is not required. If the amount of funds requested
does not cover the total cost of the instrument, the application should
describe the proposed source(s) of funding for the balance of the cost of the
instrument. Documentation of the availability of the remainder of funding,
signed by an appropriate institutional official, must be presented to NCRR
prior to issuance of award.
Applicants proposing purchase of an instrument that the institution is planning
to lease prior to award are urged to consult with their institutional sponsored
projects office regarding applicable NIH policy prior to executing the leasing
agreement. If the leasing agreement was executed more than one year prior to
submission of the SIG application, the applicant must provide strong
justification for the requested Federal funds. Further, the instrument must be
considered state-of-the-art at the time of submission of the SIG application.
Award adjustments may be necessary. Execution of a purchase order or agreement,
making a down payment or other formal commitment to purchase the equipment
prior to award must be in compliance with NIH policy regarding pre-award cost
authority [see NIH Grants Policy Statement (Rev.3/01), Allowability of
Costs/Activities, Preaward (Preagreement) Costs, page 96]. Non-compliance with
this policy automatically eliminates an applicant from eligibility for an
award.
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS
You may submit an application if your institution has any of the following
characteristics:
o Non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, and
hospitals.
o Domestic institutions/organization
Under the general research support authority of Section 301(a)(3) of the Public
Health Service Act, Shared Instrumentation Grant awards are made to public and
non-profit domestic institutions only. These institutions include health
professional schools, other academic institutions, hospitals, health
departments, and research organizations. Note that Federal institutions,
foreign institutions, and for-profit institutions are not eligible to apply. A
Federal institution is defined by the NIH as a Cabinet-level department or
independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal Government or any
component organization of such a department or agency.
To be eligible to apply, three or more NIH funded investigators (Principal
Investigators of active P01, R01, U01, R35 or R37 research grants) who will be
users of the requested instrument must be identified.
Applications will be accepted that request a single, commercially-available
instrument or integrated instrument system which costs at least $100,000. There
is no restriction on the number of applications an institution can submit to
the SIG program each year provided the applications request different types of
equipment. However, if two or more applications are submitted for similar
equipment (for example, two 600 MHz NMR spectrometers) from the same
institution, documentation from a high level institutional official must be
provided stating that this is not an unintended duplication, but part of a
campus wide institutional plan. An application requesting more than one type of
instrumentation (for example, a mass spectrometer and a confocal microscope)
will not be considered responsive to this PAR and will be returned.
INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out
the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an
application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic
groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply
for NIH programs.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
We encourage inquiries concerning this PAR and welcome the opportunity to
answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into two areas:
scientific/research, and financial or grants management issues:
o Direct your questions about programmatic or scientific issues to:
Marjorie A. Tingle, Ph.D.
Shared Instrumentation Grant Program
National Center for Research Resources
6701 Democracy Blvd, Bldg 1, Room 958
MSC 4874
Bethesda, MD 20892-4874 (courier service 20817)
Telephone: (301) 301-435-0772
Fax: (301) 480-3659
Email: SIG@mail.nih.gov
o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to:
Ms. Jenelle D. Wiggins
Office of Grants Management
National Center for Research Resources
6701 Democracy Blvd. Bldg 1, Room 1038
MSC 4874
Bethesda, MD 20892-4874 (courier service 20817)
Telephone: (301) 435-0843
Fax: (301) 480-3777
Email: JanelleW@mail.nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application
instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). Applications must have a Dun and
Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the Universal
Identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. The
DUNS number can be obtained by calling (866) 705-5711 or through the web site
at http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/. The DUNS number should be entered on line
11 of the face page of the PHS 398 form. The PHS 398 is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive
format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone
(301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTIONS:
Follow the PHS 398 instructions with the following special instructions below.
Do not use the format for Modular or Just-in-Time applications. Other Support
pages are required (see below). This requirement supercedes the instructions
for the Other Support pages in the PHS 398.
1. Form Page 1 (Face Page)
Item 1. Name the type of instrument requested.
Item 2. Check the box marked YES and enter the number and title of this PAR.
Item 4. Not applicable
Item 5. Not applicable
Item 6. The dates should be 04/01/05 through 03/31/06.
Items 7A and 7B, 8A and 8B. Use these blocks to give the total amount requested
from NCRR for this instrument or system. The direct costs and total costs for
the budget period and project period must be the same.
2. Form Page 2. Complete the abstract as directed. Under Key Personnel, give
the data on the Principal Investigator and the major user group as required.
3. Form Page 3. Complete. Insert page number(s) for user and accessory table(s)
(see Research Projects)
Form page 4. Describe the instrument requested including manufacturer and model
number. Use a continuation page(s) as necessary. The model chosen should be
justified by comparing its performance with other available instruments where
appropriate. Specific features and any accessories should be justified, both in
this section and in the description of research projects. Provide a detailed
budget breakdown of the main equipment and accessories requested including tax
and import duties, if applicable. An itemized quote from a vendor should be
included. If a project involves a potential biohazard, funds for accessory
containment equipment for the instrument or instrument system may be included
in the requested budget.
Form page 5. Budget Estimates for All Years. Not applicable; do not
complete.
Modular Budget Format Page. Not applicable
Biographical Sketch Format Page. In addition to the personnel listed
on page 2, include a biographical sketch of the person(s) who will be in
charge of maintenance and operation of the instrument and a brief statement of
the qualifications of the individual(s).
Resources Format Page. Not applicable
Checklist Form Page. Check all that apply.
Personal Data Form Page. Complete
Other Support Format Page. Provide the requested information for each major
user.
Personnel Report Format Page. Not applicable
Targeted/Planned Enrollment Format Page. Not applicable
Enrollment Format Page. Not applicable
Research Plan
If this is a revised application, note the special instructions on page 15 in
the PHS 398 instructions regarding completion of this section of the
application. Do not include what would normally be in Items a-d of the Research
Plan but provide information relative to the points identified under criteria
for review including:
Justification of Need
Describe the instrument requested. Inventory similar instruments existing at
the applicant institution, neighboring research institutions, or otherwise
accessible; describe why they are unavailable or inappropriate for the proposed
research. Provide a clear justification why new or updated equipment, including
accessories, is needed. Include specific documentation on the current usage and
downtime of existing instruments and a realistic estimate of the projected
usage for the requested instrument. Be specific and quantitative.
Research Projects
Give a brief description of the major users projects. Since the projects have
been previously peer reviewed, the project descriptions should be concise and
focus on the benefit of the instrument to the research objectives of each user.
Sufficient technical detail (preliminary data and/or supplemental information)
should be included within the research plan to evaluate whether the instrument
is appropriate, would be effectively employed, and would provide advantages
over other methods. The need for special features and accessories must be
justified. If possible, each user should highlight those publications that
demonstrate the user's expertise in using the requested instrumentation. If the
number of projects is large and broadly diversified, select out a smaller
representative group. Use a table to list the names of the users, brief titles
of the projects, the NIH grant numbers and the estimated percentage of use.
Make a separate table to indicate the user’s needs for the requested
accessories. List the page number of each table under Table of Contents (Form
Page 3). For minor users, only include a very brief (one-paragraph) summary of
the research related to the need for the instruments. The combined project
descriptions of the user groups should not exceed 25 pages.
Technical Expertise
Describe the technical expertise present at the institution to set up, run and
maintain the instrument. Specify who will operate the instrument and train new
users.
Organizational / Management Plan
Describe the organizational plan to administer the grant. Include how the
instrument will be utilized, how requests are made, how time will be allocated
among major and minor users and plans for attracting new users. List the names
and titles of the members of the local advisory committee to oversee instrument
use. Indicate the role and responsibility of the advisory committee in
developing and implementing policies and procedures to assure equitable use of
the instrument.
Submit a specific financial plan for long-term operation and maintenance of the
instrument. Explain how the costs to place the instrument in operational order
as well as the maintenance, support personnel, and service costs associated
with effective use of the instrument will be met.
Institutional Commitment
Describe the institutional infrastructure available to support the
instrumentation. Provide documentation (e.g., separate letters signed by
appropriate institutional officials) specifically describing the required
institutional commitment (in dollars) in support of the proposed plan.
Overall Benefit
Explain how the instrument will impact NIH funded research and contribute to
the institution’s long- range biomedical research goals.
SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of the
application, including the Checklist, and four 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)
Also submit one copy to:
Marjorie A. Tingle, Ph.D
Program Director
NCRR Shared Instrumentation Grant Program
6701 Democracy Blvd, Bldg. 1
Room 958-MSC 4874
Bethesda, MD 20892-4874
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
Do not send applications for different instruments in the same package.
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by March 19, 2004. If
an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the
applicant without review.
The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application in
response to this PAR that is essentially the same as one currently pending
initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The
CSR will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already
reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of
applications already reviewed, but such applications must include all
Introduction addressing the previous critique.
Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an
application, applicants are generally notified of the review and funding
assignment within 8 weeks.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and
responsiveness by the NCRR. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications
will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.
Applications that are complete and responsive to the PAR will be evaluated for
scientific and technical merit by specially convened initial review groups of
the CSR in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the
initial merit review, all applications will:
o Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have
the highest scientific merit will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o Receive a written critique
o Receive a second level review by the National Advisory Research Resources
Council (NARRC).
REVIEW CRITERIA
o Justification of Need:
Is the need for the instrument clearly and adequately justified? Is the
equipment essential and appropriate?
o Technical Expertise:
Does the institution have the technical expertise to make effective use of the
requested equipment? How well qualified are the participating investigators to
operate and maintain the instrument, conduct the projects, and evaluate the
research results? How will new users be trained?
o Research Projects:
Will research with the requested instrument advance the knowledge and
understanding of the proposed projects? How would the research project of each
major user be enhanced?
o Administration:
Is the plan for the management and maintenance of the requested instrument
appropriate? Is the membership of the advisory committee broadly based to
oversee the use of the instrument for a wide range of biomedical investigators?
How will research time be allocated among the projects? Are the sharing
arrangements equitable? Is the financial plan for long-term operation and
maintenance of the instrument reasonable?
o Institutional Commitment:
What is the evidence of institutional commitment for continued support of the
utilization and maintenance of the instrument? Is there appropriate
documentation (letters from institutional officials)?
o Overall Benefit:
Will the instrument requested benefit the overall research community and have a
significant impact on NIH-funded research?
RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHELDULE
Applications must be received by March 19, 2004. Approximately half of the
applications will be reviewed at the September 2004 NARRC meeting and the
remainder at the NARRC meeting in January 2005. Funding decisions on all
applications received for the March 19, 2004, deadline will not be made until
the program receives an appropriation for FY 2005. The Council date will not
affect the likelihood of funding.
AWARD CRITERIA
In making funding decisions, the NCRR will give consideration to ensure program
balance among various types of instruments supported and geographic
distribution of awards.
o Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review
o Availability of funds
o Relevance to program priorities
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
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. Furthermore, we
caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly
access an Internet site.
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. Potential
applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2010 at
http://www.healthypeople.gov.
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS: This program is described in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance No.93.371, Biomedical Technology. Awards will be made under
authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law
78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under NIH 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. All
awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other
considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants
Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free
workplace and discourage the 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, any 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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