Part 1. Overview Information

Key Dates

Dates in bold and italics reflect changes per NOT-GM-24-055.

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from 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. When the program-specific instructions 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
Key Dates
Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
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. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

Need for the Program

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognizes that scientists and students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and research interests to address complex scientific problems. Benefits of a diverse scientific workforce include fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, building robust learning environments, improving research quality, advancing participation of underserved populations, and strengthening public trust. Yet many institutions that educate students from a diversity of backgrounds, including Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), are under-resourced and their faculty receive fewer NIH research grants ( Hoppe 2019 ). This Instrumentation Program for Resource-limited Institutions aims to enhance biomedical research capacity and educational opportunities at under-resourced institutions by supporting their purchase of modern scientific instruments for research and education. Access to scientific equipment is essential for conducting biomedical research. By providing the opportunity to acquire instruments and other forms of equipment necessary for performing modern experimental studies, this program aims to increase the research capacity at resource-limited institutions across the country, bringing a wider set of researchers with new scientific questions and the different populations they serve into biomedical research. In addition, hands-on, active learning has been shown to significantly enhance student interest and educational achievement in scientific fields. By providing increased access to modern scientific equipment, this program will enhance opportunities at institutions that currently cannot provide this kind of research-based education, which will help increase the talent pool on which the U.S. biomedical research enterprise can draw.

Program Objectives

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides awards to institutions that have limited NIH Research Project Grant funding to purchase scientific equipment (see Section III.1 for details on institutional eligibility). Proposed instruments may support scientific projects in basic, translational, clinical, or biomedically-related behavioral fields. Students and trainees may also benefit from access to the instrument in formal courses. The requested instrument should invigorate current research, contribute to opportunities for new research projects, stimulate collaborations, and/or enhance education.

Expectations

The requested instrument should be housed at the eligible applicant institution and placed in a space that maximizes sharing, promotes cost-effectiveness, and fosters a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment. Examples of suitable spaces include a core facility, a shared-resource space, or an accessible laboratory, which may be a teaching space.

The applicant institution should propose a Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) who will assume administrative and scientific oversight of the requested instrument.

The PD/PI is responsible for the instrument's organizational plan (Section IV.2) and:

• Communicating with NIH Program Staff and instrument vendors;
• Ensuring a safe, accessible location for the instrument ;
• Evaluating the instrument's use in research projects and formal academic courses;
• Submitting a Final Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) and responding to the request from NIGMS for an Annual Instrument Usage Report (AUR; see Section VI.4) two years after the Final RPPR; and
• Ensuring that users cite the S10 award in publications that benefit from the instrument.

Each application should have at least three Major Users with research projects or educational activities that demonstrate a significant need for the requested instrument (see Section III.3 Additional Information on Eligibility).

Allowable equipment

This NOFO provides funds to purchase a single, specialized, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system. An integrated instrumentation system is one in which the components, when used in conjunction with one another, perform a function that no single component can provide. The components must be dedicated to the system and not used independently. Types of instruments to be supported include, but are not limited to, basic cell sorters, confocal microscopes, ultramicrotomes, gel imagers, mass spectrometers, optical instruments such as fluorimeters or CD spectropolarimeters, centrifuges, micro-plate-readers equipped with optical systems for high throughput measurements, FPLCs and HPLC, or computer systems. All instruments, integrated systems, and computer systems must be dedicated to research and education. Applications for stand-alone computer systems (e.g., computer clusters and data storage systems) will only be considered if the system is solely dedicated to biomedical research and/or education and alternative access to such services (e.g., commercial cloud services) is not feasible or cost-effective.

Foreign-made instruments are allowed.

Exclusions

This NOFO will not support requests for:

• An instrument with a base cost of less than $25,000;
• More than $250,000;
• Multiple instruments bundled together;
• Purely instructional equipment that cannot be used for research purposes;
• Instruments used for clinical (billable) care;
• Instruments that are not commercially available and do not have a manufacturer's warranty;
• Institutional administrative management systems or clinical management systems;
• Software, unless it is integrated into the operation of the instrument and/or necessary for generation of high-quality experimental data from the instrument;
• Multiple stand-alone workstations for data processing;
• General purpose equipment (such as standard machine shop equipment), instruments to furnish a research facility (such as autoclaves, hoods, equipment to upgrade animal facilities), equipment for routine sustaining infrastructure (such as standard computer networks or data storage systems);
• Disposable devices, office furniture, or supplies; and,
• Alteration or renovation of space to house the instruments.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss any questions about appropriate types of equipment, eligibility, and program requirements with the appropriate Scientific/Research Contact (See Section VII) prior to submitting an application.

Note: An application requesting more than one type of instrument (for example, a spectrometer and a microscope) that cannot be justified as an integrated instrumentation system is not appropriate for this NOFO and will be withdrawn without review.

Specific Areas of Research Interest

NIGMS: NIGMS is interested in supporting applications for the purchase of instruments that are aligned with the Institute's mission. NIGMS-supported research may utilize specific cells or organ systems if they serve as models for understanding general biological or chemical principles. NIGMS also supports research in specific clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems.

NEI: The mission of the NEI is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. Applications considered for funding by the NEI must fall within the areas of emphasis detailed in the NEI Strategic Plan. NEI will support applications that are justified for shared-use equipment for basic, translational, biomedical and/or biobehavioral research on vision. Types of supported instruments include, but are not limited to: DNA and protein sequencers, biosensors, electron and light microscopes, confocal microscopes, flow cytometers, high throughput robotic screening systems, and biomedical imagers, including Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).

NIA: NIA's mission is to support and conduct genetic, biological, clinical, behavioral, social, and economic research on aging.

NIMHD: The mission of NIMHD is to lead scientific research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. NIMHD supports the study of many aspects of minority health and health disparities from biological and population sciences to clinical, behavioral, and translational research, as well as research on health care services, health systems and workforce development. NIMHD seeks to support institutional equipment acquisition to expand the capability of researchers seeking to study minority health and reduce health disparities. NIMHD also seeks to encourage the development of the technical expertise of researchers and trainees on equipment and instruments utilized to conduct research that are aligned with the mission of NIMHD.

NHGRI: NHGRI is interested in supporting applications for the purchase of instruments that will enable and/or advance research projects and educational activities relevant to genomics, such as resources, approaches, and technologies that accelerate genomic research focused on the structure and biology of genomes; the genomics of disease; the implementation and effectiveness of genomic medicine; computational genomics and data science; the impact of genomic technology, advances, and implementation on health disparities and health equity; and ethical, legal, and social issues related to genomic advances. Examples of supported instruments include, but are not limited to: DNA and RNA purification systems, nucleic acid sequencers, genotyping instruments, computer systems and mass spectrometers.

NIDCR: NIDCR supports research and research training to advance fundamental knowledge about dental, oral, and craniofacial health and disease, and to translate these findings into prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies that improve overall health for all individuals and communities across the lifespan. Strategic Priorities are laid out in NIDCR Strategic Plan 2021-2026.

NINDS: NINDS is interested in supporting applications for the purchase of instruments that are aligned with the NINDS mission. NINDS expects to support instrumentation for existing NINDS-funded projects and/or catalyze future NINDS-relevant projects at resource-limited institutions or other collaborative partnerships for neuroscience research or education. NINDS supports a broad array of rigorous and important neuroscience research from fundamental studies of basic nervous system function to studies to improve treatments and prevent neurological disorders. Please refer to the NINDS Strategic Plan for our priorities in neuroscience research.

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

Section II. Award Information

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

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 NIH 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
• 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)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Local 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)

Federal Governments

• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

Applicant institutions eligible for funding through this NOFO must be domestic, located in the United States or its territories, and meet these criteria:

• at the time of application, have received less than $6 million dollars per year (total costs) from NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs) in each of the preceding three fiscal years, calculated using NIH RePORTER; and
• award undergraduate (B.S. or B.A.) and/or graduate degrees in biomedical sciences; and
• enroll at least 35% of undergraduate students supported by Pell grants (calculated as a yearly average from the past three academic years based on data available from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) database maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics); or belong to one of the following categories:
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), (see 20 U.S.C. 1061(2))
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), (i.e., institutions described in section 5(e) of Executive Order 14049)

IPEDS reports the percentage of students supported by Pell grants in two ways: (1) the percentage of all undergraduates enrolled and (2) the percentage of full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Institutions may use either option for determining their eligibility. No matter which category of IPEDS data is used, the institution’s Pell enrollment in that category must be at least a yearly average of 35% calculated from the three most recent years of reported data.

The application must be submitted by an eligible organization with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a unique NIH eRA Institutional Profile File (IPF) number. For institutions with multiple campuses, eligibility can be considered for an individual campus (e.g., main, satellite, etc.) as the applicant organization only if a UEI and a unique NIH eRA IPF number are established for the individual campus. For institutions that use one UEI or NIH IPF number for multiple campuses, eligibility as the applicant organization is determined for the campuses together.

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.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

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 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 Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials 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.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. See, Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities, NOT-OD-22-019.

Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

The NIH 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 NIH 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).

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is for a different type of instrument. Applicant organizations are advised to consult with a Scientific/Research Contact (Section VII) before submitting multiple applications.

Major User Requirements

At least three Major Users are required at the time of application submission. Once this requirement has been met, other users may be added. There is no requirement that the PD/PI nor any Major User have an existing NIH award in order to apply to this NOFO.

Major Users can include:

• a researcher who has a scientific need for the instrument; and
• an upper level undergraduate or graduate laboratory course that will integrate the instrument into learning objectives.

In addition,

• The PD/PI must have a full-time appointment at the applicant institution;
• Major Users can be from the same department or from several departments, divisions, or schools at the applicant institution, or from nearby or regional institutions; however, the instrument must be housed at the applicant institution;
• Use of the instrument in courses is limited to the applicant institution; and
• A single defined research or educational project can only account for one Major User.

Applications will be withdrawn for failure to meet the eligibility requirements for Major Users at the time of submission.

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 instructions in 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.

Page Limitations

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

The Instrumentation Plan (see Other Attachments section of the SF424(R&R) Other Project Information form) must include the following sections and may not exceed these page limitations:

• Plan for Research and Education Capacity Building: up to 4 pages
• Technical Expertise: up to 1 page
• Organizational Plan: up to 2 pages

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.

Descriptive Title: Enter the generic name of the instrument requested in the title (for example, Confocal Microscope or Plate Reader Equipped with Fluorescence Optics ).

Estimated Project Funding:

Total Federal Funds Requested: Enter the total Federal funds for the requested instrument. This entry cannot exceed $250,000, the maximum award under this program. If the cost of the instrument is more than $250,000, enter $250,000 (or any lower amount of the requested Federal Funds).

Total Non-Federal Funds: If Total Federal Funds Requested (described immediately above) and Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds (described immediately below) are not the same, enter the difference in this line. Explain how the difference will be paid in the Equipment section on the SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information form (described below).

Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds: Enter the total cost of the instrument from the quote.

Program Income: Enter zero as this does not apply to this NOFO.

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.

Project Summary/Abstract: The Project Summary/Abstract contains a succinct and accurate description of the requested instrument and an explanation of the need for the instrument. Concisely state the application's broad, long-term objectives. Describe how access to the instrument will stimulate biomedical research and/or support education at the institution(s). This section should be informative to other people working in the same or related fields and understandable to a scientifically or technically literate reader.

Note: The Project Summary/Abstract must be no longer than 30 lines of text.

Project Narrative: Using no more than two or three sentences, describe the relevance of the instrument to public health and its impact on research and education at the applicant institution. In this section, be succinct and use plain language that can be understood by a general, lay audience.

Bibliography & References Cited: List only publications that demonstrate the researchers' expertise in operation and usage of the requested instrument or are relevant to projects that will be supported by the instrument. References from the Research/Education Projects Section may appear in this section or may be listed at the end of individual subsections.

Facilities & Other Resources: Not Applicable. Do not include an attachment here.

Equipment:

• Describe the requested instrument by stating its manufacturer, model number, specific features, and accessories. Provide a detailed budget breakdown of the main instrument and requested accessories, including tax and import duties, if applicable.
• An itemized quote from the vendor, with any appropriate discounts, accessories, training services, warranties and service contracts (if applicable) is required. The quote must be combined in a single attachment with the equipment description as part of this upload. As described above in the SF424 Cover form, include an explanation of total Non-Federal Funds in this section (if applicable). Instrument service contracts are encouraged and should be included within the quote and requested in the budget. Up to five years of service contract may be purchased with this award.
• Applications without a quote will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn without review.

Do not describe the need for the instrument or accessories in this section; such a narrative should be a part of the Instrumentation Plan.

If the amount of funds requested does not cover the total instrument cost, the application should describe the proposed source(s) of funding to cover the balance of the cost of the instrument and document its availability in a letter signed by an appropriate institutional official (see Letters of Support instruction below).

Other Attachments: The application must include the following two attachments. Please see the Page Limitations section above for information about the page limits for the three sections of the Instrumentation Plan.

1. Instrumentation Plan

The Instrumentation Plan (with the sections described below) must be saved as a single PDF file named Instrumentation Plan and uploaded as a distinct attachment. Organize the Instrumentation Plan in the order specified below, starting each section with the appropriate section heading (Plan for Research and Education Capacity Building, Technical Expertise, and Organizational Plan). Do not include links to websites for additional information. Do not include animations or videos.

• Plan for Research and Education Capacity Building: Briefly describe the function/purpose of the instrument and any requested accessories. State why this particular instrument/model is being requested instead of other similar instruments available on the market. This section should be further organized with the following subsections:
  • Overall Benefit: Outline how the instrument will provide an overall benefit to the institution’s research and/or education, build research and education capacity, and contribute to the institution's long-range biomedical research goals.
  • Research and/or Education Projects: Describe the specific research projects and educational activities that the instrument will enable. Research and teaching projects may be drawn from a broad array of topics in basic, translational, and biomedically related behavioral or clinical research. Describe at least 3 Major Users' Projects (Major Users are defined in Section III.3). Major Users must have an explicit scientific or educational need for the requested instrument.
    • For the educational activities of Major Users, include the following:
      • The course name(s) with a 2-3 sentence summary of its content.
      • A statement on how the instrument will be used in the course. Include brief descriptions of the educational methods or experiments that will utilize the instrument (technical details are not necessary).
      • Description of how the student experience with the instrument will enhance educational training in the biomedical sciences.
      • Estimated number of students per year who will use the instrument and their anticipated total usage in hours per month while courses are active
    • For the research activities of Major Users, include the following:
      • The Major User's name and a brief description of the overall goal of the research project that will benefit from the instrument.
      • A brief description of the experiments that will employ the instrument. Explain why the instrument is appropriate for the experiments. Preliminary data are not required but a compelling case for the utility of the instrument for the research project should be made.
      • Expectations for how the instrument will advance the research project.
      • Anticipated usage in hours per month.
  • Other Users: Describe how the instrument will benefit other users (minor users) research or educational projects. Briefly describe other research or educational projects at the institution (or from nearby or regional institutions) that may benefit from the instrument. Identify potential future users that the instrument could support.
  • Inventory of Similar Instrumentation: If applicable, provide descriptions of any similar instruments that exist at the applicant institution or are otherwise accessible and explain why each similar instrument is unavailable or inappropriate for the proposed research or educational activities.
  • Software Justification: If applicable, justify the need for software. All software supported by this program must be integrated into the operation of the instrument or be necessary for the generation of high-quality data from the instrument. Depending on the needs of research and education projects, multiple software licenses or different configurations of such software may be needed to ensure productive scientific use of the instrument. If such additional software modules are requested, they must be essential for advancing research or education projects of at least one Major User. Stand-alone workstations or software are not allowed.
• Technical Expertise: Describe the technical expertise of individuals who will set up, run and provide training on the instrument, including any training that the instrument manufacturer will provide. Specify who will train new users and ensure the instrument is safely operated and appropriately maintained. Indicate the procedure for establishing if the instrument is functioning at the manufacturer's specifications. If the instrument requires complex sample preparation or consultation for experimental design, identify the expert individual(s) who will serve in that capacity. Address technical support for data collection, management, and analysis.
• Organizational Plan: Describe how the instrument will be managed by the institution and shared by the users. The following should be included:
  • Description of the day-to-day management of the instrument, including where it will be housed, how it will be maintained, how instrument time will be reserved, and how user time will be documented.
  • Plans to establish or use an existing equipment oversight advisory committee that oversees institutional research infrastructure and equipment. The plans should help coordinate use and maintenance, and ensure broad access to the instrument.
  • Description of how training will be handled.
  • Plans for how new users will be engaged and how broad access to the instrument will be promoted.
  • Plans for post-award operation of the instrument. Describe how long the instrument is anticipated to be operational and how it will be maintained in the immediate years following expiration of the warranty and/or service contract period. Identify factors that will enable successful continued operation of the instrument, such as supplies, software, service contracts, technical maintenance, etc.
  • If applicable, plans for managing access to the instrument for any projects that involve human subjects, vertebrate animals, or biohazards such as infectious materials.

2. Letters of Support

All letters of support should be combined in a single PDF named "Letters of Support" and uploaded as a distinct attachment. This combined file must include a letter(s) from the Authorized Organization Representative or Business Official or similar official with institution-wide responsibility that certifies:

• the applicant institution meets the eligibility criteria as defined in Part 2. Section III.1 "Eligible Organizations .
• the institutional commitment to the housing, accessibility, and maintenance of the instrument; and
• any additional information regarding institutional support for personnel, maintenance, sample preparation space, or other factors that indicate the institution is committed to the successful implementation of the instrument.

If applicable, a letter(s) of support, from appropriate institutional officials, should also address the following:

• how the institution will ensure additional or sustaining infrastructure if necessary;
• institutional commitment to provide additional funds if the requested funds do not cover the total instrument cost;
• a containment plan for animals or infectious materials that could create a potential biohazard. A letter must be signed by the institutional biosafety officer stating the plan was reviewed and adheres to documented biosafety regulations.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

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

Include the profiles of the PD/PI, Major Users, Other Users, and technical personnel, as applicable.

The PD/PI should document the following in the biographical sketch:

• Technical expertise directly related to the requested instrument;
• Position in the applicant organization: e.g., core director, tenured, or non-tenured faculty member; and
• Record of student training, if applicable.

R&R or Modular Budget

Do not complete either the R&R or Modular Budget form.

R&R Subaward Budget

Do not complete this budget form.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

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

• A Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this NOFO.

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.1 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. NIH 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. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Policy on Late Application Submission.

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

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Applications will be awarded for a period of one year and are not renewable. Pre-award costs are not allowable.

Under the S10 program, funding requests are limited to the purchase cost, extended warranties and service contracts for the instrument only. Support for technical personnel, software (except as defined in Part 2. Section I. Funding Opportunity Description), and supplies are not allowable. Cost sharing towards the purchase of the instrument is not required and any institutional funds contributed to the costs of the purchase of the instrument are voluntary. If the amount of funds requested does not cover the total instrument cost, the application should describe the proposed source(s) of funding to cover the balance of the cost of the instrument and document institutional support in a letter signed by an appropriate institutional official. Note that any voluntarily committed cost will be noted in the Notice of the Award and the institution will be held to the commitment and reporting requirements.

This Program does not provide facilities and administrative (F&A) costs or support for construction, alterations or renovations. Matching funds are not required. However, commitment of an appropriate level of institutional support, to ensure the associated sustaining infrastructure, is expected and should be described in Letters of Support.

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:

All PD(s)/PI(s) 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.

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

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy

• No animations/videos are allowed.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

This program is intended to strengthen the biomedical research and educational capacity of under-resourced institutions. There is no requirement or expectation that eligible institutions have existing NIH or other federally funded research programs.

Overall Benefit

Reviewers will provide an overall benefit score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the requested instrument will enhance the research and education capacity of the institution(s) in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of capacity building merit and give a separate score for each.

As applicable for the requested instrument, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining capacity building merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

As applicable for the requested instrument, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an Overall Benefit score.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the Center for Scientific Review, in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

Applications may undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific, educational and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.

Applications will initially be assigned to NIGMS. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this NOFO. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions consistent with applicable law:

• Scientific, technical and educational merit of the proposed plan as determined by peer review;
• Availability of funds;
• Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities; and
• Portfolio balance, including instrument types and geographical and institutional distribution.

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.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

Applicants should ignore eRA Commons system-generated just-in-time (JIT) requests. If an application is considered for funding, NIGMS staff will send the PD/PI and AOR special instructions on how to submit a JIT update.

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 grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the recipient's business official.

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 terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this website.

Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient institutions must ensure that protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the recipient must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Recipients, and Activities, including of note, but not limited to:

• Federal wide Research Terms and Conditions
• Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment
• Acknowledgment of Federal Funding

If a recipient is successful and receives a Notice of Award, in accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions 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.

Should the applicant organization successfully compete for an award, recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS will be required to complete an HHS Assurance of Compliance form (HHS 690) in which the recipient agrees, as a term and condition of receiving the grant, to administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex and disability, and agreeing to comply with federal conscience laws, where applicable. This includes ensuring that entities take meaningful steps to provide meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency; and ensuring effective communication with persons with disabilities. Where applicable, Title XI and Section 1557 prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and gender identity. The HHS Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/provider-obligations/index.html and https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/nondiscrimination/index.html

HHS recognizes that research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator’s scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research. For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this NOFO.

• For guidance on meeting the legal obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to programs or activities by limited English proficient individuals see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/limited-english-proficiency/fact-sheet-guidance/index.html and https://www.lep.gov.
• For information on an institution’s specific legal obligations for serving qualified individuals with disabilities, including providing program access, reasonable modifications, and to provide effective communication, see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/index.html.
• HHS funded health and education programs must be administered in an environment free of sexual harassment, see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/sex-discrimination/index.html. For information about NIH's commitment to supporting a safe and respectful work environment, who to contact with questions or concerns, and what NIH's expectations are for institutions and the individuals supported on NIH-funded awards, please see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/harassment.htm.
• For guidance on administering programs in compliance with applicable federal religious nondiscrimination laws and applicable federal conscience protection and associated anti-discrimination laws see https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/conscience-protections/index.html and https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/religious-freedom/index.html.

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), NIH 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 and 2 CFR Part 200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants. This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.

Not Applicable

3. Data Management and Sharing

Note: The NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing is effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023.

Consistent with the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, when data management and sharing is applicable to the award, recipients will be required to adhere to the Data Management and Sharing requirements as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Upon the approval of a Data Management and Sharing Plan, it is required for recipients to implement the plan as described.

4. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The following information about the award and the instrument must be included in the Final RPPR:

• Name of Instrument (including manufacturer and model)
• Total Purchase Cost
• Other Sources of Funding (if appropriate)
• Instrument Installation Date
• List of users and hours of use

Annual Instrument Usage Report

In addition, for the period of two years after the Final RPPR, on the anniversary of the expiration of the award, Annual Instrument Usage Reports (AURs) must be provided to the NIH through the AOR. These reports will include analogous information requested in Final RPPR about the usage and operation of the instrument, description of research and educational activities which benefited from the instrument, and a summary of research and educational outcomes as documented by publications and any benefits to student learning or instruction.

A final RPPR, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award, as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. NIH NOFOs outline intended research goals and objectives. Post award, NIH will review and measure performance based on the details and outcomes that are shared within the RPPR, as described at 45 CFR Part 75.301 and 2 CFR Part 200.301.

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 NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over the threshold. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement 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.

NIGMS will evaluate this program, employing the representative measures identified below. To assess the program’s efficacy in research and education, NIGMS may use information from progress reports and public databases, PDs/PIs, and from equipment users. When appropriate, PDs/PIs and equipment users may be contacted after the completion of the grant period for updates on subsequent outcomes.

The overall evaluation of the program will be based on metrics that may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Publications, abstracts, and other presentations that benefited from access to the instrument
• Coursework, workshops, and other teaching opportunities that included the instrument
• Grant applications that were strengthened or enabled by access to the instrument
• Numbers of major users, minor users, students and other researchers who had substantial exposure to the instrument

Section VII. Agency Contacts

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

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)

Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-480-7075

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: [email protected]

Dorothy Beckett, PhD
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
E-mail: [email protected]

Yvonne Bennett
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Phone: 301-402-2013
E-mail: [email protected]

Yuan Luo, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Phone: 202-510-2567
E-mail: [email protected]

Marguerite Matthews, PhD
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Email: [email protected]

Ebony B Madden
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Phone: 301-503-5620
E-mail: [email protected]

Erica K Rosemond
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Phone: (301) 594-8927
E-mail: [email protected]

Xiang-Ning Li, Ph.D.
Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)
Phone: 301-435-1744
E-mail: [email protected]

Lillian Shum, PhD
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Phone: 301-594-0618
E-mail: [email protected]

Tony Douglas Gover
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Phone: 301-529-7370
E-mail: [email protected]

Albert Avila
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Phone: 301-496-8804
E-mail: [email protected]

Elizabeth Powell, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-0786
Email: [email protected]

Anna E. Mazzucco, Ph.D.
Immediate Office of the Director
Phone: 301-538-2823
Email: [email protected]

Utibe R. Bickham-Wright, PhD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Phone: 301-402-1366
E-mail: [email protected]

Susan L Sullivan
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Phone: 301-496-8683
E-mail: [email protected]

Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
[email protected]

Tiffany Walker
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
E-mail:[email protected]

Terri Jarosik
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Phone: (301) 443-3858
Email: [email protected]

Philip Smith
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Phone: 301-555-1212
E-mail: [email protected]

Chief Grants Management Officer
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: [email protected]

Leslie Littlejohn
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Phone: (301) 594-2545
E-mail: [email protected]

Deanna L Ingersoll
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Phone: 301-435-7858
E-mail: [email protected]

Shannon Oden
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Phone: 301.594.3028
E-mail: [email protected]

Gabriel Hidalgo, MBA
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Phone: 301-827-4630
E-mail: [email protected]

Karen Robinson-Smith
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Phone: 301-435-8178
E-mail: [email protected]

Katie Ellis
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Phone: 301-451-4791
E-mail: [email protected]

Judy Fox
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-4707
Email: [email protected]

Anna E. Mazzucco, Ph.D.
Immediate Office of the Director
Phone: 301-538-2823
Email: [email protected]

Priscilla Grant, JD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Phone: 301-594-8412
E-mail: [email protected]

Samantha Tempchin
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Telephone: 301-435-1404
Email: [email protected]

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200.

The Shared Instrumentation Grant Program (S10) was enacted under the U.S. Code Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare Chapter 6A - Public Health Service Subchapter iii - National Research Institutes Part A - National Institutes of Health 283n - Shared Instrumentation Grant Program.