BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT SHARED INSTRUMENTATION GRANT

NIH GUIDE, Volume 22, Number 3, January 22, 1993



PAR NUMBER:  PAR-93-43



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Instrumentation, Scientific 



National Center for Research Resources



Application Receipt Date:  March 24, 1993



PURPOSE



The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) is continuing its

competitive Biomedical Research Support (BRS) Shared Instrumentation

Grant (SIG) Program initiated in Fiscal Year 1982.  The recent

National Survey of Academic Research Equipment and Equipment Needs,

cosponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National

Science Foundation, identified research equipment of the type

provided through this program as top-priority.  The objective of the

program is to make available to institutions with a high

concentration of NIH-supported biomedical investigators research

instruments that can only be justified on a shared-use basis and for

which meritorious research projects are described.



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



The BRS Shared Instrumentation Grant Program is a subprogram of the

BRS Program of the NCRR.  Awards are made under the authority of the

BRS Program and are made to public and non-profit institutions only.

Health professional schools, other academic institutions, hospitals,

state and municipal health agencies, and research organizations may

apply.  Federal institutions, foreign institutions, and for-profit

institutions are not eligible.  Awards are contingent on the

availability of funds.



An eligible institution may submit more than one application for

different instrumentation for the March 24, 1993, deadline.  However,

if several applications are submitted for similar instrumentation

from one or more eligible components of an institution, documentation

from a high administrative official must be provided, stating that

the several applications are a coordinated institutional resource

plan, not an unintended duplication.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



BRS Shared Instrumentation Grants (S10) provide support for expensive

state-of-the-art instruments utilized in both basic and clinical

research.  Applications are limited to instruments that cost at least

$100,000 per instrument or system.  The maximum award is $400,000.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



This program is designed to meet the special problems of acquisition

and updating of expensive shared-use instruments that are not

generally available through other NIH mechanisms, such as the regular

research project, program project and center grant programs, or the

Biomedical Research Technology Grant Program.  Proposals 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 microscopes, mass

spectrometers, protein sequencer/amino acid analyzers 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.



Awards will be made for the direct costs of the acquisition of new,

or the updating of existing, research instruments.  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 $400,000.

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 indirect 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 sources(s)

of funding for the balance of the cost of the instrument.

Documentation of the availability of the remainder of the funding,

signed by an appropriate institutional official, must be presented to

NCRR prior to the issuance of an award.  Requests for a multiple

instrument purchase totaling over $400,000 must specify and justify

which instrument(s) should be supported within the $400,000 ceiling.



Applicants proposing the direct purchase of an instrument that the

institution has secured or is planning to secure via a leasing

agreement are strongly encouraged 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.



A major user group of three or more investigators should be

identified.  A minimum of three major users must be Principal

Investigators on NIH peer reviewed research support at the time of

the award.  The application must show a clear need for the

instrumentation by projects supported by multiple NIH research awards

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 institutions may also be included.



If the major user group does not require total usage of the

instrument, access to the instrument can be made available to other

users upon the advice of the internal advisory committee.  These

users need not be NIH awardees, but priority should be given to

NIH-supported scientists engaged in biomedical research.



Each applicant institution must propose a Principal Investigator who

can assume administrative/scientific oversight responsibility for the

instrumentation requested.  An internal advisory committee to assist

in this responsibility should also be utilized.  The Principal

Investigator and the advisory group are responsible for the

development of guidelines for shared use of the instrument, for

preparation of all reports required by the NIH, for relocation of the

instrument within the grantee institution if the major user group is

significantly altered and for continued support for the maximum

utilization and maintenance of the instrument in the post-award

period.



A plan should be proposed for the day-to-day management of the

instrument including designation of a qualified individual to

supervise the operation of the instrument and to provide technical

expertise to the users.  Specific plans for sharing arrangements and

for monitoring the use of the instrument should be described.



If a grant award is made, a final progress report will be required

that describes the use of the instrument, listing all users, and

indicating the value of the instrumentation to the research of the

major users and to the institution as a whole. This report is due

within 90 days following the end of the project period.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS

398 (rev. 9/91).  Application kits are available at most

institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from

the Office of Grants Inquiries, Division of Research Grants, National

Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD

20892, telephone (301) 496-7441.



1.  Form page 1 (Face page of the application) - Item 1.  Name the

type of instrument requested.  (Note at the bottom of the face page

if a duplicate application has been sent to another agency.)



Item 2.  Check the box marked, "yes," and write in the number of this

announcement and "NCRR-BRS SHARED INSTRUMENTATION GRANT."



Item 4.  If human subjects are involved in the research, follow the

instructions for completing Item 4 on the face page of form PHS 398,

certifying that an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved by PHS

has reviewed and approved the protocols involving human subjects.  If

the protocols are ongoing and have already received prior IRB review

and approval within one year of the submission date of this

application, then additional IRB review is not necessary.  However,

this fact must be noted in Item 4 on the Face Page, and, if space is

insufficient, the date(s) of prior IRB review and approval of each

protocol involving human subjects should be listed in the "Research

Plans."



Item 5.  If live vertebrate animals are involved in the research,

follow the instructions for completing Item 5 on the Face Page of

Form PHS 398, verifying that an Institutional Animal Care and Use

Committee (IACUC) approved by PHS (OPRR) has reviewed and approved

the protocols involving animals.  If the protocols are ongoing and

have already received prior IACUC review and approval within three

years of the submission date of this application, then additional

IACUC review is not necessary.  However, this fact must be noted in

Item 5 on the Face Page and, if space is insufficient, the date(s) of

prior IACUC review and approval of each protocol involving animals

should be listed in the "Research Plan."



Item 6.  Write in April 1, 1994 - March 31, 1995.



Item 8A.  Use this block to give the total amount requested from NCRR

for this instrument or system.



Item 12.  Complete Item 12 and type in the institution's BRS grant

number.



2.  Form page 2.  Complete the abstract as directed. Under "Personnel

engaged on project", give data on the Principal Investigator and the

major user group as required.



3.  Form page 4.  Describe the instrument requested including

manufacturer and model number.  The model chosen should be justified

by comparing its performance with other available instruments.

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.



4.  Form page 5.  Budget Estimates for All Years.  Not applicable; do

not complete.



5.  Form page 6 - Biographical Sketch.  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).

Biographical sketches should not exceed two pages for each

individual.



6.  Form page 7 - Other Support.  Provide the requested information

for each major user.



7.  Section 2 of the application.  (If this is a revised application,

note the special instructions in the PHS-398 kit regarding completion

of Section 2 of the application.)



Provide information relative to the points identified under criteria

for review including:



a.  Inventory similar instruments existing at the institution or

otherwise accessible; describe why they are unavailable or

inappropriate for the proposed research and provide a clear

justification why new or updated equipment is needed, including

accessories.



b.  Have the major users describe their research projects and

indicate how the requested instrumentation and/or accessories would

enhance the progress of their research projects.  While most projects

are included in currently funded applications, some represent new

directions.  In the case of funded projects, the description should

not exceed four pages per user but should point out the benefit of

the proposed instrument to the research objectives of each major

user.  New directions and their requirements for the proposed

instrumentation should be described in sufficient detail to allow

adequate review (including  preliminary data or supplemental

materials).  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.  List the page number of this table under "Table of Contents"

(Form page 3) after "Resources and Environment".  Make a separate

table to indicate the major users' needs for requested accessories.

If possible, each user should highlight those publications that

demonstrate the user's expertise in using the requested

instrumentation.



c.  Describe the organizational plan including the internal advisory

committee for administration of the grant.



d.  Submit a specific plan for long-term operation and maintenance of

the instrument.  Provide documentation (e.g., separate letters signed

by appropriate institutional officials) describing the required

institutional commitment in support of the proposed plan.



Applications must be received by March 24, 1993.  Applications

received after this date will not be accepted for review in this

competition.  The original and three copies of the application,

together with four copies of any appendix material, must be sent to:



Application Receipt Office

Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892***



Two copies of the application and one copy of any appendix material

must be addressed to:



Biomedical Research Support Program

National Center for Research Resources

Westwood Building, Room 10A11

Bethesda, MD  20892



REVIEW PROCEDURES



Applications are reviewed by specially convened initial review groups

of the Division of Research Grants (DRG) for scientific and technical

merit and for program considerations by the National Advisory

Research Resources Council (NARRC) of the NCRR.  Approximately half

of the applications will be reviewed at the September 1993, NARRC

meeting and the remainder at the NARRC meeting in February 1994.

Funding decisions on all applications received for the March 24,

1993, deadline will not be made until the program receives an

appropriation for FY 1994.  The Council date will not affect funding

decisions.



Criteria for review of applications include the following:



o  The extent to which an award for the specific instrument would

meet the scientific needs and enhance the planned research endeavors

of the major users by providing an instrument that is unavailable or

to which availability is highly limited.



o  The availability and commitment of the appropriate technical

expertise within the major user group or the institution for use of

the instrumentation.



o  The adequacy of the organizational plan and the internal advisory

committee for administration of the grant including sharing

arrangements for use of the instrument.



o  The institution's commitment for continued support of the

utilization and maintenance of the instrument.



o  The benefit of the proposed instrument to the overall research

community it will serve.



AWARD CRITERIA



In making funding decisions, the NCRR will give consideration to

ensure program balance among various types of instruments supported

and/or geographic distribution of awards.



INQUIRIES



Inquiries regarding programmatic or scientific issues may be directed

to:



Marjorie A. Tingle, Ph.D.

Director, Biomedical Research Support Program

National Center for Research Resources

Westwood Building, Room 10A11

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-6743



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Ms. Mary V. Niemiec

Office of Grants and Contracts Management

National Center for Research Resources

Westwood Building, Room 849

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-9840



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance number 93.337, Biomedical Research Support.  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 PHS grant 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.



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