Full Text PAR-95-011

FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION AWARD

NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 44, December 16, 1994

PA NUMBER:  PAR-95-011

P.T. 34

Keywords: 
  Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl 
  Behavioral/Social Studies/Service 


Fogarty International Center

Receipt Dates:  March 25, July 25, November 25

PURPOSE

The Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award (FIRCA) is
available to facilitate collaborative research between U.S.
biomedical scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health
and investigators in the developing world.  The FIRCA will extend and
enhance the research program of the U.S. scientist, while at the same
time benefiting the scientific interests of the collaborating foreign
scientist.  Awards are made to the U.S. applicant institution to
support a collaborative research project that will be carried out
mainly at the foreign collaborator's research site.

Up to $20,000 in direct costs per year is available for up to three
years.  Funds are available to purchase supplies for the foreign
collaborator's laboratory and to support travel for the U.S. and
foreign collaborators and their research associates, as justified by
the needs of the collaborative research.  If the foreign collaborator
does not have significant biomedical research infrastructure support,
the FIRCA will provide for the purchase of small pieces of equipment
necessary to the research project.  All biomedical and behavioral
research topics supported by the NIH are eligible for inclusion under
this program.  However, investigators working on topics related to
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) or related illnesses should apply for the Fogarty
International Center's HIV, AIDS and Related Illnesses Collaboration
Award (AIDS-FIRCA), which is available to U.S. investigators and
their collaborators in most countries of the world:  see Program
Announcement number PAR-95-012.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

For the purpose of this program, eligible countries are considered to
include those in the following regions:  Africa, Asia (except Hong
Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan), Central and Eastern
Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the
Pacific Ocean Islands (except Australia and New Zealand).

It is anticipated that the U.S. scientist will apply as principal
investigator with a colleague from a single laboratory or research
site in an eligible country.  Occasionally, however, scientific
opportunities may arise that warrant a formal collaborative effort
between the U.S. investigator and individuals from more than one
country.  Such applications may be considered if well justified and
only after consultation with program staff at the FIC.

Applications may be submitted by U.S. non-profit organizations,
public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible
agencies of the Federal government.  Racial/ethnic minority
individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to
apply as principal investigators.  In order to be eligible for a
FIRCA, the following requirements must be met:

o  U.S. applicants must already be principal investigators or project
directors on NIH research project grants (referred to as the "parent
grant") that will be active and funded during the proposed FIRCA
budget period (R, P, or U series with the following exceptions:
Center Core Grants (P30), Shannon Awards (R55), and Small Grants
(R03)).  The parent grant must have a minimum of 19 months of funding
remaining at the time of application to be eligible for FIRCA
funding.  Grants in a no-cost extension period are not eligible to
act as a parent grant for a FIRCA project.

o  The FIRCA research proposal must be for work which will be an
extension of or a new direction of the parent grant, not supported by
other sources.

o  The foreign collaborator must hold a position at a public or
private non-profit institution that will allow him or her adequate
time and provide appropriate facilities to conduct the proposed
research.

o  Applicants may submit only one FIRCA application per review cycle.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

The small grants (R03) will provide up to $20,000 per year in direct
costs for up to three years.  Funds may be used for materials and
supplies necessary to conduct the collaborative research in the
foreign scientist's research laboratory or site and for travel
directly related to the research project.  Equipment requests will be
considered from applicants with  strong justification.  Travel may be
requested up to 25 percent of the total direct costs (up to $5,000)
for the U.S. Principal Investigator, the foreign collaborator, and/or
their colleagues for visits directly related to the subject of the
collaborative research.  All proposed expenditures must be well
justified and clearly related to the research objectives of the
proposed project.

No salaries or stipends for any of the collaborators, students, or
technical assistants will be offered under these awards.  Applicants
must request support to conduct research not already being supported
by the U.S. investigator's parent grant; however, the research
proposal must be an extension of or related to the currently funded
research project.  The awards will be made to U.S. institutions which
will be responsible for the expenditures.  The minimum small grant
project period will be for one year; the maximum will be for three
years.  Continuation of the FIRCA project depends upon research
progress, availability of funds, and continuation of appropriate NIH
support for the U.S. Principal Investigator's research.  Starting
with fiscal year 1995, the FIC will accept applications for competing
continuation of FIRCA grants.

Since the research supported under this award is mainly to occur at
the foreign site, indirect costs will be calculated on the basis of
the off-site rate of the U.S. sponsoring institution.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

An important role of the FIC is to foster discovery through the
support of international cooperation across the continuum of basic,
clinical and applied biomedical, behavioral and health sciences.  The
opportunity to collaborate internationally provides a means of access
to new information and perspectives; innovative concepts and methods;
emerging research technologies; or unique populations and
environments.  The main objective of the FIRCA program is to
facilitate collaborative research efforts between U.S. and foreign
scientists that extend or enhance the NIH-supported research program
of the U.S. Principal Investigator, while at the same time benefiting
the scientific interests of the collaborating foreign scientist.
Applicants should be aware that applicable provisions for protection
of human research subjects and laboratory animals must be met in both
domestic and foreign settings.  See Title 45 CFR, Part 46, for
information concerning the Department of Health and Human Services
regulations for the protection of human subjects and the PHS Policy
on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.  These are available
from the Office for Protection from Research Risks, National
Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7507, Rockville,
MD 20892-7507.  Information on these assurances is included in the
special application instructions available from the FIC program
contact listed under INQUIRIES.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS

It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the
subjects or the purpose of the research.  This new policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies
(Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and
Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which
have been in effect since 1990.  The new policy contains some
provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies.
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should
read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (59 FR 14508-14513) and printed in
the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March
18, 1994.

Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program
staff listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide
additional relevant information concerning the policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

o  Special application instructions are required and are available
from the International Research and Awards Branch, FIC (address
below).

o  The application consists of a portion to be completed by the U.S.
Principal Investigator, and a separate portion to be completed by the
foreign collaborator.  Both portions of this application must be
submitted as a single package, by the U.S. grantee institution.

o  Applications must be submitted by the U.S. Principal Investigator
on standard form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91), which is available from most
U.S. institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Office
of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National
Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD
20892, telephone (301) 710-0267.

Receipt dates for completed applications are November 25, March 25,
and July 25.  If the deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, it is
automatically extended to the following workday.  Applications
received on these dates will be reviewed using an expedited review
schedule.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications will be assigned to the Fogarty International Center.
Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by
the International and Cooperative Projects study section, a broadly
multidisciplinary review group in the Division of Research Grants
(DRG), NIH.  Following scientific-technical review, the applications
will receive a second level review by the Fogarty International
Center Advisory Board.  As part of the initial merit review, a
process (triage) may be used by the initial review group in which
applications will be determined to be competitive or non-competitive
based on their scientific merit relative to other applications
received in response to the program announcement.  Applications
judged to be competitive will be discussed and be assigned a priority
score.  Applications determined to be non-competitive will be
withdrawn from further consideration and the Principal Investigator
and the official signing for the applicant organization will be
notified.

Review Criteria

o  likelihood that the proposed research extends or enhances the
ongoing funded research of the U.S. Principal Investigator;

o  ability of the foreign collaborator to undertake and direct the
foreign research efforts;

o  appropriateness of the proposed collaborative effort as a format
for accomplishing the stated aims;

o  appropriateness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to
the proposed research;

o  scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of
proposed research;

o  appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and
methodology proposed to carry out the research;

o  availability of the resources necessary to perform the research;

o  adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their
subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research.
Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications assigned to the Fogarty International Center.  The
following will be considered in making funding decisions: quality of
the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of
funds, and program priority, which may include regional balance.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.  Special application
instructions are necessary to apply for this program. To obtain
further information write, fax or phone the Fogarty International
Center.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Dr. Mirilee Pearl
International Research and Awards Branch
Fogarty International Center
Building 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD  20892-2220
Telephone:  (301) 496-1653
FAX:  (301) 402-0779
Email:  vnp@cu.nih.gov

For grants management and fiscal matters, contact:

Ms. Susan Bettendorf
Grants Management Specialist
Fogarty International Center
Building 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD  20892-2220
Telephone:  (301) 496-1653
FAX:  (301) 402-0779
Email:  sn5@cu.nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.934.  Awards are 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 grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 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.

The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant
recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use
of all tobacco products.  This is consistent with the PHS mission to
protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American
people.

.

Return to PA Index

Return to NIH Guide Main Index

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)