It is critical that applicants follow the Fellowship (F) instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) 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.

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

NIH's Diversity Statement

The objective of the Transition to Aging Research Award for Predoctoral Students (F99/K00) is to facilitate the transition of outstanding and committed graduate students into aging-focused post-doctoral positions.

The F99/K00 award is meant to provide up to six years of support in two phases. The F99 phase provides up to two years of support to doctoral students to complete their dissertation research projects before transitioning into the aging-focused post-doctoral phase (K00). Please note that the K00 phase supports the awardees for up to four years of mentored post-doctoral training; however, the fourth year of award is contingent upon submission of any career development award application (e.g. K99, K01, etc.) before the end of the third year of K00 phase.

Please note that the four years of K00 support of this award will not preclude the awardees from applying for other mentored career development awards (K). Awardees can justify the need for additional mentored career development training beyond the four years of K00 and apply for NIA's mentored career development award.

Note: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not allow applicants to propose to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow applicants to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.

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

Stipend levels, as well as funding amounts for tuition and fees and the institutional allowance are announced annually in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and are also posted on the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) webpage.

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

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)

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.

• Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
• 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.
• eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number to register in eRA Commons. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration, but 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 DUNS number and 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 predoctoral candidate with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her sponsor and organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.

By the time of award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551, or other legal verification of such status), or be a non-U.S. citizen with a valid U.S. visa. For applications submitted on behalf of non-U.S. citizens with valid U.S. visas, the visa status during each phase of the F99/K00 award must allow the PD/PI to conduct the proposed research at the applicant institution. For the F99 phase of the award, the applicant F99 institution is responsible for determining and documenting, in the nomination letter, that the applicant's visa will allow the applicant to remain in the U.S. to complete the F99 phase of the award and that there are no known obstacles that would prevent the applicant from obtaining a visa for the K00 phase. For the K00 phase of the award, the U.S institution at which the K00 phase of the award will be conducted is responsible for determining and documenting, in the transition application, that the PD/PI’s visa will allow the PD/PI to remain in the U.S. for the duration of the K00 award. NIA may request verifying information as part of the pre-award process.

The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree and be currently enrolled as a graduate student in the third or fourth year of a mentored PhD or equivalent research degree program (e.g., DrPH, ScD) at a domestic institution. The applicant must be at the dissertation research stage of training at the time of award, show evidence of high academic performance, and provide a comprehensive plan to successfully transition into and advance aging research.

The F99/K00 award may not be used to support studies leading to an MD, DDS, or other clinical, health-professional degree (e.g., DC, DMD, DNP, DO, DPM, DVM, ND, OD, AuD). Students matriculated in a dual-degree program (e.g. MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, or DVM/PhD) are not eligible for the F99/K00 program.

If an applicant completes all doctoral dissertation requirements or begins a postdoctoral position before an F99 award is issued, the applicant must forfeit both the F99 and the K00 awards.

Individuals who are currently being supported under F31 and/or R36 are eligible to apply for this program; however, they must give up the F31 and/or R36 if they decide to accept the F99 award.

Please note that the NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs to attract and retain promising early-stage investigators in research careers by helping them to repay their student loans. Recipients of fellowship and career development awards are encouraged to apply for an extramural LRP award.

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

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time. 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 NOT-OD-11-101).

The Transition to Aging Research Award for predoctoral students will provide up six years of support in two phases. Please refer Section I for more information.

At the time of award, individuals are required to pursue their research training during the F99 phase on a full-time basis, normally defined as 40 hours per week or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies. At the postdoctoral level (K00 phase), the trainees can decrease their effort to 75% or nine person-months of effort per year.

Before submitting the application, the applicant must identify a sponsor(s) who will supervise the proposed mentored training experience. Applicants are encouraged to identify more than one sponsor, i.e., a sponsor team, if this is deemed advantageous for their training program. When there is a sponsor team, one individual must be identified as the primary sponsor, and will be expected to coordinate the applicant’s overall training.

The primary sponsor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research training and be committed both to the applicant s research training and to direct supervision of his/her research. The primary sponsor must document the availability of sufficient research funds and facilities for high-quality research training. The primary sponsor, or a member of the sponsor team, should have a successful track record of mentorship. The applicant must work with the primary sponsor(s) in preparing the application.

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 FOA. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

It is critical that applicants follow the Fellowship (F) instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement 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.

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

Instructions for Application Submission

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

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

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

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

Other Attachments:

Certification Letter

Applicants are required to attach a letter from the institution certifying eligibility of the Fellowship applicant for this program. The certification letter must be on institutional letterhead and scanned so that an institutional official signature is visible. See instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. If the applicant is not a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or permanent resident, the sponsoring institution must give assurance that the candidate’s visa provides sufficient time to complete the F99 phase of the award at a U.S. institution and that there are no known obstacles (e.g., home country requirement) to the candidate obtaining a visa at the time of the K00 transition. The letter should include the name of the primary sponsor and an affirmation of the institution’s commitment to the applicant s training and research career goals..

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

The PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form is comprised of the following sections:

• Fellowship Applicant
• Research Training Plan
• Sponsor(s), Collaborator(s), and Consultant(s);
• Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training
• Other Research Training Plan Sections
• Additional Information
• Budget
• Appendix

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

Fellowship Applicant Section

Applicant s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training

This section should address both the F99 phase and the K00 phase.

Doctoral Dissertation and Research Experience

Include a description of how the combination of past research experiences and the F99/K00 will contribute to achieving a long-term career goal.

Training Goals and Objectives

Describe the long-term career goal and explain how the F99/K00 will enable the attainment of that goal. Describe how the current project and research experience will be leveraged for identifying and pursuing a research question within the mission of NIA. For each phase, describe how the proposed research training and career development plan will enhance the applicant's knowledge and understanding of aging-related research and expand her/his technical and professional skills, keeping in mind existing strengths as well as gaps in existing skills.

It is not expected that the F99 phase include aging research. Thus, for those individuals who are entering the field of aging research in their K00 phase, this will represent a significant research redirection. Such individuals are expected to describe their efforts and/or training plans during both F99 and K00 phases that provide preparation for the K00 research and, later, as an independent aging scientist.

Activities Planned Under This Award

Describe the scientific and professional development activities planned for each phase and explain how the activities will facilitate the transition to each subsequent career stage. Include a timeline with scientific, professional development, and career milestones.

Research Training Plan

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

Specific Aims

All applicants must use these two Specific Aims:

Specific Aim 1: The Dissertation Research Project

Provide a detailed description of the current research and research to be completed during the F99 phase. This phase is NOT expected to be related to the NIA mission.

Specific Aim 2: The Postdoctoral Research Direction

Identify a research direction within NIA’s interest areas to be pursued during the K00 phase. For more information about the NIA s research areas of interest, please visit the NIA blog and NIA website.

Research Strategy

• If the applicant is proposing to gain experience in a clinical trial as part of his or her research training, describe the relationship of the clinical trial to the proposed research project.
• Since data sharing promotes new ideas and advances science, new data and novel methods and approaches are recommended to be shared with the public.
• Applicants should address the Significance and Approach for each Specific Aim individually.

o Specific Aim 1: Dissertation Research Project

Significance

Provide an overview of the dissertation research, including the scientific question being addressed and its potential impact on the dissertation research field.

Approach

Provide an overview of the dissertation research, including the background, goal, rationale, and hypotheses of the research project(s). The Approach for this Aim should be organized into two sections:

1. A progress report on the dissertation research project thus far, including the approaches used, research outcomes obtained, and important methodologies learned.

2. A detailed research proposal for the work to be completed in the F99 phase, including experimental design, anticipated results, potential problems, alternative strategies, and potential follow-up studies.

o Specific Aim 2: Postdoctoral Research Direction

Significance

Explain the significance of the K00 research direction. Describe a specific question or observation that might be investigated. Explain how this question or observation is related to NIA’s and the applicant's research interests. Make sure to include how your work will advance the field of aging and/or promote prevention, diagnosis, and prognosis of age-related diseases and promote health span and/or lifespan.

Approach

Provide a general description of how the research might be conducted, including approaches and methodologies to be used, anticipated results, challenges that might arise, and pitfalls of the approaches and how to address them. Explain how your previous training, especially if your K00 is associated with research redirection, will propel you onto an aging-focused research career path.

Sponsor(s), Collaborator(s), and Consultant(s)

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

• Although it is not required for applicants to determine a postdoctoral mentor in the application, proposing a postdoctoral mentor with sufficient funds and expertise in aging research who can also provide comprehensive training can benefit your application.
• Although it is not required to select a K00 mentor in the application, proposing one with an extensive research experience and mentoring history of junior scientists is desirable. For those applicants who didn t propose a postdoctoral mentor, make sure to include strategies and plans for identifying a K00 mentor.

Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training Section

Description of Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training

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

Appendix

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

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

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

If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or a Delayed Onset Study record. If gaining research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor/co-sponsor, provide the sponsor’s ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (i.e., NCT number).

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

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

• Do not provide an NCT# in Section 1, item 1.5. See instruction for Sponsor(s), Collaborator(s), and Consultant(s) above.
• Do not complete Section 4 Protocol Synopsis information or Section 5 Other Clinical Trial-related Attachments.

Delayed Onset Study

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start).

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

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

Applicants must carefully follow the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, including the time period for when reference letters will be accepted. Applications lacking the appropriate required reference letters will not be reviewed. This is a separate process from submitting an application electronically. Reference letters are submitted directly through the eRA Commons Submit Reference Letter link and not through Grants.gov.

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.

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.

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The National Research Service Award (NRSA) policies apply to this program. ).

Pre-award costs are generally not allowable for Fellowships.

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) and sponsor(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. 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.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). 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 components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

In order to expedite review, applicants are requested to notify the NIA Referral Office by email at ramesh.vemuri@nih.gov when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy. .

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.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

• A fellowship application has a research project that is integrated with the training plan. The review will emphasize the applicant’s potential for a productive career, the applicant’s need for the proposed training, and the degree to which the research project and training plan, the sponsor(s), and the environment will satisfy those needs.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the fellowship will enhance the applicant s potential for, and commitment to, a productive independent scientific research career in a health-related field, in consideration of the scored and additional review criteria.

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

Fellowship Applicant

• Are the applicant’s academic record and research experience of high quality?
• Does the applicant have the potential to develop into an independent and productive researcher?
• Does the applicant demonstrate commitment to a research career in the future?
• Do the letters of reference provide evidence that the applicant has both a strong commitment to, and high potential for, becoming an independent research investigator?
• Has the applicant described how their current research experience can be leveraged toward aging research?

Sponsors, Collaborators, and Consultants

• Are the sponsor(s ) research qualifications (including recent publications) and track record of mentoring individuals at a similar stage appropriate for the needs of the applicant?
• Is there evidence of a match between the research and clinical interests (if applicable) of the applicant and the sponsor(s)? Do(es) the sponsor(s) demonstrate an understanding of the applicant’s training needs as well as the ability and commitment to assist in meeting these needs?
• Is there evidence of adequate research funds to support the applicant’s proposed research project and training for the duration of the research component of the fellowship?
• If a team of sponsors is proposed, is the team structure well justified for the mentored training plan, and are the roles of the individual members appropriate and clearly defined?
• Are the qualifications of any collaborator(s) and/or consultant(s), including their complementary expertise and previous experience in fostering the training of fellows, appropriate for the proposed project?
• Have the applicant and sponsor(s) described an appropriate set of qualifications and characteristics for the mentor in the career development phase of the award?
• If the applicant is proposing to gain experience in a clinical trial as part of his or her research training, is there evidence of the appropriate expertise, experience, resources, and ability on the part of the sponsor(s) to guide the applicant during the clinical trial research experience?

Research Training Plan

• Is the proposed F99 research project of high scientific quality, and is it well integrated with the proposed research training plan?
• Is the F99 research project consistent with the applicant's stage of research development and relevant to his/her research career objectives?
• Is the proposed time frame feasible to accomplish the proposed F99 research training and transition to the K00 career development phase?
• Have the applicant and/or sponsor(s) outlined feasible research milestones for the transition from the F99 fellowship phase of the award to the K00 career development phase?
• Is the research plan outlined for the K00 career development phase appropriate to the applicant's anticipated stage of development and as a vehicle for developing the research skills described in the career development plan?
• If a mentor for the K00 phase is not proposed, is the strategy for identifying an expert mentor in aging research well described? How likely is it that this strategy can identify a strong mentor who is capable of guiding the candidate's transition into aging research and successfully completing the proposed work?
• If proposed, will the clinical trial experience contribute to the proposed project and/or the applicant’s research training?

Training Potential

• Are the proposed research project and training plan likely to provide the applicant with the requisite individualized and mentored experiences in order to obtain appropriate skills for a research career?
• Does the training plan take advantage of the applicant s strengths and address gaps in needed skills? Does the training plan document a clear need for, and value of, the proposed training?
• Does the proposed training have the potential to serve as a sound foundation that will clearly enhance the applicant’s ability to develop into a productive aging scholar?
• Have the applicant and sponsor(s) outlined appropriate milestones in terms of professional and career skills for transition to the career development phase of the award?
• Are adequate plans described for monitoring and evaluating the applicant’s research and career development progress throughout the training period?

Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training

• Are the research facilities, resources (e.g., equipment, laboratory space, computer time, subject populations, clinical training settings) and training opportunities (e.g. seminars, workshops, professional development opportunities) adequate and appropriate?
• Is the institutional environment for the applicant’s scientific and clinical development of high quality?
• Does the environment include individuals with similar training who will serve as role models for the applicant?
• Given the integrated nature of the training program, will appropriate advising be available to the applicant as he/she transitions from the F99 to K00 phase and to the next career stage?
• Is there appropriate institutional commitment to support the applicant s research and training, if needed, for the duration of the proposed award?

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

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan

When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following criteria: (1) description of proposed procedures involving animals, including species, strains, ages, sex, and total number to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals versus alternative models and for the appropriateness of the species proposed; (3) interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury; and (4) justification for euthanasia method if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Reviewers will assess the use of chimpanzees as they would any other application proposing the use of vertebrate animals. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

Not Allowed

Renewals

Not Allowed

Revisions

Not Allowed

As applicable for the project proposed, 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 impact score.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

All applications for support under this FOA must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Taking into account the level of experience of the applicant, including any prior instruction or participation in RCR as appropriate for the applicant’s career stage, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - the required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only on-line instruction is not acceptable); 2) Subject Matter - the breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics; 3) Faculty Participation - the role of the sponsor(s) and other faculty involvement in the fellow’s instruction; 4) Duration of Instruction - the number of contact hours of instruction (at least eight contact hours are required); and 5) Frequency of Instruction instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years. Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee. See also: NOT-OD-10-019.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable.

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan, 2) Sharing Model Organisms, and 3) Genomic Data Sharing Plan.

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s), convened by NIA 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:

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

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this FOA.

Applications will be assigned to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Council on Aging. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
• Availability of funds.
• Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.

Doctorate training that brings new skill sets into the NIA biomedical research mission will be more competitive.

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.

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

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 grantee’s business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. 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 FOA 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.

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, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS must administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights law. This means that recipients of HHS funds must ensure equal access to their programs without regard to a person’s race, color, national origin, disability, age and, in some circumstances, sex and religion. This includes ensuring your programs are accessible to persons with limited English proficiency. 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 FOA. HHS provides general guidance to recipients of FFA on meeting their legal obligation to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to their programs by persons with limited English proficiency. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/limited-english-proficiency/index.html. The HHS Office for Civil Rights also provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/index.html; and https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/laws-regulations-guidance/index.html. Recipients of FFA also have specific legal obligations for serving qualified individuals with disabilities. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/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. Also note it is an HHS Departmental goal to ensure access to quality, culturally competent care, including long-term services and supports, for vulnerable populations. For further guidance on providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services, recipients should review the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care at http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=53.

Institutional Allowances and No-Cost Extensions

Carryover of unspent funds is not permitted between the first and second years of the F99 phase or from a partially completed year in the F99 phase into the K00 phase. Provisions for No-Cost Extensions do not apply to the F99 phase.

Transition to the Postdoctoral Career Development K00 Phase

The F99/K00 award is intended to facilitate the successful transition to an aging-focused postdoctoral career. Consequently, a requirement for the K00 phase award is successful completion of the doctoral research degree and subsequent transition to an aging-related, mentored, traditional postdoctoral research position. Applicants are encouraged to expand their skill set and apply for postdoctoral positions at departments and institutions other than where they conducted their doctoral research. It is important for all applicants to provide a detailed plan by which they will separate their work from their Ph.D. sponsor. Those applicants who intend to stay at the predoctoral phase institution for the postdoctoral phase should also provide a strong justification for staying.

The transition from the predoctoral phase to the postdoctoral phase is intended to be continuous in time; therefore, except in unusual circumstances, NIA will not extend the F99 phase. To begin the K00 award phase of the grant, individuals must a) have been offered a postdoctoral appointment to carry out aging-focused research and b) have received approval from NIA for the K00 transition (see below). Upon starting the K00 phase of the award, the F99 phase of the award is terminated.

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the NIA Training Officer as soon as a plan to assume a postdoctoral position develops, not later than 6 months prior to the end of the F99 phase of the award.

A proposed K00 institution and mentor must have appropriate infrastructure to support the proposed research program and a history of external research funding. Applicants may apply for NIH-sponsored postdoctoral positions within the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). However, should the individual accept such a position in the IRP, the postdoctoral phase will be supported directly by NIH intramural funds.

The K00 postdoctoral phase institution must submit the materials on behalf of the candidate for the K00 award no later than 12 weeks prior to the proposed start of the K00 award. The institution's Authorized Organizational Representative will email the application in PDF format using the PHS 398 form to the NIA Scientific Contact listed in Section VII. The K00 application will be evaluated by NIA Program staff for completeness and responsiveness to the program.

Candidates who are not approved to transition will receive written notification from the awarding component communicating the rationale for the disapproval. This notification will typically be sent within 60 days of receipt of the K00 application.

Although the financial plans of NIA provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds.

Instructions for the K00 Transition Award

F99 awardees wishing to submit a K00 transition application must follow the Career Development (K) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, including Supplemental Grant Application Instructions, except where instructed in the FOA to do otherwise, as described here.

The K00 Transition Application will include the following components:

• A new cover page signed by the K00 phase institutional representative
• A Final Progress Report for the F99 phase
• A final evaluation statement by the F99 primary sponsor
• Updated Project Summary, Abstract, Project Narrative, Bibliography and References Cited, Facilities and Other Resources, and Equipment sections
• Biographical sketches
• Detailed budget pages for a non-modular budget
• K00 budgets consist of salary and fringe benefits; the combined cost of tuition and fees in an amount equal to 60% of the level requested by the applicant institution, up to $4,500 per year; other program-related expenses; and indirect costs, as described in Part II, Section II of the FOA
• Other costs are not allowed
• Updated sections of the PHS Career Development Award Supplemental Form, which should include the following:
• A new Candidate section
• An updated Research Plan section
• The Specific Aims should be updated to reflect current plans for the K00 phase
• The updated Research Strategy should be described in less than 3 pages
• A new Mentor, Co-Mentor, Consultant, and Collaborators section that includes a plan for transitioning the candidate to the next stage of his/her career by the end of the project award period.
• The mentor should describe his/her mentoring history, including type of mentoring (e.g., graduate students, career development awardees, postdoctoral students), number of persons mentored, and career outcomes
• If the primary mentor has limited training experience, a co-mentor with a strong, successful track record as a mentor should be included
• An updated Description of Institutional Environment
• An Institutional Commitment to Candidate's Research Career Development
• If the candidate is not a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, the sponsoring institution must include information about the candidate's visa status and an assurance that the candidate's visa provides sufficient time to complete the K00 phase of the award at a U.S. institution
• Updated Protections for Human Subjects and Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan (as appropriate)
• Updated Other Research Plan Sections (as appropriate), including:

o Vertebrate Animals

o Select Agent Research

o Resource Sharing Plans

o Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources

Fellowships funded primarily for educational purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements and thus invention reporting is not required. More details, including exceptions for fellows training at NIH are provided in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually. The report is due two months before the beginning date of the next budget period and must include information describing the current year's progress as well as the research and training plans for the coming year.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees 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 $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

• Individuals admitted to the United States as Permanent Residents must submit notarized evidence of legal admission prior to the award.

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

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: http://grants.nih.gov/support/ (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: GrantsInfo@nih.gov (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-945-7573

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

NIA Training Office
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-496-9322
Email: NIATraining@mail.nih.gov

Ramesh Vemuri, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-7700
Email: ramesh.vemuri@nih.gov

Traci Lafferty
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-496-8987
Email: laffertt@nia.nih.gov

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 63A and 45 CFR Part 75.