and Human Services (HHS)
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Department of Health and Human Services
Participating Organizations
National
Institutes of Health (NIH), ( http://www.nih.gov/)
Components of Participating Organizations
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), ( http://www.niaid.nih.gov/)
Title: Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated
Preclinical/Clinical Program (U19)
Announcement Type
This is a modification of RFA-AI-06-009 which
was previously released March 1, 2006.
Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part
II Full Text of Announcement
Section
I. Funding Opportunity Description
1.
Research Objectives
Section
II. Award Information
1.
Mechanism(s) of Support
2. Funds
Available
Section
III. Eligibility Information
1.
Eligible Applicants
A.
Eligible Institutions
B.
Eligible Individuals
2.Cost
Sharing or Matching
3. Other
- Special Eligibility Criteria
Section
IV. Application and Submission Information
1.
Address to Request Application Information
2.
Content and Form of Application Submission
3.
Submission Dates and Times
A.
Receipt and Review and Anticipated Start Dates
1.
Letter of Intent
B.
Sending an Application to the NIH
C.
Application Processing
4.
Intergovernmental Review
5.
Funding Restrictions
6. Other
Submission Requirements
Section
V. Application Review Information
1.
Criteria
2.
Review and Selection Process
A.
Additional Review Criteria
B.
Additional Review Considerations
C.
Sharing Research Data
D.
Sharing Research Resources
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award
Notices
2.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements
A.
Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
1.
Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities
2.
NIH Responsibilities
3.
Collaborative Responsibilities
4.
Arbitration Process
3.
Reporting
Section
VII. Agency Contact(s)
1.
Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer
Review Contact(s)
3.
Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal
Citations
Part
II - Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Purpose
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), invites applications from consortia of institutions/organizations to participate in the Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program (IPCP). This program is designed to assist researchers in assembling the scientific expertise and resources needed to translate basic laboratory discoveries to the clinic for proof-of-concept.
Research advances in recent years have yielded a wealth of information on HIV molecular biology, the pathogenesis of HIV disease, and the impact of disease progression on immune function. Concomitantly, important methodological advances have been made. Together this scientific and technological progress has made possible the exploration of a wide range of non-traditional therapeutic concepts, as well as traditional drug-based therapies exploiting novel viral and cellular targets. In the preclinical area this RFA seeks research on: new therapeutic targets, small molecule inhibitors of viral or cellular proteins or pathways critical to HIV replication and/or persistence, and immunological approaches to complement antiretroviral-based therapies. The inclusion of animal model studies is encouraged. In the clinical area the focus is on iterative bench-to-bedside research to pilot new therapeutic approaches. Phase I or I/II clinical studies (10-30 subjects) would be the goal for demonstrating proof-of-concept.
Background
For the first 15 years of the HIV epidemic, drug discovery efforts concentrated on a relatively small number of viral targets: reverse transcriptase and protease. Continuing research into the mechanism of virus replication and virus/host interactions has yielded new targets and inhibitors to be exploited. For example, a number of potential targets have been identified in the HIV-1 attachment and entry process, with one fusion inhibitor now FDA-approved. Numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are evaluating inhibitors of the CCR5 co-receptor/HIV-1 interaction; both small molecules and antibodies are being pursued in a race that most likely will yield an FDA-approved drug within the foreseeable future. Research on the assembly, maturation, and budding of HIV-1 has likewise provided potential targets in the viral capsid or its precursor protein (Gag). Inhibitors of these and other newly identified targets are being sought by means of high throughput screening of chemical libraries, made possible by the development of innovative assays and the application of robotics technology.
Extensive research has shown that currently available therapies do not totally eliminate HIV-1 and only partially reverse immune system damage. At present the development of resistance is an inevitable outcome of the introduction of a new HIV drug. Thus, while advances continue to be made, there remains a need for the identification/validation of new host and viral targets, novel drugs and delivery systems, immunological approaches, and agents/strategies to eliminate viral reservoirs.
Research Objectives and Scope
The objectives of the Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program (IPCP) are to support: (1) innovative preclinical studies to identify new HIV therapies, and (2) the translation of innovative treatment concepts to the clinic for proof-of-concept studies. Applicants are expected to have an identified strategy, based on solid scientific rationale and supported by preliminary data.
Applicants may propose: (1) preclinical research exclusively or (2) iterative bench-to-bedside research that involves one or more pilot scale clinical studies (10 - 30 subjects). Concepts or entities that are ready for clinical trial without further preclinical work are funded under a different NIAID mechanism (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/clinical/R34.htm). Applications to this RFA that propose such trials without further iterative preclinical studies will be deemed non-responsive and returned to the applicant without review.
Examples of research topics of interest for this RFA:
A list of projects supported under previous issuances of this initiative can be found at: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/daids/pdatguide/ipcp.htm. This site also contains examples of accomplishments attributable to the IPCP and similar multi-project programs supported by the NIAID Division of AIDS (DAIDS).
NOTE: This RFA will NOT support:
Applications proposing research in any of the above four areas will be deemed non-responsive and will be returned to the applicant without review.
NOTE: For applications focused on small molecule inhibitors, sufficient information about the chemical structure, physical/chemical, and pharmacologic properties should be provided so that potential toxicities and drug-like characteristics of the proposed molecules can be potentially predicted at the review stage.
Partnerships
The NIAID seeks applications from consortia of institutions/organizations to participate in the Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program (IPCP). The primary applicant may be from academia or the private sector. Each application must be composed of a minimum of three interrelated research projects and an Administrative Core; one or more Scientific Cores may be proposed. At least one research project must be must be from the private sector if the applicant institution is from academia; conversely, at least one research project must be from academia if the applicant institution is from the private sector. For the purpose of this RFA, the term private sector comprises large and small, domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit pharmaceutical, biotechnology, bioengineering, and chemical companies.
The private sector partner is expected to propose a research plan within the required project that contributes materially and intellectually to the overall goals and objectives of the program. The requirement for a private sector component is not met by entities providing only research resources for the project, such as reagents and novel experimental therapeutics, or service type activities as described below under Scientific Cores. Projects from a private sector partner proposing to provide only resources or services, even if unique, will be deemed non-responsive, and the application will be returned without review.
Applicants are encouraged to reach early consensus with any proposed partners regarding intellectual property and other legal matters that may arise during the project. In addition, applicants are expected to exercise their Bayh-Dole rights in a manner that does not conflict with the goals of this award or the intent of the Bayh-Dole Act to promote the utilization, commercialization and availability of U.S. Government-funded inventions for public benefit. Finally, applicants are expected to make new information and materials known to the research community in a timely manner through publications, web announcements, and reports to the NIAID or other mechanisms (see Section VI.2.A.1 for PI responsibilities related to Intellectual Property and Section IV.6. Sharing Research Data and Sharing Research Resources).
Scientific Cores
One or more scientific cores may be proposed. A scientific core is a resource to the multi-project grant as a whole and must support at least two of the proposed research projects. The application must indicate the specific projects to be served by the scientific core(s). Typically a core performs a service-type activity rather than hypothesis-driven research. Examples of services that could be provided by such cores include: routine in vitro assays, cell processing and preparation, standardized pharmacology and toxicology tests.
Scientific Advisory Panel
The PI will constitute a Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) of 2-3 investigators not affiliated with any of the institutions comprising the group within six months of the award. The SAP will attend the annual meeting to review program activities and evaluate progress, adherence to the milestones and timelines, and the continued relevance of each project and core to the overall goals. The SAP will recommend new directions as appropriate and will provide the PI and NIAID with a comprehensive written evaluation of the group’s activities following each annual meeting.
NOTE: The SAP may not be constituted prior to award and names of potential members are NOT to be provided in the application.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal
Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism(s) of Support
This funding opportunity will use the multi-project
U19 Cooperative Agreement award mechanism.
As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This funding opportunity uses the just-in-time budget
concepts. It also uses the non-modular budget format described in the PHS 398
application instructions (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html).
A detailed categorical budget for the "Initial Budget Period" and the
"Entire Proposed Period of Support" is to be submitted with the
application.
The NIH U19 is a multi-project cooperative agreement award mechanism. In the cooperative agreement
mechanism the Principal Investigator retains the primary responsibility and
dominant role for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project, with
NIH staff being substantially involved as a partner with the Principal
Investigator, as described under the Section VI. 2.
Administrative Requirements, "Cooperative Agreement Terms and
Conditions of Award".
It is anticipated that this funding opportunity will be re-issued in 2008.
2. Funds Available
The NIAID intends to commit approximately $3 million in FY 2008 to fund one to
two new and/or competing continuation grants
in response to this RFA. An applicant may request a project period
of up to five years and a budget for
direct costs that respects the following limits: for applicants proposing exclusively preclinical research throughout the five
year term, $650,000 direct costs for the first year; for applicants proposing
the use of large animals (e.g. non-human primates), up to $775,000 direct costs
in any year(s) that such large animals will be needed; and for applicants
proposing clinical studies, up to $1.3 million direct costs in any year(s) in
which clinical studies are being conducted.
Applicants are encouraged to develop plans to use existing infrastructure and organizational support to complement the award, including NIH-sponsored General Clinical Research Centers (GCRC, http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/clinical/cr_gcrc.asp), Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA, http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/clinicaldiscipline.asp), Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR, http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/cfar/), and existing government funded clinical trials networks. These plans, and supporting documentation, should be included in the application.
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the IC(s) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Facilities and administrative costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-05-004.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible
Institutions
You may submit (an) application(s) if your organization
has any of the following characteristics:
Foreign institutions/organizations are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant, but may enter into a consortium (with a domestic [U.S.] institution/organization) serving as the primary applicant.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.
2.
Cost Sharing or Matching
Not applicable.
The most current
Grants Policy Statement can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/nihgps_Part2.htm#matching_or_cost_sharing
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Information
The
PHS 398 application instructions are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of
the PHS 398. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301)
710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Telecommunications
for the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Applications
must be prepared using the most current PHS 398 research grant application
instructions and forms. Applications must have a D&B Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number as the universal identifier when applying for
Federal grants or cooperative agreements. The D&B number can be obtained by
calling (866) 705-5711 or through the web site at http://www.dnb.com/us/. The D&B number
for the primary applicant institution should be entered on line 11 of the face
page of the PHS 398 form.
The title and number
of this funding opportunity must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the
application form and the YES box must be checked.
Supplemental Instructions for the Preparation of Multi-project Applications
The following section supplements the instructions found in the PHS Form 398 for preparing the multi-project grant application. Additional instructions are required because the PHS Form 398 is designed primarily for individual, free-standing research grant (R01) applications, and has no specific instructions for multi-project applications consisting of research projects interrelated by a common theme.
The supplemental instructions below are divided as follows:
A. General Instructions addresses collaborative efforts among research
projects, the administrative and organizational structure as well as the
overall facilities and environment, and the overall budget.
B. Specific Instructions for Individual Projects describes
modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to address the
collaborative or interactive role of the project.
C. Specific Instructions for Core Units Cores must provide
services or resources to support at least two research projects. Instructions
describe modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to
address the collaborative or interactive role of the project.
A. General Instructions
All applications must be submitted on PHS Form 398. The multi-project grant
application should be assembled and paginated as one complete document.
1. Form Page 1 - Face Page
Items 1 - 14: complete these items as instructed. This should be the first page
of the entire application and all succeeding pages should be numbered
consecutively.
2. Form Page 2
Using Form Page 2 of the PHS 398, provide a succinct but accurate description
(abstract) of the OVERALL multi-project application addressing the major,
common theme of the program. Do not exceed the space provided.
List the performance sites where the
research will be conducted.
Under "Key Personnel", list the Principal Investigator of the
multi-project application, followed by the Project Leaders of the component
research projects and cores, other key personnel, and then other significant
contributors.
3. Form Page 3 - Table of Contents
Do not use Form Page 3 of the PHS 398; a more comprehensive table of contents
is needed for a multi-project application.
Bearing in mind that the application will be scientifically reviewed project by
project and core by core, prepare a detailed Table of Contents that will enable
reviewers to readily locate specific information pertinent to the overall
application as well as to each component research project and core. A page
reference should be included for the budget for each project and each core.
Further, each research project should be identified by number (e.g. Project 1),
title, and responsible Project Leader, and each Core should be identified by
letter (e.g. Core A), title, and responsible Core Leader. The page location of
a COMPOSITE BUDGET should be indicated in the "Table of Contents."
4. Composite Budget
Do not use Form Page 4 of the PHS 398. Instead, using the suggested format
presented below, prepare a composite budget for all proposed years of support.
(Justification for budget elements should not be presented here but in the
individual budgets of the projects and cores.)
SAMPLE: Consolidated Direct Cost Budget for All Proposed Years of Support
Component |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
All Years |
Project 1. Invest. |
125,000 |
130,000 |
135,200 |
140,608 |
146,232 |
677,040 |
Project 2. Study |
125,000 |
130,000 |
135,200 |
140,608 |
146,232 |
677,040 |
Project 3. Develop. |
100,000 |
104,000 |
108,160 |
112,486 |
116,985 |
541,631 |
Core A. Admin. Core. |
50,000 |
52,000 |
54,080 |
56,243 |
58,493 |
270,816 |
Core B. DNA |
25,000 |
50,000 |
52,000 |
54,080 |
56,243 |
237,323 |
Totals |
425,000 |
466,000 |
484,640 |
504,025 |
524,185 |
2,403,850 |
5. Form Page 5
Complete the Total Direct Cost line entries for all requested budget periods
(years) and the Total Direct Cost for Entire Period of Support entry.
6. Biographical Sketch Format Page
Biographical sketches of all professional personnel for all components should
be placed at the end of the application with the Principal Investigator first,
followed by those of other key personnel in alphabetical order.
7. Other Support Format Page
Do not complete. (Any required
information will be requested from successful applicants prior to grant award.)
8. Resources Format Page
Do not complete. Essential information
is to be presented in the individual research project and core sections of the
application.
9. Program Overview (Research Objectives and Strategic Plan)
This narrative section summarizes the overall research plan for the
multi-project application and is limited to 25 pages. The multi-project
application should be viewed as a confederation of interrelated research
projects, each capable of standing on its own scientific merit, but
complementary to one another. This is an important section for it provides the
group of investigators an opportunity to give conceptual wholeness to the
overall program by giving a statement of the general problem area and
by laying out a broad strategy for attacking the problems. As the strategy
develops, each project and core should be cited briefly as to its place in the
overall scheme. Summarize the special features in the environment and/or
resources that make this application strong or unique.
10. Checklist
One Checklist, placed at the end of the application, is to be submitted for the entire application. Individual research projects and cores do not require a checklist.
11. Appendix
A change in policy limiting Appendix materials began with receipt dates on or after January 3, 2007 (NOT-OD-07-018). http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-018.html
For each project or core in the multi-project application, 3 publications plus other approved material are allowed. The Appendix may not be used to circumvent the page limitations of the Research Plan. The Appendix material should be collated as one body of material at the end of the application with each document clearly labeled referring to the project or core to which it applies.
(Do not include unpublished theses, or abstracts/manuscripts submitted (but not yet accepted) for publication.)
Note, publications and/or abstracts in press should no longer be included in the appendix material. Include the URL or PMC submission identification numbers along with the full reference in the Literature Cited section, the Progress Report for Competing Renewals section, and/or the Biographical Sketch section.
Appendix materials may be submitted in paper format; five collated sets are needed. Applicants are encouraged to send Appendix materials on a CD in PDF format in lieu of the five collated sets. See application instructions for details on preparing CDs. Only a single CD need be sent.
For materials that cannot be submitted electronically or materials that cannot be converted to PDF format; (e.g., medical devices, prototypes, DVDs, CDs), applicants should contact the Scientific Review Administrator for instructions following notification of assignment of the application to a study section. If the SRA is listed in the FOA, they should be contacted in advance to address acceptability of materials.
B. Specific Instructions for Individual Research Projects
1. Cover Page
The Face Page of the PHS 398 Form should
not be used as a cover page for individual research projects within a
multi-project application. Instead, use the PHS 398 continuation page to create
a "Cover Page" containing selected data about each individual
research project. This Cover Page will demarcate each individual research
project and should contain the following information items (these are a subset
of the information provided on a PHS 398 Face Page):
Project Number and Title: (e.g., 1. Preclinical Evaluation of HIV Microbicides)
Name of Project Leader: (e.g., Jones, Roberta A.)
Human Subjects: (Yes or No)
If Yes, exemption number:
(or)
IRB Approval Date: (e.g., 12/13/2006,or "Pending")
(and)
Federalwide Assurance (FWA) number:
Vertebrate Animals: (Yes or No)
If Yes, IACUC Approval Date: (e.g., 11/17/2006, or Pending)
(and)
Animal welfare assurance number:
Proposed Period of Support:
From: (mmddyyyy - e.g., 07/01/2007)
To: (mmddyyyy - e.g., 06/30/2112)
Costs Requested for Initial Budget Period: (e.g. 07/01/2007-06/30/2008)
Direct Costs: (e.g., $ 150,000)
Total Costs: (e.g., $162,000)
Costs Requested for the Entire Budget Period: (e.g., 07/01/2007-06/30/2112)
Direct Costs: $700,000
Applicant Organization:
(full address)
2. Form Page 2
Provide a Description (abstract) of the research proposed in the project according to the instructions on Form Page 2 of the PHS 398. In addition, the abstract should contain a brief description of how the research project will contribute towards attainment of the multi-project program objectives.
List the performance sites where
the research will be conducted.
Under "Key Personnel", list the Principal Investigator of the
multi-project application, followed by the Project Leaders of the component research
projects and cores, other key personnel, and then other significant
contributors.
3. Form Page 3
Prepare a Table of contents for the research project using Form Page 3 of the PHS 398.
4. Biographical Sketches
Do not repeat the biographical sketches of participating investigators since this information will be included at the end of the overall application (and therefore will be referenced in the Overall Table of Contents).
5. Research Plan (Items A-D cannot exceed 25 pages)
6. Appendix. Do not create an appendix for an individual project.
For all other items in the individual research project application, follow the usual PHS 398 instructions.
C. Specific Instructions for Cores
1. All Cores
Cover Page. The Face Page of the PHS
398 Form should not be used as a cover page for cores within a multi-project
application. Instead, use the PHS 398 continuation page to create a "Cover
Page" containing selected data about each individual core. This Cover Page
will demarcate each core and should contain the following information items
(these are a subset of the information provided on a PHS 398 Face Page:
Core Letter and Core Title
(e.g., A. Monoclonal Antibody Production Core)
Name of Core Leader
(e.g., Smith, Robert A.)
Human Subjects (Yes or No)
If Yes, Exemption Number
(or)
IRB Approval Date (e.g., 5/14/2006, or Pending)
(and)
Federalwide Assurance (FWA) number
Vertebrate Animals (Yes or No)
If Yes, IACUC Approval Date (e.g., 4/15/2007, or Pending)
(and) Animal welfare assurance number
Proposed Period of Support
From: (mmddyyyy, e.g., 07/01/2007)
To: (mmddyyyy, e.g., 06/30/2012)
Costs Requested for Initial Budget Period
(e.g., Direct Costs: $50,000)
(e.g., Total Costs: $70,000)
Costs Requested for the Entire Budget Period
(e.g., Direct Costs: $212,323)
(e.g., Total Costs: $297,252)
Applicant Organization
(full address)
Form Page 2. Provide a Description (abstract) of the core activities and services according to the instructions on Form Page 2 of the PHS 398. In addition, the abstract should contain a brief description of how the core services will contribute towards attainment of the multi-project program objectives.
List the performance sites where the
research will be conducted.
Under "Key Personnel", list the Principal Investigator of the
multi-project application, followed by the Project Leaders of the component
research projects and cores, other key personnel, and then other significant
contributors.
Form Page 3. Prepare a Table of Contents for the core using Form Page 3
of the PHS 398.
Biographical Sketches. Do not repeat the biographical sketches of participating investigators since this information will be located at the end of the overall application (and therefore will be referenced in the Overall Table of Contents).
Core Research Plan (Items A-D cannot exceed 25 pages)
For all other items in the individual core application, follow the usual PHS 398 instructions.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications
must be received on or before the receipt date described below (Section IV.3.A). Submission times N/A.
3.A. Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
Letters
of Intent Receipt Date(s): May 25, 2007
Application Receipt Date(s): June 26, 2007
Peer
Review Date(s): October 2007
Council
Review Date(s): January 2008
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): February 2008
3.A.1. Letter of
Intent
Prospective
applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following
information:
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed at
the beginning of this document.
The
letter of intent should be sent to:
Peter R. Jackson,
Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room
3133, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service;
non-USPS service)
Telephone:
(301) 496-8426
FAX:
(301) 480-2310
Email: pjackson@niaid.nih.gov
3.B. Sending an
Application to the NIH
Applications
must be prepared using the research grant applications found in the PHS 398
instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed,
typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed
photocopies in one package to:
Center
for Scientific Review
National
Institutes of Health
6701
Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda,
MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda,
MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Personal
deliveries of applications are no longer permitted (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-040.html).
At
the time of submission, two additional copies of the application and all copies
of the appendix material must be sent to:
Peter R. Jackson,
Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room
3133, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service;
non-USPS service)
Telephone:
(301) 496-8426
FAX:
(301) 480-2310
Email: pjackson@niaid.nih.gov
Using the RFA Label: The RFA label available in the PHS
398 application instructions must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of
the application. Type the RFA number on the label. Failure to use this label
could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach
the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number
must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES
box must be marked. The RFA label is also available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/labels.pdf.
3.C. Application
Processing
Applications
must be received on or before the application receipt date(s) described
above (Section IV.3.A.). If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and
responsiveness by the NIAID. Incomplete
and non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
The
NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity
that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless
the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded
application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is
to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a
NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not
include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the
text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded
version of the application.
Information on the
status of an application should be checked by the Principal Investigator in the
eRA Commons at: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This
initiative is not subject to intergovernmental
review.
5. Funding Restrictions
All
NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other
considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.
Pre-award
costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior
approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days
before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing
continuation award if such costs: are necessary to conduct the project, and
would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If
specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must
obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required
for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the
initial budget period of a new or competing continuation award.
The incurrence of
pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes
no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount of the
approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is
inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be
fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and
that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the
project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect
the conduct of the project. See NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part6.htm.
The release of funds for any clinical study will be
contingent upon compliance with NIH, NIAID, and DAIDS policies and procedures
for clinical research and those of applicable institutional and regulatory
bodies (IRB, IBC, FDA, RAC, other). See Section VI. 2.A.1.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Applications must include:
Development Plan: A plan articulating a set of goals and milestones to be completed during the term of the project, and a time table for achieving them. For projects that have a clinical component, the goals and milestones will be used to judge the readiness of the Group to proceed to the clinical phase. This decision i) will be made by NIAID and may involve the applicant s Scientific Advisory Panel and/or other outside experts, and ii) will be based on a review of the preclinical data generated to support the clinical study, the clinical protocol, and the status of the budget.
Clinical study plan, if applicable: Applicants must address the following elements: study design, rationale for the design, study objectives, study population, statistical design and analysis, management and quality control of data, receipt and storage of human samples, proposed clinical sites and investigators. Recognizing that the details of the study will change as a result of scientific progress and as a function of review by various institutional and Governmental bodies, a formal protocol is not requested. However, applicants must address all NIH-required human subjects issues, including protection against research risks and gender, minority, and child representation.Plan for Sharing Research Data
The
precise content of the data sharing plan will vary, depending on the data being
collected and how the investigator is planning to share the data. Applicants
who are planning to share data may wish to describe briefly the expected
schedule for data sharing, the format of the final dataset, the documentation
to be provided, whether or not any analytic tools also will be provided,
whether or not a data-sharing agreement will be required and, if so, a brief
description of such an agreement (including the criteria for deciding who can
receive the data and whether or not any conditions will be placed on their
use), and the mode of data sharing (e.g., under their own auspices by mailing a
disk or posting data on their institutional or personal website, through a data
archive or enclave). Investigators choosing to share under their own auspices
may wish to enter into a data-sharing agreement. References to data sharing may
also be appropriate in other sections of the application.
All
applicants must include a plan for sharing research data in their application.
The data sharing policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing.
All investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a
description of how final research data will be shared, or explain why data
sharing is not possible.
The
reasonableness of the data sharing plan or the rationale for not sharing
research data will be assessed by the reviewers. However, reviewers will not
factor the proposed data sharing plan into the determination of scientific
merit or the priority score.
Sharing Research
Resources
NIH
policy expects that grant recipients make unique research resources readily
available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific
community after publication (NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm and http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600131).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a plan for
sharing research resources addressing how unique research resources will be
shared or explain why sharing is not possible.
The
adequacy of the resources sharing plan and any related data sharing plans will
be considered by Program staff of the funding organization when making
recommendations about funding applications. The effectiveness of the resource
sharing will be evaluated as part of the administrative review of each
non-competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm).
See Section VI.3. Reporting.
Section
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only
the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
The
following will be considered in making funding decisions:
2. Review and Selection Process
Applications
that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific
and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIAID in accordance with the review criteria
stated below.
As
part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
Review Criteria for the Overall Application
The following items will be considered in the determination of overall scientific merit and priority score for the entire application:
Overall score: a single numerical priority score will be assigned to the whole application after consideration of all of the elements. The overall score for the application will be based primarily on the scientific merit of the individual components, with additional consideration of the overall synergy and integration of the components, the overall program organization, and the capabilities of the associated personnel.
If peer reviewers deem that fewer than the required three research projects have substantial and significant merit, the application is recommended for no further consideration.
Review criteria for the overall application:
Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventive interventions that drive this field?
Approach: Are the conceptual or clinical framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
Innovation: Is the project original and innovative? For example: Does the project challenge existing paradigms or clinical practice; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area? Is a novel therapeutic target identified or validated?
Investigators: Are the investigators appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers? Does the investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the project (if applicable)?
Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
Review Criteria for Individual Research Projects
Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
Approach: Are the conceptual or clinical framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
Innovation: Is the project original and innovative? For example: Does the project challenge existing paradigms or clinical practice; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area?
Investigators: Are the investigators appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers? Does the investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the project (if applicable)? If from the same academic institution or company as the PI or other Project Leaders, has the Project Leader demonstrated the ability to direct an independent research program?
Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
Review Criteria for Cores
Administrative Core
Scientific Research Cores
The following review criteria, specific to this RFA, will also be considered in the determination of scientific merit and the priority score:
For Groups proposing exclusively preclinical research:
For Groups proposing clinical research:
2.A.
Additional Review Criteria:
In
addition to the above criteria, the following items will continue to be considered
in the determination of scientific merit and the priority score:
Protection
of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human subjects
and protections from research risk relating to their participation in the
proposed research will be assessed (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human
Subjects in the PHS Form 398).
Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research: The adequacy of plans to include
subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and
children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research will be
assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form
398).
Care
and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If
vertebrate animals are to be used in the project, the five items described
under Section F of the PHS Form 398 research grant application instructions
will be assessed.
Biohazards: If
materials or procedures are proposed that are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine if the proposed protection is
adequate.
2.B. Additional
Review Considerations
Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed
budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed
research. The priority score should not be affected by the evaluation of the
budget.
2.C. Sharing
Research Data
Data Sharing Plan: The reasonableness of the data
sharing plan or the rationale for not sharing research data will be assessed by
the reviewers. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed data sharing
plan into the determination of scientific merit or the priority score. The
presence of a data sharing plan will be part of the terms and conditions of the
award. The funding organization will be responsible for monitoring the data
sharing policy.
Program staff will be responsible for the administrative
review of the plan for data sharing.
2.D. Sharing
Research Resources
NIH
policy expects that grant recipients make unique research resources readily
available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific
community after publication (See the NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/part_ii_5.htm#availofrr and http://www.ott.nih.gov/policy/rt_guide_final.html).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a sharing
research resources plan addressing how unique research resources will be shared
or explain why sharing is not possible.
Program
staff will be responsible for the administrative review of the plan for sharing
research resources.
The
adequacy of the resources sharing plan will be considered by Program staff of
the funding organization when making recommendations about funding
applications. Program staff may negotiate modifications of the data and
resource sharing plans with the awardee before recommending funding of an
application. The final version of the data and resource sharing plans
negotiated by both will become a condition of the award of the grant. The
effectiveness of the resource sharing will be evaluated as part of the administrative
review of each non-competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590). See Section VI.3. Reporting.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not
applicable.
Section
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
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.
If the application
is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time"
information from the applicant. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part4.htm).
A formal
notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to
the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is
the authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic issues have
been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email notification from the
awarding component to the grantee business official (designated in item 12 on
the Application Face Page). If a grantee is not email enabled, a hard copy of
the NoA will be mailed to the business official.
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. See Also Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions.
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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm)
and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and
Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part9.htm).
The
following Terms and Conditions will be incorporated into the award statement
and will be provided to the Principal Investigator as well as to the
appropriate institutional official, at the time of award.
2.A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
The
following special terms of award are in addition to, and not in lieu of,
otherwise applicable OMB administrative guidelines, HHS grant administration
regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 (Part 92 is applicable when State and
local Governments are eligible to apply), and other HHS, PHS, and NIH grant
administration policies.
The
administrative and funding instrument used for this program will be the Multi-project
Cooperative Agreement (U19), an
"assistance" mechanism (rather than an "acquisition"
mechanism), in which substantial NIH programmatic involvement with the awardees
is anticipated during the performance of the activities. Under the cooperative
agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and stimulate the recipients'
activities by involvement in and otherwise working jointly with the award
recipients in a partnership role; it is not to assume direction, prime
responsibility, or a dominant role in the activities. Consistent with this
concept, the dominant role and prime responsibility resides with the awardees
for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may be shared
among the awardees and the NIH as defined below.
2.A.1. Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities
The Principal Investigator will have the primary
responsibility for:
a) Annual Meeting: The Principal Investigator (PI) will be responsible for scheduling the time and place of an annual meeting of the group (PI, Project and Core Leaders), the Scientific Advisory Panel, and NIAID Scientific Coordinator (SC) to review progress, plan and design research activities, and establish priorities.
b) Scientific Advisory Panel: The PI will constitute a Scientific Advisory Panel of 2-3 investigators, not affiliated with any of the institutions comprising the Group, within six months of the award. The Panel will review progress and make recommendations as appropriate. The Panel will provide the PI with a comprehensive written evaluation of the group's activities after each meeting; a copy of the Panel's report will be sent by the PI to the SC within thirty (30) days of each annual meeting. For awards involving a clinical study, the Panel, at the discretion of NIAID, may be called upon to help determine the readiness of the group to initiate the study.
c) Compliance with NIH policies on human subjects research, NIAID clinical terms of award (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/pdf/clinterm.pdf), DAIDS policies and procedures for clinical research (http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/resources/DAIDSClinRsrch/Default.htm) and those of applicable institutional and regulatory bodies (IRB, IBC, FDA, RAC, other).
d) Communication: The PI will communicate with the SC on a regular basis regarding the status of the ongoing research. Importantly, the PI will communicate with the SC regarding the conduct of any clinical activity (enrollment, adverse events, interactions with the FDA, problems and resolutions of the same, changes of personnel, protocol amendments, etc.).
e) Intellectual Property:
f) Annual progress report: The PI will submit an annual progress report including results of the activities of all components of the grant (projects and cores), a summary outlining interactions among group members and with the NIAID, and a complete, cumulative list of all publications authored by group members.
g) Presentations or publications: The PI is responsible for the timely presentation/publication of work supported in part or in whole by this Cooperative agreement. Appropriate acknowledgement of NIAID support under the IPCP is required.
2.A.2. NIH Responsibilities
An
NIAID Scientific Coordinator (SC) will have substantial programmatic
involvement that is above and beyond the normal stewardship role in awards, as
described below.
A Scientific Coordinator (SC) will provide a liaison function between the awardee and the NIAID. Ordinarily a single extramural SC will be the contact for all facets of the scientific interaction with the awardee. As required for the coordination of activities and to expedite progress, the SC may designate additional NIAID staff to provide advice or assistance to the awardee on specific scientific, medical, technical, or management issues. The SC shall retain overall programmatic oversight for the award and will clearly specify to the awardee the name(s) and role(s) of any such additional individuals and the lines of reporting authority.
During performance of the award, the SC may provide appropriate assistance, advice, and guidance by: participating in the design of activities; by facilitating access to resources and information that otherwise might not be available; by advising in the management of the projects and technical performance; by facilitating interactions between the awardee and other groups of importance to the awardee, for example the AIDS Clinical Trials Network, the FDA, pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology companies, and other investigators with similar interests; by providing guidance and oversight on compliance with Federal regulations related to human subjects research and NIAID policy on clinical research, and communicating in a timely fashion information that might affect the safety of subjects in grant supported studies; and by participating in the annual site visit as a partner, to review research progress and direction and provide recommendations. However, the role of NIAID will be to facilitate and not direct the activities. It is anticipated that decisions in all activities will be reached by consensus and that NIAID program staff will be given the opportunity to offer input into this process. The manner of reaching consensus and the final decision-making authority will rest with the PI.
Additionally, an agency program official or IC program director will be responsible for the normal scientific and programmatic stewardship of the award and will be named in the award notice.
2.A.3. Collaborative Responsibilities
Each full member will have one vote. Awardee members of the Steering Committee will be required to accept and implement policies approved by the Steering Committee.
2.A.4. Arbitration Process
Any
disagreements that may arise in scientific or programmatic matters (within the
scope of the award) between award recipients and the NIH may be brought to
arbitration. An Arbitration Panel composed of three members will be
convened. It will have three members: a designee of the awarded group,
one NIH designee, and a third designee with expertise in the relevant area who
is chosen by the other two; in the case of individual disagreement, the first
member may be chosen by the individual awardee. This special arbitration
procedure in no way affects the awardee's right to appeal an adverse action
that is otherwise appealable in accordance with PHS regulations 42 CFR Part 50,
Subpart D and HHS regulations 45 CFR Part 16.
3. Reporting
Awardees
will be required to submit the PHS Non-Competing Grant Progress Report, Form
2590 annually (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm)
and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding
opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential
applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer
review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contacts:
Sandra Bridges, Ph.D.
Division
of AIDS
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room
4154, MSC-7626
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7626
Telephone:
(301) 496-8198
FAX:
(301) 402-3211
Email: sbridges@niaid.nih.gov
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Peter R. Jackson,
Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room
3133, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service;
non-USPS service)
Telephone:
(301) 496-8426
FAX:
(301) 480-2310
Email: pjackson@niaid.nih.gov
3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:
Jackie Johnson
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 2127, MSC-7614
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7614
Telephone: (301) 402-5936
FAX: (301) 480-3780
Email: jjohnson@mail.nih.gov
Section
VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals in Research:
Recipients
of PHS support for activities involving live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf)
as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm),
and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm)
as applicable.
Human Subjects Protection:
Federal
regulations (45CFR46) require that applications and proposals involving human
subjects must be evaluated with reference to the risks to the subjects, the
adequacy of protection against these risks, the potential benefits of the
research to the subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge gained
or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan:
Data
and safety monitoring is required for all types of clinical trials, including
physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies (phase I); efficacy studies
(Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative trials (Phase III).
Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The establishment of data and
safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site clinical trials
involving interventions that entail potential risks to the participants (NIH
Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators
submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any
single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why this
is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing).
Investigators should
seek guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional
policies and local IRB rules, as well as local, State and Federal laws and
regulations, including the Privacy Rule. Reviewers will consider the data
sharing plan but will not factor the plan into the determination of the
scientific merit or the priority score.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of Information Act:
The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to
provide access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is
supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and
officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and
effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is
important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH
has provided guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a
public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include
information about this in the budget justification section of the application.
In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent
statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH
is committed to support efforts that encourage sharing of important research
resources including the sharing of model organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm).
At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to
elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding
pursuant to the Bayh Dole Act (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm).
All investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal, beginning
with the October 1, 2004 receipt date, are expected to include in the
application/proposal a description of a specific plan for sharing and
distributing unique model organism research resources generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not possible. This will permit
other researchers to benefit from the resources developed with public funding.
The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan is not subject to a cost
threshold in any year and is expected to be included in all applications where
the development of model organisms is anticipated.
Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It
is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their
sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research
projects unless a clear and compelling justification is provided indicating
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or
the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization
Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing
clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html);
a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical
research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB
standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical
trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles and
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all
applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans
to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender
and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b)
investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses,
as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The
NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are
scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.
All investigators
proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy
and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in research
involving human subjects (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH
policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for
all investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human
subjects and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available
at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria
for federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html.
Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic
Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov). It is the responsibility
of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the
application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC
line(s)to be used in the proposed research. Applications that do not provide
this information will be returned without review.
NIH Public Access Policy:
NIH-funded
investigators are requested to submit to the NIH manuscript submission (NIHMS)
system (http://www.nihms.nih.gov) at
PubMed Central (PMC) an electronic version of the author's final manuscript upon acceptance for publication, resulting from research supported in whole or in part
with direct costs from NIH. The author's final manuscript is defined as the
final version accepted for journal publication, and includes all modifications
from the publishing peer review process.
NIH
is requesting that authors submit manuscripts resulting from 1) currently
funded NIH research projects or 2) previously supported NIH research projects
if they are accepted for publication on or after May 2, 2005. The NIH Public Access Policy applies to all research grant and career development award
mechanisms, cooperative agreements, contracts, Institutional and Individual
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards, as well as NIH intramural
research studies. The Policy applies to peer-reviewed, original research
publications that have been supported in whole or in part with direct costs
from NIH, but it does not apply to book chapters, editorials, reviews, or
conference proceedings. Publications resulting from non-NIH-supported research
projects should not be submitted.
For
more information about the Policy or the submission process please visit the
NIH Public Access Policy Web site at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/ and view the Policy or other Resources and Tools including the Authors' Manual
(http://publicaccess.nih.gov/publicaccess_manual.htm).
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued final modification to the
"Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health
Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002 . The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of
individually identifiable health information, and is administered and enforced
by the DHHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Decisions about
applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher
and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/)
provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text
and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information
on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review,
funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and
proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page
limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report,
internet addresses (URLs) must be used for publicly accessible
on-line journal articles. Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide any other information necessary for the review because reviewers are
under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution
reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an
Internet site.
Healthy People 2010:
The
Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and
disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led
national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA is related to one or
more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of
"Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and Regulations:
This program is
described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ in the following
citations: No. 93.855, Immunology, Allergy, and Transplantation Research and
No. 93.856, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research, and is not subject
to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. 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 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are
subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations
described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement
can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.
The
PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace
and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law
103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities
(or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine
education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development
services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to
protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH
encourages applications for educational loan repayment from qualified health
professionals who have made a commitment to pursue a research career involving
clinical, pediatric, contraception, infertility, and health disparities related
areas. The LRP is an important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain
the next generation of researchers by providing the means for developing a
research career unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH
grant is not required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP
applications are encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may
overlap providing the LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and
effort, as LRP awardees must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20
hours per week based on a 40 hour week) for two years to the research. For
further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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