Full Text CA-93-17

BREAST CANCER EDUCATION SUMMITS

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

RFA:  CA-93-17

P.T. 34

Keywords: 


National Cancer Institute

Application Receipt Data:  May 7, 1993

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to provide
support for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Breast
Cancer Education Summits.  The summits are intended to convey
information and educational materials about breast cancer to
community organizations and businesses and to stimulate these
organizations and businesses to establish breast cancer education and
screening programs in the community.  The aim is to motivate these
organizations and businesses to reach women in the community, to
inform them about the risks of breast cancer and the methods to
achieve early detection, and how to seek the best treatment.  The
summits are intended ultimately to reach all women in the community
placing special emphasis on women at high risk of breast cancer and
populations that are medically underserved and/or hard-to-reach.

The RFA is intended for (1) NCI-Designated Cancer Centers with P30
grants, (2) institutions with NCI P20 planning grants for prospective
cancer centers, and (3) other institutions with a broad base of
grant-supported research in basic, clinical and prevention and
control science.  Relevant medical and scientific expertise, and the
information and education resources, in place and operational, will
best qualify institutions to (1) plan and conduct the summit with the
content that is of greatest practical value and educational benefit
and (2) reach the largest cross section of organizations and
businesses in the region.  The applicant institution should have
strong ties within the community with voluntary community
organizations, corporate leaders, state and local health departments,
and other intermediaries that can reach medically underserved and
hard-to-reach populations.  This access ensures the widest possible
dissemination of information and the greatest possibility for impact
in establishment of new education and screening programs in the
communities.

Qualified institutions are invited to submit applications for hosting
Breast Cancer Education Summits with NCI and other national and
regional sponsors of the initiative.  Applicants should also include,
when possible, the local Cancer Information Service (CIS) in the
plans for the summit; the CIS can be used as an information resource
for questions concerning early detection and treatment.  The local
and/or divisional chapter of the American Cancer Society should also
be included in the summit plans.  The planning committee for the
summit must include minority representatives as well as
representatives from community organizations with access to the
medically underserved.

NCI will provide for the attendees at each summit written materials
to assist organizations in promoting early detection, to guide
businesses in developing worksite programs, to encourage women to
follow NCI recommended breast cancer screening guidelines and, if
needed, to seek state-of-the-art treatment.  To assist in preparing
applications for the summit, NCI has available a "how to host a
summit" guide, which can be obtained from the NCI Program Directors.
Also, individuals from institutions eligible to apply may attend a
workshop on conducting breast cancer summits that will be held in
Washington, DC on February 23, 1993.  Pre-registration is required
through the contacts named in inquiries below.  Experiences and
"lessons learned" from some breast cancer education summits will be
provided.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This RFA,
Breast Cancer Education Summits, is related to the priority area of
cancer.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People
2000" (Full (Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the
Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington,
DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202/783-3238).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility for this RFA is limited to institutions with NCI P30
Cancer Center Support Grants, institutions with NCI P20 planning
grants for prospective cancer centers and other institutions with a
broad base of grant-supported research in basic, clinical and
prevention and control science.  NCI-designated comprehensive cancer
centers that received awards, or co-hosted summits with awardees in
1992 from applications in response to RFA CA-91-27 are not eligible
to apply under this RFA, but are encouraged to apply for RFA
CA-93-18, Breast Cancer Education Mini-Summits.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

The administrative and funding mechanism to be used to support these
summits will be the conference grant award (R13).  Responsibility for
the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will
be solely that of the applicant.  The total project period for
applications submitted in response to the present RFA may not exceed
one year.  No more than $20,000 in direct costs will be awarded to a
single Institution.  The anticipated award date is July 30, 1993.

This RFA is a one-time solicitation.

Except as otherwise stated in this RFA, awards will be administered
under PHS Grants Policy as stated in the Public Health Service Grants
Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 90-50-000, revised
October 1, 1990.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

Approximately $140,000 in total costs will be committed specifically
to fund applications which are submitted in response to this RFA.  It
is anticipated that seven to eight awards will be made.  This funding
level is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of
applications of high scientific merit.  The project period for
applications submitted in response to the present RFA should not
exceed one year, with the summit conferences to be held between
October 1993 and July 1994.  The earliest feasible start date for the
initial awards will be July 1993.  Although this program is provided
for in the financial plans of the National Cancer Institute (NCI),
the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent upon the
availability of funds for this purpose.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background Information

Embodied in the NCI's mission to carry out the National Cancer
Program is the responsibility for conducting basic and clinical
cancer research; cancer prevention and control research; and public
information, education and community outreach.  Moreover, reducing
the mortality rate from breast cancer is a top priority.  While
research in prevention, diagnosis and control is proceeding,
concomitant attempts must be made to educate women about the
advisability of seeking breast cancer screening at appropriate
intervals and, when cancer is detected, to obtain the most up-
to-date treatment available.

The NCI previously sponsored two national summits to encourage
provision of breast cancer screening services and to provide
information on how to obtain the most up-to-date treatment.  The
first summit targeted leaders of large women's organizations; the
second summit targeted corporate medical directors and unions.  These
summits resulted in increased interest and activity in breast cancer
screening within the large organizations and corporations and the
establishment of new education and screening programs.

Eight regional breast cancer education summits, following the pattern
of the national summits, were hosted by nine NCI-designated
comprehensive cancer centers in 1992.

Goals and Scope

The aim of these additional regional Breast Cancer Education Summits
is to bring the important messages about mammography, clinical breast
examinations, and up-to-date treatment to minorities and to those
hard-to-reach, medically underserved populations that are of highest
priority to the NCI, as well as to the smaller organizations and
businesses in metropolitan areas.  The aim of the program is to
impact on the widest possible array of community organizations, to
provide increased information and education, to stimulate access to
high quality mammography, and to encourage the establishment of new
mammography screening programs where they are needed.  Special
attention should be given to encouraging the establishment of readily
available, low-cost, high-quality mammograms for underserved
populations, such as at the worksite, or off-site with accommodations
made for time and cost considerations.

These regional summits should follow the model of the national and
regional summits, including educational sessions, and panel
discussions featuring successful community-based programs and
worksite screening efforts.

It is expected that grants awarded under this RFA will be used to
partially fund planning, implementation and evaluation of the summit
conference.  The summits will be sponsored by the NCI and other
non-profit organizations.  Centers are encouraged to obtain
additional funding from local sources for any costs not met by this
grant.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

The institutions that receive grants will be asked to coordinate
their meeting dates to ensure that the summits are well-spaced within
the time frame of October 1993 to July 1994.

Applicants are invited to attend a one-day workshop on planning and
conducting a breast cancer summit meeting that will be held in
Washington, DC on February 23, 1993.  Pre-registration is required
through the contacts named in inquiries below.

The funds and resources provided by NCI must be used for information
and education purposes only and not for fund-raising activities.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used
in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most
institutional business offices of sponsored research; from the office
of Grants Inquiries, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes
of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, Maryland 20892,
telephone 301/496-7441; and from the NCI Program Director named
below.  Applicants may find information on the requirements for
conference grants and supplemental instructions for application form
PHS 398 in the publication on "Support of Scientific Meetings,"  U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, August 1988, 8pp. which can
be obtained from the Office of Grants Inquiries or the Grants
Management contact noted below.

The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) application form
must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application.
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 number and title must be typed on
line 2a of the face page of the application form, and the YES box
must be marked.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including
the Checklist, and three signed, photocopies in one package to:

Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**

At time of submission, send two additional copies of the application
to:

Ms. Toby Friedberg, Referral Officer
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza North, Room 650
6130 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD  20892

Applications must be received by May 7, 1993.  If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review.  The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not
accept any application in response to this announcement that is
essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless
the applicant withdraws the pending application.  The DRG will not
accept any application that is essentially the same as one already
reviewed.  This does not preclude the submission of substantial
revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications
must include an introduction addressing the previous critique.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG
and responsiveness by the NCI.  Incomplete and/or non-responsive
applications will be returned to the applicant without further
consideration.

Those applications judged to be responsive will be further evaluated
according to the review criteria stated below for technical merit by
an appropriate peer review group convened by the Division of
Extramural Activities, NCI.  The second level of programmatic review
will be conducted by the Executive Committee of NCI which considers
the special needs of the Institute and the priorities of the National
Cancer Program.

Applications responsive to this competitive solicitation will be
reviewed in accordance with the criteria stated below.

1.  The technical merit of the proposed summit conference, including
the organization and agenda, as well as the proposed evaluation and
follow-up after the summit.

2.  The institutional base of grant-supported research in basic,
clinical and prevention and control science.

3.  The institutional expertise available for state-of-the-art cancer
treatment, follow-up, information and education.

4.  The qualifications and experience of the Principal Investigator
and staff.

5.  The applicant's plans for, and demonstrated access to, minorities
and hard-to-reach medically underserved populations in the community
and at work sites.

6.  The demonstrated ability of the Institution to evaluate the
breast cancer-related needs of underserved and hard-to-reach
populations in its region.

7.  The demonstration of established channels for reaching
intermediary organizations that are effective in communicating and
providing services to the community.

8.  Demonstration of an established relationship with the state
and/or local health department.

9.  Demonstrated affiliation or cooperation with a Cancer Information
Service Office.

10.  Demonstrated cooperation and involvement with the local and/or
divisional unit of the American Cancer Society.

The review group will critically examine the submitted budget and
will recommend an appropriate budget and period of support for each
approved application.  No more than $20,000 in total direct costs
will be awarded to a single institution.

AWARD CRITERIA

The anticipated date of award is July 30, 1993.  Although the primary
criteria for award will be the technical merit reflected in the
priority score, the geographic location of the cancer centers will
also be considered, along with other priorities of the National
Cancer Program to allow for the broadest coverage of the U.S.
population.

Applications will be selected for funding based primarily on their
technical merit.  However, location of the cancer centers will also
be considered to assure balanced geographic distribution of the seven
or eight summits funded under this RFA and the more focused
mini-summits to be funded under RFA CA-93-18, allowing the broadest
coverage of the U.S. population.

INQUIRIES

Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.
The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential
applicants is welcome.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Linda M. Muul, Ph.D.
Special Assistant to OCC
Program Director, Cancer Centers Branch
Division of Cancer Biology, Diagnosis and Centers
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza North, Room 308
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  301-496-8531

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Cynthia Mead
Grants Administration Branch
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza South, Room 243
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7800  Ext. 54

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No 93.397.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45
CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental
review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency
review.

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