Full Text GM-93-002

INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY STUDENTS:  BRIDGES TO THE BACCALAUREATE
DEGREE

NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 38, October 23, 1992

RFA:  GM-93-002

P.T. 44, FF

Keywords: 
  Biomedical Research Training 
  Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl 


National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  November 20, 1992
Application Receipt Date:  January 6, 1993

PURPOSE

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the
Office for Minority Programs (OMP), National Institutes of Health
(NIH), announce two initiatives directed at increasing the number of
underrepresented minorities entering careers in biomedical research.
The programs target two different underrepresented minority student
populations:  those in colleges and universities offering only Master
of Science (M.S.) degree programs in biomedically-related sciences
and those in two-year junior or community colleges.  These have been
identified as two key transition points for students considering
careers in biomedical research.  These initiatives seek to encourage
the development of new and innovative programs and the expansion of
existing programs to improve the academic competitiveness of
underrepresented minority students and facilitate their transition
into the next stage towards careers in biomedical research.

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications for a
partnership program involving two-year colleges awarding the
Associate's degree and institutions awarding the Baccalaureate
degree.  A separate RFA (GM-93-001) describes a program targeting the
transition from Master's degree granting institutions to universities
awarding the Ph.D. degree.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be submitted by domestic, private and public,
educational institutions and by state and local systems of higher
education.  Institutions that have already received NIGMS Bridge
Program awards (R25) are not eligible to apply for this RFA.

An institution or system of higher education may submit ONLY ONE
application for this RFA.  Institutions that submit applications in
response to this RFA may also apply for RFA GM-93-001; however, a
separate application for each RFA is required.  Institutions
submitting their own applications may participate in programs with
other applicant institutions so long as these interactions are
consistent with institutional resources and the unified institutional
plans described in BOTH applications (see Unified Plan under SPECIAL
REQUIREMENTS).  If an institution is involved in more than one
application, justification should be provided for each.

Programs developed or modified under this initiative must be
specifically designed to target underrepresented minority
undergraduates majoring in the sciences.  For purposes of this
announcement, underrepresented minority students are individuals
belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group that has been
determined by the grantee institution to be underrepresented in
biomedical or behavioral research. Nationally, individuals who have
been found to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral
research include, but are not limited to, Black Americans, Hispanic
Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.  The term
"science" is used in this RFA to mean biomedical or health-related
science.

Applications must include a partnership between a two-year
institution that offers the Associate's degree as the only
undergraduate degree in the sciences within the participating
departments AND has a significant enrollment of underrepresented
minorities, and a college or university offering the Baccalaureate
degree in areas relevant to the biomedical sciences.

All applications must involve a partnership of at least two colleges
or universities, but may involve a consortium of several
institutions, and may include several institutions within a single
state system.  One participating institution or a single system of
higher education must be designated as the grantee institution and
must submit the application.  The grantee institution must name the
program director.  Each participating institution must name one
individual to act as program coordinator for that institution.
Proposals must include a description of the collaborative arrangement
with all participating institutions.

Institutions offering both the Associate and Baccalaureate degrees
may not use funds from this program for graduates of their own
Associate degree programs to enter their own Baccalaureate degree
programs, even if the student is moving from one department, school,
or college to another.  The program seeks to promote and enhance
partnerships BETWEEN institutions.

For additional requirements see SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

Awards under this RFA will use the institutional education project
(R25) grant.  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 this RFA may not exceed two years.  Requested direct
costs are not to exceed $300,000 for the two-year period.  Indirect
costs will be paid at 8 percent of the direct costs minus appropriate
exclusions.  A detailed budget for each year must be provided.

This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  Future unsolicited competing
applications will not be accepted.

Allowable Costs

If appropriate, the budget request may be divided into two phases:  a
planning phase with its attendant budget for the development of the
partnership program; and an implementation phase with its attendant
budget.  The planning phase costs should be minimal and not exceed a
period of one year.  Faculty release time for planning and
implementation of the program and faculty travel related to program
development may be requested.

The implementation phase may include the costs of administering and
coordinating the partnership programs within and between each of the
participants.  Although compensation for student participation in
research experiences may be requested, stipends, housing, tuition,
and fees are not allowable costs under this program.  However,
salary/wages, tuition remission and other forms of compensation paid
in lieu of wages to students performing necessary work are allowable
provided there is an employer-employee relationship between the
student and the institution, the total compensation is reasonable for
the work performed, and it is the institution's practice to provide
compensation for all students in similar circumstances, regardless of
the source of support for the activity.  Requests for equipment,
supplies, travel, and other expenses should be limited to those
necessary for program development and should be carefully and
specifically justified.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The funds for this program are contingent on the final level of the
Fiscal Year 1993 appropriations to the Office of Minority Programs.
An estimated $7 million will be available in Fiscal Year 1993 for
supporting awards made in response to RFA GM-93-001 and RFA GM-
93-002.  NIH staff anticipate making a combined total of 20 to 40
two-year awards for both RFAs using multi-year funding, if the NIH
receives sufficient numbers of highly meritorious applications and
sufficient funds for this purpose.

OBJECTIVES

Background

This program seeks to promote the initiation and development of new
transitional programs, as well as the expansion and enhancement of
existing programs between those institutions with departments
offering only the Associate degree as the undergraduate academic
degree in the sciences, which have significant enrollments of
underrepresented minority students, and colleges and universities
with Baccalaureate degree programs.  The objective is to facilitate
the transition of underrepresented minority students into
Baccalaureate degree programs after obtaining the Associate's degree.
Students receiving the Associate's degree in one field of science may
pursue the Baccalaureate degree in a different area so long as the
Baccalaureate degree is in a discipline related to the biomedical
sciences.

Collaborative agreements should take the form that best fits the
needs and situations of the institutions involved.  The challenge for
the program director, with the help of the participating partners, is
to design a new partnership program, or enhance an existing program,
that will focus attention and adequate resources to the Associate
degree-granting institutions to enhance the academic competitiveness
of their degree programs and graduates in the sciences.

Additional Information

These transition programs should be developed to meet the special
requirements of underrepresented minority students interested in
science.  They may include, but are not limited to, the following
elements:

o  providing laboratory research experiences at the baccalaureate
institution for students enrolled in the two-year institution
(students may receive compensation for these activities);

o  establishing a mentoring program with faculty at the baccalaureate
institution;

o  providing research opportunities at the baccalaureate institution
for faculty of the two-year college;

o  enriching the curriculum at the two-year institution (e.g.,
special science courses);

o  enabling students from the two-year institution to take courses
and/or participate in seminar programs at the baccalaureate college;

o  developing visiting lectureships at the two-year college by
science faculty from the baccalaureate institution;

o  developing courses at the two-year college jointly taught by
faculty of both institutions;

o  guaranteeing acceptance as juniors into the participating
baccalaureate program(s) for students who participated successfully
in the enhancement program;

o  academic counseling (e.g., guidance in course selection, tracking
and providing assistance to students who express an interest or show
special aptitude for science);

o  additional enrichment activities, such as tutoring, to enhance the
student's transition to the baccalaureate college;

o  other innovative plans to coordinate these programs.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should describe fully the proposed transition program and
explain how its design will meet the goals of this initiative.
Applicants with an existing transition program should describe that
program and explain how it would be altered to meet the goals of this
initiative.

Unified Plan

To avoid duplication of effort each institution should develop a
unified plan (which may include the relevant physical, natural and/or
behavioral sciences) to facilitate the transfer of its students from
the Associate's degree program to the Baccalaureate degree program at
another institution.  Applicants should describe how this proposal
fits in with the institution's overall transition plan.

Consortium Agreements

Each applicant institution should delineate appropriate agreements
and consortium arrangements with other institutions consistent with
its own unified institutional plan.  The following statement,
accompanied by signatures of the appropriate administrative officials
from EACH of the collaborating institutions, must be included as part
of the application:

"THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMATIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL OF EACH
INSTITUTION INVOLVED IN THIS GRANT APPLICATION ARE AWARE OF THE NIH
CONSORTIUM GRANT POLICY AND ARE PREPARED TO ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY
INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT(S) CONSISTENT WITH THAT POLICY."

In addition, letters acknowledging participation in the program are
required from each participating institution and must be signed by
the program coordinator and the appropriate institutional official.

Reporting Requirements

A progress report will be required at the end of the planning phase
(if any) or at the end of the first year, whichever is shorter.  A
final report will be required 90 days after the termination date of
the award and must include a Statement of Appointment Form (form
2271) for each student participant as well as a report of the
benefits to students of the partnership program.

Student Population and Career Tracking

The nature and extent of underrepresented minority student
participation must be thoroughly delineated.  The applicant should
also describe the Associate degree-granting institution's success in
training its students in the sciences, including information on the
numbers of minority students receiving the Associate degree and data
on subsequent careers or education of their graduates.

The applicant should describe a system by which it would monitor and
track the students participating in this program, including their
future careers, in order to evaluate the success of the program.

Other Training Programs

Colleges with any NIH funding such as the Minority Access to Research
Careers (MARC), Minority Biomedical Research Support Program (MBRS),
National Research Service Award (NRSA) training grants, and/or
project grants, or other sources of funds such as National Science
Foundation grants or Howard Hughes grants, should define the
relationship between those programs and this transition program.
They should delineate how this enhancement program will influence
their partnerships with the other participants and the manner in
which underrepresented minority students in the transition program
will interact with these other sources of support.

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants are requested to submit, by November 20, 1992,
a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed
plan, the name, address, and telephone number of the program
director, the identities of other key personnel and participating
institutions, and the number and title of the RFA.  Although a letter
of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into
the review of subsequent applications, the information that it
contains is helpful in planning for the review of applications.  It
allows NIH staff to estimate the potential review workload and to
avoid conflict of interest in the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent to:

Americo Rivera, Jr., Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Westwood Building, Room 909
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7001
FAX:  (301) 402-0019

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; from the Office of Grants Inquiries,
Division of Research Grants, NIH, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449,
Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 496-7441; and from the NIGMS
program administrator named below.

The RFA label in the PHS 398 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
form, the "YES" box must be marked, and "R25" typed in 2B.

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

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

At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application
must also be sent to Dr. Americo Rivera, Jr., at the address given
below.

Applications must be received by January 6, 1993. Applications
arriving after that date will be returned to the applicant.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be administratively reviewed by NIH
staff.  Incomplete and/or unresponsive applications will be returned
to the applicant without further consideration.  Those applications
that are complete and responsive will be evaluated in accordance with
the criteria stated below for scientific and technical merit by
appropriate peer review groups.  The second level of review will be
provided by the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council.

Review criteria

o  qualifications and experience of the Principal Investigator and
staff to carry out the proposed program;

o  appropriateness of the plans to develop the transition program to
meet the goals of the solicitation; appropriateness of the existing
program, if appropriate, and of plans to modify that program;

o  availability of significant numbers of underrepresented minority
students in the participating science department(s) who are
interested in studying further in biomedical and health-related
fields;

o  evidence of underrepresented minority students progressing to
higher education in the sciences;

o  budget and cost-effectiveness of the project including
appropriateness to the scope of the program, benefit to the students,
number of students involved, and responsible and prudent senior
personnel costs;

o  evidence of institutional commitment, for each institution, and
strength of the collaborative efforts between institutions to foster
professional development of underrepresented minority faculty and to
train underrepresented minority students in the biomedical sciences;

o  appropriateness of the administrative plan for managing the
proposed program, including adequacy of space and other institutional
resources;

o  appropriateness of the system to track future course of program
participants.

AWARD CRITERIA

The anticipated date of award is September 30, 1993.  Award decisions
will be based on the technical merit of the applications, the
geographical distribution of the awardee institutions, and diversity
of underrepresented minority student participants.  Awards can be
made only to institutions with financial management systems and
management capabilities that are acceptable under PHS policy.  Awards
will be administered under the PHS Grants Policy Statement.

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:

Americo Rivera, Jr., Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Westwood Building, Room 909
5333 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7001

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Ms Toni Holland
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Westwood Building, Room 953
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7897

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act,
Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended, 42 USC 241 and 284)
and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 45
CFR Part 74 or 45 CFR Part 92.  This program is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency review.

.

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