NIH's new Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST) is available for the electronic preparation and submission of multi-project applications through Grants.gov to NIH. Applications to this FOA must be submitted electronically using ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution; paper applications will not be accepted. ASSIST replaces the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities and provides many features to enable electronic multi-project application submission and improve data quality, including: pre-population of organization and PD/PI data, pre-submission validation of many agency business rules and the generation of data summaries in the application image used for review.

It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts) and where instructions in the Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

The primary purpose of this announcement is to support and facilitate multidisciplinary approaches to the development of new and/or improved contraceptive methods for both men and women. This FOA also allows the inclusion of behavioral and social science research projects to inform our understanding of contraceptive use and non-use of marketed products or products in clinical development. These Centers also will serve as a national resource for development of early stage investigators electing to pursue careers in contraceptive research.

Since 1994, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development NICHD has been directed by federal law to establish three research centers 'for the purpose of improving methods of contraception' (42 USC 285g-5).

In the United States, a large proportion of births, 33%, are unintended either mistimed or unwanted. According to official U.S. government statistics, for the 2012-2015 period, women aged 15 to 44 reported that 20 percent of births in the last five years were mistimed (the woman wanted a pregnancy, but it occurred sooner than she wanted it) and 13 percent were unwanted (the mother never wanted a baby, or a baby of that birth order second, third, fourth, etc.) (Key Statistics from the National Survey of Family Growth, I-listing; Mosher et al., 2012).

The objective of this FOA is to use a multidisciplinary approach to develop new, or improve existing methods of contraception for men and women. This FOA supports method development projects ('Contraception Development Research Projects'). It also allows the inclusion of translational studies ('Contraception Translational Research Projects') to facilitate the pre-clinical to clinical transition and increase the likelihood of clinical success, and behavioral and social science research projects ('Contraception Behavior Research Projects') to inform on contraceptive use and non-use of marketed products or products in clinical development. The ideal application must have two or more highly meritorious Contraception Development Research Projects and may integrate behavioral and/or translational projects that together form a scientifically aligned, conceptually integrated and cohesive center focused on the development of new or improved methods of contraception.

The funded Centers will be expected to establish or maintain an organizational infrastructure with the scientific and administrative capabilities to support the proposed research.

Contraception Development Research Projects of high program priority are:

• Male or female contraceptive development based on non-steroidal action.
• Pre-coital on-demand contraception.

Contraception Development Research Projects appropriate for this FOA include, but are not limited to the following:

• Small-molecule lead discovery and optimization for modulation of validated male or female contraceptive targets (e.g., high throughput screening, virtual screening, etc.);
• Multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) products with both contraceptive and anti-infective properties;
• Development or improvement of vehicles (implants, transdermal, etc.) for delivery of contraceptive drugs;
• Male or female contraceptive development projects that involving steroids that act via non-classical steroidal mechanisms (e.g., via cell surface receptors).
• Clinical or late-stage preclinical translational research to increase the likelihood of successful clinical development of promising method, compound or device.
• Clinical trials to assess safety and/or efficacy of new agents with promising contraceptive properties.

The following areas of Contraception Development Research Projects are not within the scope of this funding announcement and are not responsive to this FOA:

• Research projects not focused on a defined and validated target, delivery strategy or method;
• Research projects lacking a clear drug/device/method development plan;
• Research projects focused on the elucidation of biological mechanisms unrelated to a defined chemical molecule of interest;
• Any approaches that result in modulation of a reproductive blood-tissue barrier (e.g., blood-testis, blood-epididymal) to achieve contraceptive effect.
• Development of female contraceptive methods based on a classical steroidal mechanism of action unless these methods also have anti-viral properties or are a component of pre-coital on-demand contraception;
• Preclinical research projects on male contraceptives that act via a classical steroidal mechanism;
• Research of prospective patient/consumer preferences on theoretical product designs are not permitted as Contraception Development Research Projects but are allowed as a specific aim of a Contraception Development Research Project.
• Research projects focused on target identification and/or validation, although this research may be supported by the pilot program.

Contraception Translational Research Projects appropriate for this FOA include, but are not limited to the following:

• Projects in support of late stage pre-clinical or early stage clinical programs to identify pharmacodynamic, target interaction, patient efficacy, patient safety or side effect biomarkers.
• Development of novel models (laboratory, animal) to predict clinical efficacy.

Contraception Behavior Research Projects must be aimed at improving understanding of contraceptive acceptance/use/discontinuation and based on actual use of marketed products or products in clinical development. Examples of research projects include, but are not limited to the following:

• Integration of existing research on the needs and expectations of women and men who report having had unintended pregnancies into the development and improvement of contraceptive research;
• Follow-up studies of clinical trials to identify the characteristics and behaviors of study participants who discontinue or are non-compliant with contraceptive methods;
• Studies to identify the specific characteristics of contraceptive products e.g. dosing or application processes, texture, or side effects that affect discontinuation or ineffective and/or inconsistent use of contraceptive products and examination whether reactions to specific characteristics of products differ by demographic and socioeconomic status;
• Identification of characteristics of contraceptive products that affect the ratio between the actual use Pearl Index and the perfect use or clinical trial Pearl Index; identification of characteristics of contraceptive product users that are associated with low effectiveness in actual use.

The following areas of Contraception Behavior Research Projects are not within the scope of this funding announcement and are not responsive to this FOA:

• Re-analyses of extant data sets examining the determinants of contraceptive use in general, or the collection of new data for that purpose;
• The use of clinical or convenience samples to examine contraceptive use except when the goal is to examine the use of one specific contraceptive product with the aim of improving the acceptability of that particular product;
• Research that focuses solely on attitudes on contraceptive products. Note: Research that focuses primarily on behavior, but includes analysis of attitudes as they relate to behavior, is within the scope of this announcement.

Centers must include a mandatory Administrative Core and a minimum of three and a maximum of four research projects. There must be at least two Contraception Development Research Projects. Funds to support one- to two-year optional pilot projects, either focusing on contraception development (including target ID and validation), translational medicine or contraception behavior may be provided as part of the Administrative Core. Technical Service Cores that support and enhance the research projects are optional.

A Center should build its overall research strategy on a scientific theme of contraception method development. If Contraception Behavior Research Projects or Contraception Translational Research Projects are proposed, they must integrate with the other projects to form a scientifically aligned, conceptually integrated and cohesive center focused on the development of new or improved methods of contraception. Centers can have an unlimited number of consortium agreements with institutions or organizations outside of their applicant institutions to incorporate sufficient expertise for an effective multidisciplinary approach to contraceptive research. The ultimate result should be a Center where the best and most innovative science for contraceptive discovery, development and usage will be pursued.

Optional Cores:

Technical Service Cores may be proposed. Examples of optional cores include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Medicinal chemistry core;
• Screening core;
• Animal facility core;
• Protein production core;

Optional cores may be designated as closed access structure or open access

• Closed Access Structure: In this center structure, administrative and all technical service cores will be utilized by budgeted center projects only. Utilization by two research projects is required to justify a closed Technical Service Core facility. Percent utilization by either of the two research projects justifying the core may not exceed 70 percent. No internal charge-back system is required.
• Open Access Structure: In this center structure, budgeted center research projects, as well as research projects from other Contraception Research Centers (CRCs) or laboratories within or outside of the institution may have access to Technical Service Cores. If Centers choose to operate in an open access format, the PD/PI must have in place management policies that ensure that budgeted center research projects are given highest priority in receiving services provided by the core. In addition, a plan for fair and open access is needed for how the resource, when not in use by Center projects, will be made available to others, including an effective charge-back system. Centers must establish an internal management policy for evaluating the acceptability of proposed projects from other CRCs laboratories or laboratories within or outside of the institution to access the core facilities.
• Centers choosing to configure in an open access format may also propose one or more technical service cores that will be utilized exclusively by budgeted center research projects. These Centers, therefore, have a mix of open and closed access technical service cores, i.e., in a closed access structure. The administrative Core in open structures may be accessed only by budgeted Center Projects.
• Centers configured as a closed access structure may, at a later time, choose to convert to an open access structure by requesting such conversion in writing to NICHD.

Other Center Requirements:

• The PD/PI has sufficient experience, skills, and competence to oversee cooperation within the Center and across funded Centers.
• The Leads of the individual components have sufficient experience, skills, and competence to oversee the research projects, cores, and core facilities;
• Technical resources and facilities for the conduct of the proposed projects are available, including appropriate animal facilities;
• The applicant institution offers an environment that is conducive to the development of early stage investigators in the field of contraception research;
• The Center has strong departmental and institutional support and commitment.

Cooperative Agreement Structure:

Centers funded through this FOA will be expected to work together cooperatively and engage in a coordinated research program involving two or more Centers with multiple interacting research projects and, if required, research support cores and core facilities. The Center Directors will work together to minimize overlap and to facilitate research efforts, as required by research goals of the funded projects.

The research priorities and metrics for success of the projects within the approved research scope will be established after discussions between the awardee and the NICHD Project Scientist. Outside consultants/experts may be asked to participate in these discussions. Once priorities have been agreed upon, the awardee will assume the responsibility for implementation of research activities. The awardee and NICHD Program Staff will interact throughout the duration of the award to facilitate progress and resolve any problems that may arise.

PDs/PIs may sub-contract portions of their research they are not able to conduct at their facility or institute to outside vendors (e.g., animal studies, protein production, high throughput screening, medicinal chemistry and x-ray crystallography). Applicants interested in subcontracting facilities must obtain agreement in advance, provide for the services in the budget, and include a letter of support in the application. Applicants who desire assistance in identifying subcontractors for animal studies or drug development services are advised to consult the NICHD Program Official.

See Section VIII. Other Informationfor award authorities and regulations.

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

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

o Hispanic-serving Institutions

o Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

o Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

o Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

o Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

• Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
• System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
• NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.
• eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
• Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons.If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time. This means that the NIH will not accept:

• A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
• A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
• An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101).

A button to access the online ASSIST system is available in Part 1 of this FOA. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

Most applicants will use NIH's ASSIST system to prepare and submit applications through Grants.gov to NIH. Applications prepared and submitted using applicant systems capable of submitting electronic multi-project applications to Grants.gov will also be accepted.

It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, including Supplemental Grant Application Instructions except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise and where instructions in the Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

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.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

• Descriptive title of proposed activity
• Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
• Names of other key personnel
• Participating institution(s)
• Number and title of this funding opportunity

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Daniel S. Johnston, Ph.D.
Telephone: 301-827-4663
Email: [email protected]

Component Types Available in ASSIST	Research Strategy/Program Plan Page Limits
Overall	12
Admin Core	6
Core (Use for Technical Service Cores)	6
Research Projects	12

Additional page limits described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and should be used for preparing a multi-component application.

The application should consist of the following components:

Overall: required

Administrative Core: required; maximum 1

Technical Service Cores: optional; minimum 0, maximum 3

Research Projects: Required; minimum 3, maximum 4. At least 2 Contraception Development Projects must be included.

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type 'Overall'.

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

Complete entire form.

Note: Human Embryonic Stem Cell lines from other components should be repeated in cell line table in Overall component.

Follow standard instructions.

Enter primary site only.

A summary of Project/Performance Sites in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

Include only the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) and any multi-PDs/PIs (if applicable to this FOA) for the entire application.

A summary of Senior/Key Persons followed by their Biographical Sketches in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons will be generated upon submission.

The only budget information included in the Overall component is the Estimated Project Funding section of the SF424 (R&R) Cover.

A budget summary in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from detailed budget data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

Specific Aims: Include Specific Aims for the overall Center.

Research Strategy: Describe the major themes of the overall Center, its goals and objectives, background information and the overall importance of the research to the objectives of this program. Explain the strategy for achieving the goals defined for the overall program and how each project and core relate to that strategy. Explain how the different aspects of the organization, including Senior/Key Personnel, will coordinate and communicate, why they are essential to accomplishing the overall goal of the research, and how the combined resources create an overall program that is more than the sum of its parts. Include all necessary tables, graphs, figures, diagrams and charts in this section. In addition, provide the following information:

History, Purpose, and Objectives of the Program

Discuss the overall program's objectives and general plans for the proposed grant period, including research grant history (as a U54 Center) with annual funding level (direct costs), if appropriate.

Administration, Organization, and Operation

Provide information on the authority and responsibilities of the PD(s)/PI(s). Describe the organizational framework of the Center and provide an organizational chart. The overall Center plan must include internal priorities, timelines and milestones to evaluate success. Collaboration among Center members is critical.

Resources

Describe how the resources and funding available to the center will contribute to and enhance the objectives of the center. Information in the Research and Related Other Project Information may be referenced and should not be repeated here.

Research Program

Discuss the proposed research program, highlighting its central theme. Describe the relationships between the projects. Describe the relationship of the research projects and any technical service cores; provide the timelines and milestones of projects in tabular form, and describe how progress will be evaluated. Describe how the components of the center will promote and develop the careers of early stage investigators in contraceptive research.

Description of Assurances and Collaborative Agreement

Provide an overview and rationale for any collaborative and cooperative endeavors or subcontracts. Letters of Support for these arrangements are included as described below.

Letters of Support: Include letters of support/agreement/commitment for any collaborative/cooperative arrangements, subcontracts, or consultants. Letters of support for the overall Center should be included with the Overall Component. Letters of support for individual projects or cores should be included with those components of the application.

For program activities to be conducted off site, i.e., at an institution other than the applicant institution, a letter of assurance or comparable documentation, signed by the collaborator as well as the off-site institutional officials, must be submitted with the application.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan. Grantees are encouraged to consider submission of their data to the NIH Data and Specimen Hub (DASH). Information about DASH may be obtained at http://dash.nichd.nih.gov/.

A Resource Sharing Plan should be provided for the overall Center. Any resources to be developed under the individual core components should be included with the Resource Sharing Plan for the Overall Component. Resources to be developed specifically under the Research Projects should be included with those components as indicated below.

Appendix:

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type 'Admin Core.'

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

Complete only the following fields:

• Applicant Information
• Type of Applicant (optional)
• Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project
• Proposed Project Start/Ending Dates

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Human Subjects: Answer only the 'Are Human Subjects Involved?' and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations?' questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the 'Are Vertebrate Animals Used?' question.

Project Narrative: Do not complete. Note: ASSIST screens will show an asterisk for this attachment indicating it is required. However, eRA systems only enforce this requirement in the Overall component and applications will not receive an error if omitted in other components.

List all performance sites that apply to the specific component.

Note: The Project Performance Site form allows up to 300 sites, prior to using additional attachment for additional entries.

• In the Project Director/Principal Investigator section of the form, use Project Role of 'Other' with Category of 'Core Lead' and provide a valid eRA Commons ID in the Credential field.
• In the additional Senior/Key Profiles section, list Senior/Key persons that are working in the component.
• Include a single Biographical Sketch for each Senior/Key person listed in the application regardless of the number of components in which they participate. When a Senior/Key person is listed in multiple components, the Biographical Sketch can be included in any one component.
• If more than 100 Senior/Key persons are included in a component, the Additional Senior Key Person attachments should be used.

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

• Meetings (required) - Funds should be allocated for the PD(s)/PI(s) of the U54 Center and the Leads of the research projects and cores to attend annual Contraception Research and Development Meetings. The location of the meeting may not be constant and air travel and hotel fees should be budgeted.
• Pilot projects (if applicable) - up to $100,000 direct costs per year may be requested to support contraception development or contraception behavior pilot projects.

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

Specific Aims: Describe specific aims for the Administrative Core.

Research Strategy: The Administrative Core will provide scientific and administrative oversight for the cores and projects, and will promote coordination and collaboration within the program, and with investigators and organizations outside the program. The Research Strategy should describe the planning and coordination of research activities, the integration of cross-disciplinary research, allocation of funds, management of resources, quality control, the maintenance of ongoing communication, and plans for evaluation of the Center Project by internal and external advisory committees. Indicate who will be responsible for each of these activities.

The Administrative Core may provide support for short-term (1-2 years) and small (up to $100,000/year) pilot projects, if applicable, that enhance the research goals. Pilot projects are meant to provide preliminary data leading to larger research efforts and are not renewable. These pilot projects can either be focused on development, translational or behavior research areas. Unlike research projects, pilot projects may propose to identify and/or validate contraceptive targets. Centers are strongly encouraged to use the funds to support either early stage investigators or investigators who are not already supported by the Contraception Research Centers program and to use the pilots as a means of launching early stage investigators' careers. These funds may also support collaborative projects with investigators supported by other CRC centers. Potential pilot projects should be thoroughly evaluated and selected at the awarded institution.

For the Administrative Core, provide the following information:

Objectives: Describe the objectives of the Administrative Core.

Staffing:

• Describe how administrative, scientific, technical, and support staff who are not designated as Senior/Key Personnel and other Significant Contributors will interact, and mechanisms of supervision/coordination/governance by the Center Director (PD/PI);
• Provide an organizational chart.

Resources and Services:

• Describe how Administrative Core resources and services provided will contribute to the objectives of the Center;
• Describe the method of determining Core access.

Administration:

• Describe the strategies and processes that will be used to manage the Center and achieve the overall goals;
• Describe the organizational structures for day-to-day management of the Center, including arrangements for internal quality control of ongoing research;
• Describe how communication will be facilitated among all PD(s)/PI(s) and Project/Core Leads, regardless whether they are focused on a biomedical or behavioral project, and whether they are at institutions other than the lead institution;
• Explain the procedures the Center uses, if any, to maximize the efficiency of the Administrative Core;
• Explain the procedures the Center uses to ensure that early stage scientists and investigators who are not already supported by the contraceptive research center have access to Administrative Core services;
• Describe how the proposed pilot projects will be solicited, evaluated and selected, if applicable. For example, will advisory panels be used in the selection process?
• Internal and External Advisory Committees: The Administrative Core should establish an Internal Advisory Committee, composed of members of the Center and other institutional faculty, as well as an External Advisory Committee (EAC) composed of members outside the institution. Do not name specific individuals in the application unless the EAC has already been constituted, i.e., for renewal applications. Describe the general composition of the EAC, the type of expertise of the proposed members and their role in advising Senior Key Personnel of the Center. Describe how the EAC will contribute to the oversight and evaluation of the Core facilities and specific research projects. Describe a plan for assessing research productivity of the center components.
• Contraceptive Research and Development Meeting: A Contraceptive Research and Development Meeting will be held annually. The purpose of the meeting is to exchange scientific information, evaluate product development strategy and discuss collaborations within and between Centers. It is expected that the PD(s)/PI(s) and Project Investigators from each of the participating Centers will attend the annual meeting and teleconferences with program approximately on a quarterly basis or at NICHD's discretion. Core Directors and research fellows participating in the projects should also attend the meeting.

Letters of Support: Include Letters of Support specific to the Administrative Core.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan.

Appendix:

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report (Administrative Core)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type 'Core.'

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

SF424 (R&R) Cover (Technical Service Core)

Complete only the following fields:

• Applicant Information
• Type of Applicant (optional)
• Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project
• Proposed Project Start/Ending Dates

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Technical Service Core)

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Technical Service Core)

Human Subjects: Answer only the 'Are Human Subjects Involved?' and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations?' questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the 'Are Vertebrate Animals Used?' question.

Project Narrative: Do not complete. Note: ASSIST screens will show an asterisk for this attachment indicating it is required. However, eRA systems only enforce this requirement in the Overall component and applications will not receive an error if omitted in other components.

Project /Performance Site Location(s) (Technical Service Core)

List all performance sites that apply to the specific component.

Note: The Project Performance Site form allows up to 300 sites, prior to using additional attachment for additional entries.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Technical Service Core)

• In the Project Director/Principal Investigator section of the form, use Project Role of 'Other' with Category of 'Core Lead' and provide a valid eRA Commons ID in the Credential field.
• In the additional Senior/Key Profiles section, list Senior/Key persons that are working in the component.
• Include a single Biographical Sketch for each Senior/Key person listed in the application regardless of the number of components in which they participate. When a Senior/Key person is listed in multiple components, the Biographical Sketch can be included in any one component.
• If more than 100 Senior/Key persons are included in a component, the Additional Senior Key Person attachments should be used.

Budget (Technical Service Core)

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

Costs necessary to utilize a particular core facility by budgeted center research projects must be incorporated into the budget of the project and not the core budget in order to accommodate participation in the required charge-back system.

If the core structure is open access, describe the use. In addition, a plan for fair and open access is needed for how the resource, when not in use by Center projects, will be made available to others, including an effective charge-back system.

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Technical Service Core)

Specific Aims: List the objectives and functions of the Technical Service Core.

Research Strategy: Provide the following information:

Objectives of the Technical Service Core: Describe the overall rationale, objectives, and structure of the core, e.g., closed access structure or open access structure.

Staffing:

• Describe the administrative, technical, and support staff who are not designated as Senior Key Personnel, how those individuals will interact, and mechanisms of supervision/coordination by the Center Director (PD/PI) and Core Lead.

Resources and Services provided:

• Describe the current and projected services to other core and research components, as well as the process for prioritizing requests for use of Core facilities by the various research projects. If a Core already exists, include a description of past services provided, new technologies developed, changes in protocols or Core administration, and other significant developments.

Management:

• Describe the overall management of the Core, decision-making process and priorities for use of Core services, and plans for cost-effectiveness and quality control. Budgeted center research projects should be given highest priority in receiving services provided by the core.
• If the core structure is open access, describe a plan to assure fair and open access to the resource and an effective charge-back system for non-center projects.
• If appropriate for the core, describe how early investigators in contraceptive research will be involved in core activities.

Utilization of Core:

• Provide a summary of past and/or projected usage of Core services (e.g., assays performed, animals supplied, etc.). Include estimates of the percentage use of each Core unit by the affiliated Research Project components.
• Explain the procedures the Center uses to ensure that early stage investigators have access to Technical Core services.

Letters of Support: Include Letters of Support specific to the Technical Service Core.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan.

Appendix: Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report (Technical Service Core)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

When preparing your application in ASSIST, use Component Type 'Research Projects.'

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

SF424 (R&R) Cover (Research Projects)

Complete only the following fields:

• Applicant Information
• Type of Applicant (optional)
• Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project
• Proposed Project Start/Ending Dates

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Research Projects)

Enter Human Embryonic Stem Cells in each relevant component.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Research Projects)

Human Subjects: Answer only the 'Are Human Subjects Involved?' and 'Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations?' questions.

Vertebrate Animals: Answer only the 'Are Vertebrate Animals Used?' question.

Project Narrative: Do not complete. Note: ASSIST screens will show an asterisk for this attachment indicating it is required. However, eRA systems only enforce this requirement in the Overall component and applications will not receive an error if omitted in other components.

Project /Performance Site Location(s) (Research Projects)

List all performance sites that apply to the specific component.

Note: The Project Performance Site form allows up to 300 sites, prior to using additional attachment for additional entries.

Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Research Projects)

• In the Project Director/Principal Investigator section of the form, use Project Role of 'Other' with Category of 'Project Lead' and provide a valid eRA Commons ID in the Credential field.
• In the additional Senior/Key Profiles section, list Senior/Key persons that are working in the component.
• Include a single Biographical Sketch for each Senior/Key person listed in the application regardless of the number of components in which they participate. When a Senior/Key person is listed in multiple components, the Biographical Sketch can be included in any one component.
• If more than 100 Senior/Key persons are included in a component, the Additional Senior Key Person attachments should be used.

Budget (Research Projects)

Budget forms appropriate for the specific component will be included in the application package.

Note: The R&R Budget form included in many of the component types allows for up to 100 Senior/Key Persons in section A and 100 Equipment Items in section C prior to using attachments for additional entries. All other SF424 (R&R) instructions apply.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Research Projects)

Specific Aims: Include a brief list of Specific Aims outlining the objectives and functions of the Research Project.

Research Strategy: Following the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, start each section with the appropriate section heading Significance, Innovation, Approach.

• Clearly indicate whether the project is a Contraception Development Research Project, a Contraception Translational Research Project, or a Contraception Behavior Research Project.
• Cite published experimental details as appropriate and provide the full reference in the Bibliography and References Cited section of the Other Project Information form.
• Clearly describe the project's objectives and explain its relevance to the overall program's theme. Specify the significance of the work proposed to biomedicine, behavior or both.
• Include information on preliminary studies pertinent to the project.
• Describe the Research Project's use of Core services, including why the services are needed and the advantages and cost effectiveness of Core usage for the Project.
• Described any proposed subcontracted resources.
• If appropriate for the research project, describe how new investigators in contraceptive research will be involved in research activities.
• For renewal applications, provide a Progress Report. Describe the Research Project's past use of Core services, including why the services will be needed and the advantages and cost effectiveness of Core usage for the Project.
• Provide timelines, milestones, and metrics for success. Describe how progress will be evaluated during the funding period. If a particular approach/goal proves to not be feasible, describe how the investigators would proceed in future years.

For Contraception Development Research Projects, also address the following:

• Describe how the research project(s) relate to the scientific theme of the application.
• For any proposed contraceptive research target, address potential off-target effects based on the target's available tissue distribution profile (e.g. RNA, protein data from public and proprietary resources).
• For any proposed contraceptive research target, identify and address known molecules with high degrees of similarity to the target (isoforms, family members, etc.) and strategies to develop highly specific target modulators with low cross-reactivity to similar non-target molecules.
• For any proposed chemical entity, address all potential issues related to compound molecular weight, mechanism of action, bioavailability (if known), toxicity (if known), feasibility of modification/optimization and intellectual property.

For Contraception Translational Research Projects, also address the following:

• Describe how the research fits with the overall theme of the application.
• Describe how the research will impact and improve the likelihood of clinical success.

For Contraception Behavior Research Projects, also address the following:

• Clearly describe the project's objectives and explain its relevance to the overall theme of the application.
• Describe the populations to be studied that will advance scientific knowledge on factors affecting contraceptive acceptance and use.

Letters of Support: Include Letters of Support specific to the Research Project.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan.

Appendix:

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report (Research Projects)

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See Part 1. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies) using ASSIST or other electronic submission systems. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Policy on Late Application Submission.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

For information on how your application will be automatically assembled for review and funding consideration after submission go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/files/Electronic_Multi-project_Application_Image_Assembly.pdf.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Guidelines for Applicants Experiencing System Issues. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

All PD(s)/PI(s) and component Project Leads must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization's profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

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

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the Center to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the Center proposed).

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a Center that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Does the Center address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? Is there a strong scientific premise for the project? If the aims of the Center are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field? Is the proposed research likely to improve the development of new and improved contraceptive methods that have high acceptance, high use, and/or low discontinuation rates, especially among populations that currently have high unintended pregnancy rates?

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the Center? If Early Stage Investigators or those in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI , do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the Center? Have the investigators presented strategies to ensure a robust and unbiased approach, as appropriate for the work proposed? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? Have the investigators presented adequate plans to address relevant biological variables, such as sex, for studies in vertebrate animals or human subjects?

If the Center involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, are the plans to address 1) the protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion or exclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?

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

Center as an Integrated Effort

The overall Center will be evaluated as an integrated research effort focused on one or more research areas listed under Research Scope. The review will assess the level of merit of the Center as an integrated effort, including the following criteria:

• Will there be coordination, interrelationships, cohesiveness, and synergy among the research projects and cores as they relate to the common theme of the Center? >
• Are there advantages of conducting the proposed research as a program rather than through separate research efforts? Will the research efforts taken together have more impact on the field than each separate project conducted in isolation?
• Will the research proposed in individual projects be enhanced by the Center?
• If there is a Contraception Behavior Research Project, does it integrate conceptually or directly with the other research projects to inform contraception method development?
• If there is a Contraception Translational Research Project, does it integrate conceptually or directly with the other research Projects to inform contraception method development?
• Are effective mechanisms proposed for regular communication and coordination among investigators in the Center, especially for those who may not be at the primary site of the Center?
• Is there a coordinated Center-wide plan to encourage and support early stage investigators in pursuing a career in contraceptive research?
• Are administrative structures in place for the day-to-day management of the Center, including arrangements for internal quality control of ongoing research, identification and evaluation of pilot projects, and conflict resolution?
• Are timelines and milestones in-place that will allow an evaluation of progress to be made?

Protections for Human Subjects