Full Text HD-97-007 POPULATION RESEARCH CENTERS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 23, July 18, 1997 RFA: HD-97-007 P.T. 04 Keywords: Population Studies Demography National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Letter of Intent Receipt Date: August 14, 1997 Application Receipt Date: November 7, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), through the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch (DBSB), Center for Population Research (CPR), invites applications for population research Center Core Grants (P30) in support of a large number of active research projects that are funded by a variety of NIH and outside sources, or Specialized Research Center Grants (P50) in support of an integrated group of research projects. The primary purpose of these Population Research Centers is to improve the understanding of the antecedents and consequences of population structure and change, including fertility, mortality, and migration, in an effort to develop knowledge that may ultimately inform the formulation of population policies. The center grant is to provide a research environment which facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration among investigators conducting population related research. Such research can cover a broad spectrum of scientific approaches in the clinical, behavioral, and social sciences. An additional goal is to build a national network of Population Research Centers that will encourage interaction among scientists in locations throughout the United States to contribute to the integration and coordination of population research. One center may be supported in response to this announcement, and one existing center grant is due for competitive renewal in fiscal year 1998. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service 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, "Population Research Centers", is related to the family planning, educational and community based programs, maternal and infant health, HIV infection, and immunization and infectious diseases objectives of the report. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or "Healthy People 2000: Summary Report", Stock Number 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of state or local governments, and eligible agencies of the federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The support mechanisms for this program are the P50 Specialized Research Center Grant and the P30 Center Core Grant (see SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, below). Applications should be consistent with the guidelines governing these two mechanisms, which are available from NICHD. These centers are given a commitment of five years of support which is renewable at five year intervals. Renewals must be invited by a specific RFA which also will give interested organizations a chance to compete with the incumbent(s) for the award. The anticipated award date will be July 1, 1998. Because population research center grants are complex entities, it is strongly recommended that interested applicants contact the DBSB staff for a personal consultation regarding the centers program. The current policies and requirements that govern the research grant programs of NIH will prevail (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42, Part 52 and Title 45, Part 74). The total direct costs requested for the first year should not exceed $500,000 for a new Center Core Grant (P30) or $600,000 for a new Specialized Research Core Grant (P50). Generally, NICHD requires that renewal applications from existing P30 centers request initial year direct costs that do not exceed 120 percent of the final year of support indicated on the Notice of Grant Award for the preceding project period, or $500,000 direct costs, whichever is greater. For purposes of this RFA, no renewal application may request initial year direct costs exceeding 120 percent of the Council-recommended level of direct costs for the final year of the preceding project period, or $500,000 direct costs, whichever is greater. Budgets of new and renewal applications will be stringently reviewed within these guidelines. Applications with budget requests exceeding these guidelines will be administratively withdrawn by NICHD and returned to the applicant. FUNDS AVAILABLE DBSB has funds available and anticipates funding one center in fiscal year 1998. This support is dependent upon the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. Although this program is provided for in the financial plans of the Institute, awards pursuant to this RFA are also contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background This Request for Applications is specifically designed to stimulate the research community to organize or to maintain population research centers of high quality which will serve as a national research network that fosters communication, innovation, and high quality research. Projects and themes must be relevant to the DBSB funding mission, and any projects proposed for core access that are deemed non-relevant will be administratively withdrawn prior to review. Therefore, advance consultation with staff is strongly advised prior to the submission of an application. Examples of relevant population research topics are listed below and centers may concentrate on any combination of relevant topics: 1. Antecedents and consequences of changes in population size, structure, and composition, including the relationship of economic development to population growth and decline; population modeling and the projection and/or prediction of human population change; and the interrelationship between population and the physical environment. 2. Family and household dynamics, including issues related to intergenerational relationships. 3. Fertility and family planning, including issues related to union formation and dissolution; births and birth spacing; family size; gender in relation to fertility; social acceptability of measures for the biological regulation of human fertility. 4. Causes and consequences of migration of human population groups, including issues related to international migration; and internal spatial distribution. 5. Demographic aspects of health, morbidity, disability, and mortality, including issues related to the influence of early life on later life development and outcomes; status of children; and the interrelationship between health and socioeconomic status. 6. Social, demographic, and behavioral studies of sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and contraception. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification are provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Population, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations) which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some new provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research", which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513), and reprinted in the NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS, Volume 23, Number 11, March 18, 1994. Investigators may obtain copies from these sources or from the program staff or contact person listed below. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. Because P30 funds in general do not directly support research projects, the issue of minority/gender representation will need to be addressed at the individual project level (i.e. R01 level). However, the application will specifically need to address these issues for any New Program Development projects or core units that focus on subject recruitment. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by August 14, 1997, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, brief description of the proposed center, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although the 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 NICHD staff to estimate the potential review workload and avoid conflicts of interest in the review. The letter of intent should be sent to: Rose Maria Li, M.B.A., Ph.D. Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch Center for Population Research, NICHD Executive Building/Room 8B13 6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 Telephone: (301) 496-1174 FAX: (301) 496-0962 E-MAIL: lir@hd01.nichd.nih.gov (for express mail use Rockville, Maryland 20852) APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone: 301-710-0267, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov; and from the program administrator listed under INQUIRIES. Applicants for a Population Research Center grant must propose a program with a theme relevant to the mission of the DBSB as outlined above. The program should consist of at least 10 externally funded research projects grouped according to relevant topics. These projects must be of high quality, providing a multidisciplinary approach to the problem(s) being investigated. Each project is to be summarized in accordance with the NICHD P30 Center Core Grant Guidelines. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page. 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 the review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2a of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The Principal Investigator should be a scientist or science administrator who can provide effective administrative and scientific leadership. The Principal Investigator will be responsible for the organization and operation of the Population Research Center and for communication with the NICHD on scientific and operational matters. Scientific personnel and institutional resources capable of providing a strong research base in the areas specified must be available. In addition, the institution and pertinent departments must show a strong commitment to the Center's support. Such commitment may be provided as dedicated space, salary support for investigators or core staff, dedicated equipment, or other financial support for the proposed Center. A center core grant (P30) must be predicated on the existence of a substantial number of research grants which will be active on July 1, 1998. A minimum of 3 cores is required for each year of a funded P30 grant. Each core unit proposed for funding must provide essential facilities and services for at least three federally funded research projects at all times, at least one of which is funded by NIH. These grants must be active users of the core facilities and services proposed in the center grant application. Subprojects within a program project (P01) will be considered as individual projects comparable to an R01. P30 applications should be consistent with the guidelines contained in the NICHD P30 CENTER CORE GRANT GUIDELINES which are available from the program contact listed under INQUIRIES, below. As noted in the GUIDELINES, descriptions of projects proposed for core support that are not funded by NIH or NSF must provide sufficient detail in the body of the proposal to permit review of the proposed project's program relevance, scientific merit, and use of core services. Information provided should address the scientific aims of the project, significance, the populations under study, the research design and methods, and anticipated uses of core services. Advance consultation with program staff about individual projects proposed for core access is strongly advised. P30 applications based on cooperation between independent institutions are allowed in some circumstances. In these instances core facilities may be located in both institutions as long as they are cost effective and promote the overall goals of the center program. Please consult the DBSB STATEMENT OF CLARIFICATION about center program principles which is available from program staff listed below. A specialized research center (P50) must have three or more related, integrated, and high quality research projects that provide a multidisciplinary, yet thematically related, approach to the problems to be investigated. These research projects may be accompanied by an appropriate number and type of core facilities providing cost-effective technical support. The projects and theme of the center must be relevant to the DBSB funding mission. The applications should be consistent with the guidelines contained in the NICHD P50 SPECIALIZED RESEARCH CENTER GRANT GUIDELINES which are available from the program contact listed under INQUIRIES, below. A detailed description of each core unit proposed as part of the center must be provided with detailed budget and budget justification. The description of the core units proposed should include a rationale to show how they will support the research effort in a cost effective manner. Facilities must be available for the primary needs of the Population Research Center and require no more than modest alteration and/or renovation. Funds for new construction will not be provided. An applicant institution with other NIH P30 or P50 support must clearly summarize any potential overlap in terms of the science (projects), core services, budget, or an individual's committed effort. Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists working within a Center, and attracting outstanding scientists in other relevant fields to population research, are major goals of the DBSB Population Research Center program. Therefore, where appropriate, the applicant may request "New Program Development" funds for direct research support of up to three projects, not to exceed a total of $50,000 per year or 10% of total direct cost, whichever is less. Such funds might serve to heighten interdisciplinary collaboration by incorporating a demographic dimension to funded projects otherwise outside DBSB program areas, to attract new investigators to the Center, to develop a new area or program of research, or to facilitate the development of newly trained investigators' research programs. New Program Development projects should be comparable to R01 research applications in their detail and development, and would have access to core services. Each such project can provide support for only two years for any one investigator. Applicants must request travel funds to attend an annual meeting of the directors of P50s and P30s in Bethesda, MD. 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 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040-MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 (for express mail, use Bethesda, MD 20817) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be sent to: Susan Streufert, Ph.D. Director,Division of Scientific Review National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 5E-03 MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 (for Express mail use Rockville, Maryland 20852) Applications must be received at the Division of Research Grants by October 13, 1997. 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 RFA 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 NICHD staff. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by the NICHD Population Research Committee or a Special Review Committee of the NICHD for scientific merit in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, a process may be used by the initial review group in which applications will be determined to be competitive or non-competitive based on their scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to the RFA. Applications judged to be competitive will be discussed and be assigned a priority score. Applications determined to be non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. The second-level review will be made by the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council at its June 1998 meeting. The anticipated date of award is July 1, 1998. Review Criteria See NICHD P30 Core Center Grant Guidelines or the NICHD P50 Center Grant Guidelines. AWARD CRITERIA The anticipated date of award is July 1, 1998. Funding decisions will be based on scientific and technical merit as determined by the review committee, NACHHD Council recommendations, program relevance, and the availability of funds. INQUIRIES 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: Rose Maria Li, M.B.A., Ph.D. Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch Center for Population Research, NICHD Executive Building/Room 8B13 6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 (for Express mail use Rockville, Maryland 20852) Telephone: (301) 496-1174 FAX: (301) 496-0962 E-MAIL: lir@hd01.nichd.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Ms. Melinda Nelson Office of Grants and Contracts, NICHD Executive Building/Room 8A17 6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 (for Express mail use Rockville, Maryland 20852) Telephone: (301) 496-5481 FAX: (301) 402-0915 E-Mail: nelsonm@hd01.nichd.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.864 (Population Research). Awards made are 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 grant policies and Federal Regulations, 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372, or to Health Systems Agency Review. The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. .
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