Administrative Supplements to Promote Research Collaborations between Hepatocellular Carcinoma Research Laboratories and AIDS Laboratories

Notice Number: NOT-CA-11-015

Release Date: June 29, 2011
Receipt Date: July 30, 2011
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 1, 2011

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announces the availability of funds in Fiscal Year 2011 for administrative supplements to ongoing NCI-funded research projects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This initiative is designed to stimulate collaborative research between NCI-funded HCC investigators and HIV/AIDS researchers. This initiative is also referred to as the Activities to Promote Research Collaborations between Hepatocellular Carcinoma Research Laboratories and AIDS Laboratories (APRC- HCC and AIDS).

Important Note: For the complete description of the program, the requirements for request preparation and submission as well as selection factors, all prospective applicants must read the detailed Guidelines for the NCI APRC-HCC and AIDS supplement program available at (http://dcb.nci.nih.gov/News/Pages/2011_06_NewsItem_01.aspx).

In addition, before submitting a request, interested researchers are strongly encouraged to call their NCI Program Director to verify whether the parent grant and the anticipated new collaborations meet the eligibility criteria for these supplements.

The scientific focus of the requests for supplemental funding under this Notice must be on HCC in the context of HIV infection. In addition, the proposed research must meet the criteria of HIV/AIDS research as defined in the FY2011 Trans-NIH Plan (found at http://www.oar.nih.gov/strategicplan/fy2011/pdf/FY2011ByPassPlan_04_Plan.pdf).

It is expected that collaborations proposed will be for meaningful efforts that would allow the participants to explore emerging and important directions of HCC research in the context of AIDS.

• Only the PDsPIs with eligible NCI funding (i.e., active grants or cooperative agreements) in the area of HCC may apply for these Administrative Supplements. The eligible NIH mechanisms include: R01; R37; P01; U01; R33; R42; or R44 grants. No other grant mechanisms are eligible, including ARRA awards such as RC1 and RC2 grants.
• If supplemental funding is requested for 1 year or shorter, the parent NCI grant must have at least 1 full year remaining at the time of anticipated funding (September 1, 2011). For longer periods requested (up to 2 years), the parent grant must remain active at least for the entire period requested for the supplemental funding. Note that no-cost extension cannot be used to accommodate this requirement. All no-cost extensions must be in place before submitting a request for an Administrative Supplement.
• The qualifying collaborator(s) must be an independent researcher(s) and is (are) expected to have active funding in HIV/AIDS area (although this funding does not have to originate from the NCI).
• To qualify for these Administrative Supplements, the collaboration proposed must be new. Investigators with prior history of collaboration with the PD/PI on the NCI parent grant (including publications) in the past 5 years are not eligible as qualifying collaborating units. If the collaboration has occurred within 5 years, these particular collaborators will be considered jointly with the PIs of the parent grants. In this instance, another collaborator or collaborating unit is required for the request to qualify.

IMPORTANT: The research proposed by the NIH grantee in the administrative supplement request must be within the original scope of the NIH-supported grant project. The funding mechanism being used to support this program, administrative supplements, can be used to cover cost increases that are associated with achieving certain new research objectives as long as they are within the original scope of the project. Any cost increases need to result from making modifications to the project in order to take advantage of opportunities that would increase the value of the project consistent with its originally approved objectives and purposes.

A total of $500,000 is anticipated to be available in Fiscal Year 2011 for these Administrative Supplements.

Individual requests for supplements must not exceed the following limits. For requests proposing one to three collaborations, the maximum total direct costs allowed is $45,000 per year per collaborating "unit" (i.e., the PD/PI on an eligible NCI-funded HCC grant proposing one qualifying collaboration with HIV/AIDS researcher/laboratory may request $45,000 per year). For requests proposing three or more qualifying collaborations (expected to be rare but allowed), the combined requested direct costs must not exceed $135,000 per year.

Provided that the parent grant remains active, requests for supplemental funding may be for periods of up to 2 years (although requests for 1 year or shorter periods are also appropriate).

Requests for these administrative supplements must be prepared following detailed instructions regarding format and content in the NCI APRC-HCC and AIDS Program Guidelines (http://dcb.nci.nih.gov/News/Pages/2011_06_NewsItem_01.aspx).

This Notice is a one-time announcement and formal requests must be received on or before July 30, 2011.  Applications must be signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) at the grantee institution.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit requests electronically as an e-mail attachment in PDF format; however, the signature of the AOR must be clearly visible.  The e-mail address for electronic submission is: whitest@mail.nih.gov.

Applicants may also submit applications in paper format (original and one copy) to:

NCI APRC in HCC and HIV
C/o Stephen White, APRC HCC and HIV Program Manager
National Cancer Institute, NIH
6130 Executive Boulevard, EPN Room 5048
Bethesda, MD 20892-7150 (for U.S. Postal Service regular or express mail)
Rockville, MD 20852 (for non-U.S.P.S. delivery)
Telephone: 301-496-5307
E-mail: whitest@mail.nih.gov

Note that the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) IS NOT involved in receipt and processing of these requests.

Inquiries and discussion of plans for responding to this Notice are strongly encouraged.

Direct program/scientific related questions or inquiries to the NCI Program Director servicing the parent grant or to:

Dr. Betsy Read-Connole
NCI APRC HCC and HIV Program Director
Division of Cancer Biology
National Cancer Institute, NIH
Telephone: 301-496-9740
E-mail: bconnole@mail.nih.gov

Direct all financial and grants management-related questions or inquiries to:

Joy Kearse
Grants Management Specialist
Office of Grants Administration
National Cancer Institute, NIH
Telephone: 301-846-1010
E-mail: kearsej@mail.nih