Notice Regarding The Availibility of Administrative Supplements to Support U.S. Netherlands Binational Collaborative Research on Drug Abuse

Notice Number: NOT-DA-07-003

Key Dates
Release Date: November 7, 2006

Issued by
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (http://www.nida.nih.gov)

Background

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), through its International Program, fosters international collaborative research and the exchange of scientific information by drug abuse researchers around the globe. In 1999, NIDA and The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw and NWO) signed an Exchange of Letters expressing their mutual intention to promote and strengthen scientific collaboration between U.S. and Dutch research groups working in the field of addiction and illicit drug use. Since that time, NIDA and the Dutch Addiction Program (DAP) have cooperatively funded researchers in 2001, 2003 and 2005 working on binational collaborative projects. To date, there have been ten collaborative research projects that have received funding. In FY2007, NIDA intends to provide up to $300,000 to support up to three one-year administrative supplements to ongoing NIDA grants to continue this program. Matching funds will be provided by the DAP to support Dutch collaborators.

Research Objectives

The intent of this initiative is to stimulate collaborative research between current NIDA grantees and Dutch researchers identified as project leaders in the Dutch Addiction Program and other ZonMw/NWO project leaders with expertise in addiction research. Funds are being made available for collaborative teams, with Dutch members supported by the DAP and U.S. teams supported by NIDA. U.S. components of these collaborations will be supported by supplements to ongoing NIDA grants. An important aspect of this collaboration is that research will be supported that addresses both countries interests. Applicant teams should familiarize themselves with the DAP addiction research goals and objectives (http://www.zonmw.nl/en/programmes/all-programmes/risk-behaviour-and-dependency/ ) and the NIDA areas of research priority (www.nida.nih.gov). While the intent of this program is to take advantage of unique opportunities to advance scientific knowledge, and any area of NIDA research is eligible, projects that address priorities of the DAP and NIDA stated on those websites will receive priority consideration.

For NIDA, examples of specific areas of research interest include, but are not limited to the following:

1) Replication of effective prevention interventions in new populations. A key need in the prevention field is for replications of effective prevention interventions, strategies and policies. Testing approaches for effectiveness in the U.S. and in The Netherlands would address this gap.

2) Testing promising approaches for applying a chronic care model to addiction services. As addiction is viewed as a chronic condition, one of the implications is that the current treatment system does not adequately provide long-term management strategies. Comparing strategies in the US where the health care system is fragmented and chaotic to The Netherlands where access to care is widespread is a promising approach to validating models of chronic care treatment systems.

3) Comparing and contrasting longitudinal trajectories of criminal justice involved youth in The Netherlands to the U.S.A. Given the highrisk nature of juvenile and adult offenders, comparing outcomes and trajectories in the USA to those in The Netherlands is
a promising approach to validating theory and practice.

4) Developmental studies and pilot trials of existing efficacious behavioral* treatments for drug abuse and risky sexual behavior developed by US investigators adapted for use in the Netherlands. For example: Studies tailoring existing efficacious treatments developed by US investigators for target populations identified by the Dutch as high priority such as youth using cannabis or cocaine, difficult to engage populations especially those abusing multiple substances, alcohol and other drug users with violent behavior or high rates of other negative consequences, populations with comorbid mental disorders, and interventions for use in criminal and juvenilejustice settings; Studies tailoring existing efficacious treatments to the treatment of minority and immigrant populations, especially working-class and poor migrants who may not speak fluent Dutch or who may because of their minority status experience barriers to treatment entry; Studies adapting behavioral interventions which make use of technology in novels ways to enhance the effectiveness of treatment such as augmenting methadone prescription in primary care with interactive computer skills training interventions, or implementing treatment protocols via the internet, text messaging, or other technology to reduce relapse in people following an initial course of in-person treatment; or Studies piloting how behavioral interventions found to be efficacious in the U.S. (such as Family Therapy, Cogntive Behavioral Therapy, or the Therapeutic Workplace) can be implemented in the treatment system in the Netherlands, including attention to the levels of education, training, and supervision required for implementation.

5) Studies in which US and Dutch researchers collaborate to examine possible differences in the mechanisms of action of efficacious behavioral interventions, and in motivation for treatment entry and participation, for drug users in the US and the Netherlands.

*Behavioral treatment is used broadly to describe psychotherapies, counseling approaches, family interventions, contingency management and all other approaches to change which are not pharmacological in nature.

IMPORTANT: The research proposed by the U.S. partner in the collaboration must be within the original scope of the NIDA-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 and include cost increases that 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.

This program is part of NIDA's effort to encourage rigorous collaborative international research and to build knowledge for evidence-based strategies to reduce demand for illicit drugs around the world. Other important objectives of NIDA's program include: Promoting an international cohort of scientists who are knowledgeable of NIDA's research and methods; Providing professional development opportunities and technical consultation to the international drug abuse research community; and disseminating NIDA's research findings to international scientists and organizations. Additional information on NIDA's international research program and opportunities for research and research training funding can be found at http://www.international.drugabuse.gov.

Budget/Adminstrative Issues

For FY 2007, $300,000 will be available from NIDA for administrative supplements to existing research projects. These administrative supplements are generally limited to 25 percent of the Council-approved direct costs for the current budget year of the project or $100,000, whichever is less. Awards will be for one year, the existing grant must have at least one year remaining at the time that the supplement is awarded, and the research must be completed by the end of the parent grant. Administrative supplement applications will undergo a program, budget, and grants management review within NIDA. The supplement applications will be evaluated on the 1) quality: what is the scientific merit of the project; will it add significantly to scientific knowledge; 2) feasibility: can the project be conducted with the resources and within the timeframe proposed; 3) relevance: is the project a reasonable extension of the research supported by the parent grant and, 4) the added value of the proposed international collaboration to the NIDA project. Administrative supplements may be submitted at any time, but no later than March 26, 2007. It is anticipated that supplemental funding will begin not later than July, 2007.

Concurrent to the NIDA review, the DAP will review the Dutch partner’s proposals. Funding decisions will be based upon consideration of both reviews and research priorities of both programs.

Letters of Intent

Letters of intent to submit an application should be submitted no later than December 15, 2006 (submission of the letter of intent by e-mail is acceptable). The letter of intent (two page maximum) should include the following:

  • Name of US grantee and Netherlands collaborator, name and number of parent grant
  • Summary of the intended project, including what is the added value of the international collaboration
  • Timetable for the project clearly showing that the supplement can be completed within the timeframe of the parent grant.

Schedule for award

Letter of Intent Due: December 15, 2006
Supplement Application Due: March 26, 2007
Funding: No later than July, 2007

Application Procedure

Grantees wishing to apply for a supplement should submit an application that includes the following:

  1. A cover letter citing this NOTICE, NOT-DA-07-003, and requesting an administrative supplement;
  2. Page 1 of the PHS-398 grant application form, citing "International Supplement Program" in Line 2. Applicants must complete Page 1, and also include the signatures of the PI and an authorized institutional budget office official;
  3. A brief proposal describing the project: Note: Certain of the sections below should be prepared and submitted jointly by the US and Netherlands partners, these sections are indicated below:
    1. An abstract (jointly prepared by US and Dutch partners)
    2. Budget with justification (for US partner only, ie. Supplemental costs to NIDA grant)
    3. Biographical sketches of all key personnel
    4. Specific Aims of the parent grant
    5. Specific Aims of the supplemental project with an explanation of how they relate to the Specific Aims of the parent grant
    6. A detailed description of the project including subject population, methods, and data analysis (less than 7 pages) (jointly prepared by US and Dutch partners)
    7. A discussion of future plans for expanding, extending, or otherwise continuing the research (jointly prepared by US and Dutch partners).

4. An information copy of the Dutch collaborator’s proposal to the DAP.

Send the original application and three copies to:

By U.S. Mail:
Grants Management Branch
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6101 Executive Boulevard, Room 270, MSC 8403
Bethesda MD 20892-8403

By Express Mail:
Grants Management Branch
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6101 Executive Boulevard, Room 270
Rockville MD 20852

One additional copy to:

By U.S. Mail:
NIDA International Program
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5252, MSC 9543
Bethesda MD 20892-9543

By Express Mail:
NIDA International Program
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5252
Rockville MD 20852

Inquiry

For additional information or questions, please contact:

Dale S. Weiss
Program Analyst, International Program
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Telephone: (301) 443-6480
Fax: (301) 443-6277
E-mail: dweiss@nida.nih.gov