Part I Overview Information


Department of Health and Human Services

Participating Organizations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), ( http://www.nih.gov)

Components of Participating Organizations
National Institute on Aging (NIA), ( http://www.nia.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), (http://www.niams.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), (http://www.nibib.nih.gov/)
National Cancer Institute (NCI), (http://www.nci.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/)
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), (http://www.nccam.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), (http://www.niddk.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (http://www.nida.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/)
National Eye Institute (NEI), (http://www.nei.nih.gov/)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), (http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)
National Library of Medicine (NLM), (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/)
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), (http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/)
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)*, (http://www4.od.nih.gov/orwh/index.html)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)*, (http://obssr.od.nih.gov/)
Office of Rare Diseases (ORD)*, (http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/)
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)*, (http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/)

*Participating components in the Office of the Director (OD).

Title: NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13/U13)

Announcement Type
This is a reissue of PA-06-041 which was previously released October 26, 2005.

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

Note: See information on all Parent Announcements for Unsolicited or Investigator-Initiated applications.

Program Announcement (PA) Number: PA-08-149

NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.

This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).

A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks in advance of the planned submission See Section IV.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers
93.113, 93.114, 93.115, 93.121, 93.143, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.361, 93.389, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.846, 93.847, 93.848, 93.849, 93.853, 93.855, 93.856, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879

Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: April 16, 2008
Opening Date: July 12, 2008 (Earliest date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
NOTE: On-time submission requires that applications be successfully submitted to Gransts.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization).Application Due Dates: Standard dates for conference applications apply. For details, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm
AIDS Application Due Dates(s): Standard dates apply, please See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#AIDS.
Peer Review Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.
Council Review Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.
Additional Information To Be Available Date (URL Activation Date): Not Applicable.
Expiration Date: New Date January 8, 2010 (per issuance of PA-10-071) Original Date: May 8, 2011

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not applicable.

Additional Overview Content

Executive Summary

Table of Contents


Part I Overview Information

Part II Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives

Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism(s) of Support
2. Funds Available

Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria

Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Submission, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Sending an Application Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements

Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criterion
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
1. Rights and Responsibilities of the Project Director/Principal Investigator(s) (PD/PIs)
2. NIH Responsibilities
3. Collaborative Responsibilities
4. Arbitration Process
3. Reporting

Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Conference Grant Coordinator

Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations

Part II - Full Text of Announcement


Section I. Funding Opportunity Description


1. Research Objectives

The purpose of the NIH Research Conference (R13) Grant Cooperative Agreement (U13) Program is to support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to its scientific mission and to the public health. The NIH recognizes the value to members of the research community and all other interested parties of supporting such forums. A conference/scientific meeting is defined as an open gathering, symposium, seminar, scientific meeting, workshop or any other organized, formal meeting where persons assemble to coordinate, exchange, and disseminate information and/or to explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge. Support of such meetings is contingent on the fiscal and programmatic interests and priorities of the individual NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), which can be found through links presented on the NIH Conference Grant Web site (go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/index.htm). Therefore, a conference grant application is required to contain a permission-to-submit letter from any one of the participating ICs conference grant contact persons (see Contacts List) documenting advance permission. Applicants are urged to initiate contact well in advance of the chosen application receipt date and no later than 6 weeks before that date. Please note that agreement to accept an application does not guarantee funding. .An NIH Website on Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/index.htm) centralizes information regarding grants and cooperative agreements for scientific meetings and conferences. This Website includes contact information for the participating NIH ICs and Offices, and links to detailed information regarding specific interests and funding parameters. This site and related links are updated frequently and interested parties should check periodically for the most current information.

Note: Applicants are encouraged to look at the R13/U13 Frequently Asked Questions (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/r13_faqs.doc) for a listing of common questions regarding the preparation and submission of conference grant and cooperative agreement applications.

See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.

Section II. Award Information


1. Mechanism(s) of Support

This FOA will use the NIH Scientific Conference/Meeting (R13 /U13) grant and cooperative agreement mechanisms. Under the R13 grant mechanism, the Project Director/Principal Investigator (Pd/PI) will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. Multiple year awards may be made to a permanently sponsoring organization for conferences held annually or biennially on a recurring topic. The total project period for an application requesting support may not exceed 5 years.

This FOA also will use the NIH U13 cooperative agreement award mechanism. Under the U13 mechanism, the Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) retain(s) the primary responsibility and dominant role for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project, with NIH staff being substantially involved as a partner with the PD/PI, as described in Section VI.2.Administrative Requirements, Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award .

This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts (see SF424 (R&R) Application Guide). It also uses the non-modular budget format (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm). Applicants must complete and submit a detailed categorical budget using the Research & Related Budget component.

2. Funds Available

Because the nature and scope of the proposed activities will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the IC(s) provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds.

Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-05-004.

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

Section III. Eligibility Information


1. Eligible Applicants

1.A. Eligible Institutions

The following organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:

Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply for conference grant support. An international conference (even if held at a non-U.S. site) can be supported through the U.S. representative organization of an established international scientific or professional society.

1.B. Eligible Individuals

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to conduct the proposed conference as the PD/PI 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.

More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs), may be designated on the application for conferences/meetings that require a team science approach and therefore clearly do not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedure to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research applications is available at http://grants.nih/gov/grants/multi_pi. All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).

The decision of whether to apply for a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the conference/meeting. Applications for grants with multiple PD/PI will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. The standard NIH criteria for approach, investigators, and environment have been modified to accommodate applications involving either a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs. When considering the multiple PDs/PIs option, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PDs/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. For further information on multiple PDs/PIs, please see Multiple Principal Investigators (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi%5Fpi/)

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

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

3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria

Most ICs will accept applications for up to 5 years of support when a series of annual or biannual conferences/meetings is proposed by a permanently sponsoring organization. Support for meetings held on a less frequent schedule must be applied for individually. The appropriate NIH IC Conference Grant Contact person (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_R13_U13.html) should be consulted for guidance regarding any IC-specific duration requirements.

Applicants may submit a resubmission application, but such application must include an Introduction addressing issues raised in the previous critique (Summary Statement).

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

Section IV. Application and Submission Information


To download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) SBIR/STTR Application Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow the directions provided on that Web site.

A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:

PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure ththey are registered in the NIH eRA Commons.

Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant institution can submit an electronic application (see also "Preparing for Electronic Submission" at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm), as follows:

1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Started

Grants.gov Customer Support
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Business Hours: M-F 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email: support@grants.gov

2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons

eRA Commons Help Desk
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Business hours M-F 7:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email commons@od.nih.gov

3) Project Director/Principal Investigator Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.

Both the PD(s)/PI(s) and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.

Note that if a PD/PI is also an NIH peer-reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.

Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their institution official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.

Note: For some conference applications, the PD/PI identified is not an employee of the applicant organization. For other conference applications, the PD/PI is an employee of the applicant organization. Therefore, for electronic receipt, applicants have the following two options:

a) Conference applicant organizations/institutions can name a scientific director who is an employee of the organization/institution and register that individual in the Commons. It is important to note that only the named scientific director at the institution will be able to access the Summary Statement, priority score, etc. If the applicant names another individual to be the scientific director for the conference, the applicant organization is responsible for sharing that information with the other individual (PD/PI).

b) Conference applicants/institutions may continue to use an "affiliated" individual as the PD/PI. In this case, the applicant organization will need to officially affiliate the PD/PI with the conference organization in the Commons.

Following are the steps to affiliate a PD/PI to an institution:

1. PD/PI gives Commons user ID and email address to the administrator of the new institution. (The email address must be the one that is contained in the Personal Profile for the PI.)

2. Administrator logs into the Commons. (The administrator can be the Signing Official, Administrative Official, or the Accounts Administrator.)

3. Administrator selects "Administration" tab and then "Accounts" tab.

4. Administrator selects "Create Affiliation" tab.

5. Administrator enters the Commons User ID and Email address into the appropriate fields and clicks "Submit."

Note: The account cannot have any other roles attached to it other than the PD/PI.

1. Request Application Information

Applicants must download the SF424 (R &R) application forms and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through the Grants.gov/Apply Web site: http://www.grants.gov/Apply.

Note: Only the forms package directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You will not be able to use any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms, forms from another FOA), although some of the "Attachment" files may be usable for more than one FOA.

For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R &R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.

The SF424 (R&R) application is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. Some fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

The SF424 (R&R) application has several components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/Apply includes all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA includes the data in the following components:

Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover component)
Research & Related Project/Performance Site Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
Research & Related Budget
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Cover Letter, including Permission-to-Submit Letter from appropriate IC Conference Grant Contact
PHS398 Research Plan
PHS398 Checklist

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs

When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NIH requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NIH, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the conference/meeting. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs, but has no other special roles or responsibilities within the conference/meeting team beyond those mentioned above.

Information for the Contact PD/PI should be entered in Item 15 of the SF424(R&R) Cover component. All other PDs/PIs should be listed in the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component and assigned the project role of PD/PI. Please remember that all PDs/PIs must be registered in the eRA Commons prior to application submission. The Commons ID of each PD/PI must be included in the Credential field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component. Failure to include this data field will cause the application to be rejected.

All applications proposing multiple PDs/PIs will be required to include a new section describing the leadership of the proposed conference/meeting.

Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan [Section 14 of the Research Plan Component in the SF424 (R&R)], must be included. A rationale for choosing a multiple PD/PI approach should be described. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the conference/meeting plan should be described, and should include communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts. The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the conference/meeting should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.

If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the conference/meeting or individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award (NoA) (see also: NOT-OD-07-017).

Applications Involving a Single Institution

When all PDs/PIs are within a single institution, follow the instructions contained in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Applications Involving Multiple Institutions

When multiple institutions are involved, one institution must be designated as the prime institution and funding for the other institution(s) must be requested via a subcontract to be administered by the prime institution. When submitting a detailed budget, the prime institution should submit its budget using the Research & Related Budget component. All other institutions should have their individual budgets attached separately to the Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. See Section 4.8 of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the subaward budget form.

3. Submission Dates and Times

See Section IV.3.A for details.

3.A. Submission, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening Date: July 12, 2008 (Earliest date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Application Due Dates: Standard dates for conference grants apply; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for guidance on dates.
AIDS Application Due Dates(s): Standard dates apply; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#AIDS.
Peer Review Date(s): Standard dates apply; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.
Council Review Date(s): Standard dates apply; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Standard dates apply; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm#reviewandaward.

3.A.1. Letter of Intent

A letter of intent is not required for this funding opportunity.

3. B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the NIH

To submit an application in response to this FOA, applicants should access this FOA via Grants.gov and follow Steps 1-4. Note: Applications in response to this FOA may only be submitted to Grants.gov through Grants.gov/Apply. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

3. C. Application Processing

Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization) on the application due date(s). If an application is not submitted by the due date(s) and time, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed. Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the application image to determine if any further action is necessary.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR), NIH. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

There will be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons. The submitting AOR/SO receives the Grants.gov acknowledgments. The AOR/SO and the PI receive Commons acknowledgments. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.

The NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial merit review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. However, the NIH will accept a resubmission application, but such application must include an Introduction (limited to one page) addressing the critique from the previous review.

4. Intergovernmental Review

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement ( http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm).

Pre-award costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing renewal award if such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct the project, and 2) would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing renewal award.

The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the conference/meeting objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the conference/meeting. See NIH Grants Policy Statement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part6.htm).

In general, conference grant awards should be issued before the actual start date of the conference.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Advance permission to submit an application is required for all NIH conference grant applications, including new, resubmission, renewal , and revision applications. Advance permission to submit an application should be requested early in the process and no later than six weeks before the receipt date. The letter from an NIH Institute or Center (IC) documenting advance permission to submit an application (i.e., the permission-to-submit letter) must be submitted with the application and attached in the Cover Letter Component. All applicants must include the advance permission letter from the NIH staff member who has agreed to accept assignment of the application. The NIH staff member granting advance permission must be one of the contacts designated at the NIH Conference Grant Web site (go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_R13_U13.html). Attach the letter as part of the PHS 398 Cover Letter component (PDF). If an application is received without a permission letter, it will not be accepted for review. Note that advance permission to submit an application does not guarantee funding.

The application will be assigned based on NIH Receipt and Referral Guidelines, and other ICs or Offices at NIH could be given dual assignments and have the opportunity to co-fund the conference/meeting with the primary funding IC. Only one advance permission letter is required per application. Dual assignments can be requested in the Cover Letter of an application.

The following instructions are to be used in conjunction with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide accompanying the SF424 (R&R) application form:

For cooperative agreements, awardees must agree to the Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award in Section VI.2.A Award Administration Information .

SF424 (R&R) Cover Component: Enter the title of the scientific conference or scientific meeting on line item 11.

Research and Related Project/Performance Site Locations: Enter the site of the conference or meeting as the Performance Site.

PD/PI Credential (e.g., Agency Login)

The NIH requires the PD(s)/PI(s) to fill in his/her Commons User Id in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential login-field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component.

Research and Related Senior/Key Person: Personnel are defined as the PD(s)/PI(s) and those responsible for the scientific planning and organization of the conference or meeting. Attach biographical sketches for PD(s)/PI(s), Co-Chair, key personnel, and confirmed key speakers.

Organizational DUNS

The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Question Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Research and Related Budget: The appropriate NIH IC conference award contact should be consulted for guidance regarding any IC specific budget requirements. Enter the direct costs requested. Provide a narrative justification for each proposed personnel position, including role and proposed level of effort. Include information regarding efforts to obtain funding for this conference/meeting from other sources.

Allowable Costs: Salary (in proportion to the time or effort spent directly on the conference/scientific meeting); rental of necessary equipment; travel and per diem or subsistence allowances; supplies needed for conduct of the meeting (only if received for use during the budget period); conference services; publication costs; funds to help defray registration costs for some select attendees (for example, women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, other individuals who have been traditionally underrepresented in science, graduate students); speakers fees.

Non-allowable costs: Purchase of equipment; transportation costs exceeding U.S. carrier coach class fares; visas; passports; entertainment; tips; bar charges; personal telephone calls; laundry charges; dues; honoraria or other payments for the purpose of conferring distinction or communicating respect, esteem or admiration; patient care; alterations or renovations; facilities and administrative costs/indirect costs. Refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information regarding costs.

PHS 398 Research Plan Component Sections: Submit one attachment, which may not exceed 10 pages, under the Research Design and Methods section (line Item 5). Note that this section will be called Conference Plan in the system-generated Table of Contents. Letters of agreement to participate from key speakers and participants should be attached at line item 16. Do not complete Sections 2-4 and the Human Subjects Sections (Items 6-10) of the PHS 398 Research Plan.

In the Conference Plan section of the application (uploaded as attachment #5), describe the objectives, specific program, and logistical arrangements for the meeting. Describe the format and list the agenda and speakers, including the principal topics to be covered, problems to be addressed, and developments or contributions the conference/meeting might stimulate. Provide a detailed justification for the conference/meeting, including the scientific need, timeliness, and usefulness of the conference/meeting to the scientific community. Describe the composition and role of the organizing committee, and provide the names and credentials of key participants in the conference/meeting, including the basis for their selection and documentation of their agreement to participate.

Describe plans for the appropriate involvement of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the planning and implementation of, and participation in, the proposed conference/meeting. Estimate the expected size and composition of the audience, as well as the method of selection. Describe plans for publicizing the conference/meeting to all interested participants and for publishing the proceedings (with the latter possibility not being required). Identify related conferences/meetings held on the subject during the past 3 years [and how the proposed conference/meeting is similar to, and/or different from these, and why it is still necessary and useful]. If this is one of a series of periodic conferences/meetings held by a permanent sponsoring organization, briefly describe and evaluate the last conference/meeting in the series.

Applications requesting multiple years of support must provide the following additional information for each future year requested, in as much detail as possible: meeting topic(s); tentative dates, locations, and participants; and contingency plans for future meetings dependent upon, for example, the outcome of the first year’s conference/meeting or developments in the field.

A critical part of the application for NIH support of conferences/meetings is documentation of appropriate representation of women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and other individuals who have been traditionally underrepresented in science. These individuals must be included in all aspects of planning, organization, and implementation of NIH-sponsored and/or supported conferences/meetings. Appropriate representation means representation based on the availability of these scientists from these groups known to be working in a particular field of biomedical or behavioral research. If appropriate representation is not apparent, no award will be issued until program staff members are assured of concerted recruitment efforts. Organizers of scientific conferences/meetings must document compliance with the Guidelines for Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Scientific Meetings Supported by the NIH (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/index.htm). This Web site also includes addresses and information for offices at NIH that support conference/meeting activities.

Appendix Materials: The appendix is limited to announcements and reports of previous conferences/meetings under the same sponsorship. No other information or material should be submitted as appendices.

Resource Sharing Plan(s)

The following resource sharing policies do not apply to this FOA:

PHS 398 Checklist Component: The checklist is required; however, no information regarding facilities and administrative (F&A) costs (also called indirect costs) should be included as these are not allowable costs for this mechanism.

Section V. Application Review Information


1. Criteria (Update: Enhanced review criteria have been issued for the evaluation of research applications received for potential FY2010 funding and thereafter - see NOT-OD-09-025).

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications submitted for this funding opportunity will be assigned to the NIH ICs for funding consideration on the basis of an advance permission letter. Applications lacking such a letter will not be accepted. Dual assignments will be made on the basis of established U.S. Public Health Service PHS referral guidelines.

Applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate scientific review group(s) in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer/) using the review criteria below.

As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:

Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed conference/meeting will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, and weighted as appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be strong in all categories to deserve a meritorious priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.

Significance: Does this conference/scientific meeting address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect of these endeavors on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Approach: Are the format and agenda for the conference/meeting appropriate for achieving the specified goals? Is the conference/meeting timely for the subject matter? For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, is the Leadership Plan approach, including the designated roles and responsibilities, governance and organizational structure consistent with and justified by the topics of the conference/meeting and the expertise of each of the PD/PIs?

Innovation: Does the conference/meeting employ novel approaches or methods to fulfill its purpose? Does the conference/scientific meeting draw together appropriate experts who may otherwise not have an opportunity to meet?

Investigators: Is(are) the PD/PI(s) well suited for organizing and fulfilling the goals of this conference/scientific meeting? Are the qualifications and past performance of the PD/PI(s) appropriate, and are they well suited for their described roles in the conference/scientific meeting? Are the key personnel and selected speakers appropriate and well suited for their described roles in the conference/scientific meeting?

Environment: Is the conference/scientific meeting site appropriate? Does the applicant organization have the ability to contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed meetings, exhibits, interactions, etc., take advantage of unique features of the environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is institutional support evident?

2.A. Additional Review Criterion

In addition to the above criteria, the following item will be considered in the determination of scientific merit, and the priority score:
Appropriate Representation: How well do the plans for inclusion of women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and other individuals who traditionally have been underrepresented in science provide for their appropriate representation in the planning, organization, and execution of the proposed conference/scientific meeting? See Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in NIH-Supported Conference Grants: (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-066.html.

2.B. Additional Review Consideration

In addition to the above criteria, the following item will be considered, but will not be included in consideration of the priority score:

Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed plan.

2.C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)

The following resource sharing policies do not apply to this FOA:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Not Applicable.

Section VI. Award Administration Information


1. Award Notices

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the NIH eRA Commons.

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part4.htm).

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email notification from the awarding component to the granteebusiness official.

Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are done so at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See also Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm) and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part9.htm).

The following Term and Condition will be incorporated into the award statement and will be provided to the PD/PI(s) as well as to the appropriate institutional official, at the time of award.

All conference material (promotional materials, agenda, publications an internet sites) related to this project must include an acknowledgement of NIH grant support and a disclaimer stating the following: Funding for this conference was made possible [in part] by [insert grant number] from [insert IC name]. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

2.A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

The following special terms of award are in addition to, and not in lieu of, otherwise applicable U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) administrative guidelines, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) grant administration regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 (Part 92 is applicable when State and local Governments are eligible to apply), and other HHS, PHS, and NIH grant administration policies.

The administrative and funding instrument used for this program will be the cooperative agreement (U13), an "assistance" mechanism (rather than an "acquisition" mechanism), in which substantial NIH programmatic involvement with the awardees is anticipated during the performance of the activities. Under the cooperative agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and stimulate the recipients' activities by involvement in and otherwise working jointly with the award recipients in a partnership role; it is not to assume direction, prime responsibility, or a dominant role in the activities. Consistent with this concept, the dominant role and prime responsibility reside with the awardees for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may be shared among the awardees and the NIH as defined above.

2.A.1. Rights and Responsibilities of the Project Director/Principal Investigator(s) (PD/PIs)

Awardees have primary authorities and responsibilities to define objectives and approaches, and to plan, conduct, analyze, and publish results, interpretations, and conclusions of the conference.

The PD/PI(s) will retain custody of, and have primary rights to, information developed under the cooperative agreement, subject to Government rights of access, consistent with the current DHHS, PHS, and NIH policies. Publication and copyright agreements and the requirements for financial status reports; retention of records; and terminal progress reports will be as stated in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Awardees will retain custody of and have primary rights to the data and software developed under these awards, subject to Government rights of access consistent with current DHHS, PHS, and NIH policies.

Awardees are responsible for identifying specific milestones for conferences that will be supported during the project period, when multi-year conferences are supported.

2.A.2. NIH Responsibilities

An NIH Project Scientist will have substantial scientific-programmatic involvement during conduct of this activity, through technical assistance, advice, and coordination above and beyond the normal program stewardship for grants. Substantial involvement as a partner would include, for example, assisting in planning the agenda, selecting speakers, organizing a symposium, determining the content of the meeting, or determining the acceptability of submitted papers. Substantial involvement would not include serving as an invited speaker or providing limited advice.

Additionally, an agency Program Official or IC Program Director will be responsible for the normal scientific and programmatic stewardship of the award and will be named in the award notice.

In general, the role of IC Program Director should be performed by an IC staff member other than the IC Project Scientist. Otherwise, systems must be in place to address possible conflict of interest when the NIH Program Director is also the Project Scientist for a U13 award.

2.A.3. Arbitration Process

Any disagreements that may arise in scientific or programmatic matters (within the scope of the award) between award recipients and the NIH may be brought to arbitration. An Arbitration Panel composed of three members will be convened. It will have three members: one chosen by the awardee, a second member selected by the IC, and the third member with expertise in the relevant area who is chosen by the other two. This special arbitration procedure in no way affects the awardee's right to appeal an adverse action that is otherwise appealable in accordance with PHS regulations 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart D and HHS regulations 45 CFR Part 16.

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the PHS Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Reports must be submitted 2 months prior to the next budget period start date. The Progress Report should include a report of the previous meeting supported by the current grant, as well as a full description of the next planned meeting.

Section VII. Agency Contacts


We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into two areas: scientific/research, and financial or grants management issues.

1. Scientific/Research Contacts:

Consult the NIH Conference Grant Web site (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/index.htm) and direct your questions to the appropriate program individual (see: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_R13_U13.html).

Note: Applicants are encouraged to look at the R13/U13 FAQs (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r13/r13_faqs.doc) for a listing of common questions regarding the preparation and submission of conference grant and cooperative agreement applications.

2. Conference Grant Coordinator:

Issues that remain after consultation with IC staff and that are not addressed in this FOA may be directed by email to the R13 mailbox: R131@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information


Required Federal Citations

URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.

Healthy People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.

Authority and Regulations:
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the 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.


Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices



NIH Office of Extramural Research Logo
  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Home Page Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
  USA.gov - Government Made Easy
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health®



Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.