Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

Funding Opportunity Title

High-End Instrumentation Grant Program (S10)

Activity Code

S10 Biomedical Research Support Shared Instrumentation Grants (NCRR)

Announcement Type

Reissue of PAR-07-383

Related Notices

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

PAR-11-228

Companion FOA

None

Number of Applications

There is no limit on the number of applications an institution may submit provided the applications are for different types of equipment. See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.389

FOA Purpose

The NCRR High-End Instrumentation Grant (HEI) program encourages applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase a single major item of equipment to be used for biomedical research that costs at least $750,000. The maximum award is $2,000,000. Instruments in this category include, but are not limited to, structural and functional imaging systems, macromolecular NMR spectrometers, high-resolution mass spectrometers, cryoelectron microscopes and supercomputers.

Key Dates
Posted Date

June 9, 2011

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

August 19, 2011

Letter of Intent Due Date

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

September 19, 2011, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

February-March, 2012

Advisory Council Review

May, 2012

Earliest Start Date(s)

July 1, 2012

Expiration Date

September 20, 2011

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

With advances in technological development, biomedical scientists require ever more powerful tools for their research. As new instruments with enhanced performance become available, their importance for research increases along with the costs. Although the Shared Instrumentation Grant Program (SIG) provides a cost effective mechanism for groups of NIH supported investigators to obtain commercially available equipment costing between $100,000 and $600,000, there is a continuing need for an NIH program that provides expensive, high-end instruments to the broad community of basic and clinical scientists. To meet the demands of the community, the NCRR initiated the HEI program in FY 2002 to support expensive, high-end instruments.

Examples of key instruments in this category include, but are not limited to:

Applications for synchrotron equipment, with the exception of detectors, are not appropriate for this FOA.

The HEI program will not support requests for:

For eligibility, a major user group of three or more investigators who are PDs/PIs on active NIH research grants with the following activity codes, P01, R01, U01, R35, R37, DP1 and DP2 must be identified. Once this eligibility requirement has been met, additional users with other types of active NIH research grants (such as but not limited to R03, R21, P30, P41, P50) mechanisms can be added as major or minor users. NIH training grants and contracts are not eligible. To demonstrate the clear need for the requested instrumentation, projects supported by NIH research grants should require at least 75 percent of the total usage time.

Major users can be individual researchers, or a group of investigators within the same department or from several departments at the applicant institution. NIH extramural awardees from other nearby institutions may also be included.

If the major user group does not require total usage of the instrument, access to the instrument should be made available to other users upon the advice of the internal advisory committee (see below). These users need not be NIH awardees, but priority should be given to NIH-supported scientists engaged in biomedical/behavioral research.

It is expected that some of the equipment requested under the HEI Program will be of a specialized nature and will require a high level of technical expertise to operate the instrument and conduct experiments. Therefore, for the requested instrument to be used effectively and to avoid abuse of instrumentation, which frequently occurs in an open access environment, the bulk of the research time may have to be reserved for a few investigators. Alternatively, some type of instruments might be accessed by the research community through collaborations with appropriate investigators. Other types of instruments requested may not be as dedicated; will serve a broadly diversified biomedical community, in which case, the instrument should be integrated in a centralized core facility.

Each applicant institution must propose a PD/PI who can assume administrative/scientific oversight responsibility for the instrumentation requested. This person need not be an NIH grantee but must be affiliated with the applicant institution. An internal advisory committee must be named to assist the PD/PI in administering the grant and overseeing the usage of the instrument. The membership of this committee should be broadly based and include members without conflicts of interest who can resolve disputes if they arise. The PD/PI and the advisory committee are responsible for the development of guidelines for:

The PD/PI also will be responsible for preparing a Final Progress Report, ninety days following the end of the project period, which describes the instrument purchased, a list of all users and a description of the value of the instrument to the investigators and to the institution as a whole.

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

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant

Application Types Allowed

New
Resubmission

The OER Glossary and the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

Although the financial plans of the NCRR provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. The NCRR intends to commit approximately $20 million in FY2012 to fund approximately 10-15 new awards.

Award Budget

Applications will be accepted that request a single, commercially available instrument or integrated system which costs at least $750,000. There is no upper limit on the cost of the instrument, but the maximum award is $2,000,000. Since the cost of the various instruments will vary, it is anticipated that the size of the award also will vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend on the funds available for the HEI program.

Award Project Period

Awards are made for one year and for direct cost of the instrument only.

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

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions:

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

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

Under the general research support authority of Section 301(a) (3) of the Public Health Service Act, High End Instrumentation Grant awards are made to public and non-profit domestic institutions only. These institutions include health professional schools, other academic institutions, hospitals, health departments, and research organizations. Note that Federal institutions, foreign institutions and for-profit institutions are not eligible to apply. A Federal institution is defined by the NIH as a Cabinet-level department or independent agency of the executive branch of the Federal Government or any component organization of such a department or agency. Foreign (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following registrations.

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application due date.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (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.

2. Cost Sharing

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

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

There is no limit on the number of applications an institution may submit provided the applications are for different types of equipment.

For eligibility, a major user group of three or more investigators who are PD/PI on active NIH research grants with the following activity codes, P01, R01, U01, R35, R37, DP1 and DP2 must be identified. Once this eligibility requirement has been met, additional users with other types of active NIH research grants (such as but not limited to R03, R21, P30, P41, P50) mechanisms can be added as major or minor users. NIH training grants and contracts are not eligible. To demonstrate the clear need for the requested instrumentation, projects supported by NIH research grants should require at least 75 percent of the total usage time.

Although the focus of the HEI Program is on a new generation of instruments that cost over $1,000,000, the floor for the program has been set at $750,000. Applications for routine instruments such as midfield NMR spectrometers and other applications for requests totaling over $750,000 which are the result of an over-estimation of price and/or an excessive number of accessories, are not appropriate.

NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. Resubmission applications may be submitted, according to the NIH Policy on Resubmission Applications from the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Number of PDs/PIs. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed under the S10 mechanism.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Letter of Intent

Not Applicable.

Required and Optional Components

The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for application submission. Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate optional components.

Page Limitations

For this FOA, there is no overall page limit for the entire Instrumentation Plan.

However, there are specified page limitations for individual sections (see below).

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Below are special instructions for this FOA describing the information that must be included in the required components of your application. Incomplete and non-compliant applications will be withdrawn and will not be reviewed

SF424 (R&R) Cover Component

11. Descriptive Title. Enter the name of the instrument requested in the title (for example, 600MHz NMR Spectrometer.

12. Proposed Project. Enter start date of 07/01/2012 and end date of 06/30/2013.

15. Estimated Project Funding. Enter the total Federal funds for the requested instrument in line 15.a. This will be the total cost since the award period for the HEI program is one year. If the cost of the instrument is more than $2M, enter $2M on this line, since this is the maximum award under the HEI program. In line 15.c, enter the total cost of the instrument from the quote. If lines 15.a and 15.c are not the same, enter the difference in line b and explain the difference in section 11 Equipment on the R&R Other Project Information component (see below). Enter zero for line 15.d as Program Income does not apply to the HEI Program.

A warning will be generated during submission for any S10 with a budget in excess of $500,000. This warning can be ignored.

Research & Related Other Project Information

1. Are Human Subjects Involved? Check no.

2. Are Vertebrate Animals Used? Check no.

7. Project Summary/Abstract. The Project Summary/Abstract is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving the stated goals. This section should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and, insofar as possible, should be understandable to a scientifically or technically literate reader.

The Project Summary/Abstract must be no longer than 30 lines of text.

8. Project Narrative. Using no more than two or three sentences, describe the relevance of this research to public health. In this section be succinct and use plain language that can be understood by a general, lay audience.

9. Bibliography & References Cited: This section should include references cited in the research projects and those pertinent to the proposed instrument. If possible, each user should highlight those publications that demonstrate the user's expertise in using the requested instrumentation.

10. Facilities & Other Resources. Not applicable. Do not include an attachment here.

11. Equipment. Describe the instrument requested including manufacturer and model number. The model chosen should be justified by comparing its performance with other available instruments where appropriate. Specific features and any accessories should be justified, both in this section and in the description of research projects. Such accessories must be utilized by at least half of the users. Provide a detailed budget breakdown of the main equipment and accessories requested including tax and import duties, if applicable. An itemized quote, with appropriate discount from a vendor should be included. The quote must be scanned and combined in a single PDF attachment with the equipment description as part of the line 11 upload. If human or infectious materials, which could create a potential biohazard, are to be analyzed, funds for accessory containment equipment for the instrument may be requested in the budget. In this case, a signed letter from the institutional

biosafety committee stating that they have reviewed the proposed containment plan and that the plan adheres to documented biosafety regulations is required in the application. This letter must be scanned and uploaded as a PDF attachment in the Other Attachments (line 12).(see instructions below)

12. Other Attachments

Introduction:

If you are submitting a resubmission (Cover Page Item 8) then you should include an Introduction describing the changes that have been made in response to comments in the previous review. This Introduction may not exceed three pages and must be saved as a single file (named Introduction) and attached in the Other Attachments (line 12).

Instrumentation Plan (in lieu of Research Plan section):

Organize the Instrumentation Plan in the specified order starting each section with the appropriate section heading (i.e. Justification of Need, Research Projects etc.). For this FOA, there is no overall page limit for the entire Instrumentation Plan. However, there are specified page limitations for individual sections (see below). The sections cannot exceed the page maximum including tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts. Do not include links to Web sites for further information. Do not include animations.

The entire Instrumentation Plan (Section A-G) must be saved as a single file (named Instrumentation Plan) and attached in the Other Attachments (line 12). Although there is no overall page limit, applicants are reminded to be informative yet succinct.

A) Justification of Need (Page Limit: 6 Pages)

Describe the instrument requested. Inventory similar instruments existing at the applicant institution, neighboring research institutions, or otherwise accessible; describe why they are unavailable or inappropriate for the proposed research. For a new generation instrument present the design concept, rational and development methods in sufficient detail to allow evaluation of its technical feasibility. Provide a clear justification why new or updated equipment, including accessories, are needed. Include specific documentation on the current usage and downtime of existing instruments and a realistic estimate of the projected usage for the requested instrument. Such documentation should be expressed as hours of use, setup time, etc., per day or week, not simply as percentage of available time. Be specific and quantitative; define available usage time.

B) Research Projects

Give a brief description of the major users projects. Since the projects have been previously peer reviewed, the project descriptions should be concise and focus on the benefit of the instrument to the research objectives of each user. Sufficient technical detail (preliminary data and/or supplemental information) should be included to evaluate whether the instrument is appropriate, would be effectively employed, and would provide advantages over other methods. The need for special features and accessories must be justified. Individual projects that require a specific option or upgrade (e.g., a UV laser) should describe the specific studies that utilize this option. At least half of the users should need these options.

If there is a large number of major users, select a representative group (8-10) and describe their research projects. The research project descriptions should be informative and succinct. Although there is a page maximum of 6 pages per major user, three pages or less per major user is recommended.

For minor users, only include a very brief summary of the research related to the need for the requested instrument.

C) Summary Table(s) (Page Limit: 6 Pages in total)

Use a table to list the names of the users (last, first) from section B, the complete NIH grant numbers (5R01HL123456-01A2), brief titles of the projects and the estimated percentage of use. Make a separate table to indicate the users needs for the requested accessories.

D) Technical Expertise (Page Limit: Sections D plus E = 6 Pages Total)

Describe the technical expertise present at the institution to set up, run and maintain the instrument. Specify who will operate the instrument, train new users, ensure that it is operated safely and appropriately maintained. Outline the roles of the technical staff in training new users and in facilitating the adoption of these state-of-the-art techniques in the users' research program.

E) Administration of the Instrument

Organizational Plan

Describe the organizational plan to administer the grant. Include how the instrument will be utilized, how requests will be made, how time will be allocated among major and minor users and plans for attracting new users. List the names and titles of the members of the local advisory committee. Describe the role and responsibility of the advisory committee(s) in developing policies and procedures to assure equitable use of the instrument time and their meeting schedules. If users projects involve human subjects, animals or infectious materials, describe a plan for managing access to the instrument.

Financial Plan

Submit a specific financial plan for long-term operation and maintenance of the instrument. Pertinent data on user charges, salaries of technical support personnel, maintenance contracts, instrument upgrades, shop charges and other expenses should be included. Specify the sources and amounts of additional needed funds (private, state or institutional funds) and a projection of when they will be available. Give a time frame or prospects for delivery of the instrument.

F) Institutional Commitment (Page Limit: Sections F plus G = 6 Pages Total)

Describe the institutional infrastructure (space, environment and utilities) available to support the instrumentation. Indicate if the institution has any history of making technology available and for keeping instruments in top operating condition. Provide documentation (e.g., separate letters signed by appropriate institutional officials) specifically describing the required institutional commitment (in dollars) in support of the proposed Financial Plan. Those letters must uploaded in the Other Attachments (line 12). (see instructions below)

G) Overall Benefit

Explain how the instrument will impact NIH funded research and contribute to the institution’s long- range biomedical research goals.

The entire Instrumentation Plan (Section A-G) must be saved as a single file (named Instrumentation Plan) and attached in the Other Attachments (line 12). Although there is no overall page limit, applicants are reminded to be informative yet succinct.

Letters of Support are not included in the page limitations. Letters from institutional officials (mentioned in section F, Institutional Commitment) and letters from the biosafety committee (mentioned in Item 11, Equipment) should be combined in a single file named Letters of Support and uploaded under Item 12, Other Attachments.

Senior/Key Person Profile(s) Component

Include profiles for the PD/PI, the Major Users, and for the technical person(s) responsible for the maintenance and operation of the instrument. For the Major Users, select Other under Project Role, then complete the Other Project Role Category by inserting Major User. For technical person(s), select Technician for Project Role field. Follow the instructions in the Application Guide for Additional Senior/Key Person Profile(s) if there are more than 8 major users.

NOTE: Current and Pending Support. Since Just-in-Time does not apply to the S10 mechanism this FOA requires current and pending support for the PD/PI, each major user and/or technician at the time of application submission. Follow the format provided in Other Support section of the Application Guide (Part III. Section 1.8. Other Support).

Resource Sharing Plan

Not Applicable.

Appendix

Appendices are not allowed for this FOA.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit in advance of the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

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

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

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

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.

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

Under the S10 (HEI) mechanism, funding requests are limited to the purchase cost of the instrument only. Support for technical personnel, service contracts, extended warranties, and supplies are not allowable. Cost sharing towards purchase of the instrument is not required. If the amount of funds requested does not cover the total cost of the instrument, the application should describe the proposed source(s) of funding for the balance of the cost of the instrument. Documentation of the availability of the remainder of funding, signed by an appropriate institutional official, must be presented to NIH prior to issuance of award.

The program does not provide facilities and administrative (F&A) costs or support for construction or alterations or renovations. Matching funds are not required. However, commitment of an appropriate level of institutional support to insure the associated infrastructure is expected (building alterations, or renovations, post-award service contracts and technical personnel) and should be described. Grants will be awarded for a period of one year and are not renewable. Supplemental applications will not be accepted.

Applicants proposing purchase of an instrument that the institution is planning to lease prior to award are urged to consult with their institutional sponsored projects office regarding applicable NIH policy prior to executing the leasing agreement. If the leasing agreement was executed more than one year prior to submission of the HEI application, the applicant must provide strong justification for the requested Federal funds. Further, the instrument must be considered state-of-the-art at the time of submission of the HEI application. Award adjustments may be necessary. Execution of a purchase order or agreement, making a down payment or other formal commitment to purchase the equipment prior to award must be in compliance with NIH policy regarding pre-award cost authority (see most current version of the NIH Grants Policy Statement). Non-compliance with this policy automatically eliminates an applicant from eligibility for an award.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

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

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:
All PD/PIs must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF 424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

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

The mission of the NIH is to support science in pursuit of knowledge about the biology and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. As part of this mission, applications submitted to the NIH for grants or cooperative agreements to support biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

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 stated below.

Overall Impact/Benefit. Reviewers will briefly summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the application; assess the potential benefit of the instrument requested for the overall research community and its potential impact on NIH-funded research; and provide comments on the overall need of the users which led to their final recommendation and level of enthusiasm.

Scored Review Criteria. Reviewers will consider each of the five review criteria below in the determination of scientific and technical merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

Additional Review Criteria

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

Protections for Human Subjects

Reviewers will be instructed to bring any concern to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

Reviewers will be instructed to bring any concern to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Vertebrate Animals

Reviewers will be instructed to bring any concern to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

Are the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group adequate? Are the improvements in the resubmission application appropriate?

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Revisions

Not Applicable.

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.

Budget and Period of Support: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the appropriateness of the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research may be assessed by the reviewers.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable.

Select Agent Research

Not Applicable.

Resource Sharing Plans

Not Applicable.

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the Center for Scientific Review (assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons, in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Applications will be assianged to NCRR and compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Research Resources Council (NARRC). The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

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 eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

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 and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable.

3. Reporting

A final progress report and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are requird for closeout of an award as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Final Progress Report

Ninety days after the expiration of the grant, a Final Progress Report is required that describes the instrument purchased, and a list of all users and description of the value of the instrument to the investigators and to the institution as a whole. This report is needed by the NIH for informing the public, administrative and Congressional officials about the research resources it supports.

The following information must be included in the HEI Final Progress Report:

1) Information about the award and the instrument:

Grant Number: 1S10RR#####-01

Principal Investigator: (Name, Institution, Department, Address)

Funding Period

Name of Instrument (including manufacturer and model)

Total Purchase Cost

Total HEI award amount

Other Sources of Funding (if appropriate)

2) Describe the HEI instrument purchased, its usage and its impact on the research community, specifically the NIH funded users. Use a summary table to list the names of the current major users (last, first), the complete NIH grant numbers (5R01HL123456-01A2), brief titles of the projects and the percentage of use.

3) Describe the administration, operation, and plans for the maintenance of the instrument.

4) Describe (in language understandable to the lay public) any research accomplishments resulting from the use of the instrumentation. Explain the developments in terms of their contributions to new knowledge and potential for the improvement of human health. Provide references to publications, if available.

5) Include any other additional information which you would consider useful to the NIH.

The HEI Final Progress Report must be submitted electronically through the Closeout feature in eRA Commons.

Federal Financial Report

A Federal Financial Report must be submitted for S10 awards. Information about the Federal Financial Report is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2010/nihgps_ch8.htm#_Toc271264983 .

Final Invention Statement

A Final Invention Statement is not required for HEI awards.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

eRA Commons Help Desk(Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, tracking application status, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Marjorie A. Tingle, PhD
High End Instrumentation Grant Program
National center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Telephone: 301-435-0772
Email: HEI@mail.nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

You should receive an assignment notification in your eRA Commons account within 2 weeks of your application’s submission due date.

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Ms. Quadira Huff
Office of Grants management
National center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Telephone: 301-435-0852
Email: huffq@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

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 Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.


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NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices



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