Full Text AA-97-006
 
COLLABORATIVE MINORITY ALCOHOL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
 
NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 14, May 2, 1997
 
RFA: AA-97-006
 
P.T. 34, FF

Keywords: 
  Alcohol/Alcoholism 

 
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  June 16, 1997
Application Receipt Date:  July 15, 1997
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in
collaboration with the Office for Research on Minority Health (ORMH)
of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invites applications for
Collaborative Minority Institution Alcohol Research Development
grants (CMIARD).  The long range goal of the Collaborative Minority
Institution Alcohol Research Development Program is to strengthen the
alcohol research capacity of predominantly minority institutions by
fostering collaborations with research intensive institutions, and
through this means, expand the capabilities of the research
scientists in these institutions to research on alcohol-related
health issues within minority communities.  For the purpose of this
solicitation, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and
Alaskan Natives are considered to be racial or ethnic minorities.
 
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000
 
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Request
for Applications (RFA), Collaborative Minority Alcohol Research
Development Program, is related to the priority area of alcohol abuse
and alcoholism reduction. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of
"Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or
Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the
Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington
DC 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-512-1800).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Only predominantly minority institutions as defined below are
eligible to submit applications in response to this request.
Applications from foreign institutions are not eligible.
Applications may contain a foreign collaborative research project if
the project is specifically relevant to an alcohol-related U.S.
minority health issue.
 
To be responsive to this RFA, eligible institutions must have
documented collaborative agreements with established alcohol research
investigators at an institution other than the applicant institution.
It is anticipated that in most instances, the collaborating
scientists will be located at one or more research intensive
institutions.
 
Definitions
 
1.  A "predominantly minority institution" is an academic, health
care or research institution with an enrollment and/or faculty
predominantly of ethnic minorities.  For most academic institutions
this would be a school whose student enrollment and/or faculty is
composed of 50 percent or more ethnic minorities.  "Hispanic Serving
Institutions" are defined as having 25 percent Hispanic students and
are eligible to apply.
 
2.  An "established research investigator" is an individual who in
Fiscal Year 1997 is the recipient of independent research support
from any awarding component of the NIH through the one or more of the
following mechanisms: R01, R29, R37, or a component director within a
P30 or P50 Center.
 
3.  An "established alcohol research investigator" is an individual
who is currently the recipient of independent research support from
the NIAAA through one or more of the following mechanisms: R01, R29,
R37, or a component director within a P50 Center.
 
4.  A "research intensive institution" is a university or research
institution which received at least $20 million in NIH research and
research training support in Fiscal Year 1996.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation by the NIAAA.  The administrative
and funding instrument to be used for this program will be a Resource
Related Research Project Cooperative Agreement (U24), an "assistance"
mechanism (rather than an "acquisition" mechanism), in which
substantial NIH scientific and/or programmatic involvement with the
awardee is anticipated during performance of the activity.  Under the
cooperative agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and/or stimulate
the recipient's activity by involvement in and otherwise working
jointly with the award recipient in a partner role, but it is not to
assume direction, prime responsibility, or a dominant role in the
activity.  Details of the responsibilities, relationships, and
governance of the study to be funded under the cooperative
agreement(s) are discussed later in this document under the section
"Terms and Conditions of Award."
 
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
It is anticipated that up to three five-year awards will be made in
response to this RFA in Fiscal Year 1997.  The specific number of
awards will be contingent upon the scientific and technical merit of
the applications.  The cost may not exceed $400,000 in direct costs
for the initial year.  Although the financial plans of the NIAAA
provide for the support of this program, awards pursuant to this RFA
are contingent upon availability of funds.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
Epidemiological studies indicate major differences in alcohol
morbidity and mortality among different racial and ethnic groups.  In
the United States, alcohol use is involved in nearly 100,000 deaths
annually from traffic crashes, cirrhosis of the liver, self-directed
and other-directed violence, falls, burns, drowning, and other
unintentional injuries.  Alcohol misuse results in violence, family
discord, job loss, and serious medical problems, including
alcohol-related birth defects.  The costs and problems are unevenly
distributed across racial and ethnic groups, with disproportionately
higher problems observed in some sub-populations of African
Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans.
 
Research has produced both important findings and new questions.  A
study of alcohol-related mortality in California showed that African
Americans and Hispanics had higher rates of mortality from alcoholic
cirrhosis than did whites or Asian Americans. Further, death rates
attributed to alcohol dependence syndrome also were highest for
African Americans, although a higher percentage of African Americans
than whites abstain from using alcohol.  The higher rates of medical
problems seen in African Americans thus occur among a smaller
percentage of the African American population when compared with
whites.
 
Epidemiological evidence indicates that the incidence of  fetal
alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other alcohol-related birth defects is
greater among both Native American and African American populations
than other U.S. populations.  The reasons for these observed
differential prevalence rates have not been explained.
 
Over the last several years the NIAAA has increasingly focused
attention upon enhancing its commitment to research on topics germane
to the health and well-being of minority Americans, and involving
researchers in minority institutions in alcohol research and
training.  Recognizing the importance of minority institution
involvement in research on minority health issues, the objective of
this cooperative agreement is to foster the capability of minority
institutions to submit applications for research support that are
competitive within the NIH peer review process. As well, the ability
to obtain such support, especially from the Federal Government, is,
in turn, often dependent on a successful record of previous research
and on a research infrastructure capable of supporting proposed
research projects as well as on the inherent scientific merit of the
projects.  Without the opportunity to establish such a research
record or to develop the necessary resources to support research,
qualified scientists at minority institutions are often disadvantaged
when compared with their colleagues at research-intensive
institutions.  Thus, a central aim of the CMIARD program is to
enhance the funding opportunities for scientists at minority
institutions by pairing them, through collaborative affiliations,
with scientists, typically from research-intensive institutions, who
have both the resources and experience necessary to successfully
compete in the NIH scientific peer review system.  It is anticipated
that accomplishment of this aim will not only enhance the research
careers of minority scientists but also attract qualified minority
undergraduate and graduate students to careers in alcohol research.
 
Scientific and Research Opportunities
 
The following topics are suggested for inclusion in CMIARD
applications.  These, however, are not listed in priority order nor
are they exhaustive, and other research topics relevant to alcohol
research may be proposed.
 
o  Studies of the incidence and prevalence of alcohol abuse and
alcoholism in minority populations and subpopulations
 
o  Studies of the relationship of the general health status of
minorities to the prevalence of alcohol related disorders.
 
o  Studies designed to investigate factors contributing to the excess
morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol abuse and alcoholism
in minority populations.
 
o  Biological and behavioral studies on the interrelationship of
alcohol use and abuse to AIDS/HIV in minority populations.
 
o  Studies of the underlying genetic and environmental factors
involved in alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
 
o  Studies of fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related birth defects
and alcohol-related neurobehavioral disorder.
 
o  Studies of factors contributing to differences in the rates of
alcohol dependence in minorities and non-minorities.
 
o  Studies to investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of
alcoholism.
 
o  Studies of use and barriers to use of alcohol-related health
services.
 
APPLICATION CHARACTERISTICS
 
The CMIARD award is expected to support a minimum of three alcohol
research projects.  The projects may be of a pilot or exploratory
nature.  Each project will involve participation by co-investigators
from the applicant minority institution and at least one external
scientist, preferentially from a research-intensive
institution(s)(see Definitions).  Each project should have at least
one collaborative scientist who meets the qualifications of an
"established research investigator" (see Definitions, above).  The
complete CMIARD application should have at least two collaborating
scientists who meet the qualifications of  "established alcohol
research investigator" (see Definitions, above).  Projects involving
outreach to minority populations are encouraged, and at least one
project must focus on a topic of significance to an alcohol related
minority health issue.
 
Each CMIARD will have its own unique Project Advisory Committee
(PAC); membership requirements for  this Committee are described
below.  The role of the PAC is provide advice to the Principal
Investigator on scientific and related issues pertinent to the
operation of the CMIARD.  Among its duties, the PAC will assess
interim progress of all projects within the CMIARD, and review
projects proposed for future implementation.
 
Core resources such as development activities, administrative
services, unique clinical facilities, animal facilities,
biostatistical and computer services, and shared equipment may be
supported.
The level of support for core resources should be commensurate with
the level of research proposed and funded.  The  administrative core
might include support of meetings or other activities to explore new
and expanded collaborative research and research training.  Travel to
the site of an annual CMIARD Directors' meeting should be budgeted in
the administrative core. Budgetary constraints, however, preclude
expenditures for expensive items of equipment or renovations.
 
While formal research training activities cannot be supported
directly by this grant mechanism, there is realization that
participation in research supported by the CMIARD program can have a
significant impact on the career development of minority faculty
members.  In addition, the more traditional mechanisms of support for
career development (i.e., K01, K08) remain available.
 
The application should address each of the following elements:
 
I.  Administrative Core
 
The CMIARD must have strong and experienced central leadership to
coordinate proposed activities and to keep all components informed of
important activities. Critical elements of the Administrative Core
follow:
 
The Principal Investigator should be a senior experienced
investigator from the minority institution who will have substantial
involvement in the operation of the CMIARD program.
 
The Administrative Core must establish a Project Advisory Committee
(PAC) of four to six members.  At least one PAC member should be from
a relevant community group and two members should be experienced
alcohol researchers.  The NIAAA staff collaborator will be an
additional voting member of the PAC.  The PAC will meet at least
twice yearly to review activities and make recommendations on CMIARD
functions.  The Administrative Core will have the responsibility of
preparing a yearly progress report for the project, and attending an
annual meeting of CMIARD Directors.
 
II. Information Transfer
 
Each CMIARD should create a program for disseminating alcohol
research information.  The audiences for these activities should
include health care students and professionals,  community based
organizations and researchers at the host institution as well as
investigators at other institutions. Information transfer activities
may include, but are not limited to, activities such as training
programs, short courses, telemedicine, presentations at professional
meetings and publications. The content of these activities must be
developed in collaboration with the NIAAA and established alcohol
research scientists. The CMIARD may wish to seek Continuing Health
Education credit for participants.  The information transfer and
faculty development function should work closely with the
Administrative Core.
 
III. Five-Year Research Plan
 
Each CMIARD shall develop a 5-year research plan based on areas of
alcohol research interests. The selection of proposed projects must
reflect the goals of the research plan and must be relevant to the
research program and priorities of the NIAAA.  The plan should state
how the institution will build on its strengths and capabilities to
conduct alcohol research and address the needs of the institution in
furthering its goals.
 
IV.  Development of Summary Report
 
The Administrative Core will prepare a yearly progress report and a
document near the conclusion of the first 5 years of CMIARD
experience. The document will contain, but not be limited to, the
CMIARD description; findings regarding the collaborative approach to
project development and the enhancement of faculty expertise.
Research findings and observations on the administration of the
program should be included.
 
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF AWARD
 
The following terms and conditions will be incorporated into the
award statement and provided to the Principal Investigator(s) as well
as the institutional official at the time of award.  These special
Terms of Award are in addition to and not in lieu of otherwise
applicable OMB administrative guidelines, HHS Grant Administration
Regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92, and other HHS, PHS, and NIH
Grant Administration policy statements.
 
The administrative and funding instrument used for this program is a
resource related research project cooperative agreement (U24), an
"assistance" mechanism (rather than an "acquisition" mechanism) in
which substantial NIH scientific and/or programmatic involvement with
the awardee is anticipated during performance of the activity. Under
the cooperative agreement, the NIH purpose is to support and/or
stimulate the recipient's activity by involvement in and otherwise
working jointly with the award recipient in a partner role, but it is
not to assume direction, prime responsibility, or a dominant role in
the activity.
 
Consistent with this concept, the dominant role and prime
responsibility for the project as a whole resides with the
awardee(s), although specific tasks and activities in carrying out
the studies will be shared among the awardees and the NIAAA project
staff. Details of the roles of the parties are described later in
this section.
 
A. Awardee Rights and Responsibilities
 
Awardees will have primary and lead responsibilities for the project
including, as appropriate, protocol development; subject recruitment;
data collection, analysis and quality control; safety
monitoring; and preparation of publications.
 
The Principal Investigator defines the details for the project;
retains primary responsibility for the performance of the activity;
and agrees to close coordination, cooperation, and assistance of
NIAAA extramural staff in aspects of scientific and technical
management of the project as described herein.
 
1. Project Advisory Committee Membership and Meeting Attendance
 
Each CMIARD must establish a Project Advisory Committee (PAC),
composed of at least four and no more than six members (not including
the NIAAA staff collaborator).  An NIAAA staff collaborator will
serve as a member of each PAC, and exercise one vote on that
committee. The PAC should not include any of the external researchers
involved in any of the projects. The Chairperson of the PAC will be
selected by vote of the PAC members; the NIAAA staff collaborator may
not serve as Chairperson.  Each member will have one vote, should a
vote of the PAC be necessary to make a decision.  Each PAC will meet
at least twice a year.
 
2. Role of Awardee Institution
 
Each awardee institution and its corresponding investigators will be
responsible for developing and implementing its research programs
taking into consideration the recommendations of the PAC.
 
3. Role of Project Advisory Committee
The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) will be the major advisory body
to the Principal Investigator (PI) for all scientific decisions
pertaining to project selection and conduct within the approved scope
of the award.  The PAC will facilitate collaborative interactions
between the minority institution scientists and external
collaborating scientists; monitor progress of existing projects
within the individual CMIARD award; and, review and make
recommendations for new pilot and exploratory projects within the
program.
 
B.  NIAAA Staff  Responsibilities
 
The NIAAA staff role in a cooperative agreement will extend beyond
the level normally required for stewardship of a grant because of the
developmental nature of the research program, the potential need for
technical assistance, and for monitoring and possible reassessment of
project objectives.  The NIAAA extramural program official and staff
collaborator perform different functions in research projects
supported under the cooperative agreement mechanism.
 
1. Program Official
 
The Program Official provides normal stewardship of the award and has
overall responsibility for monitoring the conduct, progress, and
fiscal management of the program.  Progress of the project will be
reviewed by the Program Official annually at the time of each
continuation application to assure that satisfactory progress is
being made in achieving the objectives of the project.
 
2. NIAAA Staff Collaborator
 
The NIAAA Staff Collaborator has substantial scientific input in
collaboration with award recipients, in both planning and conduct of
the research.  The NIAAA Staff Collaborator will a) facilitate the
coordination necessary to manage this complex project; b)
participate in all PAC duties and responsibilities; c) participate in
monitoring progress of ongoing studies; d) participate in planning
and implementing efforts to disseminate information; e) provide
instruction in faculty development activities; f) participate in data
interpretation and, when appropriate, in the preparation of
publications and presentations.  The NIAAA staff is subject to the
same publication/authorship policies governing all participants in
the study, as well as to the official NIH Publication Policy
governing extramural employees.
 
3. Arbitration
 
Any disagreement that may arise on scientific/programmatic matters
(within the scope of the award), between award recipients and the
NIAAA may be brought to arbitration.  An arbitration panel will be
composed of three members; one selected by the Principal Investigator
of the CMIARD,  a second member selected by the NIAAA, and the third
member selected by the two prior selected members. This special
arbitration procedure in no way affects the awardee's right to appeal
an adverse action that is otherwise appealable in accordance with the
PHS regulations at 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart D and HHS regulation at 45
CFR Part 16.
 
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS
 
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the
subjects or the purpose of the research.  This policy results from
the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43).  All investigators proposing research involving human
subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and
Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been
published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59
14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23,
No. 11, March 18, 1994.
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by June 16, 1997, a
letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed
research, name, address, and telephone number of the Principal
Investigator, identities of other key personnel and participating
institutions, and number and title of the RFA in response to which
the application may be submitted.  Although a letter of intent is not
required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of
subsequent applications, the information allows the NIAAA staff to
estimate the potential review workload and to avoid conflict of
interest in the review.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to:
 
RFA-AA-97-006
Office of Scientific Affairs
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 409 - MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD  20892-7003
Telephone:  (301) 443-4375
FAX:  (301) 443-6077
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used
in applying for these grants.  Applications kits are available at
most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained
from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources,
National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910,
Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, Telephone 301/710-0267, E-mail:
ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov.
 
Applications must address the requirements as outlined above,
research objectives, special requirements and terms, and conditions.
 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
 
1.  A 5-year research plan is required.  This plan must describe how
the scientific agenda of the CMIARD will be pursued and how the
institution plans to develop and expand its alcohol research
capabilities.
 
2. All costs required for the proposed CMIARD application must be
included in the application and must be fully justified.  Requested
budgets should include travel to the Washington, D.C., for three
individuals to attend one annual CMIARD Director's meeting.
 
3. The CMIARD application should be organized into discrete
components that comprise a cohesive application.  Each component is
either a research component or a core component for which a detailed
budget is included in the application.  The application must include
an administrative core and at least three pilot or exploratory
projects.  Shared scientific resource core (s), if any, should be
included within the administrative core.
 
4.  The administrative core component is limited to 15 pages.  Each
pilot or exploratory project should be described in no more than
seven pages .  The description of each pilot or exploratory project
should contain a statement of the problem, the methods to be used,
the anticipated results, and subsequent planned efforts leading to an
independent investigator award.  Pilot or exploratory studies are
limited to 2 years.
 
5.  Biographical Sketches for both the minority institution
investigators and external collaborators should be included in the
application.  Signed letter(s) of agreement between the collaborating
investigators and the minority institution should be included in the
application.
 
6.  The CMIARD application must include the description of a process
by which its PAC and PI will select future pilot and exploratory
studies, including criteria to be used in this decision process.
 
7. Facilities and Environment--Applicants must demonstrate the
availability of adequate laboratory, clinical, and office facilities
to carry out the objectives of the CMIARD.
 
8. Organization and Administration--The CMIARD application must have
an identifiable organizational structure with clear lines of
authority which will facilitate coordination among CMIARD
participants. The applicant organization must designate an
appropriate institutional official to serve as principal investigator
for the CMIARD.  This individual must demonstrate the ability to
organize, administer, and direct the CMIARD projects.  The principal
investigator will have direct authority over the administrative core.
The administrative core should be described in sufficient detail to
assure that all proposed activities will function optimally.
 
9. Budget Considerations----All CMIARD applicants should request and
provide justification for 5 years of support.  The total costs for
the first year of support may not exceed $400,000 in direct costs.
Future year costs requests should be in accord with NIH cost
containment principles.
 
The distribution of funds within the CMIARD to each participating
project is at the discretion of the applicant institution and must be
justified by the activities of each project component. Support for
secretarial and administrative staff may be provided to the extent
that their activities relate to meeting specified CMIARD objectives.
Similarly,  travel by project personnel must be justified as meeting
project objectives.  Travel and per diem for three persons to attend
an annual day and a half meeting CMIARD Director's meeting in the
Washington, D.C., area and for travel of four investigators to attend
appropriate annual meetings of the alcohol research professional
societies should be included in the budget.  Consultants' costs and
costs for the participation of collaborators are anticipated and
these should be described and included as required by the CMIARD's
objectives.
 
10. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application
form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the
application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed
processing of the application such that it may not reach the review
committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number
must be typed on line 2a of the face page of the application form and
the YES box must be marked.
 
11. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application,
including the checklist and three signed photocopies in one package
to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040-MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Bethesda, MD 20817-7710 (for express/courier service)
 
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application
must also be sent to:
 
RFA-AA-97-006
Office of Scientific Affairs
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Willco Building, Room 409
6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003
Bethesda, Maryland  20892-7003
Rockville, Maryland  20852-7003 (for express/courier service)
 
Applications must be received by July 15, 1997.  If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review.  The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not
accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially
the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the
applicant withdraws the pending application.  The DRG will not accept
any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.
This does not preclude the submission of a substantial revision of an
application already reviewed, but such an application must follow the
guidance in the PHS Form 398 application instructions for the
preparation of revised applications, including an introduction
addressing the previous critique.
 
REVIEW METHOD
 
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the
DRG and responsiveness by the NIAAA.  Incomplete or unresponsive
applications will be returned to the applicant without further
consideration.
 
Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be
evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer
review group convened by the Institute in accordance with the review
criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, a
streamlined review process may be used by the initial review group in
which applications may or may not be discussed based on their
scientific merit relative to other applications received in response
to the RFA. Applications which are fully discussed will be assigned a
priority score.  Applications which are not discussed will be
withdrawn from further considerations and the Principal Investigator
and the official signing for the applicant organization will be
notified.  The second level of review will be provided by the
National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Review Criteria
 
Each application must be thorough and complete enough to stand on its
own.  Additional materials or revisions will not be accepted after
the receipt date.  It is strongly recommended that Institutional
Review Board (IRB) approval be secured prior to submission.
 
Major factors to be considered in the overall evaluation of the
applications include:
 
I.  The following criteria will be used in judging the adequacy of
plans for the administrative core:
 
o  Evidence of the overall 5-year plan of research reflecting the
goals of the CMIARD.
 
o  Evidence of experience in coordinating multi-disciplinary projects
and administrative core activities.
 
o  Evidence of experience with, and a commitment to, fostering
working relationships with minority populations.
 
o  The degree to which the proposed collaboration presents
opportunities for furthering research programs in the minority
institution.
 
o  Evidence of the ability to disseminate information through
professional and less formal mechanisms.
 
o  Appropriateness of the proposed budget.
 
o  Evidence of the establishment of collaborations between faculty
from the minority institution and external scientists from research
intensive institutions.
 
o  Evidence that the proposed PAC has appropriate scientific
experience, including alcohol research, and minority community
membership, and that the individuals are committed to the success of
the program.
 
o  The promise and potential of the pilot and exploratory studies
proposed; and the potential of the proposed research as a building
block in the development of future research.
 
o  The adequacy of the qualifications and relevant experience of the
principal investigator, key personnel and the ability of the
collaborator to undertake the research activities proposed in the
project.
 
o  Evidence that the mechanisms for review and administration of the
pilot studies will function to produce studies that meet substantive
objectives and have a reasonable expectation of subsequent
independent funding.
 
II.  The following criteria will be used to evaluate the commitment
of the applicant institution to program objectives:
 
o  Evidence that the academic environment(s) and its/their resources
committed to the application including space, equipment, and
facilities are adequate to meet the proposed objectives.
 
o  Evidence that the host institution is sufficiently flexible to
foster multi-disciplinary interaction with investigators internal and
external to the university.
 
III.  The following criteria will be used to evaluate the potential
for productive collaborative studies and the potential of the
proposed projects:
 
Review of developmental research projects is based not only on the
traditional considerations necessary for peer evaluation of
scientific merit, but also takes into account the preliminary nature
of the proposed studies and, in a broader sense, the extent to which
the research activity will contribute to the goals of the CMIARD.
The criteria for review of these developmental research projects
include:
 
o  Evidence of a minimum of three well-developed projects.
 
o  The availability of adequate facilities, general environment for
the conduct of the proposed studies and other resources and
collaborative arrangements.
 
o  If studies involving human subjects are proposed, evidence of an
ability to recruit and retain subjects for study will also be
evaluated.
 
o  The scientific, health or medical significance of the proposed
project.
 
o  Adequacy of procedures for the protection of human and animal
subjects and for the environment.
 
o  Adequacy of plans for addressing compliance with NIH policies on
inclusion of women and minorities in studies involving human
subjects.
 
AWARD CRITERIA
 
Award decisions will be based on the technical merit of the
application as determined by peer review, availability of funds, and
other programmatic priorities to ensure a balance among the various
types of programs, populations served, and/or geographic
distribution.
 
INQUIRIES
 
Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.
The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential
applicants is welcomed.
 
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:
 
Ernestine Vanderveen, Ph.D.
Division of Basic Research
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
6000 Executive Boulevard - MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD  20892-7003
Rockville, MD  20852-7003 (for express/courier service)
Telephone:  (301) 443-1273
FAX:  (301) 594-0673
E-mail: tvander@willco.nih.niaaa.gov
 
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:
 
Linda Hilley
Grants Management Branch
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD  20892-7003
Telephone:  (301) 443-0915
FAX:  (301) 443-3891
E-mail:  lhilley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance, No. 93.273.  Awards are made under the authorization of
the Public Health Service Act, Sections 301 and 464H, and
administered under the PHS policies and Federal Regulations at Title
42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to
the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency Review.
 
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a
smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.
In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994,
prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care or early childhood development
services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS
mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the
American people.
 
.

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