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 of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) (http://www.niaid.nih.gov)

Title:
Enterics Research Investigational Network Cooperative Research Centers (U19)

Announcement Type
New

Request For Applications (RFA) Number:  RFA-AI-09-023

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.856

Key Dates
Release Date: June 25, 2009
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: October 17, 2009
Application Receipt Date:  November 17, 2009
Peer Review Date:  March, 2010
Council Review Date:  May, 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:  July, 2010
Additional Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/qa/revniaid.htm
Expiration Date:  November 18, 2009

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. Address to Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
    A. Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
         1. Letter of Intent
    B. Sending an Application to the NIH
    C. Application Processing

   D.  Application Assignment
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 Criteria
    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. Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities
         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. Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s)

Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations


Part II - Full Text of Announcement


Section I. Funding Opportunity Description


1. Research Objectives

PURPOSE

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health, invites applications from single institutions and consortia of institutions to participate in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) “Enterics Research Investigational Network (ERIN) Cooperative Research Centers (CRCs)”.  The purpose of this FOA is to establish the ERIN CRCs, a coordinated enterics research program designed to bridge the gaps between basic, translational, and clinical research on enteric disease agents, including toxins. The Network is designed to be a multi-center effort with collaborative relationships among ERIN CRC investigators and NIAID Program staff.

An important feature of the Network is the synergy that results from interactions between the investigators within the Network.  The investigators will share intellect, expertise, and resources throughout the award period. 

Each ERIN CRC must identify and support Research Pilot Projects that take advantage of emergent technology and new opportunities in enterics research beginning in the second year of the award. To that end, collaborative efforts among the ERIN CRCs must include identification of areas most appropriate for Research Pilot Projects, as well as review and refinement of these projects. 

BACKGROUND

Bacterial and viral infections of the gastrointestinal tract account for a high burden of morbidity and mortality domestically and overseas. The enteric pathogens cause disease symptoms ranging from mild gastroenteritis to life-threatening systemic infections and severe dehydrating diarrhea. In addition to the acute risks of disease, long-term complications of enteric diseases include malnutrition, malabsorption of vital drugs, and immunological complications.  The World Health Organization estimates the global death toll associated with these diseases at 4 million to 6 million per year, with most of these occurring in children of preschool age, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. 

To combat this tremendous disease burden, NIAID supports a comprehensive research program aimed at better understanding the pathogenic mechanisms employed by these organisms, rapid and accurate detection, and better ways to prevent and treat these diseases.  As part of this effort, NIAID supported a program called the Enteric Pathogens Research Unit (EPRU) from 1997-2002, which involved a single, seven-year contract awarded in 1997 to the University of Maryland, with sub-contracts to Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Alabama. The EPRU program was recompeted in 2001 as part of the Food and Waterborne Disease Integrated Research Network (FWDIRN; award period 2003-2010; www.fwdirn.org), which supports multiple contracts. The six FWDIRN Research components focus on either microbiology, immunology, zoonoses, or clinical trials and research, while a separate FWDIRN Coordinating and Biostatistical Center provides the administrative and biostatistical support to integrate and coordinate all the components. A December 2008 external review of the FWDIRN program led to the recommendation that the program be modified to focus solely on enteric diseases. In response, this FOA encourages the establishment of a coordinated enterics research program that brings together expertise in microbial ecology and/or pathogenesis, host response, and clinical research.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

This program will support integrated, multidisciplinary research centers designed to advance the state of knowledge in the field of enteric diseases.  Specifically, the ERIN CRCs will focus on microbial ecology and/or pathogenesis, host response, and clinical research on a broad range of enteric agents that threaten public health. The proposed research studies should bridge the gaps between basic, translational, and clinical science. Moreover, this program encourages the use of clinical samples in basic and clinical research studies to accelerate translation of basic research findings into clinical applications. Thus, the Network will be a multi-center effort with collaborative relationships among the ERIN CRC investigators, and the synergy resulting from these interactions will be an important feature of the Network. In addition, NIAID encourages flexibility throughout the award period regarding use of collaborators to develop projects of the highest scientific merit.

Research on the following enteric agents may be supported under this FOA:

Bacteria

Viruses

Note: The following scientific areas are excluded under this FOA; applications proposing projects focused on these areas will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed:

Note: Applications proposing projects involving clinical trials will be deemed non-responsive, and will not be reviewed.

ERIN CRC PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS

Each ERIN CRC should be composed of a multidisciplinary research team with expertise spanning three interrelated research areas, as defined below, that are organized around a central theme. The proposed research projects and other activities should support and complement the theme areas, and the relationship of the proposed activities to the theme should be clearly defined and explicitly stated.

Each ERIN CRC application MUST include each of the following:

A Center Director who will coordinate the Projects and Cores. The Center Director must be the (or one of the) PD/PI(s) of the application, and must be the contact PD/PI.

Note:  Additional research components or cores will not be supported under this FOA.

Note:  Applications lacking any required elements including the clearly defined Milestones and Timeline sections (see below) in the three required projects and the overall application, as determined by NIAID staff, will be designated as non-responsive to the FOA and will not be reviewed.

Applicants must describe and justify the research projects on the basis of domestic or international public health needs, or compelling scientific opportunities.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the publicly available NIAID sequencing, bioinformatics, proteomics, and animal model resources, among others, to support their research needs.  See the following website for a complete list of available NIAID research resources: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/resources/dmid/.

Research Components 

Applicants must propose one research project in each of the three research areas listed below. Efforts must be directed to address critical gaps in current understanding of enteric diseases.

Research Area 1: Microbial Ecology/Pathogenesis of Enteric Disease

Types of responsive projects include, but are not limited to:

Research Area 2: Host Response

Types of responsive projects include, but are not limited to:

Research Area 3: Clinical Research

Types of responsive projects include, but are not limited to:

Note: A responsive clinical research project may include the development of a diagnostic if it is for a precisely defined medical purpose and is cost effective, easy to use point-of-care operation.

Administrative Core

The Administrative Core is responsible for the overall administration, coordination, and management of the Center.  A well-developed Administrative Core Plan is integral to the success of the Center and must be clearly defined in the application. The plan should include a discussion of the structure and roles of administrative staff, including the training and experience of proposed staff, the functions to be performed, and a discussion of how the Center will ensure effective and timely communications between the Centers and with NIAID staff.  The plan should specifically address communications, group meetings and teleconferences, presentation and publication of data, resource and model sharing, transmission of information and reagents, awareness of development, progress and outcomes of all projects within the ERIN CRC,  the identification and resolution of problems, and engagement of the Network Committee (NetCom; described below and in Section VI.2.A.3) and NIAID as appropriate. The plan must include a clear and explicit discussion of how fiscal and other resources will be prioritized, allocated, and managed.  A description of how subcontracts will be managed should be provided and should include how communications such as periodic meetings and conference calls with minutes will be organized and managed.  The plan should include a budget and should identify how research-related travel will be managed. 

Since ERIN CRCs involve potentially complex interactions among multiple investigators and institutions, each ERIN CRC must include a Management Plan that demonstrates the Administrative Core’s leadership potential by providing processes and procedures that address routine activities, as well as discuss the Core’s preparedness to deal with unexpected outcomes such as delays in the finalization of inter-institutional agreements.  In addition, the Management Plan must also discuss how the CRC will interact on a regular basis with other ERIN CRCs and outline how they will maintain synergism.  The Administrative Core Leader should be a research administrator responsible for the daily administration and fiscal management of the CRC. It is recommended that the Administrative Core Leader devote a level of effort ranging from 25% to 50% to the execution of the administrative details of the CRC projects and to managing the day-to-day operations within the CRC.

In addition, each Administrative Core must include the following component:

Research Pilot Projects Plan

Every ERIN CRC must identify and support Research Pilot Projects that take advantage of emergent technology and new opportunities in enterics research. However, applicants may not submit in their application descriptions of projects that would be supported by Research Pilot Project funds; these will be proposed, selected and approved after funding.

Each ERIN CRC must submit a Research Pilot Projects Plan that describes procedures for: soliciting applications for Research Pilot Projects; selecting the most promising projects for funding consideration; and monitoring success/productivity of the projects, including terminating or promoting them to full project status. Research Pilot Projects must relate to the overall Center theme. Research Pilot Projects will begin during the second year, with additional projects phased in during the duration of the award.  While the specific number of Research Pilot Projects to be supported is at the discretion of the Center leadership, total funding for these projects may not exceed $75,000 direct costs in any one year; the Project Leader must commit at least 10% effort.  The plan for management of the funds associated with the Research Pilot Projects must be addressed in the application. 

The use of Research Pilot Projects permits maximal flexibility to advance research areas that seem most scientifically fruitful at the time; successful projects may also mature and replace full research projects that are no longer contributing significantly to the objectives of the Center. The criteria for continuation of Research Pilot Projects and transition to full research projects is determined by the ERIN CRC Network Committee, or NetCom, described below. 

The goals, priorities, and evaluation criteria for use of funds for Research Pilot Projects will be established by the NetCom. The Netcom will also be responsible for review, assessment and recommendation of Research Pilot Projects for funding. Center Directors will be responsible for developing a fair and equitable method of determining which concepts will be submitted to the NetCom for consideration. Research Pilot Project concepts will be reviewed and selected twice per year by the NetCom (one session at the Annual Program Meeting and one session by teleconference). In the event that a Center submits Research Pilot Project concepts in excess of the funds available to the Center, the NetCom will rank the Research Pilot Project concepts from that Center. 

In addition to NetCom-approved Research Pilot Projects submitted by CRCs, the NIAID Program Officer may approve use of funds for redirection of research in the event of a public health emergency or other emergent public health need.

Network Committee (NetCom)

The ERIN CRC NetCom will be established within six months of the award. This central committee will comprise the Center Directors, Administrative Core Leaders, and other NIH scientists as identified by NIH Program Staff. The latter include Project Scientists from the NIAID Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Enteric and Hepatic Disease Branch (See Section VI.2.A.2. NIH Responsibilities), who will serve as non-voting members of the NetCom. The NetCom will select one member to serve as Chair of the Committee, and the NetCom may add other members via majority vote.

The members of the NetCom will utilize their shared intellect, expertise and resources to optimize the collaborative efforts of the CRCs and, where possible, to enhance the outcome of research projects approved in the initial award. Furthermore, the NetCom will establish the goals of, evaluate, approve, and refine Research Pilot Projects and will approve use of these pilot project funds, as noted above. Importantly, their combined abilities will facilitate the network’s capacity to engage in research efforts to counter emerging public health problems identified by NIAID as high priorities.

ERIN CRC members will be required to accept and implement policies approved by the NetCom. The NetCom will meet at least annually, in conjunction with the Annual ERIN CRC Meeting, and will hold conference calls to facilitate interaction and collaboration across ERIN CRCs and with NIAID Program staff. Procedures for the conduct of NetCom and voting will be established at the first network meeting. Annual Meetings and workshops may also be used, for example, to address common training needs, to develop cross-Center initiatives or to host invited speakers.

Network Meetings

There will be an initial Network organizational meeting in the Washington, D.C. area within 6 months of award, followed by 4 Annual Meetings and teleconferences as necessary.  Up to 4 workshops will be hosted by awardee CRCs, in turn, at their location or another site chosen by the host CRC.  These workshops are intended to identify areas of collaboration among CRCs, to address key issues in the area of enteric research, and/or to tackle important enteric research needs. Funds for travel and accommodations should be included in the budget request for the Administrative Core for the PD/PI and other key CRC personnel to attend these meetings and workshops. 

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

Section II. Award Information


1. Mechanism of Support

This funding opportunity will use the NIH multi-project Cooperative Agreement (U19) grant award mechanism(s).  The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.  

This FOA uses “Just-in-Time” information concepts. It also uses non-modular budget formats described in the PHS 398 application instructions (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). 

This funding opportunity will use a cooperative agreement award mechanism. In the cooperative agreement mechanism, the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) retains 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 Principal Investigator, as described under the Section VI. 2. Administrative Requirements, "Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award".

2. Funds Available

The estimated amount of funds available for support of 3-5 projects awarded as a result of this announcement is $5.4 million in total costs for fiscal year 2010.  An applicant may request a project period of up to 5 years, and budgets must not exceed $1M in direct costs in the first year and $5M in direct costs over the life of the awardFuture year amounts will depend on annual appropriations.

Because the nature and scope of the proposed research 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 and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Facilities and administrative costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-05-004.

NIH grants policies as described in the http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).

The decision of whether to apply for a grant with a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations, and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for grants with multiple PDs/PIs will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. When considering multiple PDs/PIs, 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 https://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.

Note that multiple Project Leaders or Core Leaders are not allowed for individual Research Projects or the Administrative Core.

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

Number of Applications.  Applicants may submit more than one application, provided they are scientifically distinct.

Resubmissions.  Resubmission applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.

Renewals.   Renewal applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information


1. Address to Request Application Information

The PHS 398 application instructions are available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of the PHS 398. 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

Applications must be prepared using the most current PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms. Applications must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the universal identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. The D&B number can be obtained by calling (866) 705-5711 or through the web site at http://www.dnb.com/us/. The D&B number should be entered on line 11 of the face page of the PHS 398 form.

The title and number of this funding opportunity must be typed in item (box) 2 only of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be checked.

Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs 

When multiple PD/PIs are proposed, use the Face Page-Continued page to provide items 3a – 3h for all PD/PIs. NIH requires one PD/PI be designated as the “contact PD/PI” for all communications between the PD/PIs and the agency. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PD/PIs, but has no special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above. The contact PD/PI may be changed during the project period. The contact PD/PI should be listed in block 3 of Form Page 1 (the Face Page), with all additional PD/PIs listed on Form Page 1-Continued. When inserting the name of the PD/PI in the header of each application page, use the name of the “Contact PD/PI, et. al.” The contact PD/PI must be from the applicant organization if PD/PIs are from more than one institution.

All individuals designated as PD/PI must be registered in the eRA Commons and must be assigned the PD/PI role in that system (other roles such as SO or IAR will not give the PD/PI the appropriate access to the application records). Each PD/PI must include their respective eRA Commons ID in the eRA Commons User Name field.

Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan:  For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled “Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan” 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 research project 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 project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators. 

If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the 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.

Additional information is available in the PHS 398 grant application instructions.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Applications must be received on or before the receipt date described below (Section IV.3.A). Submission times N/A.

3.A. Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates
Letters of Intent Receipt Date:  October 17, 2009
Application Receipt Date:  November 17, 2009
Peer Review Date:  March, 2010
Council Review Date:  May, 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:  July, 2010

3.A.1. Letter of Intent

Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed in Section IV.3.A.

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Brenda Lange-Gustafson, PhD
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 3122, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 451-3684
FAX: 301 480-2408
Email: bgustafson@niaid.nih.gov


3.B. Sending an Application to the NIH

Applications must be prepared using the forms found in the PHS 398 instructions for preparing a research grant application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies in one package to:

Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)

Personal deliveries of applications are no longer permitted (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-040.html).

At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application and all copies of the appendix material must be sent to:

Brenda Lange-Gustafson, PhD
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 3122, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 451-3684
FAX: 301 480-2408
Email: bgustafson@niaid.nih.gov


3.C. Application Processing

Applications must be received on or before the application receipt date) described above (Section IV.3.A.). If an application is received after that date, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed.  Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and for responsiveness by the reviewing Institute Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.

The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.

Information on the status of an application should be checked by the Principal Investigator in the eRA Commons at: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/.

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. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at NIH Grants Policy Statement.

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 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 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 project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project (see NIH Grants Policy Statement https://grants.nih.gov/archive/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm.)

6. Other Submission Requirements

Supplemental Instructions for the Preparation of Multi-Project Applications

The following section supplements the instructions found in the PHS Form 398 for preparing multi-project grant applications that will be submitted in paper format. Additional instructions are required because the PHS Form 398 is designed primarily for individual, free-standing research project grant applications, and has no specific instructions for multi-project applications consisting of research projects interrelated by a common theme.

The supplemental instructions below are divided as follows:

A.   General Instructions – address collaborative efforts among research projects, the administrative and organizational structure, as well as the overall facilities and environment, and the overall budget.

B.   Specific Instructions for Individual Projects – describe modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to address the collaborative or interactive role of the project.

C.   Specific Instructions for Administrative Core –describe modifications to PHS Form 398 instructions on selected items to address the collaborative or interactive role of the project.

A.   General Instructions

All applications must be submitted on PHS Form 398. The multi-project grant application should be assembled and paginated as one complete document.

1. Form Page 1 - Face Page

Items 1 - 14: complete these items as instructed. This should be the first page of the entire application and all succeeding pages should be numbered consecutively.

2. Form Page 2

Using Form Page 2 of the PHS 398, provide a succinct but accurate description (abstract) of the OVERALL multi-project application addressing the major, common theme of the program. Do not exceed the space provided.

List the performance sites where the research will be conducted.

Under "Key Personnel", list the PD/PI(s) of the multi-project application, followed by the Project and Core Leaders of the component research projects and cores, other key personnel, and then other significant contributors.

3.  Form Page 3 - Table of Contents

Do not use Form Page 3 of the PHS 398; a more comprehensive table of contents is needed for a multi-project application.

Bearing in mind that the application will be scientifically reviewed with regard to proposed projects and administrative core, prepare a detailed Table of Contents that will enable reviewers to readily locate specific information pertinent to the overall application as well as to each component research project and the administrative core. A page reference should be included for the budget for each project and the administrative core. Further, each research project should be identified by number (e.g., Project 1), title, and responsible Project Leader, and each Core should be identified by letter (e.g., Core A), title, and responsible Core Leader. The page location of a COMPOSITE BUDGET should be indicated in the "Table of Contents."

4. Composite Budget

Do not use Form Page 4 of the PHS 398. Instead, using the suggested format presented below, prepare a composite budget for all proposed years of support. (Justification for budget elements should not be presented here but in the individual budgets of the projects and cores.)

SAMPLE: Consolidated Direct Cost Budget for All Proposed Years of Support

Component

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

All Years

Project 1. Invest.

125,000

130,000

135,200

140,608

146,232

677,040

Project 2. Study

125,000

130,000

135,200

140,608

146,232

677,040

Project 3. Develop.

100,000

104,000

108,160

112,486

116,985

541,631

Admin. Core.

50,000

52,000

54,080

56,243

58,493

270,816

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totals

400,000

416,000

432,640

449,945

467,942

2,166,527









5.   Form Page

Complete the Total Direct Cost line entries for all requested budget periods (years) and the Total Direct Cost for Entire Period of Support entry. Detailed budgets are required within the descriptions of each project and core (see below).

6.   Biographical Sketch Format Page

Biographical sketches of all professional personnel for all components should be placed at the end of the application with the PD/PI(s) first, followed by those of other key personnel in alphabetical order.

7.      Resources Format Page

Do not complete. Essential information is to be presented in the individual research project and core sections of the application.

8.      Program Overview (Research Objectives and Strategic Plan)

This narrative section identifies and describes the overall focus of the proposed Center and summarizes the general research plan for this multi-project application; it is limited to 25 pages. This is an important section wherein the investigative team can provide the concept of the program by stating the general problem area and then defining their strategic plan. This section should include a brief discussion of the central theme, goals, and objectives of the CRC, the organizational structure of the proposed Center, the participating institutions/organizations, and the role of all participating members. As the strategy is laid out, the position of each project and the administrative core in the overall scheme should be clearly presented as well as how the individual projects contribute to the Center’s overarching theme or approach. Summarize the special features in the environment and/or resources that make this application strong or unique.

In addition, applicants are also required to provide overall Center, including Administrative Core, performance, milestone and timeline objectives in a section entitled “Milestones and Timeline.”  This section must be no more than 5 pages within the overall 25 page limit for the Program Overview section.

9.  Leadership Plan for Multiple PDs/PIs (required, if applicable)

For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled “Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan” 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 research project 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 project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators. 

If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the 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.

10.      Checklist

One Checklist, placed at the end of the application, is to be submitted for the entire application.

11.      Appendix Materials

Refer to Section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements and Information, for instructions on submitting appendix materials.

For each project or core in the multi-project application, 3 publications plus other approved material are allowed.

B.   Specific Instructions for Individual Research Projects

Except for the requirements below, follow the PHS 398 Specific Instructions found at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.doc#_Toc130797900 in preparing each research project.

Each individual Research Project must include:

1.      Cover Page

The Face Page of the 398 Form should not be used as a cover page for individual research projects within a multi-project application.  Instead, use the PHS 398 continuation page to create a "Cover Page" containing selected data about each individual research project.  This Cover Page will demarcate each individual research project and should contain the following information items (these are a subset of the information provided on a PHS 398 Face Page):

Project Number and Title:  (e.g., 1. Preclinical Evaluation of HIV Microbicides)

Name of Project Leader:  (e.g., Jones, Roberta A.)

Human Subjects: (Yes or No)

If Yes, exemption number:

(or)

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Date: (e.g., 12/13/2006,or "Pending")

(and)

Federalwide Assurance (FWA) number:

Vertebrate Animals: (Yes or No)

If Yes, IACUC Approval Date (e.g., 11/17/2006, or Pending)

(and)

Animal welfare assurance number:

Proposed Period of Support:

From: (mmddyy - e.g., 07/01/2007)

To: (mmddyy - e.g., 06/30/2112)

Costs Requested for Initial Budget Period: (e.g. 07/01/2007-06/30/2008)

Direct Costs: (e.g., $ 150,000)

Total Costs: (e.g., $162,000)

Costs Requested for the Entire Budget Period: (e.g., 07/01/2007-06/30/2112)

Direct Costs: (e.g., $700,000)

Applicant Organization:

(full address)

2.      Form Page 2

Provide a Description (abstract) of the research proposed in the project according to the instructions on Form Page 2 of the PHS 398. In addition, the abstract should contain a brief description of how the research project will contribute towards attainment of the multi-project program objectives.

List the performance sites where the research will be conducted.

Under "Key Personnel", list the Project Leader, followed by other key project personnel, and then other significant contributors.

3.      Form Page 3

Prepare a Table of Contents for the research project using Form Page 3 of the PHS 398.

4.      Budget Pages (PHS 398 Form Pages 4 and 5)

Prepare a detailed budget and justification for the research project using Form Pages 4 and 5 of the PHS 398.

5.      Biographical Sketches

Do not repeat the biographical sketches of participating investigators since this information will be included at the end of the overall application (and therefore will be referenced in the Overall Table of Contents).

6.      Resources Format Page

Provide information on resources available for the project.

7.      Research Plan for Each Individual Project (Items 2-5 and associated milestones/timeline cannot exceed 25 pages)

Item 2 -- Specific Aims: List in priority order, the broad, long-range objectives and goals of the proposed project. Concisely and realistically describe the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested. In addition, state the project's relationship to the multi-project program goals and how it relates to other projects or cores. This section is typically one page.

Item 3 -- Background and Significance: Use this section to describe how the proposed research will contribute to meeting the program's goals and objectives and explain the rationale for selecting the methods to accomplish the specific aims. In addition to stating the biological significance of the research, indicate the project's relevance to the primary theme of the application.

Milestones and Timeline should be placed at the end of the Research Plan section for each individual research project and are included in the research plan 25 page limit of each individual project. The Milestones and Timeline section for individual projects must not exceed 5 pages and must include:

8.      Appendix

All appendix material should be collated as one body of material and submitted on CD as described in section IV.6.

C.   Specific Instructions for Administrative Core (Scientific Cores are not supported under this FOA)

Except for the requirements below, follow the PHS 398 Specific Instructions found at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.doc#_Toc130797900 in preparing each proposed core.

Each Core must include:

1.      Cover Page

The Face Page of the PHS 398 Form should not be used as a cover page for cores within a multi-project application. Instead, use the PHS 398 continuation page to create a "Cover Page" containing selected data about each individual core. This Cover Page will demarcate each core and should contain the following information items (these are a subset of the information provided on a PHS 398 Face Page:

Core Letter and Core Title:  (e.g., A. Monoclonal Antibody Production Core)

Name of Core Leader:  (e.g., Smith, Robert A.)

Human Subjects (Yes or No)

If Yes, Exemption Number

(or)

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Date (e.g., 5/14/06, or Pending)

(and)

Federalwide Assurance (FWA) number

Vertebrate Animals (Yes or No)

If Yes, IACUC Approval Date (e.g., 4/15/07, or Pending)

(and) Animal welfare assurance number

Proposed Period of Support

From: (mmddyy, e.g., 07/01/2007)

To: (mmddyy, e.g., 06/30/2012)

Costs Requested for Initial Budget Period

Direct Costs (e.g. $50,000)

Total Costs (e.g. $70,000)

Costs Requested for the Entire Budget Period

Direct Costs (e.g. $212,323)

Total Costs (e.g. $297,252)

Applicant Organization: (e.g., ABC University; 111 Main Street; Anywhere, Else 99999)  

The following are specific instructions for sections of the PHS 398 application form that are to be completed differently than usual.  For all other items in the core application, follow the usual PHS 398 instructions.

2.      Form Page 2.

Provide a Description (abstract) of the core activities and services according to the instructions on Form Page 2 of the PHS 398. In addition, the abstract should contain a brief description of how the core services will contribute towards attainment of the multi-project program objectives.

List the performance sites where the core activities and services will be conducted.

Under "Key Personnel", list the Core Leader, followed by other key core personnel, and then other significant contributors.

3.      Form Page 3.

Prepare a Table of Contents for the core using Form Page 3 of the PHS 398.

4.      Budget Pages (PHS 398 Form Pages 4 and 5)

Prepare a detailed budget and justification for the core using Form Pages 4 and 5 of the PHS 398.

5.      Biographical Sketches

Do not repeat the biographical sketches of participating investigators since this information will be located at the end of the overall application (and therefore will be referenced in the Overall Table of Contents).

6.      Resources Format Page

Provide information on resources available for the core.

7.      Core Research Plan (Items 2-5 (in PHS 398 instructions) cannot exceed 10 pages for the Administrative Core)

Item 2 - Specific Aims: List in priority order the broad, long-range objectives of the proposed core.  In addition, state the core's relationship to the multi-project program goals and how it relates to the research projects.

Item 3 - Background and Significance:  Use this section to describe the Administrative Core Plan and the Research Pilot Projects Plan.

Awardees must agree to the "Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award" in Section VI.2.A "Award Administration Information".

Research Plan Page Limitations

See Section IV.2. “Content and Form of Application Submission” for Research Plan page limitations for the individual ERIN CRC components.

Appendix Materials

All paper PHS 398 applications submitted must provide appendix material on CDs only. Include five identical CDs in the same package with the application. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-031.html.

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the Research Plan component. An application that does not observe the required page limitations may be delayed in the review process.

Resource Sharing Plan(s)

NIH considers the sharing of unique research resources developed through NIH-sponsored research an important means to enhance the value of, and advance research. When resources have been developed with NIH funds and the associated research findings published or provided to NIH, it is important that they be made readily available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific community. If the final data/resources are not amenable to sharing, this must be explained in Resource Sharing section of the application. See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_faqs.htm.

(a) Data Sharing Plan: Regardless of the amount requested, investigators are expected to include a brief 1-paragraph description of how final research data will be shared, or explain why data-sharing is not possible. Applicants are encouraged to discuss data-sharing plans with their NIH program contact. See Data-Sharing Policy or https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-032.html.

(b) Sharing Model Organisms: Regardless of the amount requested, all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated are expected to include a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organisms and related resources, or state appropriate reasons why such sharing is restricted or not possible. See Sharing Model Organisms Policy, and NIH Guide NOT-OD-04-042.

(c) Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS): Regardless of the amount requested, applicants seeking funding for a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible.  A genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight) or the presence or absence of a disease or condition.  For further information see Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088, and https://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.

Section V. Application Review Information


1. Criteria

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

2. Review and Selection Process

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

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will:

The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

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. 

Review Criteria for Individual Research Projects

Overall Impact. Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following five core review criteria, and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Core 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.  For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance.  Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field?  If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved?  How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Investigator(s).  Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project?  If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, do they have appropriate experience and training?  If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)?  If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise, including evidence of the ability to lead clinical research studies; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Do the Project Leaders have the necessary leadership and team skills?

Innovation.  Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions?  Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense?  Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

Approach.  Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project?  Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented?   If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? 

If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?  Are the defined objectives/milestones appropriate and feasible?

Environment.  Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success?  Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed?  Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? 

In addition to the above review criteria, the following criteria will be applied to applications in the determination of scientific merit and the impact/priority score.

Administrative Core

Does the application clearly describe and justify the proposed administrative core operational plan and organizational structure?

Review Criteria for Evaluating the Overall Application

The following items will be considered in the determination of the overall scientific and technical merit and impact/priority score for the entire application: 

Additional Review Criteria.  As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider the following additional items in the determination of scientific and technical merit, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects.  For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects  and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children.  When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children.

Vertebrate Animals.  The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.

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.

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

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

Select Agent Research. Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Applications from Foreign Organizations.  Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.

Resource Sharing Plans.  Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_guidance.htm ); 2) Sharing Model Organisms (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-04-042.html); and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-088.html).

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 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.

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 grantee business official (designated in item 12 on the Application Face Page). If a grantee is not email enabled, a hard copy of the NoA will be mailed to the business official.

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. 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 (https://grants.nih.gov/archive/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm) and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (https://grants.nih.gov/archive/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm).

The following Terms and Conditions will be incorporated into the award statement and will be provided to the Principal Investigator as well as to the appropriate institutional official, at the time of award.

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 OMB administrative guidelines, HHS 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 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 resides 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 below.

2. A.1. Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities

The Center Director, who is the designated contact PI for multiple investigator awards, will have the primary responsibility for coordinating the Projects and Cores within the overall CRC and for participating as a voting member in the ERIN NetCom.

The PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for defining the research objectives, approaches and details of the projects within the guidelines of the FOA.  Specifically, awardees have primary responsibility as described below.

The PD(s)/PI(s) retains primary responsibility for the performance of the scientific activity, and understands the role of the NIAID staff in the Cooperative Agreement award mechanism as described below.

The PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for: 

The Center Director will be a voting member of the ERIN NetCom (see Section VI.2.A.3 below), will participate in all NetCom activities, and will follow the policies and procedures developed by the NetCom.

The multi-disciplinary and collaborative nature of the ERIN CRCs creates an extraordinary opportunity for information exchange and scientific advancement in enteric pathogen research. ERIN CRC investigators are expected to take advantage of this opportunity by participating in both formal events established expressly for this purpose and informal investigator-initiated dialogues.

Monitoring Clinical Studies

NIAID policy requires that clinical studies be monitored commensurate with the degree of potential risk to study subjects and the complexity of the study.  An updated NIAID policy was published in the NIH Guide on July 8, 2002 and is available at:  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-AI-02-032.html.  The full policy, including terms and conditions of award, is available at: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/pdf/clinterm.pdf.

Federally Mandated Regulatory Requirements for Clinical Research

Each institution participating in clinical research is required to meet DHHS regulations for the protection of human subjects.  At a minimum, this includes: 

Intellectual Property

The awardee is solely responsible for the timely acquisition of all appropriate propriety rights, including intellectual property rights, and all materials needed for the awardee to perform the project.

Before, during, and subsequent to the award, the U.S. Government is not required to obtain for the awardee any propriety rights, including intellectual property rights, or any materials needed by the awardee to perform the project.

The awardee is required to report to the U.S. Government all inventions made in the performance of the project, as specified by 35 U.S.C. Sect. 202 (Bayh-Dole Act).

Data

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 HHS, PHS, and NIH policies.

Publications

The PD/PI will be responsible for the timely submission of all abstracts, manuscripts and reviews (co)authored by members of the grant and supported in whole or in part under this Cooperative Agreement.  The PD/PI and Project Leaders are requested to submit manuscripts to the NIAID Program staff within two weeks of acceptance for publication so that an up-to-date summary of program accomplishments can be maintained.  Publications and oral presentations of work conducted under this Cooperative Agreement are the responsibility of the PD/PI and appropriate Project Leaders and will require appropriate acknowledgement of NIAID support.  Awardees are expected to make new information and materials known to the research community in a timely manner through publications, web announcements, and reports to the NIAID, or other mechanisms.

2. A.2. NIH Responsibilities

An NIH Project Scientist will have substantial programmatic involvement that is above and beyond the normal stewardship role in awards, as described below.

The role of NIAID/NIH Project Scientist in the cooperative agreement is to support and encourage the recipient's activities by substantial involvement as partners and facilitators in the process without assuming responsibilities that remain with the PD/PI.  The NIAID Project Scientist will work closely with the Center Director and other ERIN CRC member scientists to facilitate collaborations and to leverage the resources available to the Program.

The NIAID Project Scientist will monitor the progress of the ERIN CRCs, help coordinate research approaches among Centers, and contribute to the shaping of research projects or approaches as warranted. The NIAID Project Scientist will support and facilitate this process but will not direct it. 

The NIAID Project Scientist will keep the ERIN CRCs informed about other ongoing studies supported by NIAID to avoid duplication of effort and encourage sharing/collaboration in infectious diseases research.  The NIAID Project Scientist will coordinate access for the ERIN CRCs to other NIAID resources, as well as assist the research efforts of the ERIN CRCs by facilitating access to fiscal and intellectual resources provided by industry, private foundations, NIH intramural scientists and other federal government agencies as appropriate.

The NIAID Project Scientist will serve as a non-voting member of the Network Committee (see Section VI.2.A.3 below).

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. The assigned program official may also serve as an NIH Project Scientist.

2.A.3. Collaborative Responsibilities

The ERIN CRC NetCom will serve as the main governing board of the ERIN CRC Program.  Members of the NetCom are expected to attend the Annual Meeting and network conference calls.

The NIH Program Staff will participate in the activities of the NetCom as required, providing verbal or written responses to the NetCom or its designated subcommittees upon request. The NIH Project Scientist will provide advice on the NetCom membership, if asked.

Each full member will have one vote. Awardee members of the NetCom will be required to accept and implement policies approved by the NetCom.

2.A.4. 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: a designee of the Steering Committee chosen without NIH staff voting, one NIH designee, and a third designee with expertise in the relevant area who is chosen by the other two; in the case of individual disagreement, the first member may be chosen by the individual awardee. 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

Awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is termnated.

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 three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants management issues:

1. Scientific/Research Contacts:

William Alexander, Ph.D.
Division of Microbiology and Infectious Disease
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 1300B, MSC-6604
6610 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-6604
(301) 451-6806
Fax: (301) 402-1456
Email:  alexanderw@niaid.nih.gov

2. Peer Review Contacts:

Brenda Lange-Gustafson, PhD
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 3122, MSC-7616
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7616 (U.S. Postal Service or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 451-3684
FAX: 301 480-2408
Email: bgustafson@niaid.nih.gov


3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:

Roberta Wolcott
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Room 2244, MSC-7614
6700B Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7614

Telephone: (301) 451-2685
FAX: 301 480-0597
Email:
rw404k@nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information


Required Federal Citations

Use of Animals in Research:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf) as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm), and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm) as applicable.

Human Subjects Protection:
Federal regulations (45CFR46) require that applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).

Data and Safety Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies (phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks to the participants (NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).

Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing).

Investigators should seek guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local IRB rules, as well as local, State and Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Rule. Reviewers will consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the plan into the determination of the scientific merit or the priority score.

Policy for Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS):
NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access) is governed by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-088. For additional information, see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/

Access to Research Data through the Freedom of Information Act:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award.

Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model organisms for biomedical research (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm). At the same time the NIH recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to subject inventions developed with Federal funding pursuant to the Bayh Dole Act (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement https://grants.nih.gov/archive/archive/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm). All investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal, beginning with the October 1, 2004 receipt date, are expected to include in the application/proposal a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organism research resources generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not possible. This will permit other researchers to benefit from the resources developed with public funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included in all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated.

Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is provided indicating 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 clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.

Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in research involving human subjects (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).

Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.

Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s) to be used in the proposed research.

NIH Public Access Policy Requirement:
In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html) investigators must submit or have submitted for them their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts that arise from NIH funds and are accepted for publication as of April 7, 2008 to PubMed Central (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), to be made publicly available no later than 12 months after publication. As of May 27, 2008, investigators must include the PubMed Central reference number when citing an article in NIH applications, proposals, and progress reports that fall under the policy, and was authored or co-authored by the investigator or arose from the investigator’s NIH award.  For more information, see the Public Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.

Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued final modification to the "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of individually identifiable health information, and is administered and enforced by the DHHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Decisions about applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/) provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review, funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and research contracts can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.


URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report, internet addresses (URLs) must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal articles.  Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide any other information necessary for 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. 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 https://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.

Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages applications for educational loan repayment from qualified health professionals who have made a commitment to pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric, contraception, infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of researchers by providing the means for developing a research career unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a 40 hour week) for two years to the research. For further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov.


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NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices


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