Subject: RFA AG-9l-02 NIH Guide- Vol. 19, No. 40, November 9, 1990
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 90 08:20 EST

Good Morning Paul,
  This is one of several to be posted to the bulletin board this
morning.  Time ran out yesterday before I got them all sent to you.
  Please post this one as:
       RFAAG-91-02
  Thanks.    Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CENTER CORE GRANTS
 
RFA AVAILABLE:  AG-91-02
 
P.T. 04; K.W. 0715180, 0710010, 0715138
 
National Institute on Aging
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  December 3, 1990
Application Receipt Date:  February 11, 1991
 
BACKGROUND
 
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is inviting
applications from qualified institutions for Alzheimer's
Disease Center Core grants (ADCC), which are designed to
serve as shared research resources to facilitate research in
Alzheimer's disease (AD).  The NIA currently supports five
ADCCs.  This one-time solicitation is designed to increase
the number of ADCCs.  The NIA Alzheimer's Disease Centers
program is authorized by the Public Health Service Act,
Section 445, and includes 15 Alzheimer's Disease Research
Centers (ADRC) and the five ADCCs.
 
The ADRC program was designed to support multi-disciplinary
research on AD including clinical and other core resources,
basic and clinical research, and information and education
activities.  Expansion of the program of the ADCCs will
complement the program of ADRCs and will enhance the capacity
of the institutions to conduct basic and clinical research in
AD by increasing the available research resources.
 
An ADCC will provide support for cores, which are shared
resources, to be utilized by ongoing and to-be-developed
scientifically meritorious research projects.  An ADCC is
required to have an administrative, clinical,
neuropathological, and education and information transfer
core.  Additional cores can be proposed.  Each ADCC will fund
two pilot research projects per year through the
administrative core.  The ADCCs will provide well-
characterized patients, patient and family information, and
tissue and biological samples for use in research projects.
Research proposals that will use ADCC core resources will be
supported through the usual NIH and other federal and non-
federal mechanisms for the funding of investigator-initiated
applications.
 
ELIGIBILITY
 
Institutions eligible for Center Core Grants (P30s) are those
at which there are (1) at least three prinicipal
investigators with any PHS agency grant or comparable peer
reviewed research project (including those funded by State
governments or private foundations) related to Alzheimer's
disease, each with at least two years of committed support
remaining at the time of application or (2) one or more
program projects (P01) grants related to AD, which also have
at least two years of committed support remaining.
Institutions that can demonstrate the ability to launch such
a research effort are also eligible.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
The support mechanism for this program will be the Center
Core Grant.  Investigators may request up to five years of
support.  The award of grants pursuant to this Request for
Applications (RFA) is
contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose.
The intent is to fund up to five ADCC grants in Fiscal Year
1991.  The specific number will depend upon the merit of the
applications received.  These applications are not expected
to compete for funding within the general pool of dollars
available for investigator-initiated research proposals.
 
The total costs for each ADCC are limited to $600,000 for the
first year.  Direct cost requests for subsequent years may
increase above the prior year direct cost award no more than
the standard NIH inflation factor.
 
While no future funds are set-aside, awards made in response
to this RFA may be renewed through the submission of a
competitive continuation application.
 
REVIEW CRITERIA
 
Applications received in response to the RFA will be reviewed
for scientific and technical merit by an NIA initial review
group.  The factors to be considered in evaluating the merit
of each application will be those used in the review of the
cores in multiproject research grant applications.  A core is
justified primarily on the basis of (1) the degree to which
its resources will be utilized by and benefit individual
ongoing funded projects and investigators and (2) the likely
impact of the core in fostering new meritorious research
projects.  In addition, applicants should clearly demonstrate
the ways in which the ADCC will build the local research
program, will support ongoing projects, and will attract both
senior and new investigators to AD research.
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES
 
Proposals judged by staff to be non-responsive to the RFA
will be administratively withdrawn and returned to the
applicant without review.  Responsive proposals may first
receive a preliminary review by a subcommittee of the review
panel to establish those applications deemed to be
competitive.  Those judged noncompetitive will be so
designated, and an abbreviated summary statement noting the
major areas of concern will be sent to the principal
investigator.   Applications judged to be competitive will be
given full review.  Following review by the initial review
group, the applications will be considered by the National
Advisory Council on Aging.
 
All proposals should be complete in themselves.  It is
unlikely that site visits will be conducted, therefore, each
application should be prepared as if no such visit will
occur.
 
In preparing proposals, applicants should follow the
instructions for PHS Form 398 and the specific supplemental
instructions available from NIA program staff.  All human and
animal welfare assurances must be complete for a proposal to
be reviewed.  All follow-up assurances and approval for
protocols submitted as pending must be received within 60
days of the application receipt deadline or earlier if
requested by the Executive Secretary.  It is incumbent upon
the applicant to ensure that the Executive Secretary receives
all clearances by the established deadline or the application
will not be reviewed.
 
NIH requires applicants for grants to give added attention
(where feasible and appropriate) to the inclusion of women
and minorities in study populations and as units of analysis.
If minorities and women are not included in a study
population, a clear and convincing rationale for their
exclusion must be provided.
 
METHOD OF APPLYING
 
The application must be submitted on the 10/88 revision of
the form PHS 398.  Supplemental instructions for preparing
ADCC proposals are available from the address below.  To
identify these applications as being in response to the RFA,
check "yes" on item 2 of page 1 of the application and enter
the title:  "ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CENTER CORE GRANT" and the
RFA number.  The RFA label available in the 10/88 revision of
the Application Form 398 must be affixed to the bottom of the
face page.  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.
 
Although not a prerequisite for applying, potential
applicants are encouraged to submit to the Chief, Dementias
of Aging, Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program
(NNA), at the address indicated below, a non-binding letter
of intent to apply by December 3, l990.
The letter of intent should include a brief descriptive title,
the names of the principal investigator(s) and other key
investigators, and any other participating institutions.
The letter of intent
is not mandatory and does not influence review or
funding decisions, but it will enable the NIA to plan the
review, and will ensure that each potential applicant
receives relevant program information prior to expending
considerable effort in application preparation.  Applications
must be received by February 11, 1991 for an earliest start
date of September 30, l991.  If received late, the
application will be returned without review.
 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain supplemental
information and to discuss their plans with and direct any
other inquirires to:
 
Chief, Dementias of Aging
NNA, NIA, NIH
Building 31, Room 5C35
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-9350
FAX:  (301) 496-1494
 
Application kits may be secured from institutional offices of
grants and contracts or from:
 
Office of Grants Inquiries
DRG, NIH
Westwood Building, Room 449
5333 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892
 
Mail the complete application and four copies to:
 
DRG, NIH
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
To expedite review, two exact copies should be sent to:
 
Chief, SRO, OEA, NIA, NIH
Building 31, Room 5C12
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD  20892