Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA CA-91-35 - V20(34) 09/13/91
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 91 08:09 EST

Hi Paul,
   Another posting for the NIH Listserver. Please post as:
       RFACA-91-35.910913
                         Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID RFA CA9135 CA-91-35 P1O1 *****************************************
 
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
 
RFA:  CA-91-35
 
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE IN PROSTATE CANCER
 
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715035, 0715167
 
National Cancer Institute
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  October 25, 1991
Application Receipt Date   January 17, 1992
 
PURPOSE
 
The Organ Systems Coordinating Branch of the Division of Cancer Biology,
Diagnosis, and Centers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites
grant applications to establish Specialized Programs of Research
Excellence (P50) in Prostate Cancer at institutions that will make
strong commitments to the organization and conduct of these programs.
Each Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) must be
dedicated to state-of-the-art research in the biology of prostate cancer
as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease;
rehabilitation and quality-f-ife research may also be pursued.  The
SPORE must (1) foster basic and clinical research collaborations; (2)
develop and maintain human prostate cancer tissue resources; (3) develop
and improve animal models for prostate cancer research; (4) provide
career development opportunities for independent investigators who want
to pursue active research careers in prostate cancer research; (5)
participate with other SPOREs on an annual basis to share information,
assess scientific progress, and identify new research opportunities for
reducing incidence and mortality and for increasing and improving
survival; and (6) develop extended collaborations in critical areas of
research need with laboratory and clinical scientists in the parent
institution and in other institutions.  Each SPORE must support a mix of
basic and clinical research.  The SPORE mechanism is not intended to
support basic research to the exclusion of clinical or applied research;
it is expected to effectively move basic research findings to applied
research with patients and populations, and to use observations from
applied research to stimulate new basic research.
 
This Request For Applications (RFA) is for a competition with an
application deadline of January 17, 1992.  The NCI anticipates making up
to three awards for project periods of three years.  A total of $7.5
million is anticipated to be set aside for funding these activities in
the initial year, subject to availability of funds.
 
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 RFA,
Specialized Program of Research Excellence Prostate Cancer, is related
to the priority area of cancer.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy
of the "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or
"Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00473-1)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (telephone 202/783-3238).
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
 
Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in U.S. males and the
second leading cause of cancer death in men.  Mortality due to prostate
cancer is two-fold higher in U.S.blacks than U.S. whites.  At present,
this disease costs more than $1 billion, requires a quarter of a million
hospitalizations and results in more than 30,000 deaths per year.
Prostate cancer research has lagged far behind research in other major
forms of cancer and there has been a lack of new investigators entering
the field.  In part, this has been due to lack of accessibility to human
prostate tissues and lack of suitable in vitro and in vivo models.
Effective reduction of incidence and mortality to prostate cancer will
require a special effort to expand the scientific information base.
This was reinforced at the recent "NCI Roundtable on Prostate Cancer:
Future Research Directions" (Cancer Research, 51:  2498, 1991) which
defined areas of research that could advance our understanding and
management of prostate cancer.  Studies of molecular analysis and
mechanisms of growth control of the prostate cell are critically needed.
The development of androgen independence in the transformation to
malignancy is poorly understood.  The capability of identifying which
latent prostate cancers will become clinically aggressive does not
exist. There is no effective screening for prostate cancer and the risk
factors for this disease are unknown.  The workshop report and
recommendations of the participants will be valuable information for all
SPORE applicants.  Copies of the report are available from the Organ
Systems Coordinating Branch (see INQUIRIES).
 
Specialized Programs of Research Excellence must address the weaknesses
in the scientific information base and provide focal points for
sustaining and maintaining state-of-the-art research that will
contribute to improved detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
of prostate cancer.  SPOREs will be expected to include a wide spectrum
of research activities, contribute significantly to the development of
human prostate tissue resources and improved model systems, develop the
careers of independent investigators, and expand the research base
through collaborative research with scientists and clinicians in other
institutions locally and nationwide.
 
GOALS AND SCOPE
 
The goal of this RFA is to establish three SPOREs that will assemble
critical masses of laboratory and clinical scientists working together
to expand the research base in prostate cancer and to translate the
basic research findings to applied innovative research with patients and
populations.  The ultimate objective is to increase and improve survival
and to reduce incidence and mortality to the disease.  The essential
characteristics of a SPORE include (1) a strong scientific program that
will have a clear impact on the disease, (2) a strong innovative pilot
research program which can respond quickly to new research
opportunities, (3) a strong career development program to develop and
expand the scientific cadre of investigators dedicated to research on
prostate cancer, and (4) a human prostate cancer tissue procurement
resource, an animal model resource, and other resources specifically
dedicated to prostate cancer research.
 
The special features of SPORE grants provide opportunities for
investigators with mutual or complementary interests to engage in
multidisciplinary research on the biology of prostate cancer and its
application to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human prostate
cancer.  Research conducted in SPORE projects must be highly
interactive, within and between projects.  Individual research projects
must be conceived, planned, and implemented through multidisciplinary
interactions between laboratory and clinical scientists.  Such
interactions can be expected toaccelerate the translation of research
findings into practical benefits for patients and populations.  A
distinguishing feature of a SPORE P50 grant is the highly dependent
nature of the research objectives upon intra- and inter-project
interactions.  Each project would not be expected to stand on its own in
the absence of interactions with other research projects.
 
Developmental research funds provide support for highly innovative pilot
projects that take maximum advantage of new research opportunities.
This provides a flexible means for responding quickly to new research
opportunities.  Career development of new, independent investigators
will generate a cadre of scientists who could leave the SPORE with
research experience to develop independent prostate cancer research
programs within or outside the parent institution.
 
In order to facilitate achievement of SPORE program goals, each SPORE
must develop resources specialized for prostate cancer research
activities.  This must include human prostate cancer tissue collection
and development and maintenance of animal models for the research
activities of the SPORE and for use by scientists outside the SPORE.
The development of additional resources specialized for prostate cancer
research is also encouraged.
 
Interactions among SPOREs is an important objective of this initiative.
This may be in the form of research collaborations, exchange of
scientists on a visiting basis, exchange of resources and materials, and
other innovative ways.  A requirement for all SPOREs is an annual
meeting coordinated by the Organ Systems Coordinating Branch of the NCI.
The purpose of the meeting is to share scientific information, assess
scientific progress, identify new research opportunities, and establish
priorities that will accelerate the translation of basic research
findings to applied settings in patients and populations.
 
Each SPORE must include the following elements:
 
1.  A strong institutional commitment.  Each institution receiving this
award must incorporate the SPORE high into its institutional priorities.
The institution must demonstrate a strong commitment to the program's
stability and success.  The application must provide a plan that
addresses how the institutional commitment will be established and
sustained, and how it will maintain accountability for promoting
scientific progress.  This institutional commitment may be in the form
of faculty appointments for investigators, assignment of research space,
cost sharing of resources, or other ways to be proposed by the
applicant.
 
2.  A qualified Principal Investigator.  A leader must be selected as
the Principal Investigator who can oversee and conduct planning
activities and provide direction to the SPORE.
 
3.  Access to a prostate cancer patient population.  Each SPORE must be
recognized as a leading program in the treatment of prostate cancer.
The application must demonstrate and document access to a ptient
population that  can participate in and benefit from the innovative
clinical and population research activities of the SPORE.
 
4.  Research Projects.  Each SPORE must pursue at least three research
projects.  These must be new projects and not merely expansions or
duplications of existing projects.  Research projects must be conducted
by several independent investigators oriented toward state-of-the-art
research in the biology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of prostate
cancer.  Each project must involve multidisciplinary laboratory and
clinical interaction in the conception, planning, design, and
implementation of research.  Projects must be interactive with each
other.  Collaborative arrangements within the SPORE, within the
institution and with other institutions are encouraged.  Collaborations
with scientists outside the SPORE must be documented with appropriate
letters of commitment as applicable.  Collaborations with other
institutions may involve consortium arrangements as required.
 
5.  Developmental Research Funds.  Each SPORE must continually allocate
a significant proportion of its budget and effort to collaborative pilot
projects that explore innovative ideas.  It is important that SPOREs use
developmental funds to stimulate projects that take maximum advantage of
new research opportunities.  Pilot projects may be collaborative among
scientists within one or more SPOREs, or with scientists outside the
SPORE.  The application must propose an institutional process that can
continually select pilot projects that represent the most innovative
ideas and that will have significant impact on reducing incidence and
mortality, and increasing and improving the survival of patients with
prostate cancer.
 
6.  Specialized Resources.  The SPORE is encouraged to develop and
maintain resources specialized for prostate cancer research.  Each SPORE
must have a dedicated activity for collecting and distributing human
prostate cancer tissue.  This should include the essential pathologic
and clinical formation needed for conducting research.  Also, the SPORE
must be dedicated to developing, improving, and distributing animal
models.  These resources must benefit the specific research activities
of the SPORE as well as the research activities of other scientists
within and outside of the parent institution.  A plan must be proposed
for prioritizing distribution of tissues and animal models to SPORE
scientists and scientists outside the SPORE
 
7.  Career Development.  The SPORE must demonstrate a consistent
commitment to career development.  Enough of the budget must be
dedicated to the salaries and research activities of investigators who
wish to pursue research careers on prostate cancer, and who would
acquire the necessary research experience to develop independent
prostate cancer research programs within or outside of the parent
institution.  These may be new investigators or established
investigators who wish to change research directions.  Candidates should
be scientists who have demonstrated outstanding research potential but
who need additional time in a productive scientific environment to
establish an independent prostate cancer research program.  Candidates
are expected to devote full time to research.  Any deviation will
require prior NCI approval.  Recruitment must encourage the
participation of qualified women and minorities.  The SPORE application
must propose the number of slots that will be available, the criteria
for eligibility and for selection of candidates, and describe the
selection process.  Also, the application must indicate prospective
mentors who are already in place at the proposed SPORE, briefly describe
their research programs, and describe complementary activities that
contribute to the environment for career development (e.g., existing
training grants, other career development mechanisms and relevant
programs).
 
8.  Annual Meeting of SPORE.  Prostate Cancer SPOREs will be expected to
participate in an annual meeting with the Organ Systems Coordinating
Branch of the NCI to share information, assess progress, identify new
research opportunities, and establish priorities relative to the most
effective approaches for reducing incidence and mortality and for
increasing and improving survival.  Travel funds for the Principal
Investigator and Project Investigators must be budgeted for this
purpose.  This may include Project Investigators from other institutions
who are actively collaborating with SPORE investigators.
 
A SPORE application can originate from an institution with or without an
existing NCI P30 core grant.  However, if a P30 grant already exists:
 
a) the Principal Investigator of the SPORE must be a senior leader in
the P30 cancer center;
 
b) the P30 Center Director may be the Principal Investigator of the P50
SPORE, but this is not necessary;
 
c) lines of authority must be indicated clearly and ensure that the
SPORE does not interfere with the P30 chain of authority;
 
d) a letter of commitment that delineates organizational relationships
and lines of authority is required; the letter must be signed by the
Principal Investigator of the SPORE, the Cancer Center Director and
appropriate institutional official.
 
e) the SPORE must be a major programmatic element in the cancer center
but there must be a separate and distinctive institutional commitment to
the SPORE;
 
f) the development of resources in the SPORE may not duplicate resources
already provided by the existing Cancer Center Support Grant (P30);
however, SPORE resources can be used to augment existing center
resources to orient these resources more effectively to SPORE research
objectives if this is a more efficient and more cost effective
alternative.
 
g) the applicant must describe how the P50 SPORE will interact
synergistically and effectively with the existing P30 programs in order
to maximize SPORE research objectives and contribute to other cancer
center research objectives.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
Support of this program will be through the P50 Specialized Center Grant
mechanism.  This mechanism supports any part of research and development
from basic to clinical and intervention studies.  The spectrum of
activities comprises a multidisciplinary attack on a specific disease
entity or biomedical problem.  These grants differ from program project
grants in that they are more complex and flexible in terms of the
activities that can be supported.  In addition to support for
multidisciplinary research projects, support is provided for career
development, pilot research projects, specialized resources, and shared
core facilities.  Applicants will be responsible for the planning,
direction, and execution of the proposed program.  Except as otherwise
noted in this RFA, awards will be administered under PHS grants policy
as stated in the Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement, DHHS
Publication No. (OASH) 90-50,000 revised October 1, 1990.
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  The NCI anticipates making up to
three awards for initial project periods of three years and anticipates
that a total of $7.5 million will beset aside for the initial year's
funding.  Funding in response to this RFA is dependent on the receipt of
a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit.  Although
this program is provided for inthe financial plans of the NCI, the award
of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent upon the availability of
funds for this purpose.  NCI policy for SPORE grants establishes the
following limits to the requested budgets:  up to $1.5 million direct
costs in the 01 year with a maximum of four percent annual escalation in
the remaining years proposed.  The total project period for applications
submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed three years.
Application for renewal will be for five years subject to successful
recompetition.  Recognizing that the initial three-year funding period
may be too short for multiple substantive scientific accomplishments,
the recompetition will be evaluated on scientific accomplishment and on
interim progress in pursuit of SPORE organizational, collaborative, and
research objectives.  This would include, for example, research
accomplishments to date; the quality and substance of preliminary
findings; the effective use of pilot project funds; progress toward
planning, developing, and implementing new research programs; progress
toward recruiting and developing the careers of new scientists; progress
toward procuring and distributing tissue specimens; progress toward
developing and improving animal models; and progress toward developing
substantive collaborative interactions.
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Domestic non-profit and for-profit organizations, institutions, and
government agencies are eligible to apply.  To be eligible, applicant
organizations must have (1) a minimum of three independent investigators
who are successful in obtaining peer-reviewed research support directly
related to prostate cancer, and who as a group represent experience in
both laboratory and clinical research; (2) access to a patient care and
service facility that serves prostate cancer patients and, if the
facility is not part of the parent institution, a statement that assures
access to prostate cancer patients for clinical research; the statement
must be signed by the responsible officials of the applicant institution
and the consortial care facility; (3) a statement signed by the SPORE
Principal Investigator, the responsible institutional official, and
cancer center director that complies with the conditions noted in GOALS
AND SCOPE if the institution is currently an NCI-designated clinical,
comprehensive, or consortium cancer center.  Although applications must
be submitted from a single institution, they may include consortial
arrangements with other institutions as long as these arrangements are
clearly delineated, and formally and officially confirmed by signed
statements from the responsible officials of each institution.
 
Support will not be provided for applications for support of research
activities focused exclusively on basic research, or clinical research
or trials, or epidemiological research.
 
Institute staff (see INQUIRIES) may be consulted if there are questions
regarding any of the above eligibility requirements or exclusions.
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA
 
A. Review Procedures
 
Upon receipt, applications initially will be reviewed by the Division of
Research Grants for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be
returned to the applicant without further consideration.  Evaluation for
responsiveness to the program requirements and criteria stated in the
RFA is an NCI program staff function; this will be done stringently and
will be based primarily on a clear orientation of the application to
interactive multidisciplinary projects, and to an absence of duplication
between the proposed research and currently supported research.
Applications judged to be non-responsive to this RFA will be returned to
the applicant without review.
 
If the number of applications is large compared to the number of awards
to be made, the NCI may conduct a preliminary scientific peer review to
eliminate applications judged to be non-competitive.  The NCI will
remove these applications from further competition and will provide an
abbreviated summary statement to the Principal Investigator outlining
the primary reasons and rationale for this peer review determination.
Those applications judged to be both competitive and responsive will be
further evaluated according to the review criteria stated below for
scientific and technical merit and for special SPORE characteristics and
requirements by a peer review group convened by the Division of
Extramural Activities, NCI.  The second level of review by the National
Cancer Advisory Board considers the special needs of the NCI and the
priorities of the National Cancer Program.
 
B. Review Criteria
 
The major factors to be considered in the evaluation of applications
will be:
 
1.  The Institutional Commitment
 
a) adequacy of facilities, equipment and space to promote translational
research objectives;
 
b) adequacy of institutional procedures and plans for monitoring,
evaluating and assuming accountability for the general success of the
SPORE;
 
c) adequacy of recruitment objectives and plans to strengthen the
scientific capabilities of the SPORE.
 
2.  Overall Program Organization and Capability
 
a) the scientific qualifications and demonstrated scientific and
administrative leadership capabilities of the Principal Investigator;
adequacy of the time commitment of the Principal Investigator;
 
b) the depth and breadth of the proposed research activities and plans
to effectively move basic research findings to patients and populations;
 
c) the adequacy of access to patients and a population to conduct
current and projected therapeutic, and prevention and control research;
 
d) the adequacy of the procedures, processes, and plans for promoting
interactions.
 
3.  Individual Research Projects
 
a) qualifications and demonstrated competence of the investigators to
conduct the proposed research; the adequacy of the time commitment of
all key laboratory and clinical researchers associated with the project;
 
b) clear evidence of significant multidisciplinary interactions in the
conception, design and proposed implementation of the project;
 
c) degree to which the project addresses an issue of substantive
importance to reducing incidence and mortality and improving survival in
human prostate cancer;
d) the scientific merit and adequacy of experimental design of the
project;
 
e) the originality, novelty, and innovativeness of the experimental
design and relevance to the overall goals andobjectives of the SPORE;
 
f) the degree to which the project is interactive with other projects in
the SPORE conceptually, experimentally, and translationally;
 
g) appropriateness of the budget to achieve research objectives.
 
4.  Developmental Funds
a) adequacy of the proposed process for reviewing and funding pilot
projects for their quality, innovativeness and potential impact on
reducing incidence and mortality, and/or improving survival to prostate
cancer;
 
b) quality, innovativeness and potential impact of proposed pilot
projects;
 
c) degree to which developmental funds will be used to stimulate pilot
projects with multidisciplinary interactions and/or collaborative
interactions with other scientists within or outside of the parent
institution;
 
d) appropriateness of the proposed budget relative to the proposed pilot
projects and potential of the program to generate innovative pilot
projects on a consistent basis.
 
5.  Career Development
 
a) the adequacy of the process for selecting candidates for career
development who are beginning independent research careers or who are
established and changing the direction of their research careers;
 
b) adequacy of the policies to seek out and include qualified minorities
and women in the career development program;
 
c) adequacy of the individuals available in the program to serve as
possible mentors of career development candidates; the current
availability and adequacy of projects for career development candidates;
 
d) complementary activities that contribute to the environment for
career development;
 
e) capacity of the overall program as structured to absorb career
development candidates and prepare them for independent prostate cancer
research careers;
 
f) appropriateness of the budget relative to the proposed plans and
potential for sustaining a strong activity in career development.
 
6.  Shared Resources
 
a) adequacy of the proposed plans to develop, maintain and distribute a
fresh/frozen human prostate cancer tissue resource with pathological and
clinical data;
 
b) adequacy of the proposed plans to develop, improve, and distribute
animal models;
 
c) confirmation that the plan does not duplicate resources already
available within the institution (e.g. as part of a Cancer Center
Support Grant or P30) or through nationally readily available resources;
 
d) adequacy of the justification for other specialized resources
essential for the conduct of SPORE research;
 
e) adequacy of qualifications of proposed managers of resources to
conduct high quality, reliable resource operations;
 
f) appropriateness of the requested budgets to conduct each resource
operation.
 
7.  Interactions with other SPOREs
 
a) Adequacy of plans to promote and maintain communications and
integrations with other prostate SPOREs;
 
b) willingness to interact with other SPOREs and the NCI in sharing
information, assessing scientific progress, identifying new research
opportunities and establishing scientific priorities.
 
C. Scoring the Applications
 
In addition to rating the merit of individual components, peer reviewers
will be asked to judge the overall program in the following areas:
 
1) scientific merit and innovativeness;
 
2) evidence of interdependent, multidisciplinary design and conduct of
the research;
 
3) potential for impacting on the disease;
 
4) institutional commitment.
 
A verbal descriptor will be recorded for each of the above areas.
 
A single numerical priority score will be assigned for the program as a
whole.  The score will weight each of the above from areas, 60 percent,
15 percent, 15 percent and 10 percent respectively.
 
A recommendation for no further consideration for any required element
of the program will result in an overall evaluation of "not recommended
for further consideration."
 
D. Special Instructions to Applicants Regarding Implementation of NIH
Policies Concerning Inclusion of Womenand Minorities in Clinical
Research Study Populations
 
NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for NIH/ADAMHA clinical
research grants and cooperative agreements will be required to include
minorities and women in study populations so that research findings can
be of benefit to all persons at risk of the disease, disorder or
condition under study.  While inclusion of women is not relevant to this
RFA, special emphasis should be placed on the need for inclusion of
minorities in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions which
disproportionately affect them.  This policy is intended to apply to
persons of all ages.  If minorities are excluded or inadequately
represented in clinical research, particularly in proposed
population-based studies, a clear compelling rationale should be
provided.
 
The composition of the proposed study population must be described in
terms of racial/ethnic group together with a rationale for its choice.
In addition, racial/ethnic issues should be addressed in developing a
research design and sample size appropriate for the scientific
objectives of the study.  This information should be included in the
form PHS 398 in Section 2, A-D of the Research Plan AND summarized in
Section 2, E, Human Subjects.
 
Applicants/Offerors are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of
including the broadest possible representation of minority groups.
However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in
all research projects to include representation of the full array of
United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., Native Americans
(including American Indians or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific
Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).  The rationale for studies on single
minority population groups should be provided.
 
For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human
biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology.  prevention
(and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of diseases,
disorders or conditions, including but not limited to clinical trials.
 
The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also apply.
Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues cannot be
identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However, every effort
should be made to include human tissues from racial/ethnic minorities
when it is important to apply the results of the study broadly, and this
should be addressed by applicants.
 
If the required information is not contained within the application, the
application will be returned.
 
Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in
the application conforms to these policies.  If the representation of
minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the scientific
question(s) addressed AND the justification for the selected study
population is inadequate, it will be considered a scientific weakness or
deficiency in the study design and will be reflected in assigning the
priority score to the application.
 
All applications for clinical research to NIH are required to address
these policies.  NIH funding components will not award grants or
cooperative agreements that do not comply with these policies.
 
METHOD OF APPLYING
 
Applications are due by January 17, 1992, and must address all
requirements in the RFA.  Applications received after this date will be
returned to the applicant.
 
If an application submitted in response to this RFA is substantially
similar to a grant application already submitted to the NIH for review,
but has not yet been reviewed, the applicant will be asked to withdraw
either the pending application or the new one.  Simultaneous submission
of identical applications will not be allowed, nor will essentially
identical applications be reviewed by different review committees.
Therefore, an application cannot be submitted in response to this RFA
that is essentially identical to one that has already been reviewed.
This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of
applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an
Introduction addressing the previous critique.
 
Specific instructions for preparing a SPORE grant application are
available from the Organ Systems Coordinating Branch (see INQUIRIES).
These instructions must be used in preparing the application.
 
The research grant application form PHS 398 (revised 10/88) must be used
in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most
institutional business offices and from:
 
Office of Grants Inquiries
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 449
5333 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892-4500
Telephone:  (301) 496-8528
 
and from the NCI Program Director named below.
 
The RFA label available in the application form PHS 398 (revised 10/88)
must be affixed to the bottom of the face page.  Failure to use this
label could result in delayed processing the application such that it
may not reach the review committee in time for review.  In addition, the
RFA number and title "SPORE in Prostate Cancer" must be typed on line 2
of the face page of the application form.
 
Submit a signed typewritten original of the application, including the
checklist, and four signed exact photocopies, in one package, to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892-4500**
 
C.O.D. applications will not be accepted.
 
The photocopies must be clear and single sided.
 
In addition, two copies must be sent to:
 
Referral Officer
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
Westwood Building, Room 848
Bethesda, MD  20892-9912
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit by October 25, 1991, a letter
of intent that includes the name and address of the Principal
Investigator and identifies the component research projects and core
units and their principal investigators, any collaborating institutions,
and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application
is being submitted.  Although a letter of intent is not required, is not
binding, and does not enter into the review of subsequent applications,
it provides an indication of the number and scope of the applications to
be reviewed.   Furthermore, NCI staff can discuss the most recent
policies of the NCI relative to funding issues, potential problems in
meeting eligibility requirements and/or clarification of the peer review
process before the final application is submitted.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to:
 
BY U.S. POSTAL:
 
Andrew Chiarodo, Ph.D.
Chief, Organ Systems Coordinating Branch
Centers, Training, and Resources Program
Division of Cancer Biology, Diagnosis, and Centers
National Cancer Institute
9000 Rockville Pike
Executive Plaza North, Suite 316
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-8528
FAX:  (301) 402-0181
 
BY DIRECT DELIVERY:
 
Andrew Chiarodo, Ph.D.
Chief, Organ Systems Coordinating Branch
Centers, Training, and Resources Program
Division of Cancer Biology, Diagnosis, and Centers
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard
Executive Plaza North, Suite 316
Bethesda, MD  20852
Telephone:  (301) 496-8528
FAX:  (301) 402-0181
 
INQUIRIES
 
Written and telephone inquiries concerning the objectives and scope of
the RFA, and inquiries about whether or not specific proposed research
would be responsive, are encouraged and are to be directed to Dr. Andrew
Chiarodo at the address above.  The program director welcomes the
opportunity to clarify any issues and answer questions from potential
applicants.
 
For fiscal and administrative matters, contact:
 
Robert E. Hawkins
Grants Management Specialist
Grants Administration Branch
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza South, Room 216
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7800  ext. 13
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
No.  93.397.  Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health
Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410 as amended:  42 USC
241) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations
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.