Subject: RFA DC-91-02 NIH Guide ll/30/90
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 90 13:49 EST

Hi Paul,
  This is one of several items to be posted to the NIH Listserver
this afternoon.  Please post this one as:
    RFACD-91-02.113090
 Thanks.     Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)
EXPLORATORY GRANTS (P20)
 
RFA:  DC-91-02
 
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715050, 0715055, 0720005
 
EXPLORATORY GRANTS TO DEVELOP NATIONAL MULTI-PURPOSE
RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTERS
 
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  February 22, 1991
Application Receipt Date:  March 15, 1991
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication
Disorders (NIDCD) requests Exploratory Grant applications (P20)
from institutions wishing to develop a National Multi-Purpose
Research and Training Center (RTC) for the multi-disciplinary
study of communication sciences and disorders.
 
BACKGROUND
 
In December 1989, NIDCD issued a Request for Applications
(RFA) (NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume
18, Number 45), announcing its intent to designate and support a
limited number of National Multi-purpose Research and Training
Centers (RTC) for the multi-disciplinary study of communication
sciences and disorders.  The goal of the RTC was the support of
basic and clinical research; research training; continuing
education for health professionals; and dissemination of
information to the general public, in one or more of the program
areas of the Institute (hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice,
speech, and language).
 
The purpose of the Exploratory Grant is to develop and
strengthen the essential components of the RTC (noted above) and
to enable an institution subsequently to compete for such a
center.  It is expected that particular components for an RTC
may already be in place for some Institutions.
 
The Exploratory Grant program is for the development of the
essential research and
research-related components not fully in place and not
supported by other funds. The Exploratory Grant will focus on
one or more of the Institute's major research interests:
hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language and
aspects of relevant areas such as molecular biology, genetics,
cellular biology, neurochemistry, immunology, electrical
engineering, toxicology, and communication prostheses.
Applicants will be responsible for the selection of the unified
theme to which each of the four essential components must
relate.  All of the existing and prospective components must be
of high quality, as judged by the NIH standards for biomedical
or behavioral research excellence, and all components should be
fully in place by the end of the period of the grant award in
anticipation of submission of a meritorious grant application
for an RTC award.
 
Specifically, the Exploratory Grant program provides funding
for: (1) planning and administration, including the planning,
evaluation, coordination, and integration of one or more of the
components of an RTC and/or (2) small-scale projects, including
innovative pilot research, surveys to identify appropriate
patient populations, and feasibility studies involving the
development or evaluation of methodology in outreach programs.
The scope, direction, uniqueness, and execution of activities
are left to applicants to develop.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
grant-in-aid (P20 mechanism).  Applicants will be responsible for
the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project.
Except as otherwise stated in this RFA, awards will be
administered under PHS grants policy as stated in the Public
Health Service Grants Policy Statement.
 
TERMS OF AWARD
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation with a specified deadline of
March 15, 1991.  Applications received after this receipt date
will be returned.  Grants made under this mechanism are not
renewable and supplements to these grants are not allowed.
 
Five awards may be made if meritorious grant applications and
funds are available.  The direct costs for each grant may not
exceed $100,000 per year.  The project period should be at least
one (1) year and may not exceed two (2) years.  The earliest
possible start date for the initial award is July 1, 1991.
Although funding provisions for this Exploratory Grant program
are provided for in the Institute's financial plans, the award
of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent on the
availability of funds for this purpose.
 
It is expected that investigators collaborating on the
Exploratory Grant will not necessarily derive all of their
support from this grant.  However, if proposed projects within
the Exploratory Grant overlap with current support (for example,
with an ongoing R01), the investigator must accept the project
support only within the Exploratory Grant.
 
Funds to support research training and the outreach programs for
education and information dissemination may not be requested.
However, the Exploratory Grant may be used to develop these
components.
 
Funds for alteration and renovation are not allowed under the
terms of this Exploratory Grant.  Funds for the purchase and
installation of equipment in excess of $15,000 during the period
of the grant are not allowed.
 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
 
Underrepresented minorities, women, and individuals with
disabilities:
 
The review criteria for Exploratory and RTC Grants include the
adequacy of plans for the inclusion of underrepresented
minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities as research
subjects in the basic and clinical research components of the
Exploratory Grant.  For research projects not including
these groups a clear rationale must be provided.  (See NIH
Guide, Vol. 19, No. 31, August 24, 1990, and Vol. 19, No.
35, September 28, 1990 for additional
information).  In addition, the review criteria include the
adequacy of the affirmative plan for the recruitment of
underrepresented minorities and disabled individuals in the
research training component.  (See NIH GUIDE, Volume 18, Number
20, June 9, 1989 for additional information).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND TERMS OF AWARD
 
Non-profit and for-profit organizations and institutions,
governments and their agencies are eligible to apply.  Foreign
institutions are not eligible.  Holders of a currently-funded NIH
Program Project, Center Grant, or Institutional Training Grant
are eligible.
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA
 
REVIEW PROCEDURE
 
Applications will be evaluated by Institute Staff to determine
whether they are responsive to the requirements and criteria
stated in this RFA. Applications judged non-responsive will be
returned to the applicant.  In preparing proposals, applicants
should use supplemental material available from the Institute
and direct questions concerning the responsiveness of the
proposed research to Institute staff named below under Inquiries.
 
If the number of applications is large compared to the number of
awards to be made, the Institute may conduct a preliminary
scientific peer review to eliminate those that are clearly not
competitive.  The Institute will administratively withdraw from
competition those applications judged to be non-competitive and
notify the applicant and institutional business official.
 
Those applications judged to be both responsive and competitive
will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by a
Special Review Committee of the NIDCD. The second level of review will be
made by the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Advisory Council.
 
REVIEW CRITERIA
 
The overall evaluation of the Exploratory Grant is focused on
the potential of the applicant to develop into an RTC.  The
review criteria for the program encompass both what is in place
and what is to be developed.  Specific criteria for reviewing
the program as an integrated effort and for reviewing each of
the components start on page 14 of the complete RFA for RTC
(also available in the E-Guide issued December 22, 1989).
The
complete RFA for RTC and the Guidelines for RTC are available as
indicated below under Inquiries.
 
METHOD OF APPLYING
 
The regular research grant application form PHS-398 (revised
10/88) must be used in applying for these grants.  The
arrangement of materials must follow both the instructions in the
PHS Form 398 application kit and the more Specific Instructions
detailed below.  These forms are available at most institutional
business offices; from the Office of Grants Inquiries, Division
of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 5333 Westbard
Avenue, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, Maryland
20892; or from the Institute as
specified below under Inquiries.
 
The RFA label available in the 10/88 revision of Application
Form 398 must be affixed to the bottom of the face page.
Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of
your application such that it may not reach the review committee
in time for review.  In addition, the title of the application
and the RFA number should 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 (4) signed, exact photocopies,
in one package to:
 
DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
At time of submission, two (2) additional copies of the
application should also be sent to:
 
Chief, Scientific Review Branch
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Executive Plaza South, Suite 750
6120 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD  20892
 
If the applicant has an approved assurance covering the research
(multiple project assurance for human subjects, full assurance of
compliance for animal subjects), the applicant should provide
with the application certification of institutional review board
(IRB) approval if humans are involved and verification of the
institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) approval if
animals are involved.  These reviews and approvals should occur
prior to submission of the applications for award and the
certifications and verifications should be submitted with the
applications.  Failure to provide required certifications and
verifications within applications could result in deferral or
rejection.  If animals or humans will be subjects of the research
at performance sites other than the applicant organization, the
applicants must identify, within the application, the assurance
status of each participant.  Failure to provide this information
within applications could result in rejection of the
applications.
 
Applications must be received by March 15, 1991.
 
If the application submitted in response to this RFA is
substantially similar to a research 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.
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit
a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the
proposed application, the name, address, and telephone number of
the principal investigator, the names of other key personnel,
the participating institutions, and the number or title of this
RFA by February 22, 1991.
 
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and
does not enter into the review of subsequent applications, the
information that it contains is extremely helpful in planning
for the review of applications. It allows Institute staff to
estimate the potential review workload and to avoid possible
conflict of interest in the review.
 
The letter of intent should be sent to:
 
Dr. Earleen Elkins, Chief
Scientific Review Branch
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institutes of Health
Executive Plaza South, Suite 750
6120 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1804
Fax :  (301) 402-0104
 
INQUIRIES
 
Inquiries concerning the RFA are encouraged by the Institute.
Applicants must  obtain the following materials:  complete RFA
for the Exploratory Grant,  previously-issued RFA for National
Multi-purpose Research and Training Centers,  Application
Guidelines for RTC, and  PHS 398 Application Form.  Applications
should be developed in close cooperation with NIDCD Program
Administrators below who will provide guidance to applicants on
technical and substantive aspects of this RFA.
 
Maureen Hannley, Ph.D., (Hearing) or
Daniel Sklare, Ph.D., (Balance) or
Judith A. Cooper, Ph.D., (Voice, Speech, and Language) or
Jack Pearl, Ph.D., (Smell and Taste)
 
Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institutes of Health
Executive Plaza South, Suite 750
6120 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1804
Fax:  (301) 402-0104
 
SCHEDULE
 
Letter of Intent:  February 22, 1991
Application Receipt Date:  MARCH 15,  1991
Initial Review:  March 1991
Secondary Review:  May 16, 1991
Anticipated Award Date:   July 1, 1991
 
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
 
Applications in response to this RFA must use the PHS Form 398
(rev. 10/88) and the materials must be arranged in the format of the
Guidelines for RTC.  If the appropriate format and guidelines are
not followed, the application will be returned to the applicant.
This arrangement helps the Institute staff and reviewers AND
provides a checklist for the applicant institution in preparing
the application.  Applicants should keep in mind that the written
application is the basis of the merit review; site visits will
not be conducted for Exploratory Grants.  Applicants are
encouraged to consult with Institute staff about the technical
aspects of preparing the application.  Specific instructions that
supercede those of the Guidelines for RTC follow:
 
     Guidelines for RTC page 6
     Use the RFA number for the Exploratory Grant.
 
     Guidelines for RTC page 8
     The requested support may not exceed two years.
 
     Guidelines for RTC page 10
     Each of the component projects must be in the format that
     follows.
 
     1.  Describe what is in place.
 
     2.  Describe what is planned (developmental phase of
         planning) through the support of the (a) Exploratory
         Grant and (b) any other sources of support.
 
     3.  Describe any small-scale projects proposed in the
         format of a regular research grant (R01).
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.173, Research Related to Deafness and
Communication Disorders.
Awards will be made under the authority of the Public Health
Service Act, Section 301 (42 USC241), and administered under PHS
grant policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR
Part 74.  This program is not subject to review by a Health
Systems Agency.