Subject: RFA HD-9l-04 NIH Guide l/25/9l
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 91 11:12 EST

Hi,
   This is the last item from the l/25/9l NIH Guide.  Please post to
the listserver as:
                  RFAHD-91-04.910125
   Thanks.  Also, don't get out in the snow that is supposedly headed
out way and get sick.  Have a nice weekend.
             Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH CENTERS
 
RFA:  HD-91-04
 
P.T. 04; K.W. 0710030, 0770005, 0775000, 0785170, 0785035
 
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
 
Application Receipt Date:  April 9, l991
 
I.  General
 
The information in this Request for Applications (RFA) is not
identical to that in the RFA of January 1990 on this subject
(HD-90-03) which is obsolete.
 
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD) supports a program of Child Health Research Centers
(CHRC) intended to provide resources to speed the transfer of
knowledge gained through studies in basic science to clinical
applications that will benefit the health of children.  This is
to be accomplished by increasing the number of pediatric medical
centers that can stimulate and facilitate the application of
research findings to pressing pediatric problems and increasing
the number and effectiveness of pediatric investigators who have
a grounding in basic science and research skills that can be
applied to the clinical problems of children.  The mechanism
chosen for funding of these Centers is the P30 grant that
provides core support for laboratories and administrative
resources applicable to a number of different research projects.
 
A CHRC grant allows an institution to identify and develop a
scientific area or theme that is relevant to the pediatric
research mission of the NICHD.  It is an opportunity for
institutions, both developing and established, to build a greater
capacity for training pediatric investigators.  Established
investigators, whose research is already funded by NIH or other
sources through competitively reviewed grants or contracts,
combine to establish in their institution a center of excellence
in the chosen subject area.  Individuals with a wide range of
scientific backgrounds, especially those with basic science
orientation, are thus encouraged to interact with each other and
with newly trained pediatricians just embarking on their research
careers.  A shared core laboratory that provides services to
complement and extend the capabilities of the established
investigators to facilitate the career development of new
investigators may be a major part of the Center.  The established
investigators make available their expertise, guidance, and
laboratory facilities that, together with the shared core
laboratory comprise the laboratory resources of the Center to be
utilized by junior investigators for new research projects that
will enhance their basic science knowledge and skills.  Support
for conducting these projects is provided by the Center.
 
The CHRC grant may provide funds for three purposes:
 
    A. Administration of the Center.
 
    B. Improvements in the child health-related research program
of an institution in an area of scientific excellence through the
establishment and maintenance of a shared core laboratory.
 
    C. Support for new projects, conducted by junior
investigators, designed to enhance their research skills and
produce preliminary data that could lead to successful
competitive grant applications to the NIH or other agencies (New
Project Development Funds), thereby providing a bridge between
formal research training and the receipt of independent research
grants.
 
The novel feature of these grants is the flexibility in the use
of the funds awarded for research support and career development,
so that decisions about which new projects and which junior
investigators are to be supported are made by the grantee
institution.  Both competing (renewal) and noncompeting
continuations of a CHRC grant are contingent on demonstration of
good judgment in these decisions as indicated by scientific
progress, success in the initiation of new competitively awarded
research grants and contracts, and the development of new
pediatric investigators.
 
II.  Requirements for CHRC applicant institutions
 
A CHRC grant is an award made to a children's hospital or to a
department of pediatrics of an approved medical school that has
as a primary teaching site either a general acute children's
hospital or a children's program with an identifiable
organizational structure that is part of a larger medical
institution.  Either one must have the clinical pediatric
specialties and subspecialties and discrete clinical and research
facilities sufficient to ensure the linkage of basic research and
clinical application that will meet the purposes of the CHRC
program.  The applicant institution must also meet the standard
eligibility requirements for research grants established in the
Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement #(OASH) 90-50,000
Revised 10/1/90.  The award will support a center of excellence
that will use its professional and laboratory resources to
increase the institutional capabilities for developing pediatric
investigators skilled in basic science research methods.  The
CHRC must have a strong, well-established research base, resting
on the interests of established investigators who make their
expertise available to the junior investigators and act as
mentors or senior collaborators for them.  The CHRC must focus on
a theme that relates to the current areas of interest of the
research program of the NICHD.  The theme should be broadly
defined within a specific research area of pediatric interest and
not be limited to a specific disease or single organ system.
There should be an adequate pool of junior investigators likely
to benefit from career development under the guidance of
established investigators.  In addition, each Center must have a
scientifically sound and equitable system for choosing which
junior investigators and which projects are to be supported.
Finally, there should be evidence of an institutional commitment
to support the Center resources and to develop and retain
pediatric investigators.
 
III.  Components of a CHRC
 
    A. Principal Investigator
 
    The Principal Investigator of the CHRC is the chairperson of
the department of pediatrics or the chief of the pediatric
service.  He or she is responsible for development and
maintenance of the Center as an institutional resource and for
its general oversight, appointing the program director and
members of the advisory committee (see below).  He or she makes
the decisions about appropriate recipients of the Center funds
for research and career development, taking into consideration
recommendations from the Center advisory committee.  The
Principal Investigator does not receive salary or fringe benefit
support from the CHRC for this responsibility.
 
    B. Administrative Staff
 
    The day-to-day administration of the Center grant may be made
the responsibility of a senior faculty member, called the program
director, supported for up to 10% time and effort for this
activity.  The program director must be a physician knowledgeable
about the scientific area that is the theme of the Center with a
record of success at laboratory or clinical investigation and a
demonstrated skill in career development.  The Principal
Investigator may also serve as program director with appropriate
support.  The program director may be assisted by a part-time
Center-supported secretary.  Administrative staff funds may also
be used for a well-qualified recruitment officer, supported up to
20% time and effort, to enhance participation in the program by
women and by members of minority groups under-represented in
pediatric research (see below).
 
    C. Advisory Committee
 
    The advisory committee is a group of scientists, drawn from
the pediatric department and from other departments or
institutions as appropriate, who have interests and expertise
relevant to the theme of the Center.  The advisory committee
should be chaired by the Principal Investigator and should
include the program director, the core laboratory director, and
the established investigators.  It may also include the
recruitment officer and any other persons considered potentially
contributory by the Principal Investigator.  It is the function
of the advisory committee to evaluate applications for the use of
the Center's New Project Development Funds and the Pediatric
Scientist position, and to make recommendations to the Principal
Investigator about appropriate awardees.  It evaluates ongoing
activities annually, makes recommendations abouto their
continuation, and recommends to the Principal Investigator
priorities for use of the resources of the core laboratory.  For
these functions the committee may utilize institutional or
outside consultants as necessary.
 
    The advisory committee provides expert counsel essential to
the principal investigator for his or her administration of the
Center.  It should meet regularly and formalize its evaluation
activities.  Minutes of the advisory committee meetings will be
submitted as part of the Center's annual progress reports.
 
    D. Established Investigators
 
    At least three established investigators supported by NIH or
other competitively-awarded grants are required for a CHRC.  They
should be expert in the application of new advances in basic
science methodology to problems of human development and
pediatric disease that are relevant to the mission of the NICHD
and within its authority to support.  Their research interests
must converge upon a single theme that unifies their programs and
justifies their collective designation as a Center, making the
CHRC attractive to recently trained pediatricians as a place to
develop their investigative careers.  The established
investigators need not be pediatric department members.  Linkage
to other departments can enhance the power of the CHRC and is
expected to be a key feature of each Center.  When a junior
investigator is to be supported by the Center through New Project
Development Funds, one or more of the established investigators
must agree to provide his or her expertise as a mentor and
collaborator and allow the junior investigator access to his or
her laboratories.  The established investigators do not receive
support for their salaries or fringe benefits from the Center
grant.  Established investigators may be added to the Center
roster with approval from NICHD staff.
 
    E. Laboratory Resources
 
    The laboratory resources of the CHRC are comprised of the
research laboratories of the established investigators and a
shared core laboratory, to be utilized by the established
investigators and the Center-supported junior investigators whose
activities they will supervise.  The justification for the shared
core laboratory is its provision of a cost-effective expansion or
centralization of research resources and support of the theme
which makes the Center a magnet for beginning investigators.  The
CHRC grant may support professional supervision of the shared
core laboratory (core laboratory director, maximum 50% time and
effort), as well as technical assistance, supplies, equipment
purchase, and equipment maintenance.  The Principal Investigator,
program director, and core laboratory director are responsible
for efficient and equitable utilization of the core laboratory on
the basis of recommendations from the advisory committee.  Core
laboratory log books are subject to review by NICHD staff and
outside consultants upon request of the former.
 
    There must be an institutional commitment to this shared core
laboratory, which may take the form of alterations and
renovations to establish it, the purchase of research equipment,
the assignment of research space, and/or the support of
personnel.  Creative approaches to stimulating interactions
between diverse investigators who can contribute to Center goals
are particularly desirable.
 
    The laboratories of the established investigators are not
supported directly by the Center grant.  Funds for supplies,
small equipment, and technical assistance needed for the conduct
of Center-supported research projects in these laboratories are
provided through New Project Development Funds.  Support for
projects conducted in the core laboratory by recipients of New
Project Development Funds may come either from those funds, from
the core laboratory budget, or from both.
 
    F. New Project Development Funds
 
    The Principal Investigator, after considering recommendations
from the advisory committee, is to use Center funds to make
annual awards to junior faculty members for the pursuit of
research projects that will utilize the Center laboratory
resources and established investigator expertise.  The projects
may be clinical or non-clinical, as long as they relate closely
to the theme of the Center.  The junior investigators must be
under the mentorship of an established investigator who will
provide supervision of the research to be undertaken.  The
maximum award for a project in this category is $30,000 per year,
except that one recipient may be appointed as a Center Pediatric
Scientist with greater funding (see below).  These funds are used
to defray the costs of materials, supplies, technical assistance,
and miscellaneous expenses generated by these projects in the
laboratories of the established investigators who serve as
preceptors and collaborators of the awardees; for supplies needed
for work in the core laboratory that are beyond the capacity of
that laboratory's budget; for small equipment; for travel; and
for a portion of the salaries and fringe benefits of the junior
investigators.  These funds may not be used for patient care
costs, such as inpatient bed days or outpatient visits except for
clinical laboratory analyses essential for the research.
 
    The recipient of a New Project Development Award should be a
physician who has completed pediatric training, who has not
previously been the Principal Investigator of a competitively
awarded NIH research grant or contract, and who is no more than
three years beyond fellowship training at the time the award is
made.  The awards are renewable at the discretion of the
Principal Investigator, subject to the restriction on
post-fellowship time, contingent upon presentation of evidence of
satisfactory progress to the advisory committee and the NICHD in
the Center annual progress report.  Recipients should make a
commitment of time and effort to research that is appropriate for
the magnitude of the award.
 
    Institutions with CHRC grants are encouraged to develop novel
mechanisms for recruiting qualified women and minority
pediatricians to become investigators in the Center.  Such
mechanisms could include, for example, part-time appointments for
investigators with families and special efforts to recruit
members of minority groups.
 
    In exceptional circumstances, one particularly promising
junior investigator may be selected by the Principal Investigator
(after consideration of recommendations from the advisory
committee) to receive more substantial support from New Project
Development Funds for research in the Center area of scientific
specialization.  The qualification requirements for this
individual are the same as those for other recipients of New
Project Development Funds except that he or she should have
already demonstrated substantial research ability as indicated by
publications, abstracts, or unpublished data.  The Pediatric
Scientist must be appointed as a pediatric department faculty
member.  He or she may be supported by CHRC funds for a period of
up to three years (subject to the restriction on post-fellowship
time), while developing an investigative career under the
tutelage of one of the established investigators in the Center.
Recipients of these awards make a commitment to spend at least
85% of their time in research.
 
    Although candidates for the Pediatric Scientist position are
to be selected by the Principal Investigator with advice from the
advisory committee, support will be contingent upon evidence that
the institution has recruited an appropriately qualified
candidate with a meritorious research proposal.  Continuing
support will be dependent upon evidence of productivity.  The
following information must be submitted for NICHD staff and
outside consultant review and approval before the award for this
position may begin:  a biographical sketch of the candidate, a
description of the project and its relationship to the Center
theme, an outline of how it will use the Center resources, and a
letter of support from the established investigator who will
serve as mentor for the proposed Pediatric Scientist.
 
    Not every Center will wish to appoint a Pediatric Scientist
every year, and this position is not an essential component of a
CHRC grant.
 
IV.  Allowable Budgetary Items and Supportable Activities
 
Allowable costs in NIH grants are governed by rules set forth in
the Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement and the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts unless otherwise stated on the
Notice of Grant Award.  Under these rules the Principal
Investigator may exercise flexibility to meet unexpected Center
requirements by rebudgeting or requesting approval to rebudget
among categories within the total direct cost budget of the
Center (as shown on the Notice of Grant Award), within the
ceilings set in these guidelines.
 
CHRC grants are for five years, at a maximum level set by
Congressional action of $400,000 (direct plus indirect cost)
annually, and are renewable.  Competing continuation (renewals)
are limited by Congressional action to one two-year period.  No
institution will be funded for a CHRC for more than seven years
in any twelve-year period.
 
Items fundable under a CHRC grant include:
 
    A. Administration
 
    1.  Salaries and support for a Center program director
(maximum 10% time and effort), a part-time secretary, and a
recruiting officer (maximum 20% time and effort).
 
    2.  Administrative support services, including supplies,
duplicating equipment, telephone, or maintenance contracts for
equipment when not covered by institutional overhead charges.
 
    3.  Travel of Principal Investigator and program director to
administrative meetings with NICHD staff and to an annual
scientific meeting of Centers.
 
    B.  Shared Core Laboratory (maximum $200,000 annually)
 
        1.  Salaries and support for shared core laboratory staff.
        2.  Supplies and animals.
        3.  Scientific equipment (purchase and maintenance).
        4.  Computer facilities.
 
    C.  New Project Development Funds (maximum $200,000 annually)
 
    Each junior investigator may receive up to $30,000 annually
for projects of that are pursued in their own laboratories, in
the shared core laboratory, and/or in the laboratories of the
established investigators.  For each project supported in this
category, the maximum expenditure for equipment is $5,000
annually and for travel $1,000 annually.  The grant application
should indicate the number of awards proposed for each year and
provide evidence that this number of worthwhile projects is
likely to be forthcoming.  No investigator may receive more than
one such award per year.
 
    One particularly promising investigator who is designated as
the Center's Pediatric Scientist may be awarded up to $100,000
from this budget category, of which up to $50,000 may be
allocated to salary and fringe benefits, $5,000 to small
equipment, and $1,000 to travel.  The rest of the award may be
used for technical assistance, supplies, and miscellaneous
expenses.  Salary may be supplemented from other sources.
 
    It is not a requirement that any CHRC grant be funded at the
allowable budgetary maximum in any particular year.  The number
of New Project Development Awards to be supported must be
commensurate with the institution's capacity to develop and
recruit appropriate candidates.  A Pediatric Scientist candidate
should be nominated only when an unusually qualified and
promising person is identified.  Small size of the budget request
is not a disadvantage for Center funding, provided the support
for core resources (administration, shared core laboratory) is in
proportion to the activity in new investigator development which
is the Center's primary purpose.  To encourage use of these funds
only for the most deserving candidates, requests will be
considered for carry over of unexpended New Project Development
Funds into subsequent budget periods.
 
    Items not fundable under a CHRC grant include:
 
        1.  Direct support of the laboratories, salaries, fringe
benefits, travel, and research projects of the established
investigators, except for reimbursement for costs from New
Project Development Funds within the Center.
 
        2.  Salary and support for central institutional
administrative personnel usually paid from institutional overhead
charges, such as budget officers, grant assistants, and building
maintenance personnel.
 
        3.  Salary and support for administrative activities such
as public relations or health and educational services.
 
        4.  Travel of Principal Investigator, program director,
core laboratory director, or established investigators to
scientific meetings.
 
        5.  Costs of clinical care, such as patient bed days or
outpatient visit charges.
 
        6.  Alterations and renovations.
 
  V. Review Criteria
 
    A. The review criteria for the evaluation of new and
competing continuation CHRC applications include the following:
 
        1.  Relevance of the theme or area of emphasis of the
Center to programmatic needs of the NICHD.
 
        2.  Probable impact of the Center on enhancing the
capacity of the grantee institution to develop well-qualified
pediatric investigators, thereby advancing pediatric research at
the grantee institution, in the local medical environment, and in
the Nation, especially with regard to the integration of basic
research with clinical problems in pediatrics.
 
        3.  Quality and productivity of the research activities
of the participating established investigators, and relevance of
their programs to the Center theme or area of emphasis.
 
        4.  Nature and quality of the shared core laboratory:
technical merit, scientific justification, evidence of
cost-effectiveness, procedures for quality control and allocation
of resources, qualifications of the core laboratory director and
technical staff, and probable utility to the investigators.
 
        5.  Institutional commitment to the requirements of the
program, such as recruitment efforts, salaries, equipment, or
other forms of cost sharing.
 
        6.  Evidence for a pool of prospective investigators,
trained locally or recruited from elsewhere, who could benefit
from receiving support from the Center.
 
        7.  Procedures established for evaluating candidates for
New Project Development Funds and the Pediatric Scientist
position of the Center, and providing internal quality control of
ongoing research.
 
        8.  Efforts to develop novel mechanisms for recruiting
candidates for New Project Development Awards from groups
under-represented in pediatric research.
 
        9.  Opportunities for faculty positions emphasizing
research for recipients of New Project Development Funds at the
applicant institution or elsewhere.
 
       10.  Previous success of the institution in developing new
pediatric investigators.
 
       11.  For renewal (competing continuation) applications, or
subsequent new applications from an institution with a
previously-funded Center, success of the Center-funded junior
investigators in producing research publications and in obtaining
independent, competitively awarded support for pediatric
research.
 
    B. Non-competing continuations:
 
    Annual progress reports of a CHRC grant will be reviewed with
particular care by NICHD staff and outside consultants in order
to confirm that the Center is continuing to meet its goal of
recruiting promising new pediatric investigators and stimulating
and facilitating their career development.  In addition, each
Center will be asked to send some of its recent recipients of
research support, as well as the Principal Investigator and/or
program director, to an annual meeting.  One purpose of this
meeting will be to allow these junior investigators to present
results of their Center-supported research to their peers as well
as to other critics.  Center program directors and Principal
Investigators will have an opportunity at these meetings to
exchange ideas about common problems and make suggestions to
NICHD staff about possible modifications in the program.
 
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF
NIH POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND 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; special emphasis
should be placed on the need for inclusion of minorities and
women in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions which
disproportionately affect them.  This policy is intended to apply
to males and females of all ages.  If women or 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 gender and racial/ethnic group.  In
addition, gender and 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 women and racial/ethnic minorities when it is important to
apply the results of the study broadly, and this should be
addressed by applicants.
 
For foreign awards, the policy on inclusion of women applies
fully; since the definition of minority differs in other
countries, the applicant must discuss the relevance of research
involving foreign population groups to the United States'
populations, including minorities.
 
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 women or 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 submitted 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.
 
VI.  Application Procedure
 
    A.  Text Format
 
    Applicants should follow the instructions for applications
included in the "National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development Research Center Programs P30 Center Core Grant
Guidelines," except where these are at variance with these
specific guidelines for CHRC grants.  Since P30 Guidelines were
not designed primarily to be used for CHRC-type applications,
considerable flexibility in format will be permitted.  Applicants
should take care, however, that adequate information is provided
for evaluation with respect to the eleven review criteria
described in Section V. The Letter of Intent described in the P30
guidelines is not required, but prospective applicants are urged
to discuss their plans with Institute staff.  The information
provided in the application should be sufficient to allow
reviewers to evaluate the proposal on the basis of the criteria
listed in Section V.A., above.  Specific research projects
proposed for support need not be described in the initial
application.  However, a brief description of examples of junior
investigators who might be supported through this award, research
areas in which they would work, and established investigators who
would supervise them might provide evidence that enough worthy
projects will be available to justify the requested budget.
 
    B. Budget Format
 
    Each application submitted in response to this RFA should
include several separate budget pages (plus any budget
justification pages):
 
        1.  A composite budget, the sum of the other budgets, in
categories, for the first year.  New Project Development Funds
should be listed under Other Expenses.
 
        2.  A budget for the administrative core (unless no funds
are requested for this core), including personnel or supplies,
travel for the Principal Investigator and program director to the
Centers' meeting, and any other expenses requested, for the first
year.
 
        3.  A budget for the shared core laboratory (unless no
funds are requested for this purpose), including personnel,
equipment, supplies, and other expenses.
 
        4.  A budget for New Project Development, providing under
Other Expenses the total dollars and minimum number of positions
requested, according to the following format:
 
            (Example)
 
            New Project Development Awards:  3 @$ 30,000 = $ 90,000
            Pediatric Investigator Award:    1 @$100,000 = $100,000
 
                                             Total         $190,000
 
            The New Project Development Funds budget need not be
allocated into categories because these will vary with the
situations of the recipients.  However, it should be specified to
what extent these funds will be used for salaries.  The number of
such awards planned should be appropriate for the size of the
institution, the number and skills of the established
investigators, and the magnitude of the request for Center
administration and core laboratory resources.
 
        5.  The usual future-year continuation page, listing New
Project Development Awards (including the Pediatric Investigator
Award, if any) under Other Expenses.
 
VII.  Mechanism of Support
 
Support for this program will be through NICHD Center Core Grant
(P30) awards.  Policies that govern grant-in-aid award programs
of the Public Health Service will prevail.
 
The support of grants pursuant to the RFA is contingent upon
ultimate receipt of appropriated funds for this purpose.  The
number of awards will be influenced by the amount of funds
available to the Institute, by the overall merit of proposals,
and by their relevance to program goals.  It is anticipated that
four meritorious applications will be funded from responses to
this RFA.
 
VIII.  Review Procedures
 
Applications will be reviewed by NICHD staff for responsiveness
to the RFA.  A non-responsive application will be returned to the
applicant.  Responsive applications may be subjected to a triage
by a peer-review group to determine their scientific merit
relative to the other applications received in response to this
RFA.  NICHD will withdraw from competition those applications
judged to be noncompetitive and notify the applicant and
institutional business official.
 
Applications considered responsive to this RFA will be reviewed
for technical merit by an Initial Review Group convened by the
scientific review staff of the NICHD solely to evaluate these
applications.  Criteria for the initial review have been
described above.  Following review by the Initial Review Group,
applications will be evaluated by the Institute's Advisory
Council for program relevance and policy issues before awards are
made.
 
Applications should be submitted on form PHS-398 (rev.  10/88),
which is available in the business or grants and contracts office
at most academic and research institutions and from the Division
of Research Grants, NIH.  Applications prepared in response to
this RFA should be received by April 9, 1991.
 
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 an
application so that it may not reach the review committee in time
for review.
 
The title of the grant application should be indicative of the
scientific area or theme of the Center, and should not be simply
"Child Health Research Center."  The phrase "PREPARED IN RESPONSE
TO RFA HD-91-04:  CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH CENTERS" should be typed
on line two of the face page of the application.  The original
and four copies of the application must be sent or delivered to:
 
Application Receipt Office
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
In addition to applications and copies mailed to the Division of
Research Grants, two copies of the application must be sent under
separate cover to:
 
Laurance Johnston, Ph.D.
Scientific Review Program
National Institute of Child Health
  and Human Development, NIH
Room 520, Executive Plaza North
Rockville, MD  20852
 
IX.  Timetable
 
Application receipt date        April 9, 1991
 
Initial review date             July 1991
 
Review by Advisory Council      September 1991
 
Anticipated award date          September 30, 1991
 
X.  Inquiries may be directed to:
 
Ephraim Y. Levin, M.D.
Medical Officer
Endocrinology, Nutrition and Growth Branch
Center for Research for Mothers and Children
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Room 637, Executive Plaza North
Rockville, MD  20852
Telephone:  (301) 496-5593
 
Grants Management Contact:
 
Mr. E. Douglas Shawver
Office of Grants and Contracts
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Room 501, Executive Plaza North
Rockville, MD  20852
Telephone:  (301) 496-1303
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.865, Research for Mothers and Children.  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.