Part I Overview Information

Department of Health and Human Services

Participating Organizations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov/)

Components of Participating Organizations
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), (http://www.nichd.nih.gov)
National Institute on Aging (NIA), (http://www.nia.nih.gov)

Title: Educational Programs for Population Research

Announcement Type
This is a reissue of PAR-02-099, which was previously released April 18, 2002.

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

Program Announcement (PA) Number: PAR-05-134

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.865, 93.866

Key Dates
Release Date: July 6, 2005
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not applicable
Application Submission Dates(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Peer Review Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Council Review Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Additional Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): Not applicable
Expiration Date: August 4, 2006

Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable

Additional Overview Content

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

Part I Overview Information

Part II Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives

Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism(s) of Support
2. Funds Available

Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2.Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria

Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt and Review and Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Sending an Application to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements

Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Sharing Research Data
D. Sharing Research Resources
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3. Reporting

Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s)

Section VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations

Part II - Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Research Objectives

Background

The Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch (DBSB) is one of three branches in the Center for Population Research of the NICHD. The Branch supports research on the demographic processes of fertility, mortality, and migration and the interrelationships among demographic, social, economic, and cultural processes. Areas of supported research include fertility and family planning, sexually transmitted disease, family and household demography, mortality and health, population movement, population and environment, and population composition and change. The Branch supports multi- and inter-disciplinary research drawing on the clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.

The Behavioral and Social Research Program (BSR) is one of four extramural programs of the NIA. BSR supports research and training on the changing age structure of the population; age trajectories of health; changes in the prevalence of disease and disability, and interventions to improve disability at older ages; biodemography and behavioral genetics; and the economics of aging, including health and retirement economics. Linkages of population sciences with behavioral and cognitive sciences are encouraged.

This announcement provides a mechanism to support specialized educational needs within population research. Meeting these needs will advance population research by enhancing the development of interdisciplinary scientists and facilitating interdisciplinary studies, improving the dissemination and use of existing data sets in population research, and advancing the adoption of quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

The need for interdisciplinary approaches to answering critical scientific questions has been stressed in the NIH Roadmap as well as in numerous recent reports from the National Academy of Sciences. Although interdisciplinary research has long been a hallmark of population research, population scholars are increasingly recognizing the expanding potential of such research to answer questions about health and well-being. An emphasis on interdisciplinary work puts significant pressure on training programs, which are required both to prepare students thoroughly in their own disciplines and prepare them for interdisciplinary collaboration. Among the many barriers to such efforts is a lack of opportunities to become familiar with the concepts, models, and methods used in other disciplines and areas of science, outside the standard courses offered in university settings. This announcement provides for a variety of short-term or limited educational opportunities to enhance the development of interdisciplinary scientists and facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration.

Population research is heavily dependent on large-scale, complex data sets developed with funding from NICHD, NIA, and other government entities. These data sets are developed for broad use within the scientific community, and their use for secondary analysis produces significant cost efficiencies. As the data sets collected by population researchers have become more complex, however, it has become clear that steps must be taken to ensure that they are disseminated properly and used knowledgeably. Educational programs for training in the use and dissemination of complex data sets can help to address this need by encouraging wider, better-informed use of secondary data resources.

Increasingly, population research is drawing on a varied set of quantitative and qualitative methodologies developed in diverse disciplines, including ethnography, spatial analysis, formal or mathematical demographic techniques, simulation modeling, genetic epidemiology, and others. Standard training curricula cannot adequately address all of these methodologies. Opportunities for specialized training in methodological approaches beyond those typically taught in demographic programs can enrich population science and facilitate interdisciplinary research. Such opportunities can also produce cost efficiencies by providing collaborative training across institutions when demand for training in a specific methodology at individual institutions is too low to justify regular courses.

Scope

Applicants may propose educational programs that: (1) facilitate the development of interdisciplinary scientists or the conduct of interdisciplinary science related to population; (2) address the effective dissemination and use of complex data sets; and/or (3) provide broad access to training in the application of specialized or cutting-edge methodologies in population research. In rare cases, and with the prior permission of DBSB or BSR program staff, applications may be accepted for other purposes not detailed here. In all applications, the goals of the proposed program must be relevant to the mission of the DBSB or BSR, as described under "Background." Potential applicants are advised to contact DBSB or BSR program staff listed under "Agency Contacts" to confirm that their applications meet this criterion.

Examples of educational programs appropriate under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

The use of this mechanism to support programs to engage students from non-population fields in population science (the first example above) is new in this revised announcement. Such programs would ideally target students specializing in fields that have high, but unrealized, potential for interdisciplinary collaborations with population scientists. Areas of particular interest to NICHD and NIA include race and ethnic studies, health, sexuality, neuroeconomics, and behavioral genetics, but the engagement of students in other fields would also be appropriate as justified by the potential for advancing population research through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Programs may target students at the upper undergraduate to post-doctoral levels at the same or other institutions. They would expose participating students to the concepts of population research, the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary work, and role models who are engaged in interdisciplinary research. They would be designed to reach new investigators before their career trajectories are set and to enhance their interest in and skills for future interdisciplinary research. Outreach to minority institutions is strongly encouraged in recruiting for these programs.

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

Section II. Award Information

1. Mechanism(s) of Support

This funding opportunity will use the NIH Education Project (R25) award mechanism(s).

As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.

This funding opportunity uses the just-in-time budget concepts. It also uses the non-modular budget format described in the PHS 398 application instructions (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). A detailed categorical budget for the "Initial Budget Period" and the "Entire Proposed Period of Support" is to be submitted with the application.

2. Funds Available

NICHD and NIA have not set aside funds for this Program Announcement. The number of awards will be dependent on their scientific merit.

Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Most awards under this announcement are expected to have direct costs of $165,000 per year or less, and project periods not exceeding two years. Although the financial plans of the NICHD and NIA provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Allowable Costs

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

1.A. Eligible Institutions

You may submit (an) application(s) if your organization has any of the following characteristics:

1.B. Eligible Individuals

Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs.

The Program Director/Principal Investigator must be an established investigator in a field relevant to the objectives and purpose of the educational program and able to provide both administrative and scientific leadership to the program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The most current Grants Policy Statement can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/nihgps_Part2.htm#matching_or_cost_sharing.

3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria

Activities proposed under the R25 mechanism must include intensive training geared to a specific, clearly articulated goal. Applicants seeking funding for workshops that do not meet this criterion should consider alternative mechanisms, such as the NIH R13 (Conference Grant) mechanism (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-03-176.html). All applicants must justify that the educational goals of the proposed program cannot be met through existing institutional programs or structures.

Applicants should describe the intended audiences for the proposed educational program and their plans for advertising the program and selecting participants. The design of the educational program should be described and justified, and the plans for staffing presented. Applicants must also propose a plan for evaluating the educational program. The applicant institution must demonstrate a commitment to provide leadership and dedicated faculty time to the development and implementation of the program.

Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative approaches to achieving the goals of this announcement. Illustrative examples include interactive long-distance training, web-based instruction, and educational programs developed and implemented by inter-university consortia. All approaches must be justified in terms of the goals and cost effectiveness of the proposed program.

Applicants proposing programs that address recurrent or long-term needs should articulate a plan for assuring financial support for their program beyond the initial period of grant funding.

There is no limit to the number of applications that may be submitted, providing they are scientifically distinct from each other.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Information

The PHS 398 application instructions are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Applicants must use the currently approved version of the PHS 398. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY 301-451-5936.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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

The title and number of this funding opportunity must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be checked.

The Research Plan section of the application should contain the following information:

In this section, provide a description of the background, purpose and objectives of the proposed educational program. Explain the need addressed by the program and its significance to population research and the goals of this announcement. Describe any related curricula or educational opportunities within or outside the applicant/participating institution(s), and explain how the proposed program addresses an important unmet need for advancing population research.

Provide a detailed plan for developing and conducting the proposed program, course, workshop, or other educational activity. Explain how the implementation of this plan will achieve the purpose and objectives of the proposed program. Provide a plan for staffing the program, describing the roles to be played by key faculty members and their expertise and experience relevant to these roles. Append letters of commitment from key faculty. Describe the target audience for the program and explain how the program will benefit the research career development of potential program participants.

Describe the characteristics of the pool of individuals who will be targeted for recruitment for participation in the educational program as well as any advertising strategies to be used. Comment on the size of the candidate pool expected. Comment on approaches to attract a diverse pool of candidates including those from underrepresented minority groups.

Describe the qualifications and role of the Principal Investigator. Describe how he or she will provide leadership, coordination, and oversight of the educational program. Describe plans, if any, for an advisory committee to assist in the planning, oversight, and evaluation of the program.

Describe the information that will be collected, methods to be employed, and criteria to be used in evaluating the educational program.

Provide a timeline for the design, implementation, and evaluation of the educational program.

Foreign Organizations

Several special provisions apply to applications submitted by foreign organizations:

3. Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A for details.

3.A. Submission, Review and Anticipated Start Dates

Letter of Intent Submission Date: Not applicable.
Application Submission Date(s): Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Peer Review Date: Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Council Review Date: Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details

3.A.1. Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is not required for this funding opportunity.

3.B. Sending an Application to the NIH

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

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

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

Robert Stretch, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Scientific Review
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 5B01, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 496-1485
FAX: (301) 402-4104
Email: stretchr@mail.nih.gov

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

3.C. Application Processing

Applications must be submitted on or before the application receipt/submission dates described above (Section IV.3.A.) and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm.

Upon receipt applications will be evaluated for completeness by CSR. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial merit review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of a substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique.

Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an application, applicants are generally notified of the review and funding assignment within eight (8) weeks.

4. Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.

Pre-Award Costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing continuation award if such costs: are necessary to conduct the project, and would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing continuation award.

The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project. See NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part6.htm.

6. Other Submission Requirements
Not applicable

Plan for Sharing Research Data
Not applicable

Sharing Research Resources
Not applicable

Section V. Application Review Information

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

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications submitted for this funding opportunity will be assigned to the ICs on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines.

Appropriate scientific review groups convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures (http://www.csr.nih.gov/refrev.htm) will evaluate applications for scientific and technical merit.

Applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate review group convened by NICHD and NIA in accordance with the review criteria stated below.

As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:

The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.

2.A. Additional Review Criteria:

In addition to the above criteria, the following items will continue to be considered in the determination of scientific merit and the priority score:

Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in the proposed research will be assessed (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form 398).

Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research: The adequacy of plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated (see the Research Plan, Section E on Human Subjects in the PHS Form 398).

Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals are to be used in the project, the five items described under Section F of the PHS Form 398 research grant application instructions will be assessed.

Biohazards: If materials or procedures are proposed that are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine if the proposed protection is adequate.

2.B. Additional Review Considerations

Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research. The priority score should not be affected by the evaluation of the budget.

2.C. Sharing Research Data
Not applicable

2.D. Sharing Research Resources
Not applicable

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not applicable

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

After the peer review of the application is completed, the Principal Investigator will also receive a written critique called a Summary Statement.

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part4.htm).

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official (designated in item 14 on the Application Face Page). If a grantee is not email enabled, a hard copy of the NoA will be mailed to the business official.

Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Also Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Support from the Educational Programs for Population Research Awards (R25) may not be used to circumvent National Research Service Award (NRSA) training mechanisms or supplement NRSA stipends.

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the notice of grant award. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part4.htm) and Part II Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_part9.htm).

3. Reporting

Awardees will be required to submit the PHS Non-Competing Grant Progress Report, Form 2590 annually (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm) and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants management issues:

1. Scientific/Research Contacts:

Christine Bachrach, Ph.D.
Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 8B07, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 496-9485
Email: bachracc@mail.nih.gov

John G. Haaga, Ph.D.
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Room 533, MSC 2292
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda MD 20892
Bethesda, MD 20814 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: 301-496-3131
Email: HaagaJ@mail.nih.gov

2. Peer Review Contacts:

Robert Stretch, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Scientific Review
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 5B01, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 496-1485
FAX: (301) 402-4104
Email: stretchr@mail.nih.gov

Mary Nekola, Ph.D.
Chief, Scientific Review Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 2C212, MSC 2292
Bethesda MD 20892
Bethesda, MD 20814 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: 301-402-7702
E-mail: NekolaM@mail.nih.gov

3. Financial or Grants Management Contacts:

Victoria Connors
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, 8A17, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: (301) 496-5482
FAX: (301) 451-5510
Email: connorsv@mail.nih.gov

Janis Peterson
Grants Management Specialist
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 2N212, MSC2292
Bethesda, MD 20814 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Bethesda MD 20892
Telephone: 301-496-7739
E-mail: PetersonJ@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Required Federal Citations

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

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

Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.

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

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

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

Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s) to be used in the proposed research. Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without review.

NIH Public Access Policy:
NIH-funded investigators are requested to submit to the NIH manuscript submission (NIHMS) system (http://www.nihms.nih.gov) at PubMed Central (PMC) an electronic version of the author's final manuscript upon acceptance for publication, resulting from research supported in whole or in part with direct costs from NIH. The author's final manuscript is defined as the final version accepted for journal publication, and includes all modifications from the publishing peer review process.

NIH is requesting that authors submit manuscripts resulting from 1) currently funded NIH research projects or 2) previously supported NIH research projects if they are accepted for publication on or after May 2, 2005. The NIH Public Access Policy applies to all research grant and career development award mechanisms, cooperative agreements, contracts, Institutional and Individual Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards, as well as NIH intramural research studies. The Policy applies to peer-reviewed, original research publications that have been supported in whole or in part with direct costs from NIH, but it does not apply to book chapters, editorials, reviews, or conference proceedings. Publications resulting from non-NIH-supported research projects should not be submitted.

For more information about the Policy or the submission process please visit the NIH Public Access Policy Web site at http://www.nih.gov/about/publicaccess/ and view the Policy or other Resources and Tools including the Authors' Manual (http://www.nih.gov/about/publicaccess/publicaccess_Manual.htm).

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

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

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

URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.

Healthy People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.

Authority and Regulations:
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

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


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