Full Text PAR-95-043 RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN MINORITY INSTITUTIONS PAR NUMBER: PAR-95-043 NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 12, March 31, 1995 P.T. 34, FF Keywords: Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl National Center for Research Resources Office of Research on Minority Health Application Receipt Date: June 1, 1995 PURPOSE As part of a continuing commitment to increase the biomedical research capacity, and thereby increase the participation of minority institutions and underrepresented minorities in the health-related research programs of the Public Health Service (PHS), the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and the Office of Research on Minority Health (ORMH) encourage the submission of applications for planning grants for eligible institutions to develop their research infrastructure. The purpose of these grants (Phase I) is to enable minority institutions to develop plans to significantly enhance their capacity and competitiveness for the conduct of biomedical and/or behavioral research. As part of the planning process, it is a requirement that the eligible minority institutions develop and/or strengthen formal collaborative agreements with research-intensive doctoral degree-granting institutions. The issuance of a Program Announcement (PA) in FY 1996 for Phase II grants for implementation of plans for biomedical research infrastructure development is included in the future activities of NCRR/ORMH, pending availability of funds. Long-range, it is anticipated that by developing the research infrastructure at these institutions their capacity for (1) the conduct of biomedical and/or behavioral research will be enhanced; (2) the recruitment and retention of minority students in biomedical research will be augmented; (3) collaborative research at research-intensive institutions will be expanded; and (4) success in competing for PHS support will be enhanced. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The PHS is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions (RIMI) Initiative, is related to all priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Domestic academic institutions with more than 50 percent minority enrollment that offer one or more master's degrees in the sciences related to health are eligible to compete for support under this initiative. Additionally, domestic academic institutions with more than 50 percent minority enrollment that offer one or more baccalaureate degrees in the health-related sciences are eligible, if they have existing formal collaborative programs with institutions offering doctoral degrees in the health sciences. These collaborative agreements must encourage and facilitate the participation of students from the undergraduate institution in these doctoral degree programs. Applicants must provide evidence of the existence and nature of the collaborative program(s) in the application. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Awards under this PA will use the exploratory, planning grant (P20) mechanism. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the grant will be solely that of the applicant. The total requested project period may not exceed 12 months. Requested direct costs may not exceed $50,000 for the 12 month period. Indirect costs will be provided. The anticipated funding date is September 30, 1995. This PA is a one-time solicitation, unless it is determined that there is a continuing program need. A program announcement requesting applications for grant awards to support Phase II of this RIMI initiative are included in ORMH/NCRR's future plans for FY 1996, pending availability of funds. The receipt of a planning grant is not a prerequisite for submission of an application for a Phase II award. Allowable Costs Funds may be requested for personnel, such as faculty release time and support for a program director and staff; and consultant services, including external advisors and collaborators. Requests for office equipment, office supplies, travel, and other expenses should be limited to those necessary for program development and should be carefully and specifically justified. Support will not be provided for pilot research projects, research infrastructure, or students. All requested items must be related to needs for a 12-month planning activity. FUNDS AVAILABLE A total of $1.3 million is expected to be available for this initiative in FY 1995. If a sufficient number of highly meritorious applications are received, it is anticipated that up to 20, one-year Phase I planning grant awards may be made. Awards of grants pursuant to this program announcement are contingent upon the availability of funds. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background The ORMH strongly supports the establishment of institutional partnerships as an essential approach toward reaching its goals of (1) extending healthy life and reducing the burden of illness among minorities through targeted research and (2) increasing the participation of minorities in all phases of biomedical research. There is enormous potential for mutual growth as an outcome of interaction between, on the one hand, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and other institutions serving primarily minority populations; and, on the other hand, research-intensive institutions that award doctoral degrees in the health sciences or sciences related to health. The ORMH Fact-Finding Team (FFT) was convened in May 1991 to recommend ways in which the ORMH could reach its goals. Thirteen recommendations resulted, of which four advocated directly or indirectly the development of the institutional partnership concept. Precedents for this partnership model have been set by several programs within the NIH and many collaborative efforts are now in place between minority and majority institutions. To the minority institutions, benefits derived from these partnerships have accrued in the areas of faculty recruitment and retention, student development, enhanced research capacity and administrative acumen. Majority institutions have broadened the scope of their missions, heightened the diversity of their activities, and reshaped their vision for the future of their institutions. The RIMI initiative, which will assist in the development of the research infrastructure at eligible minority institutions, is responsive to mutual and synergistic goals of the NCRR and the ORMH, and is in response to the FFT's recommendations. It will be a merger of the ORMH institutional partnership concept and the extensive experience of NCRR in developing the research infrastructures of minority doctoral degree-granting institutions. This initiative will also address the problem of diversity in the biomedical sciences, a major NIH concern. Program Characteristics The major activities of the Phase I RIMI are: (1) to organize, plan and develop an institutional strategy to establish a RIMI Center (Phase II) that will enhance the institution's biomedical research infrastructure, and (2) to establish (or enhance) collaborative agreements with institutions granting doctoral degrees in the health sciences that encourage the participation of students from the grantee institution in these doctoral programs. The Principal Investigator (PI) should be the President of the applicant institution or his/her designated representative for RIMI planning purposes. In addition, the governance structure must include a Program Director (PD), and a RIMI Advisory Committee. The PD is nominated by and responsible to the PI; the PD must be willing and able to devote the time and effort necessary for effective management and implementation of the planning process. He/she should be a knowledgeable and experienced biomedical scientist, and an effective administrator. A RIMI Advisory Committee must be established that is advisory to the PI and PD. It should consist of eight to twelve members and must include a cross-section of qualified faculty and appropriate members external to the institution. It is essential that the committee be knowledgeable about the institution's strengths and weaknesses in biomedical research, capabilities and needs, and overall goals. It should possess, among its members, the experience and knowledge to identify and recommend expert consultation from the biomedical community at large, and to facilitate the development and/or strengthening of necessary collaborative relationships between institutions, faculty and students. The committee will oversee the overall institutional plans and application development for Phase II. The committee makes recommendations throughout the process. Program plans for enhancement of biomedical research capacity must be consistent with the long-range goals of the applicant institution. Phase I applicants must consider that the nature and scope of a RIMI Center (Phase II) may vary widely in different institutional settings. Each applicant must assess and address its own needs. The applicant must describe and justify how existing and potential resources will be utilized to develop a plan and establish necessary collaborations to create an environment and framework suitable to achieve the objectives of the RIMI. Some examples of Phase II items that may be appropriate for support are a Program Director and staff, research support personnel, a core laboratory with multiuser research equipment, support for two or three pilot research projects, and a faculty development component. Renovation of research space and recruitment of faculty scientists are other possibilities. The development, enhancement, and/or continuation of appropriate Memoranda of Understanding and Agreements (MUAs) with one or more institutions that award doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences is required during Phase I. In addition to providing for the participation of students from the undergraduate institution in these doctoral programs, the MUA must include opportunities for the faculty at the grantee institution to serve on the doctoral thesis advisory committee and have other faculty privileges as appropriate. The establishment of biomedical research collaborations among the faculty at both institutions is strongly encouraged. Baccalaureate degree-granting institutions must have these agreements in place to be eligible to apply for a RIMI planning grant; master's degree-granting institutions may or may not have them currently in place, but must finalize such agreements to be eligible to compete for Phase II of this initiative. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Prospective applicants are advised to communicate with program and grants management staff of the NCRR as early as possible in the planning phase of application development. NCRR staff available to assist applicants are listed under INQUIRIES. The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used in applying for these grants. Form PHS 398 is available at most college and university offices of sponsored research, from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone 301-710-0267; and from the program administrator listed under INQUIRIES. Applications must follow the instructions accompanying form PHS 398, except for the following: Form Page 1 (Face Page) Item 1. Title of Application. The title should be related to the overall research emphasis of the RIMI development plan. Item 2a. Response to Specific Program Announcement. Check the box marked "YES" and type in the PA number and title of this announcement. Item 2b. Type of Grant Program. Type in "P20". Item 4. Human Subjects - Not applicable. Item 5. Vertebrate Animals - Not applicable. Item 6. Dates of Entire Proposed Project Period. The project period for a RIMI planning grant is limited to one year (12 months). The requested start date should be September 30, 1995. Item 14. Organizational Component to Receive Credit for Biomedical Research Support Grant. Not applicable. Leave blank. Form Page 2 (Description and Personnel) A. Abstract of Proposed Program. In the abstract for the RIMI initiative, outline the overall objectives and proposed plan, indicating how the approach selected will achieve these objectives. B. Key Personnel. List the principal investigator, the program director, and any other individuals with a key role in developing the RIMI plan. Form Page 4 (Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period) Salary support for employees of the applicant institution must be listed as personnel. Support for all other personnel should be listed under consultants (including consulting fees and travel expenses), or under consortium/contractual costs. No requests for alterations and renovations or patient care costs will be considered. Form Page 5 (Budget for Entire Project Period) Complete only the first column (Initial Budget Period) of this table. The need for each budget item requested and its cost must be thoroughly documented under the Justification section. Letters of commitment for identified consultants should be included. Specific Instructions - Research Plan Do not follow the outline in form PHS 398 for this section. Develop as follows: The narrative for this section is limited to 25 pages. A. Institutional Setting Provide a brief history of the institution and its mission, including development milestones over the last 10 years. Describe the institution's current status by providing: l) a self-analysis of organizational, educational and scientific strengths and weaknesses; and 2) a summary of major resources (physical, human, and financial) for biomedical research. Include numbers of faculty involved and numbers of students in the health- related sciences. B. Planning Process Briefly describe the process to be used to select the plan chosen, addressing the areas of: 1) concept development, including the identification of institutional goals, formulation of organizational/advisory structures, and prioritization of research development area(s); and 2) application development, including the role of the advisory committee and the extent of communications with RIMI/NIH staff. C. Organizational Structure and Administration Outline the organizational structure of the institution, showing how the RIMI PD will interface with the administrative structure. Describe the lines of authority and indicate how the proposed structure will allow the PD to best accomplish the goals identified for the RIMI grant. D. RIMI PD Describe the qualifications of the faculty member selected for this role, including his/her scientific training, biomedical research experience, administrative leadership skills, and commitment to the RIMI initiative. E. RIMI Advisory Committee Describe the composition and function of the committee (existing and/or proposed), and list the names and titles of the members including their institutional affiliations. Identify the areas of expertise that each member contributes to this committee. F. Institutional Commitment Provide evidence of the applicant institution's commitment to biomedical research and to enhancing its biomedical research environment. Examples might include the availability of research space, cost sharing, promotion and tenure policies emphasizing the importance of research, an institutional strategic plan that complements the RIMI initiative, ongoing collaborations with research-intensive institutions, participation in PHS research and training activities, and any other activity that encourages faculty and student involvement in biomedical research. G. The Institutional Plan 1. Identify the specific aims and objectives of the planning grant. 2. Describe in detail the elements of the plan for achieving each of these specific aims and objectives. For each element described, explain the rationale for the approach chosen, identify the resources currently available, document the need for the resources requested, and indicate the timeline for completion of each phase in the planning process. Address any anticipated or potential problems and describe proposed alternative plans to resolve them. 3. Describe the essential elements of any existing collaborative agreements between the applicant institution and a research-intensive Ph.D. degree-granting institution, that address the goals of this initiative. (The existence of such an agreement is an eligibility requirement for baccalaureate degree-granting institutions). If modifications and improvements in these agreements are planned, describe these as an element in the plan for achieving this specific objective (Item 2 above). Checklist - complete as requested. Appendix - no appendix material will be allowed. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three signed, exact photocopies, in one package to: Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710 Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two (2) additional copies must also be sent to: Office of Review National Center for Research Resources 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7965 Bethesda, MD 20892-7965 Applications must be received by June 1, 1995. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by NIH staff for completeness and responsiveness. Applications that are incomplete, nonresponsive to this PA, or exceed the 12-month budget limit of $50,000 in direct costs will be returned to the applicant. Applications that are complete and responsive will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria stated below for scientific and technical merit by a review committee convened by the NCRR Office of Review. Applications may be subjected to triage by the committee to determine their specific merit relative to other applications received in response to this PA. The NCRR will withdraw from further competition those applications judged by triage to be noncompetitive for award and notify the applicant and institutional official. Applications judged to be competitive will undergo further scientific merit review. The second level of review will be provided by the National Advisory Research Resources Council (NARRC). Major factors to be considered in the evaluation of the applications include: o Feasibility and timeliness of the proposed plan, based on the mission, recent development history and current biomedical research capability of the applicant institution. o Adequacy of the planning process, including concept development and involvement of advisory resources. o Appropriateness of the organizational and administrative structure established to accomplish planning grant goals. o Qualifications, experience and commitment of the PD, and his/her ability to provide effective leadership in developing the institutional RIMI plan. o Appropriateness of the RIMI Advisory Committee. o Adequacy of institutional commitment to biomedical research. o Merit of the applicant's institutional plan for developing an enhanced biomedical research infrastructure. o Appropriateness and feasibility of plans to establish, enhance and/or maintain collaborative agreements with doctoral degree-granting institutions. AWARD CRITERIA Award decisions will be based on the technical merit of the application as determined by peer review, availability of funds, and other programmatic priorities to ensure a balance among the various types of programs, populations served, and/or geographic distribution. INQUIRIES Written and telephone inquiries concerning the PA are encouraged. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Dr. Robert F. Hendrickson Research Centers in Minority Institutions National Center for Research Resources 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7965 Bethesda, MD 20892-7965 Telephone: (301) 594-7944 Email: roberth@ep.ncrr.nih.gov Direct inquiries concerning fiscal matters to: Mr. Paul Karadbil Office of Grants and Contracts Management National Center for Research Resources 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7965 Bethesda, MD 20892-7965 Telephone: (301) 594-7955 Email: paulk@ep.ncrr.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.389. Awards will be made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title III, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR, Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-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 routing 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. .
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