RFA-AG-04-001: CENTERS ON THE DEMOGRAPHY OF AGING

CENTERS ON THE DEMOGRAPHY OF AGING

RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2003

(see corrections NOT-AG-03-003 and NOT-AG-03-005)

RFA: AG-04-001 (Reissued as RFA-AG-09-005)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)
(http://www.nia.nih.gov/)

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBER(S): 93.866

LETTER OF INTENT RECEIPT DATE: September 22, 2003

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: October 22, 2003

THIS RFA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

o Purpose of this RFA
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism of Support
o Funds Available
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Letter of Intent
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Receipt and Review Schedule
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations

PURPOSE OF THIS RFA

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications for Research and
Development Center Grants (P30) in the areas of demography and economics of
health and aging. NIA invites both new teams of investigators and continuing
centers (funded under RFA AG-99-001) to apply. The purpose of these center
grants is to support: the infrastructure and pilot data necessary for
research and program development in selected areas (described under RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES); research projects in selected areas (described under RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES); the development of innovative national and international
networks of researchers; the recruitment of new researchers into the field;
the development and enhanced sharing of specialized databases and the rapid
application of research results from these databases; and the development of
statistical data enclaves for the analysis of large-scale, often-
longitudinal, databases with linked administrative data.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

Scientific initiatives in the demography and economics of health and aging
increasingly require integration and collaboration with each other and also
with allied scientific fields such as genetics, biology, clinical medicine,
and epidemiology. Collaboration across institutions and with international
organizations is often required. Advances in computing technology have made
new methodologies such as macro and microsimulation and the multivariate
analysis of complex longitudinal data more practical and efficient, while
raising the obligation to protect confidentiality. In addition, the ability
to link datasets or to combine raw data from different data collections can
lead to innovative research designs. Progress in research on population
aging can be accelerated and significantly enhanced by the widespread
collaboration of investigators at multiple institutions and by the creation
of innovative networks of researchers.

The NIA has supported the development of major data collection efforts in
areas such as long term care, retirement and economic status, and the
dynamics of health and functional change in the very old. However, use of
these and other datasets requires considerable investment prior to conducting
any sophisticated research. Efficiency is increased, and costs of individual
research projects can be reduced, when several researchers at the same
institution can make use of centralized data files staffed by knowledgeable
data managers. Also, there is a growing demand from the federal government
and the policy community for timely and appropriately synthesized research
findings from these datasets. Finally, in February 2003 NIH reaffirmed its
support for the concept of data sharing and stated that data should be made
as widely and freely available as possible while safeguarding the privacy of
participants, and protecting confidential and proprietary data
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/index.htm).

Applicants may address several of the topic areas below. They are not
intended to be prescriptive; applicants may redefine these areas, merging and
combining topics according to their own perspectives of the future course of
the population sciences related to aging. Comparative international research
is encouraged. Wherever possible, special attention should be given to the
demographic and economic aspects of the health and well-being of special
older populations such as the oldest old, Blacks and Hispanics, and older
women.

Objectives and Scope

A. Biodemography of Aging

Demographic aspects of heritability and familial aggregation of disease and
longevity; incorporation of genetic, biological, and disease variables into
demographic models and age-specific mortality rates; the social roles of the
elderly in nature; and biological mediators of the relationship between
socio-economic status and health.

B. Trends in Chronic Disease and Disability

Investigation of the factors underlying the recent trend in declining
disability in the older population. Determination and quantification of
causal factors underlying the trend (e.g. medical technological
interventions, health care access and use, early life experiences, education,
biomedical and social research advances, healthy lifestyle behaviors, public
health measures). Interventions to maintain and accelerate the trend.
International comparative analyses of declining disability in countries with
different institutional and family structures are encouraged.

Forecasting life and active life (health) expectancy, medical services and
long term care usage. Quantification of the impact of medical interventions
on future lifetime health care economic costs.

Modeling risk factor trajectories and trends in non-communicable disease
disability and mortality in developed and developing countries, with emphasis
on aging populations. Analyses and projections of the epidemiological
transition in developing countries.

Improved measures of adaptation to chronic and acute illnesses and associated
disability, including the costs of adaptation and coping on well-being.
Innovative methods to reconcile changes in objective and subjective measures
of well-being over the natural history of aging-related diseases. Summary
measures of health and the burden of illness. Cross-national studies to
harmonize and validate measures. Innovative methods for melding laboratory,
clinical or ethnographic approaches with large-scale population studies.

C. Health Systems

Studies to document how middle-aged and older adults are affected by trends
in how health systems are organized and financed, and by consequent health
system inefficiencies and under-utilization of resources. Translation of
research results about the strengths and weaknesses of various health
financing schemes to practical programs for the delivery of health care
services for the older population.

Improved analysis and projections of the global burden of disease (e.g.,
incorporating microdata on risk factors to model the impact of
interventions), and critical analyses of emerging methodologies for resource
allocation in the health sector.

Development of national income and product accounts that accurately reflect
the level and changes in output produced in the health sector of the US
economy.

D. Living Arrangements

Analysis of the factors that trigger movement of the elderly through various
living arrangements, from independent living through the various forms of
long-term care, and the functional and health-related outcomes associated
with residential options available to older persons.

E. Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status

Interactions between health and socio-economic status (and their cumulative
relationship) over time and across generations. Relationship among health,
wealth and education. Improved measures of socioeconomic position for aging
populations; economic determinants of health promotion and disease prevention
behaviors.

Improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying associations between
socio-economic status and health. Role of social cohesion as a mediating
factor. Elucidation of the causal pathways and mechanisms that may underlie
the association between education and health. Research to disentangle the
effects of socio-economic status, social and environmental factors, health
behaviors, and race and ethnicity on health.

Studies of the health of diverse racial and ethnic older populations and the
health of small geographic areas. Variables of interest include the effects
of lifelong poverty, birth weight, access to and utilization of employer-
provided health insurance, recency and circumstances of immigration; the
strain of physically demanding work; occupation; wealth, income and early-
life health status; and experiences of discrimination.

Studies of the changing composition and conceptualization of race and
ethnicity in the US and the effects on the U.S. socially, economically, and
demographically, including how increasing racial and ethnic diversity are
affecting population health and health disparities; issues related to the
development of racial and ethnic identity and to interactions between
racial/ethnic identification and demographic, health, and other outcomes; and
issues related to the measurement of race and ethnicity, including racial and
ethnic self-identification.

F. Policy Simulations

Evaluations and simulations of the impact of changes in DHHS and SSA policies
(e.g. changing the age of eligibility for Medicare and Social Security
benefits, and expanding coverage to include prescription drugs) on the
health, labor supply and functioning of the older population.

Stochastic forecasting and simulations of the Social Security program and of
changes in Social Security policy. Macroeconomic simulations of changes in
Social Security policy on, e.g., national saving, investment and economic
growth. Interactions of Social Security with other public and private
programs. International comparisons are encouraged.

G. Work and Retirement

Implications of population aging for public and private retirement programs
(national and international) and for income security of future retirees;
implications of women's life history (e.g., temporary exits from the labor
force for child rearing and caregiving of older parents) on retirement income
and savings adequacy; implications for late-life health and financial
security of the timing of demographic events such as marriage, child-rearing,
widowhood, etc.; allocation of family resources across generations;
determinants of retirement, family labor supply, and saving; consequences of
retirement for health and functioning; comparative studies of labor force
activity; effects of psychological factors (e.g. expectations, risk taking,
personality, altruism, time preferences, etc.) and mental health
characteristics (e.g. depression) on economic behaviors (e.g. savings and
transfers); and economic and demographic analyses of employer- and
organizational-level determinants of labor force participation at older ages.
Translation of research results in these areas to improved interventions for
older persons.

H. Disease-Specific

Demography and economics of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Studies
examining the impact of social relationships (e.g., social network
structures, types, levels and quality of social support) on cognitive decline
and dementia.

Demography and economics of HIV/AIDS in older populations. Studies of the
demographic consequences of HIV/AIDS, especially in developing countries
where the age structure of the disease is unique and where individual and
aggregate-level processes affect modeling efforts. Also, studies of the
social, economic, comorbid and other health risks and consequences of
HIV/AIDS for older persons as parents and relatives of HIV infected adults,
in both developed and developing countries, are welcome. Estimation of the
impact of health (including links with geography and demography) on economic
development, especially in developing countries.

I. General Demography

Cohort analyses of aging, including the baby boom cohort; implications of
changing family structures on caregiving needs; historical demographic and
epidemiological research on the aging process and on the determinants of
health and mortality in older populations; migration and immigration; the
impact of state and small area characteristics on health; improved
descriptive analyses of centenarian populations; macro and micro dynamics of
intergenerational exchanges; use of public and private resources in the
period before death; and comparative international analyses of population
aging using Census and other data.

Description of a Center

The center grant for this RFA minimally consists of two required cores: (A)
an administrative and research support core, which will provide coordination,
research planning, logistical, and centralized data and technical support,
and (B) a program development core providing for small scale pilot studies
related to program development or methodological innovation. In addition, an
application may request funding for (C) an external innovative national or
international network core, (D) an external research support and
dissemination core, (E) a statistical data enclave core, and (F) a
coordinating center function. Each proposed Center should focus on one or
more scientific themes or areas directly relevant to population aging.

The dollar limit for each core is set in terms of average annual DIRECT COSTS
over the life of the requested center rather than simple annual DIRECT COSTS.
The following limitations apply to the maximum amount that may be requested
for average annual DIRECT COSTS over five years, excluding the indirect costs
associated with consortia: core A, up to $360,000; core B, up to $180,000;
core C, up to $113,000, core D, up to $225,000, core E, up to $225,000; and
core F up to $113,000. For the Center as a whole, the maximum TOTAL COST
requested may not exceed $788,000 in the first year, for cores A, B, C, D and
E. A 3% per annum inflation increase is allowable in subsequent years.
Funds of up to $113,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs) may be
requested per year for the coordinating center function (core F) above the
$788,000 total costs limit. Given these constraints plus the limitation on
total annual costs, no institution will be able to submit an application for
all four optional cores for the full amounts. Therefore, each institution
should decide on an optimal mix of topical foci and cores, and within cores,
of specific core functions and levels of effort.

A. Administrative and Research Support Core (MANDATORY)

The Administrative and Research Support core manages the activities of the
Center and provides shared resources such as datasets. The application must
name a Center Director who will provide the overall scientific management and
coordination of the Center. The Center Director must be an experienced
researcher with appropriate experience in research on population aging. The
objective of this core is to accomplish the following:

1. Plan, coordinate, review and manage the Center's activities.

2. Develop, review, fund and monitor pilot projects.

3. Purchase and provide facilities or services such as centralized data
libraries, including the purchase of hardware such as workstations, high
capacity storage devices (hardware or equipment purchases may not exceed 15
percent of requested funding), and data files; development of user-friendly
data files; salary for data managers; and cost effective data processing for
the Institution's research and training on population aging. Facilities and
services should have the potential for general use at the institution, and
must not be for the sole use of any single project. Any overlap with
activities funded or proposed through NICHD center grants must be clearly
specified. Salary support may be requested for the scientific director, core
technical staff, consultants, and advisors. Travel funds may be requested for
researchers to attend scientific meetings, for training of technical and
scientific staff, for new program development, and for travel related to
outreach and network functions.

4. Manage the Advisory Committee (see SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS).

B. Program Development Core (MANDATORY)

The objective of this support is to allow the institution to develop
sufficient preliminary information to permit the submission of applications
for peer-reviewed research or career development projects. To this end, the
Center application must request funds to initiate small-scale (in the range
of $15,000 to $75,000 direct costs) pilot research that is consistent with
the theme of the Center grant and that will lead to new program development.
Such pilots could be implemented by both junior and established investigators
at the Center institution or at outside institutions or in association with
academic partners. Funds may be requested for:

1. Small-scale projects, which may include pilot or feasibility projects.
These small-scale projects (in the range of $15,000 to $75,000 direct costs)
are ordinarily limited to two years but may be extended with appropriate
justification. The application must describe the proposed use of program
development funds for two, and only two, pilot projects in each of the first
two years of the proposed center. Adequate detail should be provided in
order to allow for the evaluation of the scientific value and significance of
the proposed activities. Provision should be made in the Administrative and
Research Support Core for the institutional review of new projects (including
human subjects review). The description of all pilot projects, and any
results must be reported in the Center's annual progress report to the NIA.

2. Optional salary support for (a) new faculty development in demography of
aging; (b) increasing the critical mass of the scientific research staff; and
(c) the development of new program areas and methodologies. Salary support
is limited to tenure track faculty (or equivalent in research organizations),
and five years per individual. The total annual salary support cannot exceed
$84,000 in direct costs (salary and fringe benefits) from the Center grant,
and the institution is expected to supplement any such salary costs with
funds from other sources. As a target, it is expected that scientists
supported through this mechanism will either compete successfully for grant
support or receive substantial support from the institution by the end of the
third year.

C. External Innovative Network Core (OPTIONAL)

This optional core differs from the new program development core in that it
explicitly is for the development of networks beyond the applicant
institution's boundaries, including internationally; hence the designation,
external. Any overlap with activities funded or proposed through NICHD center
grants must be clearly specified. Funds may be requested for:

1. The development of innovative research networks on the topics listed in
the RESEARCH OBJECTIVES section, and consistent with the Center's goals, that
will serve to enhance research not only at the institution, but more
generally within the field, as well as in relation to other relevant
disciplines. Such networks might include electronic bulletin boards,
workshops, collaboration on pilot projects, and the development of common
research resources.

2. Outreach activities that will encourage and nurture the development of
minority researchers. Such activities may include, e.g., sponsoring
workshops on minority populations and issues, developing networks of minority
researchers, and providing mentorship opportunities.

3. Technical assistance activities intended to support users of large NIA
funded databases who are outside the NIA Demography Centers, including the
development of a "virtual" Center for those at other institutions.

D. External Research Resources Support and Dissemination Core (OPTIONAL)

This optional core differs from Core A in that its objective is the
communication and dissemination of research resources, findings and new
concepts and techniques within and beyond the institution. Applicants are
encouraged to propose innovative and creative methods of dissemination. Any
overlap with activities funded or proposed through NICHD center grants must
be clearly specified. Funds may be requested for, but are not limited to:

1. The dissemination of new methodologies and important databases to the
larger scientific community. Encouragement is given for the development,
support, and sharing of user-friendly databases and specific analytic
methodologies resulting from grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements,
both within the institution, and nationally to appropriate researchers. Such
dissemination might include, e.g., research and training workshops,
development of user-friendly extract files with imputed variables,
newsletters, and electronic bulletin boards providing technical support.
Development of innovative approaches to dissemination is also encouraged.
The value-added components to any on-going activities should be clearly
specified.

2. The timely dissemination of well-synthesized research results to the
Federal government, scientific community, and policy making community.
Strong encouragement is given for the dissemination of research results from
NIA sponsored databases on the topics listed above under RESEARCH OBJECTIVES.
Such dissemination might include briefings, training seminars, working paper
series, and research briefs, and newsletters. Encouragement is also given to
translating basic demographic and economic research into research briefs that
are easily accessible.

E. Statistical Data Enclave Core (OPTIONAL)

Demographic and economic aging research depends heavily on large-scale,
often-longitudinal, databases with linked administrative (e.g., CMS and SSA)
data, geocoding, and, potentially, genetic data. The advent of cheap and
powerful computers plus the internet, coupled with increased public and
legislative sensitivity and the enactment of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, has
created a new environment for this type of research. Increased emphases on
cross-national research must deal with international laws on confidentiality
and transmission of health data across borders. Any overlap with activities
funded or proposed through NICHD center grants must be clearly specified.
Funds may be requested for, but are not limited to:

1. Development of leading-edge analytic methods; development of new
statistical techniques to mask individual identities in microdata while
maintaining the maximum research value of the data. Development of
methodology for linking administrative data with longitudinal data sources
and distributing the linked files.

2. Statistical analyses of risk disclosure for public use files.

3. Methodological research on the merits and drawbacks of various identity
masking strategies.

4. Establishing a secure data enclave for analysis of longitudinal data with
sensitive linked administrative records.

F. Coordinating Center Function (OPTIONAL)

Applicants are encouraged to apply for the coordinating center function in
order to promote collaboration and networking among the NIA Demography
Centers. Funds of up to $113,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs) may
be requested for these functions above the $788,000 total costs limit. Funds
may be used to arrange annual meetings, sponsor multi-center activities or
workshops, or produce bibliographic or other special reports that would be of
benefit to all NIA Demography Centers. Any overlap with activities funded or
proposed through NICHD center grants must be clearly specified. Coordinating
Center functions may include, but are not limited to, establishing a multi-
center website, coordinating conferences, preparing annual reports and
research briefs of center research findings, and funding multi-center
activities, including travel to workshops. Although NIA will fund only one
Coordinating Center, other centers may propose coordinating functions that
would exist independently from the Coordinating Center, such as the
development of a series of research briefs which highlight research findings
from all the NIA Demography Centers.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the NIH Research and Development Core Center Grant (P30)
mechanism. P30 grants support shared resources and facilities for a
multidisciplinary research team or group of investigators focusing on a
common research topic. As an applicant you will be solely responsible for
planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. This RFA is a one-
time solicitation. The anticipated award date is July 1, 2004.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The NIA intends to commit approximately $4,000,000 in FY 2004 to fund 5 to 10
new and/or competitive continuation grants in response to this RFA. An
applicant may request a project period of up to 5 years and a budget for
TOTAL COSTS of up to $788,000 per year for Cores A, B, C, D, and E. A 3% per
annum inflation increase is allowable in subsequent years. Funds of up to
$113,000 per year in direct costs (plus indirect costs) may be requested for
the coordinating center function (Core F) above the $788,000 total costs
limit. 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. Although the financial plans of the IC(s) provide
support for this program, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the
availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious
applications.

The NIA appreciates the value of complementary funding from other public and
private sources, including foundations and commercial and industrial
concerns, for activities that will complement and expand those supported by
the NIA.

ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS

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

o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
and laboratories
o Units of State and local governments
o Eligible agencies of the Federal government

Note that foreign organizations are not eligible to apply for P30 grants.
A Center on Demography (P30) grant requires substantial pre-existing research
activity on population aging at the institution. A minimum of at least two
peer-reviewed and externally funded, currently active research projects
directly and centrally within the area of demography or economics of health
and aging is required. Ideally, applicant institutions will have a
substantial base. Sub-projects on NIA P01 grants may be counted as
individual projects. Although two peer-reviewed and externally funded,
currently active grants is the minimum requirement, considerable weight will
be given to significant research activity in demography and economics of
health and aging.

INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

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.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Advisory Committee

The Administrative and Research Support Core should include an Advisory
Committee that oversees the functioning of the Center and assists the
Director in making the scientific and administrative decisions relating to
the Center, including the allocation of funds for pilot studies. Members of
the Advisory Committee should NOT be named in the application; instead areas
of expertise should be listed. The Advisory Committee should consist of at
least five members drawn from diverse expertise. The PI of the Center should
be the chair of the Advisory Committee. During the first year of the Center,
the Advisory Committee should meet at least twice (one of these meetings may
be a conference call, but at least one meeting must be in person) to review
the research plans and status of current projects. During the out-years of
the Center, the Advisory Committee should meet at least once per year, either
in person or by conference call. Minutes of these meetings should be
prepared and provided to the NIA Program Official. The Administrative Core
budget should reflect the costs associated with communicating with and
convening the Advisory Committee.

Annual Meeting

Demography Center (P30) Principal Investigators and Core leaders will be
required to attend an annual meeting held at the Population Association of
America, or at another site agreed to by the PIs and the NIA. The travel
budget of the Administrative and Research Support core should therefore
reflect appropriate allocation for this activity. Funds should be requested
for the PI and one additional key personnel (e.g., the co-director, a Core
leader, the Center Administrator, etc.)

Approval of Pilot Projects

NIA policy requires that the specific aims of any pilot project, in addition
to the pilot project budget and Curriculum Vitae of the pilot investigator,
must be submitted to the NIA Program Official for approval before funds may
be expended.

Institutional Support

The institution and pertinent departments must show a strong commitment to
the Center's support. Such commitment may be provided as dedicated space,
salary support for investigators, release time, new staff positions,
dedicated equipment, clerical support, or other financial support for the
proposed Center.

WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES

We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA 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:

o Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to:

Georgeanne E. Patmios
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 533, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 496-3138
FAX: (301) 402-0051
Email: PatmiosG@nia.nih.gov (e-mail correspondence is preferred)

o Direct your questions about peer review issues to:

Mary Nekola, Ph.D., Chief
Scientific Review Office
Gateway Building, Room 2C212
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 496-9666
FAX: (301) 402-0066
E-mail: NekolaM@nia.nih.gov

o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to:

Traci Lafferty
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2N212, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-1472
FAX: (301) 402-3672
Email: laffertt@mail.nih.gov (e-mail correspondence is preferred)

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes
the following information:

o Descriptive title of the proposed research
o Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator
o Names of other key personnel
o Participating institutions
o Number and title of this RFA

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not
enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it
contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan
the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed at the beginning of
this document. The letter of intent should be sent, by fax, to:

Dr. Mary Nekola
Chief, Scientific Review Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2C212, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 496-9666
FAX: (301) 402-0066
NekolaM@nia.nih.gov

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application
instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive
format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714,
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS: Center applications must follow the application
format and page limitations described in the NIA Program Project Guidelines
available on the NIA Webpage at http://www.nia.nih.gov/GrantsAndTraining/Policies/ProgramProjectPoliciesandGuidelines.htm. The following exceptions to these guidelines
apply: no pre-application permission is required; the eligibility
requirements do not apply; the submission date is October 22, 2003; the
instructions for amended and supplemental applications do not apply; and the
applicable review criteria are listed in the RFA. The Center application
must follow the organization format described in the Guidelines. To
summarize: Cores are limited to 20 pages for sections a-d and there should be
up to a ten-page introduction of the Center as a whole. Regarding the Pilot
Core, examples must be given of two pilot projects, and each example should
not exceed 2 pages; these descriptions must be included within the 20 pages
allotted for the Pilot Core. The 10 page introduction should provide an
overview of the Center as a whole and describe how currently available
resources will be used to support Center activities. For competing
continuations (i.e., Centers supported under AG-99-001) this section should
also be used to report progress made under the funded Center grant. The
progress report should 1) list the Specific Aims as actually funded and 2)
describe studies and activities directed toward the Specific Aims over the
last project period. If the specific aims were modified by NIA prior to
award (for example because of budget reductions), give the revised aims.
This information will be used by reviewers to assess the degree to which
original aims have been met and the potential of the competing continuation
application to result in significant continuing progress. New applicants
should also use this section to describe preliminary studies and ongoing work
relevant to the Center application.

USING THE RFA LABEL: The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001)
application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the
application. Type the RFA number on the label. Failure to use this label
could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not
reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title,
and number, must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form
and the YES box must be marked. The RFA label is also available at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf.

SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: 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
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)

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

APPLICATION PROCESSING: Complete applications must be received on or before
the application receipt date listed in the heading of this RFA. If an
application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review. No additional application materials will be accepted after
the receipt date.

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

The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application in
response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending
initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application.
However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an
investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to an RFA,
it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is the application for the
RFA must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements
made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes. While the
investigator may still benefit from the previous review, the RFA application
is not to state explicitly how.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and
responsiveness by the NIA. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications
will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.

Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated
for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group
convened by the NIA in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As
part of the initial merit review, all applications will:

o Receive a written critique
o Undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the
highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the applications under
review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o Receive a second level review by the National Advisory Council on Aging

REVIEW CRITERIA

The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of
biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In
the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following
aspects of the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed
research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals:

o Significance
o Approach
o Innovation
o Investigator
o Environment

The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria
in assigning the application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate
for each application. The 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.

SIGNIFICANCE: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of
the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What
will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive
this field?

APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses
adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the
project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider
alternative tactics?

INNOVATION: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods?
Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing
paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?

INVESTIGATOR: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to
carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level
of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)?

ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done
contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take
advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful
collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?

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

For competing continuation applications:

o Reviewers will assess the degree to which original aims have been met and
the potential that the competing continuation application will result in
significant continuing progress.

For all applications:

o The potential for significant scientific progress in the specific areas or
themes addressed by the application, and the overall strategy for developing
research in the demography and economics of health and aging generally and
specifically within the areas or themes;

o The level and extent of funded research directly relevant to the
demography and economics of health and aging;

o Successful training activity in the area of population aging including the
recruitment and training of junior investigators;

o The scientific merit of the proposed pilot or new program development
projects and the adequacy of the review procedures to assess the scientific
merit of future studies;

o The value to the institution's researchers of the support and maintenance
functions for e.g., databases and methodologies;

o Evidence of concrete commitment of the institution's administration to
develop and support research and training on population aging; provision of
new resources (e.g., co-funding or new positions); and

o The scientific value and public good that might result from any proposed
external outreach and network building activities.

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 criteria included in the
section on Federal Citations, below).

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH: The adequacy of plans to
include subjects from both genders and all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans
for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. (See
Inclusion Criteria in the sections on Federal Citations, below).

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
398 research grant application instructions (rev. 5/2001) will be assessed.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data.

BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period
of support in relation to the proposed research.

RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHEDULE

Letter of Intent Receipt Date: September 22, 2003
Application Receipt Date: October 22, 2003
Peer Review Date: February/March 2004
Council Review: May 2004
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2004

AWARD CRITERIA

Award criteria that will be used to make award decisions include:

o Scientific merit (as determined by peer review)
o Availability of funds
o Programmatic priorities.

REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS

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

MONITORING PLAN AND DATA AND SAFETY MONITORING BOARD: Research components
involving Phase I and II clinical trials must include provisions for
assessment of patient eligibility and status, rigorous data management,
quality assurance, and auditing procedures. In addition, it is NIH policy
that all clinical trials require data and safety monitoring, with the method
and degree of monitoring being commensurate with the risks (NIH Policy for
Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 12,
1998: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).

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 -
Amended, October, 2001," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
on October 9, 2001 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-
02-001.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are 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.

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 that is available at
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 proposals for research involving human
subjects. You will find this policy announcement in the NIH Guide for Grants
and Contracts Announcement, dated June 5, 2000, at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.

PUBLIC 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 public 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 RFA 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). Those who must comply with the Privacy Rule (classified
under the Rule as "covered entities") must do so by April 14, 2003 (with the
exception of small health plans which have an extra year to comply).

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
RFA 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.

REFERENCES

Behavioral and Social Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National
Institutes of Health. Website:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ExtramuralPrograms/BehavioralAndSocialResearch/

National Research Council, 2001. Cells and Surveys: Should Biological
Measures Be Included in Social Science Research? Finch CE, Vaupel JW and
Kinsella K, Editors. Committee on Population. Washington, DC: National
Academy Press. (available at http://www.nap.edu.)

National Research Council, 2001. New Horizons in Health: An Integrated
Approach. Committee on Future Directions for Behavioral and Social Sciences
Research at the National Institutes of Health. Burton H. Singer and Carol D.
Ryff, editors. Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.
Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (available at http://www.nap.edu.)

National Research Council, 2001. Preparing for an Aging World: The Case for
Cross-National Research. Committee on Population and Committee on National
Statistics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (available at
http://www.nap.edu.)

National Research Council, 1997. Between Zeus and the Salmon: The
Biodemography of Longevity. Wachter KW and Finch CE, Editors. Committee on
Population. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (available at
http://www.nap.edu.)

National Research Council, 1997. Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Health
of Older Americans. Martin LG and Soldo BJ, Editors. Committee on
Population. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. (available at
http://www.nap.edu.)

World Health Organization (2002). The World Health Report: 2002. Reducing
risks, promoting healthy life. Geneva: WHO (Available at
http://www.who.int/whr.)

World Health Organization (2000). The World Health Report: 2000. Health
Systems: Improving Performance. Geneva: WHO. (Available at
http://www.who.int/whr.)

World Health Organization (1999). The World Health Report 1999. Making a
Difference. Geneva: WHO. (Available at http://www.who.int/whr.)

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