NCI INSTITUTIONAL PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH TRAINING PARTNERSHIP AWARD

RELEASE DATE:  October 10, 2002

RFA: CA-03-017

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
 (http://www.nci.nih.gov/)

LETTER OF INTENT RECEIPT DATE: February 27, 2003
APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: March 27, 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 Eligible Program Directors
o Eligible Mentors
o Eligible Trainees
o Special Requirements 
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

PURPOSE

As part of a broader pilot activity of the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH), the Cancer Training Branch (CTB) of the National Cancer 
Institute (NCI) invites applications to support the development of new 
pre-doctoral training programs that are partnerships between extramural 
institutions and unique areas of research within the components of the 
NCI Intramural Program. The specific components of the NCI intramural 
program selected for these partnerships represent unique strengths of 
the NCI in terms of staff and resources for research and research 
training, and represent high priority areas for research training.

The purpose of this RFA is to form partnerships between extramural 
institutions and the NCI in order to enhance training opportunities at 
these institutions for pre-doctoral students in high priority areas of 
cancer research.  Participation in this initiative is anticipated to 1) 
expand opportunities for students and faculty at the respective 
institutions for training and the conduct of research, 2) provide 
greater access of trainees and researchers to unique aspects and 
resources- for example, databases and study cohorts- of the NCI 
Intramural Program; and 3)  stimulate important new scientific 
collaborations between extramural and NCI scientists and students.   

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

While scientists at the NIH traditionally have participated in the 
training of graduate students on an ad hoc basis, graduate programs at 
universities have never been able to take full advantage of the 
resources available on the NIH campus to help achieve their pre-
doctoral training objectives.  To improve this situation, in July 2000, 
the NIH implemented the Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP).  The GPP 
has the responsibility to formally link NIH intramural research with 
universities in the training of pre-doctoral students in the biomedical 
sciences and to facilitate the development, operation, and oversight of 
University-NIH pre-doctoral training partnerships.  As a first step, 
the GPP created a website that comprehensively provides extramural 
institutions and scientists descriptions of and access to the research 
groups at the NIH.  This website (http://gpp.nih.gov/Researchers/) 
facilitates the development of ad hoc and formal arrangements between 
extramural and intramural research groups with the GPP 
serving as a broker and facilitator. In addition, the GPP 
has expanded a prior model for University-NIH partnerships in 
broad areas of research training.  Currently, there are 
nine of these partnerships: Johns Hopkins University (Biological 
Sciences); George Washington University (Genetics); University of 
Maryland (Biophysics); University of Pennsylvania (Immunology); Boston 
University (Bioinformatics); University of Maryland (Hearing and 
Communication Disorders); Oxford University, England (Biomedical and 
Biological Sciences); Cambridge University, England (Health Sciences 
Scholars Program); and the Karolinska Institute, Sweden 
(Neurosciences).  There are currently 24 pre-doctoral students in the 
NCI Intramural Program participating in the GPP: 20 in the Center for 
Cancer Research (CRC) and 4 in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and 
Genetics (DCEG).  While these broad arrangements more aggressively 
broker connections between graduate programs and intramural research 
groups, they do not involve any NIH funding or formally integrate 
extramural and intramural scientists in a specific training program, 
such as those traditionally supported by institutional National 
Research Service Awards (NRSAs) or T32s. 

To explore other options for involving the NIH in graduate training, in 
September 2000 a focus group of approximately 20 graduate school Deans 
and others (mostly from the Graduate Research, Education and Training 
{GREAT} Group) was constituted by Dr. Mary Delong (Director of the GPP, 
OD, NIH) and convened at the NIH.  A key recommendation of the focus 
group was that NIH partnerships should be created that compete for 
extramural training funds in a manner similar to applicants for 
Institutional National Research Service Awards (NRSA).  The NIH decided 
that the best ways to pursue this new partnership concept would be to 
ask institutes to develop pilot programs to explore its usefulness and 
potential.  Four ICs (i.e., NCI, NLM, NIHGR, and NIAID) are in the 
process of developing RFAs to pilot the TU2 program.

Objectives and Scope

The objectives of this RFA will be accomplished by combining the 
support for Ph.D. or equivalent degree (e.g., Dr.P.H., Sc.D.) 
candidates and the program through a new specialized cooperative 
training grant (TU2) guided by National Research Service Award (NRSAs) 
policies and through Cancer Research Training Awards (CRTAs).  The TU2 
will support the didactic and research training of predoctoral 
candidates, as well as other training related expenses of the program, 
at the extramural institution; and CRTAs will support candidates for 
their research training while in the NCI Intramural Program.  Trainees 
will be required to meet the dissertation requirements established by 
their extramural home institution.  In theory, the program has the 
flexibility to afford the trainees the opportunity to move back and 
forth between the extramural institution and the NCI Intramural program 
during the entire period of their appointment.  However, in this pilot 
effort, it is expected that the laboratory component of the training 
will occur mainly at the NCI.
 
The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) and the Center 
for Cancer Research (CCR), both of which represent the NCI Intramural 
Program, have selected a number of areas for possible training.  
Interested extramural institutions may consult with NCI coordinators in 
the areas described below to explore the possibility of developing a 
partnership training program and submitting a grant application in 
response to this initiative.  

The Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) invites applications 
in the following areas of research training:

o  genetic and molecular epidemiology
o  environmental and occupational epidemiology
o  nutritional epidemiology
o  radiation epidemiology
o  viral and infectious disease epidemiology
o  biostatistics and methodologic research

DCEG carries out population-based and interdisciplinary research to 
uncover the genetic and environmental determinants of cancer, and the 
means of cancer prevention.  Priority is given to accelerating and 
broadening emergent scientific issues identified through clinical, 
epidemiologic, and laboratory observations, including recent 
discoveries in molecular genetics and cancer biology.  Research 
projects may involve biomarkers to assess precursor states, 
intermediate outcomes, carcinogenic exposures, susceptibility states, 
and mechanisms of carcinogenesis for the entire range of cancer organ 
sites.  The role of lifestyle factors (including diet and nutrition), 
environmental pollutants, occupational exposures, genetic 
predisposition, hormonal and other endogenous factors, infectious 
agents, pharmacologic compounds, and ionizing and nonionizing radiation 
is investigated.  Particular emphasis is placed on the study of gene-
environment interactions.  

DCEG has a firm commitment to training the next generation of cancer 
epidemiologists and biostatisticians, and seeks partnerships with 
academic institutions offering graduate education in epidemiology and 
related areas in order to furnish opportunities for dissertation 
projects at the National Cancer Institute.

For the DCEG, there are approximately 6 positions available for one or 
a combination of the above six categories of research training.

The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) invites applications in the 
following areas of research training: 

Chemistry  

Chemistry is a crucial component of the blend of disciplines that 
constitute the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the National Cancer 
Institute (NCI).  Given the biomedical mission of the Institute, the 
research is focused on areas of chemistry that have a direct impact on 
that mission.  While much of this research is fundamental chemistry 
research, not unlike that found in many academic chemistry departments, 
the general orientation is toward the biological sciences.  As a 
consequence, the chemically oriented laboratories of the NCI offer a 
superb environment for graduate training in chemistry at the interface 
with biology.  The Program seeks to unite the chemistry groups in the 
NCI into a Faculty that will provide a first class environment for the 
training of doctoral candidates in biologically oriented chemistry.  In 
order to enhance the interdisciplinary nature of the Program, the 
Faculty will also include biological scientists whose research requires 
interaction with chemists.  The partnership program will be a 
competitive graduate program to pursue research in one of the chemistry 
laboratories of the National Cancer Institute and is intended for 
individuals who wish to obtain training in chemistry at the interface 
of biology. 

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

As one of the pioneers in developing DNA sequencing, microarray 
transcript profiling, proteomic profiling, laser-capture 
microdissection, cell-based and tissue microarrays, and DNA analysis 
microarrays, among other technologies, the NIH offers students exposure 
to an unparalleled breadth and depth of expertise in the bioinformatic 
disciplines.  Increasingly, biomedical research relies on the computer 
for both the exploration of existing databases and calculations focused 
on biological phenomena.   Advances in these in silico fields are 
profoundly interconnected with the ongoing revolutions in genomics and 
proteomics.  This interrelationship is clearly evident in the Human 
Genome Project, which has generated vast amounts of data. 

New software tools, however, are needed to enable researchers to better 
manage, correlate, analyze, and interpret such complex biological 
information.  In the field of cancer research, such tools will not only 
lead to advances in basic research but also translate into the improved 
diagnosis, prognosis prediction, prevention, and treatment of human 
cancers. 

The NIH and the NCI's Center for Cancer Research (CCR), therefore, have 
increasingly focused on developing the bioinformatics needed to 
transform the data produced by "omic" technologies into biomedical 
knowledge through partnerships with applicant institutions seeking to 
develop better software tools for managing complex biomedical 
information and correlating it with diagnosis, prognosis prediction, 
and treatment.  These endeavors are highly interdisciplinary in nature 
and most effectively undertaken by individuals who have a solid 
background not only in biology, but also in statistics, data analysis, 
engineering, computer science, or artificial intelligence.  At present, 
the CCR is particularly interested in encouraging collaborative, 
interdisciplinary research aimed at achieving the following goals: 

o  Developing pattern-recognition algorithms designed to analyze 
biological data, including artificial intelligence, support vector 
machines, and self-organizing maps (SOMs).

o  Using bioinformatics tools to identify genes that can be used to 
diagnose cancer patients, predict their prognosis, assess responses to 
therapy, and define tumor-specific therapeutic targets.

o  Linking critical genes identified by individual investigators to 
large, publicly available databases such as the protein structure 
database and the NCI's small molecules database.
o  Devising methods and web-based tools for unifying large databases 
and for visualizing and clustering data, including multidimensional 
scaling, principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, K 
means, and SOMs. 

For the CCR, there are approximately 10 positions available, 5 for each 
of the 2 categories of research training.

The total number of positions available (DCEG, CCR) is therefore 16.

The NCI facilitators for the DCEG and the CCR are respectively Dr. 
Demetrius Albanes and Dr. Jonathan Wiest.  Contact information for the 
facilitators is provided under "WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES". After having 
first contacted the NCI extramural program director, potential partners 
will be referred to the relevant NCI facilitator to explore the 
possibility of submitting a grant application together.

The listing of available NCI mentors for each area with a description 
of their research activities can be found at the following website:  
http://cancertraining.nci.nih.gov/TU2

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the NIH TU2 cooperative agreement award mechanism.  
This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  Since this is a pilot program, 
the decision to reissue this RFA in the future will be made after an 
interim evaluation of the success and effectiveness of the RFA.  Future 
unsolicited, competing-continuation applications based on this 
initiative will compete with all investigator-initiated Institutional 
NRSA applications and will be reviewed according to the customary peer 
review procedures. The anticipated award date under this RFA is 
September, 2003.

The NIH  TU2 is a cooperative agreement award mechanism in which the 
Principal Investigator retains the primary responsibility and dominant 
role for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project, with 
NIH staff being substantially involved as a partner with the Principal 
Investigator, as described under the section "Cooperative Agreement 
Terms and Conditions of Award".  
The total project period for applications submitted in response to this 
RFA may not exceed five years.  

FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
NCI intends to commit approximately $1,000,000 total costs in FY 2003 
to fund up to 5 new grants in response to this RFA. An applicant may 
request a project period of up to 5 years and a budget for direct costs 
of up to $200,000 per year.  Because the number of trainees on each 
grant and their stipends may vary, it is anticipated that the sizes of 
the award will also vary. Although the financial plans of NCI 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.  

ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS

Eligible applicant institutions are domestic institutions having any of 
the following characteristics:

o For-profit or non-profit degree-granting organizations 
o Not-for profit public or private institutions or academic 
institutions that offer the Ph.D. and or equivalent health professional 
degree 

Eligible applicant institutions must have a generally strong research 
program in any of the eligible area(s) proposed for research training, 
as evidenced by the peer-reviewed and funded research of the scientists 
at the institution who will serve as mentors. 

This pilot initiative is intended for single extramural institution 
partnerships and will not support a consortium of extramural 
institutions.  

ELIGIBLE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS/INTRAMURAL PARTNERS

The intramural and extramural leaders of the partnership must be 
established investigators.  The extramural leader will be the PI of the 
grant application and the intramural leader will be the intramural 
partner (IP).  Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic 
groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged 
to apply for NIH programs as principal investigators.

ELIGIBLE PRECEPTORS

Preceptors must be established investigators.  Preceptors from the 
extramural institution must have a track record of research 
productivity and research support including current active research 
support; and must have a successful track record in mentoring 
predoctoral students.  NCI Intramural preceptors must have a track of 
research productivity and in mentoring investigators early in the 
development of their research careers.

ELIGIBLE TRAINEES

Trainees must be U.S. citizens or non-citizen nationals or must be 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possession of a 
currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-1551, or some other 
legal verification of such status).  Non-citizen nationals are 
generally persons born in outlying possessions of the United States 
(e.g., American Samoa and Swains Island).  Individuals on temporary or 
student visas are not eligible. Trainees must be able to pursue their 
research training on a full-time basis, devoting at least 40 hours per 
week to the program.  

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

The applicant institution (s) must be able to demonstrate how a 
partnership with the NCI Intramural Program will significantly 
compliment and enhance their research training capability in ways that 
otherwise would not be possible.

Program Steering Committee  

Each Program must have a Program Steering Committee (PSC). The PSC 
should include as voting members the PI and the IP, and four senior 
core faculty (and mentors), two from the extramural institution and two 
from the NCI Intramural Program.  The PSC can add other members as 
(non-voting) ad hoc participants whenever the situation requires.  It 
would be anticipated that representatives from the dissertation 
committees for the individual trainees would be included on an as-
needed basis among the ad hoc participants.  The NCI extramural program 
director will serve as an ex officio with full authority to participate 
in all discussions and ensure that the partnership is adhering to NCI 
and NIH extramural policies. The PSC will be co-chaired by the PI and 
the IP.  The PSC must meet once a year. The PSC will function to 
facilitate matching of predoctoral candidates previously admitted to 
the graduate schools of the extramural institution with appropriate 
extramural and intramural mentors; evaluate the progress of the program 
in achieving its objectives and recommend midcourse corrections as 
needed; approve of the extramural and intramural training plan for each 
candidate; evaluate the progress of each candidate's training in terms 
of benefiting from the unique opportunities offered by the partnership 
and completing the training plan within the timeline originally 
anticipated; ensure that each candidate in the intramural phase of the 
Partnership Program continues to progress towards satisfying all of the 
academic requirements of the extramural institution for a Ph.D. degree; 
define areas of potential scientific collaboration between the 
extramural scientists and NCI intramural scientists that will 
strengthen the partnership in the future; and evaluate the special 
marketing and recruitment efforts of the program and make 
recommendations for improvement. A report documenting the deliberations 
and decisions of the PSC must be provided annually with the Non-
Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590).

Recruitment and Placement Plan

The Training Partnership must present a recruitment and placement plan 
that augments and complements the extramural institution's normal 
procedures for recruiting predoctoral candidates, and for 
placing/matching candidates with mentors for their dissertation 
training and research.  It is expected that this plan will involve 
special marketing efforts to inform potential candidates of this 
special opportunity for training,  and attract the highest quality 
candidates possible for participation in this Partnership Program.  It 
is also expected that this plan will provide special opportunities for 
the candidates to interact with potential mentors in the NCI Intramural 
programs prior to selection of mentor(s).  A Plan for recruiting 
Minority Trainees must be provided and must follow current NRSA policy 
Guidelines (See NIH Website noted under ALLOWABLE COSTS).

Special Administrative Requirements 

o General

The NCI considers, as a condition of this NCI TU2 award, that the PI 
and the business officials of the extramural institution understand the 
official policies that govern Institutional National Research Service 
Awards and will take full responsibility for conforming to the 
reporting requirements of the NRSA program as required by Congressional 
legislation. This includes timely and accurate submission of  
Statements of Appointment (Form PHS 2271, available in an interactive 
format at  
http://grants.nih.gov/training/phs2271.pdf) for new and reappointed 
trainees with correct stipend levels as approved by NIH; timely and 
accurate submission of Termination Notices (Form PHS 416-17, available 
at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416-7.pdf) when trainee 
support is discontinued; and submission of the appropriate information 
confirming citizenship status of trainees at the time of appointment 
(The extramural institution is responsible for determining the 
eligibility of trainees with regard to satisfying the necessary 
citizenship requirements). 

o  Budget and Related Issues

Prior to developing budgets, applicants are strongly encouraged to 
interact with appropriate Program Staff and Grants Management Staff 
listed under "WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES".

Stipends:  While in training, pre-doctoral candidates will receive 
stipend levels as determined by current NRSA policies 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-028.html) 
when at the extramural institution and  stipend levels according to 
CRTA policies (http://camp.nci.nih.gov/admin/crta)
when at the NCI.   The stipend is provided as a subsistence allowance 
to help trainees defray living expenses during the research training 
experience.  It is not provided as a condition of employment with 
either the Federal Government or the awardee's institution.  

The extramural training institution may not alter established stipend 
levels.  Further, stipend levels are not to be changed in the middle of 
an appointment period.  Stipends may be adjusted only at the time of 
appointment or reappointment.  Stipends must be based on the level 
established for the current fiscal year of the grant.  Finally, for 
appointments of less than 12 months, the stipend will be based on a 
monthly or daily pro-ration.

Student support at the extramural institution is expected to last from 
one to three years and in the NCI Intramural Program from two to four 
years.  Unless there are exceptional circumstances requiring special 
NCI approval, total support for an individual (the combination of NRSA 
and CRTA support) is expected to last for no more than five years.  
Appointments to students are for a period of one year, and are 
renewable for up to five years based on adequate progress of the 
student.  

Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance:  The NRSA and CRTA mechanism will 
offset the combined cost of tuition and fees for the trainee at the 
following rate:  100 percent of all costs up to $3,000 and 60 percent 
of costs above $3,000.  Medical insurance will also be provided.  Costs 
associated with tuition, fees and health insurance are allowable only 
if they are required for all individuals in a similar training status 
at the institution regardless of the source of support. A full 
description of the tuition policy is contained within the NIH Grants 
Policy Statement at: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/part_iib_3.htm#_
Toc504812004

Training Related Expenses: Training related expenses of up to $10,000 
per year per trainee may be requested to defray the costs of other 
research training related expenses.  Typically, these costs could 
include staff salaries, consultant costs, equipment, research supplies, 
travel costs for Steering Committee Members to meet once a year at 
either the extramural institution or the NCI for purposes of assessing 
the progress of the program; and  trainee travel to scientific meetings 
and between the extramural institution and the NCI as part of the 
training program. Applicant institutions should contact the NCI 
Extramural Program Director early in the application process to discuss 
this budget category.   
Facilities and Administrative Costs:  While funded by NRSA, a 
facilities and administrative allowance (indirect cost allowance) based 
on 8 percent of the total allowable direct costs (this excludes amounts 
for tuition, fees, health insurance and equipment) may be requested.  

Stipend Supplementation:  Supplementation or additional support to 
offset the cost of living may be provided by the extramural grantee 
institution during the extramural phase of the training program. 
Supplementation does not require any additional effort from the 
trainee.  DHHS funds may not be used for supplementation under any 
circumstances.  Additionally, no funds from other Federal agencies may 
be used for supplementation unless specifically authorized by the NIH 
and the other Federal Agency.

Compensation:  The extramural grantee institution may provide 
additional funds to a trainee during the extramural phase of the 
training program in the form of compensation (as salary and/or tuition 
remission) for services such as teaching or serving as a research 
assistant.  A trainee may receive compensation for services as a 
research assistant or in some other position on a Federal research 
grant, including a DHHS research grant.  However, compensated services 
should occur on a limited, part-time basis apart from the normal 
research training activities, which require a minimum of 40 hours per 
week. In addition, compensation may not be paid from a research grant 
supporting research that 
constitutes the research training experience. 

Educational Loans or G.I. Bill:  An individual may make use of Federal 
educational loan funds and assistance under the Veterans Readjustment 
Benefits Act (G.I. Bill).  Such funds are not considered 
supplementation or compensation. 

Concurrent Awards.  An NRSA trainee may not an NRSA concurrently with 
another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal award that 
provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the NRSA.

Tax Liability: Internal Revenue Code Section 117 applies to the tax 
treatment of all scholarships and fellowships.  Under that section, 
non-degree candidates are required to report as gross income any monies 
paid on their behalf for stipends, or any course tuition and fees 
required for attendance.  Degree candidates may exclude from gross 
income (for tax purposes) any amount used for tuition and related 
expenses such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for 
courses of instruction at a qualified educational organization. The 
taxability of stipends, however, in no way alters the relationship 
between NRSA trainees and institutions.  NRSA stipends are not 
considered salaries.  In addition, trainees supported under the NRSA 
are not considered to be in an employee-employer relationship with the 
NIH or the awardee institution. It is therefore, inappropriate and 
unallowable for institutions to charge costs associated with employment 
(such as FICA, workman's compensation, or unemployment insurance) to 
the training grant.  It must be emphasized that the interpretation and 
implementation of the tax laws are the domain of the Internal Revenue 
Service (IRS) and the courts.  The NIH takes no position on the status 
of a particular taxpayer, and it does not have the authority to 
dispense tax advice.  Individuals should consult their local IRS office 
about the applicability of the law to their situation and for 
information on their tax obligations.

Special NCI Programmatic Requirements 

Pre-application Process.  Potential applicant institutions must 
initially contact the NCI Extramural Program Director listed in " WHERE 
TO SEND INQUIRIES".  This individual will clarify any issues regarding 
the intent and purpose of the RFA and the process for exploring 
potential training partnerships with NCI Intramural scientists.  
Applicants will be referred by the NCI Extramural Program Director to 
one of the NCI Intramural facilitators listed in " WHERE TO SEND 
INQUIRIES".  The NCI Intramural facilitator will assist in initiating 
potential partnerships with potential IP's in either the Center for 
Cancer Research (CCR) or the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and 
Genetics (DCEG), and will assist in identifying alternative potential 
partnerships if the initial contact is not productive.  For those 
situations where the initial contacts are not productive, an official 
statement will be developed by the facilitator and the potential IP 
stating the specific reason(s) for the lack of success in negotiating a 
partnership.  This statement will be provided to the potential 
applicant institution and to the NCI Extramural Program Director.  For 
those situations where the negotiations are successful, the facilitator 
will work with the applicant institution and the IP to develop the 
conditions of the co-operative agreement.

o Post-award.  

The Partnership Program must satisfy all of the requirements of the NCI 
Supplemental Policy for Institutional National Service Research Awards 
(T32). The Supplemental policy may be found on the following website:
http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/awards/supT32guideline.htm

Special NCI Administrative Policies 

All grantees are expected to comply with the provisions as defined in 
the National Research Service Award Guidelines.  Institutions regularly 
failing to provide timely submissions of Non-Competing Grant Progress 
Report (PHS 2590); timely and accurate Statements of Appointment (Form 
PHS 2271, available in an interactive format at:
http://grants.nih.gov/training/phs2271.pdf) and/or Termination Notices 
(Form PHS 416-7, available at the following site: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416-7.pdf); correct 
stipends to trainees; or not providing the correct citizenship 
information for trainees, will be considered by the NCI not to be in 
compliance with the management requirements of the award.  If any of 
these circumstances become recurrent and serious problems, it will be 
the policy of the NCI to issue provisional awards for the Non-Competing 
Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) until the situation(s) is fully 
corrected; and the level of and/or future funding of the training 
program could be jeopardized.  

Recruitment of Minority Trainees

Although this is a general NIH requirement, the NCI, in order to 
address the effectiveness of research approaches that investigate the 
higher cancer incidence and mortality rates of minorities and various 
ethnic and underserved groups, takes a very proactive interest in the 
success of every grantee's recruitment efforts. Therefore, the required 
specific recruitment plan by NIH for each training grant will be 
monitored by NCI program staff for progress, and NCI staff will work 
with each grantee to increase the effectiveness of the plan.

Allowable Costs

NCI TU2 grants support all of the traditional costs outlined in the 
official National Research Service Award Guidelines 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/).  These costs are 
also summarized in this RFA under Special Requirements for Budget and 
Related Issues.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

The following terms and conditions will be incorporated into the award 
statement and will be provided to the PI as well as to the appropriate 
extramural institutional officials at the time of award.  The following 
special terms of award are in addition to, and not in lieu of, 
otherwise applicable OMB administrative guidelines, HHS grant 
administration regulations at 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 (Part 92 is 
applicable when State and local Governments are eligible to apply), and 
other HHS and NIH policies.

The administrative and funding instrument for this program will be the 
Cooperative Agreement (CA) grant or TU2.  The cooperative agreement is 
an "assistance" mechanism (rather than an acquisition mechanism), in 
which substantial NIH scientific and/or programmatic involvement with 
the awardee is anticipated during the performance of the activity.  
Under the CA, the NIH's purpose is to support and/or stimulate the 
recipient's activity by involvement in and otherwise working jointly 
with the award recipient in a partner role, but it is not to assume 
direction, prime responsibility, or a dominant role in the activity.  
Consistent with this concept, the dominant role and prime 
responsibility for the activity resides with the awardee(s) for the 
project as a whole, although specific tasks and the activities in 
carrying out the training will be shared among the awardee(s) and the 
cooperating NCI Intramural Program's IP.

1. Awardee Rights and Responsibilities

The Principal Investigator (PI) will have the primary responsibility 
for the oversight, administration and management of the NRSA-supported 
part of the research training program according to the conditions of 
this RFA.  The PI will agree to accept close coordination, cooperation, 
and participation with the NCI Intramural research staff  as well as 
with NCI Extramural program staff in those aspects of scientific and 
technical management of the project as described under the NIH Staff 
Responsibilities.  The PI will:

o  Recruit graduate students for the program, with special attention to 
increasing the number of underrepresented minorities, and implementing 
the special marketing recruitment measures to ensure that high quality 
candidates are available. 
o  Ensure that there are adequate faculty at the extramural institution 
and in the relevant NCI Intramural program with appropriate mentoring 
skills and research experience to participate in the training program.
o Ensure that the didactic portion of the research training program is 
appropriately rigorous so that students are grounded in the 
fundamentals of the sciences appropriate to their research interests 
and that it involves NCI intramural participants when they can 
strengthen the program. 
o  Co-chair, in collaboration with the IP, the Program Steering 
Committee (PSC) and ensure that it meets regularly to oversee the 
progress of the program, evaluate its effectiveness, make 
recommendations to improve its effectiveness and identify areas of 
extramural/intramural research collaboration.  Accept and implement the 
recommendations of the PSC.
o  Ensure that the research interests of the trainees are matched with 
the research interests of the participating extramural and the NCI 
intramural faculty.
o  Ensure that there is a clear plan for each trainee regarding when 
they transition from the didactic part of the program to the research 
training part of the program.
o  Ensure that the training plan developed for each trainee will 
satisfy all of the requirements of the extramural institution for a 
Ph.D. degree.  

The PI will oversee all aspects of the partnership at the extramural 
institution and the NCI Intramural program. The PI will be responsible 
for reporting in the Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) the 
progress of the partnership that occurs both at the extramural 
institution and the NCI Intramural Program.  

2. NCI Staff Responsibilities

The NCI Intramural Partner will have the following rights and 
responsibilities:

o  Primary responsibility for administering and managing the intramural 
research in support of the students' dissertation
o  Work collaboratively with the PI and the PSC to ensure that there 
are acceptable procedures for recruitment and selection of  graduate 
students to participate in the intramural research component.
o  Work with the PI to ensure a smooth transition of the trainees from 
the extramural institution to the NCI Intramural Research Program
o  Ensure that intramural training is in compliance with the extramural 
institution's requirements for doctoral degrees and ensure that every 
graduate student selected for participation in the partnership program 
will pursue a research project that will result in a doctoral 
dissertation, will receive appropriate mentoring, and will be provided 
with the resources to pursue the research.
o  In conjunction with the PI and the PSC, develop policies for 
monitoring the progress of graduate students, evaluating the 
partnership training program and identifying areas for 
extramural/intramural research collaboration.
o Co-chair the Program Steering Committee and accept its 
recommendations

The IP in collaboration with the PI will oversee all activities at the 
NCI and be responsible for providing the information related to the NCI 
Intramural Program necessary for preparation of all progress reports 
associated with the Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590). 

The NCI Intramural facilitators will have the following rights and 
responsibilities:
 
o  Working with the NCI Program Director, provide oversight of the 
administration of the intramural component of the program. 

The NCI Program Director will have the following rights and 
responsibilities:

o  Provide the same program administrative oversight as for any NRSA 
Institutional Training Grant while trainees are at the extramural 
institution.
o  Serve as an ex officio member of the PSC.
o  Oversee and approve the selection of candidates for the Program to 
ensure that selection standards are fair and objective.
o  Assess annual progress towards achieving Program objectives .
o  Assess continued compliance of the program with intent of the RFA.
o  Determine acceptability of the Program for continuation in each non-
competing year.

3. Collaborative Responsibilities

Each Partnership Program is required to have a Program Steering 
Committee (PSC).  The PSC should include as voting members the PI and 
the IP, and four senior core faculty (and mentors), two from the 
extramural institution and two from the NCI Intramural Program.  The 
PSC can add other members as (non-voting) ad hoc participants whenever 
the situation requires.  It would be anticipated that representatives 
from the dissertation committees for the individual trainees would be 
included on an as-needed basis among the ad hoc participants.  The NCI 
extramural program director will serve as an ex officio with full 
authority to participate in all discussions and ensure that the 
partnership is adhering to NCI and NIH extramural policies. The PSC 
will be co-chaired by the PI and the IP.  The PSC must meet once a 
year.

The individual Program Steering Committees will have the following 
responsibilities:

o  Facilitiate the matching of predoctoral candidates previously 
admitted to the graduates schools of the extramural institution to 
appropriate extramural and intramural mentors.  
o  Evaluate the progress of each candidate's training in terms of 
benefiting from the unique opportunities offered by the partnership, 
their career development and completing the training plan within the 
timeline originally anticipated.  
o  Ensure that each candidate in the intramural phase of the 
Partnership Program continues to progress towards satisfying all of the 
academic requirements of the extramural institution for a Ph.D. degree
o  Approve the extramural and intramural training plan for each 
candidate.
o  Evaluate the progress of the program in achieving its objectives and 
recommend midcourse corrections as needed
o  Evaluate the special marketing and recruitment efforts of the 
program and 
make recommendations for improvement.
o  Define areas of potential scientific collaboration between the 
extramural scientists and NCI intramural scientists that will 
strengthen the partnership in the future.
o  Provide annually with the Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 
2590) a report documenting the deliberations and decisions of the PSC.

Mentors from the NCI Intramural Research Program will serve in an 
advisory capacity as ad hoc members of the mentee's dissertation 
committee. 

4. Arbitration

Any disagreement that may arise on scientific/programmatic matters 
(within the scope of the award), between the awardee and the NCI will 
be brought to arbitration.  The Arbitration Panel will consist of one 
individual from the Extramural Institution, one individual from the NCI 
Intramural Program, the Chief of the NCI Extramural Cancer Training 
Branch, and one individual agreed upon by the other 3 members of the 
panel.    This special arbitration procedure in no way affects the 
awardee's right to appeal an adverse action that otherwise can be 
appealed in accordance with NIH regulations 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart D 
and HHS regulation at 45 CFR Part 16.

WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES

We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA and welcome the opportunity 
to answer questions from potential applicants.  Inquiries may fall into 
four areas:  programmatic, partnering, peer review, and financial or 
grants management issues:

o  The NCI Extramural Program Director listed below should be the 
initial NCI contact for all potential applicant institutions.  This 
individual will clarify any issues you might about the intent and 
purpose of the RFA and the process for exploring potential training 
partnerships with NCI Intramural scientists.  If a partnership has been 
agreed upon and an application will be submitted, again contact the NCI 
Extramural Program Director about the structure of the application and 
the application procedure before submitting the application:

Lester S. Gorelic, Ph.D.
Cancer Training Branch
Office of Centers, Training and Resources
National Cancer Institute
6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 7025
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone:  (301) 496-8580
Fax: (301) 402-4472
e-mail:  lg2h@nih.gov

o After contacting the NCI extramural Program Director above, initiate 
explorations of potential scientific partnerships with either the 
Center for Cancer Research (CCR) or the Division of Cancer Epidemiology 
and Genetics (DCEG) through the following intramural Facilitators:

Potential Partnerships with the CCR:  

Dr. Jonathan Wiest
Associate Director for Training and Education
CCR Office of the Director
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
31 Center Drive
Suite 3A11
Bethesda, MD. 20852
Office: 301-451-9638
Fax: 301-496-0775
e-mail: wiestj@mail.nih.gov

Potential Partnerships with DCEG:

Demetrius Albanes, M.D.
Chief, Office of Education
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
Executive Plaza South
Room 3044
Bethesda, MD 20892-7242
Phone: 301-496-1611
Fax: 302-402-3256
e-mail: albanesd@mail.nih.gov

o Direct your questions about peer review issues to:

Referral Officer
National Cancer Institute
Division of Extramural Activities
6116 Executive Boulevard, Room 8041, MSC 8329
Bethesda, MD 20892-8329
Telephone: (301) 496-3428
FAX: (301) 402-0275 
Email:  ncidearefof@mail.nih.gov

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

Mr. Bill Wells
Grants Administration Branch
Office of Management
National Cancer Institute
6120 Executive Blvd.
Room EPS 243
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (301) 496-8796
Fax: (301) 496-8601
e-mail: ww14j@nih.gov

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

o Descriptive title of the proposed Partnership Program
o Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator
o Names of other key personnel 
o Participating institution/ NCI intramural program(s)
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 NCI 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 to:

Lester S. Gorelic, Ph.D.
Cancer Training Branch
Office of Centers, Training and Resources
National Cancer Institute
6116 Executive Blvd, 
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone:  (301) 496-8580
Fax: (301) 402-4472
e-mail:  lg2h@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

Potential applicants must interact with the NCI prior to the 
preparation and submission of an application in response to this RFA.  
Initial contact will be with the NCI extramural program director listed 
in WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES.  Potential applicants will then be referred 
to an appropriate NCI Intramural facilitator.

Instructions for preparing general Institutional National Research 
Service Award Applications are on the NIH Website at: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/instructions2/p1_preparing_NRSA_app.htm

The current NRSA policy Guidelines should be consulted as a resource 
when preparing the application. These Guidelines are on the NIH Website 
at: 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/part_iib_4.htm#_
Toc504812031

1. Face Page (or Page 1):  Complete as instructed in the PHS Form 398 
(rev. 5/01). Enter RFA CA-03-017  and the title   "Institutional 
Training Partnership Award" on line 2.

2. Page 2: Complete as instructed in the PHS Form 398.  Include as Key 
personnel, the PI, the IP and all mentors from the extramural 
institution and from the NCI Intramural Program.

3. Page 3: This will be the table of contents adapted from the NRSA 
Substitute Page 3, PHS Form 398 (rev. 5/01) and organized as follows:

Table of Contents

Page Number

Face Page (Form Page 1) 

Description and Personnel (Form Page 2) 

Table of Contents (NRSA Substitute Form page 3) 

Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period (NRSA Substitute Form Page 4)

Budget for Entire Proposed Period of Support (NRSA Substitute Form Page 5)

Biographical Sketch of the PI 

Biographical Sketch of IP

Biographical Sketches of Extramural Mentors

Biographical Sketches of NCI Intramural Program Mentors

Resources

Research Training Program Plan (A, B and C below not to exceed 25 pages)

A.  Background
B.  Program Plan
    1.  Objectives of the Training Program and the Unique benefits of the 
    Partnership
    2.  Training Plan
    -   Program Direction by PI and the IP.
    -   Proposed Training in Extramural and Intramural Environments
    -   Experience of Mentors
    -   Recruitment Plan – Applicant Pool
    -   Trainee Candidates
    -   Curriculum  
    3.  Program Steering Committee       
    -   Membership
    -   Responsibilities
    -   Benchmarks 
C.  Recruitment of Individuals from Underrepresented Racial/Ethnic Groups
D.  Letters of Institutional Commitment
E.  Responsible Conduct of Research
F.  Human Subjects (See NRSA substitute page 3)
G.  Vertebrate Animals
H.  Consortium/Contractual Agreements

Checklist

Appendix

4. Biographical sketches:  Provide biosketches for the PI (not to 
exceed four pages), the IP (not to exceed four pages), the Extramural 
mentors (not to exceed two pages per mentor), and the NCI Intramural 
Program mentors (not to exceed two pages per mentor

5. Resources: Separately describe the resources available at the 
extramural institution and the NCI Intramural Program and how these 
resources will be integrated to create a unified partnership program 
that will achieve the proposed training objectives.

6. Research Training Program Plan
o  Objectives of the Training Program and the Unique Benefits of the 
Partnership: Describe how this program will uniquely complement the 
capability of the extramural institution and enhance the research and 
research agenda of the extramural institution because of potential 
collaborations that can be formed with the NCI Intramural Program.  
Include a description of the types of scientists the program will 
train. 

o  Proposed Research Training in the Extramural and NCI Intramural 
Environments:  Describe how the program is envisioned to provide 
research training for pre-doctoral candidates through a combination of 
extramural and NCI intramural mentoring .  Describe how and when 
trainees will transition from didactic training to research training.

o  Experience of the Extramural and NCI Intramural Mentors in Training: 
For each extramural and NCI intramural mentor, describe their most 
recent mentoring experiences and successes in the last 5 years.  For 
extramural mentors, focus exclusively on pre-doctoral candidates; for 
intramural mentors, experience may be limited to post-doctoral 
mentoring.  Provide no more than one paragraph per mentor.

o  Recruitment Plan and Applicant Pool: Describe how the graduate 
school (s) of the extramural institution recruits candidates.  Provide 
a qualitative and quantitative description of the typical applicant 
pool and the number of graduate students accepted each year.  Describe 
any specific new steps the extramural institution will take to market 
and recruit graduate students if the NCI Intramural Program becomes a 
partner in the training of graduate students

o  Trainee candidates:  If there are existing graduate students ready 
to enter the extramural institution's graduate program, identify those 
who could take part in this program.

o  Curriculum:  Describe the curriculum or didactic experiences that 
each trainee will be expected to complete as part of this program; and, 
if applicable, how NCI intramural staff will enhance the didactic 
training.  Courses offered by the NIH may be used as part of the 
planned didactic experiences.

7. Program Steering Committee (PSC):  Provide the membership of the PSC  
(remember that the PI and the IP must co-chair the committee and the 
membership cannot exceed 6 members).  Describe the role of the PSC 
taking into consideration the SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROGRAM 
CONSIDERATIONS noted above. Describe the benchmarks that the PSC will 
use in selecting candidates, for approving the assignment of candidates 
to extramural and intramural mentors, and for assessing the progress of 
candidates in their completion of the Ph.D. degree or equivalent.

8. Letters of Institutional Commitment:  A letter should be provided 
with the application from an official at the extramural institution who 
can represent the institutions commitment to this program (e.g., Dean 
of the Medical School).  A letter should also be provided to the 
Scientific Director of the NCI Intramural Program by either the NCI 
Director of the Division Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics or the 
Director of the NCI Center for Cancer Research (or their 
representatives) or both depending upon the nature of the training 
program using intramural resources.  This letter(s) should describe the 
specific resources that will be made available to conduct the proposed 
partnership program.

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 
must be sent to:

Referral Officer 
Division of Extramural Activities 
National Cancer Institute 
6116 Executive Blvd., Room 8041, MSC-8329
Rockville, MD 20852 (express courier)
Bethesda MD 20892-8329

APPLICATIONS HAND-DELIVERED BY INDIVIDUALS TO THE NATIONAL CANCER 
INSTITUTE WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED.  This policy does not apply to 
courier deliveries (i.e. FEDEX, UPS, DHL, etc.) 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-02-002.html)  
This change in practice is effective immediately.  This policy is 
similar to and consistent with the policy for applications addressed to 
Centers for Scientific Review as published in the NIH Guide Notice 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-012.html.

APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by 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.
 
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.  The CSR will not accept any application that is 
essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude 
the submission of substantial revisions of applications already 
reviewed, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing 
the previous critique.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS  
 
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR 
and for responsiveness by the NCI program staff.  

Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without 
further consideration.  And, if the application is not responsive to 
the RFA, CSR staff may contact the applicant to determine whether to 
return the application to the applicant or submit it for review in 
competition with unsolicited applications at the next appropriate NIH 
review cycle.

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 Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) at 
NCI 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 Cancer Advisory 
Board.

REVIEW CRITERIA

In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the 
following aspects of your application in order to evaluate the 
likelihood that the program will address the proposed research training 
objectives:

o  Merit of the objectives of the training program as a partnership 
that will uniquely compliment and enhance the research training 
capabilities of the extramural institution in ways that otherwise would 
not be possible, and that will result in effective scientific 
collaborations between the extramural institution scientists and those 
of the NCI Intramural Program.
o  Qualifications of the PI and the IP to provide administrative and 
scientific leadership to the partnership training program
o  Quality and experience of the extramural and NCI intramural 
preceptors to serve as mentors
o  Adequacy of the extramural and NCI intramural training environment 
to achieve the objective of the partnership program and the adequacy of 
the letters of commitment from the extramural institution leaders and 
the NCI Intramural Program leaders.
o  Adequacy of the membership and role of the Program Steering 
Committee in monitoring the training program and identifying areas for 
scientific collaboration.
o  Adequacy of the existing recruitment plans of the extramural 
graduate school and the specialized plans of the partnership program to 
ensure that the appropriate number and quality of candidates needed to 
conduct a successful training program.
o  Quality and effectiveness of the PSC and its role as proposed to 
evaluate the success of the partnership as a whole, monitor the 
progress of individual candidates and stimulate collaborations between 
the extramural institution and the NCI Intramural Program.
o  Adequacy of the Resources and Environment available at the 
extramural institution and the NCI Intramural Program to conduct a 
successful training program. 

ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA:  

In addition to the above review criteria, your application will be 
reviewed with respect to the following:

o  MINORITY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PLAN: The NIH remains committed 
to increasing the participation of individuals from underrepresented 
racial and ethnic groups in biomedical research.   As first announced 
in 1989, all competing applications for institutional NRSA research 
training grants must include a specific plan to recruit and retain 
underrepresented minorities in the training program.  If an application 
is received without a plan or without a report on the previous award 
period, the application will be considered incomplete and will be 
returned to the applicant without review.  Additional information on 
this requirement was published in the NIH Guide to Grants and 
Contracts, Volume 22, Number 25, July 16, 1993 (see 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not93-188.html)  

Although the success of efforts to recruit and retain minority trainees 
is a factor in the assessment of the quality of the trainee pool, peer 
reviewers will separately evaluate the minority recruitment plan after 
the overall score has been determined.  Reviewers will examine the 
strategies to be used in the recruitment of minorities   The review 
panel's evaluation will not be a factor in the determination of the 
priority score but will be included in an administrative note in the 
summary statement.  If the minority recruitment plan is judged to be 
unacceptable, funding will be withheld until a revised plan that 
addresses the deficiencies is received.  Staff within the NCI, with 
guidance from the Special Review Group evaluating NCI institutional 
research training grant applications, will determine whether amended 
plans submitted after the initial review are acceptable.  Revised plans 
will be monitored for their effectiveness each year by NCI staff.

o  TRAINING IN THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH:  Every predoctoral 
trainee supported by a TU2 institutional research training grant must 
receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research (For more 
information on this provision, see the NIH Guide for Grants and 
Contracts, Volume 21, Number 43, November 27, 1992 or see 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT92-236.html).  
Applications must include a description of a program to provide formal 
or informal instruction in scientific integrity or the responsible 
conduct of research.  Applications without plans will be considered 
incomplete and may be returned to the applicant without review.  Plans 
must address the subject matter of the instruction, the format of the 
instruction, the degree of faculty participation, trainee attendance, 
and the frequency of instruction. The rationale for the proposed plan 
of instruction must be provided. 

o  PROTECTIONS:  The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, 
animals, or the environment, to the extent that they may be adversely 
affected by the project proposed in the application.

o  INCLUSION:  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.  Plans for the 
recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated (See 
Inclusion Criteria included in the section on Federal Citations, below)

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

o  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:     February 27, 2003
Application receipt date:          March 27, 2003
Peer Review Date:                  June-July 2003
Council Review:                    September, 2003
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:   September, 2003

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

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 AMENDMENT 
"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.

INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN 
SUBJECTS:  The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals 
under the age of 21) must be included in all human subjects research, 
conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and 
ethical reasons not to include them. This policy applies to all initial 
(Type 1) applications submitted for receipt dates after October 1, 
1998.

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.  
A continuing education program in the protection of human participants 
in research in now available online at: http://cme.nci.nih.gov/

HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS (hESC): Criteria for federal funding of 
research on hESCs can be found at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/stem_cells.htm and at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html.  
Guidance for investigators and institutional review boards regarding 
research involving human embryonic stem cells, germ cells, and stem 
cell-derived test articles can be found at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-044.html. Only 
research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic 
Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (see 
http://escr.nih.gov).   It is the responsibility of the applicant to 
provide 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.
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.
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, "NCI Institutional Pre-Doctoral Research Training 
Partnership Award", is related to the priority area of training . 
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at 
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

NRSA Institutional Research Training Grants  are made under the authority of 
Section 487 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 288).  Title 42 
of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 66, is applicable to this program.  The 
NRSA Institutional Training Grants are not subject to the intergovernmental 
review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.  
CRTA awards are made under the authority of Section 405 (b) (1) (C) of the 
Public Health Service Act, 42 USC 284 (b) (1) (C), as amended; and Section 413 
(b) (3) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 USC 285a-2 (b) (3), as amended 
pertaining to the National Cancer Institute.  Awards are made under 
authorization of Section 487 of the Public Health Service Act as amended 
(42 USC 288) and administered under NIH grants policies described at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Title 42 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations, Part 66.  

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. 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-015.html.

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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