RESEARCH CORE CENTERS (P30) FOR THE NIDCD

Release Date:  November 2, 2000

PA NUMBER:  PA-01-011

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
 (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/)

Application Receipt Dates:  February 1, June 1, and October 1, 2001, 2002, 2003

Letter of Intent Receipt Dates:  December 1, 2000, April 1, August 1, and 
December 1, 2001, 2002, and 2003

Application procedures are outlined in the NIDCD Guidelines for Research Core 
Centers (P30) which can be obtained on the NIDCD Home Page at 
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/funding/types/p30_2003.pdf.

PURPOSE

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) 
invites grant applications from basic and clinical investigators for Research 
Core Centers (P30).  The Research Core Center (P30) is an institutional 
award, made in the name of a principal investigator, to support centralized 
resources and facilities shared by investigators with existing research 
projects.  The overall goal of a Core Center is to promote a cooperative 
interaction among basic science and/or clinical investigators in a manner 
that will enrich the effectiveness of ongoing research and promote new 
research directions.  This announcement supercedes Research Core Centers 
(P30) for the NIDCD, PAR-99-129 released July 13, 1999 and Errata: Research 
Core Centers (P30) for the NIDCD, Notice DC-00-001 released October 21, 1999.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health 
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-
led national activity for setting priority areas.  This PA "Research Core 
Centers (P30) for the NIDCD" 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/.  HP2010 includes a new chapter on 
“vision and hearing” [#28].  A copy of this chapter may be obtained at: 
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/Document/HTML/Volume2/28Vision.htm.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and non-profit 
organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, 
laboratories, units of state or local governments, and eligible agencies of 
the Federal government.  Applications from minority individuals, women, and 
individuals with disabilities are encouraged.  Foreign organizations or 
organizations in foreign countries are not eligible, subcontracts to foreign 
organizations are not allowed.

Any institution or consortium with an active program of basic and/or clinical 
biomedical research in the mission areas of the NIDCD may qualify for support 
through a Core Center.  Institutions applying for a Core Center grant must 
hold, on the date of grant application submission, a minimum of four research 
project grants each with at least one year of support remaining.  Research 
projects associated with a Core Center include individual research grants 
(R01), FIRST awards (R29), or similar peer-reviewed project funding from 
other Federal agencies.  A current program project/center grant (P01 or P50) 
subproject may count toward the minimum of four if that subproject will be an 
“extensive” user of one of the proposed research cores.  At least 75% of the 
research project base must be supported by the NIDCD and focus on NIDCD 
mission areas.  Training grants (F32/T32), career development awards (e.g., 
K08/K23), small grants (R03) and feasibility awards (R21) do not count as 
part of the requisite research base, 
but can be users of the Core Center.

One or more meritorious research core(s) must be proposed.  Each research 
core must have extensive usage by a minimum of three investigators with peer 
reviewed projects that are independently funded.

A Core Center must be an identifiable organizational unit either within a 
single grantee institution or representing a consortium of cooperating 
institutions (e.g., geographic or web-based).  Joint applications may be 
submitted by investigators at neighboring, independent, or multi-campus 
institutions.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

Support for this program will be provided through the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) Research Core Center (P30) mechanism.  This initiative provides 
awards for up to five years of support.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The mission of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders (NIDCD) is to support research and research training on normal 
processes as well as diseases and disorders of hearing, balance, smell, 
taste, voice, speech and language.  To achieve this mission, NIDCD employs a 
number of support mechanisms.  NIDCD recognizes the value of core services in 
promoting interactive and collaborative research.   

The Research Core Center (P30) is an institutional award, made in the name of 
a principal investigator, to support centralized resources and facilities 
shared by investigators with existing research projects.  Its aim is to 
stimulate multidisciplinary approaches to joint research efforts.  It should 
be an “intellectual hub” around which cooperative and interactive research 
will be supported and stimulated.  The overall goal of a Core Center is to 
promote a cooperative interaction among basic and/or clinical investigators 
in a manner that will enrich the effectiveness of ongoing research and 
promote new research directions.  The use of shared resources can increase 
the efficiency of research by eliminating unnecessary duplication, promoting 
the development of new research directions, and promoting research 
interactions and collaborations.  Research cores should be designed to 
furnish a group of investigators some service, technique, assay, or 
instrumentation in a manner that will enhance the research in progress.  
Although no funds are provided for direct support of research projects, a 
Core Center helps to integrate and promote research in existing projects.  
This support is intended to enhance the productivity of traditional research 
grants at the institution and thereby improve the research capability of the 
community and health of the nation.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS
 
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 biomedical and 
behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and 
compelling rationale and justification are 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 research involving human subjects should read the 
UPDATED "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in 
Clinical Research," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on 
August 2, 2000 
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html), 
a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm:  
The revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: a) 
all applications or proposals and/or protocols to 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) all investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report 
analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group 
differences.  

INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS

It is the policy of NIH 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 was published in the NIH Guide for 
Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the following URL 
address: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html.

Investigators may obtain copies from these sources or from the program staff 
person listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide additional 
relevant information concerning the policy.

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 for the review because reviewers are under no 
obligation to view the Internet sites.  Reviewers are cautioned 
that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet 
site.

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes a 
descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address and telephone 
number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel 
and participating institutions, and the number and title of the PA in 
response to which the application may be submitted.  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 NIDCD staff 
to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent to Dr. Amy M. Donahue at the address 
listed in INQUIRIES by the letter of intent receipt date listed.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Application procedures are outlined in the NIDCD Guidelines for Research Core 
Centers (P30) which can be obtained on the NIDCD Home Page at 
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/funding/types/p30_2003.pdf or from program staff 
listed in INQUIRIES. 

The PHS 398 (revised 4/98) is the form to be used to apply for this program.  
The form may be downloaded from the NIH Home Page at 
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.  It is also available at most 
institutional offices of sponsored research, or it may be obtained from the 
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National 
Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, 
telephone: 301/435-0714, email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.  The instructions in the 
PHS 398 application kit must be adhered to, except where they have been 
modified by the NIDCD Guidelines for Research Core Centers (P30).

Core Center grants are not one of the mechanisms included in NIH’s Modular 
Grants initiative.  A detailed budget must be provided.

The completed original application and three copies must be submitted to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, SUITE 1040- MSC-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)

Send two additional copies of the application, and five sets of any 
appendices (see the NIDCD’s Guidelines for Research Core Centers for further 
information on appendix submission) to:

Chief, Scientific Review Branch
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-C, MSC 7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Applications will be accepted under these guidelines beginning with the 
February 1, 2001 application receipt date through the October 1, 2003 date. 
The receipt dates are the same for all new (Type 1), renewal (Type 2), and 
supplemental (Type 3) P30 applications.

Letter of Intent:           December 1  April 1   August 1
Application Receipt Dates:  February 1  June 1    October 1
NIDCD Committee Review:     June        October   February
Council Review:             September   January   May
Earliest Funding:           January 1   April 1   August 1

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and 
responsiveness by the NIDCD.  Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications 
will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.  
Applications that are complete and responsive will be evaluated for 
scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened 
by the NIDCD in accordance with the review criteria stated below.  As part of 
the initial review, all applications will be discussed and receive a written 
critique. Those applications deemed to have the highest merit, generally the 
top half of applications under review, will receive a second level of review 
by the NDCD Advisory Council.

As part of the initial scientific review, reviewers will rate the Core Center 
and each individual research core, the scores will appear in the summary 
statement.  Since the NIDCD is interested in funding only the best research, 
individual cores of lesser quality (for example, those falling below the 
score of fundable Core Center applications) may not be funded, even if 
recommended under the “umbrella” of the Core Center grant application.

Each individual core must fit in and contribute to the overall Core Center 
and each application should be complete in itself.  Site visits are not 
anticipated. 

Review Criteria for Individual Research Cores

Individual research cores are evaluated on the facilities/services provided, 
their utility, and their ability to fulfill the goals of the Core Center 
program.  Important factors include:

Significance of the core support to the research base (must be used by at 
least three independently funded investigators).

The quality of services provided, the discussion of quality control 
procedures, evidence that the core offers cost effective services, and the 
discussion of cost reimbursement plans.

The potential for the core to promote collaborative research, and the plans 
to offer unique and/or cutting edge services.

Training and suitability of the core director and personnel, the commitment 
of the investigators, and the ability to devote the required time and effort 
to the core.

Adequacy of the facilities, equipment and institutional commitment to the 
core.

In addition to these criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all 
applications will be reviewed with respect to the following:

The adequacy of plans to include children, both genders, minorities, and 
their subgroups, as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research.  
Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated.

The reasonableness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the 
proposed research.

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

Overall Core Center Evaluation

An overall priority score will be assigned to the application.  This score 
will reflect not only the quality of the individual cores, but also plans for 
leadership and administration, the quality of the research base and how the 
proposed Core Center will enhance the research base. 

The following elements will be evaluated:

Leadership and Administration:

The plans for coordination of ongoing research between the separately funded 
projects and the Core Center including mechanisms for internal monitoring.

The management proposed for fiscal administration, procurement, property and 
personnel management, planning, budgeting, etc.

The plan for the establishment and maintenance of internal communication and 
cooperation among the Core Center investigators.  

Appropriate scientific and administrative leadership, and time commitment of 
the Core Center Director and Associate Director for the effective management 
of the Core Center program.

The overall environment for a Core Center.  This includes the institutional 
commitment to the program, management accountability, and the institution’s 
partnership with the Core Center.  This also includes the academic 
environment and resources supporting the activities to be conducted, such as 
space, equipment, facilities, and the potential for interaction with 
scientists from other departments and schools.

Research Base and Enhancement by the Core Center 

The aggregate quality of the Core Center’s research base as well as the 
relevance and interrelation of these separately funded research projects to 
the central themes of the Core Center.

The likelihood for meaningful collaboration among Core Center investigators.  
This includes demonstrated interactions and interrelationships of the 
research efforts as well as plans to further develop productive 
interdisciplinary collaborations among Core Center investigators.

Ability of the Core Center to significantly enhance (further extend, 
stimulate and provide added dimension to) the established research base of 
the host institution.  

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other favorably 
recommended applications.  Funding decisions will be based on the quality of 
the proposed project as determined by peer review, relevance to the mission 
of the NIDCD, program priorities, and availability of funds.

INQUIRIES

Individuals from institutions with potential interest in applying for a Core 
Center grant are strongly advised to discuss the potential application with 
the NIDCD staff members identified below and make program staff contact as 
early as possible in the application preparation process.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues, including eligibility and 
responsiveness, to:

Amy M. Donahue, Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-C, MSC-7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180
Telephone:  (301) 402-3458
Fax:  (301) 402-6251
Email:  amy_donahue@nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Ms. Sherry Dabney
Grants Management Branch
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-B, MSC 7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180
Telephone:  (301) 402-0909
Fax:  (301) 402-1758
Email:  sherry_dabney@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 
93.173. Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, 
Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410), as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 
241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal 
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the 
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health 
Systems Agency review.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free 
workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.  In addition, 
Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in 
certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which 
regular or 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.

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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