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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

93.934:  Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award

Popular Name:  FIRCA

Objectives:  To facilitate collaborative research efforts between U.S. and foreign scientists that will expand and enhance the NIH-supported research program of the U.S. Principal Investigator, while at the same time benefiting the scientific interests of the collaborating foreign scientist. These small grants will provide funds to purchase supplies, materials, and small equipment items necessary to conduct the collaborative research in the foreign scientists laboratory. Travel support for both the U.S. Principal Investigator and the foreign collaborator is also provided. The small grants will provide up to $32,000 in direct costs per year for up to 3 years.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

93.934 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  The grant applicant is the U.S. institution where the U.S. principal investigator is employed.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Scientists and researchers are the beneficiaries. The foreign collaborator must hold a position at a public or nonprofit private institution in a developing country. For HIV related research, foreign collaborators may be located in most any country of the world.

Credentials/Documentation:  Credentials for the foreign collaborators must be included with the application.

93.934 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  The PHS-398 form (revised 04/98) is used to apply for the program. Special application instructions are necessary and are available from the Fogarty International Center, Division of International Training and Research website: www.nih.gov/fic/opportunities/index.html. Phone: (301) 496-1653.

Award Procedure:  All accepted applications are evaluated by an appropriate initial review group (Study Section). Projects which rank in about the upper half of all scored applications receive a final, secondary review by the Fogarty International Center Advisory Board. Staff informs the applicants of the results of the review. If support is contemplated, staff initiates preparation of the awards.

Deadlines:  FIRCA: March 25, July 25, and November 25. AIDS FIRCA: January 2, May 1, and September 1.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  About 9 months for expedited review.

Appeals:  A Principal Investigator (P.I.) may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Center. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH home page grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html.

Renewals:  Non-competing years may be awarded based on satisfactory progress. The application is due about 2 months before the end of each budget period. Applicants may compete again for One additional 3-year grant.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Applications will be reviewed on the basis of scientific and technical merit of the research proposal. Collaborative potential, significance of the proposed research, and the competence of the foreign collaborator are also prime factors. Grant awards will be based on the above information and availability of funds.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Neurocysticercosis is an infection of the brain caused by a tapeworm present in undercooked pork and is easily transmitted where sanitation is poor. It is a major cause of epilepsy in most developing countries and is an emerging disease within the U.S. The mechanism that causes inflammation in the brain is still not clearly understood. International teams of researchers from the U.S. and Peru are searching for mechanisms and innovative therapies, and have developed methods to monitor and determine the effectiveness of current treatments. Prostaglandins are hormones which function as key hormones in cancer and in human inflammatory diseases including asthma. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and various steroids work in part by interfering with prostaglandin synthesis; however, they have various undesirable side-effects which have led to a search for alternatives. Important in this search is knowledge of how the body makes prostaglandins, a problem that has perplexed scientists for generations. To establish how they are made in humans an international team of scientists is studying how they are made in sea corals, the richest known source of prostaglandins. The information they have obtained suggests avenues for development of new anti-inflammatory compounds which are more effective and have fewer side-effects. Each cell of the body contains a protein, P53, called the "tumor-suppressor-protein" which is responsible for orchestrating protective responses to stresses, such as exposure to radiation, lack of oxygen and other nutrients. If this protein cannot function correctly for any reason, different kinds of cancer can develop, due to uncontrolled cell division and other less well-known cellular reactions. An international team of scientists has determined additional effects of several of these defects on the cell's normal responses to stress, including an increase in chromosome defects such as breaks and duplications. This information is important for development of new cancer therapies and better selection of therapies for individual patients.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  The award average is $35,000.

93.934 RELATED PROGRAMS:

93.934 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

93.934 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $4,410,000; FY 00 est $5,322,000; and FY 01 est $6,046,000.

Budget Account Number:  75-0819-0-1-552.

Authorization:  Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 241 and 284).

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR parts 74 and 92; FIRCA - NIH Guide PAR-99-008 (October 30, 1998); AIDS-FIRCA - NIH Guide PA-99-029 (December 18, 1998); NIH Grants Policy Statement grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/.

93.934 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  Program Contact: Dr. Kathleen Michels, Division of International Training and Research, Fogarty International Center, Bldg. 31, Room B2C39, 32 Center Drive MSC2220, Bethesda, MD 20892-2220. Phone: (301) 496-1653. FAX: (301) 402-0779. Grants Management Contact: Ms. Silvia Mandes, Grants Management Officer, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Building 31, Room B2C39, 31 Center Drive MSC2220, Bethesda, MD 20892-2220. Phone: (301) 496-1653. Use the same numbers for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

93.934 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Up to 3 years of support are provided.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Funds may be used for supplies, materials, stipend for the foreign collaborator(s) and small equipment items. Part of the funds may also be used for travel for both the U.S. Principal Investigator, the foreign collaborator, and/or their research associates.

93.934 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual progress reports are due prior to funding for the non-competing years. A final performance report and a final financial status report are due no later than 90 days after the end of the project period.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal government officials.

Records:  Expenditures and other financial records must be retained for 3 years from the day on which the grantee submits the last expenditure report of the report period.