Office of the Director, NIH
The NIH is comprised of the Office of the Director and
27 Institutes and Centers. The Office of the Director is the central
office at NIH. The OD is responsible for setting policy for NIH and for
planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all
the NIH components.
The NIH Director provides overall leadership to NIH
activities in both scientific and administrative matters. Although each
institute within the NIH has a separate mission, the NIH Director plays
an active role in shaping the agency's research agenda and outlook. With
a unique and critical perspective on the mission of the entire NIH, the
Director is responsible for providing leadership to the institutes for
identifying needs and opportunities, especially for efforts that involve
several institutes. The NIH Director is assisted by the Principal Deputy
Director, who shares in the overall direction of the agency's activities.
In carrying out these responsibilities, the NIH Director
stays informed about program priorities and accomplishments through regular
staff meetings, discussions, and briefing sessions with OD and institute
staff. The Director also receives input from:
- the extramural scientific community, including
both individual researchers and scientific organizations
- patient advocacy and voluntary health groups
that deal directly with NIH or indirectly through Congress and the
media
- the Congress, the Administration, and the Director's
Council of Public Representatives, which brings public views to NIH.
Ongoing discussions with these groups and others
provides the basis for an established framework within which priorities
for the agency are identified, reviewed, and justified.
Program offices in the Office of the Director are responsible
for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH and for planning
and supporting research and related activities. Current program areas
are: women's health, AIDS research, disease prevention, and behavioral
and social sciences research. Program offices within the Office of the
Director fund research through the institutes.
Staff Offices
The NIH Director is assisted by executive and administrative
staff. The following describes the major staff offices in the Office
of the Director:
Office of Extramural Research (OER)
On behalf of the NIH Director, the Office of Extramural Research provides
guidance to institutes in research and training programs conducted
through extramural (grant, contract, cooperative agreement) programs.
Office of Intramural Research (OIR)
On behalf of the NIH Director, the Office of Intramural Research coordinates
research conducted directly by NIH personnel through intramural programs.
Office of Administration (OA)
The Office of Administration advises the NIH Director and staff on administration
and management; develops and implements policies; and provides oversight
in the areas of information resources management, management assessment,
grant administration and contract management, procurement, and logistics.
Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
The Office of AIDS Research formulates scientific policy for, and recommends
allocation of research resources for AIDS research at NIH.
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
(OBSSR)
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research advises the NIH
Director and other key officials on matters relating to research on the
role of human behaviors in the development of health, prevention of disease,
and therapeutic intervention.
Office of Budget
The Office of Budget has primary responsibility for NIH-wide budget policy,
planning, analysis, formulation and presentation; responsible for budget
management once appropriations have been made including reprogramming
and coordination of the use of the Director's Discretionary Fund and
transfer authority; and provides budget advice to the Director, NIH
and senior OD and IC officials.
Office of Communications and Public
Liaison (OCPL)
The Office of Communications and Public Liaison advises the Director and communicates
information about NIH policies, programs, and research results to the general
public.
Office of Community Liaison (OCL)
The Office of Community Liaison advises the Director, plans, directs
and oversees activities to promote collaboration between NIH and its
community, and ensures effective communication on policy and programs
involving the community.
Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
The Office of Disease Prevention coordinates NIH activities regarding
the application of research to disease prevention, nutrition and medical
practice.
Office of Education (OE)
The Office of Education provides a comprehensive guide to postdoctoral
training opportunities available at the NIH.
Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management
(OEODM)
The Office of Equal Opportunity advises the Director and NIH staff on matters
related to equal employment opportunity programs and policies.
Executive Office (ODEO)
The Executive Office serves in both a staff and operational capacity
for all administrative support activities for the Office of the Director,
excluding the Office of Research Services.
Office of Financial Management (OFM)
The Office of Financial Management advises the NIH Director and staff
and provides leadership and direction for NIH financial management
activities; develops policies and instructions for budget preparation
and presentation; administers allocation of funds; and manages a system
of fund and budgetary controls.
Office of Human Resource Management (OHRM)
The Office of Human Resource Management advises the NIH Director and
staff on human resource management; directs central human resource
management services; and provides NIH leadership and planning on human
resource program development.
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)
The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) serves as a focal point
for women's health research at the NIH. The ORWH promotes, stimulates,
and supports efforts to improve the health of women through biomedical
and behavioral research. ORWH works in partnership with the NIH institutes
and centers to ensure that women's health research is part of the scientific
framework at NIH and throughout the scientific community.
Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations
(ORF)
The Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations plans, develops,
and manages all research, research support, and administrative facilities at
the NIH. ORF assists the NIH Director with the formulation and execution of
the buildings and facilities appropriation; develops and maintains policies
and standards governing the development and use of real property; plans and
directs all facility related services to include master planning, capital facility
project management, real property management; and provides centralized acquisition
services for architecture, engineering, and construction contracting, and real
property purchasing and leasing activities.
Office of Research Services (ORS)
The Office of Research Services (ORS) provides a comprehensive portfolio
of services to support the biomedical research mission of the NIH.
Some examples of the diverse services ORS provides include: laboratory
safety, police and fire departments, veterinary resources, the NIH
Library, events management, travel and transportation, services for
foreign scientists, and programs to enrich and enhance the NIH worksite.
Office of Science Policy (OSP)
The Office of Science Policy advises the NIH Director on science policy
issues affecting the medical research community; participates in the
development of new policy and program initiatives; monitors and coordinates
agency planning and evaluation activities; plans and implements a comprehensive
science education program; and develops and implements NIH policies
and procedures for the safe conduct of recombinant DNA activities.
Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis (OLPA)
The Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis serves as the principal
legislative policy, analysis and development office for the Director,
NIH, and other senior NIH staff; develops legislative policy and proposals;
and provides analysis and liaison with the Congress, the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, and other Federal agencies on issues
affecting NIH programs and activities.
Office of the Ombudsman/Center for Cooperative Resolution
The NIH Office of the Ombudsman, Center for Cooperative Resolution provides
the NIH community with confidential and informal assistance in resolving
work-related conflicts, disputes and grievances; promotes fair and equitable
treatment within NIH; offers effective, efficient and innovative dispute
resolution services; helps people use non-adversarial approaches in resolving
disputes; and works toward improving the overall quality of worklife at NIH.
Office of Program Coordination
The Office of Program Coordination coordinates the Director's program
and administrative decision-making process; facilitates communication
among the Director, the NIH Deputy and Associate Directors, other senior
OD staff and IC Directors; advises the Director, NIH on the status
and implications of activities NIH-wide; brings the attention of the
Director and recommends actions to resolve trans-NIH issues; directs
the Executive Secretariat and the Office of Federal Advisory Committee
Policy; and directs the operations of the immediate staff of the Director,
NIH.
Office of Technology Transfer (OTT)
The Office of Technology Transfer has been designated as the lead Public
Health Service (PHS) agency for technology transfer activities. The
office is responsible for the central development and implementation
of technology transfer policies and procedures for the three major
research components of the PHS – the NIH, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
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