[Federal Register: June 6, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 109)]
[Notices]
[Page 39013-39015]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jn02-88]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
Support for Small Scientific Conference Grants; Availability of
Grants; Request for Applications
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the
following changes to its support of Small Scientific Conferences Grant
Program. The previous announcement of this program, published in the
Federal Register of April 15, 1987 (52 FR 12257), is superseded by this
announcement. This announcement will also provide new policies that
apply to the FDA Scientific Conferences Grant Program. FDA views the
partial support of scientific conferences as an ongoing program and may
award a limited number of grants each fiscal year ranging from $1,000
to $25,000 in direct costs only per conference. This announcement is
intended to be a ``Standing Program Announcement'' and will be modified
in the event of further required changes to the program.
DATES: Applications will be received and reviewed quarterly during each
fiscal year as follows (see table 1):
Table 1.
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Receipt Date Review Date Earliest Beginning Conference Date
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October 15 November 15 December 15
January 15 February 15 March 15
April 15 May 15 June 15
July 15 August 15 September 15
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If the receipt date falls on a weekend or holiday it will be
extended to the following workday. Applications received after the
quarterly deadline date will be held for the next review cycle or
returned to the applicant if time is not sufficient for FDA to conduct
a review prior to the scheduled date of the proposed conference.
ADDRESSES: Applications are available from and should be submitted to:
Cynthia M. Polit, Grants Management Office (HFA-520), 5600 Fishers
Lane, rm. 2129, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-7180, e-mail:
cpolit@oc.fda.gov. Applications hand-carried or commercially delivered
should be addressed to 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 2129, Rockville, MD
20852. FDA is unable to receive applications via the Internet. Do not
send applications to the Center for Scientific Research, National
Institutes of Health (NIH). Any application sent to NIH and not
received in time for orderly processing will be deemed nonresponsive
and returned to the applicant. Application forms (PHS 398) may be
downloaded from the NIH Internet site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/
forms.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the
administrative and financial management aspects of this program:
Cynthia Polit (see ADDRESSES).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
FDA's authority to enter into grants and cooperative agreements is
detailed under title XVII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300u-1) or the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968
(Public Law 90-602) (42 U.S.C. 263b-n). Applications submitted under
this program may be subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372. FDA's conference grant program is described in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.103.
FDA strongly encourages all award recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and to discourage the use of all tobacco products. This
is consistent with the FDA mission to protect and advance the physical
and mental health of the American people.
FDA urges applicants to submit work plans that address specific
objectives of ``Healthy People 2010,'' a national activity to reduce
morbidity and mortality and to improve the quality of life. Potential
applicants may obtain a hard copy of ``Healthy People 2010''
objectives, vols. I and II, conference edition (B0074), for $22 per
set, by writing to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion (ODPHP) Communication Support Center, P.O. Box 37366,
Washington, DC 20012-7366. Each of the 28 chapters of ``Healthy People
2010'' is priced at $2 per copy. Telephone orders can be placed to the
ODPHP Center on 301-468-5690. The ODPHP Center also sells the complete
conference edition in CD-ROM format (B0071) for $5. This publication is
also available on the Internet at www.health.gov/healthypeople/. Web
site viewers should proceed to ``Publications.''
II. Background
FDA recognizes the value of partially supporting scientific
meetings and conferences designed to coordinate, exchange, and
disseminate information when the objectives are clearly within the
scope of the agency's mission. FDA's policy is to participate with
other organizations to support meetings where practicable rather than
provide sole support. In view of the diversity of interests among the
various FDA centers/offices, and in order to provide maximum
flexibility, FDA will not set rigid requirements concerning the type of
scientific meetings to be supported.
III. Reporting Requirements
A final financial status report (FSR, SF269) and a final progress
report or conference proceedings are required. An original and two
copies of these reports must be submitted to the Grants Management
Office (see ADDRESSES) within 90 days after the conference date. Copies
of conference proceedings resulting from the meeting may be substituted
for the final progress report. Failure to provide these reports in a
timely manner may jeopardize future grant support or delay an award.
IV. Mechanism of Support
A. Award Instrument
Support for this program will be in the form of a grant. These
grants will be subject to all policies and requirements that govern the
support for small scientific conference grant programs of FDA,
including the provisions of 42 CFR part 52 and 45 CFR parts 74 and 92.
The regulations issued under Executive Order 12372 may also apply to
this program and are implemented through the Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS) regulations at 45 CFR part 100. Executive Order
12372 sets up a system for State and local government review of
applications for Federal financial assistance. Applicants (other than
federally recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact the
State's single point of contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert
them to the
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prospective application(s) and to receive any necessary instructions on
the State's review processes. A current listing of SPOCs can be
accessed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. The SPOC
should send any State review process recommendations to FDA's
administrative contact (see ADDRESSES). The due date for the State
process recommendation is no later than 60 days after the deadline date
for the receipt of applications. FDA does not guarantee to accommodate
or explain SPOC comments that are received after the 60-day cutoff.
B. Eligibility
Conference grant support is available to any public or private
nonprofit entity including State and local units of government,
scientific and professional societies, and for-profit entities. Faith-
based organizations are eligible to apply for these conference grants.
For-profit entities must commit to excluding fees or profit from the
conference in their request for support.
In the case of an international conference held in the United
States or Canada, the U.S. component of an established international
scientific professional society is the eligible applicant. In
exceptional cases, where there is no U.S. component, a grant to support
a specific segment of an international conference may be awarded
directly to a foreign institution or international organization upon
the approval of the DHHS agency head or his or her designee.
An individual is not eligible to receive grant funds in support of
a conference. Organizations described in section 501(c)4 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1968 that engage in lobbying are not eligible
to receive grant awards.
C. Length of Support
The length of support will be for up to 1 year from date of award.
V. Review Procedure and Criteria
All applications submitted in response to this announcement will be
evaluated upon receipt for responsiveness to this request for
application (RFA). Responsiveness is defined as submission of a
complete application with original signatures within the required
submission dates as listed in table 1 of this document. Applications
found to be nonresponsive will be returned to the applicant without
further consideration.
An application will be considered nonresponsive if any of the
following criteria are not met: (1) If the applicant organization is
ineligible, (2) if it is received in the grants management office after
the specified receipt date, (3) if it is incomplete, (4) if it is
illegible, (5) if it is not responsive to the criteria list below, (6)
if the material presented is insufficient to permit an adequate review,
and/or (7) if it exceeds the recommended threshold amount reflected in
the RFA.
Responsive applications will be reviewed and evaluated for their
scientific and technical merit by an ad hoc review panel composed of
experts in the field using the following criteria:
1. The content/subject matter and how current and appropriate it is
for FDA's mission;
2. The conference plan and how thorough, reasonable, and
appropriate it is for the intended audience;
3. The experience, training, and competence of the principal
investigator/director and support staff;
4. The adequacy of the facilities;
5. The reasonableness of the proposed budget given the total
conference plan, program, speakers, travel, and facilities;
6. Previous experience of the organization/principal investigator.
VI. Submission Requirements
An original and two copies of a complete grant application Form PHS
398 (Rev. 4/98) or an original and two copies of PHS 5161-1 (Rev.7/00)
for State and local governments should be delivered to the address
listed previously (see ADDRESSES). State and local governments may
choose to use PHS 398 application form in place of PHS 5161-1. The
outside of the application package should clearly state ``Request for
Conference Grant'' and must be received by the appropriate submission
date listed in table 1 of this document.
VII. Letter of Intent
This is not mandatory. However, you may submit a letter of intent
to the contact (see ADDRESSES) at least 30 days prior to the
application receipt date. Potential applicants are also encouraged to
talk to the contact to determine if the proposed scientific conference
is clearly consistent with FDA's interest, mission, and priorities.
Potential applicants may fax letters of intent to 301-827-7101.
VIII. Method of Application
A. Submission Instructions
Applications will be accepted during normal business hours, from 8
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, on or before the established
receipt date. Applications will be considered on time if sent or mailed
on or before the appropriate receipt date as evidenced by a legible
U.S. Postal Service dated postmark or a legible date receipt from a
commercial carrier. Private metered postmarks will not be acceptable as
proof of timely mailing. Applications received after the appropriate
quarterly deadline date will be held for the next review cycle or
returned to the applicant if time is not sufficient for FDA to conduct
a review prior to the scheduled date of the proposed conference.
B. Format of Application
Applications must include the following:
1. Title that has the term scientific ``conference,'' ``council,''
``workshop,'' or other similar description to assist in the
identification of the request;
2. Location of the conference;
3. Expected number of registrants and type of audience expected,
speaker's credentials;
4. Dates of conference (inclusive);
5. Conference format and projected agenda, including list of
principal areas or topics to be addressed;
6. Physical facilities required for the conduct of the meeting
(e.g., simultaneous translation facilities);
7. Justification of the conference, including the problems it
intends to clarify and any developments it may stimulate;
8. Brief biographical sketches of individuals responsible for
planning the conference and indication of adequate support staff;
9. Information about all related conferences held on this subject
during the last 3 years (if known);
10. Details of proposed per diem/subsistence rates, transportation,
printing, supplies, and facility rental costs;
11. The budget for the entire conference; budget items requested
from FDA; budget items supported by other sources; and a list,
including amounts, of all other anticipated support; and
12. The necessary checklist and assurance pages provided in each
application package.
Allowable costs consist of: (1) Salaries in proportion to the time
or effort spent directly on the conference, (2) rental of necessary
equipment, (3) travel and per diem, (4) supplies needed to conduct the
meeting, (5) conference services, (6) publication costs, (7)
registration fees, (8) working meals where business is transacted, and
(9) speaker's fees.
Nonallowable costs include but are not limited to: (1) Purchase of
equipment; (2) transportation costs exceeding coach class fares; (3)
visas; (4) passports; (5) entertainment; (6) tips; (7) bar charges; (8)
personal telephone calls; (9) laundry charges; (10) travel or
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expenses other than local mileage for local participants; (11)
organization dues; (12) honoraria or other payments for the purpose of
conferring distinction or communicating respect, esteem, or admiration;
(13) patient care; (14) alterations or renovations; and (15) indirect
costs.
Grant funds may not be used to provide general support for
international scientific conferences held outside the United States or
Canada. Grant funds may be awarded to a U.S. component of an
international organization to provide limited support for specified
segments of an international conference held outside the United States
or Canada if the conference is compatible with FDA's mission. An
example of such support would be a selected symposium, panel, or
workshop within the conference, including the cost of planning and the
cost of travel for U.S. participants for the specified segment of the
scientific conference. Any Public Health Service (PHS) foreign travel
restrictions that are in effect at the time of the award must be
followed, including but not limited to:
1. Limitations or restrictions on countries to which travel will be
supported; or
2. Budgetary or other limitations on availability of funds for
foreign travel.
The collection of information requested in PHS Form 398 and its
instructions have been submitted by PHS to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) and were approved and assigned OMB control number 0925-
0001. Information collection requirements requested on PHS Form 5161-1
were approved and issued under OMB Circular A-102.
C. Legend
Unless disclosure is required by the Freedom of Information Act as
amended (5 U.S.C. 552) as determined by the freedom of information
officials of DHHS or by a court, data contained in the portions of this
application that have been specifically identified by page number,
paragraph, etc., by the applicant as containing restricted information
shall not be used or disclosed except for evaluation purposes.
Dated: May 31, 2002.
Margaret M. Dotzel,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-14101 Filed 6-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S