[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65574-65575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31653]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 99-05 ; Low 
Dose Research Program--Scientific, Regulatory, and Societal Issues

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) of 
the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby 
announces its interest in receiving applications to address, analyze, 
and anticipate scientific, regulatory, and societal issues and 
opportunities arising from advances in low dose research and from 
current and planned regulatory policy. This may include research to 
summarize (1) the state-of-the-art of low dose research, (2) research 
and technology developments that support needs of the low dose research 
program, and (3) information needs and risk policy development 
strategies of regulatory agencies responsible for developing low dose 
radiation exposure standards. Research summaries should be submitted 
for publication in the peer-reviewed literature so they are broadly 
available to scientists, regulators, and the public. Information can be 
made broadly available through the development and use of a web site or 
other educational materials. Applications can also include the 
organization of studies, conferences, or workshops that identify and 
clarify, on an ongoing basis, the most urgent issues for the low dose 
research program and for the use of information developed in the 
program for risk assessment.

DATES: Potential applicants are encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-05, 
should be received by DOE by 4:30 p.m.. e.s.t., December 14, 1998. A 
response to the preapplications discussing the potential program 
relevance of a formal application generally will be communicated within 
7 days of receipt.
    The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 p.m., 
e.s.t., January 18, 1999, in order to be accepted for merit review and 
to permit timely consideration for award in FY 1999.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-05, should be 
sent by E-mail to [email protected]; however, preapplications 
will also be accepted if mailed to the following address: Ms. Joanne 
Corcoran, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
    Formal applications, referencing Program Notice 99-05, should be 
sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-05. This address must be used when 
submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express, any commercial 
mail delivery service, or when hand carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. David Thomassen, telephone: (301) 
903-9817, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290. 
The full text of Program Notice 99-05 is available via the Internet 
using the following web site address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Current standards for occupational and residential exposures to 
radiation and chemicals are based on linear, no-threshold models of 
risk that drive regulatory decisions and estimations of cancer risk. 
Linear, no-threshold models assume that risk is always proportional to 
dose, that there is no risk only when there is no dose, and that even a 
single molecule or radiation induced ionization can cause cancer or 
disease. However, the scientific basis for these assumptions is limited 
and uncertain at very low doses and dose rates.
    Much scientific evidence suggests that the risks from exposure to 
low doses or low dose-rates of radiation and chemicals may be better 
described by a non-linear, dose-response relationship. This evidence 
includes long term human and animal studies and research at the 
cellular and molecular level on the DNA repair capabilities of cells 
and tissues, 'bystander' effects associated with low dose exposures, 
the effects of exposure-induced gene expression, the effects of a 
cell's micro environment on its response to low dose exposures, and 
studies of the multi-step nature of cancer development. A more 
definitive understanding of the biological responses induced by low 
dose, low dose-rate exposures is needed to clarify the role played by 
these and other cell responses and capabilities in determining risk.
    The low dose research program focuses on quantifying and 
understanding the mechanisms of molecular and cellular responses to low 
dose, low dose-rate exposures to radiation to improve the scientific 
underpinning for estimating risks from these exposures. The goal of 
this research program is the development of scientifically defensible 
tools and approaches for determining risk that are widely used, 
accepted, and understood.

Applicant Qualifications and Capabilities

    Applicants should demonstrate knowledge of radiation biology, 
relevant literature, risk modeling strategies and needs, federal 
regulatory policy and policy development, and public concerns over 
exposure to radiation. Applicants should demonstrate their 
understanding of the needs for and the uses of the types of scientific 
information likely to be developed in the low dose research program. 
They should demonstrate understanding of previous epidemiologic and 
experimental studies involving low dose, low dose-rate exposures to 
radiation. Finally, interested applicants should demonstrate 
knowledgeability of research opportunities and capabilities at National 
Laboratories, universities, and industry in the area of molecular and 
cellular responses to low dose, low dose-rate exposures.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that up to $300,000 will be available for grant 
awards during FY 1999, contingent on availability of appropriated 
funds. Multiple year funding is expected, contingent on availability of 
appropriated funds,

[[Page 65575]]

progress of research, and programmatic needs. It is anticipated that a 
single award will be made.

Preapplications

    A brief preapplication may be submitted. The preapplication should 
identify on the cover sheet the institution, Principal Investigator 
name, address, telephone, fax and E-mail address, title of the project, 
and the field of scientific research. The preapplication should consist 
of a two to three page narrative describing the research project 
objectives and methods of accomplishment. These will be reviewed 
relative to the scope and research needs of the DOE Low Dose Research 
Program.
    Preapplications are strongly encouraged but not required prior to 
submission of a full application. Please note that notification of a 
successful preapplication is not an indication that an award will be 
made in response to the formal application.
    Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer 
review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria 
listed in descending order of importance as codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d):
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project,
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach,
    3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources,
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers may be used, and 
submission of an application constitutes agreement that this is 
acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR part 605, and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance 
Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is made 
available via the World Wide Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html. The Project Description must be 25 pages or less, 
exclusive of attachments. The application must contain an abstract or 
project summary, letters of intent from collaborators, and short 
curriculum vitaes consistent with NIH guidelines.
    The Office of Science, as part of its grant regulations, requires 
at 10 CFR 605.11(b) that a recipient receiving a grant to perform 
research involving recombinant DNA molecules and/or organisms and 
viruses containing recombinant DNA molecules shall comply with the 
National Institutes of Health ``Guidelines for Research Involving 
Recombinant DNA Molecules'', which is available via the world wide web 
at: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/odhsb/biosafe/nih/nih97__1.html, (59 FR 
34496, July 5, 1994), or such later revision of those guidelines as may 
be published in the Federal Register.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR part 
605.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 18, 1998.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 98-31653 Filed 11-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P