[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35103-35106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11957]


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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; Announcement Type: Modification of 
Notice; Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-GRANTS-110204-001; Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.103

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is revising the Request for 
Applications (RFA) published in the Federal Register of June 6, 2002 
(67 FR 39013). This revised RFA supercedes the June 6, 2002, document 
in its entirety. 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 (Pub. L. 90-602) (21 U.S.C. 360hh-ss, formerly 42 U.S.C. 
263b-n).

1. 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 so long as they are within the 
agency's mission.

II. Award Information

    FDA views the partial support of scientific conferences as an 
ongoing program and may award a limited number of grants each fiscal 
year. These awards are subject to availability of funds and range 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 required changes to the program.
    Support for this program will be in the form of a grant. These 
grants will be

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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, as 
applicable. The length of support will last for up to 1 year from date 
of award.

III. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants

    Conference grant support is available to any public or private 
nonprofit entity including State and local units of government, 
scientific and professional societies, faith-based organizations, and 
for-profit entities. 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 or 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 provided that the following 
conditions are met: (1) Grants to foreign institutions or international 
organizations are not prohibited under the governing legislation and 
(2) approval of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
agency head or his or her designee is obtained in each case.
    An individual is not eligible to receive grant funds in support of 
a conference. As provided in 2 U.S.C. 1611, organizations described in 
section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying 
are not eligible to receive Federal funds constituting grant awards.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    See section IV.2.B.11 of this document.

IV. Application and Submission

1. Addresses to Request Applications

    FDA is accepting new applications for this program electronically 
via Grants.gov. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply 
electronically by visiting the Web site http://www.grants.gov and 
following the instructions under ``APPLY.'' The applicant must register 
in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database in order to be 
able to submit the application. Information about CCR is available at 
http://www.grants.gov/CCRRegister. (FDA has verified the Web site 
address, but FDA is not responsible for subsequent changes to the Web 
site after the document publishes in the Federal Register). The 
applicant must register with the Credential Provider for Grants.gov. 
Information about this requirement is available at http://www.grants.gov/CredentialProvider. (FDA has verified the Web site 
address, but FDA is not responsible for subsequent changes to the Web 
site after the document publishes in the Federal Register). If 
applicants cannot submit applications through the electronic process, 
application forms are available from, and completed applications should 
be submitted to, Tya Marks, Division of Contracts and Grants Management 
(HFA-500), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, 
MD 20857, 301-827-7179, e-mail: [email protected]. Applications hand-
carried or commercially delivered should be addressed to 5630 Fishers 
Lane (HFA-500), rm. 2139, Rockville, MD 20857. Application instructions 
(PHS 5161-1 revised 7/00) and application forms (SF-424 revised 9/03) 
are available via the Internet at: http://www.hhs.gov/forms.

2. Content and Form of Applications

A. Submission
    If submission is electronic, the application package is posted 
under the ``APPLY'' section of this announcement under Grants.gov. The 
required application forms are listed under ``Mandatory Documents.'' 
They can be completed and submitted online.
    If applicants are not submitting electronically, an original and 
two copies of the completed grant application form SF-424 (revised 9/
03) should be delivered to the address listed in Addresses to Request 
Application in section IV of this document. The outside of the package 
should clearly state ``Request for Conference Grant'' and must be 
received by the appropriate submission date (see Submission Dates and 
Times in section IV of this document).
B. Content
    Applications must include the following information:
    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, 
along with speaker credentials;
    4. Dates of conference (inclusive). Each application must address 
only one specific conference;
    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 by the applicant 
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.
    Some examples of allowable costs include the following items: (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 fees.
    Some examples of nonallowable costs include the following items: 
(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 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 specific 
segments of an international conference held outside the United States 
of 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

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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, limitations or restrictions on countries to which 
travel will be supported, and budgetary or other limitations on 
availability of funds for foreign travel.
C. Letter of Intent
    A letter of intent is not mandatory. However, applicants may submit 
a letter of intent to the contact (see Addressees to Request 
Applications in section IV of this document) 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 or e-mail: [email protected].

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Applications will be received and reviewed quarterly during each 
fiscal year. The receipt dates are in direct relation to the conference 
date and can be seen in table 1 of this document.

                       Table 1.--Key Receipt Dates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Earliest Beginning Conference Date              Receipt Date
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December 15                          October 15
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March 15                             January 15
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June 15                              April 15
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September 15                         July 15
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    If the receipt date falls on a weekend or holiday, it will be 
extended to the following workday. Responsive applications received 
after the quarterly deadline date will be held for the next review 
cycle if the conference date falls under the next cycle. Applications 
received after the quarterly deadline date for a conference within that 
review cycle will be returned to the applicant if not received in time 
for orderly processing.
    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, mailed, 
or electronically submitted 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. Applicants 
should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide 
dated postmarks. Before relying on this method, applicants should check 
with their local post office.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    The regulations issued under Executive Order 12372 may also apply 
to this program and are implemented through HHS regulations under 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 prospective application(s) 
and to receive any necessary instructions on the State's review 
processes. The names and addresses of SPOCs are listed on the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMB's) Web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. (FDA has verified the Web site address, but FDA 
is not responsible for subsequent changes to the Web site after the 
document publishes in the Federal Register). The SPOC should send any 
State review process recommendations to FDA's administrative contact 
(see section IV of this document). 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.

5. Funding Restrictions

    See section IV.2.B of this document.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    See section IV.1 of this document.

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

    Upon receipt, all applications submitted in response to this 
announcement will be evaluated for responsiveness to this RFA. 
Responsiveness is defined as submission of a complete application with 
original signatures within the required submission dates (see 
Submission Dates and Times in section IV 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 (see Submission Dates and Times in section 
IV of this document), (3) if it is incomplete or if it is missing any 
of the elements under Content and Form of Application in section IV of 
this document, (4) if it is illegible, (5) if the proposed conference 
is not within FDA's mission, (6) if the material presented is 
insufficient to determine an adequate review, and/or (7) if it exceeds 
the recommended threshold amount reflected in the RFA.

2. Review and Selection Process

    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:
    a. The content/subject matter and how current and appropriate it is 
for FDA's mission;
    b. The conference plan and how thorough, reasonable, and 
appropriate it is for the intended audience;
    c. The experience, training, and competence of the principal 
investigator/director and support staff;
    d. The adequacy of the facilities;
    e. The reasonableness of the proposed budget give the total 
conference plan, program, speakers, travel, and facilities; and
    f. Previous experience of the organization/principal investigator.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

    Successful applicants will be notified via Notice of Grant Award 
signed by the Chief Grants Management Officer, FDA.

2. Administrative and National Policy

    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. 
The applicable administrative regulations for this program are 45 CFR 
parts 74 and 92. The legislative authority is title XVII of the Public 
Health Service Act.

3. Reporting

    A final Financial Status Report (SF-269) 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 section VII of this document), within 90 days after the end 
of the budget period of the grant award. 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.

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VII. Agency Contacts

    For information regarding this program, please contact Tya Marks 
(see Addresses to Request Applications in section IV of this document).

VIII. Other Information

    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 FDA's mission to protect and advance the physical 
and mental health of the American people.
    FDA is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease 
prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 2010,'' a national effort 
designed to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve quality of 
life. Applicants may obtain a paper copy of the ``Healthy People 2010'' 
objectives, vols. I and II, for $70 ($87.50 foreign), S/N 017-000-
00550-9, by writing to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Telephone 
orders can be placed to 202-512-2250. The document is also available in 
CD-ROM format, S/N 017-001-00549-5, for $19 ($23.50 foreign), as well 
as on the Internet at http://www.healthypeople.gov under 
``Publications'' (FDA has verified the Web site address, but FDA is not 
responsible for subsequent changes to the Web site after the document 
publishes in the Federal Register).
    Information collection requirements requested on PHS Form SF-424 
were approved and issued under OMB Circular A-102.
    Data included in the application, if restricted with the legend 
specified in this section of the document, may be entitled to 
confidential treatment as trade secret or confidential commercial 
information within the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552(b)(4)) and FDA's implementing regulations (21 CFR 20.61).
    Unless disclosure is required under the Freedom of Information Act 
as amended (5 U.S.C. 552), as determined by the freedom of information 
officials of HHS 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: June 10, 2005.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 05-11957 Filed 6-14-05; 10:57 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S