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Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

1. Can an applicant organization be involved in more than one proposal?
2. Does the applicant organization have to be an academic institution?
3. How many collaborating countries should be included in any given application?
4. How should one choose which countries to collaborate with?
5. Do trainees have to be identified at the time of submitting the application?
6. Is there a bias toward Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America to the exclusion of other parts of the world?
7. How do I find out what countries are classified as "developing?"
8. The previous RFA put special emphasis on epidemiology. Does epidemiology have to be included in this recompetition?
9. What degree of emphasis should be given to long-term training as opposed to short-term training? Is U.S. training preferable to in-country training?
10. What is the expected duration of the proposed project?
11. After submission of the Letter of Intent, can one change the composition of the program?
12. Can the Principal Investigator of the program be replaced with another in the middle of the project period if it does not affect the progress of the project?
13. How heavily will previous success of the investigators in related programs be considered in determining the final proposal score? Will success in previous collaborative research with NIH receive any consideration in rating proposals?
14. Who is responsible for the initial review of applications?
15. What role will sponsoring organizations play in the program?
16. We are interested in any advice about compiling the budget for our application.
17. Of the $300,000 for recompeting applications, and $200,000 for new starts, does this limit include direct as well as F&A costs?
18. Can equipment be purchased with these funds?
19. The RFA allows salary and fringe benefits for the program director. Can the co-principal investigator also receive salary and fringe benefits?
20. Is clerical and administrative salary support an allowable cost?
21. Is family medical insurance available for trainees when they come to the U.S.?
22. Can the foreign collaborating institution receive F&A costs?
23. How do we determine what stipend level to use for our trainees?
24. What allowances should be made for currency fluctuations in other countries?
25. Is there a possibility that more than 12 proposals will be funded?
26. Since funding for the program has been approved initially for one year only, should prospective applicants develop training and research programs for the full five-year period?
27. What level of funding is expected in the following years?
28. Can the program become associated with other similar international programs in the given region?
29. For recompeting applications, can funds from prior budget cycle be rolled into the new grant period?
30. What specifically should a Resource Center plan contain?

1. Can an applicant organization be involved in more than one proposal?

The RFA states that only one application is allowable from each applicant organization. This does not preclude a collaborating partner from being involved as an affiliated partner in more than one application as long as this can be well justified in the application.

2. Does the applicant organization have to be an academic institution?

Not necessarily. As stated in the RFA, applications from non-profit public or private institutions in the United States are eligible to apply. Realistically, applicants would have to include substantial involvement of an academic institution to adequately respond to the goals of the RFA.

3. How many collaborating countries should be included in any given application?

Applicants should assure that research priorities reflect those of the participating developing countries and should describe the procedures to assure this takes place. To realistically make an impact, applicants should focus their efforts on one or a limited number of countries in a region.

4. How should one choose which countries to collaborate with?

It is important to document the likelihood of success in proposed research and training with the collaborating institution. The institution of the principal investigator and the major foreign collaborator must have a long-term commitment in writing to build the capacity of the foreign institution through ITREOH-supported resources.

5. Do trainees have to be identified at the time of submitting the application?

Technically no, for future trainees, but the application must include a detailed plan describing the recruitment and selection procedures for trainees. Applicants should also document the career progress of former trainees who have returned home or to other positions.

6. Is there a bias toward Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America to the exclusion of other parts of the world?

Definitely not. ITREOH is meant to be a global capacity building program for developing countries. The strongest factor in determining funding decisions is the scientific merit of an application as judged by the initial review group. As noted in the RFA, ITREOH supports training scientists from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, emerging democracies in Eastern Europe, and Russia's newly independent states. Geographic balance across the overall program, as noted in the RFA, could be a factor in making final funding decisions.

7. How do I find out what countries are classified as "developing?"

For a current listing of developing countries, we recommend the applicant check the World Bank's listing of "low-income economies" and "lower-middle-income economies" at: http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/class.htm#Low_income

8. The previous RFA put special emphasis on epidemiology. Does epidemiology have to be included in this recompetition?

While the previous RFA emphasized epidemiology, risk assessment and surveillance, the recompetition now focuses on prevention and intervention research to reduce risks in collaborating countries. Epidemiology can help to identify risk factors and develop intervention strategies but this RFA is meant to take the process further by strengthening capacity for intervention research to reduce risks and to facilitate the use of the capacity to intervene by reducing risks in developing countries.

9. What degree of emphasis should be given to long-term training as opposed to short-term training? Is U.S. training preferable to in-country training?

As stated in the RFA, while a range of short-term (less than 3 months) and long-term (more than 9 months) training is allowable, emphasis will be on intermediate to long-term training, including mid-career training. This approach will accelerate building an enduring research and public health capability at collaborating institutions in participating countries. Generally, long-term training would take place in the United States. Short-term training could take place in either the United States or in-country.

10. What is the expected duration of the proposed project?

The project period is for five years. Continued support during this five-year period depends on satisfactory performance as judged by: annual progress reports, site visits, participation in annual network meetings, career progress of trainees, first author publications and presentations by current and former trainees, and development of institutional, national or regional capacity for environmental and occupational research and public health actions.

11. After submission of the Letter of Intent, can one change the composition of the program?

Yes, but the FIC Program Officer listed in the RFA should be informed as soon as possible.

12. Can the Principal Investigator of the program be replaced with another in the middle of the project period if it does not affect the progress of the project?

Yes. However, it is the responsibility of the applicant U.S. institution to request this change, in writing, to the FIC Program Officer. A curriculum vita for the new principal investigator must be included with the request, and agreement to the change is subject to FIC review and agreement to the qualifications of the proposed replacement principal investigator.

13. How heavily will previous success of the investigators in related programs be considered in determining the final proposal score? Will success in previous collaborative research with NIH receive any consideration in rating proposals?

As described in the review criteria, past research training records for both the Principal Investigator and the Major Foreign Collaborator as substantiated by tracking careers of current and past trainees will be of significance. The success of former trainees in obtaining individual awards should be highlighted in the application.

14. Who is responsible for the initial review of applications?

As noted in the RFA, NIEHS will convene a peer review group that will evaluate the applications for scientific and technical merit.

15. What role will sponsoring organizations play in the program?

Sponsoring organizations are full collaborating partners both financially and intellectually, and they will be involved in every critical phase of the program.

16. We are interested in any advice about compiling the budget for our application.

Please consult the RFA for allowable costs for this training grant. Please note that all expenses related to trainees in the program should be itemized on PHS Form 398 (NRSA substitute pages OO and PP) in the categories listed in the RFA. All expenses related to faculty should be itemized on PHS Form 398, budget pages DD and EE in the appropriate categories. Direct specific inquiries to the staff listed in the RFA.

17. Of the $300,000 for recompeting applications, and $200,000 for new starts, does this limit include direct as well as F&A costs?

Yes. Note that F&A costs are limited to 8% of the total allowable direct costs, excluding tuition, insurance, related fees and expenditures for equipment.

18. Can equipment be purchased with these funds?

Yes, equipment is an allowable cost. Each item must be listed separately under the training related expenses category on budget page DD, and justified in the application.

19. The RFA allows salary and fringe benefits for the program director. Can the co-principal investigator also receive salary and fringe benefits?

The RFA stipulates that the total amount of salary and fringe benefits for U.S. faculty, including the program director and those that provide major program mentoring and training, is limited to 10% of direct costs. Responsibilities and time commitments for each faculty member receiving salary support must be justified in the application.

20. Is clerical and administrative salary support an allowable cost?

Yes, up to 10% of direct costs is allowed for clerical and administrative support staff for the program. The responsibilities and time commitment for personnel receiving salary support must be justified in the application.

21. Is family medical insurance available for trainees when they come to the U.S.?

Yes, family health insurance is now an allowable cost for trainees and fellows who have families and who are eligible for family health insurance coverage at the sponsoring institution.

22. Can the foreign collaborating institution receive F&A costs?

No, at this time F&A costs will not be paid on any expense incurred by the foreign institution. Should this approach change in the future our policy will be adjusted accordingly.

23. How do we determine what stipend level to use for our trainees?

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the NRSA stipend levels described at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-008.html

24. What allowances should be made for currency fluctuations in other countries?

Grant funds must be requested, and are paid in, U.S. dollars and no adjustments are made for currency fluctuations.

25. Is there a possibility that more than 12 proposals will be funded?

At present, $3,000,000 is budgeted for this program. The number of awards will depend on the outcome of the scientific review panel and subsequent input from collaborating partners and review by the FIC Advisory Board.

26. Since funding for the program has been approved initially for one year only, should prospective applicants develop training and research programs for the full five-year period?

Yes.

27. What level of funding is expected in the following years?

For planning purposes, applicants should assume a 3% budget increase for each succeeding year, contingent upon availability of funds.

28. Can the program become associated with other similar international programs in the given region?

Yes. While it is understood that support received by these other programs should not overlap with the support by this program, the ITREOH supports the establishment or strengthening of model environmental and occupational health research "centers of excellence" in the home countries of the trainees.

29. For recompeting applications, can funds from prior budget cycle be rolled into the new grant period?

Technically yes, but if there is an unexpected large amount of roll-over, it would reduce the award given in the first year of the new grant. The announcement for this program appeared in the NIH GUIDE on December 8, 2000, RFA: TW-01-002.

30. What specifically should a Resource Center plan contain?

A Resource Center (RC) will supplement and expand the training activities of the parent grant in the region. The RC will provide meeting space and facility support for courses and symposia in the region and will establish and maintain the means for web based courses, continuing education, communication and outreach on topics in environmental and occupational health, and translation of research into public health practice.