New Program Announcement for P30 Cancer Center Support Grants

NIH recently implemented a new policy requiring that all mechanisms received by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) cite a Request for Application (RFA) or Program Announcement (PA) number, effective with the September 25, 2010 receipt date. A PAR (the R indicates that review is by NCI, rather than CSR) for the P30 Cancer Center Support Grant has now been posted in the NIH Guide at grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-005.html.

The PAR links to a modified version of the CCSG Guidelines that incorporates new page limits effective with January, 2011 submissions and updates of NIH policies. The PAR and 2010 Guidelines also incorporate the 5 review criteria mandated by NIH: Significance, Investigator, Innovation, Approach, and Environment. Prior to the site visit, assigned reviewers will submit to the Scientific Review Officer (SRO) their criterion scores for the overall application on these 5 criteria. These scores will be included in the Draft Site Visit Report and Summary Statement under the heading Overall Impact, but will not be discussed as part of the review process. As part of the evaluation and written critique on the overall impact of the Center, reviewers will discuss and describe the extent to which the overall application meets the 5 criteria, but they will not be applied to individual components in the application. As the 5 criteria parallel the 6 essential characteristics and other CCSG elements, we anticipate no major changes in our review.

In keeping with NIH policy ( grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-115.html), applicants will no longer receive and respond to an administrative review letter, submit posters, updated summaries, or other materials prior to the site visit. Applicants will continue to receive a checklist prior to the review and a request for protocol copies, where appropriate. Information not provided in the initial application, along with any updates, should be provided to site visitors on the day of presentations at the center.

Effective with January 25, 2011 applications, the following processes will also be in effect:

1. Applicants must submit a request for approval to apply for a grant totaling greater than $1,000,000 at least 6 weeks prior to the receipt date. Letters will not be generated automatically as before for re–competing centers. An approval letter will be forwarded by the Office of Cancer Centers (OCC) for applicants meeting eligibility requirements.
2. After an approval letter has been sent to the applicant, OCC program staff will send an email requesting pre–submission information on programs, shared resources, etc., to be presented in the application.
3. All applications must show the PAR # on the face page of the application and include the $1,000,000 approval letter when submitted.
4. The SRO (NCI–IRG Subcommittee A) will request potential dates for site visits in advance of the receipt date.
5. Page limits in the PAR and 2010 Guidelines must be followed.

It is highly recommended that all potential applicants consult with OCC program staff well in advance of a request for approval to apply. —posted 10/19/2010