Extramural Glossary

Block to an award of a grant application until concerns or special problems are resolved. If the concern is about human subjects, the study section puts a code 44 in the summary statement indicating a bar to award. For additional codes, see other human subjects inclusion codes, human subjects involvement codes, and animals in research involvement codes.

Codes applied to grants to characterize their thrust along this continuem from basic research to clinical deployment. Grants need not be characterized by only one code; 60% B, 40% A is an acceptable coding, for example.

A Federal law that encourages universities and researchers to develop their inventions into marketable products.

A final proposal submitted by offerors which documents all cost and technical agreements reached following completion of negotiations with the Contracting Officer on a proposal submitted in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP).

A manual of best practices presented on the NCI Intranet to guide NCI staff in their performance of activities related to review, funding, and administration of grant applications and awards. This document was created by and is maintained by the NCI Extramural Advisory Board.

Human choices or any other factors beside the treatments being tested that affect a study's results. Clinical trials use many methods to avoid bias, because biased results may not be correct.

Now called a Consolidated Services Contract at the NIH Suggest removing. Definition placed at Consolidated Service Contract

A general science agreement between the U.S. and a foreign country. Grant applications from institutions in countries that have been recommended for approval by the scientific review group are given special funding consideration by Council.

The focus of bioengineering issues at the NIH which consists of senior-level representatives from each of the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Divisions plus representatives of other Federal Agencies concerned with biomedical research and development.

Bioethics is the philosophical study of the ethical controversies brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, in Nov. 2010.)

Curriculum vitae submitted by all applicants associated with an NIH grant application or contract proposal. Form in the PHS grant application in which the applicant states employment history, relevant publications, and ongoing and completed research support. Typically, a biosketch is limited to two printed pages.

Bioinformatics is the application of statistics and computer science to the fields of biology. Bioinformatics involves the creation, use, and advancement of databases, algorithms, computational and statistical techniques and theories to solve formal and practical problems arising from the management and analysis of biological data. (Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, in Nov. 2010.)

License agreement used when NIH seeks to transfer unpatented biological materials to a for-profit entity for commercial use.

The study results submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) once clinical trials are completed.

A consortium of representatives from each of the NIH institutes and centers that serves as the focus of biomedical computing issues at the NIH. The mission of BISTI is to make optimal use of computer science and technology to address problems in biology and medicine by fostering new basic understandings, collaborations, and transdisciplinary initiatives between the computational and biomedical sciences.

The annual inflationary index for the cost of conducting biomedical research. The BRDPI was developed for the NIH to measure real annual changes in the prices of items and services required for research and development (R&D) activities.

A Biosketch is your curriculum vitae presented in a specified NIH format. Your curriculum vita (CV) is not acceptable where a Biosketch is requested. The NIH Biosketch form is available online as a fill-in PDF file or Word document. You will upload the form through your online application.

Statistical processes and methods applied to the analysis of biological phenomena.

Human subjects term indicating a person having origins in the black racial groups of Africa. "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in addition to "Black" or "African American."

A clinical trial in which participants are unaware if they are in the experimental or control arm of the study.

A type of mandatory grant where the recipients (normally States) have substantial authority over the type of activities to support, with minimal Federal administrative restrictions.

NIH Information Technology Board of Governors, which advises NIH on the overhaul of its major enterprise systems. A steering committee with strong community representation provides liaison between BOG and other groups, including the ERA Project Team, Extramural Program Management Committee, and the NIH Office of Extramural Research.

A group that provides scientific advice on a wide variety of matters concerning scientific program policy, progress and future direction of the NCI's extramural research programs, and concept review of extramural program initiatives. The Board shall advise the Director and Deputy Director for Extramural Science, NCI, and the Director of each NCI Division on a wide variety of matters concerning scientific program policy, and progress and future direction of extramural research programs of each of the Divisions. The advisory activities include the evaluation of NCI awarded grants, cooperative agreements and contracts and concept review of those activities which it considers meritorious and consistent with the Institute's programs. The advisory role of the Board is scientific and does not include deliberation on matters of public policy. The members of this board are appointed to 4-year terms by the NCI Director.

A group that advises the Directors of the Intramural Divisions of the NCI and the Director and Deputy Director, NCI, on a wide variety of matters concerning the state-of-the-science in the NCI's intramural research programs, including the scientific program policy and the progress and future direction of research programs of each Division. This includes the evaluation of performance and productivity of each Division, including the evaluation of performance and productivity of staff scientists through periodic site visits to intramural laboratories, and evaluation and advice on the course of each Division's programs. The members of this board are appointed to 4-year terms by the NCI Director.

Provide one year of funding so investigators can continue research while reapplying for an R01 grant, or enable new investigators to gather preliminary data to improve their applications. Investigators do not apply for bridge awards but are selected from R01 grants at the payline margin. A bridge award is made as an R21 with one year of funding, which the PI can choose to spend over a two-year period. This enables the PI to submit an amended R01 application for the next receipt date while receiving interim (bridge) funding under the R21 mechanism.

Provides one year of funding so investigators can continue research while reapplying for an R01 grant or enables new investigators to gather preliminary data to improve their applications. Investigators do not apply for Bridge Awards but are selected from R01 grants near payline.

A general solicitation announcement that identifies areas of scientific interest or aims to advance science. It differs from a Request for Proposals (RFP), which specifies a service or product that the government wishes to acquire. BAAs include criteria for selecting proposals and attracting qualified offerors, who develop a statement of work and performance specifications. The BAA is a competitive procedure available for use in fulfilling the requirement for full and open competition in the acquisition process. BAA's may be used for scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge or understanding rather than focusing on a specific system or hardware solution

The BAA is a general solicitation announcement that identifies areas of scientific interest or aims to advance science. It differs from a Request for Proposals (RFP), which specifies a service or product that the government wishes to acquire. BAAs include criteria for selecting proposals and attracting qualified offerors, who develop a statement of work and performance specifications. The BAA is a competitive procedure available for use in fulfilling the requirement for full and open competition in the acquisition process. BAA's may be used for scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge or understanding rather than focusing on a specific system or hardware solution.

A categorical or noncategorical request for funds required to support the proposed activity.

The yearly amount given to a government agency by Congress.

Legislation authorizing the government to spend money on a program for several years.

Limits on the total dollar amounts requested and/or awarded for specific mechanisms or types of grant applications; Also, limits on the percent increase or dollar increase in budgets of noncompeting or competing renewal grant applications.

Sum of the budgets projected for all years of the competitive segment for an award.

The interval (usually 12 months) into which the grant project period is divided for funding and reporting purposes. Also called "grant budget period."

Individual working in a research organization's business office who has signature or other authority. Typically, this person is the same as the institution's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and the eRA Commons' Signing Official (SO).

The process of appraising an offeror’s business/cost proposal to determine the reasonableness of costs proposed, and the management capabilities of the offeror to perform the required work in a timely manner.