General Application FAQs

I am an investigator interested in finding funding for a specific cancer screening clinical trial. Is the ACCESS Hub RFA a good fit for my study?

It's probably not a good fit. Although the CSRN will support investigator developed studies in the future, the initial funding cycle will be devoted to the Vanguard Study. Applicants can propose screening clinical trials through Division of Cancer Prevention funding opportunities, including: PAR-21-035 Cancer Prevention and Control Clinical Trials Grant Program and PAR-22-174 Cancer Prevention and Control Clinical Trials Planning Grant Program.

Application Considerations

How much funding can I request?

The Award Budget (Section II) of each CSRN RFA states any limits to the costs that applicants can request:

• RFA-CA-23-020: ACCESS Hub application budgets must not exceed $750,000 in direct costs per year.
• RFA-CA-23-021: Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC) application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
• RFA-CA-23-022: Coordinating and Communication Center (CCC) application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

When are applications due?

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. local time on February 28, 2023 (NIH closes submission).

Are Letters of Intent required?

No. Letters of Intent (LOI) are encouraged, but not required. LOIs are due by January 28, 2023.

Can an institution apply to all three RFAs?

Yes. An institution can apply for all three RFAs. However, due to the separate roles and responsibilities for each CSRN component, there cannot be overlap in PIs between separate applications from the same institution, and applicants should address how data transfer issues would be managed.

Why is the project period only four years?

The inaugural CSRN is only funded for a four-year project period so that NCI can incorporate initial findings into the next competitive funding cycle, which may be for a longer period of performance. The Vanguard, a pilot feasibility study, is expected to be completed within the CSRN four-year funding period. After the initial four-year period, NCI expects that the Network itself may grow and change based on the Vanguard Study and other factors. NCI is looking to establish a new type of network built on pre-existing infrastructure that incorporates a broader group of investigators, so that NCI can support the spectrum of studies needed to address the continuum of cancer screening and care delivery.

Are the attachments described in each of the CSRN RFAs required to list the total study activity by the applicant organization (such as from all schools within a university or an affiliated medical school)?

This is not required. Applicants are welcome to list all trials their organization has completed as described in the RFA. It is also acceptable to provide a representative sample that demonstrates the scope of activities and expertise of the institution. The goal of the table is to demonstrate the extent of relevant clinical studies and trials that the proposed multi-disciplinary team has experience in conducting.

Can ongoing clinical trial experience be included in the attachments in the application?

Yes. Applicants may also choose to include ongoing clinical trial experience in the required application attachments described in the RFA.

Are the attachments included in the Research Strategy page limit?

No. Attachments are not included in the page limit for the Research Strategy. The attachment section does not have a page limit. Note: CCC and SDMC applicants are limited to 12 pages for Research Strategy; ACCESS Hubs have a 30-page limit for the Research Strategy section.

Why were cooperative agreements selected as the funding mechanism to establish the CSRN?

Cooperative agreements will be used to establish the CSRN because substantial NCI scientific and programmatic involvement is anticipated and required in the performance of funded research activities.

Principal Investigator(s)

What are the Principal Investigator (PI) effort requirements?

Applicants to any of the CSRN components (ACCESS Hubs, CCC, DSMC) are required to commit 1.8 calendar months/year PI effort for the single PI applications, or 1.2 calendar months/year effort for each PI on multiple PI applications.

Is there an upper limit on multiple PIs?

No. The decision of how many PIs to include on a multi-PI application is the responsibility of the investigators and the applicant organization. Those decisions should be consistent with and justified by the scientific goals of the project. Additional information on the NIH multi-PI option is available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/plan-to-apply/consider-your-idea-resources-and-collaborators/multiple-principal-investigators.

Can advanced practice (non-physician) providers be PIs?

Yes. It is the responsibility of the applicant organization to select the individual(s) to serve as PI(s) who have the appropriate expertise to manage the scientific and administrative aspects of the project. The eligibility of these individuals to complete the project will be evaluated during peer review and at the IC level by grants management and program staff. Additional information on PI eligibility is available at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/html5/section_2/2.5.4_determining_eligibility_of_individuals.htm.

What overlap of investigators is acceptable between different applications?

Non-PI investigators may be included in more than one CSRN application. However, investigators should be aware of their committed and proposed level of effort to avoid actual or perceived overcommitment of effort (>100%).

Budget

Can applicants include funds for personnel and resources to support participant recruitment and retention in their budget proposal?

Yes.

Will the annual CSRN meetings described in the RFA be held at NCI headquarters in Rockville, Maryland? How should all CSRN applicants’ budget for those meeting costs?

The location of the CSRN annual meetings and whether the meetings will be held in person has not been determined. Applicants should budget with flexibility for attending annual CSRN meetings within the United States, and consider which staff, in addition to PIs, would attend. Other regular CSRN meetings are expected to be virtual.

Other

How would technology providers get involved in the CSRN?

NCI is currently developing a transparent process to engage companies interested in participating with the CSRN, but those details have not been fully worked out yet. Additional information about NCI efforts surrounding MCD assays for cancer screening, including recent requests for information and other funding opportunities, can be found at https://prevention.cancer.gov/major-programs/mcd. This information will be updated on the website when a more concrete process for industry engagement in available.

Are additional screening studies permitted as part of the proposals?

Yes. Describing potential additional screening studies is permitted in applications but not required. However, the primary focus of the first four years of the CSRN will be on the Vanguard Study.

Will CSRN use the same version of Medidata Rave that is used in NCORP and NCTN?

Yes. We expect that the CSRN will use the same version of Medidata Rave that is used in NCORP and NCTN.

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