Selected Recipients for this Program

Fiscal Year 2016: Accomplishments are defined by each award. This is available through the annual research performance progress report or other interim performance report. Fiscal Year 2017: Accomplishments are defined by each award. This is available through the annual research performance progress report or other interim performance report. Fiscal Year 2018: Accomplishments are defined by each award. This is available through the annual research performance progress report or other interim performance report.

Uses and Use Restrictions

The VA research program is an intramural program.

The ORD allocates appropriated medical and prosthetic research funds to VA medical facilities for scientifically meritorious research related to the high-priority health care needs of Veterans to be conducted by VA employees.

VA does not have the statutory authority to make research grants to colleges and universities, cities, states, or any other non-VA entity.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

The Principal Investigator (PI) and any Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) must have employment status of at least 25 hours per week (5/8ths) and activities that demonstrate a primary professional commitment to VA, including research, patient care, teaching, committee work, etc..

The eligibility of each prospective PI (and Co-PI) must be established prior to the funding of a research proposal.

Beneficiary Eligibility

VA Research's fundamental mission is to advance the healthcare of Veterans.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants are required to submit a complete application package to be considered for an award. The FOA/RFA will specify the application procedures to be followed. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Applications submitted in response to a FOA/RFA must be submitted through Grants.gov using the VA-ORD Application Guide SF424 Research and Related (R&R) and forms available on the VA-ORD Intranet site at http://vaww.research.va.gov/funding/electronic-submission.cfm. ORD FOA/RFAs are not searchable in Grants.gov and are obtained through the aforementioned Intranet site.

Award Procedures

Applications submitted in response to a VA-ORD FOA/RFA will be reviewed through a two-tier system. The first level of review will be performed by a Scientific Review Group (SRG) composed of scientists who have expertise in relevant scientific disciplines and current research areas. The purpose of the SRG is to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of applications. The SRG does not make funding decisions. The second level of review will be performed by VA-ORD, based not only on considerations of scientific merit (as judged by the SRGs), but also on the relevance of the proposed study to the mission, programs, and priorities of VA-ORD and the awarding Service. Final funding decisions are made at the discretion, and approval, of the awarding Service Director. VA-ORD uses a Just-in-Time process to ensure all VA regulations and policies are met prior to making a final award.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003, Public Law 108-170, 38 U.S.C 7303.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

> 180 Days.

Appeals

The appeals process is intended to ensure that the scientific review of all applications is fair and equitable. It is not intended as a means to resolve differences in scientific opinion, to adjust funding decisions, or to circumvent the peer review process. The basis for an appeal and the procedure for submitting an appeal will be detailed in the FOA/RFA.

Renewals

Renewal applications are not accepted for all award types. The FOA/RFA will specify if renewal applications will be accepted.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Not applicable. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable.

Cash reports are not applicable.

PIs are required to submit an annual research performance progress report or other interim performance report as per the FOA/RFA.

The requirement to submit a progress report allows for the documentation of awardee accomplishments and compliance with terms of award and describes the scientific progress, identifies significant changes, reports on personnel, and describes plans for the subsequent budget period or year.

Expenditure reports are not applicable.

Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements. The Office of Research Oversight (ORO) serves as the primary VHA office exercising oversight concerning all matters of research compliance and assurance. ORO conducts onsite Comprehensive Program Reviews (CPRs) that provide a high-level, integrated evaluation of all components of the VA medical facility's research compliance program that are subject to ORO oversight (i.e., human research protections, research information security, laboratory animal welfare, research safety, and general research administration). A CPR may be followed by an onsite focused compliance review, remote remediation, and/or onsite/remote technical assistance, targeting the specific areas of high vulnerability or potential noncompliance identified in the CPR.

Records

As per VA Records Control Schedule 10-1, Chapter 8.

Financial Information

Account Identification

36-0161-0-1-703.

Obigations

(Project Grants) FY 16 Not Separately Identifiable; FY 17 est $536,000,000; and FY 18 Estimate Not Available - VA estimates that $536 million of the Medical Care appropriation will support Medical and Prosthetic Research in 2017.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

VA-ORD awards are for terms ranging from one to seven years, as specified in each FOA/RFA. Availability of funds is dependent on Congressional appropriation and adjustments to budgets may be imposed after an award is initiated.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

See Website.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. VHA CO RDO ERA Mailbox.

Headquarters Office

Tiffany Asqueri 810 Vermont Ave., N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20420 Email: vhacordera.vhacordera@va.gov Phone: 202-443-5600

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The review and selection criteria are dependent on the funding mechanism and will be provided in the funding opportunity announcement/request for applications.