Sbir/Sttr Initiative for Software Development for Longitudinal Analysis of Complex Survey Data

The summary for the Sbir/Sttr Initiative for Software Development for Longitudinal Analysis of Complex Survey Data grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Institutes of Health, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Sbir/Sttr Initiative for Software Development for Longitudinal Analysis of Complex Survey Data: This Request for Applications (RFA) invites grant applications for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) projects on software development for longitudinal analysis of complex survey data. o RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Research studies in the alcohol field are concerned with the causes and consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence and their associated physical and mental disabilities with a view towards diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Because of the recent attention to the importance of gene- environment interactions, more and more research will begin to focus on the iterative process of longitudinal development to explain the initiation, continuation, stability, and remission of alcohol use disorders and their associated disabilities. Comprehensive software packages are currently limited relative to the complexity of developmental theories that must be tested. Research Topics Despite recent advances made in developing software programs for longitudinal latent and observed variable structural modeling, very little has been accomplished in this research arena regarding modeling with complex sample data. Currently there is no comprehensive statistical software package that allows such modeling that takes into account sampling weights, stratification and clustering while at the same time allowing for these observed variables to be either categorical, continuous, or a combinations of both. Moreover, there is no currently available comprehensive statistical package that allows for the longitudinal analysis of complex survey data for the variety of models necessary for the analysis of alcohol-related longitudinal data (e.g., linear, probit and logistic regression, survival analysis [continuous and discrete-time allowing for time-varying covariates], path analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, growth modeling, growth mixture modeling, multilevel modeling, linear and nonlinear growth modeling, and combinations and variants of these models). o MECHANISM OF SUPPORT ' PHASE I Phase I applications in response to this RFA will be funded as Phase I SBIR grants (R43) or STTR grants (R41) with modifications as described below. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed research will be solely that of the applicant. Applications for Phase I grants should be prepared using the PHS 398 instructions and forms: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html. Please refer to Chapter VI of the PHS 398 instructions prior to preparing an SBIR or STTR application. PHS 398 forms specific to SBIR and STTR applications are available. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirsttr1/398_SBIRSTTRforms.rtf. Project Period and Amount of Award The duration and cost of research for Phase I applications under this RFA will be six months and a total cost of $100,000. Consultant and Contractual Costs Because the resources required for developing data analysis systems are relatively scarce, highly specialized, and multidisciplinary, the total amount of consultant costs and contractual costs requested by applicants may exceed the statutory guidelines. Requests in excess of the guidelines must be fully justified. o MECHANISM OF SUPPORT - PHASE II Phase II applications in response to this RFA will be awarded as Phase II SBIR grants (R44) or STTR grants (R42) with modifications as described below. Phase II applications in response to this RFA will only be accepted as competing continuations of previously funded NIH Phase I SBIR awards. The previously funded Phase I award need not have been awarded under this RFA but the Phase II proposal must be a logical extension of the Phase I research. Applications for Phase II awards should be prepared using the PHS 398 instructions and forms: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html. Please refer to Chapter VI of the PHS 398 instructions prior to preparing an SBIR application. PHS 398 forms specific to SBIR applications are available. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirsttr1/398_SBIRSTTRforms.rtf. Project Period and Amount of Award The guideline duration and cost of research for Phase II is two years and a total cost of $750,000. Consultant and Contractual Costs Because the resources required for data analysis systems are relatively scarce, highly specialized, and multidisciplinary, the total amount of consultant costs and contractual costs requested by applicants may exceed the statutory guidelines. Requests in excess of the guidelines must be fully justified. The Fast-Track initiative can be utilized under this RFA. Applications for Fast Track SBIR grants should be prepared following the instructions for Phase I and Phase II applications at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html, and the additional instructions at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirsttr1/sbirsttrft-rs.pdf. This RFA uses just-in-time concepts. It also uses the modular budgeting format. (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm). Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less, use the small business variation of modular format. o MECHANISM OBJECTIVES The SBIR program consists of the following three phases: Phase I The objective of Phase I is to establish the technical merit and feasibility of the proposed research, or research and development efforts, and to determine the quality of performance of the small business grantee organization prior to providing further federal support in Phase II. Phase II The objective of this phase is to continue the research or research and development efforts initiated in Phase I. Phase III The objective of this phase, where appropriate, is for the small business concern to pursue the commercialization of the results of the research or research and development funded in Phases I and II. Phase III occurs without SBIR funding. o FUNDS AVAILABLE NIAAA intends to commit approximately $500,000 in FY 2003 to fund 3 to 5 new SBIR or STTR grants in response to this RFA. Although the financial plans of NIAAA provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. At this time, it is not known if this RFA will be reissued. o ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS Small business concerns are eligible to submit (an) application(s). A small business concern is one that, on the date of award for both Phase I and Phase II agreements, meets ALL of the following criteria: 1. is organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States, which operates primarily within the United States or which makes a significant contribution to the United States economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor; 2. is in the legal form of an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust or cooperative, except that where the form is a joint venture (as defined in this section) there can be no more than 49 percent participation by foreign business entities in the joint venture; 3. is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are citizens of, or permanent resident aliens in, the United States; has, including its affiliates, not more than 500 employees, and meets the other regulatory requirements found in 13 CFR Part 121. Business concerns, other than investment companies licensed, or state development companies qualifying under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 661, et seq., are affiliates of one another when either directly or indirectly, (a) one concern controls or has the power to control the other; or (b) a third-party/parties controls or has the power to control both. Control can be exercised through common ownership, common management, and contractual relationships. The term "affiliates" is defined in greater detail in 13 CFR 121.3-2(a). The term "number of employees" is defined in 13 CFR 121.3-2(t). Business concerns include, but are not limited to, any individual (sole proprietorship), partnership, corporation, joint venture, association, or cooperative. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Small Business Administration Size District Office at http://www.sba.gov/size/. o INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs. The primary employment of the PI must be with the small business concern at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. Primary employment means that more than one half of the PI's time is spent in the employ of the small business concern. Primary employment with a small business concern precludes full-time employment at another organization. o WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants management issues: Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to: Bridget Grant, Ph.D. Biometry Branch National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Blvd., Suite 514 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-7370 Fax: (301) 443-8614 Email: [email protected] Direct your questions about peer review issues to: Eugene G. Hayunga, Ph.D. Chief, Extramural Project Review Branch Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard, Room 409, MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) Telephone: (301) 443-4375