NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Program Guidelines

PART 2: Submission of Competing New Applications Section I - Application Submission Instructions
notified by the NCI/DCTD Program Specialist and applicants should use the appropriate NIH website
references available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm to access information
regarding submission of the SF424.
It should be noted, however, that the standard instructions included in the PHS 398 and SF424
applications are designed primarily for individual research projects, and do not address the unique
goals and policies of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Program. These Guidelines are
only meant to supplement the PHS 398/SF424 instructions, except where it is explicitly noted that
these Guidelines are replacing or supplanting instructions in the PHS 398/SF424 application (e.g.,
the format for the research plan is different for these applications). If an issue is not explicitly
included in these Guidelines, then applicants should follow the information and guidance given in
the PHS 398/SF424.
Applications not prepared using the current version of the PHS 398 application forms (or SF424
electronic application when it replaces the PHS 398) or not adhering to the format and
preparation instructions contained in these Guidelines and the appropriate NCI NCTN Funding
Opportunities Announcement (FOA) may be returned without review or just not reviewed.
Organizations submitting new applications for any of the key components of the NCTN
supported under the Program MUST apply for five (5) years of support. Applications requesting
less or more than 5 years of support may be returned without review.
The receipt dates & review schedule for all new competing applications for 5 years of support should
be submitted in response to the Funding Opportunities Announcements for the key components of
the NCTN Program are summarized below:
Application Submission & Review Activity Due Date
Pre-consultation with NCI/DCTD 4 to 6 months prior to Application Due Date
Letter of Intent Due Date December 15, 2012
Application Due Date January 15, 2013
Post Submission Application Materials 30 Days Prior to Scientific Merit Review Meeting
Scientific Merit Review June, 2013
Advisory Council Review (NCAB) October, 2013
Earliest Start Date March 1, 2014
Just-in-Time Information Prior to Start Date
Please Note: It is anticipated that new applications for the Network Lead Academic Participating Site
award may be accepted for 3 years of funding after the first 2 years of the NCTN Program’s initial 5year
funding period have been completed. This time point and award project period would be
selected for additional new Network Lead Academic Participating Site applications so that the award
funding would be synchronized with the next potential funding cycle for all Lead Academic
Participating Site grants (i.e., so that all the Lead Academic Participating Sites would come in for
potential competitive renewal at the same time at the next 5-year funding cycle). The schedule for
submission and review of those applications would be specified in an anticipated future Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
It is also anticipated that when competing continuation applications (Type 2) and competing
supplemental applications (Type 3) become part of the Program in the future, the submission
requirements for Type 2 and Type 3 applications will be the same as those detailed in this section for
competing new applications (Type 1) with the due dates specified in the associated FOAs.
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