PKG00246040-instructions.pdf

TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP) – “B Call” Fiscal Year 2019 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

A. Program Description

The TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP) was founded in 1992 and funds and supports rigorous scientific research studies and evidence-based practice (EBP) projects in the field of military nursing. TSNRP is located within the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) which is authorized by 10 USC 2113(g)(1)(A) to make grants to any nonprofit entity for the purpose of carrying out cooperative enterprises in medical research, medical consultation, and medical education.

TSNRP supports nurse scientists in all stages of their careers through research funding, education, and mentoring. Since its inception, TSNRP has funded over 450 research and EBP projects; 12 applications were successfully funded in Fiscal Year 2018.

The mission of TSNRP is to facilitate nursing research to optimize the health of military members and their beneficiaries, with the following the four strategic goals:

1. Develop and strengthen the TriService community of nurse scholars to generate new knowledge in military nursing and translate it into practice.

2. Provide a TriService infrastructure to enhance military nursing research and advance evidence-based practice.

3. Support research and evidence-based practice projects on areas relevant to military readiness and military nursing practice.

4. Encourage TriService collaboration in nursing research and evidence based practice.

The TSNRP research priorities include:

1. Force Health Protection: A holistic examination of factors affecting the health care of operational personnel (e.g., war fighters, support personnel) and their families before, during, and after deployment. Priorities within this category include:

− Fit and ready force.

− Deploy with and care for the warrior.

− Care for all entrusted to our care.

2. Nursing Competencies and Practice: Description and evaluation of the military nursing competencies necessary to sustain a patient from point of injury or other health event through the continuum of care. Evaluation of educational interventions to enhance learning and retention of military nursing operational skill sets. Translation of research and other evidential knowledge into the clinical practice arena. Outcomes studies to evaluate effects of comparative treatments or implementation of evidence-based interventions. Priorities within this category include:

− Patient outcomes.

− Quality and safety.

− Translate research into practice/EBP.

− Clinical excellence.

− Knowledge management.

− Education and training.

3. Leadership, Ethics, and Mentoring: Description and evaluation of leadership and mentoring characteristics, approaches, and strategies and their effects on military nursing and/or patient care policies. Description and evaluation of the types of ethical issues that military nurses encounter in practice and the types of education, topics, and resources helpful to ethical military nursing practice. Priorities within this category include:

− Health policy.

− Recruitment and retention.

− Preparing tomorrow’s leaders.

− Care of the caregiver.

B. Federal Award Information

TSNRP expects to award $4.5 million in support of this program and intends to issue approximately twenty (20) awards for successful applications. However, the number and type of awards issued each year are contingent on the availability of funds and the receipt of meritorious applications. There is no minimum or maximum number of awards that TSNRP must fund.

Proposals for the following six (6) award categories will be accepted:

1. High-Priority Research Award Purpose of Award: Funding to complete a rigorous research study that clearly addresses one of the following topics, specific for military nursing:

1. Nursing policies and practice (guidelines, staffing models, etc.) to care for ill and injured warfighters in austere environments for extended periods of time.

2. Nursing care in the initial resuscitation/forward surgical setting to include holding capacity, impact of environment (injuries occurring in water, scarce resources, etc.), clinical practice guidelines, and training/competency gaps.

3. Clinical skill development and sustainment training platforms, especially the use of simulation and civilian-military partnerships.

4. Nursing role for proactive management of the health of the warfighter in both the home unit and deployed locations.

5. Impact of military health system consolidation on nursing and patient outcomes, to include recruitment, retention, teamwork, and unit cohesion.

6. Impact of medical surgical staffing models on quality, safety, and nurse satisfaction measures within the military healthcare system.

7. Optimal pathways to transition from new graduate to a fully deployable nurse.

8. Outcome measures for military nursing care provided in the inpatient, ambulatory, and deployed settings that could be compared with civilian nursing outcome measures.

Eligibility Requirements:

− A PhD prepared nurse must serve as the Principal Investigator − Collaboration with military nurses or a military treament facility is highly desired, but not required Direct Cost Limit: $450,000 per award for up to 2 years

2. Graduate Research or Evidence-Based Practice Award Purpose of Award: Funding for dissertation, thesis, or final project.

Eligibility Requirements:

− Active Duty or Reserve nurse in the U.S. military.

− Master’s or doctoral degree student.

Direct Cost Limit: $40,000 per award for up to 2 years

3. Novice Research or Evidence-Based Practice Award Purpose of Award: Funding for a mentored project specifically for those with limited research or formal evidence-based practice experience.

Eligibility Requirements:

− Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Federal Civilian, or retired nurse in the U.S.

military (research) OR − Active Duty nurse in the U.S. military at a military medical facility (EBP) − A PhD-prepared team member is required for research applications.

Direct Cost Limit:

− $350,000 for up to 2 years for Research applications − $200,000 for up to 2 years for Evidence-Based Practice applications

4. Evidence Based Practice Award

Purpose of Award: Either the development of a Clinical Practice Guideline to improve outcomes, standardize care, and promote cost-effective care OR the implementation and evaluation of a Clinical Practice Guideline to improve outcomes, standardize care, and promote cost-effective care.

Eligibility Requirement: Active Duty or Federal Civilian nurse serving in the U.S. military at a military medical facility Direct Cost Limit: $250,000 for up to 2 years

5. Initial Research Award Purpose of Award: Conduct an initial stage of a research study that meets TSNRP priorities.

Eligibility Requirements:

− Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Federal Civilian or retired nurse in the U.S.

military − Completed or successfully finishing a funded research study or has been first author on two data-based refereed publications, post-dissertation Direct Cost Limit: $450,000 for up to 2 years

6. Follow-on Research Award Purpose of Award: Expand a promising TSNRP-funded initial research study, especially the translation of emerging knowledge into clinical practice.

Eligibility Requirements:

− Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Federal Civilian or retired nurse in the U.S.

military − Receipt of a TSNRP-funded research study that is currently underway or completed within the previous 3 years.

Direct Cost Limit: $450,000 for up to 2 years

Previous award amounts have ranged from $8,000 to $450,000 over a 12- to 36-month performance period, based on previous award categories. The anticipated performance period for these awards will be March 2019 through September 2021.

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects will not be accepted through this mechanism. Eligible grants that have been submitted previously to TSNRP and received a request to “revise and resubmit” may be resubmitted through this funding opportunity, but will only be considered on the same topic a total of three times (two re-submissions).

Awards will be in the form of a grant, or a cooperative agreement if the Principal Investigator (PI) is an active duty military member and the performance site is on a military installation.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants – Eligible TSNRP applicants are primarily limited to Active Duty, Reserve, or retired military nurses from the United States Army, Navy, or Air Force, or National Guard Nurse Corps Officers. Depending on the award category, there may be other eligibility requirements as outlined in Section B.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching – There is no cost sharing, matching, or cost participation required for this opportunity.

3. Other – TSNRP awards are given only to non-Federal nonprofit organizations and academic institutions (“Applicant Organizations”). Because of this requirement, all grantees must be associated with an Applicant Organization. TSNRP does not endorse or favor any particular Applicant Organization.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package – The application package may be accessed through the

Grants.gov website. You must apply using the Grants.gov Workspace. Instructions can be found at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html. If there are technical difficulties accessing the files, please request assistance through the grants.gov website. You may also contact Col Jennifer Hatzfeld via email at jennifer.hatzfeld@usuhs.edu or telephone at 301-319-0596.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. The following forms are required for a complete application.

i. SF 424 (R&R), Application for Federal Assistance

ii. Project/Performance Site Location(s)

iii. Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile

iv. Research & Related Other Project Information

v. Research & Related Budget

vi. Attachment Forms

b. Formatting:

− The title for the proposed study or project can be no more than 81 characters long, including spaces. Abbreviations, if used, should be easily understood by a nonscientist or nonclinician (e.g. ICU for Intensive Care Unit).

− Single-space the grant application text.

− Set all margins at one-half–inch wide. If using preformatted application forms, leave the margins as they are.

− Include the Project Director/Principal Investigator name (last, first) at the top of each page.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html http://grants.gov/ mailto:jennifer.hatzfeld@usuhs.edu

− Number pages consecutively, including appendices.

c. Font:

− Choose one of the following fonts: Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Times New Roman.

− Use a font size of at least 12 point.

− Use a type density of no more than 15 characters and spaces per inch.

− Do not have more than 6 lines per inch.

− Use only black type. Use color in figures, photos, or tables only if color aids in understanding.

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) – Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) be registered in SAM before submitting an application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. The Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

4. Submission Dates and Times – There are three separate submission dates for TSNRP FY2019 funding opportunities. TSNRP “B Call” applications are due electronically by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on 5 February 2019. Late applications will not be considered. Determination of on-time receipt will be made by reviewing the Date/Time Received stamp generated by Grants.gov. Confirmation of receipt for timely applications will be sent via email no later than 24-48 hours after receipt on Grants.gov.

5. Intergovernmental Review – Not applicable.

6. Funding Restrictions – Pre-award costs will not be reimbursed.

7. Other Submission Requirements

a. Cover Letter from Applicant Organization. A signed cover letter is required from the Applicant Organization. This letter shall be on the Applicant Organization's letterhead and include:

i. The title of your proposed study/project.

ii. The TSNRP Call for Proposals year (FY 2019).

iii. Your complete contact information.

iv. The name and contact information of your Applicant Organization.

b. TSNRP Grant Application Summary and Evaluation. A separate attachment is required that provides the following information, in this order:

i. Proposal Information − Title of the proposal − Principal Investigator/Project Director’s Military Rank (if applicable) and Full

Name − Award Category − The primary TSNRP research priority (identify only one)

− Study Population, to include specific military service, component, and/or beneficiary status

− 3 to 5 key words (use MESH terms) − If proposal was previously submitted to TSNRP

ii. Principal Investigator/Project Director Information − Branch of Service (Army, Navy, Air Force) − Military Status (Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, Retired) − Work Contact Information to include duty title, employer(s), military unit (if applicable), mailing address, telephone number(s) and e-mail − Home Contact Information, to include mailing address, telephone number(s) and e-mail − Preferred Contact Location (home or work) − Previous TSNRP grant submissions, to include the year, title of the grant application, application number (e.g., N08-P04), and whether the application was funded.

− Previous attendance at TSNRP Grant Camp − Previous attendance at another grant writing workshop − Previous completion of TSNRP Post-Award Grant Management Workshop − Short Paragraph of how and when first learned about TSNRP grant awards − Previous professional presentations − Previous professional publications

iii. Feedback on the TSNRP application process [rate each of the following elements from 1 (very difficult) to 6 (very easy) and provide a written explanation if desired] − Ability to understand TSNRP research priorities − Ability to understand the application process − Ability to understand the application requirements − Ability to understand the funding criteria − Ability to submit an application

c. Revised Applications: Revised applications must address all previous reviewers’ comments and suggestions and include substantial revisions in the resubmitted grant application. A table with major reviewer comments/concerns/suggestions, changes made, and specific pages with relevant changes must be provided to summarize the revisions. This should be included as the first part of your Project/Research Plan, but does not count against the page limit. Additionally, place brackets around any paragraphs in the revised grant application with significant changes from the previous submission. Do not underline, italicize, bold, or highlight changes.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria – Applications will be evaluated based on scientific merit (to include military feasibility and relevance) and alignment with TSNRP mission, research priorities, and goals.

a. Scientific merit criteria include:

− Scientific approach and technical merit.

− Originality and innovative nature of the grant application; applicability of previous findings.

− Significance and relevance to nursing practice.

− Availability of institutional resources and adequacy of the environment to support the study.

− Military feasibility and relevance.

− Qualifications, expertise, experience, and stability of the PI and project team.

− Budget and study/project duration.

− Protection of human subjects (if applicable).

− The mentoring plan (if applicable).

b. Programmatic review criteria include:

− Scientific merit.

− Relevance to military nursing practice.

− Relevance to TSNRP portfolio/programmatic priorities.

− Development of competence/knowledge transfer.

− The likelihood that the project will contribute to important changes in military nursing clinical practice and improved outcomes.

− Sustainability.

− Strengths and stability of the study/project team.

− Potential benefit of the proposed project relative to the proposed budget.

− Performance history on past TSNRP awards (if applicable).

− Qualifications of the mentor and quality of the mentorship plan (if applicable).

c. The TSNRP Executive Board of Directors makes final funding decisions based on:

− The mission, research priorities, and goals of TSNRP.

− Outcomes of the scientific merit and programmatic reviews.

− Recommendations of the Advisory Council.

2. Review and Selection Process - All applications undergo a two-tiered review process, to include a scientific merit review, conducted by members of an external Scientific Review Panel (SRP) and a programmatic review, conducted by members of the TSNRP Advisory Council. The outcome from the reviews guide the final funding decisions made by TSNRP’s Executive Board of Directors. More information about the TSNRP Executive Board of Directors can be found on the TSNRP website at https://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/executive-board, and information on the Advisory Council can be found at https://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/advisory-council.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates – The Government anticipates notifying awardees of funding decisions approximately four (4) months after submission.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices – Successful applicants will receive via email a copy of the grant award to be signed by an institutional/company authorizing official who has the ability to “bind” the company. Once returned to USU, the award will be executed by the grants officer which constitutes the authorizing document. No work may begin until a fully executed grant agreement is received by the successful applicant(s).

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements – All grant awards issued as a result of this opportunity will be subject to the Uniformed Services University General Terms and Conditions for Assistance Awards, supplemented with TSNRP requirements. The TSNRP supplement to these terms and conditions can be found at (https://www.usuhs.edu/sites/default/files/media/tsnrp/ pdf/supplement-to-grant-terms-and-conditions.pdf), or is available electronically upon request.

3. Reporting – Applicants selected for funding will be required to submit one (1) Interim Progress Report six months after the project start date, one (1) Annual Progress Report no more than https://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/executive-board https://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/advisory-council thirty (30) calendar days after each anniversary of the start date of the grant, and a final progress report no more than ninety (90) calendar days after the expiration of the grant.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact – For questions related to this opportunity, please contact Col Jennifer Hatzfeld, Executive Director, TriService Nursing Research Program, via email at jennifer.hatzfeld@usuhs.edu or by telephone at 301-319-0596.

H. Other Information

1. First-time Applicants – First-time applicants are encouraged to review a TSNRP grant application information packet available at https://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/call-for-proposals. It provides additional detail on the review process, potential applicant organizations, research specialty leaders for each of the Services, sample appendices, and helpful resources. It is also recommended that eligible applicants have attended a TSNRP-sponsored Research and Evidence-Based Practice Grant Camp, which provides valuable insight and guidance on completing a successful grant application. More information about “Grant Camp” can be found at www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/workshops.

2. Research Integrity and Scientific Misconduct – Scientific misconduct refers to fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research or in reporting research results. TSNRP will not tolerate scientific misconduct by TSNRP award applicants or recipients.

3. Additional Information – Additional information about TNSRP can be found at www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp; information on previously funded studies can be found by retrieving final reports through the Defense Technical Information Center’s technical reports search engine at http://www.dtic.mil.

mailto:jennifer.hatzfeld@usuhs.edu http://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp/workshops http://www.usuhs.edu/tsnrp http://www.dtic.mil/