AMP CMD Frequently Asked Questions

AMP CMD Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the data coordinating center for the AMP CMD program? Are there other portals?

• The data coordinating center is at the Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts.  It is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health, with support from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). The Broad Institute develops and maintains the AMP CMD Knowledge Portal (CMDKP): an open access knowledge portal in a cloud environment. It provides data and tools to promote understanding and treatment of common metabolic diseases.
• The CMDKP has federated nodes in Europe with EMBL-EBI and in San Diego with the CMD Genome Atlas (CMDGA).

What is the AMP CMD policy on data integration into the Knowledge Portal, access, protection and sharing?

• A critical program goal of any AMP initiative is to advance research by creating a community resource of data, analyses, and other research resources which are publicly available and accessible to the broad biomedical community. To maximize scientific exchange and accelerate research in that field, it is expected that all information, data, protocols, resources, and methods developed by AMP investigators will be shared in a rapid and timely way with other investigators in the consortium and with the research community at-large. All data and tools generated will be deposited in a timely manner into the AMP CMD Knowledge Portal or its federated nodes and made accessible for use by the broad biomedical community.
• Depending on the data type (individual level or summary data, tissue type, and country of origin, etc.) data may be submitted to the AMP CMD KP, CMDGA or EMBL-EBI.
• Please review the CMDKP Policies for details on Data Transfer Agreement. The same policy will address data access, protection and sharing with the broad community.

Is there a period of data embargo after they are submitted to the Knowledge Portal to allow investigators time to publish before the public has access to the data?

• Investigators and the Knowledge Portal team work out a schedule when data are released to the public. Before data is released to the public, the Portal team performs data QC and this takes time. During the data embargo period, the AMP CMD steering committee may preview the data so that it can approve payment to the investigators for completed milestone(s). Investigators may choose to place data in BioRxiv before they are released on the Portal which allows them time to get their manuscripts submitted and accepted.

How is intellectual property (IP) handled?

• It is not expected that projects funded through AMP CMD will generate novel IP. However, in extraordinary circumstances, the AMP Steering Committee and the FNIH may agree that patent protection would further the goals of the AMP. Anything funded by NIH follows US law, regulation, and NIH policy.

How should investigators reference the AMP CMD Knowledge Portal or the CMD Genomic Atlas (and EMBL- EBI?) in a publication (journal paper)?

• Investigators and institutions that benefit from the data and tools in the AMP CMD Knowledge Portal shall reference the data accessed via the portal (AMP CMDKP/CMDGA/EMBL-EBI. Year Month Date of access; URL of cited page). FNIH-funded investigators and institutions shall acknowledge funding from the FNIH and the Accelerated Medicines Partnership Common Metabolic Diseases initiative in any paper(s) in which the data were published as a result of the award.

Questions related to Requests for Proposal (RFPs) 5-6, released February 1, 2024, and due April 3, 2024

What does a budget cover in a proposal?

• The budget (in U.S. dollars) in a proposal or contract covers both direct and indirect project costs. Direct cost includes salary for the principal investigator(s), co-investigator(s) and staff, calculated at % effort of the institutional base salary (IBS), not to exceed NIH’s salary cap; travel expenses to AMP CMD meetings, and materials and supplies. Indirect cost is a percentage of the total direct costs.

Is there a cap on the budget for each RFP?

• AMP CMD RFPs do not specify a budget cap, as projects differ in terms of scope of work, staff, materials and equipment, length in years, etc. That said, competitive projects typically range in budget between $200,000-$1,000,000 over the life of the project. This is to enure that a diversity of programs can be funded through the AMP CMD budget.
  • For proposals with multiple aims, the budget should be prepared in detail for each specific aim. This will enable potential funding of partial project components.

What is the total budget for this first round of RFPs (5-6)?

• There is no set budget for this set of RFPs. Awards are based on the quality of proposals received and the prioritization to achieve the goals of AMP CMD.

Can multiple cohorts be included under one proposal?

• Yes. For each cohort, please identify the scope of work with a detailed budget with relevancy to the specific aims.
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval documentation needed to submit a proposal?
• An IRB approval for research involving human subjects is not needed when submitting a proposal. If the proposal advances to the award stage and it is needed for the scope of work, the principal investigator is required to obtain an IRB approval; this is included as a milestone in the contract.

How are investigators paid?

• Project milestones are tied to payments. Once milestones are met, with a submission of a report and approval by the AMP CMD Steering Committee, and data are made publicly available through the portal, the investigator or institution submits an invoice to the FNIH. The FNIH has 30 days to send payment to the investigator or institution.

Can investigators be paid for up-front costs to set up the study?

• If your proposal advances to the award stage, FNIH will work with you to set up a payment schedule based on milestones and deliverables. Signing the contract is milestone 1 and can be tied to a payment to help offset your up-front costs to set up the study.

Are preliminary data required in the proposal if work (e.g., sequencing, analysis) is to be outsourced?

• Preliminary data are not required if the principal investigator works with a well-known vendor. Please reference the vendor in the proposal.

How are proposals reviewed?

• Submitted proposals are reviewed and decided by the AMP CMD Steering Committee on a rolling basis. If the Steering Committee decides that a proposal meets the goals of the AMP CMD program and would like to learn more about the scope of work, an FNIH project manager will reach out to the principal investigator on the next steps.

Are subawards allowed in a proposal?

• Yes, subawards are permissible with approval from the FNIH and should be specified in the proposal.  The purpose of a subaward is to outsource work that supports the principal investigator’s effort outlined in the proposal. A separate contract between the principal investigator and the sub-awardee does not involve the FNIH. Please contact Rachel Fischer at the FNIH for details.