1. (a) The Institute will use the grants review process to identify the most creative, and innovative projects representing the best science and, if appropriate, commercial prospects. To the extent possible, priority for funding for cancer research and cancer prevention applications will be given to proposals that:

   1. (1) Could lead to immediate or long-term medical and scientific breakthroughs in the area of cancer prevention or cures for cancer;
   2. (2) Strengthen and enhance fundamental science in cancer research;
   3. (3) Ensure a comprehensive coordinated approach to cancer research and prevention;
   4. (4) Are interdisciplinary or interinstitutional;
   5. (5) Address federal or other major research sponsors' priorities in emerging scientific or technology fields in the area of cancer prevention, or cures for cancer;
   6. (6) Are matched with funds available by a private or nonprofit entity and institution or institutions of higher education;
   7. (7) Use money from the Cancer Prevention and Research Fund or the proceeds of general obligation bonds issued on behalf of the Institute to obtain additional cancer research and prevention funding from other sources;
   8. (8) Are collaborative between any combination of private and nonprofit entities, public or private agencies or institutions in this state, and public or private institutions outside this state;
   9. (9) Have a demonstrable economic development benefit to this state;
   10. (10) Enhance research superiority at institutions of higher education or in this state by creating new research superiority, attracting existing research superiority from institutions not located in this state and other research entities, or enhancing existing research superiority by attracting from outside this state additional researchers and resources; and
   11. (11) Expedite innovation and commercialization, attract, create, or expand private sector entities that will drive a substantial increase in high-quality jobs, and increase higher education applied science or technology research capabilities.
2. (b) Based upon the number of applications received and the resources available for the scientific research and prevention program committees, the Institute reserves the option to conduct an initial evaluation of the grant applications by one or more scientific research and prevention program committees. An application determined to be incomplete or otherwise noncompetitive during the initial evaluation will not be considered for further review.
3. (c) Grant applications that are not eliminated in the initial peer review evaluation will undergo a rigorous peer review process supervised by the Institute in coordination with the Scientific Review Council, the Prevention Review Council and the Commercialization Review Council, as may be appropriate to the subject matter of the applications.
4. (d) Based upon the results of the peer review process and in consideration of the standards described in subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, each scientific research and prevention program committee shall submit to the Scientific Review Council, Prevention Review Council or the Commercialization Review Council the grant applications that the committee recommends should be considered for funding awards.
5. (e) Grant funding recommendations made by individual research and prevention program committees will be evaluated by the Scientific Review Council, the Prevention Review Council and the Commercialization Review Council as may be appropriate to the subject area of the applications.
6. (f) Pursuant to a schedule developed by the Executive Director, the Scientific Review Council, the Prevention Review Council, and the Commercialization Review Council will submit a prioritized list of grant funding recommendations to the Executive Director. The list of grant funding recommendations will include a statement of how the grant applications recommended for funding meet one or more standards of subsection (a) of this section.
7. (g) The decision to recommend a grant application for funding is entirely within the purview of the scientific research and prevention programs committee(s) evaluating the grant application.
8. (h) An applicant shall not contact a scientific research and prevention programs committee member regarding the status or substance of any grant application.
9. (i) Prior to receiving access to confidential and proprietary information submitted by a grant applicant, all individuals, including scientific research and prevention programs committee members, CPRIT employees, Oversight Committee members, and grants management system employees shall certify that confidential and proprietary information will not be disclosed or used in any way other than for the purposes of evaluating and awarding grants. The certification may be accomplished by signing a non-disclosure agreement. The Institute will retain the signed certifications on file.

Source Note:The provisions of this §703.6 adopted to be effective December 21, 2009, 34 TexReg 9213.