(a) Within the limits of funds available, the Secretary shall make Awards to those applicants:

(1) Who have satisfied the requirements of §66.105; and

(2) Whose proposed research or training would, in the judgment of the Secretary, best promote the purposes of section 487(a)(1)(A) of the Act, taking into consideration among other pertinent factors:

(i) The scientific, technical, or educational merit of the particular proposal;

(ii) The availability of resources and facilities to carry it out;

(iii) The qualifications and experience of the applicant; and

(iv) The need for personnel in the subject area of the proposed research or training.

(b) In making Awards, the Secretary shall take account of the Nation's overall need for biomedical research by giving special consideration to physicians who agree to undertake a minimum of two years of biomedical research.

(c) All Awards shall be in writing. Each shall specify:

(1) The period of the Award;

(2) The total recommended stipends and allowances provided for the entire Award period;

(3) The amount awarded for the intitial year of that period (see §66.107); and

(4) The amount of the payments to the institution for the cost of services provided the awardee by the institution during the initial year of that period (see §66.108).

(d) Neither the approval of any application nor any Award shall commit or obligate the United States in any way to make additional, supplemental, continuation, or other Award with respect to any approved application or portion thereof.

(e) No individual may receive an aggregate of more than five years of support at the predoctoral level and three years at the postdoctoral level unless the Secretary waives, for good cause shown, this limitation for the individual. In determining what constitutes “good cause,” the Secretary shall take into account such factors as whether the applicant proposes to pursue a combined program leading to the degrees of doctor of medicine and doctor of philosophy.

[48 FR 24880, June 3, 1983, as amended at 66 FR 29500, May 31, 2001]