Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the Centers of Innovation subcommittee of the Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on February 13-14, 2013, at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel, 900 South Orme Street, Arlington, Virginia. The sessions will begin at 8 a.m. on both days and adjourn at 5:45 p.m. on February 13 and at 4 p.m. on February 14. The meeting will be open to the public the first day for approximately one half-hour from 8 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. to cover administrative matters and to discuss the general status of the program. The remaining portion of the meetings will be closed. The closed portion of the meeting will involve discussion, examination, reference to, and oral review of the intramural research proposals and critiques.

The purpose of the Board is to review research and development center applications involving the measurement and evaluation of health care services, the testing of new methods of health care delivery and management, and nursing research. Applications are reviewed for scientific and technical merit. Recommendations regarding funding are submitted to the Chief Research and Development Officer.

During the closed portion of the meeting, discussion and recommendations will include qualifications of the personnel conducting the studies (the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy), as well as research information (the premature disclosure of which would likely compromise significantly the implementation of proposed agency action regarding such research projects). As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 92-463, as amended by Public Law 94-409, closing portions of each meeting is in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B).

Those who plan to attend the open sessions should contact Ms. Kristy Benton-Grover, Program Manager, Scientific Merit Review Board, Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research and Development Service (10P9H), 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, or by email at Kristy.benton-grover@va.gov. For further information, please call Mrs. Benton-Grover at (202) 443-5728.