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Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

VA - 2017 - Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board	Agency Name	Department of Veterans Affairs
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	2017
Original Establishment Date	5/12/1995	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	32
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Designated Federal Officer
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	4/11/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Michael
Date Of Renewal Charter	4/11/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	R.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Burgio
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	Ph.D.
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(202) 603-4667
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(202) 495-6156
Specific Establishment Authority*	38 USC 7303	Designated Federal Officer Email*	michael.burgiol@va.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	5/9/1995
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board supports the central VA mission in advancing Veterans' health in its review of Veteran-centric research applications. Supporting research helps to recruit and retain top clinician-scientists, as well as supports the VA Strategic Goals of improving customer service and implementing the mission action. Applications reviewed by the Board included research on suicide prevention, one of the Top 5 Priorities for the VA. Other high priority topics include traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, pain, and opioid abuse. The Board provided expert review of the scientific quality, budget, safety, and mission relevance of investigator-initiated research proposals submitted for VA Merit Review funding. The evaluations resulted in recommendations for approval or disapproval, levels and duration of funding, and a priority score reflecting the overall merit of the application. These recommendations were used by the Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board to guide the limited research funds to the most promising VA-relevant projects that will impact the health and health care of Veterans. The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board supports the VA Strategic Goals by 1) scoring research projects based on their potential to improve Veteran health care and health, improving communication between researchers and clinicians; 2) advising what research proposals have the potential to improve treatments for diseases affecting Veterans; 3) providing a transparent and accountable mechanism for choosing the most impactful research projects for the well being of Veterans; and 4) evaluating the governance, systems, data and management of research project proposals.
How is membership balanced?*	The Board must have an appropriate balance of reviewers to evaluate the scientific, technical, and medical aspects of the proposals within the purview of the Board. Collectively, the members must reflect the broad-based scientific expertise required to competently review the research proposals received. Board members are selected based on their skills sets, experiences, credentials and with regard to ensuring a diverse group of members.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The scientific review function of the Board is performed by 32 standing review panels, which usually meet twice a year--spring and fall--in order to evaluate the scientific merit of research proposals each year. For the current year, there were 59 review panel meetings. In order to assure timely evaluations of research proposals, semi-annual meetings of the review panels are essential.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Board is composed of both VA and non-VA scientists, who are nationally and internationally recognized as experts in their respective fields. Local staff does not have the required expertise, and there is no other acceptable way to accomplish the scientific review of Merit Review proposals. The outstanding credentials of the review panels lend credibility to award decisions.
Why close or partially close meetings?	The closed portion of the meetings is devoted to the evaluation of research proposals from investigators whose ideas and credentials are discussed freely. These discussions must remain confidential to protect the privacy of the individual investigators and their research ideas.
Recommendation Remarks	The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board reviewed 943 proposals in FY 2024 in review panel virtual subcommittee meetings during the November-December 2023 and May-June 2024 time frames. Virtual meetings of the parent committee were held on January 30 and July 9. The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board is structured to have scientific discipline-specific subcommittees and a parent Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board. The subcommittees report recommendations and activities twice a year to the parent committee. The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board reports reflect both parent and subcommittee membership.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	No other actions
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NA	Grants Review Comment	The research proposals reviewed by the Board are internal to VA and are not considered grants to outside entities.
Number Of Recommendations*	16,625	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	This is the total number of recommendations for FY 2003 through FY 2024.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	79.57%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The Board recommended funding for more proposals than funds were available to support.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	NA	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Each review meeting is informed about the outcome of recommendations at the subsequent meeting. Information on agency feedback can be obtained by contacting Michael Burgio at 202-603-4667 or at Michael.Burgio@va.gov.	Narrative Description*	The Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board supports the central VA mission in advancing Veterans' health in its review of Veteran-centric research applications. Supporting research helps to recruit and retain top clinician-scientists, improving directly employee experience and access to care. The Board provided expert review of the scientific quality, budget, safety, and mission relevance of investigator-initiated research proposals submitted for VA Merit Review funding. The evaluations resulted in recommendations for approval or disapproval, levels and duration of funding, and a priority score reflecting the overall merit of the application. These recommendations were used by the Joint Biomedical Laboratory/Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board to direct the limited research funds to the most promising VA-relevant projects.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	2/19/2025 9:24 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Health Health Care Medicine Diseases Veterans Veterans and Veterans' Medical Care

Custom Links

Committee Level Reports