1. Health Resources and Services Administration Division of Independent Review Objective Review Orientation Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students 1

2. DIR Mission To ensure a fair, ethical and objective review of each application 2

3. Conflict of Interest A conflict of interest occurs when a reviewer, close relative, or professional associate of the reviewer has a financial or other interest in an application that is likely to bias the reviewer’s evaluation of that application. 3

4. Confidentiality  Before, during, and after the review.  Results of all conference calls are CONFIDENTIAL.  Discussions regarding applications should be confined to any conference calls.  All review materials are to be destroyed after the meeting has concluded. 4

5. Approach  Avoid personal bias.  Independently review, evaluate and score each application based on the Review Criteria.  Consistently evaluate each application (i.e., scores should reflect the strengths and weaknesses noted). 5

6. Outside Information  If information is not in the application the reviewer should review as though the information does not exist.  Applications should be reviewed and evaluated in accordance with the Review Criteria.  Applications should not be compared.  DO NOT discuss or mention any information that is not contained in the application itself (including web-site references). 6

7. Role of the Participants DIR Review Administrator (RA): Guides, oversees, and verifies the integrity of the objective review process. Program: When requested, responds to specific technical and programmatic issues. Grants Management: When requested assists with budget issues. DIR Contractor: Provides logistical support to DIR such as honoraria and reimbursements, transmission of review materials and any other special needs. 7

8. Steps in Conducting a Field Review 1.Evaluation of Assigned Applications: Read the FOA before reading the assigned applications. Your reviewer checklist will match the review criteria to which applicants respond. The Checklist is for you to provide your evaluation of the application. Check either the strength, met, or weakness box and provide your clear, organized statements of strengths and weaknesses. The Checklist with your comments are due back to Chris at Humanitas by August 30. 8

9. Steps in Conducting a Field Review cont. 2. Criterion Scoring: Use the Summary Statement Checklist and the Score Worksheet to compile your scores and budget information. All scores are to be entered into ARM. Use whole numbers and not fractions. Your completed Summary Statement Checklist is to be sent to Chris by August 30 th. The Score Worksheet is a courtesy document for you to use. It does not need to be returned. All scores and budget numbers should be entered into ARM. At the “preference/priority” section, be sure to enter a “0”. You won’t be able to continue if it is left blank. When you have finished entering scores and budget information into ARM, you must click the “submit to chair” button. 9

10. Steps in Conducting a Field Review cont. 3. Criterion Scoring and Comments: Please remember that comments are NOT to be entered into ARM. You should only be entering the following into ARM: scores budget information a “0” for preference/priority 10

12. Steps in Conducting a Field Review cont. 4. Budget: Reviewers are to provide budget recommendations for 4 years. Budget numbers are to be entered into ARM. Reviewers cannot recommend an increase in the Applicant’s budget request. If a reduction in the budget request is recommended, Reviewers must provide a rationale. 12

13. Steps in Conducting a Field Review cont. 5. Funding Factors (Priority Points): The Program Officer will determine the assigned priority points. Reviewers must enter a “0” at this section in order to submit their scores to the chair. If left blank, ARM will not allow you to click the “submit to chair” button. 13

14. Summary Statement Development Please provide clear and useful feedback in the Summary Statement comments. We are especially interested in the value of the comments, particularly in areas of weaknesses. Each statement must be properly justified. There is nothing wrong with leaving in a statement that is a “requirement” of the FOA, so long as it is not a contradiction with other statements. 14

15. Deletion of Files At the end of this review, HRSA expects that you will permanently delete all files from your electronic equipment. 15

16. Questions  On behalf of HRSA, Thank You again for serving on this review committee! 16 The End!