(a) Requirements for grants

In determining whether to award a grant to an applicant under the Shared Instrumentation Grant Program, the Director of NIH, acting through the Office of the Director of NIH, shall consider—

(1) the extent to which an award for the specific instrument involved would meet the scientific needs and enhance the planned research endeavors of the major users by providing an instrument that is unavailable or to which availability is highly limited;

(2) with respect to the instrument involved, the availability and commitment of the appropriate technical expertise within the major user group or the applicant institution for use of the instrumentation;

(3) the adequacy of the organizational plan for the use of the instrument involved and the internal advisory committee for oversight of the applicant, including sharing arrangements if any;

(4) the applicant’s commitment for continued support of the utilization and maintenance of the instrument; and

(5) the extent to which the specified instrument will be shared and the benefit of the proposed instrument to the overall research community to be served.

(b) Peer review

In awarding grants under the program described in subsection (a), the Director of NIH, acting through the Office of the Director of NIH, shall comply with the peer review requirements in section 289a of this title.