(a) The Institute uses a Program Review process undertaken by the Institute's Program Integration Committee to identify and recommend for funding a final list of meritorious Cancer Research projects, including those projects with Cancer Research Product Development prospects, and evidence-based Cancer Prevention and Control Program projects that are in the best overall interest of the State.
(b) Program Review shall be conducted pursuant to the requirements set forth in Chapter 702 of this title (relating to Institute Standards on Ethics and Conflicts, Including the Acceptance of Gifts and Donations to the Institute) and Chapter 102, Texas Health and Safety Code.
(c) The Program Integration Committee shall meet pursuant to a schedule established by the Chief Executive Officer, who serves as the Committee's presiding officer, to consider the prioritized list of Grant Applications submitted by the Prevention Review Council, the Product Development Review Council, or the Scientific Review Council.
(d) The Program Integration Committee shall approve by a majority vote a final list of Grant Applications recommended for Grant Awards to be provided to the Oversight Committee, including a list of Grant Applications, if any, that have been deferred until a future meeting of the Program Integration Committee. In composing the final list of Grant Applications recommended for Grant Award funding, the Program Integration Committee shall:
  (1) Substantially base the list upon the Grant Award recommendations submitted by the Review Council.
  (2) To the extent possible, give priority for funding to Grant Applications that:
    (A) Could lead to immediate or long-term medical and scientific breakthroughs in the area of Cancer Prevention or cures for cancer;
    (B) Strengthen and enhance fundamental science in Cancer Research;
    (C) Ensure a comprehensive coordinated approach to Cancer Research and Cancer Prevention;
    (D) Are interdisciplinary or interinstitutional;
    (E) Address federal or other major research sponsors' priorities in emerging scientific or Technology fields in the area of Cancer Prevention, or cures for cancer;
    (F) Are matched with funds available by a private or nonprofit entity and institution or institutions of higher education;
    (G) Are collaborative between any combination of private and nonprofit entities, public or private agencies or institutions in this state, and public or private institutions outside this state;
    (H) Have a demonstrable economic development benefit to this state;
    (I) Enhance research superiority at institutions of higher education in this state by creating new research superiority, attracting existing research superiority from institutions not located in this state and other research entities, or enhancing existing research superiority by attracting from outside this state additional researchers and resources;
    (J) Expedite innovation and commercialization, attract, create, or expand private sector entities that will drive a substantial increase in high-quality jobs, and increase higher education applied science or Technology research capabilities; and
    (K) Address the goals of the Texas Cancer Plan.
  (3) Document the factors considered in making the Grant Award recommendations, including any factors not listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection;
  (4) Explain in writing the reasons for not recommending a Grant Application that was recommended for a Grant Award by the Review Council or for deferring a Grant Application recommendation until a future meeting date;
  (5) Specify the amount of Grant Award funding for each Grant Application.
    (A) Unless otherwise specifically stated, the Program Integration Committee adopts the changes to the Grant Award amount recommended by the Review Council.
    (B) If the Program Integration Committee approves a change in the Grant Award amount that was not recommended by the Review Council, then the Grant Award amount and a written explanation for the change shall be provided.
  (6) Specify changes, if any, to the Grant Application's Scope of Work recommended for a Grant Award and provide an explanation for the changes made;
  (7) Address how the funding recommendations meet the annual priorities for Cancer Prevention, Cancer Research and Product Development programs and affect the Institute's overall Grant Award portfolio established by the Oversight Committee; and
  (8) Provide a list of deferred Grant Applications, if any.
(e) In the event that the Program Integration Committee's vote on the final list of Grant Award recommendations or deferrals is not unanimous, then the Program Integration Committee Member or Members not voting with the majority may submit a written explanation to the Oversight Committee for the vote against the final list of Grant Award recommendations or deferrals. The explanation may include the Program Integration Committee Member or Members' recommended prioritized list of Grant Award recommendations or deferrals.
(f) The Program Integration Committee's decision to not include a Grant Application on the prioritized list of Grant Applications submitted to the Oversight Committee is final. A Grant Application not included on the prioritized list created by the Program Integration Committee shall not be considered further during the Grant Review Cycle, except for the following:
  (1) In the event that the Program Integration Committee's vote on the final list of Grant Award recommendations is not unanimous, then, upon a motion of an Oversight Committee Member, the Oversight Committee may also consider the Grant Award recommendations submitted by the non-majority Program Integration Committee Member or Members;
  (2) A finding of an undisclosed Conflict of Interest as set forth in §703.9 of this chapter (relating to Limitation on Review of Grant Process); or
  (3) A decision by the Program Integration Committee to defer a decision to include a Grant Application on the prioritized list of Grant Applications submitted to the Oversight Committee until a future meeting of the Program Integration Committee, subject to subsection (k) of this section.
(g) The Chief Compliance Officer shall attend and observe Program Integration Committee meetings to document compliance with Chapter 102, Texas Health and Safety Code and the Institute's administrative rules.
(h) At the time that the Program Integration Committee's final Grant Award recommendations are formally submitted to the Oversight Committee, the Chief Executive Officer shall prepare a written affidavit for each Grant Application recommended by the Program Integration Committee containing relevant information related to the Grant Application recommendation.
  (1) Information to be provided in the Chief Executive Officer's affidavit may include:
    (A) The Peer Review process for the recommended Grant Application, including:
      (i) The Request for Applications applicable to the Grant Application;
      (ii) The number of Grant Applications submitted in response to the Request for Applications;
      (iii) The name of the Peer Review Panel reviewing the Grant Application;
      (iv) Whether a preliminary review process was used by the Peer Review Panel for the Grant Mechanism in the Grant Review Cycle;
      (v) An overview of the Conflict of Interest process applicable to the Grant Review Cycle noting any waivers granted; and
      (vi) A list of all final Overall Evaluation Scores for all Grant Applications submitted pursuant to the same Grant Mechanism, de-identified by Grant Applicant;
    (B) The final Overall Evaluation Score and Numerical Ranking Score assigned for the Grant Applications recommended during the Peer Review process; and
    (C) A high-level summary of the business operations and management due diligence and intellectual property reviews, if applicable, conducted for a Cancer Research Product Development Grant Application.
  (2) In the event that the Program Integration Committee's final Grant Award recommendations are not unanimous and the Program Integration Committee Member or Members in the non-majority recommend Grant Applications not included on the final list of Grant Award recommendations, then the Chief Executive Officer shall also prepare a written affidavit for each Grant Application recommended by the non-majority Program Integration Committee Member or Members.
(i) To the extent that the information or documentation for one Grant Application is the same for all Grant Applications recommended for Grant Award funding pursuant to the same Grant Mechanism, it shall be sufficient for the Chief Executive Officer to provide the information or documentation once and incorporate by reference in each subsequent affidavit.
Cont'd...
(j) At least three business days prior to the Oversight Committee meeting held to consider the Grant Applications for Grant Award funding, the Chief Executive Officer shall provide a list of Grant Applications, if any, recommended for an advance of Grant Award funds upon execution of the Grant Contract. The list shall include the reasons supporting the recommendation to advance funds.
(k) The Program Integration Committee's decision to defer the final Grant Award recommendation for a Grant Application is only effective for the state fiscal year in which the Program Integration Committee's deferral decision is made.
  (1) A Grant Application that is deferred by the Program Integration Committee and is pending a final Grant Award recommendation at the end of the state fiscal year shall be considered not recommended for a Grant Award without further action from the Program Integration Committee.
  (2) A Grant Application that is deferred and pending a final Grant Award recommendation at the end of the state fiscal year may be resubmitted by the Grant Applicant in a subsequent review cycle. Such resubmission will not count against the resubmission limit, if any, stated in the Request for Applications.

Source Note: The provisions of this §703.7 adopted to be effective December 21, 2009, 34 TexReg 9213; amended to be effective March 2, 2014, 39 TexReg 1386; amended to be effective September 9, 2015, 40 TexReg 5792; amended to be effective December 7, 2016, 41 TexReg 9527; amended to be effective September 7, 2023, 48 TexReg 4863