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Revised Forms. You must use the recently revised forms (PHS 398 and 2590, as applicable, rev. 9/04). The 398 forms (PHS 398, rev. 9/04) are now available and will be accepted for submission/receipt dates on or after December 1, 2004. All applications received on or after May 10, 2005 must use the new instructions and forms.
The 2590 (PHS 2590, rev. 9/04) instructions and forms will be accepted immediately. All progress reports received on or after May 1, 2005 must use the new version.
Modular Grant Format. Continue to use the modular grant format for proposals requesting direct costs of $250,000 or less or when the modular grant format is required by a particular RFA.
NIH Mailing Address. All mail addressed to the NIH that is sent via U.S. mail must use the unique NIH Zip Code 20892. In the case of courier (i.e., Federal Express, UPS, DHL, etc.) deliveries, the zip code to be used is 20817. Hand deliveries are no longer allowed. For further information please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-012.html
Human Subjects Education Requirements. NIH has mandated that all key personnel listed on NIH grant applications for projects utilizing human subjects undertake a prescribed education program on the protection of human subjects in research. NIH has stated that a letter signed by the principal investigator/project director and the authorized institutional official documenting the education program will be sufficient. For those key personnel who are consultants or at another institution (as a subawardee), documentation is required. For noncompeting applications, documentation must be submitted as part of the application. For competing applications (new and renewal proposals), NIH will request documentation at the same time it requests updated information on other support, etc. ("just in time"); consequently, documentation does not need to accompany new or competing renewal proposals.
COUHES Review. Except in the case of non-competing proposals, COUHES review and approval is not required at proposal time. Consequently, pending or approval letters are not necessary for NEW and RENEWAL proposals only. Instead, once you are notified that your proposal is in the "fundable" range, you will need to move forward with COUHES review. The "just in time" procedure is meant to save you and the committee unnecessary work should your proposal not be considered fundable. It is imperative, however, that once you are informed that the proposal is in the fundable range, that you immediately submit your protocol for approval. NIH will not make an award without that approval. Also be aware that this new procedure is not in effect for non-competing proposals nor is it applicable to proposals utilizing animals. Please note that a FAQ on this change in IRB review is available in the NIH Guide http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-031.html
IACUC Review. Documentation of IACUC review and approval of protocols is required prior to grant review by the NIH study sections. If the protocol is reviewed by the IACUC prior to grant submission, a copy of the approval letter should be submitted with the grant application. If the protocol is not reviewed by the IACUC prior to grant submission, you are reminded that the grant application will not be reviewed by a study section until NIH has received the approval letter. You have less than 60 days after grant submission in which to accomplish this task. While the IACUC staff will attempt to remind you to do this, it is the principal investigator's responsibility to submit a protocol to the IACUC in a timely manner. The following information is required in Section F: Vertebrate Animals for applications and proposals (competing and non-competing) for awards submitted to PHS that involve the care and use of animals. The NIH reserves the right to return grant applications that do not contain this information.
a. identification of the species and approximate number of animals to be used;
b. rational e for involving animals, and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers to be used;
c. a complete description of the proposed use of the animals;
d. a description of procedures designed to assure that discomfort and injury to animals will be limited to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically valuable research, and that analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs will be used where indicated and appropriate to minimize discomfort and pain to animals; and
e. a description of any euthanasia method to be used.
Non-competing applications and contract proposals for other than full and open competitions need not repeat the information above if the information was complete in the last competing application or proposal and there are no significant changes to that information. However, the application or proposal must contain a statement to that effect. If there are significant changes in the information, then the application or proposal must specifically identify them and state the reasons for the changes.
Proposals Requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs per year. NIH has recently revised its policy for unsolicited proposals that request $500,000 or more in direct costs in ANY budget year. Agreement that the proposal can be submitted must be sought from the appropriate Institute/Center program staff at least six weeks prior to the anticipated submission of any application. This policy is not applicable to proposals submitted in response to RFA's or other announcements that include specific budgetary limits. Failure to comply with the approval requirements will result in NIH returning the application unsigned. Further information can be found at the NIH Guide notice: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-004.html. The proposal transmittal letter must include the name and NIH institute or center that approved the submittal.
NIH Salary Cap. For a list of the current NIH salary caps, visit http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/policy/salcap_summary.htm. NIH reminds us that actual salaries should be used in new and competing proposal budgets and NIH will make the appropriate changes with regards to Salary Cap at time of award. It should be noted that if the salary cap is used as the base salary rather than the institutional salary and the salary cap is raised the PI will not benefit from the salary cap increase. You should also be aware that President Bush has recently announced increases in the federal wage scales that form the basis of the salary cap; consequently it is likely to increase in the near future.
Last updated 2/17/05