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NOT-OD-21-052 - Reminder – Requesting Extensions for Early Career Scientists Whose Career Trajectories Have Been Significantly Impacted by COVID-19

Issued by

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Purpose

NIH recently released NOT-OD-21-052, which provided general guidance for early career scientists affected by COVID-19 to request no-cost extensions or funded extensions. This NIAID Notice provides additional guidance for currently funded NIAID K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99 award recipients significantly impacted by COVID-19 seeking funded extensions.

Background

NIAID investigators have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and several areas of need specifically have been identified for early career scientists, in particular Career award recipients. To help support NIAID trainees, NIAID is providing an opportunity for select K award recipients in the last year of their award, or in their first no-cost extension, to apply for a funded extension to support their career development to facilitate successful transition to research independence. Due to limited funding in FY2021, the NIAID will not be able to provide funded extensions for all K awardees. To maximize the limited resources, NIAID seeks to support K award recipients in the last year of their award for whom an NIAID-supported cost extension will be most impactful toward subsequent R01 funding and a transition to independent investigation.

Eligibility and Cost Extension Criteria

Applicants must be a currently funded NIAID K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99 recipient in the final year of their award or in a first no cost extension (NCE) and have experienced a minimum of a 12-week lab closure or clinical research interruption due to COVID-19 (K99 recipients in a no cost extension are strongly encouraged to contact the assigned grants specialist in advance of submitting an extension request due to additional administrative requirements). Applicants meeting these requirements may be eligible for a 4-month funded extension. Applicants who have experienced exceptional hardships due to COVID-19 or circumstances that resulted in an extended COVID-19 impact may be eligible for an additional 2-month funded extension, for a total combined 6-month funded extension. Funded extensions for K award recipients will be for salary support for the PI only and not for additional resources or research expenses.

Currently funded NIAID K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99 awardees with an unobligated balance equivalent to 1 year or more of funding are not eligible for this funded extension. In addition, NIAID K01, K08, K22, K23, K25 or K99 award recipients who have successfully competed as a PD/PI for a research project grant (RPG) with direct costs of at least $100,000 per year are not eligible for a funded extension.

Application and Submission Information

Currently funded eligible NIAID K award recipients impacted by COVID-19 seeking funded extensions must apply electronically using the following opportunity announcement:

• PA-20-272 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-272 must be followed, with the following additions:

• Application Due Date(s) – June 7, 2021 through 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-OD-21-052” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this funding opportunity.
• Applicants must be a currently-funded NIAID K01, K08, K22, K23, K25 K99 recipient in the final year of their award or in a first no cost extension at the time of application due date and have experienced a minimum of a 12-week lab closure due or clinical research interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the assigned Program Official for the parent award and/or the Office of Research Training and Special Programs via email at AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov prior to submission.

R&R Other Project Information Form (Other Attachments)

• Provide a description (maximum of 2 pages) of COVID-19 related disruptions to the applicant’s research above and beyond lost research productivity that most trainees experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., delays from core facility disruptions, shortage of research personnel due to departures or inability to hire, and increased childcare responsibilities, COVID-19 illness, etc.) and a strong justification for how the requested extension will facilitate regaining research momentum and timely completion of the award aims.
• Provide a summary of theapplicant’s pending, current, and prior PHS or non-PHS support (Other Support).

PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form:

• Research Plan: Provide a description (maximum length 3 pages) of the research plan for the extension, which must remain within the scope of the parent award.
• Institutional Commitment to Candidate's Research Career Development: Provide a letter of support (maximum length 2 pages) from the applicant’s Department Chair (or equivalent) and countersigned by the AOR, primary mentor, and applicant confirming the nature of the research interruption (e.g., lab closure, clinical research restriction), certifying that the research interruptions were due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and specifying the timeframe and/or duration of the interruption(s). The letter of support must also confirm continued institutional commitment to the K award recipient for the remainder of the K award period and the duration of the funded extension, including a description of any additional funds to support the trainee and/or work proposed, if provided. NIAID expects the K award recipient to resume the required minimum effort (75% in most cases) during the funded extension.

R&R Budget Form: Provide a budget and budget justification, including an estimate of funds remaining on the award at the end of the current budget period and a description of why the remaining funds cannot be used to cover the requested extension.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Deborah Philp, Ph.D.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 301-761-7766
Email: AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov