NIH, AHRQ, CDC, FDA & NIOSH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms in 2011

Notice Number: NOT-OD-11-007

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

  • November 24, 2010 (NOT-OD-11-021) - This Notice serves as a reminder of several policies affecting the submission of NIH grant applications for the January 25, 2011 due date and thereafter.
  • November 5, 2010 - See Notice NOT-OD-11-018 Notice of Need to Expire and Reissue Fellowship Applications (Fs) to Comply with Language in New Application Forms.

Related Notices: NOT-OD-11-008

Key Dates
Release Date: September 29, 2010

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Purpose: The purpose of this Guide Notice is to alert applicants that NIH, AHRQ, CDC, FDA and NIOSH are transitioning to updated electronic application forms packages (ADOBE-FORMS-B1). For deadlines on or before May 7, 2011, most applicants (exceptions listed below) may use either ADOBE-FORMS-B or ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms. For deadlines after May 7, all applicants will be required to use ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms.

Exceptions: Applicants submitting for the following NIH programs must use ADOBE-FORMS-B1 packages for deadlines on or after January 25, 2011: Individual Research Career Development Award Programs (Ks), Institutional Training and Career Development Programs (Ts and Ds), or Individual National Research Service Awards (Fs). For more information, see Guide Notice NOT-OD-11-008.

Background: Agencies periodically implement updated versions of SF424 (R&R) grant application forms in order to remain current with the most recent form sets available through Grants.gov and approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

Beginning this month, NIH is implementing two new forms versions Project/Performance Site Location(s) version 1.4 and R&R Other Project Information version 1.3. Please note that the incorporation of these updated forms resolves some outstanding technical and administrative issues and does not result in any major changes to the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for NIH and other PHS agencies.

The updated forms will be incorporated into new and existing funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). The new application forms packages including these updated forms will be identified with a Competition ID of ADOBE-FORMS-B1 (the Competition ID field can be found in the application header information and when downloading the application package from Grants.gov). The specific form updates include:

  • Project/Performance Site Location(s) version 1.4
    • Update: A DUNS (Database Universal Numbering System) number is no longer required by Grants.gov for the primary performance site. Note: This field remains an NIH requirement and is enforced by NIH business rules.
  • R&R Other Project Information version 1.3
    • Update: The form has been modified to enable the Human Subject Assurance Number field whenever the answer to Are Human Subjects Involved? is Yes .

Instructions:

  • All new FOAs will be posted with ADOBE-FORMS-B1 packages.
  • In addition, ADOBE-FORMS-B1 application packages will be added to existing FOAs. Applicants may see both ADOBE-FORMS-B and ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms packages posted to the same FOA. If presented with more than one package of forms, applicants should always download and use the most recent set of forms (forms packages are numbered sequentially) to complete their submission.
  • All applicants should carefully read their FOA and the appropriate B Series Application Guide for program-specific instructions before completing their application.
  • Applicants submitting for K, T, D, or F programs are exempt from this Guide Notice and should follow the specific instructions stated in NOT-OD-11-008.
  • Applicants eligible to submit under NIH’s Continuous Submission policy must use ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms for any submissions made after May 7, 2011.
  • Learn more about choosing the correct forms packages at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/files/right_forms.pdf.

Timing: To accommodate the transition to the new forms in an applicant-friendly manner, NIH, AHRQ, CDC, FDA and NIOSH will accept applications submitted using either ADOBE-FORMS-B or ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms for deadlines on or before May 7, 2011. For deadlines after May 7, 2011, all applicants will be required to submit grant applications using only ADOBE-FORMS-B1 forms. Submissions using the ADOBE-FORMS-B application forms after May 7, 2011 will not be accepted.

Inquiries

Questions about this notice should be directed to:

NIH Grants Info
Phone: 301-945-7573
TTY: 301-451-5936
E-mail: GrantsInfo@nih.gov