NIH Announces an Adjustment to Transition Timeline for Electronic Submission of Multi-Project Applications

Notice Number: NOT-OD-13-075

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

  • December 22, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for All NIH Competing Grant Applications and Some Post-award Administrative Actions. See Notice NOT-OD-16-042.
  • November 20, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for Fellowship Grant Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-16-023.
  • September 17, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for Small Business Grant Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-15-156.
  • July 20, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for Institutional Training and Career Development (Ts and K12), Other Training Grants (Ds) and Various Research Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-15-126.
  • May 1, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for Research Project Cooperative Agreements (U01s). See Notice NOT-OD-15-099.
  • April 30, 2015 - ASSIST Now an Option for R01 and Individual Career Development Award Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-15-098.
  • August 30, 2013 - See Notice NOT-MH-14-020. Notice of Intent to Publish the Reissued Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Silvio O. Conte Centers for Basic or Translational Mental Health Research (P50).
  • August 1, 2013 - See Notice NOT-OD-13-095. Using ASSIST to Prepare and Submit Multi-Project Applications to NIH: Webinar - August 13, 2013.
  • July 26, 2013 - See Notice NOT-OD-13-091. Now Available: PHS 398 Application Forms and Instructions for Application Due Dates on or after September 25, 2013 and Updated Application Guides for Electronic Application Forms.

Key Dates
Release Date: May 30, 2013

Related Announcements
NOT-OD-15-099
NOT-OD-15-098
NOT-OD-12-161
NOT-OD-13-074

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

This Notice announces an adjustment to the timeline to transition NIH’s multi-project applications to electronic submission using the SF424 R&R (Research and Research Related) form set.

Background

Since 2005, NIH has been transitioning its grant programs to electronic submission of applications through the fed-wide portal, Grants.gov, using the SF424 (R&R) form set. In 2010, NIH completed the transition for all its grant programs, except NIH’s complex, multi-project applications.

NIH has been piloting a new submission system (ASSIST) with select FOAs since January 2013 (see timeline). Feedback from the pilot has been used to improve the submission process and enhance the ASSIST user experience. Applicant organizations which use system-to-system solutions will be able to use those services for submitting multi-project applications into Grants.gov if the provider offers that service.

Transition Plan

The transition will be done by activity code. As each activity code transitions, all applications submitted in response to funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for programs with that activity code will require electronic submission (including new, resubmission, renewal and revision applications).

Updated plans/milestones are as follows:

  • November 2012 Launched ASSIST and issue a series of pilot funding opportunity announcements of varying activity codes that will require electronic submission for due dates between January and September 2013.
  • September 25, 2013 Electronic submission required for all applications intended for due dates on or after September 25, 2013 submitted in response to FOAs with the following activity codes: P01, P20, P50, U19, R24, U24.
    • As part of the transition process, R24 and U24 activity codes have been designated as single project activity codes and will require submission using Grants.gov downloadable forms rather than ASSIST. Current programs that have used the R24 and U24 activity codes in a way consistent with multi-project applications will transition to newly created multi-project activity codes using ASSIST in the same timeframe.
  • January 25, 2014 Electronic submission required for all applications intended for due dates on or after January 25, 2014 submitted in response to FOAs with the following activity codes: G12, P30, P40, P41, P42, P51, P60, R28, S06, U10, U41, U42, U45, U56, UC7.
  • May 25, 2014 Electronic submission required for all applications intended for due dates on or after May 25, 2014 submitted in response to FOAs with the following activity codes: U54, UM1.

NIH will continue to communicate transition plan changes as they evolve and will provide the community with ample notice of impending events.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Grants Information
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
Telephone: 301-945-7573
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov
Web: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm