If I am eligible, how do I request that my application be accepted for continuous submission?
In order to assist NIH in identifying these applications, a cover letter isrequired. Please clearly identify the study section(s), Council Board, or other Advisory Group(s) on which you serve(d) and the period of your service.
What is the definition of a temporary or ad hoc member of a study section?
Temporary or ad hoc members of study sections have a commitment to only one meeting of either a permanent study section or a Special Emphasis Panel and are not appointed by the Director, NIH. To check on your eligibility status as a temporary member under the Recent Substantial Service plan, see the list of eligible reviewers: Combined List of Reviewers Eligible for Continuous Submission (Regular and Recent Substantial Service) (PDF - 595KB).
Does all NIH peer review service, including face-to-face meetings as well as mail and telephone review, count toward eligibility?
Yes, temporary service as an attending member, telephone reviewer, or mail reviewer on a study section counts toward eligibility for continuous submission. For mail and other reviews the date of service is the actual meeting date, not the date the review happened to have been submitted. Service on multiple meetings on the same day, while infrequent, counts as one day.
What is the definition of an appointed member of a study section?
Appointed regular members of standing study sections generally have a four- or six-year commitment involving three or two meetings a year. They are nominated by the Scientific Review Officer of the study section and appointed by the Director, NIH, or the Director, NCI (for NCI Study Sections).To check on your eligibility status as a regular member, contact your Scientific Review Officer.
What is the definition of Recent Substantial Service in NIH peer review?
Recent Substantial Service is defined as service as a regular, temporary, or ad hoc reviewer on six different dates in an 18 month period. The 18 month period is from January 1 of one year through June 30 of the second year. Eligibility is calculated in July of the second year, and the names of individuals becoming eligible that year (starting August 16th of the second year through September 30th of the following year) will be posted at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/continuous_submission.htm.
Are any other individuals eligible for continuous submission?
Appointed regular members of NIH Study Sections, NIH Boards of Scientific Counselors, NIH Advisory Boards or Councils, or NIH Program Advisory Committees are eligible for continuous submission.
What is the definition of an appointed member of an NIH Board of Scientific Counselor, NIH Advisory Board or Council, or NIH Program Advisory Committee?
Appointed regular members of these standing NIH committees generally have a four-year commitment involving two or three meetings a year. They are nominated by the Executive Secretary of the committee and appointed by the Director, NIH, the Director, NCI, or the Secretary, HHS. To check on your eligibility status as a regular member, contact your Executive Secretary or check the list posted at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/continuous_submission.htm.
How are applications with multiple Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) handled?
Does this opportunity apply to new applications only?
No, this opportunity applies to new R01, R21, and R34 applications, resubmissions (A1), renewals (type 2), and revisions (type 3) for those three activity codes, submitted for standard due dates.
For R01, R21, and R34 collaborative applications (independent but related applications), are all of the applications required to have at least one continuous submission-eligible PD/PI to use continuous submission?
If all of the related applications have at least one PD/PI who is eligible for continuous submission and all applications are submitted at the same time, then the applications are eligible for this continuous submission process. However, if any one of the related applications does not have a PD/PI who is eligible, then all the applications should be submitted for a regular receipt date.
What about R01, R21, and R34 applications for Institute/Center review?
This is an NIH-wide effort. Whether your application is in an area normally reviewed by a CSR study section or by an IC study section, your application can be submitted under the continuous submission policy if you are eligible for continuous submission.
I served as a temporary member on NCI Special Emphasis Panels: am I eligible for alternate submission?
If you served either as a temporary member or as an appointed member of an NIH study section six times in the 18 month period starting January 1st of one year and ending June 30th of the following year (e.g., January 1, 201X through June 30, 201X+1), you are eligible for continuous submission from August 16th of that following year to September 30th of the next year (e.g. August 16, 201X+1 – September 30, 201X+2).
What is the last date I can submit and be considered for this continuous submission process?
This depends on when your membership term expires. If your eligibility results from regular membership on an NIH Advisory Group, you must successfully submit any application within 6 weeks after your appointment ends.
If your eligibility results from having served as a reviewer six times in 18 months, you must successfully submit any application prior to September 30 of the eligibility year.
If, for example, your appointment as a regular member of a study section ends on June 30, 2013, you may submit an application (new, renewal, resubmission or revised) up to August 16, 2013, and be considered eligible for this continuous submission process. Any applications submitted after August 16, 2013 must be submitted for the regular receipt dates. However, if you served six times (combined Regular Member and/or as an ad hoc reviewer) in the 18 months from January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, you will be eligible for continuous submission from August 16, 2013, through September 30, 2014 under the Recent Substantial Service policy.
How can I correct my review service record?
Reviewers who are eligible for continuous submission based on Recent Substantial Service to peer review, six times in an 18 month window starting January 1st, and reviewers whose eligibilities are based on regular memberships are listed (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/continuous_submission.htm). Individuals who are not listed and believe that they are eligible must ensure that all of their Commons profiles have been collapsed into one, as service records that are divided among multiple profiles will be missed (investigators own their profile(s) and are responsible for keeping them current). Assistance in collapsing profiles is available at the NIH Commons Help Desk (http://era.nih.gov/help/). Any remaining issues/appeals may be directed to the NIH Continuous Submission Committee by emailing CSR.cont.sub.comm@csr.nih.gov.
Do all review meetings count toward continuous submission eligibility?
Not all “review” meetings count towards continuous submission eligibility. The vast majority of study section meetings that review grants and/or contracts will qualify. However, workgroups that do not generate final scores on applications do not count. Loan Repayment Program evaluation meetings do not count. Meetings that are not documented through the NIH Committee Management system do not count. Multiple meetings occurring on a single day will only count as a single service. If you have a question about whether a specific review meeting qualifies, please contact your Scientific Review Officer, or email the NIH Continuous Submission Committee at: CSR.cont.sub.comm@csr.nih.gov.
Is my R15 application eligible for Continuous Submission?
No, only R01, R21, and R34 applications qualify for Continuous Submission.
I am planning on submitting an application in response to an R01 RFA announcement – when is the latest I can submit and have my application reviewed with the other applications submitted for this RFA?
Only applications submitted in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with the Standard Due Date qualify for continuous submission. If the FOA has a Special Receipt Date, the application must be received by NIH by that special receipt deadline.
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