NIH Grants and Funding
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NIH Staff 
Check and Double-Check Your Assembled Application Images
Next week we will be updating the software our system uses to assemble grant application images in the format used for funding consideration. Aside from a few minor tweaks made at the same time - like using a slightly larger font for our Table of Contents - the update should be transparent to you. Regardless of how much we do to test and prepare, there is always the chance that something was missed. So, we thought it would be a good chance to remind you about the importance of checking your assembled application image.ASSIST, Workspace, and many system-to-system solutions provide some sort of application preview that can be used to check your assembled application prior to submission. Hopefully you are all taking full advantage of that feature. Previewing your application prior to submission is not a substitute for double-checking your application image in eRA Commons after submission.
Timely identification and notification of issues is critical. It is your responsibility to thoroughly check your assembled application in eRA Commons during the two-day application viewing window and to notify the eRA Service Desk within that window of any assembly issues. If the eRA Service Desk confirms your assembly concern is the result of a failure with an eRA or other federal system, they will work with you under our guidelines for Dealing with System Issues.
Organizations & Unique Entity Identifiers
In April, we posted a notice alerting you to a to General Services Administration (GSA) led effort to transition federal systems to a new government-owned Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) as a replacement for the DUNS identifier currently in use.
GSA just posted a Unique Entity Identifier Update page that you may want to check out. It provides a three-phased, eighteen month, high-level transition timeline; a link to the technical specifications for the new UEI; and some contextual information for the change.
GSA is also hosting a virtual, public meeting to provide information on the new UEI standard (Federal Register Notice of meeting). The meeting is open to all current and potential federal recipients (contracts, grants, loan recipients, etc.) and the public. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2019, starting at 1:00 p.m. eastern time (EDT). To register for the virtual meeting, please email entityvalidation@gsa.gov and the meeting information will be sent to you.
We’ll continue to work together and provide updates as they become available. This is a big change for all of us. Details on specific form changes and impact on registration and grant application processes have not been finalized. Stay tuned - there is much more to come on this one.
My Grants Information Team and our eRA colleagues will have booths at the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Annual Meeting August 5 and 6. If you are attending the meeting, please stop by and say “Hi.”We’re happy to answer whatever questions you have or take your feedback on our websites, resources, and services.
