Notice Number: NOT-GM-14-113

Key Dates
Release Date: April 7, 2014

Issued by
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Purpose

Background
The Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) program consists of three sequential five-year phases. The support for Phase I and phase II awards falls under the P20 mechanism. The support for COBRE phase III falls under the P30 mechanism. With prior approval by NIGMS, the awardees of COBRE phase III have been allowed to utilize the unobligated balance from the phase II award in the phase III award. This policy has been increasing administrative difficulties and concerns for NIGMS staff, COBRE program directors/principal investigators (PDs/PIs), and institutions regarding the carryover process across grant mechanisms. NIGMS is modifying the guideline for transition of COBRE phase II to phase III to reduce this administrative burden.

New Guideline:
Effective in FY 2014, if COBRE phase III awardees have an unobligated balance from phase II award, the PDs/PIs may request a no-cost extension to appropriately close out the activities of the phase II award that will not be funded by the phase III award. The phase II award can run concurrently with the phase III during the no-cost extension period. The unobligated balance from phase II will not be carried forward into the phase III award.

The COBRE phase II that may run concurrently with the COBRE phase III activity will not be considered in the determination of the total number of COBRE (P20) awards held by an institution.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Ms. Christy Leake
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-7706
Email: [email protected]

Yanping Liu, MD, PhD
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3900
Email: [email protected]