Notice Number: NOT-HS-09-003

Key Dates
Release Date: January 2, 2009

Issued by
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), (http://www.ahrq.gov/)

Purpose:

• This Notice provides the Transition Schedule for AHRQ from PureEdge to Adobe-based grant application forms for electronic submissions of SF424 Research and Related (R&R) applications for AHRQ Small Grant Program for Conference Support (R13) (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-074.html).  Please note the importance of this schedule, as Grants.gov will not accept PureEdge applications after the transition dates noted below. 
  
  Electronic submissions to Grants.gov for these AHRQ R13s on or after January 9, 2009, must use Adobe application forms.
  
  
• The overall electronic submission process of finding opportunities, downloading application packages, preparing forms, preparing attachments, and submitting applications remains the same.
  
  
• Although the new Adobe forms have a slightly different look and feel from the PureEdge forms, the changes are mainly cosmetic.

IMPORTANT NOTES: 

• It is crucial that applicants return to the FOA after January 9 to download the new Adobe application forms. 
• AHRQ currently has FOAs for conference grants that are active until late 2009 and these are transitioning to Adobe.  Adobe forms will replace PureEdge forms in the January 2009 timeframe.  PureEdge forms will not be accepted by the Grants.gov system after the transition to Adobe. Applicants can confirm that they are downloading the new Adobe forms by verifying that the Competition ID on the Download Application page of the Grants.gov website is “ADOBE-FORMS-A”.
• Grants.gov requires a specific version of Adobe Reader in order to download, open, save and submit an Adobe application.  The latest versions are listed on the Grants.gov site and are updated as new editions are produced (see the Download Software page). 
  
  
• CAUTION:  Using the correct Adobe Reader is critical to successful submission - application packages opened with other software or non-compatible versions of Adobe Acrobat/Reader can become corrupted and may fail to submit properly.

PLEASE BE ADVISED:

• Applicants currently working on a PureEdge grant application to be submitted in January 2009, are advised to continue to develop their research plan components and other parts of the application that will be uploaded as attachments, but wait to complete the application forms until the Adobe forms become available in December/January.

More details will be provided in the coming weeks on the Resources for Adobe Transition Web page on the Electronic Submission of Grant Applications Web site at:  http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/.

SUPPORT:

During the transition to Adobe forms, applicants should follow the usual process for seeking support with any electronic submission issue. Questions on form functionality or submission of the forms to Grants.gov should be directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center.  If you encounter a technical issue that threatens NIH’s timely receipt of your application, work with the Grants.gov Contact Center and be sure to contact the eRA Help Desk at NIH to document the issue and provide them with the Grants.gov Contact Center tracking number.

Related Guide Notices:

Reminder and Clarification on NIH/AHRQ/CDC/FDA Transition to Adobe-based Forms (November 21, 2008)

Transition schedule for NIH/AHRQ/CDC/NIOSH/FDA to Adobe-based Forms (September 22, 2008)

Adobe Pilot Application Guide Available (August 1, 2008)
Pilot for Transition from PureEdge to Adobe-based forms (July 2, 2008)
NIH/AHRQ Set Transition to Adobe for Dec. 2008 (May 23, 2008)

Inquiries

Questions about this Notice should be directed to:
Ruth Ann Hadley
Small Conference Grants Administrator
Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
301-427-1391
FAX: 301-427-1029
E-Mail: Ruthann.hadley@ahrq.hhs.gov