NOT-OD-01-012: FORMAT OF GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO NIH

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
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FORMAT OF GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO NIH

Release Date:  January 8, 2001 (Superceded by NOT-OD-01-037)

NOTICE:  NOT-OD-01-012

National Institutes of Health

The main goal of the NIH is to identify and support the best possible 
biomedical and behavioral research in order to improve the health of all 
Americans.  The scale of the effort (over 46,000 competing applications 
received in fiscal year 2000) requires standards for application submission.  
The specific format instructions are:  

PHS 398:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/instructions2/p1_general_instructions.htm

PHS 416:  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/SectionIab.htm#_Toc20723687

Phase I SBIR and STTR:  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/instructions2/p1_preparing_SBIR_STTR_app.htm

Phase II SBIR and STTR:  
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/instructions2/p1_preparing_SBIR_STTR_app.htm

These specifications allow all applicants comparable space and provide 
reviewers with applications that are easy to read, thus allowing them to 
concentrate on the scientific evaluation of the proposed research.  Most 
applications submitted to NIH adhere to these specifications and most 
principal investigators routinely use appropriate formatting and presentation 
to make their applications clear and easy to follow.  However, there are 
increasing complaints from study section members about applications that do 
not follow these specifications.  Furthermore, NIH is increasing its use of 
scanning applications as an intermediate step in the transition to electronic 
applications.  For scanning to be accurate and cost-effective, it is 
important that applications follow the format specifications.  

In an effort to ensure that all applications meet the stated format 
requirements, NIH is undertaking the following steps:  

o  Instituting checking of competing grant applications for adherence to 
format requirements.  APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS 
FOR TYPE SIZE, PAGE LIMITS, OR MARGINS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE INSTITUTION 
WITHOUT REVIEW.   THESE APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE SUBMITTED IN A CORRECTED 
VERSION UNTIL THE NEXT RECEIPT CYCLE.

o  Created a dedicated email address ([email protected]) for questions 
regarding format of applications, including type size, page limits, and 
margins.  Although each application kit clearly specifies these 
specifications, this will provide an additional opportunity for 
clarification.  

Please note that the central email address for other questions on grant 
applications remains [email protected].  

o  Created a site with frequently asked questions about application 
format: http://www.peacetech.com/phsforms/.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
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