Notice Number: NOT-OD-09-001

Key Dates
Release Date: October 1, 2008

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)

Effective October 10, 2008: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) invites all Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) members to participate in a pilot of a Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Module, a new feature of the NIH electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons.  The FCOI Module provides institutional users the ability to electronically prepare and submit FCOI reports and other required documents through the Commons.  Currently, the FCOI reports are submitted to the Chief Grants Management Officer of the NIH awarding component. 
 
The FCOI Module will allow institutional users to 1) initiate and prepare FCOI reports, 2) electronically submit reports and supporting documents, 3) search and view FCOI reports previously submitted through the Commons, 4) edit or rescind submitted reports with NIH involvement and 5) access history of actions. 

The FCOI Module is part of the eRA Commons, an online interface where grantees and federal staff share information.  The current version of the FCOI Module incorporates feedback from a small-scale pilot test performed in the summer of 2008 with nine institutions that are members of the Commons Working Group.  Based on feedback from the initial pilot participants, NIH now expands the pilot to all FDP members and a small sample of non-FDP members. 

Additional information, resources, and a User Guide for the FCOI Module can be found on the eRA Commons page at:  http://era.nih.gov/services_for_applicants/other/fcoi.cfm

Inquiries

General questions concerning using the eRA Commons and the FCOI Module should be directed to the eRA Commons Helpdesk at:

eRA Service Desk
Web : http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/ (Preferred method of contact)
Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Phone : 301-402-7469
TTY : 301-451-5939
Hours : Mon-Fri, 7a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

General inquires about this Notice may be directed to:

Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight  
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
National Institutes of Health
6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 350
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (301) 435-0949
FAX: (301) 435-3059
Email: [email protected]