Update of Sample Interinstitutional Assurance
Release Date: December 1, 2011
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This Notice informs Public Health Service (PHS) awardee institutions of revisions to the sample Interinstitutional Assurance formerly known as the Interinstitutional Agreement.
The PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy) requires institutions that receive PHS support for activities involving animals to have an approved Assurance with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). The Interinstitutional Assurance is used when the awardee institution has neither an animal care and use program, facilities to house animals, nor an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The awardee institution will conduct animal activities at an Assured institution (named as a performance site) that has either a Domestic or Foreign Assurance approved by OLAW.
OLAW updated the sample Interinstitutional Assurance document in November 2011. Changes to the document clarify essential information, list institutional responsibilities, and define required elements. Institutions that submit Assurances after January 1, 2012 are asked to follow the format of the revised sample Interinstitutional Assurance. For ease of submission, the signed Assurance may be converted to a PDF file and e-mailed to the OLAW Division of Assurances at [email protected] or faxed to 301-915-9465.
The application process begins when the PHS funding component makes a determination to award a grant or contract. The funding component will notify OLAW that an Assurance is required for the pending award. OLAW will contact the awardee institution to negotiate the applicable Assurance(s). Institutions should not submit an Assurance unless requested to do so by OLAW. OLAW will not process unsolicited applications. If the institution has received notice of award and has not been contacted by OLAW, the institution may submit an inquiry by e-mail to [email protected]. Please include the grant/contract number and the name, phone number, and e-mail address of the grants management specialist/contract specialist from the funding component. OLAW approves Interinstitutional Assurances for the life of the grant, up to five years.
Institutions are reminded that they may not conduct PHS-supported activities involving live vertebrate animals until an Assurance has been approved by OLAW.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
RKL1, Suite 360
6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7982
Phone: 301-496-7163
Fax: 301-915-9485
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://olaw.nih.gov/
and Human Services (HHS)
