Consolidated List of Reviewer Documents

NEWS:

• Clarification and Guidance for Applicants Preparing Applications for the Spring 2023 Due Dates During the COVID-19 Pandemic - February 3, 2023
• Extending the Special Exception to the NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Post-Submission Material Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: August/October 2023 Councils - February 1, 2023
• Extending the Special Exception to the NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Post-Submission Material Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: May 2023 Councils - October 25, 2022
• Coronavirus Update for January 2023 Council Round: Guidance for NIH Peer Reviewers – April 25, 2022
• Coronavirus Update for May 2022 Council Round - December 10, 2021
• Coronavirus Update: Additional Guidance for NIH Peer Reviewers (August/October 2021 Council) – January 5, 2021 (Expired)
• Coronavirus Update: Additional Guidance for Peer Reviewers now available - June 9, 2020 (Expired)
• Coronavirus Update: Guidance for Peer Reviewers now available. - April 17, 2020 (Expired)

NOTE:

• Click here for mechanism-specific review guidelines and criteria. Critique templates are available at this location only for review staff.

Conflict of Interest Information

• NIH Conflict of Interest Rules PDF – 161 KB (effective 10/31/2018)
• Pre-and-Post-Meeting COI Certification Changes in IAR PDF – 26 KB (05/20/2022)

Grants certifications (effective 05/25/2022)

• NIH Conflict of Interest Grants Pre-Review Certification, Non-Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Grants Post-Review Certification, Non-Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Grants Pre-Review Certification, Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Grants Post-Review Certification, Federal (05/19/2022)

Contracts certifications (effective 05/25/2022)

• NIH Conflict of Interest Contract Pre-Review Certification, Non-Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Contract Post-Review Certification, Non-Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Contract Pre-Review Certification, Federal (05/19/2022)
• NIH Conflict of Interest Contract Post-Review Certification, Federal (05/19/2022)

Further Guidance

• Conflict of Interest Guidance: Contract Reviews PDF – 37 KB (07/27/2021) 
• Conflict of Interest Guidance: Grant Reviews PDF – 36 KB (07/27/2021)
• Protecting Peer Review PDF – 152 KB (04/16/2021) 

Review Criteria Information 

• About Review Criteria  PDF -  140 KB (11/19/2018)
• Reviewer Guidance Clinical Trial Applications 2021 PDF - 185 KB (11/12/2021) 
• Applications Proposing Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells PDF – 123 KB (03/21/2016) 
• Budget and Period of Support Information PDF – 284 KB (03/05/2012)
• (*starting 10/2023 council round) Budget and Period of Support  PDF - 144 KB (03/08/2023)
• Frequently Asked Questions for Reviewers on NIH Application Submission PDF – 32 KB (03/18/2015)
• Guidelines for the Review of the Human Subjects Section PDF – 229 KB (03/15/2019)  
• Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion PDF – 270 KB (03/15/2019) 
• Overall Impact vs Significance PDF – 138 KB (03/21/2016)  
• Resource Sharing Plans PDF – 73 KB (03/18/2015)
• (*starting 10/2023 council round) Resource Sharing Plans PDF - 118 KB (03/08/2023)
• Review Criteria at a Glance PDF – 226 KB (03/05/2021) 
• Reviewer Guidance on Rigor and Transparency  PDF – 200 KB (03/15/2019) 
• Reviewer Guidance to Evaluate Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) PDF – 232 KB (08/8/2016)
• Revision Applications PDF – 87 KB (12/18/2015)
• Worksheet for the Vertebrate Animals Section (VAS) PDF – 161 KB (06/22/2017)
• Reviewer Training Module for the Vertebrate Animals Section (03/23/2021) 
• VAS Reviewer Cheat Sheet PDF - 269 KB (03/23/2021) 

Orientation Information

• Ban on Lobbyists Serving on Advisory Committees PDF – 21 KB (03/18/2015)
• Chair Orientation PDF – 120 KB (07/26/2018)
• NIH Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Rules PDF – 16 KB (07/16/2015)
• Registration Instructions for NIH reviewers to Receive Reimbursement and Honoraria PDF – 367 KB (07/01/2014)
• NIH Reviewer Orientation PDF – 321 KB (12/11/2018) 
• NonFederal Peer Review Travel Guidelines PDF – 225 KB (09/01/2014)
• Working with the Review Critique Templates PDF – 199 KB (03/04/2019)  

Scoring Information

• Additional Scoring Guidance for Research Applications PDF – 174 KB (07/27/2021)
• Additional Scoring Guidance: Applications for Fellowships, Career Awards, and Institutional Training Grants PDF – 574 KB (05/15/2013)
• Scoring System and Procedure PDF – 70 KB (03/18/2015)