Introduction to Electronic NIH Grant Submissions

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Introduction to Electronic NIH Grant Submissions

• NIH and Grants.gov

February, 2006
2
AGENDA

• Background
• Process
• Entering Grants.gov
• Identifying a Funding Opportunity
• PureEdge
• Application Package
• Routing and Submission

3
AGENDA (cont)

• Issues Identified
• Short term solutions
• Long term solutions
• Review of SF 424 (RR) forms
• Questions

4

• What is the Timeline for NIH?
• NIH has begun to transition apps to Grants.gov
  by individual
  research program/funding mechanism
• R03/R21/R33 June 1, 2006
• R01 February 1, 2007
• ALL apps in response to transitioned mechanisms
  will require electronic submission through
  Grants.gov on SF424 forms
• Mechanisms not yet transitioned will continue to
  require submission on PHS398 on paper
• By the end of October 2007 (January 2008 for AIDS
  Applications) require all submissions of all
  mechanisms through Grants.gov using SF424 family
  of forms/data set

5
Using PureEdge and Grants.gov Whats the Basic
Process?

• PI enters www.grants.gov
• Selects Getting Started
• Selects grant researcher
• Identifies Funding opportunity
• Downloads required software
• PureEdge Viewer available at grants.gov
• Downloads application package
• PI must have an updated NIH Commons account
• PI must have PDF creation software

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Pure Edge Grants.gov Basic Process (cont.)

• PI completes the application within PureEdge
  viewer
• Application must be saved locally
• Transmittal and electronic copies are processed
  through the School and delivered to ORS
• ORS will review and submit to Grants.gov

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Then

• Application is available for agency validation
• Email sent to PI and ORS when received
• Not all agencies require additional verifications
• PI and ORS verifies application in NIH Commons
  within TWO days of receipt of email.
• PI and ORS can see validation errors and warnings
• Errors must be fixed
• For on-time submissions, application must be
  resubmitted prior to deadline

8
Time is of the Essence

• New Forms New Definitions
• New process Unforeseen problems
• PIs should request NIH Commons account at least
  two weeks prior to submission, if one has not
  been established
• Subcontracts documents are required as PureEdge
  document
• Grant Application must be complete prior to
  sending to ORS for submission

9
Getting Started

• Read the instructions and review the tutorial
• The University is already registered in
  Grants.gov
• Individual PIs and BAs do not need to be
  registered
• The University has a Data Universal Number System
  (DUNS) number and is registered in the Central
  Contractors Registry
• Do not reregister the institution
• All PIs must be have an updated account in the
  NIH Commons
• PIs must download and install the free PureEdge
  viewer
• PIs should review technical requirements, ie PDF
  creation software

10
Issues

• Currently there is no native Macintosh client for
  PureEdge software
• Macintosh users need Windows emulation program
  and special instructions or work entirely on-line
  using a Citrix server solution with Grants.gov
• Grants.gov promises a real Mac solution for
  PureEdge sometime in November 2006
• Transfer of Grant Application Packages
• Deadlines

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How are we going to do this?

• Penns long term solution
• System to System submission from PennERA to
  Grants.gov
• Investigators create their proposals and route
  them for internal approval in Proposal
  Development module
• Resulting Data Set is sent to Grants.gov via XML
  data-stream
• Web-based (Mac and Windows compatible)
• Expected Fall 2006
• Near Term Solutions
• Working with ISC
• Mac instructions to be published
• Server based Windows emulation for Mac users
• User friendly web-based file transfer

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What Does that Mean??

• Applications are to be submitted to ORS
• THREE DAYS ahead of the deadline

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ORS Response

• ORS has been submitting grant application to
  grants.gov since August, 2004
• Including two for the December conference grant
  deadline and three as part of SBIR/STTR
  applications
• ORS has developed a communication plan
• Newsletter, Departmental Visits, ORS website,
  brochures, reference guides
• Training
• Training session NIH eRA Commons March 6, 2006
• Hands-on session to be scheduled starting in
  April targeted to prospective applicants

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Additional Resources

• Grants.Gov Getting Started
• http//www.grants.gov/GetStartedHelp
• NIH Electronic Submission
• http//era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/
• New SF424(RR)Forms (Draft Versions)
• http//grants2.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm
• NIH Commons
• https//commons.era.nih.gov/commons/
• ORS Newsletter and Electronic Submission Webpages
• http//www.upenn.edu/researchservices

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Presenters

• Pamela S. Caudill, Director, Pre-Award
• Office of Research Services
• [phone] caudill_at_pobox.upenn.edu
• Evelyn J. Ford, Associate Director
• Office of Research Support Services, SOM
• [phone]
• fordej_at_mail.med.upenn.edu

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SF424(RR) Sample Demonstration

• Modular and Non-Modular Application Package
• http//grants2.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.ht
  m
• DRAFT version of R01 application (PA-06-GNRL).
• NOT yet available at Grants.gov.
• Be sure to download all application packages
  directly from Grants.gov do not use sample
  packages.