NOT-OD-16-081: Reminder: NIH & AHRQ Grant Application Changes for Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016

NOT-OD-16-081: Reminder: NIH & AHRQ Grant Application Changes for Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016





Reminder: NIH & AHRQ Grant Application Changes for Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016

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Notice Number: NOT-OD-16-081

Key Dates
Release Date:   March 23, 2016

Related Announcements
NOT-OD-16-084 - Restructured and Streamlined Application Guides and Supplemental Instructions Available for Applications Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016
NOT-OD-16-080 - Clarifications and Consolidated Biosketch Instructions and Format Pages Available for Applications with Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016
NOT-OD-16-068 - Plan to Move to Updated Forms (FORMS-D) for Administrative Supplement, Successor-In-Interest and Change of Institution Opportunities
NOT-OD-16-064 - Impact of Grant Application Form Update (FORMS-D) on Late and Continuous Submission Applications
NOT-OD-16-034 - Advanced Notice of Coming Requirements for Formal Instruction in Rigorous Experimental Design and Transparency to Enhance Reproducibility: NIH and AHRQ Institutional Training Grants, Institutional Career Development Awards, and Individual Fellowships
NOT-OD-16-012 - Implementing Rigor and Transparency in NIH & AHRQ Career Development Award Applications
NOT-OD-16-011 - Implementing Rigor and Transparency in NIH & AHRQ Research Grant Applications 
NOT-OD-16-009 - NIH & AHRQ Change Font Guidelines for Applications to Due Dates On or After May 25, 2016 
NOT-OD-16-008 - NIH & AHRQ Announce New Form for PHS Awarding Component and Peer Review Requests 
NOT-OD-16-007 - NIH & AHRQ Announce Transition to New Research Training Table Formats for 2016 and Upcoming Release of the xTRACT System 
NOT-OD-16-006 - Simplification of the Vertebrate Animals Section of NIH Grant Applications and Contract Proposals 
NOT-OD-16-004 - NIH & AHRQ Announce Upcoming Changes to Policies, Instructions and Forms for 2016 Grant Applications     

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Purpose

This Notice reminds the biomedical and health services research communities of announced changes to grant application policies and instructions for due dates on or after May 25, 2016 (NOT-OD-16-004).

These changes are implemented with our FORMS-D application forms and instructions. Applicants must use FORMS-D for due dates on or after May 25, 2016 and must use FORMS-C for due dates on or before May 24, 2016.

The changes focus on the following areas:

• Rigor and transparency in research grant applications (including small business and complex research grant applications) - NOT-OD-16-011 and NOT-OD-16-012
  • Applicants must use the new "Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources" attachment to briefly describe methods used to ensure the identity and validity of key biological and/or chemical resources.
  • Similar changes for institutional training and individual fellowship applications will be implemented as early as FY2017 (NOT-OD-16-034). 
    
    Until that time, applicants must not use the "Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility" attachment or the "Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources" attachment unless specifically requested in a funding opportunity announcement.
• Vertebrate animals (NIH only) - NOT-OD-16-006
  • Applicants must answer new euthanasia questions on the PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement and PHS Fellowship Supplemental forms when vertebrate animals are involved, instead of addressing the method of euthanasia in the Vertebrate Animals attachment.
• Inclusion
  • Applicants must provide inclusion data on a new, consolidated PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report form.  
• Data Safety Monitoring Plans
  • Applicants must provide a new "Data Safety Monitoring Plan" attachment when their project includes a clinical trial.
• Research Training - NOT-OD-16-007
  • Applicants must use new FORMS-D Training Tables
• PHS Awarding Component and Peer Review Requests - NOT-OD-16-008
  • Applicants must use a new PHS Assignment Request Form to communicate requests pertinent to the assignment and initial peer review of applications.
• New Font Guidelines - NOT-OD-16-009
• Biosketch Clarifications - NOT-OD-16-080

Note:  Appendix policy changes originally mentioned in NOT-OD-16-004 are on hold until further notice and will not be part of the initial roll-out of FORMS-D instructions.

Availability of FORMS-D Forms and Instructions

New restructured FORMS-D application guides will be available by March 25, 2016.

In most cases, FORMS-D application packages will be available at least 60 days prior to the first due date on or after May 25, 2016. During a short transition period, applicants may need to choose between FORMS-C and FORMS-D application packages/opportunities based on due date. 

See NOT-OD-16-064 for special instructions for continuous submission and late applications.

See NOT-OD-16-068 for transition plan for administrative supplement, successor-in-interest and change of institution opportunities.