Beginning with the December 1, 2005, submission date for SBIR/STTR applications, one by one, all competing research grant programs (mechanisms, such as R01, R03, etc.) will transition from paper submission of the PHS 398 to electronic submission through Grants.gov using the Standard Form 424 Research and Research Related (SF424 (R&R)). Applicants should take careful note of the transition schedule (timeline) to ensure they are using the appropriate mode of application transmission and application form. Applications for the transition submission date of a mechanism (even if submitted in advance of the date) and thereafter must use the SF424 (R&R) form and be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Once a mechanism transitions, the change applies to all subsequent Requests for Applications and Program Announcements. No paper applications will be accepted for transitioned mechanisms.

REGISTER NOW! Principal Investigators (PIs) do not have to register with Grants.gov. However, the individual designated as the PI on the application must be registered in the eRA Commons.

·      The registration process can take several weeks, especially when close to submission dates when registration volume peaks. Start early to avoid delays! NIH recommends starting four weeks ahead of your target submission date.

·      PI registration must be done by an organization official or their delegate who is already registered in the eRA Commons.

·      The PI must hold a PI account and be affiliated with the applicant organization in the eRA Commons.

·      Registered Internet Assisted Review (IAR) users should check with their business office to ensure the IAR account is affiliated with their institution.

·      Both the Principal Investigator (PI) and Signing Official (SO) need separate accounts in eRA Commons since both need to verify the application. If you are the SO for your organization as well as a PI of the grant, you will need two separate accounts with different user names - one with SO authority and one with PI authority.

FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY! Each funding opportunity announcement (program announcement/request for application (PA/RFA)) includes an application package with an application guide (sample guide). This document is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. There are fields within the SF424 (R&R) components that are not marked as mandatory on the federal-wide form but that are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential field of the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the application guide. The funding opportunity announcement to which you are applying also may include guidance on application submission. Taking advantage of these resources will save you time in the long run by avoiding the need to correct errors and resubmit your application.

GET INFORMED! We are using the Electronic Submission website, http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/, as our primary tool for communications. We continually update this site to provide you with the latest information and answers to your questions.

§         Look at the timeline to determine when the transition impacts research grant programs of interest to your organization and learn about the new submission process. (Note that only Authorized Organization Representatives (AOR) (i.e., Signing Officials (SO)) can submit applications to Grants.gov.)

§         Take advantage of our training resources

-         Training Session. NIH will host a training session at the Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, MD, on January 11, 2006. NIH is offering this train-the-trainer opportunity as a way to reach individual institutions in an interactive format. There is space for 1,000 people to attend in person; others can access the conference remotely free of charge through VideoCast, NIH’s streaming video service. Registration and information on this training opportunity are available at: http://era.nih.gov/training/ElectronicSubmission/.

-         SF424 (R&R) application guides, sample application packages and related resources at http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.

-         Grants.gov: How to Complete an Application Package Demo.

-         eRA Commons Registration training demo.

-         Video Library. Professionally taped video training library, including: An Overview of the Electronic Application Transition Process and A Walk through the SF424 (R&R).

§         Demo facility. By next spring, we plan to have a demo facility for applicants to “practice” the entire process from finding an opportunity in Grants.gov through verifying a submitted application in the eRA Commons.

§         Check out the Tips and Tools resources to avoid common application submission errors.

§         Get support. NIH has several support teams ready to answer the questions and concerns not covered on the website.

§         Monitor announcements. We encourage you to monitor the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. It continues to be NIH’s definitive resource for policy and funding opportunity announcements.

§         Early submission is encouraged. The electronic system requires applications to follow NIH business rules. Allow time for potential error corrections and the required application verification step by the AOR/SO and PI.

We are looking forward to working with you and your institution to reach a fully electronic research administration.

Sincerely,

Megan Columbus

NIH Program Manager for Electronic Receipt of Grant Applications