NSF FastLane Proposals: Hard Copies no Longer Needed for Review by SPO

As of May 1, 2010, the Sponsored Projects Office will begin reviewing National Science Foundation proposals online via the FastLane system. PIs will no longer need to provide SPO with an additional hard copy of their proposal. This policy will apply to all new proposals and requests for supplements submitted through the FastLane system. It will not apply to any other type of NSF submission, and it will not apply to Grants.gov or any other type of electronic submission at this time.

Directions:

1. Complete the NSF proposal in the FastLane system.
2. Allow Sponsored Research Office (SRO) access to “view, edit and submit” the completed proposal. (If the proposal is in draft form, the PI may choose to allow SPO to “view and edit” only. However, the PI must give SPO access to the “submit” function by the date and time specified by SPO.)
3. After allowing SRO access, submit an email message with the temporary NSF proposal number in the subject line to spoeproposal@berkeley.edu. The following should be attached as one linked PDF document:

a. Completed and signed Proposal Review Form (PRF)
b. Letters of support from any named consultants and/or collaborators (not already included in proposal)
c. Completed and signed federal conflict of interest disclosure forms*
d. Any other required documents as needed, e.g., letters confirming cost sharing commitments, sub-recipient commitment forms, etc.

*For SBIR and STTR proposals only, signed 700-U forms must still be submitted to SPO in hard copy form per State requirements.

Important!

After allowing SRO access to the proposal on FastLane, submit the required information listed above via spoeproposal@berkeley.edu in a timely manner.

Remember Steps 1-3 must be completed five working days before the submission deadline for the proposal to be considered “on time.”

The proposal will not be logged in or considered received by SPO until Steps 1-3 have been completed as specified:

• Email messages that fail to include the NSF temporary proposal number in the subject line will not be accepted by SPO.
• Attachments that do not include a completed and signed PRF and all required attachments will not be accepted by SPO.

Late proposals must follow the VCRO’s procedures for late proposal exceptions.

Keeping Current with NIH: April News Highlights

The April 16 NIH Guide includes the following two notices.

Policy Reminder Concerning Appendix Materials for All NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Grant Applications

The implementation of shorter page limits, limited number of publications in the biographical sketch, and the restructured research plan as part of the NIH Enhancing Peer Review initiative are cause for reminding applicants of NIH policy regarding materials that are acceptable in a grant application appendix. The current SF424 R&R Application Guides (General, SBIR/STTR and Individual Fellowship) and the PHS 398 Grant Application instructions contain policy requirements that either implement or supersede NOT-OD-07-018 (New Limits on Appendix Materials for All NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Grant Applications Beginning with Receipt Dates On or After January 3, 2007). Please refer to the Appendix section of each application instructions for current policy. (more...)

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Enhancing Peer Review: Clarification of Resubmission Policy and Determination of New Application Status

This notice clarifies the existing resubmission policy as announced in NOT-OD-09-016 and NOT-OD-09-003, which collectively stated that applications submitted for due dates before January 25, 2009 are allowed two resubmissions (A1 and A2), and applications submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2009 are allowed only one resubmission (A1). The resubmission policy applies to all types of applications, every activity code, and applications submitted in response to Program Announcements (PA, PAR, PAS) or Requests for Applications (RFA). (more...)

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The April 2 NIH Guide includes the two notices below.

Enhancing Peer Review: Updated Processes for the Review of all Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowship Applications

1. In order to provide the best scientific expertise for review, all fellowship applications, including diversity F31 applications , will be assigned to fellowship review meetings based on the scientific content of the application. Within these fellowship review meetings, applications will be clustered for the review by activity code in the case of F30, F32, and F33 applications, and by diversity and other F31 applications.

2. The process of “streamlining” Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) individual F32 postdoctoral fellowship applications for review (NOT-OD-07-085) is now being extended to all NRSA fellowship applications including F30, F31, and F33. (more...)

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NIH Will Require the Electronic Submission of Appointment Forms and Termination Notices via xTrain for Research Training, Fellowship, Education, and Career Awards Beginning January 2011

Beginning January 1, 2011, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will require the use of the xTrain Commons module to electronically prepare and submit the PHS 2271 Statement of Appointment form and PHS 416-7 Termination Notice for the following institutional research training, fellowship*, education, and career development awards:

• Kirschstein-NRSA undergraduate institutional training grants (T34 – appointment forms only)
• Kirschstein-NRSA predoctoral and postdoctoral institutional training grants (T32, T35, T90, TL1, and TU2)
• Kirschstein-NRSA fellowships (F30, F31, F32, and F33 – termination notices only)*
• National Library of Medicine institutional training grants (T15)
• Research education awards (R25, R90)
• Institutional career development awards (K12, KL2, KM1)

(more...)