15 Minute Electronic Submission Overview - 04/03/09

1
NIH Electronic Grant Application
2

• Getting Started with Electronic Submission

3
Finding Grant Opportunities

• How Do You Find Grant Opportunities?
• All applications must be submitted in response to
  a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
• FOAs are posted online in the NIH Guide for
  Grants Contracts and at www.Grants.gov (under
  Find Grant Opportunities)

NIH Guide http//grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/inde
x.html
4
Finding Grant Opportunities

• Parent Announcements
• Parent FOAs are your ticket to applying for
  investigator-initiated research
• Use the Parent electronic application package for
  your chosen grant program (i.e. R01, R03, R21
  etc.)

Parent FOAs
Parent announcements listed at
http//grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/parent_announc
ements.htm
5
NIH Two System Process

• Grants.gov
• Grants.gov hosts standardized federal forms SF424
  (RR) and agency-specific forms (PHS 398)
• Electronic application through Grants.gov using
  these forms is mandatory for most FOAs.
  Grants.gov checks the application for
  federal-wide requirements.

• eRA Commons
• NIH retrieves the data from Grants.gov and checks
  the application against NIH-specific requirements
• eRA Commons allows applicants to electronically
  track the status of submissions and to
  receive/transmit application and award information

6
Registration

• Grants.gov
• Be sure your organization is registered! (one
  time)
• U.S. organizations obtain EIN from IRS (foreign
  applicants see next slide)
• Request DUNS from Dun Bradstreet
• Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR)
  identify the eBiz Point of Contact (POC)
• Register the Authorized Organization Reps (AORs)
  who can officially sign the application and
  submit
• Visit http//www.grants.gov/applicants/get_regist
  ered.jsp

Grants.gov registration can take up to 8 weeks
for international organizations. START NOW!
7
Registration - International

• Tips for Foreign Organizations
• If you do not have an EIN number use 44-4444444
  on the application
• You will need a NATO Commercial Government
  Entity (NCAGE) Code prior to registering with
  CCR. The form and instructions can be found at
  http//www.dlis.dla.mil/Forms/Form_AC135.asp
• Organizations with an address containing APO,
  FPO, or AE do not need an NCAGE code
• A few countries may have trouble accessing the
  CCR website. If so, phone [phone]
  (International)

For more details visit http//era.nih.gov/Electro
nicReceipt/preparing_grantsgov_reg.htm
8
Registration

• eRA Commons Register Your Organization
• Register your organization (one time) register
  your Signing Officials (SO)
• SOs register and create separate accounts for the
  Project Directors/Principal Investigators
  (PDs/PIs)
• May be completed simultaneously with Grants.gov
  registration (as soon as the DUNS is obtained)
• Register at
• https//commons.era.nih.gov/commons/registration/
  registrationInstructions.jsp

Allow 2 4 weeks to complete organization registr
ation in the eRA Commons
9
Registration

• eRA Commons PD/PI Registration
• The PD/PI needs to work with the SO to get
  registered in the eRA Commons
• The PI and SO need separate accounts because each
  has different privileges
• PIs have one account that follows them throughout
  their careers. They can view all applications
  where they are listed as PI. The same account
  may be affiliated with multiple organizations.
• SOs can view all applications submitted on behalf
  of the organization

Allow 4 5 business days to complete PI
registration in the eRA Commons
10
Software Requirements

• Grants.gov Forms Viewer Software (Free)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (recommended versions on
  Grants.gov site)
• http//www.grants.gov/resources/download_software
  .jsp
• PDF generation software list provided on
  Grants.gov website http//www.grants.gov/agencies/
  software.jsp3

11
Preparing Your Application

• Download the Application Package and Instructions
  at the same time. NIH-specific instructions are
  denoted by the HHS logo
• Save the application to your hard drive
  remember to save it after each change
• The application includes specific data fields as
  well as multiple attachments
• All attachments must be saved as PDF documents

12
Preparing Your Application

• Avoiding Common Errors
• NIH requires all application attachments to be in
  PDF format
• The eRA Commons Username must be entered in the
  Credential, e.g. agency login field for each
  PI. This field is located on the RR Senior/Key
  Person Profile(s) form.
• The Organization Name must be included for all
  Senior/Key Persons listed
• Senior/Key Person effort listed on the RR Budget
  form must be greater than zero

For more information visit http//era.nih.gov/Ele
ctronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm
13
Submit Your Application

• Registration with Grants.gov and eRA Commons must
  be complete prior to submission
• Only the AOR may sign submit the application on
  behalf of the organization
• Grants.gov provides a Tracking Number and a
  Date/Time stamp when you click Submit save
  this information

14
On Time Submission

• All registrations with Grants.gov eRA Commons
  must be complete
• Initial submission must have a Grants.gov
  timestamp on or before 500p.m. local time of
  submitting organization on the receipt date
• Errors in the application must be corrected
  within 2 business days of the receipt date

15
Errors Warnings

• Errors stop processing and will keep your
  application from being accepted by NIH
• Warnings provide caution for you to ensure the
  item is correct, but will not stop processing
• Changed/Corrected applications may be submitted
  to Grants.gov again to address errors/warnings in
  the two business days after the receipt date.
• Initial application must have been on time
• you must include a cover letter explaining
  your changes

Limited Time!
16
Tracking Your Application

• It is the applicants responsibility to track the
  application
• Grants.gov will send status emails to the AOR.
  eRA Commons will send status emails to the
  Signing Official, PI Person to be contacted
  listed on the application
• Log into eRA Commons to check application status
  do not rely on emails. If it is error-free, you
  will have an assembled application to view

17
Application Viewing Window

• Applicants have two weekdays (M-F, not including
  U.S. federal holidays) to view the assembled
  application. If no action is taken, it
  automatically proceeds to NIHs Division of
  Receipt and Referral.
• Signing Official has option to Reject
• PI will receive e-mail notification if SO rejects
  application
• If Rejected after receipt date for any
  reasonother than a Grants.gov or NIH system
  issue, the submission is subject to the NIH late
  policy

18
Finding Help

• eRA Commons Help Desk Online Help Ticket
  http//itservicedesk.nih.gov/era/
  Phone [phone]Hours Mon-Fri, 7a.m. to 8
  p.m. EST
• Support for Commons Registration, Application
  Status, Post-submission questions
• Grants.gov Contact Center Toll-free
  1-800-518-4726Hours Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  ESTEmail support_at_grants.gov
• Support for PureEdge Forms, PureEdge with a
  Mac, Grants.gov Registration

19
Online Resources

• Overview of Electronic Submission
  http//era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/
• Frequently Asked Questions http//era.nih.gov/Elec
  tronicReceipt/faq.htm
• Avoiding Common Errors http//era.nih.gov/Electron
  icReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm
• Training Resources, Videos, Quick Reference
  Materials http//era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/tra
  ining.htm