1) NIH revises its PHS 398 Instructions and Forms
The revised forms will be accepted for receipt dates falling on or after 12/1/04. All applications received on or after May 10, 2005 MUST use the new instructions and forms.
For a thorough summary of the changes, please read NIH Guide NOT-OD-05-006: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-006.html
The newly revised PHS 398 instructions and forms are available on the NIH webpage, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
It is imperative to read the whole announcement; the scope
of change is significant enough for us to eschew summarization other than to
note the new font requirement:
Arial-11 or Helvetica 11 point font only.
Please review this announcement before crafting your next NIH proposal: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-006.html
Also see UMass NIH toolkits page for an updated 398 Face Page pre-filled with UMass specific information.
2) NIH revises its PHS 2590 Progress Report
Instructions and Forms
The revised forms will be accepted immediately. The previous version (5/01) will be accepted
up through the April 1, 2005 deadline.
All Progress Reports received on or after May 1, 2005 must use the new
version.
For a thorough summary of the changes, please read NIH Guide NOT-OD-05-007: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-006.html
The newly revised PHS 2590 instructions and forms are available on the NIH webpage, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm
Also see UMass NIH toolkits page for updated 2590 forms pre-filled with UMass specific information.
3) NIH Announces Revised Policy: Applications that Include
Consortium/Contractual (Subcontract) Facilities and Administrative (Indirect)
Costs
This updated policy becomes effective for applications
that have submission/receipt dates on or after December 1, 2004.
Text of notice available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-004.html
Summary: consortium/contractor (subcontractor) Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A) are no longer factored into direct cost limits like the Modular annual direct cost limit of $250,000.
For example:
If UMass direct costs + subcontractor direct costs of $25,000 + subcontractor indirect costs of $11,250 = $261,250….
Formerly this equation would have disqualified the proposal from using the Modular Application process due to the $250,000 per year cap.
With the new policy, the subcontractor’s indirect costs are excluded from the direct cost ceiling thus bringing the total direct costs in this scenario down to $250,000 and qualifying the proposal for the Modular Application procedures.
Note, all forms have been changed to reflect this change. The newly revised PHS 398 instructions and forms are available on the NIH webpage: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
4) NIH Announces Update Criteria for Evaluating Research
Grant Applications
The updated criteria was incorporated into the revised PHS 398 Instructions and becomes effective for all research grant applications received on or after January 10, 2005 except for proposals submitted in response to RFA’s published prior to this announcement (10/12/04)
Text of notice available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-002.html.