posted 10/10/2008

Revised NSF Guide Posted

The National Science Foundation has posted to its website a revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG, NSF 09-1). This will be effective for proposals received on or after January 5, 2009.

One of the key changes is that NSF begins implementing the requirements outlined in the America Competes Act by describing a new section of the Project Description concerning the mentoring of post-doctoral fellows. Proposals requesting support for a postdoctoral fellow must include, "as a separate section within the 15-page Project Description, a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals." The mentoring activities will be assessed in the merit review as a part of the broader impacts criteria and proposals that include a post-doc but "that do not include a separate section on mentoring activities within the Project Description will be returned without review."

A Summary of the Significant Changes is posted with the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf09_1/gpg_index.jsp.

posted 10/10/2008

NEW NIH POLICY TO FUND MERITORIOUS SCIENCE EARLIER

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a policy on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, that will enhance success rates of new and resubmissions from two to one. This policy is a part of a continuing series of changes to the NIH peer review system following an in depth review and a year long self-assessment that concluded in June 2008. This new policy will help ensure earlier funding of high-quality applications and improve efficiencies in the peer review system.

Beginning with applications intended for the January 25, 2009 due date, all original new applications (i.e., never submitted) and competing renewal applications will be permitted only a single amendment. For this and subsequent cohorts of original new and competing renewal applications, any second amendment (A2) will be administratively withdrawn and not accepted for review.

Original new and competing renewal applications that were submitted prior to January 25, 2009 will be permitted two amendments. For these "grandfathered" applications, NIH expects that any second amendment (submission) will be submitted no later than January 7, 2011, and NIH will not accept the applications after that date. Additional information on this policy change can be located at http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/resubmission.html#data.