Important Information for NIH Investigators: New Requirements for Biographical Sketch and Other Support

Dear Colleagues,

The message below was sent out on Zotmail to all faculty and staff. Please ensure that you review the message carefully and forward it to your faculty and researchers for review. We will convene a workgroup to within the next week to discuss implementation of these requirements for our campus. If you are interested in participating in the workgroup, please contact me. 

Thank you,

Nancy

UCI Office of Research News and Announcements

Important Information for NIH Investigators:

New Requirements for Biographical Sketch and Other Support

On March 12, 2021, the NIH announced the release of updated Biosketch and Other Support format page templates and requirements (NOT-OD-21-073) required for applications, Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR), and Just-In-Time requests submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2021. The updates promote transparency and full disclosure of all resources (both foreign and domestic) that directly support an individual’s research endeavors.

Key changes:

  • Other Support: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/othersupport.htm
    • Signature block added.  The Program Director (PD)/Principal Investigator (PI) and Other Senior/Key Personnel must electronically sign the other support form to certify its accuracy.
    • Supporting documentation.If Other Support includes foreign activities or resources, the PI/PD or Other Senior/Key personnel much attach copies of contracts, grants, or any other agreement specific to their foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution, as well as for all foreign activities and resources reported in Other Support. If these documents are not in English, they must provide translated copies.
    • Immediate notification of undisclosed Other Support.  As soon as it becomes known to UCI that a PI/PD or Other Senior/Key personnel on an active NIH grant failed to disclose Other Support information when submitting the Just-in-Time information or RPPR, as applicable, UCI must submit updated Other Support to the Grants Management Specialist named in the Notice of Award as soon as it becomes known.  Even accidental oversight may have individual and/or institutional reputational consequences.  Therefore, PIs/PDs and Other Senior/Key Personnel should take great care to ensure that Other Support is properly and completely disclosed.
    • Format.  NIH reorganized the Other Support page to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions.

FAQs – https://grants.nih.gov/faqs#/other-support-and-foreign-components.htm?anchor=question56185

  • Biosketch: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm
    • NIH renamed Section B “Positions and Honors” to be “Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors” and updated the instructions to read (specific changes are in bold italics):
      • List in reverse chronological order all positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary). High school students and undergraduates may include any previous positions. For individuals who are not currently located at the applicant organization, include the expected position at the applicant organization and the expected start date.
    • As applicable, all applicants may include details about ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years to which they want to draw attention within the personal statement, Section A (previously known as research support)
    • Removed:
      • Section D for non-Fellowship Biosketch
      • “Research Support” from Section D for Fellowship Biosketch

FAQs – https://grants.nih.gov/faqs#/biosketches.htm?anchor=question54244

We recommend that you closely review NIH notice (NOT-OD-21-073), Other Support and Biosketch instructions, and FAQ’s.

Questions regarding these requirements should be directed to your Contract and Grant Officer in Sponsored Projects Administration.

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