International Insights
NIAID
In Brazil: Acquainting Foreign PIs with Funding Policies and Opportunities,
September 1, 2005
Background
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
held a pre-conference symposium at the third annual International
AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The seminar -- NIAID,
NIH Grant Opportunities and Grants Management -- was targeted
towards current and potential foreign principal investigators
(PIs) as well as foreign administrators.
Purpose
The purpose of the symposium was to educate foreign PIs
and administrators on how to identify NIAID funding opportunities,
prepare an application, and manage grants.
The need for this type of workshop
is underscored by financial system reviews of NIAID foreign
grantees
conducted by the Office of International Extramural Activities
(OIEA) over the last two years. Based on grants management
reports presented to the OIEA by the contractor MDS Inc.,
PIs and administrators are unclear about the guidelines governing
the use of NIH funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
A variety of questions were raised during the symposium, but
most regarded grants policy. Presenters spent time dispelling
myths
and clarifying grants policy misconceptions. The questions
and their answers are summarized below with links to further
information within the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
Can NIAID provide additional funds based on currency
fluctuations?
NIAID can provide support only at the time of the initial
award.
For more information on this issue, please see Funding
and Payment.
Will NIAID pay the insurance for participants in clinical
trial studies or for adverse events?
NIAID will pay for the following:
- The treatment of the adverse event.
- Mal-practice insurance -- generally a fringe benefit.
- Clinical trial insurance, which is often cost prohibitive.
Note: NIAID will not pay health
insurance for clinical trial participants.
For more information, see the paragraph
on insurance in the table Selected
Items of Cost.
Can the grantee use the funds provided for facilities
and administrative costs (F&A) for institutional facility expenses?
F&A funds are provided to support compliance to NIH
policies and regulations, not for general facilities costs (e.g.,
electricity, maintenance). However, NIH will pay for expenses
to ensure delivery of purchased equipment, which must be put
under direct costs.
For further details, see
the bullet "F&A
costs" under Allowable
and Unallowable Costs.
For help in purchasing equipment, you may want to contact
the local
office of the World Health Organization (WHO)
or the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID). Both have helped NIAID grantees with
purchasing and delivering equipment.
If an institution has never received a grant from NIAID,
but has received funding from other NIH divisions, what
should be mentioned in the grant application? Will they be considered
a new grantee?
No, the applicant will be considered an existing grantee
if they have already had an NIH grant from another division.
Is it necessary to use American Flag carriers when
cheaper airlines are available?
Yes. American Flag Carriers must be used wherever available.
Go to the section
on travel in the Selected
Items of Cost table for more information..
Do foreign institutions have to undergo an audit each
fiscal year?
Foreign institutions have to have an audit if they have
expended a total of $500,000 or more under one or multiple HHS
awards during the fiscal year. This audit must meet the requirements
of the OMB-A133
circular. For more information, read the section on
audits under Administrative
Requirements.
Contact for Article Questions or Comments
Maryam Rahman-Esene
Office of International Extramural Activities, NIAID International Awards
Email: rahmanesenem@niaid.nih.gov
Phone: +1 301 451-7372
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