Selection of Appropriate Funding Mechanisms

This SOP has internal roles only.

Purpose

To enable NIAID to choose the best way to fund extramural activities.

Procedure

When planning an extramural initiative, NIAID staff work with the Office of Initiative Development (OID) and Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) to determine what mechanism to use based on criteria described in NIH Policy Manual 1820—Selection of Extramural Award Instrument. This decision happens before choosing the type of grant or contract.

Choices fall into three main categories: grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts.

Grants and cooperative agreements provide assistance—money, property, or services—to a recipient for a public purpose, with the following difference:

• Grants are used when NIAID has no significant programmatic involvement with the awardee's work.
• Cooperative agreements are used when NIAID staff are substantially involved in the project.

For details, go to A Primer on NIAID Grant Types. To learn more about NIAID's funding options within each type of grant, go to our Activity Codes Used by NIAID.

Contracts acquire property or services for the federal government. For descriptions of different types of contracts and guidance for selecting an appropriate solicitation, read our Type of Contract SOP.

Program and Contracting Officer's Representatives

• If working on renewal of an initiative, follow these procedures only if award type may change.
• Notify your division's assigned branch chief in DEA's Office of Acquisitions and Grants Management Program that you intend to pursue a new initiative.
  • Describe the goals and scope.
  • Ask for advice on mechanism and type of grant or contract.
• Work with OID to select appropriate funding mechanism and type of grant or contract before your initiative development team planning meeting.
  • Email Contact for NIAID Staff to find out your OID scientific initiative manager.
  • For details on planning meetings, seeTeam Planning Meetings for NIAID Solicited Grant and Contract Research Initiatives.
• To see some of the considerations that go into selecting a funding mechanism, review the following presentations:
  • Selecting a Funding Mechanism and Method of Solicitation Part I
  • Selecting a Funding Mechanism and Method of Solicitation Part II: Case Studies and Considerations

Office of Initiative Development

• With program or contracting officer's representative, lead your initiative development team. For more information, seeTeam Planning Meetings for NIAID Solicited Grant and Contract Research Initiatives.
• Provide guidance and advice in developing, designing, planning, writing, and assuring quality control for initiatives.

Division of Extramural Activities Staff

• As needed, consult with program and contracting officer's representatives on appropriate funding mechanism.

Grants Management and Acquisitions Branch Chiefs

• Review initiative concepts.
• Work with DEA, OID, program and contracting officer's representatives on choice of mechanism and type of grant or contract.

Contacts

Office of Initiative Development—Contact for NIAID Staff

Division of Extramural Activities—Contact for NIAID Staff

Office of Acquisitions—see Office of Acquisitions Contacts

Grants Management Program—see Grants Management Program Contacts

If you have knowledge to share or want more information on this topic, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Links

Cooperative Agreements Staff Portal

HHSAR Part 307—Acquisition Planning, Subpart 307.70—Considerations in Selecting an Award Instrument

Program Announcements (PA) SOP

Requests for Applications (RFA) SOP

Request for Proposals (RFP) SOP