NIAID offers the following application guidance for NOT-OD-23-032, Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative Supplement for Continuity of Biomedical and Behavioral Research Among First-Time Recipients of NIH Research Project Grant Awards.
Overview
The NOSI provides funds to existing NIAID first-time research project grant awardees to help sustain the investigator’s research during critical life events.
Through the NOSI, apply for an administrative supplement that must support work within the scope of your original project.
NIAID accepts supplement applications three times each fiscal year as detailed in the Application Due Dates section below. You must apply electronically.
Applicant Eligibility
To apply as program director/principal investigator (PD/PI), you must hold only one active research project grant that will remain active during the period you propose for this supplement.
Eligible activity codes are DP1, DP2, DP5, R01, R00, R15, R21, and U01.
Your proposed supplement cannot change the scope of the awarded parent project.
PD/PIs currently holding more than one independent NIH research project grant award are not eligible for this supplement. Projects in a no-cost extension period are not eligible.
For the purposes of this program, childbirth, adoption, or primary caregiving responsibilities of an ailing spouse, child, partner, or a member of the immediate family during the project period are critical life events that qualify for consideration.
The qualifying critical life event must be current or have occurred within the year prior to the supplement application submission date. If the critical life event is pending and you expect it to occur during the project period, you may apply for the supplement request in advance of the event.
In all cases, the life event must occur during the project period of the grant to qualify. Requests related to critical life events that occurred before the start date on the research project grant’s original Notice of Award or occurred more than one year before your supplement request are not suitable for this program.
Budget
We encourage flexible use of your administrative supplement funds. As examples, funds may support computational services, supplies, and supported effort of additional scientific staff to sustain the PD/PI’s research during a critical life event.
- Request direct costs of up to $50,000.
- Use an indirect cost rate of 8 percent.
- Request an award period of up to 12 months.
Application Due Dates
NIAID will accept applications on October 1, January 1 and April 1. If you are seeking an award before the end of a fiscal year—September 30—we must receive your application no later than April 1.
Submission Information
Submit your supplement request in accordance with the Parent Administrative Supplement NOFO or its subsequent reissued equivalent.
You must submit your supplement request electronically. However, you may not use the streamlined submission process in the eRA Commons for this initiative.
Application Content
Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, Parent Administrative Supplement NOFO, and NOT-OD-23-032 must be followed. Include NOT-OD-23-032 in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 (R&R) application form.
Your application should include a letter signed by your institutional business official certifying your eligibility for the supplement award.
Also include the following required items:
- Face Page or R&R Cover Form
- Budget page from the SF424 R&R for a maximum of 12 months
- Research Strategy, including the following:
- Progress to date. Describe the original aims of the research project grant and results to date, including roles of personnel working on the project.
- Statement of need. Briefly describe how progress on the award will be, or has been, impacted by a critical life event and how an administrative supplement will mitigate the impact. Describe the ongoing or pending work to be managed during the period of the supplement award.
- Budget justification. Provide a brief description of how the supplement funds will be used to offset the impact to the research program as a result of the critical life event.
- R&R Other Project Information form, in the "Other Attachments" field:
- Personal Statement as described in NOT-OD-23-032.
- Explain how the requested supplement, together with other available resources, will be used to ensure continuity of the project. Provide details on how the plan will proceed.
- If funds are requested for additional personnel, describe the projected timeline for hiring as it relates to the critical need. What skills would be needed and how will an individual with these skills be hired and contribute for the limited period of time supported by the additional funding?
- If funds are requested for additional equipment, software, computational, or research services, describe the timeline for procurement and setup with respect to the critical need.
- Institutional Commitment to Candidate’s Research Career attachment. This should include, in addition to those items listed in NOT-OD-23-032, a department chair or institutional statement on how the institution intends to help the applicant continue to maintain research progress during the period impacted by the critical life event. Note that the NIAID supplement support should be considered a value-added component to the institutional environment.
- Personal Statement as described in NOT-OD-23-032.
Allowable Costs and Other Provisions
The supplement may be used to support additional personnel, computational or research services, or other specified assistance that will promote the continuity of the research project during a period in which the PD/PI experiences critical life events that have the potential to impact research progress or potential productivity. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project and provide support during the period of the critical life event. You must provide an itemized budget justification.
- Projects should have a minimum of one year remaining.
- Projects in a no-cost extension period are not eligible.
- The qualifying critical life event must be current or have occurred within the year prior to the supplement application submission due date, during the project period.
NIAID Application Review Process
A committee of NIAID program staff will administratively review requests submitted to NIAID. The committee will consider the following:
- Is the work or are the activities proposed within the scope of the parent award?
- Has the progress of the project before the life event been adequate?
- Will the administrative supplement increase or preserve the likelihood for the project to succeed, and assist the candidate to complete the research project and submit a timely renewal or new research project grant application?
- Is there a plan for the PD/PI to return to full productivity at the end of the supplement period?
- Is there strong institutional commitment (e.g., protected time, policies, programs, and other strategies) to ensure that the PD/PI maintains the research project and independent research trajectory?
More Information
Find more information in the Frequently Asked Questions for NIH Family-Friendly Initiatives.
If you would like to discuss your NIAID application plans, email AITrainingHelpDesk@mail.nih.gov.