Respond to Just-in-Time Requests and Any Bars to Award

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If your NIAID grant application scores in or near the fundable range, be ready to submit just-in-time (JIT) information promptly and immediately resolve any restrictions or bars to award. Use this as a refresher on the JIT process and notifications, codes on your summary statement, and how to resolve funding issues.

JIT Emails and When To Act

You send time-sensitive information that NIH staff need for a potential award through the JIT process. You can prepare some information before NIAID requests it, but don’t do unnecessary work. We advise you to act only if you are likely to get a grant.

To decide when and whether to prepare JIT information in advance, understand what NIH’s two JIT emails mean and how to assess your likelihood of funding:

  • First JIT email. The eRA Commons automatically sends you a notification if your overall impact score is 30 or less, even though that threshold is beyond the fundable range for most grant types. Here’s an example NIH Request for Just-in-Time Information (PDF). This first notice does not reflect NIAID’s intent to fund or not fund your application, so there is no need to prepare JIT information yet.
  • Check likelihood of funding. For Investigator-Initiated Research, confirm whether your application scored below or near NIAID Paylines before you prepare JIT materials. Paylines are not relevant for Solicited Research applications. You may ask your program officer for advice on fundability and consider reviewer comments in the summary statement. Learn more at Know What a Summary Statement Means.
  • Second JIT email. If funding is likely, you will get an email from NIAID. This is the more important of the two JIT emails. It will be similar to the example NIAID Request for Just-in-Time Information, but our staff may customize yours to include additional relevant items.

Note that NIAID’s request does not guarantee that your application will be funded. Until we are satisfied that your application meets all requirements and you provide the necessary information, we will not make the award.

Resolve Any Bars or Restrictions

Most JIT information requested by NIAID staff is routine, but certain codes in your summary statement can indicate an award restriction or bar to award. Such issues can block you from receiving funding support until you have resolved the underlying scientific review concerns for your application.

To check for issues, compare the codes shown in your summary statement with the definitions at Human Subjects Involvement CodesHuman Subjects Inclusion Codes, and Research Animals Involvement Codes. Also check for any comment in the summary statement (e.g., biohazards) that could signal a bar or delay to award.

If your summary statement or NIAID JIT request indicates an issue or review concerns, immediately start working with our staff since it may take weeks to resolve. Follow the procedures laid out in Bars and Restrictions to Grant Awards—Human Subjects SOP or Bars to Grant Awards—Research Animals SOP.

NIAID will not issue an award until you have addressed any bars or other issues. After doing so, resume preparing other required JIT information such as certain certifications and descriptions of current other support. 

Act Fast for NIAID JIT Requests

As soon as possible after NIAID’s JIT request, send the necessary information using the JIT feature of the eRA Commons Status module. Your program officer or grants management specialist may also reach out to you with other requests for information. Be sure to address their inquiries as quickly as possible.

NIAID staff work under a strict timeline to make all awards before the end of the fiscal year. Especially in late spring and summer, you must quickly resolve any bars to award and provide all requested JIT materials to ensure that NIAID staff can process your grant before it’s too late. If you fail to comply or take too long, NIAID may remove your application from funding consideration.

Learn more about JIT at NIAID’s Respond to Pre-Award Requests (“Just-in-Time”) and in our Just-in-Time SOP.

Contact Us

Email us at deaweb@niaid.nih.gov for help navigating NIAID’s grant and contract policies and procedures.

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