Investigator Withdrawal of an Application SOP

This standard operating procedure (SOP) includes the following sections: Purpose, Procedure, Contacts, and Links.

Purpose

To allow principal investigators (PI) to withdraw an application from funding consideration.

Procedure

At any time, a PI may withdraw an application after submitting it if he or she decides not to pursue funding, or the application has a problem that needs to be addressed for a future receipt date.

This SOP addresses withdrawing an application after the Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR) in the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) receives it. For information on withdrawing an electronic application in response to validation issues, see Submit an Application.

PIs should consider the following before withdrawing an application:

  • Institutional business officials must sign off on all withdrawal requests.
  • Applications withdrawn before initial peer review will not count as one of the allowed submissions.
  • Applications withdrawn after initial peer review will count as one of the allowed submissions.
    • Note: When PIs withdraw their applications after peer review but before NIH releases their summary statements, they do not receive a summary statement and lose their opportunity to resubmit.

Multiple active applications. To send a resubmission, an applicant does not need to withdraw the previous one. The eRA Commons allows multiple active applications (MAA) in the system at the same time.

  • Applicants cannot submit an amended application on the same topic until the summary statement is released.
  • All active versions of the application in the Commons show an "MAA" flag and are considered part of a cluster.
  • If any version of an application in a cluster is awarded, all other applications within the cluster will be automatically withdrawn.

Multiple PI applications. Only the contact PI may request withdrawal of an application.

Principal Investigators

Request to withdraw your application by

  • Asking your institution's authorized organizational representative or institutional business official to submit a request to withdraw a processed application using the eRA Commons Prior Approval Module.
    • For instructions, see Withdraw a Grant Application.
    • Note the DRR will review and act on all withdrawal requests.
    • You can follow the status of your application in the Commons and will see a status of "withdrawn" if DRR approves your request.
  • Sending a letter to DRR.
    • Include your name, application title, and notice of funding opportunity number.
    • Make sure your institutional business official signs the request.
    • Send the letter as an email attachment to csrdrr@mail.nih.gov.
  • Asking your program officer to withdraw your application. Send your program officer a letter signed by you and your institutional business official.
    • Program officers: forward the letter to your division coordinators and have them initiate an Assignment Change Request for withdrawal.

Contacts

CSR Division of Receipt and Referral, csrdrr@mail.nih.gov, 301-435-0715

Program Division Coordinators

Contact for DAIDS

Contact for DAIT

Contact for DMID

Applicants with questions should read Contacting Program Officers and Grants Management Specialists.

Use the contacts listed above for questions about your specific situation. If you have a general question or a suggestion to improve this page, email the Office of Knowledge and Educational Resources at deaweb@niaid.nih.gov.

Links

Late Applications & Post-Submission Materials

NIH Grants Policy Statement

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