Streamline your Proposal Submission – Update on GIM 19 & What is “Ready To Submit”?

Office of Sponsored ProgramsWinter 2011

Al Marks and Gretchen Davis Richey, OSP Training Team

OSP Commitment

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is committed

to assuring timely submission of complete, accurate

and excellent proposals.

To Achieve This• It is critical that OSP receive proposals in

sufficient time to provide:– adequate review of the applications– oversight of the submission process in compliance

with all sponsor and University requirements

• GIM 19 was recently revised

Today’s Agenda• It’s a national competition!• NIH eliminates 2 day correction window• UW revises GIM 19• Ready To Submit – what’s that mean?• Reduce your error rate, streamline submission

– Scenarios– Common errors checklist– Tips & tricks

Grants.gov

UW

MITUSC

First to Submit, First to Arrive!

All research institutions in the United States are using the same systems to submit their proposals. First in, first to arrive!

It can take up to 48 hoursor even longer for Grants.gov or electronic sponsor systems to process applications once they are submitted by OSP.

Submitting early remains the best way to ensure successful submission.

Did you know

• Reviewers are asked to score proposals based on a list of criteria including both the science and how well the instructions are followed.

• If the sponsor receives 10 good proposals and can only fund 6 of them, those who do not follow the instructions will not be funded.

Say Goodbye to the NIH 2-Day Correction Window

• Notice Number: NOT-OD-10-123• Effective for the submission of NIH grant

applications for the January 22, 2011 due date and thereafter

• NIH, AHRQ and CDC will eliminate the error correction window after the deadline

What’s the Difference?• 2 Day Review Window

– For 2 days after your application is picked up by NIH eRA Commons it can be viewed for accuracy and completeness

– Remember, if you can’t see it, NIH can’t review it!– System glitch = system make a mistake compiling applic

• 2 Day Error Correction Window (eliminated)– Time allowed after the submission deadline to address NIH

system-identified errors– Error = we made a mistake & system identified it

Day +1Day -1Day -2

Error CorrectionProcessingSubmit

NIH Deadline

Day +2

Error Correction

GIM 19 Internal Deadlines for Proposals to Outside Agencies

• Effective January 2, 2011• 7 Day Deadline

– OSP needs to be able to do a meaningful review of the proposal

• 3 Day Deadline– 5pm 3 business days before sponsor deadline

• Waiver process remains the same

Business Sections• Face Page/ SF424 Form• List of Personnel• Biosketches• Budget & Justification• Subcontract Budget & Justification• Narrative & Checklist• Needed Compliance Approvals • Required Additional Information

Scope of Work• Description of the Project• (The Science)

Final Version by Day – 7

Draft Version by Day – 7

Final Version by Day - 3

GIM

19

GIM 19• Which applications apply to GIM 19?• All proposal submissions, including

noncompeting renewals (e.g. NIH progress reports), in both paper and electronic format.

RTS Question on the SAGE eGC1

What does it mean when SAGE eGC1 RTS = Yes?

Communicating Proposal Readiness

RTS = Yes , PI’s approval that the science is complete + the dept’s indication that the

business portion is complete

• RTS question for electronic applications• Comments on eGC1• All campus reviewers have approved• Determination of readiness by OSP

When is the Proposal Final?

• “Once a proposal is submitted to NIH and other outside agencies, the proposal is final and no corrections may be made, unless responding to system-generated errors prior to the Sponsor deadline.”

GIM 19

Waiver Required• If UW deadlines cannot be met for extenuating

circumstances, a waiver must be requested.– Official UW closure (e.g., inclement weather)– PI or Co-PI serious illness or injury– Death of key personnel– Documented notification of funding opportunity

was made < two weeks prior to the deadline.

OSP will submit application prior to the Sponsor deadline but cannot ensure a successful submission.

Ideal Submission• Finalize all business forms; attach draft science• Check for and correct errors• Route eGC1 & application to OSP• Withdraw & attach final science, RTS=Yes• Recomplete eGC1• OSP reviews and may ask for modifications• OSP submits application to sponsor• View application in eRA Commons ASAP

Preparation Submission

• The PI, Department and OSP are in a partnership together to prepare and submit proposals to external sponsors.– Quality proposal– Institutional approvals– Maximum potential for award

• We are all in a partnershipwith electronic sponsor systems, as well.

Quality Application vs

Timely Submission• PI perspective may be different from Admin

– System complexities drive timeline for submitting the application

– Competitive funding drives the development of the highest quality application

• Work together to create a timeline that can best meet both goals

Complexities & ComplicationsSeveral possible system actions that can slow down

your application reaching the sponsor on time.• Processing delay• Errors -> application must be resubmitted• Processing delay + errors• Withdraw application from eRA Commons for

corrections, then resubmit

What is your risk tolerance?

Hints1. Be absolutely clear about the readiness of your

application – don’t check “yes” on RTS if from your perspective the application is not ready for sponsor submission

2. OSP will review applications marked “yes” or “no”3. View your application in eRA Commons at the

beginning of the 2 day window4. Get revised documents back to OSP ASAP for a

quick resubmission; notify by phone/email5. Contact OSP if you have any questions

Last Year’s ScienceQuestion: Since the PI is still working on the

Scope of Work, is it okay to attach the science from last year’s grant application?

Answer: No. The draft scope of work attached to the application must reflect the current project and match with the other documents (e.g., budget, budget justifications, compliance approvals).

Can OSP Admins Grant Waivers?Question: If I contact my OSP administrator in

advance, can I submit my application after the 3-Day Deadline?

Answer: No, if your application will not reach OSP in final format at least 3 business days before the deadline, then a waiver is required. OSP staff are not authorized to grant a waiver to GIM 19.

Was it Really RTS?Scenario: A department routes an application

with the final business and draft science. OSP does their full review, with no reviewer comments needed, and waits for the final science to be attached before submitting.

Question: If the department withdraws the application and uploads the revised science, should they also update the business forms? Why or why not?

Rate the RiskScenario: It is 2 days before the deadline, and

Grants.gov and eRA Commons are especially busy and applications are taking a long time to process. OSP has submitted the application. It has successfully passed Grants.gov validation and we are waiting to view it in eRA Commons.

Now, the PI wants to fix a small typo in the cover letter and requests the OSP Admin withdraw the application.

7 SECRETS FOR SUCCESS

1. Read the Instructions

• Program announcement will have all deadlines, requirements, form sets

• Program announcement usually answers most questions

2. Create a Calendar

• Deadline• Minus 3 business days• Minus 7 business days• Final science ready to attach in SAGE• Date to start routing application in SAGE• Final business ready to attach in SAGE• Fill in eGC1 form• Concurrent timelines for admin vs science

sections

3. Ask for Help Early in the Process

• Read the Program Announcement• Use the UW Peer Mentor List• Contact your OSP Administrator

– Provide the sponsor instructions– Describe your project specifically as it relates to

question– Ask clear and concise questions

4. Use SAGE Grant RunnerNIH R01, R03, R21 with modular budgets

• Grant Runner (GR) combines the Grants.gov forms and SAGE eGC1 forms into a single formset

• All UW institutional data is automatically populated

• All Grants.gov and some NIH field-level validations are built into the system

• OSP submits your application with a click of a button; a notation is entered in the History & Comments

5. Communicate Clearly

• Use “final” in the document name, when attaching your final version of your documents.

• Only answer RTS= Yes constitutes the PI’s approval that the science is complete and the dept’s indication that the business portion is complete.

6. Check for Errors

• Use the checklists discussed today• Make sure your application is of the highest

quality before routing for UW approvals

7. Follow GIM 19• Final business & draft science must reach OSP

7 business days before the sponsor deadline• Final business & final science must reach OSP

by 5pm 3 business days before the sponsor deadline

SOM Brown Bag Session

“Getting Your Proposal Approved by the School of Medicine”

Thursday, January 27, 201111:30am to 12:30pm

South Campus Center, Room 303

Wrap-Up• Two day error correction window has been

eliminated by NIH eRA Commons• GIM 19 revised to 7 and 3 business days• Ready to Submit. (RTS = Yes) PI’s approval that the science is complete + the

dept’s indication that the business portion is complete

• Avoid common errors• Hints and tips for success

Thank you