Sponsored Projects Administration

POST - SUBMISSION MATERIALS

Post-submission grant application materials are those submitted after the agency deadline but prior to the initial peer review. This option is used when an unexpected event such as the departure of a participant, natural disaster, etc., has occurred, but should not be used to correct oversights or errors discovered after submission of the application. Refer to NIH notice NOT-OD-16-130 for more information. 

Acceptable post-submission materials include:

  • Revised budget page(s) (e.g., due to new funding or institutional acquisition of equipment)
  • Biographical sketches (e.g., due to the hiring, replacement, or loss of an investigator)
  • Letters of support or collaboration due to the hiring, replacement or loss of an investigator Adjustments resulting from natural disasters (e.g., loss of an animal colony) Adjustments resulting from change of institution [e.g., Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) moves to another university] News of professional promotion or positive tenure decision for any PD/PI or Senior/Key Personnel Approval by the NIH Stem Cell Registry of a human embryonic cell line(s) after submission of the application (see NOT-OD-12-111)
  • Videos, within defined limits, that demonstrate devices and experimental data with a temporal element, which refers to the need to show how something functions or occurs over time, or demonstrates movement or change.  Applicants must follow the directions in NOT-OD-12-141for submitting videos to accompany grant applications
  • Other post-submission materials specified in the FOA for which the application was submitted or in a special Guide Notice.
  • News of an article accepted for publication since submission of the application, which must include only:
    • List of authors and institutional affiliations
    • Title of the article
    • Journal or citation (if available)

Copies of articles, links to articles, or any other materials related to an article accepted for publication will not be accepted as post-submission materials, unless specified in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for which the application was submitted or a special Guide Notice.

Unacceptable post-submission materials include:

  • Updated Specific Aims or Research Strategy pages.
  • Late-breaking research findings.

All post-submission materials must conform to NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH policies on font size, margins, and paper size as referenced in the applicable application instructions.

  • Any specified formats (e.g., budgets, biographical sketches) and page limits referenced in the applicable application instructions apply.
  • If post-submission material is not required on a specific format page and does not have a specified page limit, each explanation or letter is limited to one page.
  • If the application has multiple components (subprojects or cores), each subproject or core is allowed explanations or letters, but each explanation or letter is limited to one page. 

Post-submission materials must be received by the NIH, AHRQ, or NIOSH Scientific Review Officer (SRO) no later than 30 calendar days prior to the peer review meeting.  Post-submission materials will not be accepted if fewer than 30 calendar days remain before the peer review meeting, unless specifically stated otherwise in the FOA for which the application was submitted or in a special Guide Notice. 

Concurrence from the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) of the applicant organization is required.  Although the post-submission materials may originate from the PD/PI, Contact PD/PI, or organizational officials, the AOR must send the materials directly to the SRO or must send his/her concurrence to the PD/PI who will forward the materials and concurrence to the SRO.  A communication from the PD/PI only or with a "cc" to the AOR will not be accepted.

SUBMITTING POST - SUBMISSION MATERIALS

The Principal Investigator (PI) should contact their Scientific Review Officer (SRO) as soon as they become aware of the need to submit additional materials. The SRO should reply with their contact information (email address) and any special requirements for the submission. Often an email will originate from the SRO inviting the PI to submit additional materials.

This email and any additional correspondence should be forwarded to the department's assigned Sponsored Projects Specialist (SPS) along with the post-submission materials. Additionally, the PI, or their administrative personnel, must provide all available information to SPA regarding the submission contact person, any submission requirements, and the submission deadline.

Post-submission materials should be sent as a PDF attachment.

The Sponsored Programs Administrator will then review the materials to ensure compliance with both the NIH Grants Policy Statement regarding post-submission materials and any additional requirements from the SRO.

The Sponsored Programs Administrator will forward the request to the AOR for submission to the SRO, once the post-submission materials meet all of the requirements for content, format, deadlines, and submission process.

The AOR will send the request to the SRO, copy the PI, department representative, and the Sponsored Projects Administrator. It is the responsibility of the PI or departmental representative to follow up on requests to ensure they sent to the SRO.

The SRO is responsible for uploading acceptable materials into the official electronic grant file maintained in the eRA Commons.  The PD/PI can check his/her application via the Commons to see these materials in the section titled "Additions for Review".  This procedure provides the information to reviewers in a secure manner.