SUBMITTING AN SBIR/STTR APPLICATION FOR DECEMBER 5?

November 25, 2008

National Institutes of HealthU.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Suzanne E. Fisher, Ph.D.DirectorDivision of Receipt and Referral

SUBMISSION REMINDERS• Must complete Grants.gov and NIH/eRA Commons registrations in

advance – may take several weeks; if not registered now, probably too late to submit for December 5.

• Every individual with the PD/PI role must have a Commons ID number and must include that information in the application.

• On time submission is successful submission to Grants.gov by 5 p.m. local time.

• Two day error correction window (shortened from five days)http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-018.htm l• Must include cover letter for changed/corrected application

submitted after due date.

• Late applications - NIH Guide Announcementhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-08-027.html

Advance approval is not given.Window of consideration is 1 week.

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MORE SUBMISSION REMINDERS • Format requirements

Approved fonts: Arial, Helvetica, Palatino, or Georgia11 point, 15 cpi, 6 lpi, 1/2 inch marginsApplies to entire application; all PDF attachmentsUse common sense; consider reviewers

• Omitted/additional informationhttp://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-08-082.html

Must contact Scientific Review Officer after assignmentWill be displayed in grant folder as “ Additions to review” and available to reviewers and NIH staff

• SBIR/STTR Specifics

Must have received Phase I award to submit Phase II

Fast Track applications must propose work and request $ for Phase I

Only one Phase II from an awarded Phase I

Full Budgets (no modular budgets)

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COVER LETTERThe cover letter should be used for a number of

important purposes: Suggest Institute/Center AssignmentSuggest review assignmentIdentify individuals in conflictIdentify areas of expertise needed to evaluate the application Discuss any special situationsRequired for a changed/corrected submission

But it is not appropriate to use the cover letter to suggest specific reviewers.

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SUGGESTED COVER LETTER FORMAT

• Designed to facilitate knowledge management approaches as an aid to referral process

• One request per line• Separate positive and negative requests• Separate IC and review requests• Include name of IC and SRG followed by

dash and acronym; do not use parentheses• Provide explanation in separate paragraph

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POLICIES FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION

• Duplicate applications are not allowed.• Derivative applications should not be submitted.• Organizations are responsible for assuring the

materials submitted are original work, not used in previous applications.

• Resubmission/Amended ApplicationsTwo resubmissionsNo time limitMust have received Summary StatementChange in ContentIntroduction/Mark Text

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IF YOU REMEMBER ONLY ONE THING…

If you do not see the application image in eRA Commons, the NIH does not see it either. Be sure to follow up on the process and use eRA Commons to check. We need to know you have submitted an application in order to assign, review and award! 7

ASSIGNMENT ISSUES – PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Verify correct Activity Code• Concerns regarding review

Contact SROContact DRR

• Concerns regarding IC assignmentContact DRR

• Request for change in writing to DRR (fax 301-480-1987)

• More efficient to include cover letter with submission

QUESTIONS• Before submission call the Division of Receipt and

Referral (301-435-0715) ; all staff members will be able to help.

Identify Institute, Center, other agency

Identify Scientific Review Group

Questions on submission policies, format, structure

Sorry, we cannot help with G.gov or eRA issues• After submission requests for change in assignment

Do not use email to a specific individual

Fax 301-480-1987

Regular mail

Division of Receipt and Referral, CSR, NIH

6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7720

Bethesda, MD 20892-7720

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