Office of

Grant and Research Development

12-March-2001 meeting - items discussed:

  1. Some federal and private agencies are now allowing Principal Investigators access to electronic proposal submission via the internet without institutional authorization. The Office of Grant and Research Development is reminding all Principal Investigators of the University's Policy, which states that no proposals may leave the university without prior institutional approval through OGRD. WSU has established accounts with these agencies and will submit electronic proposals directly after final approval. If you have any further questions, then please contact OGRD.

  2. Limited submissions of proposals to federal and private agencies. There are more agencies that are limiting the number of proposals that the University can submit in response to a specific RFP. When OGRD is aware of this restriction, an internal deadline is set by OGRD to review a preproposal to determine which principal investigator(s) will be allowed to submit a complete proposal. Please contact OGRD with any questions or concerns.

  3. There have been some requests to conduct the monthly RAG meeting over WHETS. There were no objections to this; therefore, OGRD will check into see what scheduling problems might arise.

  4. NIH has revised the NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS, rev.03/01). The new statement is effective for all NIH grants and cooperative agreements with budget periods beginning on or after March 1, 2001, and will supersede the earlier version. The new grants policy statement is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2001/ The major changes in the policy statement are:
    • The separate requirement for approval of significant rebudgeting has been eliminated. It is now incorporated as an indicator of a change in scope. This is effective immediately for all NIH awards. This change eliminates the need to reply to question #2 of the four streamlined noncompeting award process (SNAP) questions.
    • The term "collaborator" has been changed to "co-investigator." This change is intended to more accurately describe the role of individuals who are involved with the principal investigator (PI) in the scientific development or execution of the project. This change in terminology does not change the role and/or responsibilities of the PI as detailed in the NIHGPS or the PHS 398 application.
    • The criteria to allocate costs normally assignable to multiple projects ("closely related work") has changed. A grantee may allocate costs normally assignable to multiple projects to one of those projects or else treat multiple projects as a single cost objective regardless of the funding IC or whether the awards involve the same or different PIs. However, identifying projects as "closely related" continues to be a prior approval requirement.
    • For grantees subject to OMB Circular A-21, "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions," the 10/98 NIHGPS states that grantees subject to OMB Circular A-21 may not rebudget from direct costs to accommodate a facilities and administrative (F&A) rate increase unless the rate in effect at the time of award was provisional. This requirement is now eliminated from the NIHGPS. Grantees may rebudget between direct and F&A costs (in either direction) without NIH prior approval, provided there is no change in the scope of the approved project.
    • The addition of a foreign component requires prior approval for all recipients, regardless of terms of award.
    • A statistical sampling basis is now acceptable for physical inventory of equipment.

  5. NIH Modular Grant Award notices state the following "Recipients are required to allocate and account for costs related to this award by category within their institutional accounting systems in accordance with applicable cost principles". Everyone is encouraged to attach detailed budgets for each year of the award to the REX form that accompanies the competing proposal.

  6. Dr. Harold Varmus, former director of NIH, has proposed to Congress that the number of institutes and centers at NIH should be reduced to 6 from the current 27. This would decrease the administrative burden on NIH, and would increase NIH's ability to exploit scientific advances in any one area. However, many of the existing institutes and centers are the product of lobbying by advocates for patients afflicted with specific diseases. Congress has requested that a study be completed within one year after President Bush nominates a permanent successor to Dr. Varmus. There may be changes to NIH's structure in the near future.

  7. Account Detail on Balances has a new menu. The download menu contains a new selection number 26. It allows you to download an award, a home account, or a series of accounts. The result is a report by object and subobject that combines all the accounts you have selected. Joan cautioned that if the report information you are requesting crosses department and college lines, you will only be able to view the accounts that you are authorized for.

  8. NCURA Live Video Satellite Conference titled "Divergent Views and Issues When Contracting with Industry" is scheduled for broadcast on Wednesday, March 21, 2001, 8:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. in Murrow Television Studio B.

    9. Our next meeting is scheduled for April 9th.
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Office of Grant and Research Development P.O. Box 643140
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