Over the past few months we have experienced some challenges with UMBC student led start-ups submitting proposals to sponsors who require UMBC institutional approval.  The Office of Sponsored Programs is the only office on campus with the authority to approve sponsored proposals for UMBC. 

While many sponsors from which our startups seek funding do not require UMBC to approve, when a sponsor does, we remind our students to reach out to their faculty advisors early in the process to allow sufficient time to have the appropriate and required institutional review.  The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is very supportive of our student entrepreneurs, however, we are not able to institutionally approve proposals which have not been appropriately reviewed and approved.  

One example is a sponsor called VentureWell.  VentureWell has multiple funding opportunities which require a UMBC faculty PI, Department Chair, as well as institutional/OSP approval.  Below is a quote from one of their funding application guidelines: 

“Applicants will need to confirm multiple items with your institution PRIOR​ to applying. We recommend you begin these steps up to eight weeks​ before the application deadline and no later than two weeks before the deadline. The most common mistake applicants make is underestimating the time it takes to navigate their institution’s administrative structure—make sure you give yourself plenty of time to compile the required materials.”

This message simply serves to iterate that if a student wishes to apply to such an opportunity, the student MUST follow the UMBC proposal submission policies and procedures. This includes following the standard proposal routing procedures and providing any and all relevant information, documentation, and signature approvals associated with the routing process.  Furthermore, the student is also responsible for satisfying any additional provisions that his/her particular Department/College might require. The student who wishes to apply should readily work with their Department Chairs, Associate Deans for Research, and/or Advisors to properly prepare for success in both the proposal submission and award process.

We wish all of our student entrepreneurs the greatest success.  If you are having trouble identifying the appropriate department or unit to assist you with your application, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Sponsored Programs.

NIH Policies, Notices and Updates:

Updated Guidance for Videos Submitted as NIH Application Materials

Notice Number: NOT-OD-20-061 and referenced in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-061.html

This is a revision to Policy Notice:

Interim Guidance for Videos Submitted as NIH Application Materials

Notice Number: NOT-OD-12-141

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-12-141.html

Policy

What Has Changed:

• Effective immediately, post-submission videos do not need to be embedded in .pdf files.
• Acceptable formats for videos are .mp4, .mov, .avi, and .wmv.

What Will Not Change:

• Videos may only be submitted as post-submission materials and not embedded in or linked from the application materials unless expressly instructed to do so in the funding opportunity announcement instructions.

• If multiple videos are submitted for the same application, the aggregate length must not exceed 2 minutes for single-project applications and 5 minutes for multi-component applications.

• The file size limit remains at 25 MB

Please click on link for full notice. 

------

Notice of Fiscal Policies in Effect for FY 2020

Notice Number: NOT-OD-20-068

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-068.html

In accordance with The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, NIH received a 5.9 percent increase over FY 2019 Enacted, for a total of $41.64 billion in program level funding including $492,000,000 authorized under the 21st Century Cures Act and specific increases for Alzheimer’s disease, All of Us, the BRAIN Initiative, and the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative. The mandatory funding for Type 1 Diabetes provided in PL 116-94 through May 22, 2020, is $96.58 million.

The following NIH fiscal policies are instituted in FY 2020:

FY 2020 Funding Levels: Non-competing continuation awards made in FY 2020 will generally be issued at the commitment level indicated on the Notice of Award. Any exceptions will be posted at the site listed under "Additional Information" below. Subsequent budget periods are funded based on the availability of appropriations, satisfactory performance, compliance with the terms and conditions of the award, and the continued best interest of the Federal government .The NIH awarding Institutes/Centers (IC) will develop and post their fiscal policies consistent with overall NIH goals and available FY 2020 funds.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA): Consistent with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee to the Director regarding the Biomedical Research Workforce, the NIH will increase NRSA stipends by approximately 2 percent for predocs and 4-5 percent on average for postdocs. The full range of stipend adjustments for FY 2020 will be published in a separate notice that will be released soon.

Next Generation Researchers Initiative Policy: NIH will prioritize meritorious R01- equivalent applications from (Early Stage Investigator) ESI PD/PIs. By providing funding priority for ESIs, NIH intends to encourage funding applications that involve researchers earlier in their career in accordance with the policy established in FY 2017 and described at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-17-101.html

.

Salary Limits: Section 202 of The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 prohibits payments for salaries under grants and other extramural mechanisms in excess of Executive Level II currently set at $197,300.

Other Legislative Mandates: Other statutory requirements are described in NOT-OD-20-066

Please click on link for full notice. 

------

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2020

Notice Number: NOT-OD-20-070

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-070.html

This Notice establishes stipend levels for fiscal year (FY) 2020 Kirschstein-NRSA awards for undergraduate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral trainees and fellows, as shown in the tables below.  In addition, the Training Related Expenses and the Institutional Allowance for postdoctoral trainees and fellows have been increased.  The Training Related Expenses and Institutional Allowances for predoctoral trainees and fellows and the Tuition and Fees for all educational levels remain unchanged.  This Notice reflects the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865), signed into law on December 20, 2019.

Stipends

Effective with all Kirschstein-NRSA awards made on or after October 1, 2019, the following annual stipend levels apply to all individuals receiving support through institutional research training grants or individual fellowships, including the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) programs.

Undergraduates:  For institutional training grants supporting undergraduate trainees (T34, TL4), appointments for undergraduate candidates will continue to be made by distinct category (i.e., Freshmen/Sophomores and Juniors/Seniors), but the stipend levels for the categories will be the same: 

Predoctoral Trainees and Fellows:  For institutional training grants (T32, T35, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F30, F31), one stipend level is used for all predoctoral candidates, regardless of the level of experience.

Postdoctoral Trainees and Fellows:  For institutional training grants, (T32, T90, TL1) and individual fellowships (F32), the stipend level for the entire first year of support is determined by the number of full years of relevant postdoctoral experience when the award is issued. Relevant experience may include research experience (including industrial), teaching assistantship, internship, residency, clinical duties, or other time spent in a health-related field beyond that of the qualifying doctoral degree.  Once the appropriate stipend level has been determined, the trainee or fellow must be paid at that level for the entire grant year.  The stipend for each additional year of Kirschstein-NRSA support is the next level in the stipend structure and does not change mid-year.

Senior Fellows (F33 only):  The stipend level must be commensurate with the base salary or remuneration that would have been paid by the institution with which the individual is permanently affiliated when the award is issued, but cannot exceed the current Kirschstein-NRSA stipend limit set by the NIH for those with 7 or more years of experience.  The level of Kirschstein-NRSA support will take into account concurrent salary support provided by the institution and the policy of the sponsoring institution.  NIH support does not provide fringe benefits for senior fellows.

For full details on the FY 2020 Kirschstein-NRSA update(s), please refer to https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-070.html

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including NIH, operates under the “Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020 and Health Extenders Act of 2019” (Public Law 116-59) signed by President Trump on September 27, 2019. This Act (CR) continues government operations through November 21, 2019 at 99.3209 percent of the FY 2019 enacted level.

Continuing the procedures identified under NOT-OD-19-031 and consistent with NIH practices during the CRs of FY 2006 – 2019,the NIH will issue non-competing research grant awards at a level below that indicated on the most recent Notice of Award (generally up to 90% of the previously committed level). Upward adjustments to awarded levels will be considered after FY 2020 appropriations are enacted, but NIH expects institutions to monitor their expenditures carefully during this period.All legislative mandates that were in effect in FY 2019 (see NOT-OD-19-030) remain in effect under this CR, as well as the salary limitation set at Executive Level II of the Federal Pay Scale (see NOT-OD-19-099). The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award predoctoral and postdoctoral stipend levels and tuition/fees are described in NOT-OD-19-036.

•         Notice Number: NOT-OD-20-046

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-046.html

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

National Institutes Health (NIH) has published the revised Grants Policy Statement(NIHGPS) for FY 2020 https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-043.html. This revision is applicable to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements with budget periods beginning on or after October 1, 2019 and supersedes the NIHGPS dated October 2018. While this revision does not introduce any new material, it incorporates new and modified requirements, clarifies certain policies and implements changes to statutes, regulations and policies that were previously implemented.

The most notable changes are:

•NIHGPS Section 11.3.13.1 – Statement of Appointment – Addition of language related to ORCID ID requirements.  Relevant NIH Notice Number: NOT-OD-19-10_ Requirement for ORCID iDs for Individuals Supported by Research Training, Fellowship, Research Education, and Career Development Awards Beginning in FY 2020

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-19-109.html 

Updates to Requirement: “The requirement for ORCID identifiers is incorporated into the appointment process for trainees, scholars, and participants supported by institutional research training, career development, and research education awards that require appointments through the xTrain system, including the following: T03, T15, T32, T34, T35, T37, T42, T90/R90, TL1, TL4, TU2, K12/KL2, R25, R38, RL5, and RL9…

At the time of appointment, the xTrain system will check whether appointees have ORCID IDs and appointments will be not be accepted for agency review unless an ORCID ID is linked to the individual's eRA Commons Personal Profile.”

•NIHGPS Section 12.4.1 – Application – Addition of language related to ORCID ID requirements. Relevant NIH Notice Number: NOT-OD-19-109_ Requirement for ORCID iDs for Individuals Supported by Research Training, Fellowship, Research Education, and Career Development Awards Beginning in FY 2020

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-19-109.html

Update to Requirement: “Beginning with receipt dates on or after January 25, 2020, the requirement for ORCID identifiers will be enforced at the time of application for individual fellowship and career development awards, including the following: F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F37, F38, F99/K00, FI2, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K38, K43, K76, and K99/R00…

eRA system validations will check whether applicants have ORCID iDs and applications will not be accepted unless an ORCID ID is linked to the PD/PI's eRA Commons Personal Profile.”

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Fellow Research Administrators, because of the Procurement transition from PeopleSoft to PAW Procurement System, the subrecipient invoice payment has changed. To process the invoice payments in PAW, each person, including PIs, must activate their account by entering the portal https://my.umbc.edu/go/paw-procurement. Once the account is activated, please contact the Procurement to assign you the role of the initiator or approver. The PIs are required to activate their accounts only.