January 25, 2016

OSPA Updates: New NIH and NSF application guidelines for 1/25/16 due dates | New DHHS salary cap | Proposal submission deadlines policy | Grants training

National Institutes of Health
REMINDER: For 1/25/16 due dates and after, revised SF424 Application Guides
Refer here for the prior notice with full details. Significant changes include updated application requirements and review language to enhance reproducibility of research findings through increased scientific rigor and transparency. Note that the new “Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources” attachment is required only for applications that propose to use biological and/or chemical resources.

New DHHS Salary Cap, Effective 1/10/2016

Executive Level II of the Federal Pay Scale, which sets the cap limit for salaries on DHHS awards, has increased from $183,300 to $185,100 effective January 10, 2016. The Sponsored Programs Procedure Guide (SPPG) is updated here, including links to relevant NIH Notices and salary cap history (FY 1990 to present).

National Science Foundation
REMINDER: For 1/25/16 due dates and after, revised Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 16-1)
Refer here for the prior notice with full details. Significant changes include a new single-copy document required for each senior project personnel regarding collaborators and other affiliations and new submission instructions for biosketches and current and pending support.

Proposal Submission Deadlines
REMINDER: A blog post from NIH's Deputy Director for Extramural Research lays out some interesting data on last-minute grant submissions. As a reminder, MU maintains proposal submission guidelines such that a complete and final proposal must be received by OSPA at least five (5) business days prior to the sponsor’s due date and time. The SPPG describes the full guidance, and its rationale, here.
When it comes to submitting grant applications, the stakes are high – should a submission with errors come in too late, it may be too late to fix. Months of work are lost. Since grant applications are anxiety producing, it is only natural that people would avoid finishing them. But hard facts about how applications fare in peer review when they are submitted closer to the receipt date may give applicants the cognitive tools they need to overcome their inclination to delay.

Upcoming Grants Training 
OSPA Certificate Series: Effort Verification Reporting (EVR), Cost Transfers, and Payroll Correcting Entries (PCE)
Thursday, February 11, 2016
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Memorial Union, Stotler Lounge 1

Utilizing case studies, review EVR, PCE, and cost transfer examples and their application to sponsored projects. Discuss compliance requirements for each of these activities. Identify common issues and risks of noncompliance.

OSPA Certificate Series: Proposal Development and Submission
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Memorial Union, Wrench Auditorium S107

Identify key components of a sponsored project proposal. Understand potential compliance requirements effective upon proposal submission, including but not limited to financial conflict of interest. Discuss implications of accepting terms and conditions at proposal, including but not limited to those concerning publication rights and ownership of equipment. Explore terms and conditions the University may not be able to agree to and other common challenges that could delay proposal submission. Utilizing case studies, analyze sponsor guidelines in order to identify and understand various requirements. Review internal processes for proposal submission by an Authorized Organizational Representative in the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration.

OSPA Certificate Series: Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate
Thursday, March 10, 2016
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Memorial Union, Stotler Lounge 1

Define F&A costs, identifying the “F” and “A” individual components. Understand the difference between total direct costs (TDC) vs. modified total direct costs (MTDC). Apply the appropriate F&A rate for a proposal, differentiating among Research, Instruction, and Other Sponsored Activity; On Campus and Off Campus; and Clinical Trial rates. Review circumstances where F&A is reduced, including sponsor limitations. Utilizing case studies, review sponsor guidelines and proposals to understand application of F&A.

Register on the OSPA Training webpage: https://apps.orcs.missouri.edu/ospa_training/login