Options for Macintosh Users
Posted: April 6, 2007
The new Grants.gov 2007 solution that is platform-independent incorporates Adobe-based forms and Google search functionality. Grants.gov has issued a deployment update indicating the timeline for deployment has shifted by a little over a month to incorporate a few weeks of additional testing. We know many applicants (especially our Mac friends) are anxious for the new solution, but we support the delay to provide adequate testing time.
Until NIH has an opportunity to work with the new forms, we cannot provide specific transition dates for moving to the Adobe forms. Once our plans are finalized we will communicate them through the NIH Guide for Grants & Contracts, the eSubmission listservs, this website and in presentations.
In the meantime, please continue to use the following proven options for Mac users:
■ Grants.gov provides access to an IBM PureEdge viewer that is compatible with Macs. They have included a link to “Special Edition Mac Viewers for PPC and Intel” that are now available on their Download Software page. There are some limitations to the viewer, so we strongly suggest that you read the available documentation carefully before deciding whether using the viewer is a good option for your specific circumstances.
■ NIH-hosted Citrix® servers: allow non-PC users to prepare and submit applications using the PureEdge forms viewer. This service has been used successfully by many applicants over the past year and has the capacity to handle the anticipated load for the electronic submission of R01s in February 2007.
■ PC-emulation software: commercially available products allow Mac users to run the PureEdge viewer.
■ Commercial Service Providers: offer a wide range of platform independent services - from low-cost, single transaction options through full scale, end-to-end grants management solutions. You should coordinate with your institutions’ grants office to explore these options further.