Enhancing Peer Review - Implementation Updates

Enhancing Peer Review - Implementation Updates

The Peer Review Oversight Committee (PROC) and three subgroups consisting of NIH program, review, grants management and evaluation staff (See Peer Review Implementation Group Membership) have developed an initial implementation timeline for the Enhancing Peer Review activity.  The recommendations that are being implemented are based on the result of the diagnostic phase and significant dialogue with both the internal and external communities regarding enhancements to the review system. To learn more about the Peer Review Enhancement effort, please see the following pages of this website:  OVERVIEW; CALENDAR OF EVENTS; INFORMATION AND RESOURCES (Slide Presentation on Implementation of Recommended Actions).

As specific details of the Implementation Plans continue to be worked through, the first of the preliminary Implementation Plans for the 2009-2010 calendar years are as follows:

Priority Area 1 – Engage the Best Reviewers
  • Improve Reviewer Retention. In 2009, new reviewers will be given additional flexibility regarding their tour of duty, and other efforts will be undertaken to improve retention of standing review members.
  • Recruit the Best Reviewers. A toolkit, incorporating best practices for recruiting reviewers, will be made available to all ICs in 2009.
  • Enhance Reviewer Training. In spring 2009, training will be available to reviewers and SROs related to the changes in peer review.
  • Allow Flexibility through Virtual Reviews. Pilots will be conducted in 2009 on the feasibility of using high-bandwidth support for review meetings to provide reviewers greater flexibility and alternatives for in-person meetings.
Priority Area 2 – Improve the Quality and Transparency of Review
  • Provide Scores for Streamlined Applications. In 2009, streamlined applications will receive a preliminary score.
  • Shorten and Restructure Applications. Shorter (12 page research plan) R01 applications (with other activity codes scaled appropriately) will be restructured to align with review criteria for January 2010 receipt dates.
Priority Area 3 – Ensure Balanced and Fair Reviews across Scientific Fields and Career Stages, and Reduce Administrative Burden
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