Phases of Process

In July 2008, Dr. Zerhouni established a Peer Review Oversight Committee (PROC) (PDF - 35 KB) to initiate implementation.  The PROC, chaired by NIH Deputy Director, Dr. Raynard Kington, established subgroups consisting of NIH program, review, grants management, and evaluation staff to assist with the implementation effort. 

On September 12, 2008, the PROC and subgroup chairs presented to Dr. Zerhouni the first of the preliminary implementation plans for the 2009 through 2010 calendar years. 

The final set of recommendations is organized into the following four priority areas.

• Engage the Best Reviewers
  • Providing Benefits for Reviewers. 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.
  • Recruiting the Best Reviewers. A toolkit incorporating best practices for recruiting reviewers will be made available to all ICs in 2009.
  • Enhancing Reviewer Training. In spring 2009, training will be available to reviewers and SROs related to the changes in peer review.
  • Allowing 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.
    
    
• Improve the Quality & Transparency of Review
  • Improving Scoring Transparency & Scale. In 2009, streamlined applications will receive a preliminary score.
  • Providing Scores for Streamlined 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.
  • Shortening and Restructuring Applications
    
    
• Ensure Balanced & Fair Reviews Across Scientific Fields & Career Stages, & Reduce Administrative Burden
  • Funding the Best Science Earlier. To ensure that the largest number of high-quality and meritorious applications receive funding earlier and to improve system efficiency, the NIH will enhance success rates of new and resubmitted applications by decreasing the number of allowed grant application resubmissions (amendments) from two to one.
  • Clustering Applications in Review.  In 2009, where possible, the NIH will cluster new investigator applications (including Early Stage Investigators) for review. The same approach will be considered for clinical research applications.
  • Early Stage and New Investigator Policies
    
    
• Continuous Review of Peer Review