Special Instructions for submitting NLM Grants for
Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13) applications using the SF424 (R&R)
There are two sections to these Instructions. The first section applies only to Unaffiliated Applicants. The second section applies to all applicants.

I. Instructions for Unaffiliated Applicants

Download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) from http://www.grants.gov/Apply.

Unaffiliated applicants should follow these instructions instead of the instructions provided in Section IV of the FOA, PAR-09-030, in reference to registration at Grants.gov and eRA Commons. In order to submit an application to NIH, unaffiliated applicants must register with both Grants.gov and eRA Commons, acting as their own “organizations”. Essentially, they will be registering as if they were doing business as a contractor with the Federal Government. See specific instructions below:

Grants.gov Registration:

NIH requires all applicants to have their own Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number. Unaffiliated applicants will need to register with Grants.gov as if they are Federal contractors and follow the organizational registration procedures. See http://www.grants.gov/applicants/register_your_organization.jsp for a checklist outlining steps for registering.


eRA Commons Registration:

You will also need to register as your own institution in the eRA Commons. To register as your own institution in the Commons, go to: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/registration/registrationInstructions.jsp.

Complete the required fields as requested. When completing the field "Institution Name", use the following format:
If the unaffiliated applicant/independent scholar's name is "Joe Britop", provide the following for the Institution Name:
INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR – JOE BRITOP

Required Fields:
  1. Institution Name
  2. DUNS Number
  3. Street Address
  4. City
  5. State
  6. Zip Code
  7. Country
Account Information Fields: (Account Administrator is not required)
  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Title
  4. User Name (TO BE SPECIFIED BY THE USER)
  5. Phone
  6. Fax
  7. E-mail (Will be validated by NIH)
Fill in all your registration data and make sure you go to the bottom of the registration form and click on "Submit."

After clicking on Submit, a screen comes up telling you to print the form. Please print this form immediately; you will not be able to get back to that screen to print the form later. You must sign and fax a copy of the form to NIH eRA Commons at 301-451-5675.

Follow the rest of the registration instructions. Please ensure you answer the e-mails confirming your registration as requested! You will receive multiple e-mails separated in time by a day to a week. The first is to verify the Signing Official's (you are the Signing Official) e-mail address. Your response to the second e-mail activates your account. Once the account is activated you will be e-mailed your user name and initial password.

Once your Signing Official account is active, you will need to make sure you also create a Principal Investigator (PI) account for yourself if you do not already have a PI account, or affiliate your existing PI account with your organization. See https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons-help/174.htm. Please note that the PI account is the account you will be using to access the review results (priority score and summary statement) for your application.

Direct questions regarding the Commons registration to:
eRA Commons Help Desk
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Business hours: M-F 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email commons@od.nih.gov

II. Customized Guidelines for Completing SF424 (R&R) Application Package, for G13 applicants.

The specific SF424 (R&R) Application forms package to be used for submitting an application to this program is linked from the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Please do not use any other forms package.

The instructions on this web page are to be followed in conjunction with the instructions as set out in the "Grants.gov Application Guide SF424 (R&R)" and in the FOA. In cases where the instructions on this page differ from instructions in the Application Guide, the instructions on this page supersede all other instructions.

Only sections from the Application Guide that require clarification are addressed below.

4.6 Selecting the Appropriate Budget Component (page I-69 of Application Guide)
A R&R (Research & Related) Budget Component is required for this grant program. Please complete the R&R Budget Component, following the instructions in section 4.7 on page I-69. Please disregard the Modular Budget Guidelines.

Please leave the Indirect Costs sections blank as this FOA does not allow indirect costs (facilities and administrative costs). This is as stated in the FOA.

Publication costs, such as author page charges, and other publishing costs, are not allowable for this grant program.

5.5 Research Plan Component (page I-104 of Application Guide)
Please follow the instructions as set out in the Application Guide, with the following clarifications.

Page limits as set out in the FOA are: Do not exceed 15 pages for Items 2 – 5 of the Research Plan. Do not exceed 1 page for Item 1 (Introduction to Application, to be used only for Resubmissions/Revised applications).

Research Plan.

Organize your research plan as follows:
  1. What do you intend to do? Cite the objectives of the proposed scholarly work. Describe the intended audience. Describe and justify the medium of publication, if other than print.
  2. Why is the work important? State concisely the importance and health relevance of the proposed work. Provide evidence of the significance of, need for, and usefulness of the proposed work. If there are similar works, describe how the proposed work differs, extends, or enhances them. Include one or two carefully chosen letters of support from the target audience and peers. If possible and if appropriate, include evidence that the proposed work would be considered for publication by a university press, professional society, or other publisher.
  3. What has already been done? Cite your relevant publications. You may wish to include a sample chapter of the work, if available, in a PDF attachment in the Appendix section. Please limit the sample chapter to 20 pages. If your work is best assessed by reviewing a website, include the URL, being careful to specify which work/files should be reviewed. Describe the current status of your writing or development of the publication. Provide a chapter outline.
  4. How are you going to do the work? Describe methods you will use. Include how the information will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe how the proposed work will be organized. If the proposed work involves electronic publication, a website or CD or DVD, describe the software to be used and the experience of the technical developer. Provide letters of agreement from co-developers or consultants, indicating their willingness to work on the project.
For electronic publications:
  • describe how formative evaluation will be performed
  • provide a plan for maintenance of electronic publications beyond the grant period
  • cite the privacy policy and other relevant "code of conduct" elements to be followed and posted on the website
Appendix.

Follow the instructions for Appendix on pages I-113 to I-114 of the Application Guide, as applicable. In cases where the instructions differ, the instructions on this page supersede those in the Application Guide. Include a sample chapter of the work, if available, in a PDF attachment. Please limit the sample chapter to 20 pages.

Last reviewed: 07 January 2009
Last updated: 07 January 2009
First published: 31 August 2006
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