ORN-2020-20 | Research

Special Announcements:

NSF Notification Implementation of the revised NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 20-1)

On June 1, 2020, NSF will implement the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 20-1) for proposals submitted or due on or after this date. The revised PAPPG implements a variety of changes and clarifications, the highest profile of which requires use of an NSF-approved format for the preparation of the biographical sketch and current and pending support. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing stress on proposers, the research community has not been able to adequately prepare and train their staff for the implementation of the new requirements.

NSF has therefore made the decision to delay the requirement to use NSF-approved formats for the biographical sketch and current and pending support sections of NSF proposals until October 1, 2020. Proposers must continue to format these documents in accordance with PAPPG requirements (see PAPPG sections II.C.2.f and II.C.2.h). NSF encourages the community to use these formats and continue to provide valuable feedback as we enhance them for future implementation. Over the coming week, NSF will make updates to existing policy guidance, websites and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to reflect the change.

NSF will communicate further with the community once these updates have been made. Webinars covering the use of NSF-approved formats as well as all of the significant changes to the PAPPG are available on the NSF Policy Outreach website. NSF will continue to implement all other changes to the PAPPG beginning June 1, 2020, including the following:

New requirement for proposing organizations to submit government-wide representations and certifications in the System for Award Management (SAM);
New requirement for providing e-mail documentation of Program Officer approval for the submission of RAPID and EAGER proposals; and
Clarifications to current and pending support coverage as well as other changes throughout the document.

You are encouraged to review the by-chapter summary of changes provided in the Introduction section of the PAPPG. If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the DIAS/Policy Office at policy@nsf.gov.

NJIT Pandemic Recovery Plan Research Continuity Plan Update: Phased Recovery Operations
Current Status: Recovery Phase-0

Recovery Phase 0
All non-essential research operations halted. Essential research operations follow strictest social distancing and safety protocols with only essential staff.

Safety within laboratories must be rigorously maintained with adequate access to PPE and other safety-related supplies. Labs will not be authorized for access unless adequate safety supplies are identified as being available. PIs must identify by name the people that will be considered essential personnel (including replacements/backups). During this time all essential research operations (ERO) must be approved by chair, dean, and the senior vice provost for research through the emergency research continuity plan process currently in place.
Research involving human subjects that requires face-to-face interaction with human subjects is halted.
Research that can be conducted remotely should be continued to the extent possible.

Guidance on Financial Management of Grants and Contracts
Agency Information Links

Funding agencies such as NSF and NIH are following the OMB guidance with respect to grant management during this disruption to university business and research. The financial management of the research grants and contracts with links to funding agencies is posted on the research website https://research.njit.edu/njit-pandemic-recovery-plan.

Principal investigators should check with the websites of their specific funding agencies for more information. A multiple Funding Agencies Research Impact Guidance Matrix by the Council of Government Relationships is posted on the website COGR's Federal Agency Guidance Matrix (XLS) (Updated).

Office of Research Administration Operations

All Office of Research processes continue during this period of remote operation. Our hours of usual operation remain 8:30-4:30 Monday through Friday. All staff are available by email and most have their office phone numbers forwarded to them through Cisco Jabber. You should receive a reply to an inquiry within 24 hours. You may always reach out to your college’s research administration support person for assistance.

Principal investigators who have subaward activity with other institutions or contracts with industry partners are asked to discuss the current situation with their counterparts to determine if the COVID-19 disruption will require a modification to the existing agreements. If it is determined that a modification is required, please contact Justin Samolewicz at justin.m.samolewicz@njit.edu to discuss next steps.

Budget transfers or other actions needed to comply with this guidance should follow the standard procedures. Questions or concerns regarding post-award financial activity on grants may be directed to your grant accountant or Mariel Diaz at mariel.diaz@njit.edu.

Questions related to OMB guidance, research compliance or general concerns about the administration and financial management of grants and contracts may be directed to Eric Hetherington, Executive Director, Sponsored Research Programs Administration at erich@njit.edu.

Grant Opportunity Alerts:

Keywords and Areas Included in the Grant Opportunity Alert Section

NSF: NSF-DFG Lead Agency Activity in Electrosynthesis and Electrocatalysis; Division of Chemistry: Disciplinary Research Programs (CHE-DRP); Plant Biotic Interactions; Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI); Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program (IUCRC); Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES)

NIH: NIH Director’s Emergency Transformative Research Awards (R01); NIH Director’s Emergency Early Independence Awards (DP5); NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (DP2); NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (DP1); Research Program Award (R35); NIH Small 4 Research Grant Program (R03); NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21); NIH Research Project Grant (R01)

Department of Defense/US Army/DARPA/ONR: Program: Vision Research Program; Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program (PRARP); FY20 Epilepsy Research Program (ERP); DoD Hearing Restoration Focused Research Award; DoN Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)

Department of Transportation: UTC PROGRAM TIER 1 COMPETITION 2020 Department of Agriculture: Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants; Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program; REAP-Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements

Department of Labor: Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant Program

EPA: Assessment Tools for Biotechnology Products

Department of Energy: Advanced Manufacturing Office Multi-Topic FOA; Next-Generation Technologies and Field Validation; Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-FOA-0002252; Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support for Complex Systems

NASA: ROSES 2020: Astrophysics Pioneers; The New (Early Career) Investigator Program in Earth Science; ROSES 2020: Space Weather Science Application Operations-to-Research; Heliophysics Supporting Research; HELIOPHYSICS - Early Career Investigator Program

National Endowment of Humanities: Research and Development; Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities; Fellowships

Private Foundations: Brain Health Foundation: 2021 Scientific Innovations Award American Heart Foundation Notification

In the News:

(National and Federal News Related to Research Funding and Grant Opportunities)

New Bill Proposes $100 Billion, 5-Year Expansion Of NSF To Bolster 10 High-Tech Fields

A bill introduced by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) would change NSF's name and more than double its funding through 2025 to advance selected research aims and prevent global competitors from achieving technological primacy.

The new National Science and Technology Foundation would create a super directorate headed by a deputy director (the others are led by assistant directors), which would focus initially on:

artificial intelligence and machine learning;
high-performance computing, semiconductors, and advanced computer hardware;
quantum computing and information systems;
robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing;
natural or anthropogenic disaster prevention;
advanced communications technology;
biotechnology, genomics, and synthetic biology
cybersecurity, data storage, and data management technologies;
advanced energy; and
materials science, engineering, and exploration relevant to the other key technology focus areas.

$4.745 B to NIH, $125 Million to NSF for COVID-19 Related Research

The Democrats' Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act passed 208-199. A House fact sheet on the HEROES Act says it would give the National Institutes of Health $4.745 billion "to expand COVID-19-related research on the NIH campus and at academic institutions across the country and to support the shutdown and startup costs of biomedical research laboratories nationwide." The bill directs $3 billion to offset "costs related to reductions in lab productivity resulting from the coronavirus pandemic or public health measures related to the coronavirus pandemic," and $1 billion "to support additional scientific research or the programs and platforms that support research:" The National Science Foundation's sum would be "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to fund research grants, of which $1,000,000 shall be for a study on the spread of COVID–19 related disinformation:" Lewis-Burke's overall assessment: "While the bill addresses some of the issues raised by the higher education and research community, it still falls short of relief requests submitted to congressional leadership."

National Institutes of Health – $4.745 billion to expand COVID-19-related research on the NIH campus and at academic institutions across the country and to support the shutdown and startup costs of biomedical research laboratories nationwide. Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response – $4.575 6 billion to respond to coronavirus, including:

$3.5billion for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for therapeutics and vaccines;
$500 million for BARDA to support U.S.-based next-generation manufacturing facilities;
$500 million for BARDA to promote innovation in antibacterial research and development; and
$75 million for the Office of Inspector General

NIH Initiates New COVID-19 Research Funding Program

So predicts Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, of the shark-tank-style competition underway to develop rapid, inexpensive tests for COVID-19. Recent stimulus legislation provided $1.5 billion for the effort. Of that amount, $500 million went to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering "to accelerate research, development, and implementation of point of care and other rapid testing related to coronavirus" and $1 billion to Collins's office "to develop, validate, improve, and implement testing and associated technologies; to accelerate research, development, and implementation of point of care and other rapid testing; and for partnerships with governmental and non-governmental entities."

More information about NIBIB’s RADx funding program is provided in the Newsletter below and also posted on https://www.poctrn.org/radx.

Streamlyne Question of the Week:

How can I update my eRA Commons ID for all future NIH proposals?

Research NewsletterIssue: ORN-2020-20