# Presentation: 923616

## Adobe Application Forms and Electronic Submission

**Adobe Application Forms and Electronic Submission**

*Changes to electronic applications are on the way.*
*Learn how this affects**** YOU ****today!*

- November 14, 2008

**Notes:**
Changes to electronic applications are on the way.
Learn how this affects you today!

## NIH Transition to Adobe Forms

*** Most receipt dates on or after Jan 1, 2009 **_**must**_** use Adobe, ****except...**
** ****Small business (R41,R42, R43, R44) and conference (R13/U13s) grant **
**	**** ****applications with Jan. 7, 2009 AIDS submission deadlines**
** ****FOAs expiring on or before January 31, 2009 will continue to use Pure Edge ****	****  until the expiration date. (See complete list).  **

- Pilot completed

- Check FOA for new Adobe forms

- Begin using Adobe for most
- Jan. 1 receipts*

- Adobe forms available for Small Business & Conference FOAs

## NIH Transition Schedule from PureEdge to Adobe for Standard Submission Dates

| Activity Code | Final PureEdge Submission (STOP!) | First Adobe Submission (GO!) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C06/UC6, R18/U18, R25, Gs, S1, S21, S22, SC1, SC2, SC3 | 9/25/2008 | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) |
| R01 | 11/5/2008 | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) |
| R03, R21, R33, R21/R33, R34, R36 | 11/16/2008 | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) |
| R15 | 10/25/2008 | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) |
| R13/U13 | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) | 4/12/2009 |
| SBIR/STTR | 1/7/2009 (AIDS) | 4/5/2009 |

## Some FOAs are Being Published Without Electronic Application Forms 

- NIH is waiting for updates to be made to the SF424 (R&R).
- System-to-System Providers should get in touch with Grants.gov for information on schema changes
- We expect to add the newly updated forms to the Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) by early December 2008
- New forms for small business and conference FOAs will be available in early February 2009

**More at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-117.html**

**Advice:**  Develop your research plan and attachments** *****now***. Wait to complete the actual forms until you download the correct application in December.

**Notes:**
Note: We have heard that some institutions have “pre-filled” parent application packages and posted them internally for PIs to use without having to worry about the organization-specific information in the application. Instead PIs can just focus on the scientific and budgetary aspects.  For these institutions, they will want to inform their PIs of these new changes and revise their “pre-filling” procedures accordingly.

Timing of changes were dependent on OMB approval and Grants.gov development.

Advice from NIH: Don’t let these changes catch you unprepared.  Write up the application’s scientific content as usual, but don’t fill out forms or submit before confirming the correct application package with the FOA.  

##  Adobe: Not very different...

- The new Adobe forms look very similar to PureEdge forms
- Changes mainly cosmetic
- Overall electronic submission process remains the same:
- Find opportunity
- Download application package
- Develop research plan and other PDF attachments
- Complete forms
- Submit application
- Check assembled application in eRA Commons

-   Works on both Macs and PCs

**Notes:**
Works on both Macs and PCs

## ... but follow these important tips to ensure success

- Adobe Reader 8.1.3 or 9.0 required to open forms
- Stay tuned to Grants.gov’s Download Software page for changes (http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp)
- A pop-up usually warns if you have a wrong version
- If using an Adobe Acrobat product to create PDFs, check Grants.gov’s Web site for help on settings
- To ensure the application reader opens in the correct version of Adobe

-   Using an old version of Adobe Reader may prevent successful submission of your application!

**Notes:**
Important: Applicants cannot rely on pop-up message to tell them that they have the wrong version of Adobe Reader.  There have been occasions when the wrong version was used and the warning did not pop-up. 

## Sample Changes to Application Forms

- R&R Senior/Key Person Profile
- Added Degree Type and Year (*note this will **allow NIH to remove Degree fields from **PHS 398 Cover Pg Supplement)*
- R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s)
- Moved Congressional District data from R&R Cover Component
- Added DUNS Number field
- PHS 398 Checklist
- Added Disclosure Permission Statement
- R&R Other Project Information
- Re-ordered and revised Human Subjects fields
- Revised fields on Environmental Impact
- Added field for impact on Historical Places

**More at: **_[http://](http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm)__[grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm](http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm)_

**Notes:**
These are just examples; other changes will also be made (i.e. minor changes such as changing “County” to “County/Parish”, and larger ones such as elevating the SBIR/STTR Information Component to the SF424 R&R family instead of the PHS 398 family).

Additional information will be available in the application guides on the NIH Forms web site (listed on the slide) and during various training sessions that will be provided to the applicant community in the coming months.

If asked, the permission disclosure statement is similar to the existing SBIR/STTR statement allowing NIH to share the title and organizational contact information of non-funded applications to groups (such as outside foundations or investors) potentially interested in contacting you for further information.

## Reminder: Avoid Common eSubmission Errors

**Reminder: Avoid Common eSubmission Errors**

- Use ***PDF*** format for text attachments and do not embed movies or other materials in ***PDF*** attachments.
- R&R Senior/Key Person Profile(s) form
- Include eRA Commons Username in the ‘Credential, e.g., agency login’ field for all individuals assigned a PD/PI role.
- Include the Organization Name for all Senior/Key Persons listed.
- R&R Budget form - Senior/Key Person effort must be greater than zero.
- 	**Clicking ‘Submit’ is not the last step.  ****Remember. . . ****if you can’t view it (in Commons), we can’t review it !**

**More at: **_[http://](http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm)_**era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm **

**Notes:**
Use eRA Commons to check for submission errors/warnings and to view your assembled application

If you can’t view your application in eRA Commons – we can’t review it!

##  Go back to the FOA and download the new Adobe application package

-  Go back to the FOA and download the new Adobe application package

**BE PREPARED!!**

**December**

**January**

-  Submit your application in Adobe for most FOAs

-  Review the Funding Opportunity
-   and begin working on your research plan
-  Ensure ALL computers have Adobe 8.1.2 	or 9.0 installed

**N O W !**

## 
Contact Grants.gov Contact Center for questions on form functionality or submission of the forms to Grants.gov.  
	Grants.gov Contact Center
E-mail: support@grants.gov  
Phone: 1-800-518-4726 

Contact the eRA Help Desk at NIH with post submission questions or technical issues that threaten NIH’s timely receipt of your application. 
Document technical issues involving application submission with Grants.gov Contact Center and provide NIH with the contact center tracking number

		eRA Help Desk
Web support: http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/  
Phone: 1-866-504-9552 or 301-402-7469

- Contact **Grants.gov Contact Center** for questions on form functionality or submission of the forms to Grants.gov.
- 	Grants.gov Contact Center
- E-mail: _[support@grants.gov](mailto:support@grants.gov)_
- Phone: 1-800-518-4726
- Contact the **eRA Help Desk** at NIH with post submission questions or technical issues that threaten NIH’s timely receipt of your application.
- Document technical issues involving application submission with Grants.gov Contact Center and provide NIH with the contact center tracking number
- 		eRA Help Desk
- Web support: _h__[ttp://](http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/)_ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/
- Phone: 1-866-504-9552 or 301-402-7469

- Follow the Usual Process for Electronic Submission Support

**Notes:**
Help Desk and support assistance.

## Adobe Transition Resources

**NIH Electronic Submission of Grant Applications Web site: ****http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/**
**Grants.gov Web site (Applicant Resources):**** ****http://grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp**

## Future Transitions to Electronic Submission with Adobe Forms

- Career Development (K): February 12, 2009
- Fellowship (F): April 8, 2009
- Training (T): September 25, 2009
- Complex: TBD