Pre-Award – Federal Agency Information

Agency Guidelines

• NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
• NIH How to Apply – Application Guide

Proposal Preparation Checklists

Checklists are for guidance only.  Please ensure that you read the solicitation.

• NSF Proposal Checklist (General)
• NIH Proposal Checklist (R Series)

Agency Templates

• NSF Synergistic Activities Template

Other Support Reporting

• NIH resources: NIH Other Support Website (including sample)
• NSF resources: NSF Current and Pending Support Website
• URI Specific Other Support Guidance 
• Other Support Review: Please note that  many of the outside activities, relationships, or interests (“outside activities”) you disclose to the University in the InfoEd COI disclosure form should also be reported to federal sponsors in sponsor documentation (e.g., Biosketch, Other Support, Current & Pending, and Facilities, Equipment, or Other Resources). The URI Office of Research Integrity can assist investigators with both outside activity disclosures and sponsor reporting obligations by reviewing outside activity disclosures in InfoEd COI disclosure form, including those involving an institution, government, or company located outside the U.S.

Agency Updates

• NSF > NSF has issued a revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 23-1). The new PAPPG will be effective for proposals submitted or due on or after January 30, 2023. Significant changes include: 
  • Revisions to incorporate Research.gov as the replacement for FastLane for proposal preparation and submission.
  • Information about the use of Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) and the BAA Management System (BAAM).
  • Revisions to the certification for Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) for proposals submitted on or after July 31, 2023, which expands the training to faculty and other senior personnel as well as requires specific training mandated by the America COMPETES Act, as amended.
  • Use of Concept Outlines as a submission type and the Program Suitability and Proposal Concept Tool (ProSPCT).
  • Requirement for proposers to provide a certification regarding Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus and Off-Site Research.
  • Revisions to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support formats to include certifications from the individual (as required by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act,  Section 223) regarding information being accurate, current, and complete.
  • Requirement for NSF program officers to request updated Current and Pending Support information prior to making a funding recommendation, in accordance with the NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance.
  • Requirements for use of SciENcv for the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support documents.
  • Implementation of Build America, Buy America statutes.
  • New sections on Research Security and Scientific Integrity.
• NIH > NIH issued a new notice Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy, that includes details in several areas, including: 
  •  A preview of an optional  DMS Plan format page that includes elements of the plan Elements of a DMS Plan as NIH envisions them 
  • A new placement of the plan under the NEW Form H form set, effective in the fall (instead of in the Resource Sharing Plan section). 
  • Description of how the plan will be assessed at the proposal stage 
  • Description of the post-award plan revision and submission process 
• NIH >   An updated RPPR Instruction Guide is now available. The instruction guide reflects changes associated with recently issued guide notices on Other Support and Biosketch format pages, human subjects, Trainee Diversity Report and NRSA childcare costs reporting (see NOT-OD-22-130 for details).  Note that a final RPPR Instruction Guide will be published on June 23 to reflect the revised screenshots accompanying the new look and feel of the RPPR module.  See also: 
  Action Required for In-Progress RPPR Budget Forms By or Before June 22 (NIH Extramural Nexus) https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2022/05/18/action-required-for-in-progress-rppr-budget-forms-by-or-before-june-22/ and URI’s page on RPPRs
• NSF > FastLane will be officially disappearing as a submission portal at the end of the year. Even for current opportunities, FastLane may be unavailable in some NSF solicitation/programs, requiring the use of Research.gov. Research.gov does have some benefits including “real-time” auto-compliance checks throughout the process and Research.gov “Demo Site,” to practice within.

In Research.gov, Other Authorized Users (OAU) can be designated on proposals in order to allow another person access to work on the proposal (e.g., research support staff, non-Co-PIs, etc.). Unlike FastLane, where the PI gives the OAU the proposal # and a PIN to sign in, in Research.gov, the PI actually designates individual OAU(s) for the proposal, and when the OAU signs in, the proposal appears on the OAU’s list of proposals.

Specific steps are:
Login to your proposal in Research.gov. To designate an Other Authorized User (OAU), click on “Manage Personnel and Subaward Organizations” on the left panel. Then under the Prime Organization, click “Manage Personnel” to the right. Then under “Other Authorized User(s),” click “Add Other Authorized User” on the right. Type in the OAU’s NSF ID# (or email). Then click “Add to Proposal.” It will display the OAU’s name that they’ve successfully added.