Shared Instrumentation Awards: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q: I see a JIT on my eRA Commons.  Does this mean my application is under funding consideration?
   
   A: Just in Time notations in eRA Commons are automated and do not apply to the S10 program.  The PI will be contacted for updated information as soon as his/her application is under funding consideration.

2. Q: What documents must I prepare and whom should I contact to initiate a Change of PI request?
   
   A: A letter signed by the current PI and authorized institutional business official including reason for the change and proposed effective date of change plus the biosketch of the new PI are needed to initiate the process.  These documents should be sent to the Grants Management Specialist (GMS) listed on your Notice of Award (NoA) and cc’d to the Program Officer.

3. Q: Is there a list of eligible equipment for S10 applications?
   
   A: Because of the evolving nature of the S10 program, there is no set list of eligible equipment.  Click here for a list of equipment that has been previously funded by the program.

4. Q: Does the PI of an S10 application/grant need to have a funded NIH grant?
   
   A: The PI of an S10 application/grant does not need to have funded NIH grants.  He/she should demonstrate in the application that he/she has the expertise and is capable of performing the necessary scientific and administrative oversight responsibility for the instrument requested.

5. Q: Can a PI of a center grant be listed as a Major User?
   
   A: The PI of a center grant can be listed as a Major User; however, only PI of a P01 center grant qualifies as a Major User for the purposes of meeting the eligibility criteria.

6. Q: The PI of the S10 grant is moving to another institution.  Can the S10 grant/equipment move with the PI?
   
   A: The PI should discuss/negotiate the possibility of transferring the grant with his/her institution. If the institution agrees to relinquish the grant, a Change of Institution prior approval request must be submitted by the institution to the Grants Management Specialist (GMS) and Program Officer listed on the Notice of Award (NoA).

7. Q: My application is going to be late for the receipt date.  What can I do?
   
   A: NIH does not give permission for late submission of applications.  However, in rare cases, late applications may be accepted, only when accompanied by a cover letter detailing compelling reasons for the delay.   Refer to NOT-OD-11-035, “NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications” for further information.

8. Q: My -A1 application was not funded.  What can I do next?
   
   A: You are encouraged to discuss next steps with your Program Officer.  You may consider submitting a new application, after addressing the reviewers’ comments, and with substantial changes in more than more than one critical aspect of the application.  These changes may include a change in the composition of major or minor users due to a change in instrumentation needs or in NIH grant support, inclusion of new preliminary data from several users, specific documented changes in institutional commitment, or changes in the administrative/management structure.  As stated in NOT-OD-10-080, a new application is expected to be substantiallydifferent in content and scope with more significant differences than are normally encountered in a resubmitted application.

9. Q: Is there a percentile for S10 applications?
   
   A: There is no percentile rank for S10 applications.

10. Q: I saw my score on eRA Commons yesterday.  When can I call or make an appointment to discuss with the Program Officer?
    
    A: The Summary Statement, which provides detailed critiques of your application, will be available at eRA Commons 2-4 weeks after the Review meeting.  You are strongly advised to read your Summary Statement before contacting the Program Officer.

11. Q: I want to appeal the review for my application.  What should I do and how late can I submit the appeal document to be included in the Council meeting?
    
    A: PIs who intend to submit an appeal are strongly advised to discuss the issue and strategy with the Program Officer.  Appeal-related documents should be countersigned by the institutional official and submitted to the Program Officer at least three weeks before the Council meeting.

12. Q: Can our institution lease the equipment before our S10 application is funded?  How does this work?
    
    A: Your institution can lease, without obligation to buy, an instrument before the award is received.  However, if the leasing agreement was executed more than one year prior to submission of the SIG application, the applicant should provide additional information demonstrating that the instrument remains state-of-the-art and the need for requested Federal funds remains. If the application is funded, the award will be adjusted based on the remaining balance.

    (NOTE) Execution of a purchase order or agreement, making a down payment or other formal commitment to purchase the equipment prior to award will eliminate an application from eligibility for an award.




13. Q: Can I submit supplemental materials before the application is reviewed?  To whom should we send the documents?
    
    A: Post-submission grant application material is largely restricted. Please see NOT-OD-10-115 for additional information.  The PI should contact the assigned Scientific Review Officer (SRO) to determine if and how supplemental materials may be submitted.  However, it is at the discretion of the SRO and the reviewers whether to include these materials for review.




14. Q: Whose Other Support information is needed in the application?
    
    A: You should include current and pending support including support from funding sources other than the NIH for the Principal Investigator (PI), each Major User and/or technical expertise personnel at the time of application submission.




15. Q: How early can we order the equipment before the award?
    
    A: S10 grantees may incur pre-award costs up to 90 days before the Notice of Award (NoA) is issued.  Although the S10 Program Announcement (FOA) includes ananticipated start date, not all S10 awards start on this date.  PIs are strongly advised to discuss the timeframe with the Program Officer before placing the order for the equipment.

Contact Information

For further information, contact:

Abraham Levy, Ph.D.
Director, SIG and High End Programs
Division of Construction and Instruments
Office of Research Infrastructure Programs
Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
Office of the Director
National Institutes of Health
One Democracy Plaza, Room 970
6701 Democracy Boulevard, MSC 4874
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4874 (20817 for express mail)
Telephone: 301-435-0772
Fax: 301-480-3659
E-mail: Abraham.Levy