TIPS FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION

Version 1&2 Forms:

• For the Senior/Key Person Profile page, add eRA Commons name to the credential agency login box for the PI only.

• Add to the Cognizant Agency box (all years) DHHS, Henry William, 214-767-3600.  There has been some confusion as to the correct name as well as phone number.  We have confirmed this is the correct info.

The following hints are specifically for Version 2 Forms.  If the application requires you to use Version 1, these do not apply.

• SF424: #4 Federal Identifier: (NIH project number) should only list the root number “AT038609”; prefix and suffix should be removed.
  
  

• SF424: #12 Areas Affected by Project: unless the proposal research is specific to one area (state, city, etc.), this box should be “N/A”.
  
  

• SF424: #14A Congressional District – Applicant: should be “MI-015” (not 15th)
  
  

• SF424:  #14B Congressional District – Project: is also “MI-015” unless the Areas Affected (#12) is specified, then it should coincide with the areas indicated in #12.  (Ex:  all districts in MI would be “MI-all”, etc.)
  
  

• SF424: Add “Medical School” to the Division box under #15.

IN GENERAL

Remember to put 3 key terms on the PAF.

Obtain appropriate departmental signatures for effort and space before coming to the Medical School for sign off.

Have the entire Yes/No questions on the PAF page 2 answered and make sure the PI has signed the COI section.

For NIH projects, on the budget justification, remove effort listed in % for all personnel.  Only list effort in person months.  Person months should be listed as calendar, academic, or summer.

• Name of Institution
• Domestic or Foreign
• Approximate total costs each year, rounded to the nearest thousand

BIG PICTURE ISSUES

For calendar months, it is no longer listed as “xx months of university effort” as we did with %.  1 month is equal to 1 month no matter what portion of the appointment.  The language “of university effort” is no longer needed.  The calculation becomes:
Months x UM FTE * % of UM effort on project = X calendar months
(12 months * 0.5 FTE * 25% UM effort = 1.5 calendar months)
Remember, if a budget period is less than 12 months, the formula should reflect the months that are available in that period.

For any new contracts with a corporate sponsor that involves human use, an IRB fee will be charged.

We have had the question come up of the exact wording the Med School will accept for GSRAs on a project.  Following are a few examples.  We will continue to update this list as more options are available.

• “X will devote 100% of her appointment to this project.  Under University of Michigan policy GSRAs are contracted appointments of 6 calendar months for employment.”

• “X will devote 6 calendar months, which is equal to full time research effort for a GSRA.”

• “X will spend his full university appointment, which, under GSRA contract, is 6 calendar months.”

CORRECT FORMAT FOR ATTACHMENTS

• No headers/footers

• No “spaces in file name

• Convert to pdf
  

• Research Plan – breakdown into separate sections for upload to application