The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have issued a notice outlining the agency’s intent to transition to an electronic submission system. Available at the URL, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-067.html, the official notice announces NIH’s initial plans to:

1) transition from the PHS398 application to the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) application; and,

2) simultaneously transition to electronic submission via Grants.gov by the end of 2007.

The initial plans/milestones for submission dates and mechanisms through the new mechanism are as follows:

December 1, 2005 - Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (STTR) (R41,R42,R43,R44)

December 15, 2005 - Support for Conferences & Scientific Meetings (R13 & U13) See below for announcement.

January 25, 2006* - Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA) (R15) (* Changed to February 25, 2006 per NOT-OD-05-080)

June 1, 2006 —Small Grant Programs (R03) & Exploratory/Development Research Grant Awards (R21)

October 1, 2006 —Research Project Grant Program (R01)

NIH will continue to communicate transition plans for other programs/mechanisms as they evolve and will provide the community with ample notice of impending events. In general, announcements will be made in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts at least 4-6 months before the transition of a particular funding mechanism/research program.

For more information as the process continues, please contact your SPA Grants Officer.