NIH has updated its COVID-19 page for Applicants and Recipients with links to guidance, FAQs, funding opportunities, and a couple of short videos from Dr. Lauer himself. We encourage everyone to pay attention to the NIH COVID-19 page frequently as things are moving quickly.
NIH is relaxing many administrative requirements, in general, and the key is communication.
Some of the flexibilities are:
- Extended pre-award cost window
- Extension on reporting deadlines
- Continued stipend payments to trainees
While we don’t have an official closure, some UW research activity is hindered due to COVID-19. If your NIH funded project is impacted, and you need to take advantage of some of the flexibilities, use OSP's instructions for how to contact sponsors.
Donating PPE from NIH Funded Research
NIH COVID-19 FAQ #6 Indicates recipients may donate PPE and other lab supplies in support of COVID-19 efforts. Recipients may re-budget grant funds to repurchase supplies at a later date, use large unobligated balances, or submit an administrative supplement request to the funding IC.
Late Proposal Submission
NOT-OD-20-091 indicates they will accept all late grant applications for due dates between March 9 - May 1, through May 1, 2020. This notice does not apply to contract proposals.
Taking Advantage of NIH’s Late Proposal Submission Flexibility
Enter the intended submittal date as the Sponsor Deadline on the eGC1 instead of NIH’s original published due date. Reference NOT-OD-20-091 in the eGC1 comments to document the basis for the allowable late submission. This allows OSP to review, prioritize, and submit proposals normally and avoid unnecessary administrative burden for everyone.
COVID-19 Specific Proposal/Administrative Supplement Request
Use the standard eGC1 process, but please use the prefix “C19” in the short title, to help OSP with prioritization.
Charging Salaries When Researcher is Unable to Work
The UW does not currently have a policy about charging salaries under “unexpected or extraordinary circumstances”, so there is no change to the way salaries are allocated to NIH awards. UW central offices are reviewing this policy; any changes will be posted on the UW PAFC website.
Research Losses and Insurance Coverage
The insurance available to cover COVID-19 productivity losses is limited and would not cover staff time, slowdowns, and extra expenses related to enhanced clean up and supplies. If you have specific loss coverage questions, please consult with UW Risk Services.
If you anticipate requesting an administrative supplement to cover losses, please contact the funding NIH Institute first to determine next steps.
Travel
Non-refundable costs associated with grant-related travel that have been canceled due to COVID-19 may be charged to the NIH award if they would have otherwise have been allowable. For other sponsored program travel expense questions, please see UW PAFC guidance.
Stipends
Institutions affected by COVID-19 may continue to provide stipend payments to fellows and trainees who may be unable to work as a result of or related to COVID-19. Follow OSP's instructions for how to contact sponsors.