Office of Grants and Contracts

No Joke! New Data Request Portal Launches Thursday, April 1

Effective April 1, 2021, the Office of Regulatory Compliance will launch a new data sharing request portal for intake of data sharing requests. This will replace the paper based request form and email intake process.

Who does this impact?  Anyone requesting to share data and those who regularly field questions about the same.

What is changing? The process for submitting data sharing requests is changing. The paper based summary form will be replaced by a REDCap form. This applies to data-related agreements including but not limited to Data Use Agreements, Data Transfer and Use Agreement, Business Associate Agreements.

When does this change occur? Beginning Thursday April 1, 2021, all requests for anything related to data sharing will be routed to the new Data Sharing Requests Portal.

Why is the process changing?  The new on-line Data Sharing Request Portal will provide a more efficient process for administration of all types of data requests.

Questions? Please contact the Office of Regulatory Compliance.

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New NIH Requirements

On March 12, NIH announced new requirements for the NIH Biographical Sketch and Other Support format pages. The new format will be required for all NIH applications and RPPRs submitted on or after May 25, 2021. The new requirements are designed to provide full transparency and disclosure of all foreign and domestic research activities.

The NIH Biosketch Format Pages, Instructions, and Samples website has been updated to reflect the new requirements.

The changes to the biosketch include:

• Section A: Personal Statement. This section has been updated to include ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years. This was previously known as “Research Support” which was included in Section D of the biosketch.
• Section B: Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors. Individuals completing a biosketch must list, in reverse chronological order, all positions and scientific appointments, both foreign and domestic, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes academic, professional, or institutional appointments regardless of payment. All full-time, part-time, or voluntary positions (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary) must be included.
• Section D: Research Support. Section D has been removed from non-fellowship biosketches. For fellowships, Section D no longer includes research support and is renamed “Scholastic Performance.”

The changes to the Other Support format page include:

• A reorganization of the page to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions; and
• A new signature block for PIs and other senior/key personnel to certify the accuracy of the information.

NIH emphasizes that Other Support includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors. Reporting of Other Support is required for all individuals designated in an application as senior/key personnel and is not required for individuals categorized as Other Significant Contributors. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Resources and/or financial support from all foreign and domestic entities;
• Consulting agreements; and
• In-kind contributions.

Other support does not include training awards, prizes, or gifts.

The updated SciENcv Biosketch template will be available in March 2021. Individuals with an existing biosketch in SciENcv will be able to transfer their current biosketch information into the new format.

In addition to the format changes, NIH announced that effective May 25, 2021, all recipients must:

• Provide supporting documentation, including copies of contracts, grants, and any other agreement specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support. All documents must be in the English language.
• Immediately update the Other Support page and submit it to the Grants Management Specialist named on the Notice of Award when a PI or other senior/key personnel on an active NIH grant fails to disclose Other Support information outside of a Just-in-Time request or the RPPR.

OGC Pre-Award Services will discuss these changes at the next RAIN meeting in April. If you have any specific questions, or need additional guidance, please email Xenia@ucdenver.edu.

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OGC Employment Opportunities

Two opportunities to join the OGC team are posted in CU Careers.  Click the links below for details.

• Senior Pilot PostAward Administrator
• Contracts Manager

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NCURA Training

Financial Services and RAIN are partnering to provide free access to an upcoming NCURA webinar entitled “Excel Tips for Pre- and Post-Award Administrators.”  The webinar will be held on May 6, 2021 at 12pm.  Registration information will be available at a later time.

NCURA’s description of the webinar is:  Do you use Excel to analyze and report data? If so, you’ve probably asked yourself, "Why does this take so long? Is there a better way?" If you use Excel for budget development, you have probably asked yourself, "How can I develop a budget more quickly/accurately?" In this intermediate-level session, you will learn how to use tables, formulas, pivot tables, and conditional formatting that will help you navigate your path to success. This is a 90-minute session and participants should bring their own laptop to the workshop. Excel templates will be provided on the day of the workshop for participants to use as they follow-along. Adequate time will be provided for participants to personalize the templates for use back home. 

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