On March 1, 2013, as required by statute, President Obama signed an order initiating sequestration. The sequestration requires NIH to cut 5 percent or $1.55 billion of its fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget. NIH must apply the cut evenly across all programs, projects, and activities (PPAs), which are primarily NIH institutes and centers. This means every area of medical research will be affected.

The estimated numbers:
(FY 2013 figures compared to FY 2012.  While much of these decreases are due to sequester, NIH funding is always a dynamic situation with multiple drivers:)

Approximately 700 fewer competitive research project grants issued
Approximately 750 fewer new patients admitted to the NIH Clinical Center
No increase in stipends for National Research Service Award recipients in FY2013

The impact:
Delay in medical progress:
Medical breakthroughs do not happen overnight. In almost all instances, breakthrough discoveries result from years of incremental research to understand how disease starts and progresses.
Even after the cause and potential drug target of a disease is discovered, it takes on average 13 years and $1 billion to develop a treatment for that target.
Therefore, cuts to research are delaying progress in medical breakthroughs, including:
development of better cancer drugs that zero in on a tumor with fewer side effects
research on a universal flu vaccine that could fight every strain of influenza without needing a yearly shot.
prevention of debilitating chronic conditions that are costly to society and delay development of more effective treatments for common and rare diseases affecting millions of Americans.
Risk to scientific workforce:
NIH drives job creation and economic growth. NIH research funding directly supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs and serves as a foundation for the medical innovation sector, which employs 1 million U.S. citizens. Cuts to NIH funding will have an economic impact in communities throughout the U.S. For every six applications submitted to the NIH, only one will be funded. Sequestration is reducing the overall funding available for grants. See the history of NIH funding success rates.

Frequently asked questions:

• How many fewer grants will be awarded?
  Approximately 700 fewer research project grants compared to FY 2012.
• Have the institutes and centers announced their adjusted paylines based on these cuts?
  The adjusted NIH Institute and Center (IC) paylines and funding strategies can be found here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/financial/index.htm#strategies
• What percent cut will be made to existing grants?
  Reductions to noncompeting research project grants (RPG) vary depending on the circumstances of the particular IC. The NIH-wide average is -4.7 percent.
• Will the duration of existing grants be shortened to accommodate the cuts?
  In general, no.
• Will all grants receive the same percentage cut or will some grants be cut more than others?
  Institutes and centers have flexibility to accommodate the new budget level in a fashion that allows them to meet their scientific and strategic goals. As noted above, there are different percentages for different ICs, and in some cases for different mechanisms within an IC (RPGs, Centers, etc.). In addition, there may be reductions to grants for reasons other than sequestration, as is the case every year.
• Will certain areas of science that are at a critical juncture be affected by these cuts?
  All areas of science are expected to be affected.
• Will some areas of science be affected more than others?
  The sequester does not stipulate the precise reduction to each scientific area. However, it is likely that most scientific areas will be reduced by about 5 percent because the sequester is being applied broadly at the NIH institute and center level.
• What will be the impact of these cuts to NIH’s intramural research at its Bethesda campus and off-campus facilities?
  The impact on NIH’s intramural research is substantial, especially because it applies retroactively to spending since Oct. 1, 2012. That can double the effect — a full year’s cut has to be absorbed in less than half a year.
• Will NIH be furloughing or cutting employees at its NIH campus and off-campus facilities?
  There are no current plans to do so. At present, HHS is pursuing non-furlough administrative cost savings such as delayed/forgone hiring and reducing administrative services contracts so that furloughs and layoffs can be avoided. Additionally, employee salaries at NIH make up a very small percentage (only 7 percent) of the NIH budget.
• How will current patients at the NIH Clinical Center be affected?
  Services to patients will not be reduced.
• Will the NIH Clinical Center see fewer patients because of the cuts?
  Approximately 750 fewer new patients will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center hospital in 2013 or a decrease from 10,695 new patients in 2012 to approximately 9,945 new patients in 2013. While much of this decrease is due to funding, clinical activity is always a dynamic situation with multiple drivers.
• Will the sequester cut need to be applied to the FY 2014 budget?
  The President’s FY 2014 Budget would replace sequestration and reduce the deficit in a balanced way. The President is ready to work with Congress to further reduce deficits while continuing to make critical investments.

Full article can be found at: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jun2013/nih-03.htm

Research Administration and Finance has created this resource page to keep you, the Northeastern University community, informed. We are posting current communications from funding agencies, the government, and our senior leadership regarding the across the board federal budget reductions (sequestration) that went into effect on March 1, 2013. Click here for broad numbers courtesy of Research America.

RESEARCH

Most federal research budgets at agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Energy will see a 5 percent budget reduction; defense research is subject to a 7.8 percent reduction. Different agencies are likely to manage programs differently. NIH announced in February that it "likely will reduce the final FY 2013 funding levels of non-competing continuation grants and expects to make fewer competing awards to allow the agency to meet the available budget allocation." Additionally, "although each NIH institute and center will assess allocations within their portfolio to maximize the scientific impact, non-competing continuation awards that have already been made may be restored above the current level as described in NOT-OD-13-002 but likely will not reach the full FY 2013 commitment level described in the notice of award."

March 26, 2013

• Northeastern's Office of Government Relations and Community Affairs has posted an update on sequestration and the most recent continuing resolution approval.

March 12, 2013

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID) addressed grantees regarding effects of the sequestration order. (pdf)

March 7, 2013

• Harold Varmus, director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), emailed grantees and contractors explaining the effect of the Continuing Resolution on current and new grants. (pdf)

March 4, 2013

• NIH Deputy Director, Sally Rockey, Ph.D., sent a letter to the signing officials at NIH-funded institutions about the President’s Sequestration Order. (pdf)
• Announcement from the Deputy Secretary of Energy regarding procurement contracts and financial assistance agreements. (pdf)
• Letter from Health Resources and Services Administration. (pdf)
• Lewis-Burke Associates’ summation of sequestration events. (pdf)
• NASA addressed grantees, contractors, and agreement participants. (pdf)
• FEMA addressed grantees and contractors. (pdf)

March 1, 2013

• Mel Bernstein, Senior Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Education memo to all Faculty, Administrators and Staff. (pdf)
• The President’s Sequestration Order. (pdf)
• OMB sent a report to Congress which provides calculations on budgetary resources that are required to be reduced under sequestration. (pdf)
• Department of Education released additional information on sequestration’s impact on Title IV student financial assistance programs.

Funding Agencies

National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov

• Letter from National Institutes of Health to Signing Officials
• Sequestration Operation Plan
• Grant Site
• Press Office

New Tools
NIH made changes to My NCBI that improve the workflow and communication between PD/PIs and non- PD/PI authors.  It is now easier for PD/PIs to track compliance of all papers arising from their
awards, even they do not author those papers.   (See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja12/ja12_myncbi_new_features.html for details).

Notice # NOT-OD-12-160

NU's Library Services is here to help!

http://library.northeastern.edu/services/scholarly-communication/for-faculty/complying-with-the-nih-public-access-policy

The GPG-required sections of a proposal include:

* These proposal sections are already being auto-compliance checked by FastLane.

Proposal submission instructions for conferences, symposia or workshops; international travel grants; or program solicitations may deviate from the GPG instructions.  If the submission instructions do not require one of the above sections to be provided, proposers will need to insert text or upload a document in that section of the proposal that states, “Not Applicable.”  Doing so will enable FastLane to accept the proposal.

Additionally, proposers providing Biographical Sketches and/or Current and Pending Support information for Principal Investigators (PIs), co-PI(s) or Senior Personnel in a single PDF file associated with the PI, must insert text or upload a document in that section of the proposal that states, “Not Applicable,” for any co-PI or Senior Personnel so that FastLane will accept the proposal.

PIs will receive a warning message if any of the GPG-required sections is missing, however, the PI will still be able to submit the proposal to the organization’s Sponsored Project Office (SPO).  If the SPO attempts to submit proposal that is missing any of the GPG required sections, they will receive an error message identifying the missing section(s), and FastLane will prevent submission to NSF.  After obtaining all required sections, the SPO may submit the proposal to NSF in accordance with the established deadline date policy.

Proposals submitted through Grants.gov must include all GPG required sections or include a document stating that the section is “Not Applicable.”

Additional information will be posted on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/autocompliance.jsp

NIH evaluates applications by a dual peer review process as mandated by statute, in accordance with section 492 of the Public Health Service Act and federal regulations governing "Scientific Peer Review of Research Grant Applications and Research and Development Contract Projects."

The first level of review is carried out by a Scientific Review Group (SRG) composed primarily of non-federal scientists who have expertise in relevant scientific disciplines and current research areas. The second level of review is performed by Institute and Center (IC) National Advisory Councils or Boards. Councils are composed of both scientific and public representatives chosen for their expertise, interest, or activity in matters related to health and disease.

As a way of recognizing their service to NIH, reviewers with substantial review service are permitted to submit their research grant applications (R01, R21, or R34) on a continuous basis and to have those applications undergo initial peer review in a timely manner. This process is referred to as Continuous Submission and applies to those peer reviewers with recent substantial service (six times in 18 months).

It is important to note that the Continuous Submission option ONLY applies to the R01, R21, and R34 Activity Codes and ONLY to FOAs using those activities with standard submission dates. 

On March 18, 2013, NSF will transfer its current project reporting service from FastLane to Research.gov.  Principal Investigators should pay particular attention to reports previously submitted and returned by their NSF Program Officer.   Returned reports should be revised and resubmitted prior to February 1.  To assist the research community with this transition, the overdue date will be
extended for all project reports that are currently scheduled to become overdue between January 31 and April 30, 2013.

An informational Webinar, "Project Reports on Research.gov: What's In It For Me?", will be offered January 16, 2013.  To participate in this webinar, please email NSF at webinars@research.gov and include your name and the name of the webinar you would like to attend. After they receive your email they will send you instructions for how to log into the webinar.

These programs often allow scientific investigators to remain in the research workforce, achieve research independence and focus their efforts on advancing the health of the nation. Opportunities are available in clinical research, pediatric research, health disparities research, contraception and infertility research, and clinical research for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Each year, about 1,600 scientists benefit from the more than $70 million NIH invests in their careers through the extramural LRPs.

All eligible researchers and scientists, including women, individuals from underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for loan repayment. NIH wants to encourage outstanding health professionals to pursue careers in biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research. If you commit at least two years to conducting qualified research funded by a domestic nonprofit organization or U.S. federal, state, or local government entity, NIH may repay up to $35,000 of your qualified student loan debt per year. Loan repayment benefits are in addition to the institutional salary you receive for your research. Please check that you and your research qualify at http://www.lrp.nih.gov/eligibility/index.aspx. If you qualify, the application guide can be accessed at http://www.lrp.nih.gov/apply_here/lrp_application_guide.aspx.

Should you have any questions do not hesitate to contact your institutional contact Deborah Grupp-Patrutz via email at Patrutz@neu.edu or telephone at 617-373-7269.

Institutions that apply for or receive Public Health Service (PHS) funding must adhere to Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) regulations.  The regulations were revised in August 2011, with the requirement that PHS funded researchers must adhere to the new regulations beginning August 24, 2012.

The main changes to the previous FCOI regulations are focused on:

• Lower financial disclosure thresholds
• New Conflict of Interest Training
• Increased transparency for travel reimbursement
• New Public Accessibility requirements

Northeastern University Office of Research Administration and Finance (ORAF) is developing information and training materials for use by PHS funded researchers in accordance with adherence requirements.

For information on the NIH notice of implementation, see the NIH website  (includes extensive FAQ’s).

For questions regarding the new regulations and implementation thereof, contact Stacy-Ann Christian at Sa.Christian@neu.edu.