Updates from the Sponsored Programs Administration

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) oversees the non-financial administration of all sponsored awards, grants, and contracts at BMC. SPA supports BMC staff to submit proposals, negotiate agreements, and manage non-financial post award tasks such as progress reporting, prior approvals, and subaward issuance. In this section, find information about BMC processes and policies, important sponsor updates, and general SPA updates.

 

 

May 2024

SPA Portfolio Assignments 

The SPA team recently welcomed a new Senior Grants & Contracts Administrator (GCA), Nicole Buchenholz, to our team. As Nicole completes her onboarding and training, we are in the process of redistributing portfolios among all GCAs. The updated portfolio distribution list is posted on the Research Operations website. 

SPA is actively facilitating the transition process for any departments that will be shifting to a different GCA. If your department will be reassigned and you have not yet been contacted by SPA, please feel free to reach out to your current GCA and Gina Nadler at Gina.Nadler@bmc.org. 

Our current portfolio distribution can be found on the Research Operations website: Portfolio Assignment and Directory | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)

Escalation Contacts:

  1. Your SPA GCA is your 1st point of contact for SPA inquiries. 
  2. For proposal submissions your secondary SPA contact is: Gina.Nadler@bmc.org
  3. For Non-Financial Post-Award matters your secondary SPA contact is: Christopher.Garcia@bmc.org
  4. For all other matters please reach out to Jennifer.Kennedy@bmc.org

As a reminder, SPA oversees the non-financial administration of all sponsored awards at BMC, supporting the submission of proposals, negotiating agreements and accepting awards, and managing non-financial post award tasks. Below is an extensive compilation of SPA's duties:

Update to NIH Guidance on Making Changes in Resubmission Applications

Effective May 25, 2024, NOT-OD-24-061 replaces previous guidance on marking changes in Resubmission applications. The use of markups such as bracketing, indenting, highlighting, bolding, italicizing, underlining, margin lines, change in typography, font, or font color, or any other type of markup should not be used to identify changes in Resubmission applications.

Changes made to a Resubmission application should only be outlined in the Introduction attachment. The Introduction must include a summary of substantial additions, deletions, and changes to the application. It must also include a response to weaknesses raised in the Summary Statement. Unless otherwise indicated in the Table of Page Limits, the Introduction may not exceed one page.

Submit Copies of Progress Reports to SPA

As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline grant administration processes, we would like to kindly remind all Principal Investigators (PIs) to submit copies of their progress reports directly to grants.admin@bmc.org.

This reminder pertains to instances where an institutional signature is not required upon progress report submission. In such cases, we ask that you include grants.admin@bmc.org in your distribution list when sending progress reports to the relevant funding agencies.

Maintaining copies of your progress reports ensures that we have accurate records and can provide necessary support throughout the lifecycle of your projects. 

For progress reports requiring institutional signature, including all federal RPPRs, please ensure that the final version of your report is complete and sent to your SPA GCA for review at least five (5) business days prior to the deadline. 

Should you have any questions or encounter any challenges during the submission process, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team at grants.admin@bmc.org for assistance.

Reminders

Salary Cap Increase for NIH Awards

Guidance for Salary Limitation for Grants & Cooperative Agreements FY2024 (NOT-24-057)

The Office of Personnel Management recently released the new salary levels for the Executive Level Pay. Effective January 1, 2024, the salary limitation for Executive Level II is $221,900.

The new salary cap has been updated in Workday and awards will automatically be charged at this rate effective with February payroll. A Payroll Accounting Adjustment (PAA) to update January payroll to the new rate is optional unless not completing a PAA would result in non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the award (e.g., effort would be effectively reduced by 25% or more, etc.).

Read the full NIH Notice for more details.

PIs who have international NIH collaborators/subcontractors: 

As we navigate NIH collaborations with international partners, here's a concise breakdown of essential steps to streamline data sharing:

  1. Establish Shared Repository: For ongoing projects with existing agreements, set up a shared repository accessible to international collaborators. This ensures that crucial project data is readily available to the BMC team. Please be advised that this is the responsibility of the PI and study team to create such a repository/resource, as part of the Subrecipient reporting requirements.
  2. Prepare for Future Projects: Anticipate upcoming projects and be ready to establish a similar data-sharing mechanism in advance. Proactive planning ensures smooth collaboration from the outset.
  3. Request Support Letters: When contemplating new proposals involving foreign collaborators, ensure that PIs request support letters as required. This proactive approach facilitates compliance with NIH regulations.
  4. Utilize Digital Platforms: Leverage digital platforms like Box or OneDrive to facilitate seamless data access and deposition. These tools enable efficient collaboration and data management across borders.

If you do not already have a shared mailbox or repository with your collaborators to deposit their project data for currently ongoing projects, please contact the team at CDW-R (Melissa.Hofman@bmc.org) to obtain assistance in selecting the best possible solution for your project needs. BMC Research Operations is working with CDW-R and Research Technology Program (RTP) to establish a uniform process/system that can be used throughout the BMC research community and more information will be provided under the CDW-R/RTP/Research Informatics updates section.

Please be advised that establishment, maintenance and upkeep of this resource may not be fiscally supported by Research Operations and is the responsibility of the PI and the study team, so for PIs contemplating projects that will require this resource, please ensure that you include data management costs in your budget proposals to avoid redistribution of awarded funds to cover these expenses. For current projects, please work with your study team and financial administrators to explore the best way to support these services, should you need to establish them, using funds from your current award.

Efficient data sharing not only ensures compliance with NIH requirements but also enhances collaboration and streamlines project management processes.

For any assistance or queries regarding data sharing mechanisms, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team, CDW-R or RTP. We are here to support you every step of the way.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Looking Forward – Upcoming Policy Changes for the remainder of 2024 and beginning 2025

NIH recently released several policy announcements notifying institutions and applicants that beginning January 25, 2025, new application forms (“Forms-I” – we are currently using “Forms-H”) for submitting proposals. In addition, please check out the following links regarding updates to the review framework for NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs – i.e., R01s). Please check the links below for upcoming submissions and policy changes after 2024:

  1. Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025 (NOT-OD-24-084)
  2. Simplified Review Framework for NIH Research Project Grant Applications - Update and Implementation Plans (NOT-OD-24-085)
  3. New NIH "FORMS-I" Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025 (NOT-24-086)
  4. For NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Awardees or Potential Applicants: NIAMS Announces a New Funding Policy (NOT-AR-24-013)

April 2024

New team member in Sponsored Programs Administration

SPA is thrilled to welcome Nicole Buchenholz to our team!

Nicole joins us as a Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in scientific and clinical trial research operations and administration across various sectors, including large hospital systems, academic medicine, non-profit organizations, and industry. Nicole started her career at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as research program coordinator in molecular and cellular biology in the Brown and Sellers labs and most recently held the position of project manager working on clinical trials at the Tisch Cancer Institute in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. While at Mount Sinai, she also worked for ConduITS, Mount Sinai’s CTSA, as a system-wide liaison for guidance to facilitate the acceleration of translational research across an expanding research enterprise, which included research orientations, research resources, systems, regulations, guidance and education.

Contact Nicole at Nicole.Buchenholz@BMC.org or 617-414-2846.

With Nicole's addition to the team, SPA will be reallocating portfolios among all Grants and Contracts Administrators (GCAs) to ensure equitable distribution of tasks. Over the coming months, as Nicole undergoes onboarding and training, SPA will transition towards the new portfolio distribution. If your department will be supported by a different GCA moving forward, your current GCA or the SPA Manager will be in touch to introduce your new point of contact and discuss the transition process. The updated portfolio distribution list will be available on the Research Operations website once Nicole is further into her training.

Notice about using BMC emails in Proposals  

We want to remind Principal Investigators (PIs) about the importance of using your BMC email address for all proposals submitted through FRGG/SPA. 

Please remember that all proposals and other submissions certified by SPA are considered BMC business. BMC’s IT cybersecurity team has advised that any communication involving BMC business may contain PHI (Protected Health Information) or PII (Personally Identifiable Information). Such information, if sent to or forwarded to personal/non-BMC email addresses, such as Gmail, could potentially breach HIPAA regulations, resulting in fines for both the hospital and individuals involved, as commercial e-mail domains have not been vetted for HIPAA compliance.

When submitting proposals through BMC, please remember to use your BMC e-mail address as your contact address to ensure the security and integrity of BMC’s proposal submissions. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please feel free to contact your SPA Representative.

Updated NIH Requirements for Foreign Subaward Agreements

Subaward Agreements, particularly Foreign Subcontracts (NOT-OD-23-182)

NIH Final Updated Policy Guidance for Subaward/Consortium Written Agreements): This updates the requirements outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS) Section 15.2: Administrative Requirements and became effective on January 2, 2024:

NIH will not support any agreement that does not meet the minimum requirements outlined in the written agreement section below (15.2.1). NIH reserves the right to request copies of the written agreement and relevant supporting documentation as needed, as part of its oversight responsibilities. Failure to provide requested documentation may lead to remedies for noncompliance and potential enforcement actions (see NIH GPS Section 8.5, Specific award conditions and remedies for noncompliance).

Attention PIs and Proposal Developers

At the application stage, NIH expects Prime recipients (e.g., BMC) to ask potential subrecipients to include language in their letters of support indicating their awareness of these requirements and the subrecipient’s willingness to abide by all requirements should an award be issued.

Recommended Language to include in the Support Letter:

By agreeing to enter into and signing a subrecipient agreement with Boston Medical Center (BMC), [Subrecipient name] agrees to provide BMC PI(s) and project staff access to copies of all lab notebooks, all data, and all documentation that supports the research outcomes as described in the progress report, to BMC with a frequency of no less than once per year, in alignment with the timing requirements for Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) described in the subaward agreement issued to [Recipient name], should this application be selected for funding. [Subrecipient name] will make such data available via [insert recipient’s preferred method here (e.g., Sharepoint, Teams, Box, etc.)].

If a potential subrecipient chooses not to provide a letter of support that contains the language recommended above, the subrecipient site can instead submit a certification letter signed by the subrecipient PI and the subrecipient authorized official. The letter must be printed on the subrecipient institution’s letterhead and may be downloaded from: https://hub.bmc.org/doc/foreign-reporting-certification-form. 

Requirement:

15.2.1 Written Agreement

The recipient must enter into a formal written agreement, signed, and agreed to by both parties, with each consortium participant/subrecipient that addresses the negotiated arrangements for meeting the scientific, administrative, financial, and reporting requirements of the grant, including those necessary to ensure compliance with all applicable Federal regulations and policies and facilitate an efficient collaborative venture. If a subrecipient is unwilling to accept the requirements outlined in this section, by signing a written agreement, then an agreement cannot be issued. At a minimum, this agreement must include the following:

Note: All current requirements remain in place, with the addition of:

For foreign subrecipients, a provision requiring the foreign subrecipient to provide access to copies of all lab notebooks, all data, and all documentation that supports the research outcomes as described in the progress report, to the primary recipient with a frequency of no less than once per year, in alignment with the timing requirements for Research Performance Progress Report submission. Such access may be entirely electronic.

This additional reporting requirement will be included in the subaward agreement issued to foreign subawards, as will a separate written agreement to be signed by both parties.

PIs and other investigators, this is a guidance and reminder for you as you contemplate entering into a consortium agreement with foreign institutions and requesting support letters from such institutions to include the assurance requirements outlined above. The administrative requirements will be included in agreement documents issued by SPA.

March 2024

Revision to NIH Guidance on Marking Changes in Resubmission Applications

On February 13, 2024, NIH released Notice NOT-OD-24-061 rescinding its prior instructions for marking significant changes to Resubmission applications. Effective May 25, 2024, “The use of markups such as [bracketing], indenting, highlighting, bolding, italicizing, underlining, |margin lines, change in typography, font, or font color, or any other type of markup should not be used to identify changes in Resubmission applications.”

Changes made to a Resubmission application should only be outlined in the Introduction attachment. The Introduction must include a summary of substantial additions, deletions, and changes to the application. It must also include a response to weaknesses raised in the Summary Statement. Unless otherwise indicated in the Table of Page Limits, the Introduction may not exceed one page.

Post Submission Materials 

As we approach NIH scientific review season, it's crucial to address post-submission materials (PSMs). While generally accepted, their approval rests with the Program Officer (PO). PSMs are typically due 30 days before the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) review.

For upcoming proposals, if you haven't received an invite to submit PSMs, contact your PO to confirm acceptance. Note that some POs may not accept PSMs. PSMs, except for multi-component awards, are limited to one page and must strictly adhere to guidelines (NOT-OD-23-106 and NOT-OD-19-083). Deviations can lead to automatic rejection. PSMs must be submitted by your SPA Grants & Contracts Administrator.

Thank you for your attention to these vital details in navigating the NIH review process.

Just In Time (JIT) Materials 

As we navigate Just-in-Time (JIT) materials, remember there are two types of JIT requests:

1. Auto-Generated JIT Request:

This notification is sent to applicants whose proposals scored at or below the 50th percentile of the reviewed proposals. It's important to note that this is a courtesy JIT and not necessarily an indicator of potential funding. We recommend against responding to these auto-generated notices. Instead, we advise PIs to use this time to ensure compliance with regulations:

  • For proposals involving human subjects research, IRB approval or exemptions should be secured.
  • Similarly, for proposals involving animal research, IACUC approvals should be obtained or in progress.
  • In rare cases, additional compliance requirements like biohazard/biosafety certifications may be necessary, requiring submission of proposals and IBC plans to the IBC committee for review and approval.
  • Additionally, we propose implementing a new process for first-tier subcontractors:
    • Regardless of whether their Letters of Intent indicate human or animal subjects research, subcontractors should provide institutional IRB rulings/certifications regarding proposed work. This streamlines documentation for subcontract paperwork.

In summary, auto-generated JITs serve as a reminder to ensure certifications are in order, including refreshing RCR certification if necessary.

2. Personalized JIT Request:

The second type of JIT request comes directly from an individual at the funding agency/Grants Management Specialist. We advise PIs to wait for this personalized invitation before responding with requested materials. This request typically occurs a few months after the initial auto-JIT request. Waiting for the personalized JIT helps avoid submitting potentially outdated materials and indicates a stronger possibility of funding. This request also allows for final adjustments to certain elements, such as Other Support documents, Data Management and Sharing Plans, Resource Sharing Plans, and Multiple PI Leadership Plans.

Thank you for your attention to these JIT procedures, which help facilitate smoother proposal processing.

Project Closeout Requirements

A quick reminder regarding project closeouts: NIH is enforcing submission of three essential items outlined in NOT-OD-24-055. While Final Financial Reports and Final Invention Statement submissions have been relatively smooth and are submitted automatically by Sponsored Programs Finance and SPA, respectively, it's important to emphasize the requirement for final RPPR (fRPPR) submission within 120 days from project end. Completion and submission of the final RPPR is the responsibility of the PI, who can submit the final report directly to NIH via eRA Commons or can ask their SPA Grants Administrator to submit on your behalf. Failure to comply may jeopardize future funding considerations.

For those awarded competitive renewals, instead of fRPPRs, an interim RPPR (iRPPR) will be expected just before or soon after the renewal award is issued. This interim report should cover activities from the last year preceding renewal. Importantly, only the PI (or designee) can initiate fRPPRs or iRPPRs, so it's imperative for PIs to ensure this third closeout requirement is met.

Thank you for your attention to these critical details in project closeout procedures.

Protecting Your Interests and Compliance with NIH Requirements – Inventions and Patent Filings

A friendly reminder regarding inventions or patent filings: It's crucial to promptly report them to the BU Office of Technology Development (OTD) for submission to iEdison, a federal requirement for all inventions, patents and developments funded by federal grants and contracts.

While BMC doesn't directly access iEdison, collaboration with BU's shared IP service ensures compliance with NIH grants policy. Disclosure to OTD also helps secure any potentially commercializable inventions or patents, especially those arising from industry funding. Such developments should be reported to OTD as soon as practicable, in order for the PI to be assigned a case manager to initiate protection measures for potential discoveries.

Engaging with OTD, even if an invention may not ultimately be patentable, is a valuable step. Alternatively, PIs may consider consulting with Asa Lopatin in Research Contracts & Industry Agreements before involving OTD if they prefer an initial in-house consultation.

Thank you for your attention to these important procedures for protecting and managing intellectual property.

NIH Operates Under a Continuing Resolution

While NIH continues to operate under a continuing resolution, SPA wishes to advise PIs that, consistent with existing NIH practices since 2006, non-competing continuation awards (Type 5) may be issued at levels lower than previously committed in prior Notices of Award. This may necessitate some adjustments to the project’s next budget period projections. Once FY24 appropriations are enacted, NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) may, at their discretion, adjust award levels on reduced awarded amounts to their original commitments, but this is not guaranteed. NIH recommends that institutions (and by extension, PIs and their project and financial teams) carefully monitor their expenditures during this period. These reductions in award levels may affect subawards issued and it is the responsibility of the PI and/or project team to inform the subcontract site of the need to reduce their award levels, if necessary. (Note: this does not affect NIH’s recent salary cap adjustment and does not change BMC’s established fringe benefit rates or recoverable F&A costs and is not an acceptable justification for any IDC rate reduction/waiver request on existing/continuing awards.)

General Reminders - Award Notices, Subaward Requests, DUA/DTA, and MTA  Requests

  • If you are in touch with sponsors or funders who wish to fund your projects/research, please direct them to send all questions, correspondence and award materials to Grants.Admin@bmc.org.
  • To initiate a request a new subaward or a modification to an existing subaward, please remember to complete the Subaward Request Form at https://bmc.tfaforms.net/170.
  • To initiate or request a Data Use/Data Transfer Agreement (DUA/DTA) or Material Transfer Agreement (MTA), please first complete the intake form found at https://hub.bmc.org/doc/bmc-mta-dtua-intake-questionnaire and e-mail your completed form, along with any attachments to DUA.MTARequest@bmc.org. 

January/February 2024

New Director of Sponsored Programs Administration

SPA is happy to welcome Jennifer Kennedy!

She is the new Director of Sponsored Programs Administration. She comes to us with an extensive body of knowledge and experience in research administration, which include operational management roles in grants and contracts, pre and post award, research finance, clinical trials, and billing compliance functions. Most recently, Jennifer held the position of Director, Office for Sponsored Programs at Boston College. Prior to that, Jennifer was the Director for Research Operations and Finance at Dartmouth Health, and previously an Associate Director at Duke University in the Office of Sponsored Programs. She began her research administration career at the University of Miami where she held the positon of Director, Sponsored Programs. Her strong background in both pre and post award will be an asset to lead the SPA team through existing and new initiatives. Jennifer holds a Black Belt Certification in Six Sigma, a management methodology for advanced statistical data analysis, and process improvement.

Contact Jennifer at Jennifer.Kennedy@BMC.org or 617-414-2852.

From the Policy Corner

Welcome to 2024! As each new calendar year begins, so do several federal (and non-federal) sponsor policy revisions or new requirements come into effect. This is to remind PIs and faculty that beginning in January 2024, the following policies will be enforced by NIH:

1. Subaward Agreements, particularly Foreign Subcontracts (NOT-OD-23-182)

NIH Final Updated Policy Guidance for Subaward/Consortium Written Agreements): This updates the requirements outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS) Section 15.2: Administrative Requirements and became effective on January 2, 2024:

NIH will not support any agreement that does not meet the minimum requirements outlined in the written agreement section below (15.2.1). NIH reserves the right to request copies of the written agreement and relevant supporting documentation as needed, as part of its oversight responsibilities. Failure to provide requested documentation may lead to remedies for noncompliance and potential enforcement actions (see NIH GPS Section 8.5, Specific award conditions and remedies for noncompliance).

Attention PIs and Proposal Developers

At the application stage, NIH expects Prime recipients (e.g., BMC) to ask potential subrecipients to include language in their letters of support indicating their awareness of these requirements and the subrecipient’s willingness to abide by all requirements should an award be issued.

Recommended Language to include in the Support Letter:

By agreeing to enter into and signing a subrecipient agreement with Boston Medical Center (BMC), [Subrecipient name] agrees to provide BMC PI(s) and project staff access to copies of all lab notebooks, all data, and all documentation that supports the research outcomes as described in the progress report, to BMC with a frequency of no less than once per year, in alignment with the timing requirements for Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) described in the subaward agreement issued to [Recipient name], should this application be selected for funding. [Subrecipient name] will make such data available via [insert recipient’s preferred method here (e.g., Sharepoint, Teams, Box, etc.)].

Requirement:

15.2.1 Written Agreement

The recipient must enter into a formal written agreement, signed, and agreed to by both parties, with each consortium participant/subrecipient that addresses the negotiated arrangements for meeting the scientific, administrative, financial, and reporting requirements of the grant, including those necessary to ensure compliance with all applicable Federal regulations and policies and facilitate an efficient collaborative venture. If a subrecipient is unwilling to accept the requirements outlined in this section, by signing a written agreement, then an agreement cannot be issued. At a minimum, this agreement must include the following:

Note: All current requirements remain in place, with the addition of:

For foreign subrecipients, a provision requiring the foreign subrecipient to provide access to copies of all lab notebooks, all data, and all documentation that supports the research outcomes as described in the progress report, to the primary recipient with a frequency of no less than once per year, in alignment with the timing requirements for Research Performance Progress Report submission. Such access may be entirely electronic.

This additional reporting requirement will be included in the subaward agreement issued to foreign subawards, as will a separate written agreement to be signed by both parties.

PIs and other investigators, this is a guidance and reminder for you as you contemplate entering into a consortium agreement with foreign institutions and requesting support letters from such institutions to include the assurance requirements outlined above. The administrative requirements will be included in agreement documents issued by SPA.

2.    Requirement to include eRA Commons ID Requirement for All Personnel on the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile Form on Proposals (NOT-OD-24-042)

Attention PIs and Proposal Developers

Currently applications submitted with missing eRA Commons credentials (i.e., eRA Commons Username), only receive a “Warning” during validation before submission of the proposal. However, effective January 25, 2024, proposals submitted on and after this this date with missing or incorrect/unmatched eRA Usernames for any individuals identified as a Senior/Key Personnel (S/KP) will generate an “ERROR” upon validation, which will prevent the submission of the proposal. At the time of proposal preparation, please ensure that all individuals that will be included in the S/KP section have valid eRA Usernames issued by BMC or their respective institutions (in cases of external collaborators) entered into the appropriate proposal fields. For BMC S/KP without an eRA Username, you may request one by completing the form found here and submitting it to Grants.Admin@bmc.org. Please allow 1-2 business days for the creation of a new eRA Username. 

NIH Increases Salary Limitation for FY 2024 to $221,900, effective January 1, 2024

Please note that the Federal Executive Level II salary cap for 2024 has increased to $221,900 effective January 1, 2024 and should now be used for proposals going to sponsors for which the salary cap is applicable.  These sponsors include NIH agencies, the FDA, and Department of Justice agencies. This does not include other agencies which do not enforce the salary cap, such as DOD and NSF. PCORI remains at a $200,000 salary cap. 

For active awards, including awards that have been issued in FY 2024 (continuation and new) that were restricted to Executive Level II, if adequate funds are available and if the salary cap increase is consistent with the institutional base salary, recipients may rebudget funds to accommodate the current Executive Level II salary level.

Here is a link to the official notice: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-24-057.html 

Please contact your SPA representative if you have any questions about this.

October 2023

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA)

Boston Medical Center’s Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) is the Research Operations (RO) unit responsible for the non-financial management of all sponsored awards, grants and contracts. SPA works closely with other groups in RO, including Research Finance (RF) and the Clinical Trial Office (CTO), and other departments such as Foundation Relations and Government Grants (FRGG) on proposal submission, Research Information Systems (RIS) in maintaining project and award documents through InfoEd and the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) in managing complex contracts and agreements. SPA is the main point of contact for research sponsors and the BMC Research Community on matters involving research awards and projects and has the authority to act on behalf of BMC as authorized institutional officials. SPA currently serves as the clearinghouse for material transfer agreements (MTAs), data use and data transfer agreements (DUAs/DTAs) and as a general resource who can direct inquiries to the appropriate individuals and other BMC offices and departments. Entering FY24, the SPA team consists of four grant and contract administrators (GCAs), an award administrator, a manager (presently on leave) and an associate director, who works closely with RO leadership to provide service to the entire BMC Research Community.

New Year, New SPA

BMC Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) is ready for the new Fiscal Year 2024 after a hectic Summer 2023! This year, SPA’s main goal is to elevate its service to the BMC Research Community by providing timely and clear communication, more efficient turnaround times and better guidance on policies and procedures.

To achieve these goals, beginning Monday, October 16, 2023, SPA will be progressively transitioning from its current structure of separate pre-award and non-financial post-award teams to a portfolio-based system in which a Department is assigned to a specific Grant and Contract Administrator (GCA) for all its SPA-related needs. This includes, among others, activities such as proposal reviews and submissions, sponsor communications, award receipt and agreement negotiations, outgoing subcontract issuance, RPPR/progress report review and submissions, prior approvals (carry over requests, changes requiring sponsor approval, etc.), and everything throughout the lifecycle of an agreement or project. The GCA assigned to your department will also be your first point of contact for all questions (so there will be no need to copy multiple individuals on emails about the same questions).

Caveat: since this is a major process overhaul, we ask for patience and understanding, particularly in the beginning, as we navigate these changes. Departments have been assigned primarily by (1) related disease groups; (2) associated biological/functional systems; and (3) non-clinical and programmatic services. Because some larger departments (like GIM), with multiple subdivisions, have been broken down along these categories, SPA may make periodic re-assignments to align its staff with department staff, the Departments’ specific needs and workloads, and when our final open GCA position gets filled. Our goal with this new structure is to have each of our friendly and knowledgeable GCAs be a “one-stop-shop” for each Department/PI. Our GCAs have, thus far, have been specialists in certain functions, so the next few months are going to include internal trainings and skills development to transform each of our specialists into “sponsored research Swiss Army GCAs”. While we “re-tool”, please expect that some GCAs with expertise in particular areas may continue assist with certain requests or tasks.

‘Tis the season…for Loan Repayment Program (LRP) applications/renewals

The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRP) are a set of programs designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers. The LRPs counteract that financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. (From the LRP Overview and Online Help Page.)

Please visit the NIH Overview and online help page to determine your eligibility, review the options available, and instructions on how to complete an application (which will need to be completed through NIH ASSIST). In order to gain access to the system, you may need to log in via Login.gov or through the eRA Commons portal. Either way, you will need to log in with your Commons credentials.

Some important reminders:

  • The application period for 2023 begins on September 1, 2023 with a submission DEADLINE of no later than noon on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Click here to download the instructions on completing the LRP Application.
  • Just like any proposal submission, SPA requires (and requests) that complete applications be ready for review and submission at least five (5) business days before the deadline (this means on or before Thursday, November 9, 2023).
  • SPA has created a brand new dedicated mailbox specifically for LRP questions, comments or concerns – LRP@bmc.org. Please send only LRP-related correspondence to this mailbox.
  • If this is your first time using eRA or ASSIST at BMC and you do not have a BMC affiliation, please complete the Commons Account Request Form and submit the completed form to your Department GCA for account creation or affiliation to BMC. Please remember: if you already have a username from another institution (e.g., if you have been a pre-doc, post-doc, NRSA appointee, PI), it is recommended that you retain your username and ask only to be affiliated with BMC in order to keep your grant and award history from your prior institutions. Also, please take this time to fully update your profile, particularly your academic and/or clinical residency history.
  • Once you are logged in to ASSIST, please proceed to the section to initiate a new or access a WIP LRP application:
  • You are submitting an application as an “EXTRAMURAL” candidate.
  • It is YOUR responsibility to complete ALL sections of the LRP application before it can be submitted to SPA for verification and submission. Additional guidance and instructions may be found at https://www.lrp.nih.gov/eligibility-programs.

PLEASE NOTE: Foundation Relations and Government Grants (FRGG) will not be available to assist applicants with their LRP proposals.

  • Once you get to the “Colleague Information Tab” enter the information about your research supervisor, mentor (if different), for the institutional business official (IBO) section, please enter CHGARCIA1 on the NIH Commons ID field, and click on “Populate Credentials”. The IBO for BMC is Chris Garcia, Associate Director, Sponsored Programs Administration.
  • Once you’ve completed all sections of the application, return to the summary tab and click on the “Validate Application” button to run a validation check. If there are no errors generated, you can proceed with “Update submission status” from “Work in Progress” to “Ready for Submission”.

The IBO will be notified that the application is ready for review and if there are no additional corrections required, the application will be submitted and you will be notified of the current status.

  • A general information session can be scheduled if requested to answer any questions regarding completing the LRP application. Please send a message to LRP@bmc.org if you are interested in having an information session.

The fine print – Policy Changes, Notices, Updates and Reminders

NIH

  • Please refer to NOT-OD-23-182 – NIH Final Updated Policy Guidance for Subaward/Consortium Written Agreements. This policy affects both domestic and international consortium agreements, with additional requirements for international collaborations. Please review the new requirements to ensure compliance for your submissions. Please be advised the BU and BMC are working jointly to come up with an acceptable plan to lessen the burden of this new change to investigators and grant developers. The policy is not due to take effect until January 1, 2024. (Related Information: NIH Update Regarding Oversight of Foreign Subawards - YouTube)
  • NIH continues to operate under Continuing Resolution – NOT-OD-24-007 – which means that new awards may be delayed in being issued and non-competing awards may be issued at lower levels than committed in prior years’ Notices of Award. This will be in effect through November 17, 2023.
  • NOT-OD-23-185 – Prior Approval Requests for Revisions to an Approved Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan Must be Submitted Using the Prior Approval Module provides information regarding changes to the submission of revised DMS Plans.

NSF

  • NSF Biosketch/Current & Pending Documents: Beginning October 23, 2023 NSF has made the SciENcv Format REQUIRED and MANDATORY to prepare ALL Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending (Other) Support for new proposals due and submitted on or after October 23, 2023. If you do not already have a SciENcv account (via NCBI), please take a moment to create one and explore what capabilities it can offer. Additional NSF guidance can be found in the PAPPG (Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide) site for more information.

SPA

  • Please remember that SPA’s proposal submission deadline is five (5) business days prior to a sponsor’s deadline. Please help us serve you better by adhering to this policy. Thank you for your cooperation.

Shout-outs

SPA wishes to give a big “THANK YOU” to members of the other Research Operations units for their support during the last several months, particularly the Leadership and our colleagues in Research Finance and the Clinical Trial Office, and Research Information Systems for their continued InfoEd support. We especially want to thank the members of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) for their invaluable assistance and the work they do on behalf of SPA in cleaning up our backlogged MTA and DUA requests. And finally, our visiting colleagues, Alana Broughton and Francis Foley from the Research Support Services (RSS) Team at MGB for helping us review, negotiate and accept the funding agreements to keep the research labs running. And to the BMC Research Community, thank you for your flexibility and patience during our period of transition – we hope that FY24 will mark the beginning of BMC’s SPA 2.0!

Your SPA Crew: Deb Melnikas, Lula Mwamba, Maria Chitsaz, Mitzi Tanaka, Sarah Pearce and ~chris garcia (and Gina Daniels on her return)

September 2023

Sponsored Programs Administration Pleased to Announce Team is Growing 

Sponsored Programs is pleased to announce that Mitzi (Mitsuko) Tanaka has recently joined the SPA team as a Senior Grant and Contract Administrator. An experienced research administrator with a strong InfoEd background, Mitzi is a welcome addition to and will be a critical part of the office’s rebuilding efforts.

SPA is still looking to fill one more position, so if you have experience or familiarity with contract agreements and negotiations, we would like to invite you to apply to join our team!

With the close of the fiscal year fast approaching, SPA is actively working on the implementation of updated policies, processes and procedures in the new fiscal year. Please stay tuned for more information by visiting the SPA website and announcements for updated information over the next few weeks.

 

 

August 2023

Rebuilding Sponsored Programs Administration Updates

SPA is pleased to announce that a trio of highly experienced and knowledgeable members of MGB’s Research Support Services (RSS) Group has joined the SPA team to help provide additional assistance to the BMC Research Community. Each of them will be working on a number of different areas in sponsored programs and may reach out to your departments (if they haven’t already) with questions to assist them as they help to complete different tasks for the departments and their investigators. The members of the team include:

Francis Foley (Team Lead)

Francis Foley has been working with Mass General Brigham for over 10 years. After 3 years as a post-award grant administrator, he joined the work group developing a new group within research management offering grants management consulting services, which became Research Support Services (RSS). When RSS launched, Francis joined as the first specialist on the team. During his time with RSS, he has worked with over 30 departments within the MGB umbrella as well as multiple external clients including DFCI, Judge Baker, and Care New England. Working multiple roles in various departments in various institutions, has allowed him to hone his grants management skills across the entire lifecycle. With RSS continuing to grow, Francis has now assumed the role of Team Lead where he assists with managing a team of 12 while maintaining a full client portfolio. Outside of work, Francis enjoys fishing, cooking, gardening, and spending time with family.

Alana Broughton

Alana Broughton has been in Research Management for almost a year now, she came from a background in Physical Therapy and previously served as a community IRB member for Mass General hospitals. Since joining the RSS team at MGB she has experienced the full grant life cycle, has worked with many different sponsors from federal entities to small foundations, and has assisted several different departments.

Rob Morrison

As a Pre-Award Grant Administrator, Rob Morrison, started at MGB ten years ago. The Research Management world was new to him, but he quickly picked up the lingo, working up to a Senior Grant Administrator within three years. Since then, Rob has worked on several projects, such as process improvements and consistency projects. These include WIKI page development, Contracting, Draft Notes consistency, Other Support Page changes, and DMS Plan updates. Rob works with MGH, BWH, and Mclean as a Pre-Award Senior GA and has submitted proposals with most federal and non-federal sponsors. During Rob’s free time outside of work, he enjoys yardwork, golfing, though his main passion is cars.

Congratulations to Deb Melnikas

Congratulations are also in order to Deb Melnikas who was recently promoted to Senior Grant and Contract Administrator and has been single-handedly overseeing and keeping the proposal submission process in order during this time of transition, while other team members are ably taking on new roles and tasks to keep the SPA operations going. SPA appreciates the Research Community for its continued patience and cooperation during this very busy summer season.

SPA recognizes that research does not stop or slow down, and the remaining members of the SPA team greatly appreciate your understanding during these times of change. We look forward to providing you with updates as they become available. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the team members via the appropriate addresses.

 

 

July 2023

Rebuilding Sponsored Programs Administration

With several recent departures from the office of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), we continue to strive to respond to requests as efficiently and expeditiously as possible.

Although, SPA is operating with a significantly reduced staff at this time, it is in the process of rebuilding the team, starting with recruiting and interviewing qualified and experienced candidates to fill key positions in order for the unit to fulfill its responsibilities to the BMC research community. If you know of qualified individuals who may be interested in joining SPA and would like to recommend them for open positions, please check the job opportunities website – SPA would welcome referrals from the BMC research community.

What all this means for the community:

1.   Proposal and Report Submissions - Policies and procedures in place for submitting proposals and reports are especially critical at this time, particularly in submitting proposals (including sponsor progress reports, federal RPPRs and final report documents) by or before the 5-day sponsor deadline.

2.    Response Times – Please expect that turnaround times for responses and requests will require additional time to be completed (e.g., account setups, agreement reviews and executions, MTA and DUA requests, and other actions), and SPA appreciates the community’s patience as works diligently and expediently to address these requests.

3.    Inquiries - SPA requests that all inquiries, requests and correspondence be sent to the appropriate central mailboxes so that they may be reviewed and triaged and assigned to the appropriate staff members:

  • For questions/requests concerning general sponsored programs matters (including new awards, incoming agreements and modifications/amendments), please direct them to Grants.Admin@bmc.org
  • For MTA and DUA questions or requests, please send them to DUA.MTAREquest@bmc.org
  • For matters involving outgoing subaward and subcontract agreements, please reach out to Subaward@bmc.org
  • Please send any non-emergency escalation requests to christopher.garcia@bmc.org before forwarding them to staff members at central Research Operations or the Office of General Counsel and they will be referred to the appropriate upper-level departments. This will help avoid any duplicate and/or inconsistent responses if messages are sent to multiple parties simultaneously.

SPA recognizes that research does not stop or slow down, and the remaining members of the SPA team greatly appreciate your understanding during these times of change. We look forward to providing you with updates as they become available. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the team members via the appropriate addresses listed above.

 

June 2023

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) would like to inform the community of two new request forms that are being implemented by SPA, an eRA Commons Account Request Form and a No Cost Extension Request Form.

eRA Commons Account Request Form

Sponsored Programs Administration is tasked with creating eRA Commons user IDs for Boston Medical Center’s staff and scientists. Investigators and department research staff must contact SPA in order to request an eRA Commons user ID. Only Institutional authorized officials are able to create eRA Commons user IDs.

 If the request is associated with a specific review (e.g., proposal submission, RPPR submissions, etc.), then investigator or research staff should work directly with the Grants and Contracts Administrator assigned to the review in order to request an account.

If the request is an ad hoc request (e.g., new staff or study team member), then the request should be sent to grants.admin@bmc.org. Requestors must complete the eRA Commons Account Request Form and send it to grants.admin@bmc.org. The form can be found in the Research Operations website link to Research Operations Forms | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org).

Once received, the request will be processed within 3 business days.

No Cost Extension Request Form

All No Cost Extension (NCE) requests are reviewed and submitted by SPA’s Award Management team. In order for SPA to review and submit a NCE, SPA needs to collect important information from the Investigator and/or Department Research Administrator. This information includes:

  • the length of the extension,
  • the reason for the extension,
  • information regarding subcontracts, and
  • certifications and assurances.

The goal of the new form is to collect all of the necessary information. Please note that other prior approval requests (e.g., reduction in PI effort) must be submitted in a separate request and should not be included with the NCE request.

To submit a NCE request, please complete the No Cost Extension Request Form. Please note that the form must be signed by both the Principal Investigator and the Department Research Administrator. The No Cost Extension Form can be found at BMC’s Research Operations website link to all forms https://www.bmc.org/research-operations/forms.

Lastly, please note that SPA is working with BMC’s Research Information System to convert these forms into webforms.

May 2023

As a follow-up to April 11, 2023’s Community Meeting, Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) would like to share upcoming changes to the implementation of SPA’s Proposal Submission policy. Effective on Thursday, June 1, 2023, Sponsored Programs Administration will no longer be accepting and reviewing incomplete proposal applications.

Proposal Submission Policy Implementation

Sponsored Programs Administration – Research Operations

What is the purpose of this notice?

This notice serves to inform the research community of upcoming changes to the implementation and reinforcement of Sponsored Programs Administration’s (SPA) Proposal Submission policy.

Does this change apply to me?

This change applies to all Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) researchers and departments who submit grant applications through BMC.

What is BMC’s proposal submission policy?

On September of 2021, SPA released a revised Proposal Submission policy. The policy outlines that all proposals must be submitted by Research Operations’ Sponsored Programs Administration office on behalf of BMC, regardless of whether the sponsor requires approval by an authorized official.

The policy states that grant applications must be submitted to SPA in final, submission-ready form no less than five (5) full business days prior to published deadline.

Final, submission-ready application packets include:

  1. Proposal submission documents, Internal documents (e.g., Letter of Intent, BMC Internal Budget, IDC Reduction Form, etc.),
  2. Complete InfoEd proposal record, and
  3. Complete sponsor portal application record (if applicable).

What do I need to know and how does this notice impacts me?

Due to the increasingly number of grant applications, need to elevate BMC’s process for submitting grants applications, and align BMC’s workflows with industry standards, SPA will no longer accept or review draft and incomplete applications. When routing grant application documents to SPA for review and submission, the principal investigator and proposal preparer must verify and certify that the application is final and complete.

Incomplete and/or draft applications will be returned to the principal investigator and proposal preparer for revisions and/or completion. SPA will only start reviewing the grant application after it is returned to SPA in final form.

This change is in effect on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

What are the benefits of complying with BMC’s internal deadline?

There are many benefits to complying with BMC’s internal deadline:

  • It guarantees that BMC is submitting well-crafted, innovative, and competitive grant proposals,
  • It assures that SPA has ample time to verify that BMC has the proper infrastructure to support the project, and that the proposal components meet sponsor requirements, and
  • It allows time for SPA to troubleshoot system errors.

What resources are available to me?

Sponsored Programs Administration is preparing a standard operating procedure and accompanying guide to share with the community ahead of the June 1, 2023, implementation date. The SOP and guide will outline the process for preparing, reviewing and submitting grant applications at BMC, as well as define what information needs to be provided to SPA at the time of review. These resources will be shared with the research community on the week of May 15th.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

For questions related to the upcoming proposal submission policy implementation, please contact Mahara R. Pinheiro, Director of Sponsored Programs Administration at mahara.pinheiro@bmc.org.

Notice: SPA-FY23-005

April 2023

SPA Pre-Notification Accounts

Pre-notification accounts also known as advanced accounts for sponsored activities at BMC. The following information highlights the current process for requesting and creating pre-notification accounts.

Sponsored Programs Administration – Research Operations                     Notice: SPA-FY23-004

What is a pre-notification account?

A pre-notification account, also known as an advance account, provides Principal Investigators (PIs) and departments with an opportunity to initiate sponsored projects, and begin incurring associated expenses prior to receipt of an award, or institutional acceptance of an award.  Pre-notification accounts allow departments to record and track expenditures and reduce the need for cost transfers.  

When should I request a pre-notification account?

PIs and departments can submit a request to Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) if they have received indication from the sponsor that an award is forthcoming. PIs and departments can submit a request if:

  • The PI receives an award letter, and it states that an agreement is forthcoming,
  • An agreement is received, and it’s being reviewed and negotiated, or
  • The PI receives an e-mail notification from the sponsor stating that an award is forthcoming.

What is the process for requesting a pre-notification account?

Step 1: The PI and/or departments submits a request form along with supporting documents to grants.admin@bmc.org.

  • The following documents are required with the submission: 
    • Pre-Notification Project Setup Request Form 
      • Department Chief /Chair approval is required. 
      • Departmental/Operational account required.
    • Communication from the sponsor that indicates that an award is forthcoming. 
    • If applicable, protocol approvals (e.g., IRB, IACUC, IBC, etc.). If you have any concerns about meeting this requirement, please contact grants.admin@bmc.org. 

The Pre-Notification Request Form can be found in the Forms section of BMC’s Research Operations website: Forms | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)

Step 2: SPA acknowledges receipt of the form and supporting documents. SPA initiates the setup process in Infoed. Once completed, SPA notifies the Research Information System (RIS) team.

Step 3: RIS-Research Information Systems initiates the setup in Infor, and facilities setup in Workday and of a BU OI. Once completed, RIS notifies Research Finance. 

Step 4: Research Finance validates information in Infor. 

Step 5: RIS sends project account information to the PI and Department Administrator.

The setup process takes approximately 10 business days.

What are the risks associated with pre-notification accounts?

There are risks associated with setting up a pre-notification account that the PI and Department should be aware of before submitting a request. 

First, departments will be held responsible for expenditures if the award is not received, or if BMC is unable to accept award/agreement terms. 
Second, the department will be held responsible for expenditures on the account for the unfunded period, if the start date on the award is different from the start date in the pre-notification account, and pre-award expenditures are not allowed.

Other considerations include: 

  • Pre-notification accounts will remain active for 90 days from the date it was established. If an award has not been received after 90 days, Research Finance and SPA will contact the department regarding the close out of the account. The PI or department must provide documentation from the sponsor affirming that the receipt of the award is pending.  If the PI or department is unable to provide compelling evidence, then the account will be reconciled and closed. 
  • In cases where a sub-recipient is associated with the award, BMC will issue the subcontract only when the official Notice of Award (NOA) or Fully Executed Agreement (FEA) is received. Subcontracts will not be issued during pre-notification.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

For questions related to the pre-notification account process at BMC, please contact grants.admin@bmc.org. 

March 2023

What is the new structure?

The new structure is comprised of two teams, one that specializes in pre-award matters (Pre-Award), and one that specializes in post-award non-financial matters (Award Management). 
Going forward, departments will now be assigned a pre-award SPA contact for pre-award matters and an award management SPA contact for post-award non-financial matters.

Sponsored Programs Administration Restructure Notice: SPA-FY23-003

Review the SPA restructuring and all about the many changes that have taken effect that impacts all involved with research at BMC.

Included in the Federal Agency Corner below are valuable updates from our partners and federal agencies that keep you in the know. Keep them as references and share with your team.

What is the purpose of this notice?

The purpose of this notice is to inform the research community of changes to the Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) team structure.

Does this change apply to me?

This change impacts all involved with research at Boston Medical Center.

How does this change impact me?

Going forward, departments will now be assigned a Pre-Award SPA contact for pre-award matters, and an Award Management SPA contact for post-award non-financial matters.

When will this process be implemented?

SPA began implementing the restructure in late FY22 and concluded the transition at the end of the first quarter of FY23.

Why is this change being implemented?

To align with industry standards, reduce processing time, cross-train staff, support staff development and job satisfaction, and enhance daily operations and workload management.

Who should I contact for questions?

For questions related to the SPA restructure, please contact Mahara R. Pinheiro, Director of SPA, at mahara.pinheiro@bmc.org. 

Meet the SPA Team

What is the new structure and major changes? 

Previous Structure:

SPA’s previous structure consisted of two separate sub-teams that focused on either grants or contracts. The Grants team was comprised of three-four individuals who focused on supporting the entire lifecycle of an award, which included proposal review, award negotiation, award setup, and non-financial post-award activities (with the exemption of sub-awards and unfunded agreements). The Contracts team was comprised of two individuals who focused on post-award contracting matters, such as sub-award issuance and monitoring, Data Transfer and Use Agreement (DTUA), Material Transfer Agreement (MTA), and Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting. 

The table below displays task distribution between the Grants team and the Contracts team.  

Grants Team 

Contracts Team  

Proposal Submissions 

Subcontract Agreements 

Post-Submission Documents 

Sub-monitoring (Risk Assessment) 

Just-in-Time 

FFATA Reporting 

Award Agreement review (Incoming) 

DUAs/MTAs 

Infoed Account Setups 

 

PI/Grant Transfers (Incoming and Outgoing) 

 

Technical Progress and Final Reports 

 

Final Inventions Reports 

 

Prior Approvals 

 

New Structure:

The new structure is comprised of two teams, one that specializes in pre-award matters (Pre-Award), and one that specializes in post-award non-financial matters (Award Management). Each team is comprised of three team members and led by a Team Lead who oversees day-to-day workflow. In addition, in May 2022, SPA created an Award Administrator role to support the team. This role bridges both teams by specializing in award setup and data integrity.  

The table below displays task distribution between the Pre-Award team and the Award Management team. 

Pre-Award Team 

Award Management Team 

Proposal Submissions 

Subcontract Agreements (Outgoing) 

Post-Submission Documents 

Sub-monitoring (Risk Assessment) 

Just-in-Time 

FFATA Reporting 

Award Review and Negotiation (Incoming) 

DUAs/MTAs 

PI/Grant Transfers (Incoming) 

Technical Progress and Final Reports 

 

Final Inventions Reports 

 

Prior Approvals 

 

PI/Grant Transfers (Outgoing) 

Role Description 

The Award Administrator acts as the primary coordinator of research award account creation on behalf of SPA. All Research Operations teams participate in the award setup process. 

The Grants and Contracts Administrators (GCA) are responsible for performing duties related to pre-award and award management grants and contracts administration. The GCA serves as a resource for and liaison between PI and Department Research Administrators and funding agencies.  

The Team Leads are responsible for day-to-day sponsored program pre-award and award management functions and providing mentoring and guidance to team members and the research community.  

The Manager oversees the daily processing of all pre-award and award management tasks within SPA. The Manager serves as a resource to the SPA team, Principal Investigators (PIs), Department Research Administrators, and focuses on evaluating and developing policies and procedures related to Sponsored Programs Administration.

The Director is responsible for the general oversight of all SPA activities. The Director identifies and leads operational efficiencies that strengthen and optimize service levels to the research community. 

Organization Structure and Reporting - See organization chart above. 

  • The Senior/Grants and Contracts Administrators report to the Manager of Sponsored Programs Administration, with a dotted line to the Team Lead for their respective team.  
  • The Award Administrator reports directly to the Manager of Sponsored Programs Administration.  
  • The Team Leads report directly to the Director of Sponsored Programs, with a dotted line to the Manager of Sponsored Programs Administration.  
  • The Manager reports directly to the Director of Sponsored Programs Administration.  
  • The Director of Sponsored Programs Administration reports to the Executive Director of Research Operations.  

About Us

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) supports and advances Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) research mission through leadership and expertise in pre-award and post-award non-financial ensuring compliance with BMC policies, sponsor requirements and relevant federal regulations. SPA serves as a central resource providing guidance and stewardship by supporting the sponsored programs lifecycle at BMC, promoting integrity, knowledge sharing, collaboration and effectiveness. 

Federal Agency Corner

June Updates

NIH RePORTER

Looking to find a mentor or a collaborator in your field at Boston Medical Center? NIH RePORTER is a tool that investigators can use to identify NIH-funded investigators at Boston Medical Center (or elsewhere). RePORTER is an electronic tool that allows users to search a database of NIH-funded research projects and access publications and patents resulting from NIH funding. This means you can find funded researchers at Boston Medical Center through a simple search of the organization’s name.

NHLBI Supplement to the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Supplement to the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (NHLBI Supplement) is effective May 25, 2023, and replaces the previous NHLBI Policy for Data Sharing from Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Studies. The NHLBI Supplement harmonizes with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (NIH DMS Policy), the latter which became effective on January 25, 2023, and applies to research funded or conducted by NIH that results in the generation of scientific data. The NHLBI Supplement also establishes additional expectations for NHLBI-supported researchers subject to the NIH DMS Policy, including for special compliance timelines, data repositories, and ancillary studies.

The change applies to:

  • Competing grant applications that are submitted for NHLBI funding or for ancillary studies to NHLBI parent studies on or after May 25, 2023
  • Proposals for contracts that are submitted for NHLBI funding or for ancillary studies to NHLBI parent studies on or after May 25, 2023
  • NIH Intramural Research Projects conducted on or after May 25, 2023
  • Other funding agreements (e.g., Other Transactions) that are executed on or after May 25, 2023, unless otherwise stipulated by NHLBI

Additionally, on or after May 25, 2023, NHLBI may set the expectations for certain ongoing research that it supports to comply with the updated NHLBI Supplement. This will be done in advance of any renewal as determined by specific programmatic needs and will be communicated to individual awardees.

To review the guidance provided by NHLBI regarding Data Repositories and Ancillary Studies, please consult the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Supplement to the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (NHLBI Supplement) notice.

 

May Updates

Revised Post-Submission Materials Policy

On March 31, 2023, the NIH released NOT-OD-23-106 informing the community of upcoming changes to the NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Post-Submission Material Policy as a result of the end of the Public Health Emergency. The Public Health Emergency is due to come to an end on May 11, 2023. For applications submitted on or after May 25, 2023, the special exception will expire, and it will be replaced by the following policy: 

For applications submitted for the May 25, 2023, receipt date and beyond, NIH, AHRQ, and NIOSH will accept a one-page update with preliminary data as post-submission material for Type 1 R01, R21, or R03 applications, including resubmissions, if only the NOFO used for submission allows preliminary data in the application.

The deadline for submitting all post-submission materials, including preliminary data, will be 30 days before the study section meeting, unless specified otherwise in the NOFO.

Upcoming Changes to Electronic Handbooks (EHB)

For study teams with grants managed by Electronic Handbooks (e.g. HRSA), please note the following changes to EHB.  Effective on May 26, 2023, the EHBs login process will use Login.gov and two-factor authentication.

If you have not already done so, create or verify your Login.gov account by May 25, 2023.

  • Create a Login.gov  account with the same email address you use to log into EHBs.
  • If you already have an account in Login.gov, verify that it is active and is the same email address used to log into the EHBs.
  • For step-by-step instructions on creating a Login.gov account refer to the EHBs Wiki Help page 

April Updates

What is a NOFO?

In an effort to standardize terminology across the government, NIH is joining other federal agencies in using the term Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) rather than Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). You will see both terms in use while they work to update their websites and resources. Read More.

Revamped xTrain Module in eRA Commons

Individuals in the research community who work on training grants should note that eRA Commons rolled out a redesigned xTrain module on March 30, 2023.

xTrain is used by program directors/principal investigators (PD/PIs), trainees, and administrators to electronically prepare and submit PHS 2271 Statement of Appointment Forms and PHS 416-7 Termination Notices for institutional research training grants, institutional career development awards, individual fellowships, and research education awards.

Individuals can learn more about the eRA Commons redesign by clicking here.

In addition, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Center for Disease Control (CDC) released NOT-OD-23-094 on February 27, 2023, to inform the community of significant changes related to the revamp.

Some Significant Changes

 Previous ProcessNew Process
Trainee Signatures to be Required on Reappointments and Amendments
  • xTrain enforces the trainee signature on a new appointment. However, reappointments and amendments do not require a trainee signature. 

 

  • Trainees will now be required to sign reappointments and amendments the same as initial appointments. 
  • In cases where this is not possible due to the trainee being unavailable, new functionality has been added to xTrain to require the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) to provide a comment to explain why the trainee could not sign.
  • The new trainee signature requirement will be implemented immediately upon deployment of the new xTrain functionality by eRA.
Deletion of Forms
  • Agency staff can currently delete forms submitted by the recipient organization in xTrain. At the recipient organization, the PD/PI, Business Official (BO) or sponsor can delete the documentation prior to submission or after it has been returned to them by the Agency.
  • eRA has removed the ability for Agency Staff to delete records submitted by the recipient organization to NIH.
  • No changes have been made to the current deletion roles at the recipient organization. The PD/PI, BO or sponsor will still be able to delete the documentation prior to submission or after it has been returned to them by the Agency.

To get familiar with the redesigned xTrain, check out the xTrain Overview video.

Lastly, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released NOT-OD-23-076 on February 3, 2023, outlining stipend levels for FY23. Please review the current stipend levels here.

Data Management and Sharing Plan vs. Resource Sharing Plan

The Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan and the Resource Sharing Plan are separate attachments that may be required for your application. One does not necessarily replace the other. To learn more about the difference between the Data Management and Sharing Plan and the Resource Sharing Plan, click here.


It is always important to review the application instructions and the funding opportunity for additional requirements.

March Updates

New for you from the feds

On January 24, 2023, the Sponsored Programs Administration office released guidance on the NIH/AHRQ salary cap increase. The following notice serves to clarify that NOT-OD-23-056 
  refers specifically to NIH’s salary cap increase. However, it is likely that other DHHS agencies will abide by the same salary cap. More detailed information is available here.

NOT-OD-23-056 -

NOT-HS-23-005 -

NIH Salary Cap Summary (FY1990-Present)  

  • The National Science Foundation introduced enhancements to the Biographical Sketch as well as the Current and Pending (Other) Support sections.  For a summary of all changes available here:
  • The new edition of NSF’s Proposal and Award Policies Guide, effective January 30, 2023, is available here NSF 23-1

NIH Guidance on Salary Limitation Operative Agreements FY 2023 Notice - SPA-FY23-002R

What is the purpose of this notice?

The purpose of this notice is to inform the research community of the new salary limitation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant and cooperative agreement awards; and extramural research and development contract awards as outlined by the NIH on NOT-OD-23-056.

Does the new policy apply to me?

This notice applies to all Boston Medical Center’s researchers wishing to submit applications to the NIH, or holders of an existing NIH award subject to expanded authority.

What do I need to know and how does this notice impact me?

A Salary Cap is defined as a maximum annual rate of salary for full-time effort that can be charged to an award. In particular, NIH agencies are subject to limitations set by the federal government. The Office of Personnel Management recently released new salary levels for the Executive Pay Scale

Effective January 1, 2023, the salary limitation for Executive Level II is $212,100. The salary cap applies to all new and ongoing NIH awards.

The NIH will not provide additional funding for awards issued under the previous salary cap, however, PIs can re-budget funds to allow for the cap increase subject to expanded authority and availability of funds. 

Relevant Links

NOT-OD-23-056

Guidance on Salary Limitation for Grants and Cooperative Agreements FY 2023

NOT-HS-23-005

Salary Limitation on AHRQ FY2023 Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts

Public Law 117-180

Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act 

Salary Cap Summary (FY 1990 - Present)

Historical Record of the Salary Cap

Who should I contact if I have questions?

For questions related to an upcoming proposal to NIH, please contact the SPA Pre-Award Grants and Contracts Administrator assigned to your department.

For questions related to existing NIH awards, please contact the SPA Award Management Grants and Contracts Administrator assigned to your department.