Upcoming Changes to the NIH Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page for Due Dates on or after May 25, 2021
NIH has issued Notice NOT-OD-21-073 announcing Upcoming Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page to support the need for applicants and recipients to provide full transparency and disclosure of all research activities, foreign and domestic.
The updated application forms and instructions will be required for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2021. During the transition to the new Biosketch format, NIH will not withdraw applications that include the previous Biosketch format. Beginning with applications submitted on or after January 25, 2022, failure to follow the appropriate Biosketch format may cause NIH to withdraw your application from consideration.
The revisions serve as updates to the Biosketch and Other Support format page templates as used in attachments in the current Forms-F application packages and RPPRs and do not change the policies for Biosketch or Other Support.
- As a reminder, it is the Investigator’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of Other Support information and documents.
The changes are as follows:
| Format Page | Changes |
| Biographical Sketch Format Page – Including updated Biosketch resources, FAQs and sample Biosketch pages | Section B ‘Positions and Honors’ has been renamed ‘Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors’. |
| For the non-Fellowship Biosketch, Section D. has been removed. For the Fellowship Biosketch, Section D has been updated to remove ‘Research Support.’ As applicable, all applicants may include details on ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that they want to draw attention to within the personal statement, Section A. | |
| Other Support Format Page– Also updated Other Support resources, including FAQs and sample Other Support format pages. | The format page has been re-organized to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions. |
| Signature block added, for Program Director/Principal Investigator or Other Senior/Key Personnel to certify the accuracy of the information submitted. Each PD/PI or senior/key personnel must electronically sign their respective Other Support form as a PDF prior to submission. |
Supporting Documentation: For Other Support submissions that include foreign activities and resources, the recipients are required to submit copies of contracts, grants, or any other agreement specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution as supporting documentation. If they are not in English, recipients must provide translated copies. This supporting documentation must be provided as part of the Other Support PDF following the Other Support Format page.
- Costs associated with translations of foreign contracts for inclusion in Other Support submissions are not allowable as a direct cost.
- NIH will accept machine-read translations.
- Boston University has identified the following two preferred vendors for translation services (if applicable). Fees are charged on a per word basis with discounted rates for “repeated text”. Projects would be quoted per project so PIs/researchers should reach out to the contacts. These vendors are registered with Boston University, so you would receive a quote and submit a purchase requisition in the Ariba system to issue a purchase order.
| CyraCom International, Inc. | LanguageLine Solutions |
| Cinthia Guillen | Roni Osbern |
| Senior Account Manager | Business Development Manager |
| Cell (520) 561-1470 | Cell (971) 348-9875 |
| Office (520) 573-2383 | |
| Email: cguillen@cyracom.com | Email: rosbern@llts.com |
Immediate notification of undisclosed Other Support. When a recipient organization discovers that a PI or other Senior/Key personnel on an active NIH grant failed to disclose Other Support information outside of Just-in-Time or the RPPR, as applicable, the recipient must submit updated Other Support to the Grants Management Specialist named in the Notice of Award as soon as it becomes known.
Please see NIH Notice NOT-OD-21-073 for complete information and details related to these changes. A copy of this communication will also be sent directly to Principal Investigators.
If you have questions, please contact your Sponsored Programs Research Administrator.