Electronic Submission > New Features and Fixes

New Features and Fixes

New features added to Electronic Submission and defects fixed are listed below:

April 2008

Features & Fixes

Validations

• Change error message text for required Project Narrative on DP1 to match message given for other mechanisms
• Support for new combined UH2/UH3 mechanism
  • Exempt from 25-page Research Plan limit
  • Provide warning if Renewal is submitted
• Remove warning provided when G11 applicants submit with a multiple PI
• Correction to calculation for direct cost less consortium for first subaward period when start dates do not match project budget
• "Other Agencies" excluded from validation for other Project Info-Bibliography and References Cited attachment
• "Other Agencies" excluded from validation for use of Co-PD/PI in Senior/Key Person form
• Exactly two attachments in "Other" field of Other Project Information form are required for DP1 applications
• Incorrect warning no longer displayed for R01 and R25 application Renewals
• Correction to 25 page research plan validation for STTR Fast Track applications
• Commercialization Plan required for SBIR Fast Track applications
• Correction to processing for applications with encrypted PDF attachments

The validations documents associated with this release will be posted on the eSubmission Web site on April 11.

Processing

• Remove support for ebXML Web services that have been replaced with standard Web services
• Update the eRA Exchange Client / Reference implementation to support new standard Web services developed in February release. The Client is used for internal testing, as well as, a reference implementation for external trading partners.
• Allow system-to-system processing for Federal partner data (specifically 5161 data) via the eRA exchange.

February 2008

Features

• Provided standard WSDL-based Web services for applicant system-to-system users
  • Person Info Request – retrieves user profile
  • Person Info Update – update a user profile
  • Validation Response - retrieve a list of NIH validation (errors and/or warnings) messages resulting from the processing of an electronic grant application
  • Previously only in ebXML format
  • NIH System-to-System Web Services Documentation
    
    
• Implemented new business rule checks (validations) for the DP2 activity code
  • Return an error on the 424 RR Cover for a resubmission, revision, or renewal
  • Exempt DP2 from any validations on the Federal Identifier on the 424 RR Cover Return an error if the number of years between the project start and project end is not 5
  • Give a warning if PI is not new investigator
  • Return an error if the application is from a foreign applicant organization
  • Return errors on 424 RR Cover if value of Total Estimated Project Funding is greater than 1.5 million, if Total Federal and non-Federal Funds is greater than 1.5 million, and/or if Estimated Program Income isn't zero
  • Return an error for any attachments on Other Project Information except for Abstract or Project Narrative
  • Return an error if any senior/key persons are included other than the PD/PI
  • Return error if an Additional Senior Key Persons attachment, Additional Biosketch attachment, or Additional Current and Pending Support attachment is included with the Senior/Key Person component
  • Return an error if the Current and Pending Support attachment is not included on the Senior/Key Person component
  • Limit the biosketch submitted with the Senior/Key Person component to 2 pages
    
    
• Implemented new business rule checks for the S10 activity code to standardize on the use of the Project Narrative attachment for the Public Health Relevance Statement
  • Limit the Project Narrative to one (1) page
  • Change text of message on requiring S10 Project Narrative attachment to "The Public Health Relevance Statement (labeled 'Project Narrative' in Other Project Information, item 7) must be included."
  • Return an error if there is not at least one (1) attachment included as an ‘Other Attachment’
    
    
• New functionality for page limitations on Research Plan for X01
  
  
• Add opportunity ID to check on changed/corrected

Fixes

• Implemented additional business rule change
  • Change error text for rule on DUNS on budget pages to "The project budget must contain the DUNS number for the applicant organization on the 424 RR Budget Page. This number should not appear on a Subaward budget; i.e., a Subaward budget must have a different DUNS number entered."
  • Modify logic for validating 8 character Human Subject Assurance Number
    
    
• Changed the grant application image bookmark for the Resource Sharing Plan component from 'SharingData and Model Organism' to 'Resource Sharing Plan'

 

December 2007

Features

• Status query Web Service for applicant system-to-system users: NIH is offering its Query for Status of grant application as a standard Web Service. This service was previously only offered in ebXML format. This service will allow system-to-system retrieval of grant application/grant status information throughout the grant lifecycle. (http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/system_webserv.htm#services).
  
  
• Notifications for Food & Drug Administration electronic applications: Email notifications for electronic application processing have been set up for FDA in preparation for their electronic submissions of R01 applications through Grants.Gov and eRA beginning in December/January.
  
  
• S10 validations: Give error message if Project Narrative or Abstract on Other Project Information Page is not attached.
  
  
• Introduction validation: Provide error on a new or renewal application if an Introduction is attached.
  
  
• DP1 validations: Remove validations that check Commons account citizenship information.

Fixes

• Corrections to $250k and $500k subtotal direct cost calculations: The validations on $250k and $500k subtotal direct costs are dependent on calculating the total indirect costs for subaward budget periods that match the project budget period. For the purposes of doing this calculation, the system will match-up subaward periods with project budget periods based on start date and/or end date. The default if dates don't match will be that subaward budget periods get numbered consecutively starting with 1. This change will address calculation errors that arose when the subaward was not active for all periods of the project budget.

October 2007

Features

• Created extensive business rule validations to accommodate four new grant mechanisms (SC1, SC2, SC3 and U34) to be submitted electronically.
  
  
• Updated text of email notifications sent by NIH during the electronic submission process to reflect changes made to eRA Commons Status screens.
  
  
• Provided error if the abstract or public health relevance statement (labeled “Project Summary/Abstract” and “Project Narrative” on the Other Project Information component) is not included.
  
  
• Added ability to collect the area of science from Pioneer Award (DP1) and New Innovator (DP2) applications and store the information in the IMPAC II database for further electronic processing.
  
  
• Set the groundwork for automatic feed from Automated Guide System (AGS) to IMPAC II to provide RFA/PA entries and other associated announcement information (e.g., Opt-In/Opt-Out).

Fixes

• Corrections to interface used to download electronic applications from Grants.gov to NIH.