Withdrawal of a Nonresponsive Application SOP

This standard operating procedure (SOP) includes the following sections: Purpose, Procedure, Contacts, and Links.

 

Some links will work for NIAID staff only.

Purpose

To withdraw from eRA Modules and Services applications that are nonresponsive to a request for applications (RFA).

Procedure

Scientific review officers (SROs) work with program officers to determine whether applications are responsive to an RFA.

If an application is nonresponsive, the program officer notifies the investigator and the authorized organizational representative (AOR), then requests the application's withdrawal from IMPAC II by following the steps below.

Note: The process for withdrawing an application received in response to a program announcement (PA) or program announcement with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations (PAR) is different. If SROs and program officers determine an application to a PA or PAR is noncompliant, they use the Request for DRR Analysis (RDA) to notify the Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR) of issues that need further investigation.

Applicants

Program Officers

  • Determine which applications are scientifically nonresponsive to an RFA, taking SRO input into account. If more than one institute or program officer is involved, the program officer from the lead institute for the initiative coordinates the effort with the others to create one list of nonresponsive applications.
  • Send the principal investigator (PI) a nonresponsive notification letter or email, copying the institutional business official and the SRO. See the Withdrawal of an Application Sample Form Letter for an example.
  • Ask your division coordinator to request that NIAID Receipt Referral initiate an Assignment Change Request (ACR, electronic 901) for each nonresponsive application and include a copy of the notification letter or email that you sent to the PI and institutional business official.

Scientific Review Officers

  • Determine your own list of nonresponsive applications to discuss with program officers.
  • Ask program officers to determine which applications are nonresponsive and give them a due date for compiling a list.
  • Resolve differences so program officers can create a final list.
  • After NIAID Receipt Referral submits the ACR, make sure NIH has withdrawn nonresponsive applications from IMPAC II. Otherwise, NIH cannot release any overall impact scores for the initiative, and the nonresponsive applications will continue to appear in IMPAC II.

Division Coordinators

  • Email NIAID Receipt Referral and request initiation of an ACR through the IMPAC II ACR module, attaching a copy of the letter or email that the program officer sent to the PI and business official.

NIAID Receipt Referral

  • Initiate and submit the ACR for the nonresponsive application through the IMPAC II ACR module.

Contacts

Applicants with questions should see Contacting Program Officers and Grants Management Specialists.

Contact for NIAID Receipt Referral

Division Coordinators

DAIDS—Staff Only Contact
DAIT—Staff Only Contact 
DMID—Staff Only Contact

Use the contacts listed above for questions about your specific situation. If you have a general question or a suggestion to improve this page, email the Office of Knowledge and Educational Resources at deaweb@niaid.nih.gov.

Links

Act Now To Avoid Post-Submission Rejection in Submit an Application

Investigator Withdrawal of an Application SOP

IC-Sponsored Program Announcements (PARs and PASs) SOP

Requests for Applications (RFA) SOP

 

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