Use this tool to assess whether NIAID staff involvement requires a cooperative agreement to fund an extramural research project. For more information, staff can go to Cooperative Agreements Staff Portal.
Table of Contents
Normal Staff Involvement
The following are examples of staff activities that would not call for a cooperative agreement:
- Ensuring compliance with general legislative, regulatory or administrative assistance policy requirements.
- Approving receipt plans before award.
- Conducting site visits, if needed, to ensure project performance is adequate.
- Evaluating scientific progress.
- Providing technical assistance at the PI's request.
- Facilitating interactions among grantees, e.g., organizing and holding meetings.
- Temporarily intervening in unusual circumstances to correct deficiencies in a project.
- Closely monitoring high-risk institutions.
- Reviewing performance after completion.
Substantial Staff Involvement
The following are examples of staff activities that would call for a cooperative agreement:
- Participating on committees, such as steering committees and subcommittees, central to the activity.
- Participating in protocol design or development.
- Helping to select contractors or other project staff.
- Coordinating or participating in data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
- Coordinating or providing training of project staff in awardee institutions.
- Participating in selection and approval of data analysis mechanisms.
- Approving a stage of a clinical trial or other collaborative project before the next stage starts.
- Coauthoring papers.
- Providing Institute resources, including contractors.
- Helping with management and technical performance.