DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases Bethesda, MD 20892 THIS IS A GENERIC TEMPLATE. TAILOR IT TO YOUR REVIEW. YOU MAY WISH TO IDENTIFY A PREVIOUS REVIEW USING A SIMILAR MECHANISM AND ASK THE SRO FOR A COPY OF THEIR MAILOUT COVERLETTER. {date}
TO: Members of the {panel name in IMPAC 2 CM Module Review Committee} OR Members of the {standing study section/review committee name}
FROM: {SRO Name, degree}
SUBJECT: Schedule and Instructions for Review Meeting on {date of review mtg}
Thank you for agreeing to participate in a Special Emphasis Panel to review {#} {award mechanism} applications {insert if applicable: received in response to {RFA/PAR #, Title}. OR Thank you for agreeing to participate in the meeting of the {standing study section/review committee name}. This letter provides information about review policies, procedures, schedules and deadlines, and instructions for preparing your reviews. Please pay particular attention to the “SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS REVIEW” below.
Review Date: {start time} on {start date} to {end date} {Review Location}: {insert place & address only if different from reviewer hotel; otherwise delete this item altogether} Reviewer Hotel: {Hotel Name} {Hotel Address} {Hotel city}, {state}, {zip} {Hotel Phone Number} SRO Contact Information: {SRO Phone Number} or {SRO email address}
LIST OF ENCLOSURES: {The SRO should tailor this list; these are only typical examples! Also indicate which materials are available in the “Meeting Materials” at IAR.}
Meeting Fact Sheet Assignment List (Assignments are listed in IAR. Therefore send this only if paper mailout.) Invitation to Travel to NIH for non-US Reviewers (optional w/SRO) Instructions for Travel, Lodging, and Payment For Non-Federal Reviewers OR Instructions for Travel, Lodging, and Payment For Federal Reviewers (e.g. CDC employees) Meeting Tentative Agenda Meeting Tentative Roster A Table of Scoring ranges (green) and Human Subjects and Animal Subjects Codes Special Review Guidelines {if applicable} “Reviewer Manual” containing the funding opportunity announcement {RFA/PAR number} and security awareness guidelines. CD-ROM with critique template (optional w/SRO) CD-ROM with application images {insert if applicable: and previous summary statements} {insert if applicable: Accessing a Password-Protected CD: Instructions for Reviewers}
{SRO name}, {SRO mailing address}, {SRO phone}, {SRO email} Score Sheet to enter final scores for the application{s} Instructions for Electronic Scoring Hard copies of assigned Applications {insert if applicable: and Appendix materials} Optional and meeting-dependent: Streamlining vote sheets, Criterion Score Label Report
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION:
Conflict of Interest (COI) and Confidentiality Certification: You have previously received conflict of interest information related to the enclosed application{s} and returned to me a signed "Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Certification” form for this review. In addition, reviewers now must also sign the electronic pre-COI form on the IAR site. Please sign the electronic pre-COI form when you upload your critiques (it is not necessary or efficient to sign them earlier, as we will ask you to sign them again). Contact me immediately if, as you read the review materials, you discover a potential conflict of interest that is not already noted on your certification form, since that could jeopardize the validity of the entire review. Please note that you must keep all review materials and review proceedings strictly confidential.
Travel, Lodging, and Reimbursement: Always refer to meeting number ZAI1-XXX-X-X. See the enclosed supplemental instructions “ Instructions for Travel, Lodging, and Payment For Non-Federal Reviewers” OR “ Instructions for Travel, Lodging, and Payment For Federal Reviewers” for details. TRAVEL: Non-federal reviewers must contact World Travel Services (WTS) to obtain prepaid restricted airline or train tickets at the Government rate. Federal reviewers (e.g. CDC, VA, or FDA employees) contact Omega World Travel. If you make travel arrangements by other means, you will be reimbursed only for the Government rate. All changes to your tickets must be made through the travel agency or you will be responsible for charges LODGING: We have made hotel room reservations for all non-federal reviewers who live more than 50 miles from the Washington DC metro area who will attend the meeting. Federal reviewers (e.g. CDC, VA, or FDA employees) should follow the supplemental instructions to procure a hotel room. If you do not need a room for this meeting, please let me know immediately; the NIH is billed for any unused rooms. Also, contact us if you need lodging for the last day of the meeting. REIMBURSEMENT: Reimbursement rates are detailed in the supplemental instructions.
Review Assignments: Please check your review assignments in IAR and call me at once if you have any questions. All assigned reviewers must prepare a detailed written critique following the format specified in the “Reviewer Manual”. Reviewers MUST use the critique template provided for this review. Describe clearly and concisely the main strengths and weaknesses for each of the Review Criteria. Focus on your particular areas of expertise, and assign a preliminary Impact score and individual criteria scores to the application. The SRO should edit this for multi-project applications. These critiques will be submitted electronically prior to the review meeting (see below). After review discussions, all reviewers will complete a Score Sheet indicating a final score for each application. We realize that one reviewer’s expertise may not extend to all aspects of a given application, and thus the detail of your comments for any given area may vary. However, the collective expertise of the Initial Review Group will provide a full assessment of the scientific and technical merits of the application.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS REVIEW: The SRO should determine if any of the following issues apply. Additional modules are provided in the Standard Documents. SROs should also add anything UNIQUE to this review.
Foreign Reviewers: Reviewers from countries outside the US must present a US Visa to enter the United States unless they belong to one of 27 countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program ( http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html ). I will forward additional instructions by e-mail – see AI-Mailout_Invitation_Letter.doc.
Orientation teleconference: Prior to the actual review, the NIAID Scientific Review Program frequently schedules a teleconference to assist reviewers in preparation of their critiques. We will hold two pre-meeting orientation teleconferences, one on Month Day and one on Month Day. We have already sent e-mails regarding these teleconferences. Please mark your calendar.
” Not Discussed” (formerly “streamlined”) Applications: For reviews where the number of applications received substantially exceeds the number of awards to be made, most Special Emphasis Panels discuss only a percentage (usually 50% or less) of applications assigned to the panel Typically, these applications have preliminary scores in the better half of the scoring range. The peer review group is asked to do an initial screening of the applications to establish their relative level of competitiveness. Applications that are Not Discussed are not necessarily lacking in scientific merit but rather – given the number of applications received and awards to be made – have no likelihood of receiving an award. Not Discussed applications are not formally discussed during the review meeting, however a brief discussion may occur to determine if they will be designated “Not Discussed.” This process allows reviewers to focus their valuable time on those applications that are truly competitive for the available funding. An applicant with a Not Discussed application receives the written critiques prepared by the reviewers assigned to the application as feedback after the review meeting. I will provide specific instructions in the pre-meeting orientation teleconference.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Internet Assisted (IAR): This review will use the NIH “Internet Assisted Review” (IAR) website to provide additional meeting materials, to post critiques, and to register for reimbursement. IAR is user-friendly and is accessed through the NIH eRA Commons website. If you are new to the system, instructions on how to create your account will be sent shortly. This is a one-time process. Please create your account as soon as possible, because it may take 3-5 business days to set up. MEETING MATERIALS: Applications and other meeting materials are provided via this site. CRITIQUE SUBMISSION: We ask that you submit your critiques electronically to the Web site by [INSERT TIME] Eastern Time on [INSERT DATE]. When you have submitted your critique, you will then be able to see the critiques of others after the [INSERT SAME DATE] deadline. This will allow you to consider what other reviewers have written before the meeting, to help you prepare for a fruitful discussion of the issues. REVIEWER REIMBURSEMENT: The IAR website provides a link to the Secure Payee Reimbursement System (SPRS), a secure registration process for reviewers to receive reimbursement and honoraria for their participation in NIH peer review meetings. For step by step instructions see page X of the “Instructions for Reviewers” or the following web link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/guidelines_general/SPRS_Reviewer_Instructions_for_payment.pdf.
There is an IAR assistance page for reviewers at https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/ (scroll down) and at Electronic Research Administration (eRA) HELPDESK; 866-504-9552 or 301-402- 7469; [email protected]
What to bring to the review: Please bring your set of applications and appendix materials and at least one copy of each of your critiques with you for reference at the review meeting. Please also bring your laptop computer to view the application images, to edit your critiques, and/or to access and electronically sign the conflict of interest forms via the Internet Assisted Review website. Transport from/to DC-Area Airports: Three airports serve the Washington DC area: Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI). Please schedule your arrival and departure so that you are present at the beginning of the meeting and remain for the duration of the meeting. Allow 1.5 hours minimum for transport to/from an area airport.
Each airport provides a list of ground transportation options: IAD: http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/793.htm BWI: http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation DCA: http://www.mwaa.com/reagan/1179.htm
Providers available at all three airports:
SUPER SHUTTLE AIRPORT QUICK CONNECTION Phone: (800) BLUE-VAN (258-3826) Phone 877-772-5466 Website: www.supershuttle.com Website: www.airportquickconnection.com
GO-AIRPORT SHUTTLE YELLOW CAB SERVICES Phone: (800)-776-0323 Phone: (866) 302-9898 Website: http://goairportshuttle.com/ Website: www.yellowcabservices.com
Reagan National Airport is served by the Metro (subway), which should cost about $4 to $5. The [INSERT HOTEL NAME] is located at the [INSERT STATION NAME] station on the [INSERT Metro’s LINE COLOR] line [Metro stop]. A map of the metro can be obtained at http://www.wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm and is also available at each Metro station.
Confidentiality: As the Scientific Review Officer and the official Government representative for this review meeting, I am responsible for managing the review and for providing information on NIH and NIAID review practices and policies. No unpublished information or ideas in the applications, nor information about the review proceedings themselves, may be shared or discussed with anyone outside the membership of the review panel or involved Government staff. You must not discuss the contents of the applications with any of the investigators or other participants involved in the applications. Also, you should not communicate with any of the other reviewers about their reviews prior to the meeting. IN ADDITION, please see “Protecting the Security of Grant Applications” on page X of the “Instructions for Reviewers”.
If you have any questions, or if you find that items are missing from the applications or from your package, please contact me right away. You may also contact my assistant for this review listed below.
Thank you again for participating in this important review meeting.
{SRO name, degree} {SRO branch/unit} {SRO IC} {SRO phone} {SRO fax} {SRO email}
Assistant: {DEAS staff name} {DEAS staff phone number} {DEAS staff fax} {DEAS staff email}.