Recovery.gov - Track the Money

NIH plans several major activities, such as:

1. Expand the pay line for highly meritorious applications (total RPG’s are an estimated $5.7 billion): NIH will provide funding support for peer-reviewed and approved, highly meritorious grant applications from investigators across the nation that were not funded in FY 2008, as well as grant applications that would not otherwise likely be funded in FY 2009 or FY 2010.

2. Competitive Revisions (NOT-OD-09-058) and Administrative Supplements (NOT-OD-09-056) (approximately $1 billion): NIH will support expanding the scope and accelerating the tempo of ongoing science via NIH’s supplement programs, through support of additional infrastructure (e.g., equipment costing less that $100,000) and personnel support for new types of activities that fit into the structure of the Recovery Act. NIH plans to make over 4,600 awards.

3. Challenge Grants (NOT-OD-09-058) (at least $200 million): The new NIH Recovery Act Challenge Grant program will focus on health and science problems, to include cancer and autism, where significant progress can be made in a two year time frame. NIH plans to award at least 200 grants.

4. Grand Opportunity Program, or “GO grants” (RFA-OD-09-004) (at least $200 million): The purpose of this program is to support high impact ideas that require significant resources for a discrete period of time to lay the foundation for new fields of investigation.

5. New Faculty (RFA-OD-09-005) (approximately $100 million): NIH will support the recruitment of new faculty to conduct research at institutions across the country.

6. Summer Research Experiences for Students and Science Educators (NOT-OD-09-060) (approximately $20 million): This program will provide summer jobs for high school/college students and teachers to work in science labs.

7. Signature Initiatives: NIH will identify a number of Signature Initiatives that will support exceptionally creative and innovative projects and programs—and potentially transformative approaches to major challenges in biomedical research. The initiatives will cover new scientific opportunities in nanotechnology, genome-wide association studies, health disparities, arthritis, diabetes, autism, the genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, regenerative medicine, oral fluids as biomarkers, and HIV vaccine research.

The National Institutes of Health through the Extramural Grants Management Advisory Committee (GMAC), and the Contract Management Advisory Committee (CMAC), has established policies and procedures to assure a consistent and integrated approach to oversight practices that monitor extramural grantee activities for NIH contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. These committees meet approximately twice a month. Guidance for progress tracking, financial management, and administrative management of NIH grants includes OMB Circular A-110, OMB Circular A-123, Management's Responsibility for Internal Control, sections of the Recovery Act including Section 1512, and the Updated Implementing Guidance for the Recovery Act of 2009.

In addition, the NIH Office of Management Assessment (OMA) and the Office of Financial Management (OFM) will use the established NIH risk management framework for identifying, assessing, and testing of operational and financial risks and internal controls associated with implementing Recovery Act requirements. OMA will work with NIH offices that are responsible for implementing programs receiving Recovery Act funding to: identify and score the Recovery Act risks, assess controls related to the identified the Recovery Act risks, remediate controls as needed, monitor the inventory of Recovery Act risks, and report on the risks and controls to NIH and HHS leadership. These assessments will be done consistent with the statutory requirements of the Federal Manager’s Financial Integrity Act, which required managers to assess the effectiveness of management controls applicable to their responsibilities, and the Improper Payments Information Act, as well as OMB’s circular A-123 Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control, which strengthens financial management controls so that Federal agencies can better detect and prevent improper payments.

Progress reports are required for all active projects annually. The reports are reviewed by both program and grants management staff as required in the respective NIH Manual Chapters.. The review process includes a project officer completing a review checklist for each project that covers: progress, scope, planning, any project changes, safety, outputs, and reporting requirement. The checklist requires additional information for any identified risk or challenge areas. Mitigating or corrective actions are documented and trigger additional review as required. Outputs are reviewed by program officials to confirm appropriate progress. Progress standards are based on planned activities and milestones within the grant application.

Grants management specialists monitor disbursements from the grantee project accounts as reported in the quarterly SF272 (Cash Transaction Report) to assure that the drawdowns from the Division of Payment Management System are appropriate for the effort described in the application. When disbursements are outside of planned parameters, grants management specialists contact the grantee for additional information, and confer with NIH program staff to determine whether the project may be at risk. Decisions to limit disbursements based on actual charges to the project may be required, if project funds are determined to be at risk. Additional funds may be withheld if progress is not satisfactory, and continued concerns may lead to suspension or termination of award.

NIH conducts technical assistance visits for oversight of grantee organizations when deemed necessary by the grants management specialist based on a GMAC Risk Assessment analysis. Criteria that trigger additional site visits can include challenges or risk factors for progress, financial, or administrative management. Site visits and reviews are tailored to the specific circumstance of use for each Grantee Institution, with the participation of grant and/or program management as needed.

Transparency:

NIH will be open and transparent in all of its contracting and grant competitions and regulations that involve spending of Recovery Act funding consistent with statutory and OMB guidance. NIH will ensure that recipient reporting required by Section 1512 of the Recovery Act and OMB guidance is made available to the public on Recovery.gov by October 10, 2009. NIH will inform recipients of their reporting obligation through standard terms and conditions, grant announcements, contract solicitations, and other program guidance. NIH will provide technical assistance to grantees and contractors and fully utilize Project Officers to ensure compliance with reporting requirements. To ensure recipient cost and performance requirements are reported, all awards issued with Recovery Act funds have special accounting numbers and codes to track the funds and awards. All Recovery Act funds must be awarded separately from the normal appropriation funds. The awards must comply with both existing NIH reporting requirements and the Recovery Act reporting requirements. Grants will include special terms and conditions based on guidance provided by OMB and HHS. NIH will have a link to Recovery.gov on its website.

Accountability:

To ensure that managers are held to high standards of accountability in achieving program goals under the Recovery Act, NIH will build on and strengthen existing processes. Senior NIH and Science Implementation officials will meet regularly with senior Department officials to ensure that projects are meeting their program goals, assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring transparency, and incorporating corrective actions. The personnel performance appraisal system will also incorporate Recovery Act program stewardship responsibilities for program and business function managers.

The Project officer’s annual review requires additional information for any identified risk or challenge areas. Mitigating or corrective actions are documented and trigger additional review as required. Outputs are reviewed by program officials to confirm appropriate progress. Progress standards are based on planned activities and milestones within the grant application. Grants management can limit disbursement of funds for any funding improprieties and if progress is not satisfactory.

NIH is coordinating efforts with its Office of Management Assessment and Office of Financial Management to ensure that existing risk management processes are fully used as NIH implements the provisions of the Recovery Act. Terms and conditions of award notices will also be amended so that awardees are fully aware of the reporting requirements associated with these funds.

This program does not support Federally-owned assets. No intramural facilities renovations will be made.