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The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is accepting comments until September 16, 2005 on a new policy allowing multiple principal investigators for multi-disciplinary projects supported by Federal agencies.
OSTP (Office of Science and Technology Policy) issued a memorandum to all Federal research agencies on January 4, 2005, requiring them to formally allow more than one PI on individual research awards. The Federal agencies are now seeking input from the research community--scientists, research administrators, and organizations that represent components of the scientific research community--on how best to implement this policy.
The current Request for Information (RFI) poses a series of questions around core elements that may comprise each agency's implementation plan. These elements include:
(1) Statement of what constitutes a PI;
(2) designation of single contact PI;
(3) application instructions for listing more than one PI;
(4) PIs at different institutions;
(5) access to award and review information, and
(6) access to public data systems.
in addition,
(7) How will the changes proposed for official recognition of multiple PIs benefit multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research? Would the proposed changes help or harm the process of cooperation among researchers on a collaborative project?
(8) What other suggestions do you have for facilitating the recognition of multiple PIs?
Please consider the difficulties that might arise with regard to managing these elements. This is an important opportunity for the Dartmouth College research community to voice opinions on the topic. We encourage you to respond directly or to submit comments to the Office of Sponsored Projects , which will be compiled for an institutional response.
Please visit the following URL for complete information and instructions for submitting comments:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-14015.htm
IN ADDITION, NIH is asking for responses to its implementation plan, with three major issues with specific questions (a brief excerpt follows):
(1) Allocation of funds (will the budget be apportioned to individual PIs at the beginning of the award or will there be flexibility in the division of the award during the course of the project?)
(2) Departmental rankings by NIH (should NIH change its practice of acknowledging only one department and acknowledge multiple departments with such awards? Or eliminate departmental rankings altogether?)
(3) Awards to more than one institution (should NIH continue the practice of funding a primary awardee that distributes funds to secondary awardees through subcontracts, or create a new system of Linked awards, awarded to two or more collaborating institutions?)
Please (ESPECIALLY if you seek funds from NIH) visit the following URL for full information and instructions on submitting comments through a very quick online survey:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-055.html
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