COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Researchers
DATE: July 23, 2020
RAMP DOWN OF ON-CAMPUS RESEARCH
The university has reduced the density of personnel working in Pacific laboratories, studios, and all research areas (including CROs) to maintenance research levels.
- Each PI may have up to 2 key personnel in addition to the PI.
- Interim IRB Policy
UPDATES FOR APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL FUNDING
The following pages are being updated regularly
- Latest information from NIH for applicants and recipients of funding
- NIH FAQ re: COVID-19 Flexibilities
- NIH OLAW COVID-19 Pandemic Contingency Planning for Animal Care and Use Programs
- HHS Office of Human Research Protections COVID-19 Guidance
- Latest information from NSF re: COVID-19d COVID-19
- NASA FAQ Grants and Research during the COVID-19 Epidemic
SUMMARY OF POLICIES IMMEDIATELY RELEVANT TO PACIFIC RESEARCHERS
Below is a summary of federal agency policies in response to the effects COVID-19 is having on research. Links are provided to documents for more details about the requirements.
Application Deadlines
- NIH - See NIH FAQs (link above) for most up-to-date policies on NIH flexible stance on late submissions.
- NSF - Application deadlines have been extended for some funding opportunities, find list here. For funding opportunities not on the list for which you are not able to meet the deadline, contact the program office. Extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Administrative Flexibilities
- Extension of reporting deadlines (varied across agencies)
NIH - NIH understands the potential effects of COVID-19 on the progress of NIH supported research. Report any effects on the NIH funded research in your next RPPR submission. Do not to submit standard letters, but rather report these details within the RPPR. Contact the funding IC to request prior approval for a late submission. Check the NIH FAQ (link above) for more details.
NSF - All annual reports and final reports due between March 1 and April 30, 2020 have an additional 30 days to report. For no cost extensions, standard policies and procedures remain in place.
- Salaries and stipends
If recipient organization's policy allows for the charging of salaries and benefits during periods when no work is performed due to the effects of COVID-19 on active grants, then such charges to grant awards will be allowable through September 30, 2020.
- Other costs
NIH - Unobligated balances can be carried forward on active grants for immediate efforts to support activities related to or affected by COVID-19 as long as the charges are allowable costs and are within the scope of the original award. Awards that do not have authority to automatically carry over unobligated balances, contact the funding IC for prior approval.
NSF - Cost associated with pausing and restarting the award that are not normally allowable can be charged to the award.
- Accommodations for Loss of Time for Investigators Early in their Careers
NIH - Investigators that have been affected by COVID-19 (e.g. university closure) may submit requests for an extension of ESI status through eRA Commons via the ESI Extension request button in the Education section of their Personal Profile.