Other Support

As of January 25, 2022, you are required to use the new Other Support Format Page. This page focuses on the new format for Other Support. Click on the accordions below for the background on why there has been a change in what information NIH collects with regards to Other Support; for links to previous training sessions on these Other Support changes that were held on campus; for a reminder on why Other Support is reviewed; for resources and links to the new forms and instructions; for information on the two electronic digital e-signatures options; and for a detailed breakdown of the new Other Support format.

Please note, in the future, it is expected that investigators will be able to utilize SciENcv to develop their Other Support which will automatically format according to NIH requirements. Moreover, please note, that the new Other Support Form Page is mandatory to use. No deviations are allowed.

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Background

In light of events affecting the “integrity of biomedical research” in US research over the past few years, NIH issued NOT-OD-19-114. The intent of this Notice was not to introduce the research extramural community to new NIH policies, but instead to remind us of NIH's longstanding policies on Other Support, Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI), and Foreign Components in the hopes of improving reporting of ALL research support (both domestic and foreign) while promoting openness and transparency.

On March 12, 2021, NIH released NOT-OD-21-073: Upcoming Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page for Due Dates on or after May 25, 2021, and on April 28, 2021, NIH released NOT-OD-21-110: Implementation of Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page. These two notices informed the research community of NIH's upcoming changes to both the Biosketch and Other Support. Use of the new forms was requested for applications, progress reports, JIT, post-submission/award that were due on or after May 25, 2021, and was required for applications, progress reports, JIT, post-submission/award due on or after January 25, 2022.

Training Sessions

On March 30, 2021, HS SPPO held a quarterly Contacts Meeting where we discussed the recent changes. A PDF of the PPT is located here. Since then, NIH released the above clarification notice that this new form was requested to be used for deadlines on or after May 25, 2021, and that it was firmly required for deadlines on or after January 25, 2022. Additionally, on November 10, 2021, and January 12, 2022, HS SPPO presented for Research Compliance Hot Topics and Training Program on the upcoming changes. The PDF of the November session is located here as well as the recorded video is located here, and the PDF of the January session is located here as well as the recorded video is located here. Note, the first session had 45 minutes of Q&A, while the second session had updated slides.

Reminder: Why Other Support Reviewed?

NIH scientific program and grants management staff review Other Support information to ensure that:

All resources, domestic or foreign, directly supporting the individual’s research endeavors have been reported
Sufficient levels of effort are committed to the project
There is no scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap
Only funds necessary to the approved project are included in the award (examples are subawards or multi-project awards)
Any foreign resources that meet the definition of a foreign component have received appropriate prior approval

Other Support Resources

NIH has created wonderful and helpful pages for the Other Support Form Page:

Other Support Form Page Overview
Other Support Form Pages: New Other Support Form Page
Instructions: New Other Support Form Page
Other Support, Foreign Components, and FCOI FAQs
NIH Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support (updated 6/8/2022).pdf
Examples of What to Disclose to NIH about Senior/Key Personnel on Applications and Awards Table
How to Flatten a PDF

Electronic Digital Signature Options

One of NIH's Other Support FAQs states that "submissions must be submitted as a flattened PDF after all signatures are obtained (see Format Attachments for more details). Recipients and applicants may use the electronic signature software of their choice, and in alignment with their institutional practices. A typed name is not an electronic signature and is not acceptable. Applicants and recipients must maintain supporting documentation to reasonably authenticate that the appropriate individual signed the form. Recipients must make the documentation available upon request in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75.364.

There are two electronic signature (e-signature) options you can use at UC San Diego: DocuSign and Adobe Acrobat. Both of these options can create NIH's required audit trail. The onus falls on the department or school to maintain these records. The Central SPO will submit to NIH flattened versions of these Other Support PDFs that will not contain the certifications or properties.

DocuSign at UC San Diego For DocuSign, you have to log in through SSO. Once there, it allows you to drag and drop the document you need to have signed. You can be both the host and signer. You can also be the host and forward an email to the person that needs to sign. For each step in the process, you will receive an email telling you it has to be signed as well as that it is complete. Once you download the document to your desktop, it will show that it has been signed and all the signatures are valid in Adobe Acrobat. When you download the document you will also download the Certificate of Completion which you must save for audit purposes. Please do not upload this to eRA Commons or ASSIST to be sent to NIH. Here is an example of the e-Signature and the Certificate of Completion.

Adobe Acrobat & E-Signatures Adobe Acrobat has the "Fill & Sign" tool to add signatures, but this option only allows you to sign and not to both sign and certify the document. Thus, no audit trail is created where you can verify who actually signed the document and when. When using Adobe Acrobat, make sure to select the "Certificates" tool which will allow you to either select the Digitally Sign option or the Certify (Visible Signature) option. Both of these options will work, but the latter of these two is the preferred choice. Here is an example of the e-Signature (using the Certify (Visible Signature) option) and the Signature Properties showing who and when this was digitally signed.

Other Support Format Detailed Information, Including a Walk-Through

The new Other Support format page uses a specific form that is mandatory to use as it provides information on ALL domestic & foreign active and pending funded & unfunded support for personnel on NIH funded projects as well as it now includes in-kind contributions and/or support.

Note of Effort Tables
Do not include past budget period efforts. Only list current and future budget period efforts. If there are extra rows in the table that are not utilized, then delete those rows.

What happens if a resource or support was not reported to NIH previously?

A resource or support not reported to NIH previously, when would you submit to NIH? Updated Other Support must be sent to the GMS listed in the most recent NOA within 30 calendar days via your Central SPO contact.

Note for Subawards or Multi-Project Awards

Indicate the project number, name of PD/PI, and source of support for the overall project. Provide all other information (e.g. total award amount, person-months listed in the subaward agreement) for the subproject only.

Note on Foreign Affiliations, Appointments, and/or Support

Institutions are required to submit copies of contracts specific to senior/key-personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support. Personal service contracts for lab staff do not need to be provided.
Translations are required, if they are not in English. Note, this does not include personal service contracts, or employment contracts for fellows supported by foreign entities. NIH will accept machine-read translations, such as Google Translate. Your Central SPO office will translate this for you.
These contracts MUST be uploaded at time of JIT, following the Other Support documents.

Expectations for Reporting In-Kind Resources

In-kind contributions, e.g. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, employees, students.
- Paid-Direct Graduate Students or Post Docs, performing research activities in the lab is a resource available in support of the PI or other key personnel. This must be reported as in-kind contribution in Other Support. If the relationship is solely mentor/mentee, then this is not a resource.
If the time commitment or dollar value of the in-kind contribution is not readily ascertainable, the recipient must provide reasonable estimates. Researchers can list zero effort, but must provide the estimated $ value of the in-kind resource. The effort and $ value cannot be both be zero.

The former Other Support Format Page did not collect structured data or allow recipients to provide detail on in-kind contributions.

In-Kind Contributions FAQ Highlights

Do in-kind contributions that will be used for the project being proposed need to be included in Other Support?	If an in-kind contribution is listed in Facilities and Other Resources or Equipment, does it also need to be included in both Other Support?	How should researchers list materials (e.g., data, samples, etc.) received from external collaborators on Other Support?	When disclosing materials received from external collaborators on Other Support how far back in time should recipients go, if they are still in use?
If an in-kind contribution, such as technology, chemicals, etc. is intended for use on the project being proposed to NIH in the application, the information must be included as part of the Facilities and Other Resources or Equipment section of the application and does not need to be replicated on Other Support.	If an in-kind contribution is not intended for use on the project being proposed, then the information must be included as part of Other Support. If the in-kind contribution is intended for use on the project being proposed, then information must be included as part of the Facilities and Other Resources or Equipment section of the application and does not need to be replicated on Other Support.	Information on materials received from collaborators must be included in the in-kind contribution section of Other Support, including the source, a summary of the in-kind contribution, and the estimated value. Only resources uniquely available to the researcher must be reported.	Materials provided within the past 3 years, that are still in use, must be included in Other Support.

Overlap

After listing all support, summarize for each individual any potential overlap with the active or pending projects and activities, other positions, affiliations (domestic or foreign), and resources and this application in terms of the science, budget, or an individual’s committed effort.

Certification by Key Investigator

The Other Support PDF must be flattened after it has been digitally electronically signed by the individual the Other Support is for in order to avoid submission errors. Pasted signatures and wet signatures that are scanned are not allowed. You can use DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat.

Supporting Documentation

Provide copies of contracts specific to senior/key-personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support. If they are not in English, recipients must provide translated copies. Per NIH, Google Translate is an acceptable program to use for translations. Note, the Supporting Documentation should be provided as a PDF following the Other Support form and your Central SPO will do the translation.

At UC San Diego, we are allowing a maximum of 15 days* to obtain, translate, review, and submit the foreign supporting documentation to NIH, via eRA Commons.

Note, when close to NIH’s fiscal year-end, this timeline may be decreased due to NIH's reduced timeline for these required documents.

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