Administration Function Questions
VMRF's offices are located on the grounds of the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) 3350 La Jolla Village Dr. San Diego, CA 92161. The VMRF core offices are located on the first floor of building 13 on the east side of the main VA building, which is at the end of the VA handicapped parking lot.
Only Qualified VMRF Principal Investigators at the VASDHS can apply for funding and establish project funds with VMRF.
A recharge core typically provides specialized research support functions on a fee-for-service basis. For a complete list of VMRF’s recharge cores please visit our Research Websites.
VMRF has agreed with the NIH and UCSD that the intent and structure of the "K" and "T" awards is academic. Therefore, "K" and "T" applications should be submitted through the UCSD. Please contact your department on campus for additional information.
Accounting and Purchasing Questions
I. General Questions About Purchasing
1. When do I use a purchase order or a check request?
Generally speaking, VMRF uses Purchase Order as its primary mechanism to purchase goods and services in a timely and cost effective manner, complying fully with funding agency requirements as well as good business practice. The purchase order is the preferred method used for all research needs. For additional information refer to the Purchasing Procedure.
A Check Request is used on an exception basis in a situation requiring that a VMRF employee making purchases from personal funds for material or supplies for the benefit and immediate use to support VMRF administered research. Requests for personal reimbursements are restricted to specific expenditure categories. Reimbursements for allowable and allocable expense are to be submitted to VMRF Accounting with all of the proper substantiation within 90 days of the date the expense incurred. Any reimbursements submitted after 90 days may not be reimbursed. VMRF tries to limit the number of processed check requests and much prefers the use of purchase orders over check requests because purchase orders provide a much better documentation trail for the use of the funds with which VMRF has been entrusted by its funders.
2. Do I need to use specific vendors to buy products?
VMRF does participate in the NAVREF Preferred Vendor Program. This allows us to purchase items at a substantially reduced price. Should you want to use different vendors, Purchasing will try to accommodate your request.
3. Why is it important that VMRF receive the product packing slip?
This process is necessary for auditing purposes as well as documentation to verify discrepancies between items ordered and items received. Should the packing slip be lost or misplaced, VMRF will require a Packing Slip Replacement Form to be filled out and forwarded to the Accounting Office before the vendor invoice can be processed.
II. General Questions About Accounting
1. Where do I send VMRF forms?
All forms are mailed to VA mail code 151A. Inter-office mail is distributed twice daily. There are also two areas where forms may be dropped off at: VMRF mailbox on the 6th Floor, room 6014 or VMRF reception desk, 1st Floor VMRF Building.
2. When and where can I pick up my check?
VMRF Accounts Payable follows a weekly schedule of check disbursement. Checks are available every Friday at the C&G and Accounting reception desk for pickup if indicated on the check request form. Otherwise, all checks are processed through the mail.
3. How does VMRF process travel requests?
VMRF has an extensive policy on travel. Please refer to the Travel Regulations/Policy. Within the travel policy, the forms required to be submitted for travel reimbursement are also listed; travel expense voucher, travel prepayment and travel advances, travel per diem and private automobile mileage.
III. General Questions About Equipment Purchases
1. Why is equipment purchased through VMRF tagged?
For audit purposes VMRF must tag and track the location of all equipment. When the location of a piece of equipment needs to be changed then the PI is to contact Accounting prior to the move for instructions. In addition, please complete an Equipment Form and forward to Accounting. If a piece of equipment is no longer in working condition or is no longer needed by the PI, the PI is to notify Accounting for instructions. In addition, please complete an Equipment Form and forward to Accounting. The VMRF CEO must approve all changes in regards to equipment.
2. What is the procedure for computer purchases?
All computers should be purchased through VMRF Purchasing to ensure they are tagged with a VMRF equipment tag and the appropriate paperwork is to be completed before the computer is to be put into operation. In addition all laptop computers are to have encryption software installed and the appropriate paperwork is to be completed before they are put into operation.
IV. Questions About Services Performed by VMRF Research CORE FACILITY or an Independent Contractor/Consultant
1. I would like to have services done through a VMRF Research Core Facility. What do I need to do in order to get services started?
Contact the VMRF Research Core Facility directly. The Facility Director, Lab Manager, or Research Associate will walk you through the process. The contact information for each facility can be found on our website. A purchase order will need to be submitted to VMRF to ensure money is encumbered to cover these costs. The purchase order number should be given to the Research Core Facility.
2. What are the steps necessary for the hiring of an Independent Contractor/Consultant?
Forms for an independent contractor/consultant are located on the VMRF website forms section and are to be completed and submitted to VMRF prior to an independent contractor/consultant beginning work. VMRF will review the forms and address any issues that may arise during the approval process.
V. Questions About Travel Expenses
1. What expenses are unallowable for reimbursement?
The following are expenses unallowable for reimbursement:
- Alcoholic beverages. Itemized costs for alcoholic beverages cannot be reimbursed in compliance with OMB.
- Entertainment. These expenses are generally considered a personal expense and non-reimbursable. However, an exception is made for business meals or networking events (meetings where official business is conducted) and conference banquets.
- Passports. The cost of passports and legal documents required for travel are normally paid by the traveler however, an exception can be made if approval is obtained for reimbursement by the Chief Executive Officer.
- Spouse/Partner Travel. These expenses are not reimbursable unless the travel is integral to the business purpose of the trip. However, the cost of a shared hotel room does not require to be allocated between the traveler and partner.
- Traffic and parking tickets. Any fines or violations are not reimbursable.
2. Who needs to approve my Travel Expense Claims?
Travel Expense Claims must be approved by someone other than the traveler. Approval needs to be obtained by the Principal Investigator or authorized signer. However, if the traveler is the Principal Investigator, approval from the CFO or Controller must be obtained.
3. In California, what is the minimum amount of automobile insurance drivers are required to carry?
California Public Law (California Insurance Code §11580.1b) requires that anyone driving a car in California carry at least the minimum prescribed insurance:
- $15,000 for personal injury or death of one person
- $30,000 for injury or death to two or more persons in one accident
- $5,000 for property damage
4. Who is responsible for the cancellation of reservations?
It is the responsibility of the traveler to cancel any reservations that will not be used. Charges or lost refunds from failure to cancel in a timely manner will not be reimbursed.
5. Can I be reimbursed for incurred airfare penalties and exchanges?
If a ticket has to be changed due to illness, personal emergency or business needs and a penalty is incurred, the traveler may claim reimbursement from VMRF.
6. What is allowable for meal reimbursements?
- VMRF has an established domestic M&IE Per Diem which is published as part of the Travel Per Diem Form.
- Foreign Per Diem Rates are based on the GSA city rates and may not exceed the maximum daily allowance.
- If a conference registration or event provides for meals, the daily per diem should be reduced accordingly; i.e. conference provides a dinner banquet as part of the registration cost then dinner allowance should be deducted from that day’s per diem for meals and incidentals.
- Business meals (where official business is conducted) are reimbursable at actual cost to the extent that the documentation includes business purpose or agenda and the names of the individuals in attendance (must be more than one). Original itemized receipts must be provided. If the business meal occurs during a trip, the daily per diem should be reduced accordingly; i.e. if the business meal occurs at lunch then the per diem for meals and incidentals would be reduced to eliminate the lunch allowance.
- The following chart provides the breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost breakdown: GSA - Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE) Breakdown. The M&IE (Meals and Incidental Expenses) daily per diem rate for foreign travel is based on the GSA city rate where the business meal takes place.
- The M&IE allowance for the first and last day of travel is 75% of the M&IE daily rate.
7.If my original receipts are missing, what do I do?
Original receipts are required but if that is not possible than reimbursements without the original receipts requires documentation. If an original receipt is lost, a duplicate receipt should be requested. If a duplicate receipt cannot be obtained, then a lost receipt memorandum signed by the traveler should be created. The lost receipt memo must indicate the item, cost, date, and a signed personal validation statement that the expense is accurate and not previously submitted for reimbursement.
- For electronic or ticket-less airfare requires a printout receipt or credit card statement for reimbursement.
8. What is the policy for travel for only one day?
In general, trips of less than 50 miles, one way, from VMRF or the traveler’s home do not qualify for an over-night stay or per diem. For local travel or when an overnight stay is not involved, the IRS generally considers meal reimbursement and per diem taxable income. Conference and/or meeting fees are reimbursable and mileage is reimbursable to the extent that it exceeds the normal home to work commute. In certain circumstances, Business Meals may be approved to the extent that official business is performed during the course of the meal and an otherwise acceptable time and place to meet could not be arranged.
9. Can I request personal travel druing non-business days?
Personal travel is sometimes requested before, after, or during a business trip. It is not reimbursable unless a demonstrated cost savings to the overall business trip can be documented. However, if weekends or holidays fall between travel days, approved costs are allowable.
- Indirect Routes – if, for other than business reasons, the traveler takes an indirect route, reimbursement for air fare or mileage will be at the cost incurred by traveling directly to the intended business destination. Backup must be attached to the Travel Expense Voucher, justifying the cost you claim (i.e. print out a copy of an Expedia.com travel itinerary to the business destination applicable to that travel date)
- Normally one day travel is allowed to arrive and return from your business destination. In the event of international travel, two days is allowable.
10. What is the minimum dollar threshold for private automobile mileage reimbursements?
VMRF has established a minimum dollar threshold of $5.00 for reimbursement when using your private automobile for business purposes.
11. What is the policy for re-fueling rental cars?
Rental cars should always be re-fueled prior to returning the vehicle to the rental agency.
Contracts and Grants Questions
I. General Questions on the Determining Factors for Submitting a Project Through VMRF and VMRF Contracts & Grants Administration
1. How do I determine if my project should be administered by VMRF?
Over 50% of the project must be conducted in VASDHS space by a VMRF qualified investigator.
2. Where do I denote my research space?
The research space to be used by the Principal Investigator to conduct the research must be submitted to your Contracts and Grants Administrator. If the research is being conducted outside of the VA, an address and space arrangements must be identified. Additional VA documentation rules apply.
3. How do I know if I am a qualified to submit a project through VMRF?
Please refer to the Qualified Principal Investigator section of our website.
4. What types of projects does VMRF administer?
VMRF provides pre and post award grants and CRADA administration (please refer to our Administrative Functions section for more information), as well as recharge, donation and education funds.
5. Who is my Contracts & Grants Administrator at VMRF?
Please reference our Contracts & Grants Directory, contact the VMRF reception desk at x7606 or email CG@vmrf.org to inquire about your assigned VMRF Contracts and Grants Administrator.
II. Questions About PI Exceptions
1. What is a PI Exception and why would I need one?
A PI Exception is necessary when a Principal Investigator does not have an academic appointment at a VMRF Board-approved institution as a Qualified Investigator, but wishes to be the principal investigator for a proposal or funded project. An investigator who is not yet PI qualified must receive a PI exception for each project they wish to be submitted through VMRF. VMRF does not process or approve PI exceptions. The PI exception process is entirely driven by the academic institution, such as the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
2. Where can I get a copy of the PI Exception form?
A PI Exception form may be obtained from your appropriate academic institution.
3. If I do not hold an academic appointment yet, do I have to complete a PI Exception for every application I send through VMRF?
Yes. A PI Exception is required for each VMRF submission and resubmission until an academic appointment is made that makes the investigator PI qualified.
III. Questions About Industry-Sponsored Projects, Clinical Trials, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
1. How do I start an industry-sponsored study that will have the VA as a site?
To initiate an industry-sponsored study, you should first contact the VMRF Research Compliance and Contracts Coordinator (RCCC). The RCCC will help you initiate CRADA negotiations with VMRF’s legal counsel, and will also be able to assist you in preparing some aspects of your site budget. Additionally, the RCCC can guide you on the appropriate compliance aspects that you will need to have completed before a VA site can be initiated. This may include: IRB protocol review and approval, R&D review and approval, etc. In general, the RCCC will act as a liaison during the contract and compliance processes that occur when beginning a new industry-sponsored study and the RCCC will be able to answer any questions you might have about these along the way. It is important to initiate contract negotiations as soon as possible to avoid potential delays in starting your study.
To see a flow chart of the processes associated with beginning an industry-sponsored study, please see VMRF’s CRADA Process Overview.
2. When is a CRADA required and what is its purpose?
CRADAs are required when a VA/VMRF researcher wishes to collaborate in clinical or basic research with private industry. The purpose of the CRADA is to establish the terms of this sponsored collaboration. The CRADA is specifically designed to protect the parties' prior inventions while allowing VA/VMRF and the private sector research partner(s) to negotiate management of any new discovery or intellectual property that may result from the collaboration.
3. What are the most common delays in obtaining approval of a CRADA?
The obstacles to completing a CRADA process are varied, but the most common delay can be attributed to: Sequential rather than simultaneous attention being given to the negotiation of contract and the processing of internal compliance requirements.
4. Can VMRF help me invoice the Sponsor of my clinical trial and if so, whom should I contact?
Yes. It is VMRF's requirement to manage the billing process for your studies. The Principal Investigator and/or their designated staff can relay billable activity in accordance with the payment schedule and/or budget identified within the CRADA. This should be submitted to the VMRF Research Compliance and Contracts Coordinator (RCCC) in writing (e-mail) with details the invoice should contain. The RCCC will coordinate with the VMRF Accounting department to ensure that an invoice is issued to the Sponsor in an expeditious manner.
5. How should I notify VMRF of clinical study completion?
When a clinical study is complete, the Principal Investigator and/or staff person who has signing authority on the study in question should contact the Research Compliance and Contracts Coordinator (RCCC) via e-mail. This communication should note the closeout date and any additional expenses that may need to be charged in addition to a final invoice. The appropriate Contracts & Grants Administrator should be included in this e-mail. The e-mail must state that the study is 100% complete and request that any remaining funds be transferred into the investigator's unrestricted account (transfer account).
6. Does VMRF administer Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)?
All Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) are submitted through and signed by the VASDHS ACOS R&D. However, VMRF may be involved with the negotiation of MTAs. For more information please visit MTAs Lookup Table PDF.
IV. Questions About Grant Submissions
1. What do I need to do to submit a grant?
Please see our Grant Application And Submission Deadlines Policy or contact a Contracts and Grants Administrator for current information.
2. Where do I obtain the forms to submit a grant?
NIH grant applications are usually submitted via grants.nih.gov using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms alongside the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Each parent announcement contains a link to these forms and guides. Please utilize the latest version of the Parent Announcements for the most common NIH applications:
Research Project Grant (Parent R01) – PA-10-067
NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03) – PA-10-064
NIH Exploratory Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21) – PA-10-069
P Series (i.e. P01) and U Series (i.e., U01 and U19) grant applications still utilize the PHS 398 application package which can be obtained at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html. The downloadable forms and electronic templates have been revised as of 06/2009 and only those forms indicating this revision should be used. Additionally PHS forms can also be found under "forms" on our website.
For all other funding agencies please contact the VMRF Contracts and Grants Department.
3. What information does VMRF require to begin the grant application process?
In order for VMRF Contracts and Grants Department to begin working with a Principal Investigator on a proposal, the following information must be communicated to the assigned C&G Administrator (email):
- Type of application being submitted (provide the program announcement and/or web link if avialable)
- Sponsoring Agency
- Agency deadline
- Requirements by agency prior to submission (letter of intent, support, pre-submission application)
- Key personnel involved, collaborating institutions (i.e. subcontracts), other investigators/consultants
- Proposed title of the project
- Anticipated project period beginning and end dates
4. How should I list my institutional affiliations on VMRF project proposals?
Most VMRF Investigators and their key personnel are affiliated with VMRF, VA, and UCSD [or other accredited educational institution(s)]; the appropriate format is VMRF/VASDHS/UCSD.
5. May I submit a grant electronically?
Yes. The procedure for electronic submissions can be found on our Grants Electronic Submission Policy
6. Can a fellowship application be submitted through VMRF?
Fellowship awards are intended to support a candidate’s career development. These awards are provided with the understanding that a fellow will receive appropriate and career-furthering training while under the supervision of a mentor. VMRF’s Principal Investigators provide this mentorship for their lab personnel and will be supported in their goals to do so. While most fellowships awards provide support for the candidate under the term “stipend”, this will not preclude VMRF from accepting and administering these grants.
In an effort to properly evaluate whether a fellowship application should be submitted by VMRF, the following must be considered:
1) Application guidelines and institutional requirements by sponsor.
a. If there is a preponderance of academic sign-offs or required academic reference points, the application and award should be submitted and administered by UCSD.b. As a non-profit research organization, VMRF qualifies as a host institution for the majority of sponsors. There are sponsors, however, that require the non-profit organization to also be an ACADEMIC INSTITUTION. In those situations, the fellowship should be submitted by UCSD.c. There may also be instances where the fellow is required to teach as part of their training program. These situations also require that the application be submitted by UCSD.2) Candidate’s appointment at UCSD. In these cases, applications should be submitted through UCSD.a. A candidate may be part of an accredited training program through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This program can be within or outside of the University. These accredited programs are intended to provide candidates with training that will enable them to prepare for careers in patient care, research, and teaching.
b. UCSD’s training program is named the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program that falls within the School of Medicine and Medical Center. Further information on this program can be found at: http://www.acgme.org or at http://meded.ucsd.edu/gme.
Prior to working with a candidate on an application, CGAs should consult with the Pre-Award Manager and discuss the appropriateness of this application being submitted through VMRF. VMRF will only administer a proposal or funded project if items 1 and/or 2 do not apply.
7. What are the benefit rates VMRF uses for personnel costs on proposal budgets?
For budgeting purposes, VMRF uses the UCSD benefit rates for academics that are paid as UCSD employees and 37% for VMRF employees. Please be advised that the actual benefit rate depends on the specific benefits package applicable to the individual employee.
8. What are the current IDC rates for VMRF?
Current DHHS-approved rate - grants and basic rsearch CRADAs and non-VA/VMRF/UCSD use of recharge cores
24% - industry-sponsored clinical trials and contracts
4% - donations
V. Questions About Hiring Staff on Projects and Joint Personnel Agreements
1. How do I hire staff on an awarded VMRFproject?
All new hires must begin with the completion of a Personnel Requisition form by the Principal Investigator. Please contact VMRF HR at x2862 for additional information.
2. What is a joint personnel agreement (JPA) and how do I qualify for one?
A personnel agreement is a mechanism by which a UCSD employee who works on a VMRF project, ensures their vested UCSD benefits by having VMRF reimburse UCSD for a certain percentage of their salary. For more information, please refer to our Pay and Concurrent Employment Policy which addresses the JPA mechanism in more detail..
VI. Questions Regarding IRB Reviews and Study Participants
1. Where do I obtain study participant (human subject) approval?
VMRF uses the UCSD IRB committee for review of VMRF research that includes the participation of volunteer study participants. The UCSD IRB Committee must approve all VMRF human subject protocols. Please refer to the UCSD IRB website for instruction and forms. Before submitting a protocol, you must contact the VA R&D Intake desk to receive a VA tracking number and to initiate the VA R&D compliance process. Additional VMRF information can be found at: VMRF Study Participants.
VII. Questions Regarding Post-Award Grant Administration and Project Accounts
1. What is VMRF permitted under NIH "Expanded Authorities?"
Under Expanded Authorities, VMRF can do the following:
- Approve pre-award spending 90 days before NGA is issued (if indication has been given that the grant will be funded and if the project has had VA R&D full review and approval)
- Allow carryover of un-obligated balances from one budget period to the next, within Agency guidelines.
- Allow a no cost extension of final budget period up to a year without additional NIH funds.
- Transfer performance of substantive programmatic work to a third party (by consortium agreement).
2. How long do I have to keep grant files?
Please reference VMRF's Records Retention Policy for specific information. Generally speaking, however, the NIH requirement is that grantees must retain financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records that are required by the terms of a grant for 3 years from the date the final Financial Status Report (FSR) is submitted.
3. What is the balance in my account?
Expenditure reports are forwarded for each project to the Investigator on a monthly basis. Current account balances may be requested from your Contracts and Grants Administrator at any time.
4. Can I put all of my projects into one account?
Individual contractual rules or agency regulations govern all projects and grants. Therefore, all external projects must remain in separate accounts until completion. Once a project is done, you may request to have any residual funds transferred into an unrestricted account, unless the remaining balance must be returned to the sponsoring agency. PIs can associate more than one VA approved project to an unrestricted transfer account.
Once an industry sponsored project is complete and the PI informs VMRF and the sponsor that all reporting requirements and contractual obligations have been met, the account is then closed. If the sponsor does not require a refund of unspent funds, any residual funding is then transferred into an unrestricted account (the "transfer account") which is assigned to the PI for additional research activities. All rules for allowability of cost apply to transfer funds just as they apply to all other VMRF projects. The transfer accounts are more flexible, though, in that expenses charged to transfer accounts do not have to follow rules of allocability, as long as the requested expenses are associated with a VA R&D-approved research or education project.
VIII. General Questions for e-SNAP Reports
Streamlined Non-Competing Award Process: Annual Progress Report. Under SNAP, the NIH Grants Management Officer negotiates the direct costs for the entire project period. This eliminates the need for annual budget submissions, negotiations, and reduces the information NIH requires to review and approve non-competing continuation awards; it also facilitates to the monitoring of these awards.
SNAP provides PIs with a mechanism of support that simultaneously facilitates science, simplifies administration during the project period, and keeps NIH updated on progress. For a full tutorial on preparing and submitting your e-SNAP report please click HERE.
2. When are my e-SNAP reports due?
e-SNAP Progress Reports are due 45 days prior to the next budget start date.
3. As a PI, how do I get registered in the Commons?
VMRF’s Contracts and Grants office is responsible for registering all PIs. Please contact your Contracts and Grants Administrator. Please reference our Contracts & Grants Directory.
4. What does the NIH Public Access Policy mean to me?
The NIH Public Access Policy implements Division G, Title II, Section 218 of PL 110-161 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008). The law states:
The Director of the National Institutes of Health shall require that all investigators funded by the NIH submit or have submitted for them to the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available no later than 12 months after the official date of publication: Provided, That the NIH shall implement the public access policy in a manner consistent with copyright law.The NIH Public Access Policy applies to all peer-reviewed articles that arise, in whole or in part, from direct costs funded by NIH, or from NIH staff, that are accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008.
5. What is and how do I use My NCBI?
The National Center for Biotechnology Information provides users with a personal profile on the National Library of Medicine computer system. This tool allows users to save and customized searches, save their own publication citations, abstracts, etc… This allows users to comply with the NIH Public Access Policy.
For NCBI instructions and information, please reference the information found on the NCBI website.
IX. Questions About Delegating Authority for Completing the e-SNAP Report
1. Can I delegate authority to someone to assist me with completing the report?
As the PI, you may delegate authority to another individual to assist you with the completion of the eSNAP process.
2. How do I delegate authority?
To allow someone else, such as your lab manager or administrative assistant, to help update your personal profile or to input the information for your eSNAP non-competing grant application, you will need to delegate this authority to your assistant. In order to do so, that person must also have a username and password.
1. Log in to eRA Commons
2. Select the Admin tab followed by the Accounts sub-tab
3. Select the Delegate PI sub-tab (the Delegate Submit sub-menu option is only visible to Commons users with the SO role)
4. Select the individual who needs the PI authority from the Current Institution Users box
5. Click the Assign button
6. Click the Save button on the Delegate PI confirmation page
7. The system will redirect you back to the Delegate PI Access screen where you will be notified that the delegate was successfully assigned.
X. General Questions About What Information Must Be Included in the e-SNAP Report
1. How do I answer the SNAP and Other Progress Report Questions?
Under the Edit Business – SNAP and Other Progress Report Questions & Checklist the following questions must be answered. For a detailed explanation of how the questions should be answered please click HERE.
1. Has there been a change in the other support of senior/key personnel since the last reporting period?
2 .Will there be, in the next budget period, a significant change in the level of effort for the PD/PI(s) or other senior/key personnel designated on the Notice of Award from what was approved for this project?
3. Is it anticipated that an estimated unobligated balance (including prior year carryover) will be greater than 25 percent of the current year's total approved budget?
2. How do I upload additional supporting documents?
Often times the PI will want to add additional supporting documents to the e-SNAP report. These types of files can be uploaded under the Upload Science section of the eSNAP found under the Other Files section. The types of documents can be:
Research Accomplishments File: Use this section to provide summary bullets of science highlights and other significant changes.
Cover Letter: A cover letter is not required but may be provided if necessary.
Other Files: This is the appropriate place to upload additional information that may be necessary, e.g., biographical sketch for new senior/key personnel.
3. How do I fill out the All Personnel Section?
The All Personnel report is required for salaried and unsalaried personnel for the current budget period at the applicant organization or elsewhere, who participated in the project during the current budget period for at least one person month or more, regardless of the source of compensation. A person month equals approximately 160 hours or 8.3% of annualized effort. For detailed instructions for who should be listed and how this section should be completed please click HERE. Please note that a commons ID is required for all PD/PIs and all individuals with a postdoctoral role.
4. How do I input my publications?
If you have updated your my bibliography in MyNCBI, the publication information should be located in the lower half of the Upload Science screen, select any listed publication in order to associate a publication with the progress report. eRA Commons no longer supports direct entry of publications.
For additional instructions on how to input publications please click HERE.
5. What is the correct format for the Progress Report Summary?
The Progress Report for most projects, exclusive of the list of publications and the “Inclusion Enrollment Report,” should not exceed two pages. The report should follow the outline and numbering system found in the sample template. Continuation pages may be used as necessary. Tables and figures that summarize key accomplishments are not counted in the two-page limit.
6. Should I validate the report before I route to VMRF Contracts and Grants Administrator?
Yes. Prior to routing your report to VMRF Contracts and Grants it is important to use the validation selection to ensure that all fields have been completed and are error free. The validation will let you know if there is anything that needs to be updated on your personal profile or any other errors, prior to sending to VMRF Contracts and Grants.
7. What do I do if I click "validate" and receive errors? Does this mean I have to start the e-SNAP all over again?
If you receive error messages upon validation, go back to the section indicated. Update or correct the error and re-validate. Please note that the information entered in the eSNAP can be updated at any time until it is routed to the Signing Official (SO). If an error is noticed after the eSNAP has been routed to the SO, and the SO has not yet submitted it, you can recall the eSNAP, make the change and route again to the SO.
8. Who in VMRF should I route my e-SNAP report to?
The e-SNAP report should be initially routed to your VMRF CGA, the CGA then reviews the report and will route to the VMRF CG Post-Award manager for second review, the CGPAM will then route to the CG Director for final review and submission. This process is time consuming and we ask that the PI route the report to the CGA at least a week prior to the due date so sufficient time is given for review prior to submission. Please reference our Contracts & Grants directory.
9. Where can I find the full instructions for completing the e-SNAP report?
The eRA Commons has a step by step guide to assist with completing the e-SNAP reports.
Human Resources Questions
1. How do I apply for an open position?
All applicants need to fill out an application and an applicant release form. These documents can be found in the How to Apply Section.
Once completed, the application may be submitted by email, faxed, or mailed to VMRF. For more information please visit the How to Apply section of our site.
VMRF views its benefits package as part of creating the VMRF work environment which brings out the best in all of us. For a comprehensive overview please view our Benefits Available document.
Please visit our map and detailed driving directions.
For a roster of VMRF HR staff and a brief description of their area of expertise please visit the Human Resources or Employee Directory.
5. What positions are open at VMRF?
VMRF strives to provide our employees with a work environment which motivates pride in our profession and research mission.
For a complete listing of our currently open positions, please visit our Jobs at VMRF.