Research Administration

Transfer Application

I am a new faculty member at UTMB. How do I transfer an NIH grant to UTMB from my previous institution?

NIH prior approval is required for the transfer of the legal and administrative responsibility for a grant-supported project or activity from one legal entity to another before the completion date of the approved project period (competitive segment). A change of recipient organization may be accomplished under most NIH grants if any of the following conditions are met:

• The original recipient has agreed to relinquish responsibility for an active project before the completion date of the approved project period. This includes any proposed change of recipient as a result of a PD/PI on a research project transferring from one organization to another organization. The project under the same PD/PI may be supported at a new organization for a period up to the remainder of the previously approved project period in an amount not to exceed that previously recommended for direct costs (plus applicable F&A costs) for the remaining period.
• The grant to be transferred has been terminated in accordance with 45 CFR part 75.372.
• A non-competing continuation award that is within an approved project period has been withheld because of the recipient's actions (see Administrative Requirements-Enforcement Actions-Suspension, Termination, and Withholding of Support).

A change of recipient that involves the transfer of a grant to or between foreign organizations or international organizations also must be approved by the IC's Advisory Council or Board.

A grant to an individual may not be transferred.

A successor-in-interest or a name change is not considered a change of recipient (see Change in Recipient Organizational Status below).

A change of recipient organization may involve the transfer of equipment purchased with grant funds. The transfer may be accomplished as part of the original recipient's relinquishment of the grant; otherwise, NIH reserves the right to transfer title to equipment to the new organization as indicated in Administrative Requirements-Management Systems and Procedures-Property Management System Standards.

A change of recipient request normally will be permitted only when all of the permanent benefits attributable to the original grant can be transferred, including equipment purchased in whole or in part with grant funds. In reviewing a request to transfer a grant, NIH will consider whether there is a continued need for the grant-supported project or activity and the impact of any proposed changes in the scope of the project. NIH will also consider the length of time, the percentage of funds, and the amount of work remaining in the project period. A change may be made without peer review, provided the PD/PI plans no significant change in research objectives and the facilities and resources at the new organization will allow for successful performance of the project. If these conditions or other programmatic or administrative requirements are not met, the NIH awarding IC may require peer review or may disapprove the request and, if appropriate, terminate the award.

A change of recipient organization request must be made before the anticipated start date at the new organization and preferably several months in advance. Failure to provide timely notification may result in disapproval of the request or significant delays in processing. Recipients are encouraged to discuss any potential issues with the awarding IC(s) prior to submitting a change of recipient organization request. If requesting a transfer in the middle of a budget period or at the end of the Federal fiscal year, recipients should contact the awarding IC for IC-specific guidance on the timing and preparation of the change of institution application.

A request for a change of recipient organization must be submitted to the GMO. The original institution must include an Official Statement Relinquishing Interests and Rights in a Public Health Service Research Grant (PHS 3734) (relinquishing statement). The relinquishing statement may be submitted in paper or electronically via the eRA Commons. Final FFR Expenditure Data and a Final Invention Statement are due to NIH from the relinquishing organization no later than 120 days after the end of NIH support of the project. Final FFR Expenditure Data should not be submitted until the original institution has received a revised NoA for the relinquished grant.

The proposed new recipient institution must provide the GMO with a change of institution application which may be submitted using the PHS 398 or PHS 416-1 paper application forms, or electronically via Grants.gov. If the original award was the result of a modular application and the recipient will submit a paper change of institution application, the modular procedures apply to the request for change of recipient. If the original award was the result of a modular application and the recipient will submit an electronic change of institution application, the recipient may submit a detailed budget or streamlined-detailed budget (as described in the FOA).

The paper application from the proposed new recipient institution should include, at a minimum, the following:

• PHS 398 Face page
• Budget pages (current and future years). (Under awards resulting from modular applications, the application should include narrative budget information for the current budget period, including total direct cost and the basis for computing F&A costs and, if applicable, future budget periods.) Budgets should not exceed the direct costs (plus applicable F&A costs) previously recommended for any budget period. For transfers in the middle of a budget period, the budget for the initial year may be based on the total costs relinquished only if the recipient has been instructed to do so by the awarding IC. For these applications, recipients will also need to include the Other Project Information and the Senior/Key Personnel components.
• Updated biographical sketches for the PD/PI and existing senior/key personnel and biographical sketches for any proposed new senior/key personnel.
• If transferring on the anniversary date, include the progress report for the current year including a statement regarding the goals for the upcoming year. For all transfer applications include also a statement indicating whether the overall research plans/aims have changed from the original submission, and, if so, provide updated information.
• Updated "other support" page(s), if necessary.
• Resources page, including probable effect of the move on the project.
• Checklist page
• Certification of IRB/IACUC approval, including OHRP and OLAW assurance numbers, if applicable.
• Detailed list of any equipment purchased with grant funds to be transferred to the new organization (inclusion of this list in the transfer application from the new organization indicates its acceptance of title to that equipment).

The electronic application from the proposed recipient institution should include, at a minimum, the following:

• SF 424 (R&R) Cover Component
• SF 424 (R&R) Project Performance Site Location(s)
• SF 424 (R&R) Other Project Information:
  • Certification of IRB/IACUC approval, including OHRP and OLAW assurance numbers, if applicable.
  • Facilities and Other Resources, including probable effect of the move on the project.
  • Detailed list of any equipment purchased with grant funds to be transferred to the new organization (inclusion of the list in the transfer application from the new organization indicates its acceptance of title to that equipment).
• SF 424 (R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile:
  • Updated biographical sketches for the PD/PI and existing senior/key personnel and biographical sketches for any proposed new senior/key personnel, and updated "other support" page(s) as necessary.
• Budget pages applicable for activity code (current and future years). If the budget for the original award was submitted in a modular format, use the R&R Detailed Budget form for all electronic applications. Recipients may either complete all of the fields in the R&R Detailed Budget as appropriate or complete only the costs for the PD/PI (Section A), and include the remainder of the direct costs under Section F (Other Direct Costs) Item 8, and Section H (Indirect Costs). (For awards resulting from modular applications, include narrative budget information for the current budget period, including total direct cost and the basis for computing F&A costs and, if applicable, future budget periods.) Budgets should not exceed the direct costs previously recommended for direct costs (plus applicable F&A costs) for any budget period. For transfers during the course of a budget period, the budget for the initial year may be based on the total costs relinquished only if the recipient has been instructed to do so by the awarding IC.
• PHS 398 Research Plan
  • If transferring on the anniversary date, include the progress report for the current year including a statement regarding the goals for the upcoming year. For all transfer applications include also a statement indicating whether the overall research plans/aims have changedfrom the original submission, and, if so, provide updated information.
• PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement
• PHS 398 Checklist

And, as applicable:

• PHS 398 Career Development Supplemental Form
• PHS 398 Fellowship Supplemental Form
• SBIR/STTR Information

NIH may request additional information necessary to accomplish its review of the request. Acceptance of a relinquishing statement by NIH does not guarantee approval of a transfer application for the continued funding of a project.

NIH will accomplish a change of recipient organization by issuing a revised NoA to the original recipient reflecting the revised budget/project period end dates, deletion of any future-year support, and deobligation of remaining funds, if applicable. (A deobligation of funds will be based on the estimated grant expenditures through the relinquishment date, as determined from the relinquishing statement or the available balance in PMS, whichever is less.)

Concurrently, the new recipient will receive the NoA reflecting the direct cost balance reported on the relinquishing statement plus applicable F&A costs, if funds are available. If the change of recipient organization occurs on the anniversary date of the project, the NoA to the new recipient will reflect the previously committed direct cost level plus applicable F&A costs if funds are available. If the change of recipient organization occurs during the course of the budget period, the policy of the awarding IC will determine if the NoA to the new recipient will reflect the direct cost relinquished by the former recipient plus applicable F&A costs or the total costs relinquished by the former recipient. This amount is subject to change as a result of the closeout of the original grant and may be adjusted downward.

A recipient may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs before the beginning date of a transfer award. The recipient may do so only if those costs are necessary to conduct the project and would not require prior approval if incurred under an awarded grant. For the purposes of pre-award costs, transfers are treated like non-competing continuation awards. Therefore, the pre-award costs incurred are not limited to 90 days prior to the beginning date of the initial budget period of that transferred award to the new recipient organization.