How Do I Correct Errors During the Application Submission Process?

Posted

If your application had system-identified errors and did not make it through the eRA Commons application checking process (i.e., checking against NIH business rules), you must correct the errors and submit a changed/corrected application to Grants.gov before your application can be accepted by NIH for review.

Follow these steps to submit a changed/corrected application to Grants.gov (Note: Errors can currently be corrected within the error correction window; however, as of January 25, 2011, applications must be error-free on or before the due date.):

  1. Make whatever corrections are necessary, wherever appropriate, to your local copy of the application. Most often this means you have to edit the data within the application forms to correct whatever problem or inconsistency was noted. Be as careful as possible when correcting your application; NIH’s updated post-submission materials policy does not allow for applicants to correct oversights in their application after the due date.
  2. Check the “Changed/Corrected Application” box in Item 1 of the Cover component.
  3. If you are submitting this changed/corrected application after the due date, be sure to document the reason for the late submission in the form of a cover letter. NIH makes no guarantees that application will be accepted. (See the NIH late policy for more information.)
  4. When you check the Changed/Corrected Application box, Item 4. Federal Identifier becomes a required field.
  5. When submitting a changed/corrected application for a:
    • “New” type of application (Item 8 = New), in the Federal Identifier field (Item 4) enter the Grants.gov tracking number for the previous application you are correcting. If you are unable to recall the Grants.gov tracking number, enter “N/A.”
    • “Resubmission”, “Renewal”, or “Revision” type of application (Item 8 = Resubmission, Renewal, or Revision), in the Federal Identifier field (Item 4) enter the IC and serial number of the previously assigned application/award number (e.g., CA987654).
    • Note: Do not use the changed/corrected application box to denote a submission of a revised or amended application. This should be indicated in Item 8, Type of Application.
  6. When you have made all of your corrections, save the changed/corrected application to your computer.
  7. The Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official will have to submit the changed/corrected application package to Grants.gov. The applicant will have to follow the changed/corrected application through Grants.gov to the eRA Commons to view the application image or the list of errors/warnings received during the validation process.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to track the application through to the eRA Commons. If you cannot view your application image in the Commons, NIH can’t review your application! Successful submission may take several rounds of changed/corrected applications, since correcting one error may reveal or create an additional error.