In order to comply with NIH Grants Policy, visiting scientists, postdoctoral fellows and trainees with foreign support must obtain approval for foreign involvement from the federal sponsor prior to processing of the appointment.
To obtain approval, the sponsoring PI should email his/her NIH Program Officer and request approval for the visiting scientist, postdoctoral fellow or trainee to be appointed. The School of Medicine Office of Research Administration (ORA) grants associate assigned to the PI’s department should be copied and the completed addendum should be attached. When approval is obtained, the ORA grants associate will indicate on the addendum that the individual has been approved, sign and date the form, and return the addendum to the department.
If the PI feels the individual’s work will not involve their federal funding, they can send an explanation and the completed addendum to their ORA grants associate. The grants associate will confirm this by indicating that approval is not required, sign and date the form, and return the addendum to the department.
The signed addendum must then accompany the appropriate appointment paperwork (transmittal) for the visiting scientist, postdoctoral fellow or trainee or the appointment paperwork will be rejected and you will be required to resubmit the entire packet for approval.
The transmittal addendum, with instructions, can be found on the forms website.
For more information about the new policy, visit: https://medicine-matters.blogs.hopkinsmedicine.org/2018/10/important-nih-updates/
