Just-in-Time Requests

Just-in-Time Requests

Congratulations! You’ve received a Just in Time request! Getting this request is a good indicator that you may be about to receive funding. Check your scores and review notes in the eRA Commons (your grant administrator doesn’t have access to the reviews). The lower the number, the better; with a 10 being the perfect score. As long as your proposal addresses the aims of the funding opportunity, a low scoring application is very likely to be funded. So now you’ve received this request. But what is Just in Time, or JIT, and what do you do?

A JIT request is when a funding agency requests further information for a proposal they are considering funding. Approximately nine months have passed since you originally turned in your application and the agency wants additional and updated information to accurately look at preparing an award. What’s needed will vary with each request, although the updated and current Other Support will be the one document always required. Other items may include a detailed budget (if requested), human subject education (if requested or if new key personnel has been added), a genome data sharing certification (if relevant to your proposal), and any Human Subjects, Animal Care, or Biosafety Committee approvals (if relevant to your proposal). Documents are uploaded using the eRA Commons website.

The JIT request is typically sent via email to the PI and the institution’s financial contact. As soon as the request is received the PI should alert their grant administrator and submit their applications to the relevant safety committees. While the PI is working on getting approvals from the relevant committees, the grant administrator can contact the administrators at any subaward sites for updates on key personnel other support, and assist in any other required documentation.

One caveat to JIT requests: the emails from the funding agency include the following line from the grants policy statement: “this notification is not a Notice of Award nor should it be construed to be an indicator of possible funding”. Also, the NIH sends an automated email request for just-in-time information within 15 days of releasing the score for all applications with overall scores of 40 or less. So while your proposal may receive a score equal to or less than 40, if you’re on the higher end of that range there’s a chance the available funding will run out before reaching your project in the line of fundable projects.

Both the PI and the grant administrator can upload documents on the commons website; but only the grant administrator (as the institution’s signing official for the proposal) can submit them. To upload documents log into the eRA Commons website and click on the JIT link on the Status result screen’s action column. Either hit the upload button and then select the appropriate documents or just drag and drop them. Once the documents have been upload the grant administrator will submit them. JIT can be resubmitted multiple times so don’t worry if not everything is ready right away.

In conclusion, JIT is a good sign of interest in your proposal. And it is the process of updating information and getting the necessary approvals required for compliance. Just in Time requests are a good step on the way to getting an award. If you have questions about Just In Time or anything else feel free to email [e-mail]. Thanks for watching and have a good day.

JEFF: for visuals, maybe include the sample JIT email and JIT standard request? I think you can find them here:

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/sop/pages/jit.aspx