NIH Grants and Funding
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Introduction
The Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy) requires that institutions have an OLAW-approved Animal Welfare Assurance before carrying out any activities involving live vertebrate animals. U.S. institutions that receive PHS funds through a grant or contract award are to use the Interinstitutional Assurance when the institution does not have their own:
- animal care and use program
- facilities to house animals
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC); and
- does not conduct animal research on-site.
In this situation, the awardee institution will conduct the animal activity at an Assured institution (named as a performance site).
Application process
The application process begins when the funding component makes a determination to award a grant or contract. The funding component will notify OLAW that an Assurance is required for the pending award. OLAW will contact the awardee institution to negotiate the applicable Assurance(s).
Institutions should not submit an Assurance unless requested to do so by OLAW. OLAW will not process unsolicited applications.
If you have been notified that the grant or contract will be awarded AND have not been contacted by OLAW, you may submit an inquiry by e-mail to olawdoa@mail.nih.gov. Include the grant or contract number and contact information from the funding component in the e-mail.
Instructions
Download the Interinstitutional Assurance document based on where the animal activity will take place.
- Use the Interinstitutional Assurance for a Domestic Performance Site form if the animal activity will be performed at an animal facility located in the United States or territory of the United States.
- Use the Interinstitutional Assurance for a Foreign Performance Site form if the animal activity will be performed at an animal facility located in a foreign country.
Specific instructions and information are provided in italicized text and should be deleted from the final document.
In Part I., insert the name and address of the awardee institution, the project title, grant/contract number, and Principal Investigator
In Part I.B.iv., insert the name and address of the Assured institution that will be the performance site for the animal activity
In Part II., provide signatures and contact information for officials
- For the awardee institution, an authorized official must sign
- For the Assured institution (performance site), both the Institutional Official (IO) of record (or person with signature authority for the IO) and the IACUC Chairperson of record (or designee verifying IACUC review and approval) must sign.
If digital signatures are used, please ensure the document is not locked for editing.
How to submit
E-mail a signed version of the completed interinstitutional Assurance to olawdoa@mail.nih.gov. Do not submit any other documents. We do not accept separate attachments, appendices, binders, or manuals.
Download the Interinstitutional Assurance form
The form includes additional information and instructions in brackets [like this] that should be deleted from your final document. Download the document based on the location of the animal facility where the animal activity will be performed.
Interinstitutional Assurance for a Domestic Performance Site (Word - 43 KB)
Interinstitutional Assurance for a Foreign Performance Site (Word - 40 KB)
Statement of Burden
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0765). Do not return the completed form to this address.
Questions?
Contact the Division of Assurances by phone at 301-496-7163 or e-mail olawdoa@mail.nih.gov.