PHS Assignment Request Instructions

G.600 - PHS Assignment Request Form

Completing the PHS Assignment Request Form:

This form is optional. Use it only if you wish to make specific assignment or review requests. There is no requirement that all fields or all sections be completed. You have the flexibility to enter a single request or to provide extensive information using this form.

Note on Application Assignments: The Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR), Center for Scientific Review (CSR) is responsible for assigning applications to NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs) and other PHS agencies for funding consideration. DRR also assigns applications to NIH Scientific Review Groups (SRGs) and Special Emphasis Panels (SEPs).

Awarding Component Assignment Request (optional)

To facilitate accurate communication of your request to NIH referral and review staff, use the short abbreviation (e.g., NCI for the National Cancer Institute).

While NIH staff will consider all assignment requests, in some cases the reviewing IC is pre-determined and assignment requests cannot be honored. Applications are assigned based on relevance of your application to an individual NIH IC mission and scientific interests in addition to administrative requirements such as IC participation in the funding opportunity announcement used to submit your application.

Descriptions of the scientific areas covered by all NIH ICs and links to other PHS agency information can be found on the PHS Assignment Information website.

You do not need to make entries in all six boxes of the “Awarding Component Assignment Request” section.

Assign to Awarding Component:

Enter up to three preferences for primary assignment in the boxes in the “Assign to Awarding Component” row. Use the column labeled “1” to enter your first choice. Your first choice will be considered first, followed by your second choice, etc. Any of your choices may be assigned.

Do Not Assign to Awarding Component:

Enter up to three preferences to which you do not want your application assigned. Enter your preferences in the boxes in the “Do Not Assign To Awarding Component” row. Use the column labeled “1” to enter your first choice.

Study Section Assignment Request (optional)

To facilitate accurate communication of your request to NIH referral and review staff, use the short abbreviation of the SRG/SEP you wish to request. For example, enter “CAMP” for the Cancer Molecular Pathobiology study section or enter text formatted like “ZRG1 HDM-R (11) B” for an SBIR/STTR panel. Be careful to accurately capture all formatting (e.g., spaces, hyphens) when you type in the request. All parts of the short abbreviation are important for accuracy. Freeform text (such as “special emphasis panel” or “member conflict SEP” should not be entered.

More information about how to identify CSR and NIH SRGs and SEPs, including their short abbreviations, can be found on CSR Study Sections and Special Emphasis Panel. A list of all NIH SRGs and SEPs is also available.

While the majority of NIH research grant and fellowship applications are reviewed by CSR, some are assigned to individual IC review groups and some are clustered for review in SRGs/SEPs without flexibility for honoring review requests. However, it is standard practice to honor such requests whenever possible, depending on existing locus of review agreements within NIH and other PHS agencies.

You do not need to make an entry in all six boxes of the "Study Section Assignment Request" section.

Assign to Study Section:

Enter up to three preferences for SRGs/SEPs in the boxes in the “Assign to Study Section” row. Use one box per individual SRG/SEP request. Use the column labeled “1” to enter your first choice. . Your first choice will be considered first, followed by your second choice, etc.. Any of your choices may be assigned.

Do Not Assign to Study Section:

Enter up to three preferences for SRGs/SEPs to which you do not want your application assigned. Enter your preferences in the boxes in the “Do Not Assign To Study Section” row. Use the column labeled “1” to enter your first choice

List Individuals who should not review your application and why (optional)

List individuals who should not review your application and why they should not review your application. Provide sufficient information (e.g., name, organizational affiliation) so that the SRO can both correctly identify the individual and confirm a conflict of interest. Simply stating “Dr. John Smith is in conflict with my application” is not helpful.

Your answer can have a maximum of 1000 characters.

Identify Scientific areas of expertise needed to review your application (optional)

List up to five general or specific types of expertise needed for the review of your application. Limit your answers to areas of expertise – do not enter names of individuals you would like to review your application.

Each field can have a maximum of 40 characters.