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It is a requirement that all Institutional approvals be obtained and lodged with the MRFF Eligible Organisation's (EO) Research Administration Officer (RAO) by the time it is necessary to perform the relevant part(s) of the research activity and that all institutional approvals are to be maintained as required for the duration of the grant.
- As part of accepting the offer of funding, EOs accept the grant conditions stated on the grant schedule and the Funding Agreement.
- NHMRC will not impose application based specific conditions against a grant (for example, for institutional approvals related to human ethics clearance, animal ethics clearance, genetic manipulation clearance and biosafety) that stop commencement of grant payments.
- In certain circumstances it may be possible for some research and other activity under the grant to occur prior to institutional approvals being required (for example, staff recruitment, planning). In these circumstances, a request to defer the commencement date is not required.
- Where institutional approvals are needed before any part of the research activity can start, and the approvals are not expected to be obtained by the scheduled commencement date then the Chief Investigator A should request to defer the commencement date (see Vary your MRFF Grant).
Institutional approvals not obtained, withdrawn or not renewed
Where an institutional approval necessary for the performance of a part of a research activity has not been obtained by the time it is needed, or is withdrawn or not renewed during the funding period for that research activity the EO must advise NHMRC immediately either via a grant variation request in Sapphire (for example, defer commencement date, defer in-progress grant) or, where this is not possible, in writing to mrff.postaward@nhmrc.gov.au.
Additional information
At any time NHMRC may request further information in relation to decisions made in response to an application for ethics approval or biosafety committee approval, including copies of relevant approvals.
General queries in relation to institutional approvals are to be directed to RAOs in the first instance. If further assistance is required then RAOs may contact mrff.postaward@nhmrc.gov.au.