A Proposed Simplified Framework for NIH Peer Review Criteria | grants.nih.gov 

NIH is proposing a revised, simplified framework for peer review that will reorganize the major regulatory criteria (42 C.F.R. Part 52h.8) under three factors and reduce the number of non-score driving review considerations that peer reviewers evaluate in research project grant (RPG) applications during the first stage of review. NIH believes that these changes will allow peer reviewers to refocus on the critical task of assessing scientific merit and will improve those assessments by reducing bias.

Presently Applications to NIH are evaluated and scored based on five scored criteria: Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment.

NIH now proposes to reorganize the five regulatory review criteria into three factors.

Factor 1: Importance of the Research (scored 1-9)

Factor 2: Feasibility and Rigor (scored 1-9)

Factor 3: Expertise and Resources (evaluated, but not individually scored)

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