Minutes of the Scientific Directors' Meeting

 

May 16, 2007 9:00 A.M.

Building 1 - Room 151

  1. Minutes of the May 2 Meeting: The minutes were approved without additions or corrections.
  2. Update on NBS: Ms. Colleen Barros provided an overview of the roll-out of the New Business System (NBS), as well as the nVision system that will replace Data Warehouse, that will occur over the next month. These changes are driven by the OMB requirement that all new Federal IT systems utilize commercial software, specifically Enterprise Resource Systems, and DHHS committed to doing this for all administrative functions. The NBS is an integrated system that will service most of the NIH's administrative and support functions. The nVision system will offer significant new business intelligence and reporting technologies. The link between the NBS and nVision systems is expected to streamline and enhance business functions at the NIH. However, the June deployment of the two new systems is expected to result in a short-term productivity gap and Ms. Barros asked for the SDs' support, given that this deployment will affect most of the NIH administrative, as well as scientific, community.

    Several sections of the NBS, including Travel, General Ledger, and Supply/Replenishment have already been deployed and are now functioning well. Included in the June deployment will be Property, Purchase Cards, Small Purchases, Station Support Contracts and R&D Contracts. The advantages of the new systems are primarily business-related and long-term while the disadvantages are employee-related and short-term. Ms. Barros reviewed responses and data related to the deployment of the new Travel and Supply/Replenishment sections, which initially were not well-received but are now perceived to be improvements on the old systems. She described a number of mitigation strategies being undertaken, including extensive training, but noted that it is only when the systems go live that certain problems will become apparent and have to be addressed. Success will require collaboration and support on the part of NIH leadership. Readiness assessments will be provided to Ms. Barros and CIT by the IC EOs, as well as Directors of the various offices involved such as the Office of Financial Management, based upon which the CIO/DDM will make a recommendation to the NIH Steering Committee on proceeding with the launch [the Steering Committee subsequently agreed to the deployment as scheduled]. Ms. Barros will have NIH-wide conference calls twice weekly as part of this assessment, with involvement of the Head AOs. The SDs can notify Ms. Adams if they wish a specific lab represented in these calls. Ms. Barros encouraged the SDs to offer overtime or comptime freely to ensure that employees are trained and ready.

  3. SRS: Schedule for Budget Review and Recommendations for SD-funded Initiatives: Dr. Balaban stated that it was difficult to set a specific date for the review of budgets for SD-funded initiatives, given that the final ORS and CC budget charges are not known until late August and the SDs require those to plan the rest of their budgets. After some discussion, it was agreed that all SD-funded initiatives (MIF and NMRF, OITE, Stem Cell Facility, NIBIB/DBEPS, PET) must submit a budget by the end of June. The SRS recommendations and SD decisions will be made at the end of August/start of September, as soon as possible.
  4. Associate Scientist Designation: Dr. Gottesman noted that the SDs at their December 6, 2006, meeting had discussed and agreed to support the title of Associate Investigator to provide professional recognition for the relatively small number of staff scientists who are functioning at a senior level. Further discussion among OIR senior staff led to the proposal that the title be changed to Associate Scientist, in recognition that the title Investigator has traditionally been used for those who have independent resources, which will include the new Clinical Associate Investigator positions. The SDs were provided with a document detailing the procedures that NCI/CCR will use to propose and review candidates for the position, as a model for establishing their own programs. Dr. Gottesman reminded them that Associate Scientists will continue to have an Intramural Professional Designation of Staff Scientist.
  5. Health Care Professionals Licensing Reimbursement: Dr. Gottesman reported that it is now possible for the NIH to pay the state license fees for physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals who require state licensure to work at the NIH and who are credentialed by the MEC. A specific process for payment will become available by the end of July. The estimate is that this will cost about $1M for the intramural program. The SDs agreed that this would be done only for those who must be credentialed in order to carry out their professional duties in the CC and decided that the SDs should have approval authority, which they may choose to delegate to their Clinical Directors. Dr. Gottesman also reported that the NIH does not have the authority to pay professional society membership dues.

     
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