PI Response - MRC Specific Guidance & UKRI (FLF) Guidance
The Je-S Process for PI Response
Late Reviewers comments sent to applicants
The decision on whether to respond or not by the applicant will not be recognised by the MRC & UKRI (FLF), until the Je-S PI Response document is successfully submitted in the usual way, using the standard Submit Document functionality within the Je-S System. MRC & UKRI (FLF), would therefore like to emphasise the importance regarding the timely submission of the electronic response document regardless of the PI’s desire to respond or not respond to the Reviewers comments.
The Je-S Process for PI Response
Most of the calls allow for PI's to respond to Peer Reviewer's comments, this is an automated process and all applicants (Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators) will receive a system generated e-mail for the Je-S System, advising them if a PI Response document has been created and sent to the PI Response section of the PI's Je-S account. Please note that the PI has the ability to amend 'User Access Privileges' of the Co-Investigators from 'View Only' to 'Edit' or to 'Edit & Submit' by accessing their PI Response Je-S form and amending/adding the required access within the PI response Je-S form. Co-Investigators are granted 'View Only' access to PI Response Je-S forms with the PI having 'Edit and Submit' rights for the Je-S response document.
Unless specified otherwise, you have up to 23:59 on the due date to submit the document.
Please contact Je-S Helpdesk should you require assistance with this or any other Je-S System related matter. Tel: 01793 444164. E-mail: JeSHelp@je-s.ukri.org
PI Response Attachment Advice
The response document should not exceed a maximum of 3 pages of A4 (regardless of the number of reviewer’s comments they are required to respond to).
All attachments should use Arial (Helvetica), 11 point font with a minimum of 2 cm margins around each page. You do not need to number attachment pages as this will be done automatically on import to our Grants Administration System. Please ensure that file names do not exceed 140 characters. The maximum file size is 5MB for the PI Response attachment (file).
The response document created by the applicant should be clearly presented and concise and should not exceed a maximum of 3 pages of A4 (regardless of the number of reviewer’s comments they are required to respond to).
The response should cover ALL reviews received. A subsequent response to any late reviews must also retain response text on all earlier reviews and not exceed the specified page format. If the response needs to be amended e.g. because of further later peer review comments, the existing copy will need to be removed and a new version uploaded.
The response should be attached as a separate document (Word or PDF) the Responder to provide relevant information in the form of diagrams, or mathematical symbols, as necessary, which responding though a web page would not allow. Please note that the maximum file size is 5MB for your PI Response attachment, if you are using symbols, diagrams or using a high resolution with a PDF document, this may increase the attachment file size above 5MB, if this happens the Je-S System will not be able to upload your response to the Je-S PI Response document (Please check properties on of the file created to ensure that it does not exceed the maximum).
The Responder is given the choice of whether or not to respond to the review comments received
On choosing to respond to the reviews received, select the round indicator adjacent to the on screen message ‘I have read the reviews and wish to respond’, and then selecting the ‘Save’ option (above the ‘Project Title’) and you will then be asked to add your response as an attachment.
If the responder chooses not to respond (I have read the reviews and do not wish to respond), by selecting this option and pressing Save, the selected choice is displayed on the screen. Again, the Responder still has the option to Change choice at this point.
Please note: The responder is given a further chance to change this choice, i.e. to not respond to the reviews, at this point, by selecting the Change Choice button.
Late Reviewers comments sent to applicants
Occasionally MRC/UKRI (FLF) may receive a late response from a Peer Reviewer after the applicant has been sent their original PI Response Je-S document. When this happens MRC/UKRI (FLF) will send a further electronic PI Response document which will contain any late/new Reviewer comments plus the originally sent reviews.
When the above process has been initiated by MRC/UKRI (FLF), the applicant is expected to amend amend/create a new PI Response document/file that contains all of your previous comments and also includes your response to any new reviewer comments sent to the applicant.