PREPARING FOR A NIH SPONSOR SITE VISIT

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PREPARING FOR A NIH SPONSOR SITE VISIT

• Don W. Powell, M.D.
• Associate Dean for Research
• Program Director
• General Clinical Research Center

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SITE VISIT IS NOT AN AUDIT

• Its a time to show what may be accomplished or
  to show progress of what has been done.
• It is part of the evaluation for new or continued
  funding.
• Depending on what kind of site visit you are
  conducting, the visitors may make the final
  decision regarding funding or only recommend the
  level of enthusiasm to a Study Section.

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GET ORGANIZED

• Get support/ backing of Principle Investigator.
• Budget money for expenses and keep track of
  totals.
• Have all records in order
• - Copy of grant - Log books
• - Budget - Minutes
• Keep track of everything.
• Read Guidelines (and reread them).

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GET ORGANIZED (continued)

• Set deadlines and stick to them.
• Worry about the small stuff.
• Delegate and prioritize.
• Calendar monthly/ weekly planning meetings.

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SITE VISIT ISSUES

• Hotel and local transportation.
• Reserve conference room.
• Timetable.
• Venue issues seating (local participants and
  site visitors), catering, handouts, audiovisuals,
  presentations.
• Content uniform slides, material to be
  presented, well-thought-out slides and
  presentations well critiqued and well rehearsed.

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12 24 MONTHS BEFORE SITE VISIT

• Secure funding for site visit (2,500 /-).
• Network with recent site-visited scientists in
  your area.
• Become a site visitor for other grant
  applications, if possible.
• Select date and do not change it.
• Recommend hotel (government rates)
• Set up a time table.

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6-12 MONTHS BEFORE SITE VISIT

• Assemble presentation team and assign
  responsibilities.
• If scientific presentations must be selected,
  establish a method to do this and be sure all
  understand it so there are no hard feelings.
  Avoid controversial areas of science.
• Internal and external advisors are invaluable to
  help select and validate scientific
  presentations.
• Update your website.

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3-6 MONTHS BEFORE SITE VISIT

• Meet weekly to review material to be presented.
• Decide on uniform slide format and share it or
  make slides centrally.

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3-6 MONTHS BEFORE SITE VISIT(continued)

• Begin to practice presentations.
• Initially, do presentations before an internal
  advisory group and/or executive committee to
  critique content, quality of slides and
  effectiveness of presentation.
• Initial presentations can be given one or two at
  a time.

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1-3 MONTHS BEFORE SITE VISIT

• Rehearsals first one in front of internal and
  external advisors, critique thoroughly.
• Allow time to correct content, slides and
  presentations based on feedback.
• Second rehearsal (penultimate) perfect content,
  slides, presentations and timing. Be sure to
  allow time for questions.
• Third rehearsal (dress rehearsal) should be
  strictly timed should take place at site where
  the actual presentation will take place.

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HOTEL AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

• Must find hotel that gives government rate.
• Hotels may not refund deposit made by the NIH, so
  do not change date of site visit.
• If only a few site visitors, possibly get hotel
  to guarantee transportation. If a large number,
  rent a bus of appropriate size (e.g., Island
  Transit). Have one of your people go to hotel
  that morning to guarantee timetable. Arrange
  with campus police the drop-off/ pick-up place.

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VENUE ISSUES

• Reserved seating with labeled seats a board
  table for site visitors in rows beside table for
  participants.
• Notebook containing contact list (all site
  visitors, local participants, including
  investigators and UTMB officials) agenda and
  color prints of presentations in order pertinent
  tables or figures from grant application names,
  location and menus of best restaurants.
• Presentations should be loaded on desktop of
  computer audiovisual expert should be present
  at all times. Have area for next presenter to
  sit.

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SEATING ARRANGEMENTS
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VENUE ISSUES (continued)

• Site visitors must pay for lunch (5 limit).
  Have UTMB catering plan to push this limit e.g.,
  salad and pasta rather than sandwiches. Serve
  buffet style and encourage mingling with site
  visitors.
• Plan breakfast and snacks, coffee, tea, sodas,
  cookies.
• Can have souvenir of UTMB (cups, pens, etc.) at
  each site visitor seat (supplied by OUA).

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VENUE ISSUES (continued)

• Have back-up computer and back-up presentation on
  CD or memory stick.
• Have computer plugs and web access if possible
  (at least one).
• Have ASA, cough drops, Kleenex, extra sweater, H2
  blockers available.
• If you plan a tour of facilities, plan for route
  to and from and guide to direct them.

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KNOW YOUR SITE VISITOR

• When you receive roster, Google and
• MedPub your site visitors.
• Cite them in your presentation, if
• appropriate.

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CONTENT ISSUES

• Content if possible, Program Director should
  present first to preview upcoming presentations
  and then last to summarize them.
• Slides must be uniform and readable
• Titles Pitch, font (Arial 32-40 Bold)
• Material No more than 5-10 lines,
  pitch, font (Arial 24-28 Bold)
• Color Avoid red on blue
• Material must be presented according to
  guidelines read them repeatedly. If there are
  Instructions to Site Visitors, read them as
  well.

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PRESENTATION ISSUES

• Be confident, cordial, relaxed. Initial
  presenter gives direction to facilities.
  Presenter introduces the next presenter, or else
  the PI introduces each one.
• Dress code be uniform.
• Be sure that there is ample time for questions.
• Presenters must stay on schedule or, if one goes
  over time, the following presenters may need to
  make up lost time.
• Listen to questions and think before you answer.
  You can rescue a presentation or lose the game in
  the Q A period.

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RESOURCE PEOPLE

• Lori Wiseman 2-1953
• Liz Ruiz 2-1950
• Don Powell
• Karl Anderson
• Arny Ferrando