This notice applies to departments and investigators preparing federal proposals that will be submitted on or after September 26, 2026 and that include SciENcv-generated documents (e.g., Biosketches and Current & Pending/Other Support documents).
We have been informed that SciENcv began using a new digital signing certificate on September 19, 2026. The previous certificate expires on September 26, 2026. As a result, SciENcv documents that were certified before September 19, 2026 may fail federal system validations when included in applications submitted on or after September 26, 2026.
Required Action
For any proposal that will be submitted on or after September 26, 2026:
- Review all SciENcv-generated Biosketch and Current & Pending/Other Support documents that were certified before September 19, 2026.
- Have the applicable PI or senior/key personnel:
- Re-certify the document in SciENcv;
- Download a new PDF;
- Replace the existing attachment in the proposal; and
- Re-run proposal validations prior to submission.
Important Clarification
The issue appears to be tied to the application submission date, not the sponsor deadline date.
For example, if a SciENcv document was certified before September 19, 2026, and the application is submitted on September 26, 2026 or later, the application may fail validation even if the sponsor deadline occurs at a later date.
Priority Review Needed
Please immediately review all federal applications currently in development that are expected to be submitted on or after September 26, 2026 and determine whether updated SciENcv documents are required.
If Updated Documents Cannot Be Obtained
If it is not possible to obtain updated SciENcv documents before submission, you may wish to consider:
- Submitting the proposal today, if feasible; or
- Consider revising the Senior/Key Personnel listing, where sponsor rules permit, until compliant SciENcv documentation can be obtained. (Such individuals may still participate in the project and request salary support but would not be listed as Senior/Key Personnel)
These workarounds are not ideal; however, we understand they may reduce the risk of application rejection due to validation failures.
We understand that SciENcv and federal agencies are actively working to address this situation. However, until further guidance is provided, proposals scheduled for submission on or after September 26 should be carefully reviewed to ensure that all SciENcv documents comply with current requirements.
We will distribute additional information as soon as it becomes available.