Evaluation and decision process
Procedure
- The Scientific Board (SB) has to evaluate all submitted projects. Its chairman will appoint two members as "expert" for each submitted project.
- The designated experts review the project and send a written structured comment to the chairman of the SB. The designated experts are allowed to consult external experts, either in Switzerland or abroad. The inclusion of an external expert in the evaluation has to be mentioned in the review. The investigator can list in the cover letter external experts who should not be contacted because of conflicts of interest. The designated experts must verify that there is no overlap with an ongoing project. Should this be the case, the expert must inform the chairman of the SB who will contact the investigator.
- The responsible investigator is invited to attend the SB meeting during the discussion of his project. A project is accepted with the approval of 2/3 of the members attending the meeting. The chairman may request a secret vote if the opinions among the members diverge considerably.
- The Executive Board (EB) ratifies the SB decision. The responsible investigator will be informed about the decision within three weeks following the SB meeting.
- Authors, who do not agree with the rejection of a project can appeal to the EB within one month. The EB will then take a final decision.
Submission of a modified project
A project for which modifications have been required by the SB may be resubmitted:
- a point by point reply to all comments of the SB is requested from the investigators (like for publications)
- The modified protocol, with relevant changes highlighted in yellow, and the point by point reply (filled into the specific text box of the full proposal template) have to be sent to the usual address (submission©shcsmail.ch).
- The modified protocol is sent to the experts who have initially reviewed the project.
- The project is discussed at the next SB meeting.
Urgent decision needed
- Rapid decisions may be taken by e-mail but they are limited to very special circumstances:
- temporal delay of the decision to the next SB meeting would jeopardize the timely publication of the work (e.g. late breaker abstract, important publication in a very competitive situation).
- Clear research question and straightforward analysis.
- The suggested budget for the proposed work is less than CHF 5'000.-.
- Submissions have to be done as usual through the SHCS submission e-mail with request for rapid evaluation (submission©shcsmail.ch). The usual full proposal template has to be used.
- The chairman of the SB will decide whether special circumstances are met.
- If conditions are met, the proposal is sent to all members of the SB by e-mail (sb©shcsmail.ch). The members of the SB have the possibility to express their objection during one week. If there is no objection, the project is accepted. In case of an objection, the project will be discussed at the next SB meeting.