EPSRC has announced in their latest Connect newsletter that they intend to alter the peer review process to help “alleviate pressure on all involved”:

12 Month Cooling Off Period

The new rules – which come into effect from 1st April 2009 – make resubmission significantly tougher. Uninvited resubmissions of proposals after this date will no longer be accepted – previously EPSRC had accepted resubmissions after a period of 6 months had elapsed.

In addition, from 1st April 2010, EPSRC will exclude applicants who are repeatedly unsuccessful for 12 months and ask them to take part in a mentoring programme. To be classed as “repeatedly unsuccessful” the following conditions must apply:

• Applicants who have three or more proposals within a two-year period ranked in the bottom half of a funding prioritisation list or rejected before panel; AND
• An overall personal success rate of less than 25%

EPSRC write:

“We expect this to affect around 200-250 people, accounting for 5% of applicants and 10% of applications. In April we will be contacting everyone who will be affected to let them know. We will also contact anyone who is one proposal away from reaching the criteria for being excluded.”

This is part of a raft of changes to be implemented over the next few months by EPSRC, including a requirement to discuss the economic impact of the research, as well as a revamp of the reviewer’s forms.

Please note that the current changes only affect applications to EPSRC, and not other research councils, which have their own (often scheme-specific) resubmission policies.