Animal Assurance Record Management System (AARMS)

What is the purpose?

The AARMS module allows the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) to manage Animal Welfare Assurance (Assurance) records and related correspondence, annual reports and notifications. Institutions must have an Assurance on file with OLAW to receive Public Health Service (PHS) funding for research involving animals or funding from entities that have a Memorandum of Understanding or Interagency Agreement with OLAW such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

If a grant application or contract proposal pending award does not include a valid Assurance identification number, the funding component notifies OLAW to negotiate an Assurance. OLAW negotiates with the institution until the submitted Assurance document is compliant with the standards of the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Once OLAW approves the Assurance document and notifies the applicant organization and funding agency, the approved Assurance and related documentation are maintained in the AARMS record for the life of the Assurance.

What are the features?

The AARMS module provides OLAW staff the ability to:

  • Create an Assurance record
  • Search for an Assurance record
  • Send correspondence and notifications to Assured institutions
  • Store Assurance documents and related correspondence, annual reports and notifications
  • Approve, renew, reactivate, inactivate and archive Assurance records
    • What are the benefits?

      AARMS provides a central system for OLAW to manage its Animal Welfare Assurances.

      Who can use AARMS?

      Authorized users at the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare can use AARMS.

      Resources