How to Use eRA Commons
NOVEMBER 19, 2013
PRE-AWARD TOPICS MODULE
SESSION 8 OF SERIES III
AAPLS
(APPLICANTS & ADMINISTRATORS
PRE-AWARD LUNCHEON SERIES)
Goals of this Session
 Basic understanding of eRA Commons and its
functions including:



Roles and responsibilities
RPPR reporting
xTrain
What is eRA Commons?
 Acronym for Electronic Research Administration
 Online interface with NIH

Administrative information relating to grants can be accessed
by both NIH and the applicant institution
Who Needs an eRA Commons Account?
 Principal Investigator
 Postdoctoral Scholar
 Graduate Students

Who work on an NIH-sponsored project(s) for one calendar month
or more
 NRSA trainees (pre-doc and post-doc)
 Administrator with Grant Responsibilities

Has limited authority and capabilities
 Signing Official (pre-award representative)
 Business Official (post-award representative)
New and Early Stage Investigators
 New Investigator(NI) : applicant who has not yet
competed successfully for a substantial NIH grant
 Early Stage Investigator(ESI): NI who has just
completed his/her terminal research degree or
medical residency within the past 10 years
 To encourage early transition to an independent
scientific career, NIH encourages ESIs to apply for
R01 grants when seeking 1st time NIH funding

ESIs will be identified and the career stage of applicant will be
considered at time of review and award
eRA Commons Registration and Changes
 The Office of Research Administration (ORA) is the
“systems administrator”


Initiates account registration process (with the exception of
T32 trainees)
Unlocks accounts
 For account setup, email Vicki Laake with new user’s
name and role
 Account stays with user throughout his or her career
and can be updated to reflect changes in institution,
etc
Main Features of eRA Commons
 https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/
 Use blue ribbon at top of screen to navigate the site
 Primary functions/modules include:

Admin




Institution Profile
Personal Profile
Status


search for active awards and pending applications, and view
corresponding applications, award notices, and non-competing
progress reports
RPPR


assign account delegations/proxy access
prepare and submit non-competing progress report for SNAP awards
xTrain

appoint and terminate NRSA-sponsored trainees and amend
previously-approved appointments
Main Features of eRA Commons, cont.

Admin Supp


submit Administrative Supplement applications
eRA Partners
Research Project Performance Report (RPPR)
 Replaced eSNAP effective July 1, 2013 as the means
to submit non-competing progress reports for SNAP
awards
 Due the 15th of the month preceding the month in
which the current budget period ends

If the end date = November 30th, the due date = October 15th
 To access, select “RPPR” followed by:
 The applicable “Federal Grant Identifier”

“Initiate”
 “Edit”
Main Components of RPPR
 Cover Page
 Verify pre-populated information and select Signing Official
 Accomplishments
 Products
 “Publication” sub-section represents the most significant
change to the non-competing progress report

Resulting publications must be identified in “MyBibliography” and
have a PMCID number to be reported to NIH
Main Components of RPPR, cont.
 Participants
 Identify personnel who worked 1 calendar month or more
 Identify changes in effort that will occur in the next budget period that
represent a reduction of 25% or more from the effort that was previously
approved



ONLY for the PI and “Super Key” Senior/Key Personnel (those Senior/Key
Personnel that are named in the Notice of Award)
Identify new Senior/Key Personnel
Identify changes in Other Support for Senior/Key Personnel
 Impact
 Changes
 Identify delays in progress towards previously-stated goals
 Special Reporting Requirements
 Document training in human subject research
 Identify whether there will be an unobligated balance that represents
25% or more of the budget awarded for the current budget period
(include prior year carry-forward)
Submission of RPPR
 Use the “Check for Errors” feature to verify that all
fields have been completed
 Use the “Route” to send it to the designated Signing
Official for review and submission to NIH
 Prepare and submit:


Internal Sponsored Coordination Form
Financial Interest Disclosure Form for each Senior/Key Person
at Tufts

ONLY if there are changes to the information previously disclosed
via the html FCOI Form or the html FCOI Form was not
completed
xTrain
 Replaced the PHS 2271 Statement of Appointment
Form and the PHS 416-7 Termination Notice
effective January 1, 2011
 Appointment must be submitted to NIH as of the day
the training begins and trainee must be terminated
within 30 days of the day the training ends
 To access, select “xTrain” followed by:


Applicable “Grant Number” to view summary of appointments
for current budget year and corresponding Notice of Award
“Trainee Roster” to view summary of appointments by name
and budget year, create a new appointment, amend an
appointment, or terminate an appointment
Creating a New Appointment
 Can be initiated by the PI or his or her administrator via proxy
access
 Select “Create New Appointment” in the applicable budget
period

Enter “Trainee User ID” if known or select “Identify Trainee” to look-up
user ID or create a user ID by selecting “Create New Trainee Profile”

Select “Create New Appointment”
 Complete all required fields and make sure the appointment period is for 9
months or more
 To route to trainee, return to main dashboard and select “2271
Form” under “Action”

Trainee must also complete his or her personal profile
 Once approved by trainee, PI must use the main dashboard
and select “2271 Form” under “Action” to route to NIH
Amending an Appointment vs. Re-Appointment
 Amendment: a change made to the trainee’s
appointment for the current budget period (i.e.
additional funds)
 Re-appointment: the continuing of the trainee’s
appointment into a new budget period
 Use the main dashboard and select “Amend 2271”
under “Action”
Terminating an Appointment
 Use the main dashboard and select “Initiate TN”
under “Action”
 Requires a “Progress Report Summary”
 After approved by the trainee and PI, routed to
Business Official (Sponsored Programs Accounting)
for verification of funds allocated vs. spent

Stipend must be paid in full to the penny