How Well
Do You Know
eRA
Commons?
Let’s talk about what’s new in
eSubmission and eRA Commons…then
we’ll test your knowledge and memory!
To begin…here’s an eRA Commons
“refresher":
What is eRA Commons?
The eRA Commons is an online interface where grant
applicants, grantee organizations, grantees and federal
staff can access, share, and transmit administrative
information related to their applications and grants.
Applications
eSubmission Errors/Warnings
Assurances
Certifications
Profile Data
Progress Reports
Financial Reports
Invention Reports
Training Appointment Actions
3
Assembled Application Images
Review Assignments
Impact/Priority Scores
Summary Statements
Notices of Award
Post-award Correspondence
Who uses eRA Commons?
• Federal users
– 25 institutes and centers within NIH
– Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) Operating
Divisions
• AHRQ, SAMHSA, CDC, FDA
– Other federal agencies
• Veterans Affairs (intramural program)
• Institution users
– 20,800 registered organizations
– 282,000 registered users
• 189,500 registered principal investigators (PIs)
– 61,000 reviewers
4
When will I use it?
• Review errors/warnings
identified by eRA system
Application
Submission • Check final application image
Process
for assembly issues
• Submit financial conflict of
interest notifications
Application
Intake at
Receipt &
Referral
5
• View information on the
review assignment of your
grant application
When will I use it?
Peer Review
Process
• View Summary Statement &
Impact/Priority Scores
Pre-award
Process
• Submit Just-in-time (JIT) data
(e.g., other support,
certifications)
Award
Process
6
• View award documents (NoA –
Notice of Award)
When will I use it?
Post-award
Process
Closeout
Process
7
• Prepare/submit reports
• Manage training grant
appointments
• Prepare final reports,
invention statement and
certification, and population
tracking data
What’s new
with eRA
Commons?
8
xTrain is required as of Jan. 2011
• xTrain now required to prepare and submit
appointments and terminations notices for
research training and career development
awards, fellowships, and research
education awards
– A new role, Sponsor, exists for termination of
fellowships. Read more at:
http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2011/03/31/sponsor
s-must-approve-fellowship-terminations/
xTrain resources and training materials available at:
http://era.nih.gov/training_career/index.cfm
9
Types of grants supported in xTrain
– Kirschstein-NRSA Undergraduate Institutional Training
Grants (T34)
– Kirschstein-NRSA Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral
Institutional Training Grants (T32, T35, T90, TL1, TU2)
– Kirschstein-NRSA Fellowships (F30, F31, F32, F33)
– NLM Institutional Training Grants (T15)
– Research Education Awards (RL5, RL9, R25, R90)
– Institutional Career Development Grants (K12, KL2,
KM1)
xTrain resources and training materials available at:
http://era.nih.gov/training_career/index.cfm
10
Federal Financial Report
Federal Financial Report (FFR)
• Replaces the Financial Status Report (FSR) for
the reporting of expenditure data elements
• Same data elements as the FSR, except only
cumulative data is reported
• Due date for annual FFRs is 90 days after the
end of the calendar quarter in which the budget
period ends
• FFRs must be submitted in eRA Commons via
the eFFR/FSR module
11
NIH FFR Reporting Due Dates
• Note: This chart captures the budget/project
end dates for the majority of, but not all, NIH
awards.
Annual FFR
Budget End Date
Due Date
(90 Days)
Calendar Quarter End
Due
Date
(90 Days after end of
quarter)
1/31
5/1
3/31
6/30
2/28
5/29
3/31
6/30
3/31
6/29
3/31
6/30
4/30
7/29
6/30
9/30
5/31
8/29
6/30
9/30
6/30
9/28
6/30
9/30
7/31
10/29
9/30
12/31
8/31
11/29
9/30
12/31
9/30
12/29
9/30
12/31
10/31
1/29
12/31
3/31
11/30
2/28
12/31
3/31
12/31
3/31
12/31
3/31
Final FFR
12
FFR/FSR Search Screen
For more about FFR/FSR, view the NIH Guide Notice and the eRA Overview:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-017.html
http://era.nih.gov/services_for_applicants/reports_and_closeout/financial_status
_report.cfm
13
New No-Cost Extension Option
A new drop down menu allows users to
request extension of 1-12 months (in 1month increments)
14
Looking Ahead
• Summer 2011:
– Look and feel of Commons log in screens and account
administration will be changed as part of tech updates
• Timing TBD:
– Electronic submission of Type 3 (Administrative
Supplement) applications and Type 7 (Change of
Institution) applications / relinquishing statements
– Updates to delegation process
• 2012:
– Transition to federal-wide Research Performance
Progress Report (RPPR)
– Changes to Financial Conflict of Interest module to meet
compliance needs
15
New Log in Flow: Home Page
16
Reminder: Maintain one account
• If changing institutions, keep your current
Commons account
– Grant record history, degree information and/or
reviewer service will be kept together
– Helps accurately determine eligibility for Continuous
Submission and Early Stage Investigator status
– If you are the PI and the Signing Official (SO) for your
organization, you should have two Commons
accounts: one for each role
Attention: PIs
Your new SO can affiliate your Commons account with your
new institution. See the steps for the SO to affiliate the PI.
(http://era.nih.gov/commons/steps_commons.cfm#step3)
17
What’s new
with
eSubmission?
18
Window shut. Now what?
NIH has eliminated the error correction window from the
application submission process. Plan ahead and
remember the elements of on-time submission:
– Application free of Grants.gov & eRA errors
must be accepted by Grants.gov with a
timestamp on or before 5 p.m. local time on due
date
– Any changed/corrected apps must be submitted
by the due date
– NIH’s updated late policy does not allow for
error corrections after the deadline.
Submit early (days, not minutes) for
19
Success!
New Page Limits for K applications
New Page Limits are in place for NIH Individual
Career Development (K) Award Applications:
– Mentoring Plan attachment is limited to 6 pages
– Statements by Mentor, Co-Mentors, Contributors
attachment is limited to 6 pages
– Description of Institutional Environment attachment is
limited to 1 page
– Commitment to Candidate’s Research Career
Development attachment is limited to 1 page
Read more here:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-027.html
20
Responsible Conduct of Research
New page limits for RCR attachments:
– Career Development Award Supplemental Form
• Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research
attachment limited to 1 page
– Research Training Program Plan
• Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of
Research attachment limited to 1 page
Read more here:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-059.html
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-039.html
21
Reference Letter Changes
Changes to reference letter process for Fellowship
(F) and Career Development (K) applications:
– New policy: Letters of reference are due by the grant
application submission deadline
• Five-day grace period has been eliminated
– Must be PDF format
– Reminder! Letters of reference are submitted in
Commons separately from the application and can be
submitted prior to the application!
– Read more at:
• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-047.html
• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-036.html
For more information, visit our reference letter FAQs:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/faq_full.htm#12
22
ADOBE-FORMS-B1
All applicants must use the new ADOBE-FORMSB1 form set for all applications
Updates to application forms :
• New Sponsor(s) and Co-Sponsor(s) attachment on
Fellowship Supplemental Form
• Form adjustments to enable appropriate attachments for
Resubmissions of Renewal/Revision applications
• DUNS no longer required by Grants.gov for primary
performance site on Project/Performance Site
Location(s); still required by NIH
• Human Subject Assurance # field enabled when answer
to “Are Human Subjects Involved?” is “Yes”
23
Looking Ahead
• Timing TBD:
– Electronic submission of Type 3 (Administrative
Supplement) applications and Type 7 (Change of
Institution) applications
– NIH eRA department beginning preparatory work to
transition complex, multi-project applications to
electronic submission
24
Now it’s time to find out…
How Well
Do You Know
eRA Commons and
eSubmission?
eSubmission
Commons
Knowledge
Commons-ality
100
100
100
100
200
200
200
200
300
300
300
300
400
400
400
400
500
500
500
500
26
Commons
Features
These general funding
opportunity announcements
are used for investigatorinitiated applications.
• What is a parent
announcement?
– E.g., Use PA-10-067 for R01
Research Project Grants
– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gui
de/parent_announcements.htm
eSubmission - 100
27
These documents, when
requested, are submitted
directly to Commons and
later linked to an electronic
application.
• What are reference letters?
– May be submitted before an
application is complete, but
are due by the application
deadline
eSubmission - 200
28
The number of SO/AOR
accounts an organization
should have.
• What is more than one?
– Every organization should have
multiple Signing Official (SO)
and Authorized Organization
Rep. (AOR) accounts
– Certain tasks can only be
performed by users with these
roles – need back-up
eSubmission - 300
29
The length of time available to
view an assembled application
image in eRA Commons before the
application moves forward for
further processing .
• What is 2 business days?
– Referred to as application viewing
window
– Begins the day after error-free
application is processed
– Any changed/corrected
submissions due by the deadline
eSubmission - 400
30
These application form fields
are required by NIH but not
marked required on the
federal-wide forms.
• What are the Credential,
DUNS* & Organization fields?
– Need Credential to place app
processing status; Organization
to determine review conflicts
– DUNS* required on
Project/Performance Site
Location for federal reporting
eSubmission - 500
31
This is the number of
Commons accounts with a PI
role that a registered user
should have.
• What is 1 account?
PIs should maintain one account
throughout their careers, even if they
change institutions or forget their
Commons password.
Commons Knowledge - 100
32
Who you should contact if
you forget your eRA
Commons username and
password.
• What are Office of
Sponsored Research
and/or Account
Administrator?
Commons Knowledge - 200
33
A PI can delegate these
actions to other Commons
users (name at least 2].
• What are:
– Complete eSNAP info (Delegate PI)
– Update Personal Profile (Delegate PPF
Edit)
– View application errors/warnings,
assembled application and most other
status information (Delegate Status)
– Perform all xTrain functions except ability
to submit appointments (Delegate xTrain
Authority)
Commons Knowledge - 300
34
All attachments uploaded
to Commons or submitted
with an application must
be in this format.
• What is PDF format?
– Reminder: use simple PDF
format without security features
– Can use free PDF conversion
software on Grants.gov
Download Software page
Commons Knowledge - 400
35
This type of eligibility allows
an applicant to submit an
application on a rolling
deadline.
• What is continuous submission?
• Available to those who have
performed substantial review
service in support of NIH
• Read more:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/c
ontinuous_submission.htm
Commons Knowledge - 500
36
These items have something in common:
 Preferred institution name &
contact info
 DUNS Number
 Human Subjects Assurance Number
 Type of Organization
 Signing Official info
 Certifications & Assurances
• What is information
contained in the Institution
Profile?
Commons-ality - 100
37
These items have something in common:
 Registers institution
 Maintains Institution Profile
 Account administration
 Performs functions requiring
signature authority
 Tracks status of all institution
grants
 …and more!
• What are responsibilities of
the SO?
Commons-ality - 200
38
These items have something in common:
 General instructions for preparing/
submitting application
 Form-by-form, field-by-field application
requirements
 Guidelines for determining which
optional forms should be submitted
 Assurance & Certification info
• What are items you can find in
the Application Guide you
download with electronic
forms?
Commons-ality - 300
39
These items have something in common:
 Grant folder documents
 Review outcome info (if PI)
 Key NIH contacts
 Action history
 Application NI & ESI
eligibility indicator
 Reference letters once linked to app.
• What are items you find in
the detailed Status
Information screen?
Commons-ality - 400
40
These items have something in common:
 Ensures NI, ESI & continuous submission
consideration
 Ensures proper routing of e-mail
notifications
 Ensures correct information is
available to pre-populate and/or
validate electronic forms
 Ensures accurate data for
federal reporting
• What are good reasons to
keep your profile updated?
Commons-ality - 500
41
Using this Commons feature,
an applicant is able to submit
last-minute information
requested by NIH.
• What is Just-in-time (JIT)?
– Only submit JIT if asked to by
NIH
– Not an indication that a grant
application will be funded
Commons Features - 100
42
This feature is linked with
the National Library of
Medicine’s MyNCBI system.
• Personal Profile
• eSNAP
Commons Features - 200
43
This Commons feature is now
required for the reporting of
expenditure data.
• What is eFFR (Federal
Financial Report)?
Commons Features – 300
44
A Business Official is a role
used with this Commons
application.
• What is xTrain?
• The BO has signature or
other authority related to
administering Training
grants
Commons Features – 400
45
Closeout allows you to submit
these three reports.
• What are:
– Final Federal Financial Report
(FFR)
– Final Progress Report
– Final Inventions Statement?
• Can be submitted independently
• Interfaces with the Closeout
system used by NIH staff
Commons Features – 500
46
These items have something in common:
 MARIOCAPECCHI  MELLOC
 OLIVER_SMITHIES  LBBUCK
 KORNBERG.ROGER  GRUBBSRH
 FIRE.ANDREW
 RSCHROCK
 AXELRICHARD
• HINT: Mario R. Capecchi & Oliver Smithie
were recognized in 2007 "for their
discoveries of principles for introducing
specific gene modifications in mice by the
use of embryonic stem cells."
• What are the Commons IDs of
Nobel Laureates that received NIH
support?
47
At the end of the day…it’s about the science.
Laureate
48
Year & Science
NIH Support
Mario R. Capecchi
Oliver Smithies
2007 - "for their discoveries of principles for
introducing specific gene modifications in mice
by the use of embryonic stem cells"
NIGMS, NHLBI,
NIDDK, NCI,
NICHD
Roger D. Kornberg
2006 - "for his studies of the molecular basis of
eukaryotic transcription"
NIGMS, NIAID,
NCI
Andrew Z. Fire
Craig C. Mello
2006 - "for their discovery of RNA interference gene silencing by double-stranded RNA"
NIGMS, NICHD
Robert H. Grubbs
Richard R. Schrock
2005 - "for the development of the metathesis
method in organic synthesis"
NIGMS
Richard Axel
Linda B. Buck
2004 - "for their discoveries of odorant
receptors and the organization of the olfactory
system"
NIDCD, NCI,
NIAID, NIMH,
NINDS, NIDDK