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":

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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

Post-award Correspondence

Review Assignments

Impact/Priority Scores

Summary Statements

Notices of Award

Assurances

Certifications

Progress Reports

Financial Reports

Invention Reports

Profile Data

Assembled Application Images

eSubmission Errors/Warnings

Training Appointment Actions

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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

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When will I use it?

• Review errors/warnings identified by eRA system

• Check final application image for assembly issues

• Submit financial conflict of interest notifications

• View information on the review assignment of your grant application

Application Submission

Process

ApplicationIntake at Receipt & Referral

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When will I use it?

• View Summary Statement & Impact/Priority Scores

• Submit Just-in-time (JIT) data (e.g., other support, certifications)

• View award documents (NoA – Notice of Award)

Peer ReviewProcess

Pre-award Process

Award Process

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When will I use it?

• Prepare/submit reports

• Manage training grant appointments

• Prepare final reports, invention statement and certification, and population tracking data

Post-award Process

CloseoutProcess

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What’s new with eRA

Commons?

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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/sponsors-must-approve-fellowship-terminations/

xTrain resources and training materials available at: http://era.nih.gov/training_career/index.cfm

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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

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

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Budget End DateFinal FFR Due Date

(90 Days) Calendar Quarter End

Annual FFR 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

NIH FFR Reporting Due Dates

• Note: This chart captures the budget/project end dates for the majority of, but not all, NIH awards.

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

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New No-Cost Extension Option

A new drop down menu allows users to request extension of 1-12 months (in 1-month increments)

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

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New Log in Flow: Home Page

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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: PIsYour 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)

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What’s new with

eSubmission?

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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

Success!

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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

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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.htmlhttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-039.html

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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

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ADOBE-FORMS-B1

All applicants must use the new ADOBE-FORMS-B1 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”

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

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Now it’s time to find out…

How Well Do You Know

eRA Commons and eSubmission?

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100 100

200 200

400 400

300

400

eSubmissionCommons Knowledge

Commons-ality Commons Features

300 300 300

200

400

200

100

500 500 500500 500500

100100 100100

200200

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These general funding opportunity announcements are used for investigator-initiated applications.• What is a parent announcement?– E.g., Use PA-10-067 for R01

Research Project Grants

– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/parent_announcements.htm eSubmission - 100

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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

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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

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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

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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

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This is the number of Commons accounts with a PI role that a registered user should have.

• What is 1 account?

Commons Knowledge - 100

PIs should maintain one account throughout their careers, even if they

change institutions or forget their Commons password.

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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

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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

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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

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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/continuous_submission.htm

Commons Knowledge - 500

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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This feature is linked with the National Library of Medicine’s MyNCBI system.

• Personal Profile• eSNAP

Commons Features - 200

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This Commons feature is now required for the reporting of expenditure data.

• What is eFFR (Federal Financial Report)?

Commons Features – 300

45

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

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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

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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?

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At the end of the day…it’s about the science.

Laureate Year & Science NIH Support

Mario R. CapecchiOliver 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. GrubbsRichard R. Schrock

2005 - "for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis"

NIGMS

Richard AxelLinda B. Buck

2004 - "for their discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system"

NIDCD, NCI, NIAID, NIMH,NINDS, NIDDK