Inside eRA for Partners, October 24, 2002 (Volume 2, Issue 4)

NIH eRA Commons Version 2 Debuts in November

In mid-November, eRA will begin transitioning NIH eRA Commons Version 1 (V.1) registrants to NIH eRA Commons Version 2 (V.2). More than 180 institutions are enrolled in the V.1 system. This month, members of the Commons Working Group (CWG) are piloting the new NIH eRA Commons, which provides a virtual meeting place on the Web for the electronic interchange of information between the NIH and its grantees.

Logon to NIH eRA Commons V.2 requires a unique username and password. Over the next few months, NIH eRA staff will be contacting V.1 registrants to establish accounts for V.2. Current plans call for the NIH to open registration to all grantee institutions in the first quarter of 2003.

The upgrade to NIH eRA Commons V.2 offers both new functionality and significant enhancements to existing functionality. The first release includes:

Implementation of Single Point of Ownership--This concept prescribes that each grantee institution that creates an institutional profile (IPF) and each extramural user that creates a personal profile (PPF) is the owner of that information. Once established, only the grantee (or designee) has the authority to update the profile. Users will create and maintain profiles via the NIH eRA Commons V.2 IPF and PPF modules. This strategy of limiting profile access results in documented improvements in the quality of information about institutions and investigators. 

Support for Four Levels of Institutional Hierarchy--For each institution, uniquely identified by its IPF, the new system accommodates three subordinate levels: school, division and department. This expanded hierarchy will enable institutions to accurately and fully represent their organizational structure for internal approval, auditing and reporting purposes.

Enhancement of Status Facility--Through the new Status screen, users will be able to track the progress of pending applications, obtain contact information for the assigned Grants Management and Program Officers, link to study section rosters, and view Summary Statements and priority scores. The Status interface also will provide links to the Notice of Grant Award and access to a copy of a pre-populated face page of the PHS 2590, which will facilitate submission of the Non-competing Progress Report (Type-5).

Phased Implementation of e-Notification--As part of the first release of NIH eRA Commons V.2, NIH will post Type-5 due date information. In the near future, eRA will contact a central institutional email address for notification of pending deadlines. Down the road, the NIH plans to implement e-Notification for individual investigators and fellows.

Integration of Demo Facility--A full demo version of NIH eRA Commons V.2 is available at commons.era.nih.gov.

Improvement of Graphical User Interface (GUI)--The V.2 Web interface was designed with the assistance of the CWG as well as a Human Factors Analyst (HuFA), and it features simpler navigation, better usability and integrated help.

Gateway for New Software Applications--The NIH eRA Commons V.2 will serve as the entry point for new electronic grant administration interfaces. Three currently are in pilot mode: X-Train, eSNAP and FSR.  X-Train enables grantee institutions to capture information about trainees who receive National Research Service Awards (NRSA). eSNAP is a Web interface for the submission of Type-5 progress reports; and FSR enables the electronic submission of Financial Status Reports. An Internet Assisted Review (IAR) pilot will begin in December. The IAR module will facilitate the capture and analysis of application critiques that are made as part of the NIH peer review process. In 2003, eRA plans to release new or redesigned systems including: CRISP on the Web; an expanded version of the Electronic Non-Competing Application Process (eNAP) to enable submission of progress reports for all types of grants; Interagency Edison (iEdison) for the submission and tracking of extramural invention reports; and a Grants Closeout module. Planning is underway to enable the submission of competitive applications using datastream technology through the NIH eRA Commons V.2.

The NIH eRA Commons V.2 was developed using Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE), a non-proprietary architecture for building enterprise applications on the Web. J2EE’s open standards framework facilitates reuse, portability and easy integration with Commercial Off-the Shelf (COTS) products.

Institutional Signing Officials (SOs) and Account Administrators (AAs) at NIH eRA Commons V.1 institutions are encouraged to prepare for the transition to NIH eRA Commons V.2. As part of the set-up procedures, they will be asked to verify IPF data, create organizational hierarchy, verify existing Principal Investigator (PI) accounts and facilitate the creation of new accounts as their institutions begin using the NIH eRA Commons.

For more information about NIH eRA Commons V.2, contact the NIH eRA Commons Helpdesk at commons@od.nih.gov or 866-504-9552.

eRA to Launch New Web-Based Financial Status Report (FSR) System

This November, eRA will launch a Web-based system for the electronic submission of Financial Status Reports (FSRs). The new FSR system will replace the IMPAC I dial-up/terminal-based program currently used by more than 200 grantee organizations.

The new FSR module will be in limited deployment until the week of November 18, at which time it will be opened up to all users of the IMPAC I FSR system. The old system is targeted to be turned off on December 31, 2002.

The NIH eRA Commons Version 2 (V.2) will serve as a gateway for the new FSR module. Logon to NIH eRA Commons V.2 requires a unique username and password. NIH eRA staff will be contacting institutions to establish accounts for FSR electronic submission. Current NIH eRA Commons Version 1 (V.1) institutions and users automatically will be converted to NIH eRA Commons V.2. Current FSR users who are not NIH eRA Commons V.1 users also will be contacted with information about and help with Commons registration.

If your institution currently submits FSRs electronically, but is not a registered NIH eRA Commons user, you will be able to register at commons.era.nih.gov after December 1. Registration is a simple process and should only take a short time. Here are the steps involved:

1. Complete the online institution registration form.    
2. Print signature form, obtain necessary signature, and fax back to the NIH.    
3. Reply to the email address verification message sent by the NIH.    
4. Wait for the NIH to process the registration.    
5. Confirm that the IPF assignment for the registration is correct.    
6. Receive account information from the NIH.    
7. Create and maintain additional accounts for the institution.

After December 31, if your institution has not registered, you will need to submit FSRs in paper form until your institution enrolls. We regret the short timeline for the conversion and will make every effort to facilitate your transition.

If you have any questions about the registration process or about how to use the new FSR module, contact the eRA Helpdesk at commons@od.nih.gov or 866-504-9552.

eSNAP Pilot Begins in November

Members of the Commons Working Group (CWG) will be the first grantees to pilot the new electronic submission of Streamlined Non-competing Award Process (SNAP) Type-5 progress reports through a new NIH eRA Commons Version 2 Web interface application called eSNAP. Initial pilot testing is anticipated to begin in November, with the expectation that all grantees will have the opportunity to submit their SNAP progress reports electronically through this Web interface sometime in calendar year (CY) 2003. Currently, more than 50 percent of NIH awards (approximately 24,000 annually) are eligible for SNAP.

Although basic reporting requirements will be the same as for paper SNAP progress reports, some incentives will be introduced to encourage electronic submission. These changes will be evaluated and may result in new business practices for all SNAP and/or all non-competing progress reports.

• eSNAPs will be due 45 days before budget start date (instead of 60 days for paper). 
• Research accomplishments/significant changes also can be submitted throughout the year. 
• Links to citations will be accepted in lieu of hard copy. 
• Some human and animal subjects assurances will be stored in the NIH eRA Commons Institutional Profile (IPF). The monitoring of Institutional Review Board/Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IRB/IACUC) approval will be shifted to a monitoring of grantee systems. As a result, IRB/IACUC approval will not be required on a grant-by-grant basis. Grantees will continue to assure compliance before drawing down any funds. In addition, grantees participating in the pilot will agree to provide a retrospective list of these approvals to be used in monitoring compliance. 
• All assurance and certification information (including date assured) will be incorporated into the IPF. This eliminates the need to certify compliance with every submission. 
• Signing Officials (SOs) can delegate submission authority to Principal Investigators (PIs).

For more information about eSNAP, contact Marcia Hahn, Grants Management Advocate, at hahnm@od.nih.gov or 301-435-0932.

NIH Implements Electronic T-5 Due Date Information for Grantees

The Office of Extramural Research (OER) has launched a website at era.nih.gov/userreports/pr_due.cfm to post Non-competing Continuation Progress Report (T-5) due date information for NIH and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) grants. The NIH announced the new notification system on August 13 in Guide Notice NOT-OD-02-066. Hardcopy mailing of pre-printed PHS 2590 and PHS 416 face pages has been discontinued.

Grantee officials can obtain a list of “due” progress reports by using their Institutional Profile Number (IPF) to run a query. Those not certain of their IPF can use a companion query to search for the IPF by name. To download the results list, follow the instruction provided at the website.

NIH encourages grantee officials to query the new system at least monthly. New records will be added on or about the 30^th of each month. Grants will drop off as the NIH receives the progress reports. A new “LY” (Last Year) column has been added to the due list. An asterisk (*) in this column indicates that the grant is entering its final year.

The new website is one of two ways the NIH will convey due date information to the grantee community. The second method will be through the NIH eRA Commons V.2 (see article in this issue). In the near future, the NIH will contact a central institutional email address with notification of pending deadlines. Ultimately, the NIH plans to implement e-Notification for individual investigators and fellows. When these options become available, details will be published in the NIH Guide.

Registered NIH eRA Commons V.2 users also will have access to a PDF version of the pre-populated PHS 2590 and PHS 416 face page through the Status module. In the interim, grantee institutions can use the PDF-fillable face page provided on the NIH Forms page. Progress reports should continue to be mailed directly to the NIH awarding Institute/Center. Addresses are available online.

For more information about the T-5 notification process, contact the NIH eRA Commons Helpdesk at commons@od.nih.gov or 866-504-9552.

eRA to Present at SRA and NCURA Annual Meetings

Members of the eRA team will take part in the annual meetings of the Society of Research Administrators (SRA) International from October 26-30 in Orlando, Florida and the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) from November 3-6 in Washington, D.C.

At the SRA conference, visit the eRA booth in the vendor area to learn more about NIH’s progress toward achieving paperless research grant administration. Meet the eRA team and see a preview of the new NIH eRA Commons. Grants Management Officers and Policy Specialists also will be there to answer your questions.

On Tuesday, October 29, Tim Twomey, the new coordinator of NIH eRA Commons development and deployment activities and Chip Groh, Information Technology Specialist, will provide a project update at 1:30 p.m. Look for session T69 on the SRA schedule.

At the NCURA conference, there will be an NIH update on Monday, November 4 at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. Please visit our booth to meet the eRA team and to get a first-hand look at the new NIH eRA Commons.

For further information about NIH eRA Commons outreach activities, email Patty Austin or call her at 301-435-0690 ext. 617.

NIH Announces 2003 Extramural Loan Repayment Program

The NIH has announced its Extramural Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for 2003. This program provides repayment of educational loan debt of qualified health professionals who agree to conduct research for two years.

The 2003 programs include Clinical Research, Pediatric Research, Health Disparities Research, Contraception and Infertility Research, and Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds.

The Extramural LRPs provide for the repayment of up to $35,000 of the principal and interest of qualified educational loans. The 2003 Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program and the Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program differ from the 2002 programs in that the awards are no longer restricted to NIH grantees.

All potential applicants are encouraged to read the eligibility requirements, benefits, application procedures, and conditions for participation posted at the NIH Office of Loan Repayment website at www.lrp.nih.gov. Applications are collected electronically and must be submitted via the website by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 30, 2002.

NIH plans to integrate the LRP system with eRA in 2003. Users will continue to submit their applications to the LRP website, where they will be reviewed for eligibility. The LRP then will generate a PDF file containing the completed application and make the file available to the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR). DRR users will enter the application into the IMPAC II Receipt and Referral module and refer it for review to the appropriate IC. The application will be available for processing in the Peer Review module and as a grant image in eRA.

For more information, contact the NIH Office of Loan Repayment by email at lrp@nih.gov or by telephone at 866-849-4047.

New NIH eRA Commons Helpdesk Welcomes Inquiries

A fully functional and well-staffed Helpdesk is now available for NIH eRA Commons V.2 users. Contact the Helpdesk for information or to report bugs, problems or issues. The Helpdesk is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET and is closed for official Federal holidays. You can reach the Helpdesk by phone or by email:

• Provide full contact information: your name, address, email, phone number and institution name.     
• When calling, give the Helpdesk specialist the name of the software application you are working in and the action being performed. Describe the problem in detail.     
• When emailing, let the Helpdesk know the software application you are working in and the action being performed. Describe the problem in detail. If you receive error messages, please forward them with the email.      
• Phone users will receive a ticket number from the Helpdesk specialist at the end of the call. Email users will receive an email from the Helpdesk specialist with a ticket number.     
• If you contact the Helpdesk to follow up, refer to your ticket number.     
• If you cannot remember your ticket number, tell the Helpdesk specialist that you have already reported the issue and briefly describe the problem.

The goal of the Helpdesk is to respond to tickets within four working hours.