Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) SOP

This standard operating procedure (SOP) includes the following sections: Purpose, Procedure, Contacts, and Links.

Some links will work for NIAID staff only.

Purpose

To document progress of a noncompeting grant through a Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) and document a program officer's evaluation of the progress report in IMPAC.

Procedure

NIH grantees must submit annual reports describing scientific progress and identifying changes in objectives, scope, or key personnel.

Multiyear awards receive all funding in the first year and have different rules. For more information, go to NIH Instructions for Progress Reports for Multiyear Funded (MYF) Awards.

NIH does not notify grantees that a progress report is late, and will delay awards until all reporting elements are complete.

NIAID program officers review each progress report to determine whether NIAID will continue funding a project, and NIAID grants management specialists evaluate each grant's administrative and fiscal status. Both must approve a progress report before NIAID can issue an award.

Find more information in Reporting Requirements During Your Grant and Final Reports for Grant Closeout.

Grantee Institutions

  • Confirm that the RPPR is enabled in your institutional eRA Commons profile. If it is not, contact eRA Service Desk.
  • Establish a process to fill out and submit RPPRs. You may delegate this responsibility to PIs.

Principal Investigators

  • Use eRA Commons to get a list of progress reports and their due dates.
  • Follow the process established by your sponsored research office to fill out and submit the RPPR.
  • Report supplements separately only if your Notice of Award says to do so.
  • Address Rigor and Reproducibility in research and career development progress reports, as well as in fellowship and training progress reports.
    • Explain approaches you took to ensure robust and unbiased results and efforts you plan to take to ensure that your approach is scientifically rigorous and your results are robust and unbiased.
  • Check public access compliance using the Progress Report Additional Materials (PRAM) link in eRA Commons.
    • Correct any errors in your records.
    • If NIH notifies you about noncompliant publications, respond promptly through the Commons. We cannot issue your award until you correct every error.
    • For more information, read our Public Access of Publications SOP.
  • Don't provide institutional review board and institutional animal care and use committee approval dates.

Program Officers

  • Review progress reports to do the following:
    • Evaluate scientific progress during the past budget period. Request additional information from the PI if necessary.
    • Determine whether there has been a change in scope due to documented changes in the use of human subjects.
    • Verify PIs have complied with public access rules.
    • Confirm that NIAID still has justification for funding the project.
  • Document your review and approval or disapproval of progress reports using the Program Officer Checklist in eRA’s Program Management Module.
    • Generate Checklists by the 10th of the month before the grant anniversary date.
    • Use the Program Signoff Notes section to document approval or disapproval of changes in staffing, personnel effort, changes in scope, or plans to use funds in the upcoming budget period. Identify issues that may require follow-up by a grants management specialist.
  • For more information on program officer responsibilities, see NIH Policy Manual Chapter 54444, Evaluation of Grant Progress Reports by Program Officials.
  • For information on how to request access to IMPAC II, see our eRA System SOP.

Grants Management Specialists

  • Evaluate the grant's administrative and fiscal status.
  • Perform an administrative and fiscal evaluation using information in the progress report.
  • Access the Program Officer Checklist from the IMPAC Grants Management module.
    • Review the Checklist for the program officer's recommendations and for items that require follow-up.
    • Do not issue an award until all Checklist items are resolved.
  • For more responsibilities, GMP staff can see the GMP Non-Competing Progress Reports (eSNAPs and SNAPs) SOP.

Contacts

Grantees with questions should contact the grants management specialist or program officer listed in the eRA Commons. For more information, read Contacting Program Officers and Grants Management Specialists.

Contact for NIAID Staff

If you have knowledge to share or want more information on this topic, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Links

eRA Home page

Grants Fiscal Year Timeline for Staff

NIH

Public Access

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