NIH Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)

 

Introduction 

The RPPR is used by the NIH to gauge the progress of funded projects and is prepared by the PI and must be reviewed and submitted by the OSP AOR. Only the project director/principal investigator (PD/PI) or their PD/PI delegate can initiate RPPRs in eRA Commons. For multi-PD/PI grants, only the Contact PI or the Contact PD/PI’s delegate can initiate the RPPR.

The Office of Sponsored Programs often receives questions from PI’s while drafting their RPPR’s and to address the most common inquiries, we offer the following information and TIPS:

Helpful links

• NIH and Other PHS Agency Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) Instruction Guide 
• Search for pending NIH reports here - Stony Brook University’s IPF code is 5992612.
• NIH overview and helpful information.
• How to initiate the RPPR.
• RPPR Tutorial and FAQ’s
• Post Submission HS enrollment instructions ASSIST link.

 

Types of Reports

• Annual RPPR - Used to describe a grant’s scientific progress, identify significant changes, report on personnel, and describe plans for the subsequent budget period or year.
• Interim RPPR – Used when submitting a renewal (Type 2) application or in some instances, at the time of an outgoing transfer of awards. If the Type 2 is not funded, the Interim RPPR will serve as the Final RPPR for the project. If the Type 2 is funded, the Interim RPPR will serve as the annual RPPR for the final year of the previous competitive segment. The data elements collected on the Interim RPPR are the same as for the Final RPPR, including project outcomes. If a PI transfers out of SBU and the award has been successfully transferred to their new institution, an interim RPPR may be required to be submitted by the PI via their affiliation with SBU and serves as the final report for SBU. Consultation with the GMS of the award is recommended to confirm if this report will be required or if the progress report submitted with the transfer application is sufficient.
• Final RPPR - Used as part of the grant closeout process to submit project outcomes in addition to the information required in the annual RPPR. A final progress report is required for any grant that has passed its project end date and a renewal award has not been granted. Note that effort reporting on the final RPPR should be based on the last funded segment; excluding any NCE periods per the NIH guidance: https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2018/07/05/in-part-d-of-the-f-rppr-participants-should-we-report-time-worked-for-the-final-budget-period-or-time-worked-for-the-final-budget-period-the-no-cost-extension-period/

 

Due Dates 

• Annual RPPR Due Dates:

1. Streamlined Non-Competing Award Process (SNAP) RPPRs are due approximately 45 days before the next budget period start date (this usually applies to K and R awards with the exception of R35’s).
2. Non-SNAP RPPRs are due approximately 60 days before the next budget period start date (this applies to those awards that do not allow for automatic carry over; e.g. cooperative agreements ie U’s;as well as Clinical Trials, P01, R35, F30’s & F31’s).
3. Multi-year funded (MYF) RPPRs are due annually on or before the anniversary of the budget/project period start date of the award. These will not appear under the RPPR tab in eRA Commons but rather via a link found by clicking on the triple dot ellipsis next to the application # in the status search.

• Interim and Final RPPR Dues Dates:

1. 120 days from the period of performance end date.
2. These will not appear under the RPPR tab in eRA Commons but rather via an “interim” or “closeout” link found by clicking on the triple dot ellipsis next to the application # in the status search.

 

• Please alert your OSP Post Award Specialist once the final draft of your RPPR is complete so they may review prior to routing to the next reviewer. That way needed revisions can be addressed while the RPPR remains editable to the PI. Once the final draft is cleared with your OSP Post Award Specialist, please click on the triple dot ellipsis and select “Route to next Reviewer” and select your Post Award Specialist from the dropdown.To find your Post Award Specialist please visit our website.

 

QUICK TIPS & BEST PRACTICES:

1. Best practice: Please prepare your draft early and avoid waiting until the report deadline date. This will allow for sufficient time to gather required information and address any issues with the draft RPPR that will prevent timely submission. This is especially important if you have multiple investigators with changes in other support and/or are required to provide a budget for the next budget period. Note: the NIH does not grant extensions to the RPPR due date; the NIH states they have a minimum of 30 days to review RPPR’s and late submissions will impact the timely release of the next increment of funding. Additionally, please be mindful that there are multiple investigators with awards that have the same RPPR due date. OSP needs sufficient time to review and submit all RPPR’s timely.
2. Please consult with your department administrator and your OGM Sponsored Award Analyst for confirmation on who worked on the project in the reporting period (needed for section D1) as well as to determine what the current available direct costs and associated indirect costs are so you can accurately respond to question G10. Note: the NIH will check their payment management system to see what has been drawn down against the award so far and that is only equivalent to what is reflected as “expended” in RF Report Center.
3. Effort by any key personnel who worked on the project should be entered with up to one decimal place, regardless if effort was less than one month for the reporting period. Effort for non-key personnel that is less than one month for the reporting period does not need to be listed in the RPPR. The NIH requires the reporting of effort regardless if paid or unpaid by the grant. Please update your Post Award Specialist with an explanation of how salary and fringe were covered if not by the grant so we can ensure it is an allowable funding mechanism.
4. Best practice: Upon hiring undergrads, graduate students &/or Postdocs, please document their eRA Commons ID or if they do not have one, ask them to apply for one at the SBU link:eRA Commons registration request. The students will need to log into the portal once the ID is issued and complete all sections of their profile for the ID to be fully activated. Waiting to obtain this ID at the time of RPPR submission can cause unnecessary delays, particularly in the case where the student is no longer on the project or otherwise unreachable.
5. Be sure to review the last Notice of Grant Award’s special terms and conditions to see if any specific content is required in the annual RPPR. For example, an update on the data sharing plan’s progress may be needed or an update on any supplemental funding that was awarded or remained active in the reporting period will need to be included in the report.

Link to SBU RPPR Checklist:

RPPR checklist