Closeout Status

• The Interim RPPR (IRPPR) is used when you are submitting a Competing Renewal application (Type 2). If you opt NOT to apply for a Competing Renewal, complete the Final RPPR as you normally would within 120 days of the project end date. If you are going to complete a Competing Renewal application (or have already submitted such an application), you will submit an Interim RPPR. This must be submitted within 120 days of the project end date.
• If you are awarded the renewal, the Interim RPPR will be treated as your annual RPPR and no other progress reporting will be needed for that segment of the study. If the application is NOT awarded, then the Interim RPPR will be accepted as the Final RPPR.

On the Status module's Closeout search screen, an SO can use the Closeout Status search dropdown to limit search results to awards in the following statuses:

• Requires Closeout: Grant has not completed the closeout process
• Closed: Grant has completed the closeout process
• In Unilateral Closeout: Grant is currently in the process of being unilaterally closed (see note below)
• Unilaterally Closed Grant has been unilaterally closed by the IC (see note below)

NOTE: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a directive to Agencies on new policies for closeout of grant awards. NIH has revised its policies and procedures to align with the OER Policy Announcement 2014 regarding the guidance on implementation of HHS GPAM Chapter 1101 (Closeout), including Unilateral Closeout.

The policy chapter directs Institutes/Centers (ICs) to initiate a unilateral closeout – a closeout without the cooperation of the grantee – 180 days after the project end date if it has not received acceptable final reports required by the terms and conditions of an award. After making reasonable efforts to obtain the final reports ICs must close all awards no later than 270 days after the project end date. This substantially decreases the timeframe in which NIH must officially close a grant after the project end date.

SOs and PIs have different views of the Status module. SOs can search for awards that are in one of four closeout statuses. In the Status module, the SO selects Closeout in the Search Type dropdown, and further specifies a Closeout status.

1. Log into eRA Commons with an SO account.

2. Navigate to the Status module and select Closeout from the Search Type dropdown.

Search fields applicable to Closeout searches appear on the Status search screen, specifically Project End Date Range, Closeout Status, and three Require... checkboxes to find awards that require reporting.

3. Use criteria to search for grants in closeout.

4. To open the Closeout Status screen, select the three-dot ellipsis menu for an award and select the Closeout action name that appears, which will be one of the following depending on your search:

• Closed

• In Unilateral Closeout

• Unilaterally Closed

• Requires Closeout

The Closeout Status Screen opens.

SOs and PIs have different views of the Status module. Closeout actions appear in an Available Actions column.

1. Log into eRA Commons with a PI account.

2. Navigate to the Status module and open the List of Applications/Awards by clicking the blue triangle.

3. For the award you have in a Closeout status, expand the pane by clicking the plus (+) sign.

4. To open the Closeout Status screen, click one of the following from the Available Actions column:

• Closed

• In Unilateral Closeout

• Unilaterally Closed

• Requires Closeout

The Closeout Status Screen opens.

The Closeout Status screen appears after you select one of the following actions from a grant: Closed, In Unilateral Closeout, Requires Closeout, or Unilaterally Closed (see Possible Statuses for Closeout).

The Closeout Status screen contains a list of requirements for closeout. Each requirement has an instruction, the status of the requirement, and an Action column. If the grant is still open, review the requirements, read the instruction for each, and take actions to complete Closeout activities. Actions are role-based, so different persons will closeout different requirements.

If the grant is already closed, you have option to view submitted material with a View link.

In the Action column, select an action link to get started with that requirement. Be sure that you possess the role as described in the Instruction column. Action links might include:

• FFR:  View link, Manage Final FFR (redirects the user to FFR module where they can search for an FFR)
• Final RPPR: Process Final RPPR; View; FRAM; and View FRAM links
• Final Invention Statement: Process Final Invention Statement and View links

Refer to the related topics for more information about Final Research Performance Progress Reports and Final Invention Statements. To initiate an FFR, see Federal Financial Report (FFR) Long Form.

At the top of the screen, text indicates if the award is in unilateral closeout or has been unilaterally closed, and the date on which this occurred. While In Unilateral Closeout, links might be available in the Action column unless requirements have been closed by grants management staff, in which case you do not see the links. When Unilaterally Closed, links are not available.

Below is a sample of Closeout Status for a PI.

Below is a sample of Closeout Status for an SO.