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Submitting Your Final Research Performance Progress Report

As of January 1, 2017, a Final Research Performance Progress Report (Final RPPR) is required for any grant that has ended and any grant that is not to be extended through award of a new competitive segment. The report is due within 120 days of the end of the project period. This report should be prepared in accordance with instructions provided by the awarding component. See NIH Implementation of Final Research Performance Progress Reports (Final RPPR) — Guide Notice NOT-OD-17-022.

Effective February 9, 2017, if the recipient organization has submitted a renewal application on or before the date by which a Final Research Performance Progress Report would be required for the current competitive segment, then submission of an Interim RPPR via eRA Commons is required. The Interim RPPR (IRPPR) will be used for the submission of a Competing Renewal application (Type 2). See NIH Implementation of the Interim RPPR while a Renewal Application is Under Consideration — (Guide Notice NOT-OD-17-037).

Both the Interim RPPR and the Final RPPR are identical in process and information required. The difference between them is when and where they are made available to initiate and submit. The Interim RPPR link is available to the signing official (SO) and principal investigator on the Status screen when a grant is eligible for submission for a Competing Renewal application.

The Final RPPR is only available as part of the Closeout process and the Process Final RPPR link only appears on the Closeout Status screen.

The format of the Interim RPPR, the Final RPPR, and the annual RPPR are the same, making it easier for grantees to navigate and complete them.

Differences between Interim/Final RPPR and the annual RPPR are:

In the Interim/Final RPPR, only D.1 is required in the Participants section
Sections F: Changes and Section H: Budget are not part of the Interim/Final RPPR
Section I: Outcomes is required for both the Interim/Final RPPR

Note about Interim RPPR and Final RPPR

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.

Submit Your Final RPPR

Click the Requires Closeout link for the grant from Status search results.

The Closeout Status screen displays. Final RPPR is listed in the Closeout Submission Requirement column. The Action column should include a link for Process Final RPPR.
From Closeout Status, click the Process Final RPPR link.

Clicking the Process Final RPPR link opens the Final RPPR Menu screen:
Click the Initiate button to create the Final RPPR.
The Final RPPR Menu will then change, providing the user with the option to Edit the Final RPPR:
Clicking Edit opens the navigation to the various sections of the Final RPPR:

A detailed instruction guide exists online featuring additional field-by-field guidance for completing the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). Refer to the NIH and Other PHS Agency RPPR Instruction Guide (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/rppr_instruction_guide.pdf) for completing Sections A-I of the RPPR.

Complete each section as required. See How to Do I Fill Out the RPPR Forms for help completing each section.

Be sure to click SAVE when moving between sections or unsaved data may be lost.

When done, click Cancel to return Final RPPR Menu screen.

In the Final RPPR Menu screen, there are several action buttons at the bottom that you can use to complete the Final RPPR:

Are you having trouble with eRA Commons? The eRA Service Desk is there to help. Please visit their web page to submit a support ticket.

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