The NIH eRA Commons is the National Institutes of Health system for interactive electronic transactions for the receipt, review, monitoring, and administration of NIH grants. The Berkeley campus has joined the NIH Commons, and investigators at Berkeley are being asked to use eSNAP, a component of the system, to submit progress reports online instead of submitting paper copies.

Account Activation

Principal investigators and departmental administrators must have an account to use the NIH Commons. To have an account set up, please Chris Luppino (3-6113, cluppino@berkeley.edu) in SPO. It will take up to two business days for NIH to open the account after it is requested by SPO; please contact SPO well in advance of your progress report due date.

After the account is registered, you will receive email from NIH with a link to a web site where you can activate the account.

eSNAP: Online Progress Report Submission

The NIH eSNAP (electronic Streamlined Non-competing Award Process) system provides a web interface for investigators to prepare and submit Type 5 (non-competing) progress reports online.

eSNAP Procedures for Berkeley Investigators

• Investigators must have an NIH Commons account to use eSNAP (see above). After logging in to the NIH Commons, investigators input and upload information as required and submit the report themselves.
  
  
• No paper needs to be submitted to SPO. SPO will receive email notification from NIH when a progress report has been submitted through eSNAP.
  
  
• Investigators with projects involving animals must submit a paper copy of the progress report to ACUC. Protocol must be approved before the award can be accepted.
  
  
• Investigators with projects involving human subjects must submit a paper copy of the progress report to CPHS. Protocol must be approved before the award can be accepted.
  
  
• Investigators who have had a change in financial conflict of interest should update their Conflict of Interest Checklist and Federal Financial Disclosure Statement at this time.

Links

• Commons Support Page
• Demo Facility (try features of the NIH eRA Commons, including eSNAP, in a sample environment)
• NIH Electronic Submission of Grant Applications
• Grants.gov “Apply” at Berkeley

• Progress Report Submission: The paper process requires submission of progress reports 60 days before the budget start date. eSNAP submissions are due only 45 days prior to the budget start date.
• Research Accomplishment and Other Significant Changes: In the eSNAP system, this data can be uploaded separately. eSNAP will eventually allow for periodic electronic updates throughout the budget period, not just annual submission.
• Citations: If a citation is published in a journal available online, the investigator can include the link to the on-line journal in lieu of submitting a hard copy of the reprint.
• Key Personnel Report: The eSNAP system stores the information to allow for easy access and update in future years.
  

Other NIH Commons Features for Investigators

• Status of Applications and Awards: Principal investigators can review the current status of all their grant applications and review detailed information associated with their grants.
• Personal Profile: This facility allows access to view and update account data maintained by the NIH such as degrees, addresses, and publications.
• Internet Assisted Review: This facility allows a reviewer to submit critiques and preliminary scores for applications they are reviewing and view all critiques in preparation for the meeting. Allows principal investigators to see the reviewers' comments after the review is completed.
• Grants Closeout: Allows a grantee to electronically file the information necessary to complete grant closeout requirements.