As you can see by the snip of the matrix above, the PI is primarily responsible for identifying reporting requirements, preparing the report timely, and notifying OSP of the submission if OSP does not need to submit on behalf of the PI.

Part 2 – RPPR submissions by OSP

Some Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) must be submitted by OSP or include financial reports that need an OSP Team Financial Research Administrator’s (FRA) input. These include, but are not limited to, USDA APHIS (EzFedGrants submission) PHS agencies – including NIH, NOAA, and CDC (eRA Commons submission), and many foundations.

Send your finalized RPPR to your OSP Team at least 5 days in advance so it can be submitted on time. Please also be aware that some sponsors, especially NIH, consider a report late as of 12:01 am on the due date, so early submission is best. Additionally, some sponsors, including NOAA and NIH, often have many RPPRs due on the same date, so your OSP Team may have 50+ reports to submit on any given due date!

If your OSP Team needs to submit the report, the PI is responsible for ensuring it is filled out correctly and making any necessary changes if requested by the sponsor or OSP. If your OSP Team receives the RPPR from the PI without all the required information or is filled out incorrectly, it can cause the reports to be submitted late while they wait for you to make corrections. Your OSP Team cannot add to or change your technical report.

A FEW TIPS AND TRICKS:

• Check for Errors. Many systems like eRA Commons have the ability to check your RPPR and ensure that it isn’t missing information or has errors. 
• Notify your OSP Team when the RPPR is ready. If you route your RPPR to your OSP Team via a portal, follow up with an email to your team, ideally stating the RPPR due date and the 53-account number in the subject line.
• Request portal access. If any project personnel need accounts in a portal, please email [email protected] to request account creation and confirm with those personnel that their profile is complete before the RPPR due date.
• Submission of HSS Updates. For NIH programs with Human Subjects System (HSS) submissions linked to an RPPR, please also email your OSP Team RA and/or SRA when the HSS update is ready for submission.

Part 3 – RPPR Consequences and Specific Agency Reminders

Sponsors are implementing strict measures for late annual and final research progress performance reports (RPPRs), such as withholding awards from the entire University, not funding incremental years of a current award, and not allowing PIs and co-PIs to submit new proposals when RPPRs (annual and final) are not submitted on time.

For any RPPRs that involve OSP submission or input for financial reporting, your finalized RPPR should be sent to your OSP Team at least 5 days in advance so that it can be submitted on time.

A few reminders about due dates and system-specific hints:

PI Prepare, OSP submits RPPRs:

• PHS agencies, including NIH, CDC, and NOAA, consider a report late as of 12:01am on the due date. Please route to your RPPR to your OSP Team RA and/or SRA.
• USDA APHIS and other USDA agencies that use EzFed Grants, email your Report to your OSP Team FRA.
• Foundations may require financial reporting as part of the progress report. Please send the report to your OSP Team FRA.

PI Prepare, PI Submits RPPRs:

• USDA NIFA award RPPRs are completed in ReePort.
• NSF RPPRs are due 90 days before the end of your current budget period. Research.gov lists that date as the due date but does not list it as “overdue” until the Budget period anniversary date; the 90 days between “due” and “overdue” is for the NSF Program Officers to review and approve the RPPR. 
• DOI Agency RPPRs are completed in GrantSolutions. It is easy to submit the RPPR for the incorrect budget period instead of the period for which a report is due – look for accordion menus!