AHRQ Implements the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) and Uniform Progress Report Due Dates

Notice Number:

NOT-HS-15-001

Key Dates

Release Date: October 17, 2014

Related Announcements

NOT-HS-14-003

Issued by

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Purpose

All Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) grantees, exclusive of recipients of multi-year funded awards, will have the ability to use the eRA commons Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) module beginning October 19, 2014.  Effective January 1, 2015, AHRQ will require use of the RPPR module.  Also, effective October 19, 2014, AHRQ will standardize all annual progress report due dates. 

Background

The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Science and Technology Policy issued a policy memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies on April 21, 2010, establishing the uniform RPPR to replace other interim performance reporting formats used by agencies.  The RPPR was developed by the Research Business Models (RBM) Subcommittee of the Committee on Science, National Science and Technology Council. The RBM published the proposed draft RPPR format for public comment in the Federal Register November 9, 2007, and the final format on January 13, 2010.

Additional information about this process and the RPPR Final Format are available on the federal-wide RPPR website hosted by the National Science Foundation.

The National Institutes of Health, with input from its partner Public Health Service agencies, developed the RPPR module in the electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons, obtained OMB approval as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, and began implementing the RPPR for NIH grantees in 2012.  AHRQ implemented the RPPR for its Fellowship grantees August 1, 2014 (see NIH Guide NOT HS-14-003).

AHRQ RPPR Implementation

All AHRQ grantees, except recipients of multi-year funded (MYF) awards (awards in which the budget and project periods are the same and are longer than 12 months), are strongly encouraged to use the RPPR when it becomes available October 19, 2014.  Paper PHS 2590 annual progress reports will continue to be accepted until December 31, 2014.  Effective January 1, 2015, AHRQ will require all grantees, exclusive of MYF awards, to use the RPPR and will no longer accept paper PHS 2590 annual progress reports.  Recipients of MYF awards should continue to submit paper PHS 2590 progress reports in accord with the terms of the award, until instructed otherwise.

AHRQ use of the RPPR format will not differ significantly from NIH’s, and AHRQ grantees are encouraged to utilize the Resources posted on the NIH RPPR webpage (see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/rppr/), especially the webinars, NIH and Other PHS Agency RPPR Instruction Guide, and screen shots.  Any AHRQ requirements that differ from NIH requirements are specified in the RPPR Instruction Guide. 

AHRQ Progress Report Due Dates

AHRQ is also standardizing all progress report due dates.  Effective for progress reports due in FY 2015 (i.e. due between 10/1/14 - 9/30/15) and beyond, all progress reports, including those for MYF grants, are due 3 months before the anniversary of the award.  For example, for a FY2014 award with a start date of 2/1/14, the annual progress report is due 11/1/14 (i.e., three months before the FY2015 budget period start date (i.e. anniversary date) of 2/1/15).   However, if your budget period start date is between 1/1/15 and 4/1/15, you will not be penalized if your progress report is received 2 months before the next budget period start date rather than 3 months.  If the due date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the due date is automatically extended to the next business day. Historically, progress reports for AHRQ research and career development awards were due either two or four months prior to the budget start date, and progress reports for training grants were due three months prior to the budget start date.

This Notice supersedes annual progress report due dates identified in Notices of Award issued during FY2014 that are inconsistent with this new requirement.  The eRA Commons will reflect the new progress report due dates as of October 19, 2014.

Inquiries

General questions concerning using the eRA Commons and RPPR functionality should be directed to the eRA Commons Helpdesk at:

eRA Service Desk
Web: http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/ (Preferred method of contact)
Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Telephone: 301-402-7469
TTY: 301-451-5939

General inquires about this Notice may be directed to:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Grants Management Office
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
Telephone: 301-427-1447
Email:  GrantsManagementInbox@ahrq.hhs.gov