Targeting due dates on or after January 25, 2022, NIH, AHRQ, FDA, and ORD/VA will require all individuals listed on the R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Form to have an eRA Commons username (Commons ID). This will facilitate better data collection as well as assist in disambiguating data on applications and facilitating the identification of conflicts of interest in peer review.

For multi-project applications, this requirement applies to the individual components of the application and not to just the Overall component.

FIGURE: A valid eRA Commons username will be required to be entered in the “Credential, e.g. agency login” field for all Senior/Key Personnel listed on the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form.

For more information on this requirement, please see Guide Notice NOT-OD-21-109. AHRQ, FDA and VA (Office of Research and Development) are also implementing this requirement.

To get applicants accustomed to this change, starting on April 21, 2021, applicants will receive a warning if a valid eRA Commons username is not provided for senior/Key Personnel for submissions with due dates on or after May 25, 2021. This warning is tentatively scheduled to be in effect for no fewer than two council rounds before becoming an error that must be corrected to successfully submit the application to the agency.

• Individuals needing scientific roles (Program Directors, Principal Investigators, Scientist, Post-Doc, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, Project Personnel) should have only one eRA Commons username for the life of their research career. If the person has an existing username, the Signing Official or Account Administrator can then affiliate that person to their institution if the person is changing institutions.
• If you find that you have more than one account, please contact the eRA Service Desk at https://public.era.nih.gov/submithelp/ or 1-866-504-9552.
• This new requirement does not mean Senior/Key Personnel listed on the application must be affiliated with the applicant organization, only that they have a valid eRA Commons username.
• To obtain an eRA Commons password and User ID, please e-mail DSP at this address: nih@uiowa.edu.