U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
eRA Intranet
These eRA modules allow for receipt, triaging and assigning of grant applications; provide the ability to electronically track information received in advance of a grant application submission and link it to the application after the application is received; and provide the capability to electronically initiate, route and approve changes in application assignments.
The Receipt and Referral module serves as a central clearinghouse to log, route and assign competing grant applications received by the funding agency. Authorized staffers assign applications for review for funding consideration.
eRA Module: Assignment Change Request (ACR)Grant applications submitted to a funding agency sometimes require a change in their original assignment after submission. Some common examples of required changes include changes in Institute/Center (IC) assignment, grant number, study section, council date, etc. These requests were previously submitted on paper and processed manually. The Assignment Change Request (ACR) system enables these changes to be initiated, routed, and approved electronically instead of on paper.
eRA Module: Awaiting Receipt of Applications (ARA)The main role of the Awaiting Receipt of Applications (ARA) module is to electronically track, and link information received in advance of submission to a grant application, after the application is received or logged into the eRA system. At NIH, the Institute/Center (IC) uses an ARA form to electronically inform CSR's Division of Receipt and Referral (DRR) when this scenario occurs. DRR staff will then match the ARA request from the IC to the right application and eRA will automatically inform the IC.
These eRA modules support the initial and secondary level review of applications; allow program staff to follow the application discussion in real time; allow reviewers to participate in virtual review meetings; and allow for the formation and administration of review committees.
The Internet Assisted Review (IAR) module is a system to facilitate the review of applications. It provides a standard process for reviewers to submit written comments, preliminary scores, and final scores and to view applications and related meeting materials via the eRA Commons. The IAR module is used during the pre-award phase of the application lifecycle.
eRA Module: Committee Management Module (CMM)The Committee Management Module (CMM) manages the critical administrative processes associated with setting up meetings for peer review, special emphasis panels, advisory councils, program advisory committees and board of scientific counselors. These processes include establishing committees, appointing qualified members, creating meetings, and issuing reports and notices, such as the Federal Register Notice and provides tools to ensure compliance with the rules of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
eRA Module: Peer ReviewThe Peer Review module facilitates the creation of review panels, composed of reviewers with the relevant expertise to review the applications. The Peer Review module allows review staff to prepare for, conduct and record outcomes of review meetings (including summary statements that summarize the review of applications).
eRA Module: Virtual Meeting (VM)Virtual Meeting, accessed through the Internet Assisted Review (IAR) module via eRA Commons, allows reviewers and scientific review officers to participate in an online review meeting in lieu of a face-to-face meeting at a physical location. The meeting can take place in a synchronous or asynchronous fashion.
eRA Module: Electronic Council Book (ECB)The Electronic Council Book (ECB) is a web-based system that provides a variety of services in support of the second level of review of grant applications by a review group (referred to as the advisory council) at the funding agency.