Below are basic reminders/tips for successfully submitting your Common Form documents in your application, Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), Just-in-Time (JIT) or Prior Approval request submissions to ensure they will pass eRA system validations.
- Link your ORCID iD to your eRA Commons account.
- The file name of the PDF may be updated once certified and downloaded from SciENcv. The file name must align with guidance as noted on Format Attachments, File Names.
- Do not flatten the PDF once certified and downloaded from SciENcv (unless otherwise noted in the Application Guide Instructions).
- Application Submission Scenarios:
- The single PDF document containing the Biographical Sketch Common Form and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement will be added to the Biographical Sketch attachment field on the SF-424 Senior Key Person Profile Form for each individual required to submit a Biographical Sketch.
- The Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form will be added to the Current and Pending Support attachment field on the SF-424 Senior Key Person Profile Form for each individual required to submit a Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form. For this specific scenario, the “Supplemental Documentation” is not required and should not be appended to the Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form.
- Biographical Sketch Common Forms for proposed mentors and training faculty members included in the "Participating Faculty Biosketches" attachment of the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan Form, must be completed in SciENcv and certified on an individual basis. When submitting this information, the applicant should combine all the forms into a single PDF file and flatten it for submission.
- RPPR, JIT and Prior Approval Scenarios:
- These eRA modules have been updated to allow attachment of the Common Forms at an individual person-level rather than compiled into a single flattened PDF document for multiple individuals.
- The user interfaces (UIs) have been updated to have separate attachment fields for Current and Pending (Other) Support, Biographical Sketch/NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement and Supporting Documentation (i.e., Foreign Contracts).
- These new UIs were deployed on Jan. 26, 2026 for use by applicants and recipients making submissions on or after that date.