GUIDANCE FOR SAMHSA RECIPIENTS 

How to Submit Continuation Applications via eRA Commons 

Grant recipients are strongly encouraged to submit their non-competing continuation 

applications early to allow sufficient time to resolve any unanticipated difficulties. Grant 

recipients must submit their continuation applications via eRA Commons. Please see the 

following step-by-step instructions with screenshots on how to submit a continuation 

application via eRA Commons: 

To view screenshots from eRA Commons, click the icon.

Log into eRA Commons 

1. Go to the eRA Commons homepage.

2. Enter your Username and Password. 

3. Click the Login button.

Manage Continuations: Search Screen 

1. Click the Non-Research tab in the menu bar.

2. Click Manage Continuations from the sub-menu to go to the Manage 

Continuations: Search screen.

Signing Official (SO)/Business Official (BO) view 

SOs/BOs will see search criteria such as: Activity (code), IC, Serial #, PD/PI Last 

Name, Status, Open Dates and Due Dates; allowing them to view all active grants

for their organization.

i. Click the IC drop-down menu and select the IC for your Grant Number (e.g.,

AE, SM, SP, or TI).

ii. Enter your Serial # (i.e., the six digits after the IC in your grant number).

iii. Click the Search button.

Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Director (PD) view 

PDs/PIs will see a table with pre-populated rows for each grant where they are 

listed as PD. 

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i. Click the View button in the Action column to the right of the of the appropriate

grant.

Initiate Continuation Application 

The Continuations: View screen will display a table with one row for each budget

support year (budget period). For support years where a continuation application has not

been submitted, information will populate in the Status, Open Date, and Due Date 

columns.

1. Click the Select One drop-down button in the Action column to the right of the

Continuations: View table.

2. Select Initiate from the drop-down.

If you have already initiated a continuation application and are now returning to

submit, the drop-down option would be Edit instead of Initiate.

You will only be able to initiate a new continuation application when the continuation

status is:

a) Due – the current date (today) is between the Open Date and Due Date; or

b) Late – the current date (today) is after the Due Date, but before the current

budget period end date.

eRA ASSIST-Application Information Screen 

eRA Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST) will open

to allow you to complete and submit your continuation application. The following required

forms to be completed and submitted are listed horizontally along the top of the

Application Information screen:

1) SF424 Cover

2) Sites

3) Budget-Non-Construct

4) Budget Narrative

5) Project Narrative

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Refer to the Instructions for the Continuation Application Package for specific 

requirements for each form. Some data fields in the forms will pre-populate based on your 

current award. Some of those fields are editable while others are not. For example, on the 

SF-424 Cover, the continuation field is not editable. The system will alert you to fields that 

you must complete. Click on the links to navigate directly to the applicable field. It is 

very important to save your work frequently. 

If required to submit the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)1 or Charitable Choice

Form (SMA 170), add those forms to your application by selecting Add Optional Form on 

the left-hand side of the ASSIST screen.

Complete and save all of the forms on each tab and upload any other applicable documents.

Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover 

1. Click the SF424 Cover tab.

2. Click the Edit button.

3. Move through the form and complete required fields marked with an asterisk (*).

4. At the bottom of the form, click either:

a) the Save and Keep Lock button (to save the information and keep the form open

for further editing); or

b) the Save and Release Lock button (to save the information and close the form).

eRA ASSIST will run validations and display the errors you must correct before submission.

5. Click the hyperlinked error to update the specific field.

6. Correct each error for all required fields.

7. At the bottom of the form, click either:

a) the Save and Keep Lock button; or

b) the Save and Release Lock button.

An alert will display at the top of the screen indicating the updates were saved. 

1The SF-LLL is required for each payment or agreement that is made to any lobbying entity for influencing or 

attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee 

of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. Refer to 

instructions on the form.

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Update Submission Status 

1. After completing all of the forms, click the Update Submission Status button under

the Actions menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

2. In the Update Submission Status window, click the Select the new status dropdown list and select Ready for Submission.

3. Either click the continue without adding a comment hyperlink or

4. Type your comments in the box provided and click the Add Comment button.

The system will validate your application for errors before submission.

Application Package Errors 

If there are errors, the Application Errors and Warnings Results screen will be

displayed with an error message and a list of the errors to be corrected.

i. Click the Ok button on the Application Errors and Warning Results Notice

pop-up window.

ii. View Errors and update all of the forms for which errors were reported.

iii. Click the Validate Application button and if applicable, continue to update

the forms for which errors were reported until the Application Errors and

Warning Results screen shows All Validations Passed.

iv. Repeat the Update Submission Status steps 1 thru 4.

If there are no Application Package errors, on the Summary tab, the Application 

Information screen will be displayed with a confirmation that the Submission 

status has been updated.

Submit Continuation Application 

Note: To submit an application, you must be a Signing Official (SO) in eRA and you will 

have to enter your Grants.gov Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) 

credentials. 

1. Click the Submit Application button.

2. Click the Submit button on the Notice pop-up window to confirm that you want to

submit the application for processing.

3. Enter your AOR credentials (Username and Password).

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4. Click the Enter button.

View Continuation Application Submission Status 

You will receive an email from eRA confirming receipt of the application. The continuation

status in eRA Commons for the grant will be changed to Submitted.

To check the status of the continuation application for your grant:

1. Log into eRA Commons steps 1 thru 3,

2. Manage Continuations: Search screen steps 1 thru 2; and

a) Signing Official (SO)/Business Official (BO) view steps i thru iii; or

b) Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Director (PD) view.

Request for Additional Materials (RAM) 

As SAMHSA staff reviews your application, they may request additional or revised

information. If so, you will receive a Request for Additional Materials (RAM) via eRA

detailing the documentation you should submit via the RAM link in eRA Commons.

1. Click the Select One drop-down button in the Action column to the right of the

Continuations: View table accessed in the steps above (View Continuation

Application Submission Status).

2. Select Initiate RAM from the drop-down.

If you have already initiated and saved your response to the RAM and are now 

returning to this screen to submit, the drop-down would say Edit RAM instead of 

Initiate RAM.

The Post-Award Continuation Application Request for Additional Materials (RAM)

screen will be displayed for you to upload up to 10 individual PDFs.

3. Click the Upload button to search for and select the applicable PDF on your computer.

4. Click the applicable row to select individual document identified for upload.

5. Click the View or Delete button for the option to either view or delete the individual

document.

6. Type appropriate comments for SAMHSA staff in the Please provide Comments box.

Your comments will be included in an email to the PD, Business Official, and Signing

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Official that submitted the materials, as well as SAMHSA program and grants

management staff.

7. Select any of the following as applicable:

a) Cancel - to abandon the RAM submission;

b) Preview - to view the consolidated package of PDFs;

c) Save - to keep current information and return at a later time to submit; or

d) Submit - to send the documents to SAMHSA staff.

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Technical Assistance: 

Please contact the eRA Service Desk if you have any questions regarding accessing 

and navigating eRA Commons, including eRA errors and warnings, and status of the 

continuation application or post-award administration. 

The eRA Service Desk is accessible: 

Online: eRA Commons Service Desk

Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552 

Phone: 301-402-7469

Availability: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (closed

on federal holidays). Note: the Help Desk's busiest hours are

between 10 a.m. EST and 3 p.m. EST.

If you have questions regarding the specific requirements for your continuation 

application, please contact your assigned Grants Management Specialist. 

October 2020 Page 7 of 7 
Slide # 1 

How to Submit a Non-Competing Application (T5) 

via the eRA Commons 

Prepared for SAMHSA grant recipients 

12.8.2018; Rev. 10.8.2020
Table of Contents 

Section Slide(s) 

Purpose 3

Reminder eNotification 4

Log Into the eRA Commons 5

Access Manage Continuations & Initiate Continuations Application 6 - 9

Form Completion Example 10 - 15

Update Submission Status 16 - 18

Submit the Application 19 - 21

Request for Additional Materials 22 - 24

Questions 25

Resources 26

Slide # 2 
 

 

 

 

Slide # 3 

Purpose 

The purpose of this deck is to show SAMHSA grant recipients how to submit 

their annual non-competing application (i.e., T5) via the eRA Commons. 

By the end of this deck, grant recipients will know how to: 

Log into the eRA Commons.

Search for grants and initiate continuation application(s).

Complete continuation application forms.

Update, validate, and submit continuation application(s).

Respond to Requests for Additional Materials (RAMs).
 

Reminder eNotification 

Note: Once the Open Date arrives, you will 

start receiving reminder/late eNotifications. 

Slide # 4 
 

1) Go to the eRA Commons homepage

Log into the eRA Commons 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 5 
Access the Manage Continuations Tab 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 6 
 

 

 

 

Signing Official (SO)/Business Official (BO) view 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Note: Only active grants will appear in the list of 

search results, unless you click to select the 

Include Expired Segments checkbox. 

Slide # 7 
 

Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Director (PD) view 

 

Note: There will be one row for each grant 

number to which the PI/PD is assigned. 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 8 
 

 

 

Note: You will only be able to Initiate an application 

for the support year with a status of: 

a) Due – the current date (today) is between the

Open Date and Due Date; or

b) Late – the current date (today) is after the Due

Date, but before the current budget period end

date.

Initiate Continuation Application 

Note: If you have already initiated a continuation 

application, and are now returning to submit, the drop-down 

option would be Edit instead of Initiate. 

When you select Initiate, you will be re-routed from the 

eRA Commons to eRA Application Submission System & 

Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST). 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 9 
Note: If required to submit 

the Disclosure of Lobbying 

Activities (SF-LLL) or 

Charitable Choice Form 

(SMA 170), click the Add 

Optional Form button. 

Note: The required forms to be 

completed and submitted are 

listed horizontally along the top. 

eRA ASSIST-Application Information screen 

Slide # 10 
Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 11 
 

Note: Some fields will be pre-populated. 

Some fields are editable (e.g., Legal 

Name) while others are not (e.g., Type 

of Submission). 

Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover...cont’d 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 12 
Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover...cont’d 

Slide # 13 
Note: eRA ASSIST will run validations and 

display the errors you must correct before 

submission. 

 

Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover Errors 

Slide # 14 
 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

 

 

Form Completion Example: SF424 Cover: 

Correct Errors and Re-save 

Slide # 15 
Note: After you have completed all of the forms, you will need to update the 

submission status from Work In Progress to Ready for Submission 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

 

Update Submission Status 

Slide # 16 
Application Package Errors 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 17 
 

Validate Application 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 18 
Note: An SO must enter Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) 

credentials to submit the application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons.

 

Submit Application 

Slide # 19 
Submit Application...cont’d 

 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 20 
 

 

View Continuation Application Submission Status 

 

5 

8 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 21 
 

 

 

 

Request for Additional Materials (RAM) 

Note: If SAMHSA requires additional 

information for review of your application, they 

will send you a Request for Additional Materials 

(RAM). 

Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 22 
 

Initiate Response to RAM 

 

Note: If you have already initiated and saved your 

Note: To navigate to this Continuations: View response to the RAM and are now returning to this 

screen, follow steps in slides 5 thru 8. screen to submit, the drop-down would say Edit RAM 

instead of Initiate RAM. Back to 

Ref. Sheet 

Slide # 23 
Submit RAM 

Slide # 24 
 

 

Slide # 25 

Questions 

 If you have technical questions about how to access the eRA

Commons, etc., contact the eRA Service Desk:

 You can submit an online ticket here: https://grants.nih.gov/support

 Or you can call 1-866-504-9552 or 301-402-7469

Monday – Friday, 7am – 8pm Eastern Standard Time

 If you have questions about how to complete the forms, then

contact your assigned Grants Management Specialist (GMS).
Slide # 26 

Resources 

 eRA Service Desk: https://grants.nih.gov/support/index.html

 NIH eRA ASSIST Online Help: https://era.nih.gov/erahelp/

ASSIST/

 NIH eRA Commons Online Help:

https://era.nih.gov/erahelp/commons/default.htm