The Department of Contracts and Grants recently alerted the USC research community that the No-Cost Extension (NCE) feature in eRA Commons was temporarily unavailable. The National Insititute’s of Health (NIH) has now released NOT-OD-25-110, which provides formal guidance and clarification on the issue, along with key updates on how to proceed.
What You Need to Know:
Effective immediately, the university-approved NCE feature has been disabled, and all extension requests must now be reviewed and approved by NIH staff. This change is part of NIH’s broader efforts to ensure federal research funds are used solely for mission-aligned activities.
What This Means for You
- Plan Ahead: You can no longer extend your NIH award unilaterally through eRA Commons.
- Justify Your Request: Clearly describe the remaining work, explain why more time is needed, and detail how the remaining budget will be used to complete the approved aims.
- Expect Delays: Since each request will undergo NIH review, allow extra time for processing and approval.
If you are considering an NCE for your NIH award, please contact your DCG Officer as early as possible to ensure timely submission and review.