Grants & Contracts Management An Overview

1. Grants & Contracts ManagementAn Overview University Research Administration

2. Award Instruments • Grants • Assistance • Contracts • Procurement • Cooperative Agreement • Sponsor’s Technical Involvement

3. Response to RFPs and RFAs • RFP – Contract • Provided Workscope must be followed • RFA – Grant • Workscope initiated by P.I. • Are Terms and Conditions Acceptable?

4. Proposal Transmittal Form (PTF) • Complete all applicable fields • VI. Declaration – PI must complete • Is current COI Assurance on file? • Effort & Salary Contributions/Requests • Academic Yr./Summer; Calendar Yr. • PTF: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G300/301A.html

5. Proposal Preparation • Read Current Guidelines • PI might talk with agency program officer • Compatible Interests? • Program Qualifications? Funding Limitations? • PI Eligibility • http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G200/201.html • Suggestion: Make a “To Do” List

6. Proposal Preparation (cont’d) • Use sponsor-provided forms, if provided – cover page, budget forms, etc. • Sample budget format: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G300/307.html • Organize proposal sections, per guidelines – abstract (scientific & lay), objectives, methods, cv’s, bibliographies, current & pending support, etc.

7. Budget Preparation • Consider (with PI and others) the needs, related to proposed project • Consider resources needed to establish realistic cost estimates – Human Resources contact, equipment and supply vendors, prior experiences, etc.

8. Direct Costs • Direct Costs – Identifiable as specifically related to a project or program • Anticipate Project Needs • Consider prior related experiences

9. Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) • F&A Costs –Can not be precisely allocated to individual projects • Also known as Overhead and Indirect Costs • Federal: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G300/304.html • Non-Federal: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G300/303.html

10. Equipment • Special Purpose Equipment used only for research, medical, scientific or other technical activities • General Purpose Equipment – Use is not limited only to research, medical scientific or other technical activities

11. Permanent Equipment • Identify and justify • Verify not already available • $5,000 or more (including accessories, installation and delivery costs) • Life expectancy of one year or more • Information - Equipment: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G300/307C.html

12. Expendable Equipment and Supplies • Identify and justify • Includes items such as, • Chemicals/glassware • Small electronic components • Software

13. Administrative Costs • OMB A-21 prohibits most administrative costs from being directly charged to grants and contracts • Salaries of administrative, secretarial and clerical personnel • Non-personnel costs such as office supplies, postage, local telephone and membership fees

14. Consultant Costs • May be paid to experts outside the University • Sponsor may have a cap on fees

15. Subrecipients • Subcontracting • Transferring Substantive Portion of Research to another institution • http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G400/404.html • Sponsored Consultants • http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G400/403.html • Independent Contractor– (Expertise in the field) • Other Independent Contractors – (Services)

16. Caution on Cost Sharing • Cost Sharing Reduces F&A Recoveries • Adding costs to the organized research base reduces the F&A rate on all projects • When we cost-share direct costs, we also cost-share the associated F&A • F&A rate decreases, F&A recoveries are reduced on all projects

17. Cost Sharing and Matching Funds • Mandatory • Per Program Guidelines • Voluntary, Committed • Included, but not required • Voluntary, Uncommitted • Contributed, not required or committed • Approval to commit cost sharing • http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/guidelines/G200/217.html

18. Tracking Research Activity System (TRACS) • TRACS is University Research Administration's (URA's) database system for tracking proposals submitted by University of Chicago faculty to federal and non-federal agencies, and awards made in response to those proposals.

19. Electronic Research Administration (eRA) • Federal Agencies • NSF FastLane • Army • Department of Energy • Department of Justice • National Institutes of Health (NIH) • Others

20. Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Cont. • Non-Federal Agencies • Alzheimer’s Association • Whitehall Foundation • March of Dimes • Others

21. Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Cont. • URA requires authorization ("Approval to Submit") from the PI or local administrator acting on behalf of the PI, before submitting FastLane proposals.

22. Electronic Research Administration (eRA) Cont. • Internal Deadline for electronic proposal submissions is the morning before the agency’s announced deadline date.

23. Form 70 Request for Restricted Funds Account • Comptroller’s Office form used, by some units, to request accounts in the Financial Accounting System (FAS)

24. Managing Award and Funds • Expenditures within award dates (including allowed pre-award period) • Costs project-related • Costs reasonable-Prudent person test • Charges may not exceed funds awarded

25. Managing Award and Funds Cont. • Unexpended funds may often, but not always, be carried forward • Deviations from approved budget may require sponsor’s approval • Read and be guided by terms & conditions

26. Allowable Costs • Costs must be allowable under the terms of the sponsors program guidelines • Reasonable • Allowable • Allocable • Consistently Treated

27. Reasonable Costs • Costs are considered reasonable if the nature of the goods or services involved and the amount reflect the action of a prudent person

28. Allocable Costs • Costs are allocable to a particular project when incurred solely for the benefit of the sponsored project

29. Unallowable Costs • Advertising • Alcoholic Beverages • Charitable Contributions • Entertainment • Fines and Penalties • Food Costs • Overdrafts on sponsored projects • Personal use of goods or services

30. Questionable Items, • Computers • Printers • Equipment during last 90-day period • Office supply items • General purpose equipment • Office equipment • Laptops

31. Transfer of Expenses • Must be timely and appropriate • Transfers must be supported by documentation that contains a full explanation of how the error occurred • An explanation that merely states “to correct error” or “to transfer to correct account” is not sufficient • It should be noted that frequent errors in the recording of costs may indicate the need to review the accounting system and/or internal controls.

32. Reports • On Federal projects, performance reports are generally required annually • Final reports are due 90 days after expiration • Monitor sub-recipients • Subcontractors must submit reports in time to meet the 90-day requirement

33. Closeouts • Final Reporting • Technical • Financial • Patent/Invention • Check award document for other possible required reports • Collection of Funds • May be contingent on reporting

34. URLs for Resources • URA: http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/ • OMB Circular A-21 • http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a021/a021.html • OMB Circulars – (A-110, A-133, etc.) • http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/ • Grants and Contracts Useful Information Fact Sheet • http://www.uchicago.edu/adm/ura/ura/factsheet.html