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Special Announcements

����̽̽ Researchers: ����̽̽ is aware of the current limits on external communications from HHS agencies (NIH, CDC, etc). We are also tracking delays in award announcements and postponements of review committees and study sections at these agencies and other agencies involved in extramural research support. Our current understanding is that these communication delays will persist until February 1st. We are monitoring the situation carefully and will update the ����̽̽ research community via email and on this webpage. If you receive contact from a federal program officer regarding a current or pending award, please inform your Associate Dean for Research and your respective ����̽̽ sponsored projects administrator. Thank you for your help and patience. 

View the signed SPA MOU:

View the

View the

More time means more services!

To coordinate a proposal submission, please email your assigned Pre-Award Administrator, based on the assignments noted in the below table.

In addition, the SPA 2.0 Pre-Award Team Lead, Julie Macy, is always available to answer your questions and assist with urgent matters.

Departmental Assignments

Please follow the

Highlights:

All proposal preparations and submissions should be coordinated with your assigned Pre-Award Administrator (UA) before the final ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposal (FP) is submitted to SPA for review and submission to the sponsor.

SPA 2.0 Timeline:

At least 4 weeks ahead of a Sponsor deadline (and preferably 6 weeks):

• The PI completes the  and forwards the document to their assigned Pre-Award UA.
• The Pre-Award UA will then complete the following:
  • Use the completed questionnaire to create a ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposal.
  • Review the proposal guidelines and provide feedback to the PI, where needed.
  • Initiate a draft budget and send to the PI for review, comment and/or confirmation.

SPA Internal Deadline (2 business days before deadline):

• A submission-ready proposal should be received in SPA, using ����̽̽Click, no later than two (2) business days before the sponsor published deadline. This gives the department, college and SPA time to provide a review, have any issues fixed and complete a successful submission.

All ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposals are electronically routed for approval. See the

What our Pre-Award Team will assist with:

• Prepare ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposals, including SF424 system-to-system Grants.gov submissions
• Prepare ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposals for Gifts in Support of Research
• Prepare ����̽̽Click - Advance Account requests, when needed
• Prepare proposals in sponsor electronic proposal submission systems, such as Research.gov, FASTLANE, and Proposal Central
• Complete ����̽̽ and Sponsor proposal forms
• Collect ����̽̽ Authorized Signatures on Proposal Documents
• Develop Budgets & Revised Budgets
• Obtain Cost Sharing approvals
• Request and collect Subaward documents
• Respond to Sponsor Requests for Additional information (Post Submission Updates, JIT)
• Research questions and find answers
• Assist PIs with standard documents, for example other support pages, facilities and resources
• Assistance with post-proposal information requests, such as just-in-time (JIT) submissions, revised budgets and any other sponsor driven requirement
• Prepare ����̽̽Click - Non-Financial Agreements (Teaming Agreements, Data Use Agreements,  Non-Disclosure Agreements, No Money Collaboration Agreements)

You know your award is forthcoming, the sponsor has indicated approval but is delayed. You need to start work or you will fall behind. What to do?

Advance Account has numerous benefits, such as:

• Begin work on time.
• Project chartstrings remain the same after the award arrives.
• Expenses are charged to the appropriate chartstring initially, resulting in fewer cost transfers and less use of department funds.
• Facilities timely fiscal oversight by the PI and Unit Administrator.
• SPA can invoice immediately once the fully-executed award arrives.

Next Steps:

1. Most often the PI will send an email to their assigned Pre-Award Administrator requesting an Advance Account. The email will include confirmation from the sponsor that an award is in process and include the effective dates and total amount of the award.  
2. The Pre-Award Administrator will complete the and submit to SPA using ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposal - Request Advance Account activity.
3. The Pre-Award Administrator follows the
4. The Pre-Award Administrator coordinates within SPA and keep investigators informed through completion.

Our Pre-Award Team will assist with all non-financial sponsored project prior approvals. For a matrix of prior approvals see: .  

The most popular request that requires a prior approval is a no cost extension.

No Cost Extension requests should be submitted to your assigned Pre-Award Administrator no later than 90 days prior to the award’s current expiration date. For more details, see SPA's .

Next Steps:

1. Most often the PI will send an email to their assigned Pre-Award Administrator requesting a NCE or other Non-Financial award adjustment.
2. The Pre-Award Administrator reviews the request, completes required forms and collect the information needed to ensure a complete NCE request is submitted into ����̽̽Click.
   1. This includes obtaining the Vice Presdent for Research (VPR) written  approval of the new PI. See the
3. The Pre-Award Administrator logins into ����̽̽Click, finds the ����̽̽Click - AWD and makes the Award Modification Request. This is where you describe the request and attach all required documents.
4. ����̽̽Click delivers the request to the assigned SPA Research Administrator for review and further processing.
5. The Pre-Award Administrator coordinates with SPA and keeps the new PI informed through the completion.

The CEMS Pre-Award Team will assist PIs with the SPA Award Acceptance and Set-up Process, as follows;

• Assist SPA’s Award Acceptance Officer with negotiation of award terms, as needed.
• Assist with resolving any outstanding issues in collaboration with the PI.
• Assist with completing any outstanding compliance items and make sure IRB and IACUC are linked to the ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposal.
• Complete the ����̽̽Click “Award Data Collection” activity.
• Complete the ����̽̽Click “Final Dept Review” activity, the last step prior to release of budget to PeopleSoft
• Review sponsor regulations as outlined in award documents and coordinate with PIs to ensure compliance with sponsor specific terms and conditions.
• Request an Award Kick-off meeting, where SPA staff, Unit staff and, whenever possible, the PI, get together and discuss the award's terms and conditions reporting requirements, and roles.
• Assist PIs with assembling Required Reports, as needed.

The CEMS Pre-Award Team will assist PIs with the outgoing Subaward process.

Next Steps with New outgoing Subawards:

• Where a grant or contract includes an outgoing subaward, SPA’s outgoing Subaward Specialist is notified by the SPA Award Acceptance Team.
• The outgoing Subaward Specialist coordinates next steps with both the PI and CEMS Pre-Award Administrator.
• To generate the subaward the following documents are needed; (Subrecipient Commitment Form, Scope of Work, Budget, Budget Narrative). These documents are normally collected and attached to the ����̽̽Click - Funding Proposal.
• Where documents are missing the outgoing Subaward Specialist will request the CEMS Pre-Award Administrator collect the documents in coordination with the PI.
• Once the subaward is generated, both the PI and the CEMS Pre-Award Administrator will review for accuracy.
• Upon approval, the subaward is delivered to the subrecipient’s Sponsored Programs Office (or equivalent) for review and signature.
• The Final subaward document is attached to the ����̽̽Click - AWD for future reference.

Next Steps with outgoing Subaward Amendments:

• Where a grant or contract amendment is received that includes a subaward, SPA's outgoing Subaward Specialist is notified by the SPA Award Acceptance Team.
• The outgoing Subaward Specialist coordinates next steps with both the PI and CEMS Pre-Award Administrator.
• To generate a subaward amendment the outgoing Subaward Specialist will collect the needed documents with assistance from the CEMS Pre-Award Administrator.
• Once the subaward amendment is generated, both the PI and the CEMS Pre-Award Administrator will review for accuracy.
• Upon approval, the subaward amendment is delivered to the subrecipient’s Sponsored Programs Office (or equivalent) for review and signature.
• The Final subaward amendment is attached to the ����̽̽Click - AWD for future reference.

In support of faculty efforts to obtain extramural funding for research, scholarship, and creative arts, please connect with the OVPR Research Development Office.

Services offered include; Find Funding, Proposal Writing Assistance, Proposal Editing Services, Proposal Critiques, and Proposal Workshops. 

If you have questions, please reach out to ResDev's Erin McConnell, the CEMS primary point of contact for Research Development Assistance. 

To coordinate a post-award activity, please contact the CEMS Post-Award Administrator, based on the assignments noted in the below table.

In addition, the SPA 2.0 Post-Award Team Lead, Sue Lalumiere, is always available to answer your questions and assist with urgent matters. 

Departmental Assignments

• Serve as a resource to Principal Investigator for all sponsored project post award questions.
• Arrange Award Kickoff meetings with SPA.
• Meet with the PI to review grant expenditures and spending plans.
• Manage sponsored project budgets and cost share budgets.
• Monitor project expenditures to ensure all costs are following sponsor terms.
• Review costs to ensure they are necessary, allowable, reasonable, and allocable.
• Prepare and process grant-related salary distributions based on PI’s requests and effort management reviews.
• Review faculty effort plans and verify they match actual charges on a quarterly basis. Take corrective action where needed.
• Ensure salary distribution are correct and completed timely.
• Seek approval for use of suspense accounts when awards are not set up.
• Review suspense accounts to ensure timely cost transfers.
• Respond to questions from CEMS related to purcard expenditures and other financial transaction allocations.
• Request financial adjustments to awards (re-budgeting, carryovers, new projects) using ����̽̽Click - Award Mod Request activity.
• Prepare and process grant related salary distributions based on PI’s requests and effort management reviews.
• Request financial adjustments to awards (re-budgeting, carryovers, new projects) using ����̽̽Click - Award Mod Request activity.
• Seek prior approval for budget changes when required.
• Perform necessary and timely cost transfers, avoiding later cost transfers.
• Resolve budget checking errors.
• Assist with subrecipient monitoring and collect approvals to pay subaward invoices.
• Assist with pulling together billing back up, where needed.
• Manage the grant closeout process, assist in resolving issues.
• Assist with audits, as needed.

Our Post Award Team will assist with all financial sponsored project prior approvals. For a matrix of prior approvals see: .

Next Steps:

1. The Post-Award Administrator receives a request to make a financial adjustment to an award.

2. The Post-Award Administrator reviews the request and where required completes any additional require forms and collects the information needed to ensure a complete request is submitted into ����̽̽Click.

3. The Post-Award Administrator logs into ����̽̽Click; finds the ����̽̽Click - AWD and Requests an Award Modification, attaching all required information.

4. ����̽̽Click delivers the request to the assigned SPA Research Administrator for review and further processing.

5. The Post-Award Administrator coordinates with SPA, keeping investigators informed thru completion.

Our Post-Award Team will assist PIs with the business aspects of subrecipient monitoring, as noted below.

• Assist with collecting and reviewing subrecipient performance reports.
• Assist with reviewing and approving subrecipient invoices.
• Ensure problems with performance are escalated to SPA in a timely manner.
• For more details see: PI - Subrecipient Monitoring Responsibilities (PDF)

Subaward Payment Process:

1. Subrecipient invoices are delivered to spa@uvm.edu. SPA enters the invoice into the Subaward Invoice Payment Module within PeopleSoft.

2. The PI receives an automated email from the Subaward Module indicating a subaward invoice is ready for review and approval.

3. Once the PI completes the approval process, the system notifies SPA that the subaward invoice is ready for final processing.

4. Final processing includes having SPA create a voucher which releases the invoice to Disbursements. Disbursements issues payment to the Subrecipient.

5. For details see: Outgoing Subaward Invoicing and Payment Procedures (PDF)

For immediate access to PI friendly, web based, sponsored project expenditure reports, login to the PI Portal.

The PI Portal provides immediate access to chartstrings, the awarded budget, expenditures to date, payroll by name, and non-payroll expenditure details.