¶¶Òõ̽̽

¶¶Òõ̽̽ is the legal recipient of all grants and contracts made in support of sponsored projects. However, it is the Principal Investigator who initiates, oversees and develops proposals, corresponding budgets and when funded is responsible for project execution, award management, fiscal monitoring, and compliance with all rules and regulations that govern sponsored projects.

Principal Investigator responsibilities are outlined below.

• Directs the project activity being supported by the award
• Is accountable for the proper conduct of the project activity
• Appoints and manages project personnel
• Monitors sub-recipient performance
• Maintains and retains project data and materials as required
• Completes and submits on time progress and other required reports
• Initiates timely requests for prior approval for changes when required (e.g. change in scope of work, rebudgeting, or reduction in committed effort)
• Requests no-cost extensions when appropriate

• Satisfies regulatory research requirements (i.e., use of human subjects, animals, laboratory safety, etc.)
• Ensures accurate and timely effort reporting for project personnel
• Discloses conflicts of interest when required
• Ensures scientific integrity of project
• Discloses project inventions and complies with University intellectual property policy

• Develops sponsored project proposals and corresponding budgets in compliance with sponsor and University guidelines
• Coordinates collecting ¶¶Òõ̽̽ required approvals prior to proposal submission
• Assists with negotiation of award terms, as needed
• Initiates advance account request, when appropriate
• Manages project budgets, Approves expenditures
• Monitor's project expenditures to ensure all costs are allowable, reasonable, and allocable to the project to which they are charged
• Seeks prior approval for budget changes when required
• Approves outgoing subawards documents and related invoices
• Ensure compliance with any cost-share requirements
• Reviews final financial statements
• Assists with accounts receivable collections, as needed

Unit administrators provides financial, human resource, reporting and other administrative support services to the unit's Principal Investigators. Unit administrators who are performing research administration functions should have a good understanding of ¶¶Òõ̽̽, federal and other sponsor policies and regulations, policies and procedures.

Unit Administrators should take advantage of SPA’s extensive trainings in research administration. To enroll go to SPA EDU.

• Assist with the preparation of grant applications; forms, budget development or other administrative tasks related to proposal submission
• Assist with finding answers to pre and post award questions
• Assist Principal Investigator in preparation of advance account request
• Upon award notification, meets with Principal Investigator to ensure an accurate award set-up occurs
• If necessary, sets up cost share chart string with budget entry
• Works with PI to ensure salary distribution are correct and completed timely on the sponsored project and cost share activities
• Assists Principal Investigator with any recruitment efforts for personnel
• Enters requisitions for purchases
• Assists Principal Investigator with pur-card reallocations
• Assists Principal Investigator with travel and expense reports
• Makes any necessary journal entries to correct expenses on grant
• Resolves budget checking errors on sponsored projects
• Meets with Principal Investigator to review grant expenditures and effort reports
• Assists with monitoring grant expenditures
• Ninety days prior to grant expiration, meets with Principal Investigator to review spending plans to avoid any last minute changes or transfers
• Thirty days prior to grant expiration, runs Close Out report and assists in resolving any outstanding issues
• Makes necessary notifications to change any default chart-strings or move pur-card to new chart-string
• Twenty to thirty days after grant ends, runs close out report and correct any errors
• Thirty days after grant ends, lets the SPA Financial Administrator know the grant is ready for the final financial report
• Serves as resource to Principal Investigator for any financial or human resource issue

The Department Chair has a responsibility to provide some level of administrative support to its Principal Investigators and to the business of sponsored project administration.

Department Administration must exsist at some level and may include the following responsibilities:

• Establishes department procedures supporting research administration and compliance
• Assist PIs with the developement of proposal budgets
• Assist PIs with non-technical componets of a proposal submission
• Reviews and approves proposals for submission, including budget and justification
• Approves unit cost sharing and matching from unit funds
• Approves faculty commitments on all sources of support
• Manages workload plans for unit faculty
• Provides unit oversight for compliance with regulatory research requirements
• Reviews and approves the use of departmental space
• Approves pre-award arrangements and authorizes the use of unit funds for establishment of advance accounts
• Provides unit oversight for the assignment, hiring and appointment of individuals to the project
• Provides unit oversight for compliance with effort reporting and all other award terms and conditions
• Liaison with Sponsored Project Adminstration on all point above

The Dean's Office provides support and promotes a consistent approach to research administration across all the college's units.

The Dean's office has the following direct responsibilities related to sponsored projects:

• Ensure adequate support is available for research administration within the college
• Establishes college procedures that support research administration within the college 
• Approves proposal submissions on behalf of the college
• Approves college commitments for cost sharing/matching
• Reviews and approves space & facilities commitments
• Provides college oversight for compliance and regulatory research requirements, such as human and animal subjects, radiation safety, etc.
• Facilitates pre- and post-award grant administration between departments and dean's office
• Assists with compliance with technical and financial reporting, as necessary
• Conducts inquiries under Scientific Misconduct Policy
• Liaison with Sponsored Project Administration

The Vice President for Research is the University's chief official responsible for the direction, guidance and support of the University's research mission.

• Oversees the implementation of the University's strategic plan for research
• Promotes interdisciplinary research activities
• Oversees many University-wide administrative offices, compliance offices, and core facilities that make up the infrastructure supporting the University's research mission

Through the Controller, the Vice President for Finance and University Treasurer is responsible for the proper methods of accounting and internal controls for all departments of the University.

Specific responsibilities related to sponsored projects include:

• Oversees the University's effort management system
• Oversees the negotiation of the University's Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate with the cognizant federal agency

Sponsored Project Administration (SPA) provides institutional approval for all proposal submissions to external sponsors, accepts awards on behalf of ¶¶Òõ̽̽ and facilitates award administration across campus and with our sponsors. 

Specific responsibilities include:

• Reviews proposals for compliance with ¶¶Òõ̽̽ policies and sponsor proposal guidelines.
• Approves and authorizes submission of proposals on behalf of ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
• Provides policy guidance and assistance with proposal budget development, administrative forms, sponsor-required certifications and representations, and compliance requirements.
• Reviews, negotiates, and provides ¶¶Òõ̽̽ acceptance of awards in support of sponsored projects.
• Collects Principal Investigator concurrence with new award terms and conditions.
• Approves and expedites pre-award arrangements, i.e. revised budgets, sponsor requested documentation of regulatory approvals, etc.
• Coordinates with ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Innovations on negotiation and acceptance of intellectual property provisions in industry awards.
• Maintains database of University-wide proposal and award activity and provide institutional reports.
• Provides tools for electronic submission of proposals.
• Generates outgoing subawards.
• Confirms approval of regulatory compliance involving humans, animals, FCOI, export control.
• Notifies sponsors of post-award modifications approved under expanded authorities.
• Sets up and maintains award, project and contract information in financial system (PeopleSoft)
• Prepares invoices
• Draws cash from letters of credit
• Prepares interim and final financial reports
• Manages cash, including: Deposits and posts sponsor payments, Engages in accounts receivable (AR) collections.
• Reviews project financial activity for compliance with federal, sponsor, and University policies and regulations.
• Approves non-payroll cost transfer activities.
• Performs award close outs in coordination with Principal Investigator and business unit administrator.
• Completes and submit Final financial reports.
• Provides sponsored project training opportunities thru SPA.edu.
• Establishes ¶¶Òõ̽̽ sponsored project administration procedures.
• Coordinates sponsored project audit and site visit activities, including the Single Audit