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FAQs - Postaward
What is the definition of a Sponsored Program?
A Sponsored Program is any externally funded grant, contract or cooperative agreement in which the sponsor requires financial reporting, invoicing or auditing. All government awards are considered Sponsored Programs as well as many corporate and foundation awards. If you have difficulty in interpreting whether an award is a gift or a Sponsored Program, please contact OSP.
Which award documents must OSP review and sign?
OSP must sign award documents if the sponsor requires financial reporting, invoicing or auditing. OSP is the "business office" or the "authorized institutional representative."
What do I do with checks received in my department?
Checks received in a department as payment for sponsored projects should be hand carried to OSP or to the Sponsored Accounting Office (SAO). Please include any documentation or notes received from the sponsor that indicate the sponsor's account number.
How do I know if OSP has set up an account for my grant?
When a new award is set up in the University's financial system, OSP will send a Sponsored Programs Action Notice (SPAN) to the Principal Investigator (PI) and Department Administrator. A copy of the sponsor's award letter will accompany the SPAN. If a PI receives a SPAN, his or her account is active and expenses can be charged to that account even if the account has a $0 budget.
Why does the SPAN appear to have too little indirect costs?
The SPAN shows the detailed budget that was approved by the sponsor. The SPAN budget may be confusing because the indirect cost amount cannot always be calculated simply by multiplying the direct cost base by the indirect cost percentage. This is because most proposals contain excluded budget items listed previously. If you have questions on the SPAN calculation, please refer to the proposal budget to verify that the calculation is correct. Additional questions should be directed to the OSP Administrator assigned to your department.
What is the balance on my RX account?
How can I obtain electronic access to view my account budgets?
Am I permitted to rebudget funds on my project?
Sponsors differ in their flexibility to rebudget funds. For example, government sponsors typically permit flexibility in rebudgeting as long as the rebudget does not represent a change in scope. Foundation and corporate sponsors may permit rebudgeting of 10% of total costs or 10% of a particular budget line. Click here to send an electronic Request for Rebudget to the Office of Sponsored Programs .
When I travel on a U.S. Government funded grant, may I use a foreign airline?
Use of foreign airlines is not permitted on U.S. Government funded grants unless you are flying the foreign airline through a "code-share" agreement. When flying under the "code-share" rule, use of a foreign carrier is permitted provided that the traveler is ticketed through to his or her destination on the U.S. flag carrier. If any portion of the expense will be charged to a federal grant, the traveler must be ticketed on the U.S. flag carrier.
The Fly America Act requires the use of U.S. flag carriers on each portion of the route where a U.S. flag carrier provides service even though flying on U.S. flag carriers can be substantially more expensive then flying on foreign carriers. The intent of the passage of the Fly America Act is to encourage use of U.S. flag carriers when traveling on "U.S. Government business" and the federal agencies are not sympathetic to the price differentials offered by foreign carriers.
How do I apply for a no-cost extension?
A no-cost extension is an extension of time beyond the current project period's end date in order to complete the scope of work on the project. Click here to submit an electronic Request for a No-Cost Extension to the Office of Sponsored Programs .
Please note that on NSF grants, when a no-cost extension is implemented, the final report that was due at the end of the grant is converted to an annual report so a technical report at the time the no-cost extension is processed.
Who can I contact with questions concerning my Funded Research Incentive Program GD account?
You can contact Mary Schmiedel, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs at 7-3911.
How do I charge expenses or transfer expenses to an RX cost center?
Expenses are charges to an RX cost center in the same manner that you would charge expenses to your department's cost centers. RX centers differ only in the method in which non-payroll expenses are transferred on to or off of the account. Non-payroll transfers must be done using a Cost Transfer Form. Journal Vouchers cannot be used to transfer non-payroll expenses on RX centers. Additional guidance may be found at the Sponsored Accounting Office's website.
May I hire a graduate student for the summer when the student has just graduated in May?
You may hire a graduate student in the summer as a regular employee but not as a "student employee." In the payroll system, a "student employee" is defined as a student in a degree-seeking program maintaining at least 12 credit hours per semester. Please note that the fringe benefit rate for regular employees depends on whether he/she has a full time, part-time or temporary status.
May I charge my RX account for the cost of a background check on a new hire?
Background checks are required now for most new hires regardless of whether they are charged to an RX cost center or a University cost center. As a result, these expenses may not be charged to the RX cost center. Faculty are permitted to charge these expenses to their GD 9XX account. an allowable cost on RX accounts provided that both of the following criteria are fulfilled: 1) the person subject to the background check is filling a position that was listed as key personnel in the proposal budget; and 2) the position being filled is classified as a term position funded 100% by the RX account.
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