Life Cycle of an Award

1. Life Cycle of an Award

2. Start to Finish

3. Idea • Where do I find funding opportunities? • Who do I talk to about my idea? • When is it appropriate to contact the sponsor with my idea? • What do I do with my idea?

4. Finding Funding • Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) • Dr. Teresa Gammill: tgammill@research.msstate.edu or 662.325.3570 • ORED website: www.research.msstate.edu

5. Finding Funding cont… • ORED Responsibilities for Sponsored Projects • Limited Submissions • Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training • Research Seminar Series and Videos • Funding Opportunities

6. Finding Funding cont… • Who to talk to about your idea: • Department Head • ORED • Sponsor Agency Program Officer (especially if idea is unsolicited)

7. Contacting the Sponsor • Program Officers can advise you in the following areas: • Sponsor’s potential interest in your research area • Potential application areas/topics • Appropriate FOA (funding opportunity announcement) through which to apply • Topics of interest/new scientific directions of Investigator-initiated research

8. Contacting the Sponsor cont… • Additional information such as applications or program announcements • Special requirements (IRB, IACUC, etc…) • Study section to request in your cover letter

9. Program Officer Do’s and Dont’s • Don’t • Contact PO just to “chat” • Call cold-call unless your question is very simple or you need confirmation of guideline requirements • Pester them

10. Program Officer Do’s and Don’ts • Do • Most importantly, do your homework • Be as specific as possible in your request • When in doubt, ask!

11. What do I do now? • Take advice from program officer and find specific FOA, RFP, etc…in which to apply • Read and understand guidelines and application package • Give guidelines and application package to business manager • Discuss application with Department Head

12. Proposal • When do I notify my administrator of an upcoming proposal? • What is the deadline for getting my proposal package to my administrator for submission? • How is my proposal submitted? • Who has signature authority? • What happens after my administrator receives my completed proposal package? • When will I find out if my proposal was awarded?

13. When and Why to Contact your SPAdmin Administrator • As Soon As Possible!!! • Send important paperwork (RFP, emails from Program Officers, etc…) • Big deadlines require help of entire office

14. Suggested Proposal Timeline • 10 Days Prior to Submission Deadline • Send RFP to SPAdmin Administrator, your business manager and Dean/Director for review • 5 Days Prior to Submission Deadline • Send budget & budget justification to SPAdmin Administrator, your business manager and Dean/Director for review • Start Routing IAS • 3 days Prior to Submission Deadline • Send FINAL Proposal to SPAdmin for review and submission • (http://www.policies.msstate.edu/policypdfs/7001.pdf )

15. Submission Portals • Grants.gov • Many sponsors use this portal • Will be sent in Adobe Package • Download from www.grants.gov • Very important to send package early • Fastlane • NSF submission portal • Goes straight to NSF • User friendly

16. Submission Portals cont…. • Cayuse 424 • System to system submission portal that goes straight to sponsor • SPAdmin will train on how to use • Penny French: pfrench@spa.msstate.edu 325-2490 • Individual sponsor portals (email, etc…) • Check guidelines for submission information • Can require extra copies as well

17. Signature Authority • Jennifer Easley, Director, Sponsored Programs Administration • PI does not have signature authority • Document available to show signature authority if needed by sponsor

18. SPAdmin Review Procedure • SPAdmin Proposal Review • Check salaries, budget and budget justification • Review and check total package for errors • Call or send email about needed corrections • Double check with PI/department that proposal is ready to be submitted • Send confirmation emails to PI from sponsor as received

19. When Will I Know? • Sponsors differ in ways PI’s are notified of award • May not always get denial notification • Could take up to 6 months or longer • If you receive an award… • Send to SPAdmin ASAP • Also send copy to your business manager • Make sure all special approvals received (IRB, IACUC, etc…)

20. Award • What happens when SPAdmin receives my award? • When do I need to get my Compliance approvals? • What happens when SPAdmin tells me that the award is being negotiated? • What happens after the award is signed and accepted by MSU?

21. SPAdmin Has My Award • What will SPAdmin do with my award? • Read through and make sure no changes are needed • May need to negotiate terms with sponsor (send to legal,etc…) • Make sure all attachments and forms received with award

22. Compliance Approvals • IRB, IACUC, Security, Biohazard Safety, etc…(http://orc.msstate.edu/) • Office of Research Security (http://ors.msstate.edu ) • Need to get approvals at time that you know the award is coming • Can hold up award and PAR cannot be issued until approvals received • SPAdmin cannot award a project until all approvals have been received

23. What Do You Mean “Negotiate”? • SPAdmin must make sure that all language is acceptable to MSU in order to protect MSU and the PI • Cannot accept some terms such as governing law in another state • Will talk to sponsor about removing or changing such clauses • Could possibly take a while depending on sponsor

24. My Award is Signed! Now What? • SPAdmin will put together the award package (IAS, revised budget, award, proposal, approvals) • Awards in Banner and prints cover sheet for package • Sends to SPAcctg for fund set up

25. Post-Award SPAcctg. • When will I receive a fund number for my new award? • What is a cost share fund? • What is a child fund? • Who pays the bills?

26. I Need a Fund Number • SPAdmin will send award to SPAcctg to set up fund number • SPAcctg will check award • Any questions go back to SPAdmin or department for clarification • May take up to 2 weeks to get fund number

27. Fund Number cont…. • Can set up PAR (preliminary account request) • Must fill out PAR form on SPAdmin website (http://spa.msstate.edu/pdf/PAR.pdf) • Must attach budget and have signed by PI, Department Head and Dean • Can get PAR if there is a guarantee of funding from sponsor • Cannot get PAR unless all special approvals received (IRB, IACUC, etc…)

28. Cost Share Fund • Set up when actual cost share required by sponsor or mentioned in proposal by PI • Fund starts with 80 and mirrors the last 4 numbers of the 30 fund • Captures actual cost share accrued on project • Must be captured during the current fiscal year

29. Child Funds • Fund set up to separate part of Parent fund for different or same department • Has own budget • Usually requested at time of proposal on IAS • Set up when Parent fund awarded • Can request Child fund on award later during project using Child Fund form (http://spa.msstate.edu/forms/pdfs/ReqforChildFund.pdf)

30. How the Money Comes from Sponsor • SPAcctg processes most invoices to the sponsor according to the terms of the award (monthly, quarterly, etc…) • SPAcctg makes draw downs from feds, invoices State and private sponsors • Department sometimes invoices • SPAcctg houses collections person that collects past due invoices • Sent to Legal for collection after certain time period

31. Post-Award SPAdmin. • PI change • No Cost Extension • Budget revision • All prior approvals • Transfers

32. Award Closeout • What happens when my grant/contract ends? • What happens if I overspend on my fund or I charge items to the fund? • Who sends the final reports? • What if my fund has a balance (positive or negative) at the end of the project? • What happens to the equipment I purchased for my project? • What happens if my reports are late?

33. My Project is Completed • Sponsor will ask for close-out information • Final reports • Invention Statement • Equipment • SPAdmin. coordinates information • SPAcctg will contact you for final expenses • Make sure all expenses are in correct category on correct project • All cost share has been accounted for

34. Final Reports • SPAcctg – Final invoice and financial report • PI – Final technical report • SPAdmin – invention and equipment

35. Fund Balance • If award is cost reimbursable: • Remaining funds are deobligated back to sponsor • If award is fixed price: • Residual balance at end of project after University recovers 100% F&A • Any waived F&A up to federally negotiated rate will be recovered • If less than $100, transfer residual to department’s designated residual fund

36. Fund Balance cont… • Exceeds $100, SPAcctg sends email to budget manager/PI requesting Certification of Expenditures (COE) identifying which fund to transfer residual balance to • If fund not identified within 90 calendar days of initial request, residual balance may be appropriated by university and used for institutional needs • If balance greater than 25% of award amount at end of project, PI must provide justification approved by appropriate VP. If cannot be adequately justified, may be transferred to appropriate Vice President http://www.policies.msstate.edu/policypdfs/6105.pdf

37. Project Equipment • Title to equipment listed in award or asked of sponsor at time of award • SPAdmin will send disposition paperwork to sponsor • If MSU Title, equipment kept by PI/Department with understanding of what property will be used for • OMB Circular A-21, Section J. 18: any article of nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the institution for financial Statement purposes or $5,000

38. Late Reports • Due dates listed in award • Could keep PI and MSU from receiving further funding from sponsor • Hold on final payment

39. Record Keeping • SPAcctg official record keeper for central files (not department files or property records) • Department is official record keeper for project file • Check award for how long records should be kept • Usually 3-5 years after date of final financial report of project • Property usually 3 years after final disposition • PI/Department should keep very detailed paperwork during project and DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT!!!!

40. What if I Get Audited? • Contact Internal Audit, SPAdmin and SPAcctg asap • Internal audit and SPAcctg will help pull information • PI should meet with internal audit before sponsor arrives • Meet with sponsor and provide requested information but nothing extra • Notify IA, SPAdmin and SPAcctg of any findings • IA, SPAdmin and SPAcctg will help to clear findings

41. Process

42. Process cont.

43. Remember……………. Money won't buy happiness, but it will pay the salaries of a large research staff to study the problem. (via Brainy Quote)"Bill Vaughan

44. Questions?

45. Contact Information SPAdmin: LeLe Newell lnewell@spa.msstate.edu 325.7396 SPAccounting: Jonathan Tucker jtucker@controller.msstate.edu 325-3513 Kate Teasler kteasler@contoller.msstate.edu 325-1921 Internal Audit: Melanie Honeycutt mhoneycutt@audit.msstate.edu 325-7353