Research and Sponsored Projects Manual (RSP)

Revised: 3/1/2005

RSP 501: Establishment of a Sponsored Project Account

1. Review the award documents, attachments, and proposal file to assure that the award is in compliance with appropriate regulations and that technical reporting requirements are acceptable.
2. Negotiate changes as needed.
3. Obtain principal investigator’s (PI’s) approval to accept the award.
4. Discuss with the principal investigator any special limitation and reporting requirements required by the sponsor.
5. Obtain signature from an authorized official of the university when required.
6. Obtain agency/org number from Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA) and prepare Sponsored Project Award Notice and associated activation materials.
7. Forward Sponsored Project Award Notice and supporting materials and proposal to the Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration central administration unit for data input and routing to GCA.

8. Review the activation package for completeness and accuracy.
9. Establish the agency/org in the university financial system.
10. Send request to Financial Services to establish the principal investigator as agency/org manager.
11. Send the Sponsored Project Award Notice, copy of the award document, terms and conditions, and other supporting materials to the:
    
    1. principal investigator(s)
    2. department chair(s)
    3. dean(s)

       and

    4. other designated individuals.

12. Review notices and supporting materials. Contact the sponsored projects officer to discuss any special limitations, documentation requirements for deliverables, reporting requirements, and any other items of concern.
13. Complete necessary authorization forms to establish new agency/org managers and/or authorized signers. Sign the signature cards and return them to Financial Services. (For further information and sample forms, see the Financial Services Policies and Procedures Manual—FIN 202, “Establishment of Agency/Orgs.”)
14. Initiate payroll actions (where appropriate) for any faculty, staff, or students who will be employed on the project and process all necessary purchasing documents to begin work.

1. Initiate a request for establishment of a sponsored project agency/org by writing a Request to Establish an At-Risk Account Memorandum to the sponsored projects officer assigned to the academic unit.
2. Obtain the agency/org manager signature for the guarantee agency/org.

3. Note:

   This signature guarantees the costs will be covered if: the award does not come through or the pre-award costs are not allowable under the terms of the award agreement.

3. Review budget request for 301b and departmental guarantee to ensure that the proper authority to set up agency/org exists and that costs are allowable.
4. Confirm project status with sponsor and document recommendation.
5. Obtain agency/org number from Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA) and prepare a Sponsored Project Pre-award Notice. Attach appropriate backup and forward to the Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration central administration unit for data input and routing to GCA.

6. Establish the agency/org in the university financial system.
7. Send request to Financial Services to have principal investigator set up as agency/org manager.
8. Distribute Sponsored Projects Pre-award Notice and supporting materials to:
   
   1. principal investigator(s)
   2. department chair(s)
   3. dean(s)

      and

   4. other designated individuals.

9. Return the Request to Establish an At-Risk Account Memorandum to the principal investigator.
10. Discuss with the principal investigator options available to meet the immediate needs of the project.