As your sponsored research project gets underway, Research Administration is here to help you navigate requirements and assist with any complexities that may arise, from reporting your progress to properly documenting fabricated equipment.

Please see the sections regarding subawards, cost sharing, sponsored programs equipment and property, and transfers and terminations for additional guidance, if needed.

Award Management Lifecycle

Pre-Award Spending

There may be instances in which researchers find it necessary to incur costs prior to the effective date of an award. In such cases, there are two types of pre-award spending that can be requested.

90-Day Pre-Award Spending under Uniform Guidance

Federal grants and cooperative agreements issued under Uniform Guidance by sponsors participating in the Federal-Wide Research Terms and Conditions authorize Temple to incur Pre-Award Costs 90 calendar days prior to the award effective date.

Internal Pre-Award Spending Authorization

For awards not yet received that may be issued under Uniform Guidance or if an award would not be issued under Uniform Guidance may, under certain circumstances, request the creation of a new award in Banner Financials to incur costs prior to the receipt or execution of a new award. In such cases, all pre-award costs incurred are at the risk of the Department and must be backed up by a non-sponsored project FOAPAL.

If you would like to request 90-Day Pre-Award Spending under a Uniform Guidance award, a completed and signed Advance Account form should be submitted to Research Administration with the required information in the 90-Day Pre-Award Spending section.

Research Administration will determine if the sponsor permits 90-Day Pre-Award spending, and if it is permitted, the requested Pre-Award date will be entered in Banner Financials.

Do Not Have a FOAPAL?

If you would like to request the creation of a new Banner Financials Award prior to your award document being issued or fully executed, a completed and signed Advance Account form should be submitted to Research Administration with the required information.

Approval of the request is subject to the following conditions:

• The sponsor must allow for pre-award spending.
• A department chair or center/institute director signature and a departmental chart string are required on the Advance Account form, in addition to that of the PI or designee.
• You must also provide a written indication from the sponsor that an award is forthcoming.
• If the award is not issued or the pre-award costs are disallowed by the sponsor, any costs incurred will be transferred to the departmental chart string provided on the Advance Account form.

Please see the forms library to access the Advance Account form.

Award Negotiation and Acceptance

Research Administration is responsible for the negotiation and acceptance of sponsored awards and is the sole authorized entity to execute a sponsored project award on behalf of the University. When the sponsored award is fully executed, Research Administration will establish an award in ERA and within Banner Financials and issue the PI, Department, and any compliance office a Notice of Award checklist, along with a copy of the award document.

It is the responsibility of all parties to become familiar with the details of the award and any relevant award restrictions and requirements. In addition, all parties must ensure regulatory compliance in key areas:

• Export controls
• Responsible conduct of research
• Financial conflict of interest in research
• Human subjects research
• Animal care research
• Biosafety hazards and biosafety

Subawards

Research is collaborative environment. There may be instances where these collaborators are at other institutions/organizations and must be engaged using a subaward agreement. Depending on the sponsor, subawards need to be approved by the sponsor or internally by Temple before any subaward documents are prepared. Details on Temple's subaward process can be found on this website at Subawards.

Progress and Final Reports

During the award and at completion, Temple and the Principal Investigator must fulfill the reporting requirements outlined in the terms and conditions. This reporting is a key component of sponsored research, and it offers an opportunity for the PI to report on the progress of the proposed research.

Depending upon the type of award (grant, cooperative agreement, contract, or other transactions), reports are due on a recurring basis during the life of the award, normally within 90 days of the final expiration date for all final documents. Ultimately, it is the PI's responsibility to assure that all required technical reports have been provided in accordance with sponsor timelines, terms, and conditions. Failure to do so may result in delayed or cancelled funding, non-payment, or early termination.

Refer to your Notice of Award (NOA) and sponsored award document for complete reporting requirements, including report types, expected frequency, and recipients. If you have any questions, the Research Administration Award Management Non-Financial team may assist you.

Common Reports

Principal Investigator: Technical Reports, Project Outcomes (NSF), Public Access / PubMed (NIH)

Research Administration: Property (Equipment) Reports (to be completed by PI/Dept and approved by Research Administration), Financial Reports, Invoices

Office of Technology Commercialization and Research Administration: Intellectual Property / Invention Reports

Sponsor Prior Approval Requests

At various points in a sponsored project lifecycle, a need may arise to seek approval from the sponsor to alter the original intention of the award. These changes can include, but are not limited to:

• Change in PI/co-PI
• Addition or deletion of subawardees
• Addition of program income
• Change in scope
• Transfer of participant support costs

Research Administration can assist in securing the sponsor approval. Please complete the (Do we have a form?) form and provide the required documentation mentioned on the form and Research Administration will work with the sponsor to secure approval for the changes.

Rebudgeting Requests

As projects evolve, plans can change. If such changes result in a budget that no longer matches the latest version received by your Sponsor, you may need to submit a rebudgeting request.

Many sponsors allow flexibility in the reallocation of costs to adapt to needs of the project, so you must check the award document for guidance on sponsor requirements.

When Is a Rebudgeting Request Needed?

While individual sponsors vary in their policies on rebudgeting, a few general guidelines should be observed.

• Change in scope: On most federal awards, any rebudgeting that results in a change in the scope of the project requires sponsor prior approval.
• Budget deviations: Significant rebudgeting, such as when a single direct cost category deviates from the approved budget by 25% or more of the total obligated award amount, is a potential indicator of a change in scope, and may require Sponsor prior approval.
• Prior approval requirements: Some awards have prior approval requirements for individual direct cost items; such requirements will be indicated on the NOA. Such costs may include, equipment, subawards, participant support costs, and human subject patient costs.

If in doubt about whether sponsor approval is needed, you should consult with your Research Administration Award Management Non-Financial or Financial Team.

How Do I Submit a Request for Rebudgeting?

If you would like to submit a request for rebudgeting, you should submit an (Do we have a rebudgeting form?) form with an explanation of the changes and why they are necessary, along with an (Do we have a?) Budget Distribution form, indicating the changes to the affected cost items.

If sponsor approval is required, Research Administration after review and approval, will transmit the official request to the sponsor.

If the request is approved by the sponsor, the Research Administration Grant & Contract Specialist will revise the award budget accordingly and issue an updated NOA checklist acknowledging the approval.

Roles & Responsibilities for Rebudgeting

Department Grants Administrator

Change in Scope

• Ensure any rebudgeting that results in a change in the scope of the project receives sponsor prior approval, if required.
• Monitor project changes to identify potential scope alteration.

Budget Deviations

• Track budget deviations, especially when a single direct cost category deviates from the approved budget by 25% or more of the total obligated award amount.
• Assess whether significant budget deviations indicate a change in scope and require sponsor prior approval.

Prior Approval Requirements

• Review the Notice of Award (NOA) for any prior approval requirements for individual direct cost items.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor-specific prior approval requirements as indicated in the award document.

Consultation

• If uncertain about the need for sponsor approval, consult with your Research Administration Grant & Contract Specialist.
• Maintain open communication with Research Administration to ensure adherence to sponsor guidelines and requirements.

Research Administration (Award Management Teams in Research Administration)

Submission of Approval Requests

• Review Change Requests for rebudgeting submitted by department
• Advance to sponsor for approval or deny request based on criteria above
• Ensure all necessary documentation and justifications are included in the submission

Sponsor

Review and Approval

• Review rebudgeting requests submitted by Research Administration.
• Approve or deny requests based on compliance with award terms and conditions.

Carryover Expenses

While many sponsors allow awardees to carry forward unspent funds from one budget period to the next, certain award types have restrictions on carryover and require prior approval before such unspent funds may be used. Your Notice of Award (NOA) will indicate if approval for carryover of funds between budget periods is required. Please note that subawards are also impacted by carryover requirements. Please contact your Subaward Specialist for assistance.

Note on Sponsor Approval

In cases where sponsor approval is required, Research Administration Award Management teams may restrict the affected funds while approval is being sought, coordinate the request for approval with the department and the sponsor, and if approval is granted, authorize the continued use of the funds in Banner Financials.

No-Cost Extensions

If additional time is required to complete a sponsored project without the need for additional funds, the PI may request a no-cost extension. Expanded Authorities, which allow the University to authorize certain administrative changes to a sponsored award without prior sponsor approval, include no-cost extension requests.

See notice of award and/or sponsor guidelines for details on initiating a request. Your Award Management teams will be able to assist you.

Request an Extension

To begin a no-cost extension request, complete and submit to Research Administration, the Prior Approval Request (OPAR) Form (We need this form), found in the Forms library. Please include the original and anticipated new end date, along with the unexpended balance. The PI will be asked to certify that the extension is not being requested simply to expend unspent funds, and that the project scope will remain unchanged.