Sponsored projects are awarded to the University and assigned to a principal investigator (PI) who is accountable to the sponsor for the proper conduct of the project or activity. A PI’s responsibilities include actively monitoring of day-to-day business and monitoring spending. Maintaining trust between sponsors, the University and the public is based in part on responsible use of award funds. Future awards, the reputation of the university and the investigator and avoidance of penalties may depend on the quality of management.
Award Monitoring & Oversight
a. Roles and Responsibilities – Grant and Contract Accounts at the UW-Madison are monitored by a combination of the Principal Investigator, the departmental or lab administrator, the Dean’s office (often both pre-award and post-award), and Research and Sponsored Programs. The PRIMARY responsibility for various functions is extrapolated from the Roles and Responsibilities document.
b. No Cost Extensions – A no cost extension extends the project period beyond the original project end date. As the phrase “no cost” suggests, there is no additional funding.
c. Cost Transfer Policy – There are circumstances in which it may be necessary to transfer expenditures to a sponsored project subsequent to the initial recording of the charge. Those transactions require monitoring for compliance with UW policy, Federal regulations, sponsor specific guidelines, and the cost principles that underlie fiscal activities on sponsored projects.
d. Cost Share Policy – Generally, the University’s policy is to minimize institutional and third party cost sharing on sponsored projects. Cost sharing may be allowed when it is mandated by the sponsoring agency or when it is necessary to reflect accurately the resources that must be expended to accomplish the project objectives.
e. ECC and Payroll Certification – Payroll compensation must be reported and certified for all individuals who receive salary support from a sponsored project or who expend commitments on a sponsored project regardless of receiving salary support from the sponsor.
f. Outgoing Subawards – Faculty and staff often find that their research and other projects can be enhanced by partnering with other institutions on extramural funded projects. When the partnering institution provides a significant portion of the programmatic effort and exercises independent responsibility for programmatic decisions, this partnership usually takes the form of a subaward.
g. Guidance for the Purchase of Personal Computers and Electronic Devices on Sponsored Projects – Guide regarding the purchase of basic electronic tools with funds from sponsored projects. Recent changes in Federal regulations make computing devices allowable as direct costs on Federal awards if they meet certain conditions.
h. CoE Faculty Offboarding Procedure – Offboarding Workbook & Faculty Departure Checklist