Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A)
Purpose
This rule establishes the university's
process for identifying unrestricted residual funds from sponsored programs and
outlines the process for moving them out of their original restricted index.
This rule is designed to assure that unrestricted residual funds from sponsored
programs are used to advance the university's mission and is intended to help
principal investigators avoid conflicts of interest.
(B)
Scope
This rule applies to all sponsored
programs proposed on or after July 1, 2011.
(C)
Definitions
Consult rule 3349 7 01 of the
Administrative Code.
(1)
"Designated Residual Funds Index" refers to an index
that is set up when there are residual funds related to a sponsored program.
The fund manager of the index will be the principal investigator. The
availability of these funds will not expire during the principal investigator's
employment at university. This index will be subject to all university
guidelines, policies and procedures.
(2)
"Fixed Price
Agreement" refers to an agreement in which the sponsor states that a set dollar
amount will be given in exchange for a specific deliverable(s).
(3)
"Principal
Investigator" refers to the faculty or staff member designated by the sponsor
to have the appropriate level of authority and responsibility to direct the
project or program supported by the grant.
(4)
"Restricted
Index" an index set up to track revenue and expenses for a specific project or
purpose that is funded by an external entity (sponsor) and is subject to terms
and conditions set by said entity.
(5)
"Sponsor" for the
purposes of this rule, refers to an entity that awards funding for a specific
purpose.
(6)
"Sponsored Program" refers to an award funded via a
grant, contract, cooperative agreement or subcontract from a federal, state or
local government entity, the private sector, or an institution of higher
education, whereby the university agrees to perform a certain scope of work, in
accordance with terms and conditions set by the sponsor, for specific, budgeted
monetary compensation.
(7)
"Unrestricted Residual Funds" refers to an unobligated
balance in a sponsored program award at the time of closeout that is not
required to be returned to the sponsor. These funds are no longer considered
funds of the sponsored program and as such will not follow sponsored program
policies, but will still need to be spent in accordance with all applicable
university policies and procedures.
(D)
Body of the
rule
Unrestricted residual funds resulting
from a sponsored program award will be made available to the award's principal
investigator by transferring the funds to a designated residual funds index
when all of the following criteria are met:
(1)
All terms and
conditions of the award (including all deliverables) have been
fulfilled;
(2)
All expenses related to the project (except approved
cost share) have been charged to the sponsored program;
(3)
The sponsor has
paid the university in full;
(4)
The university
has been reimbursed for the total maximum facilities and administrative
("F&A")(indirect) costs related to the project;
(5)
Awards with
unrestricted residual funds in excess of twenty per cent of the total amount
awarded must be approved by the office of research and sponsored
programs.
(E)
Responsibilities
(1)
Principal
investigator ensures that all terms and conditions are met, all deliverables
are provided and that all appropriate expenses are charged to the sponsored
program index and that any funds transferred into a designated residual funds
index will be spent to support the principal investigator's research or
scholarly activities, teaching, or service as applicable.
(2)
Grants accounting
ensures that the sponsor has paid the university in full and that the
university has recovered its maximum indirect costs. "F&A" (indirect) costs
will be calculated based off of the total award budget at the residual funds
rate determined by the office of research and sponsored programs when the fixed
price of agreement was executed. Grants accounting will send a request of
review to the office of research and sponsored programs when unrestricted
residual funds are in excess of twenty per cent of the total amount awarded. If
approved, grants accounting will initiate all necessary transfers. If not
approved, grants accounting will return the remaining funds to the
sponsor.
(3)
Office of research and sponsored programs establishes
the "F&A" rate at which indirect costs will be charged if there are
unrestricted residual funds remaining at the end of the fixed price award.
Reviews restricted indexes where unrestricted residual funds are in excess of
twenty per cent of the total amount awarded to ensure that the university is
complying with applicable regulations and internal procedures, which include
consistency in budgeting costs, cost shared expenses, and possible changes in
scope.