Members of the WVU Research Office Leadership Team sent the following letter to those in the University research community Wednesday (Feb. 12).
Dear Colleagues,
Recent federal directives and policy changes are impacting research across the country. The following information is provided as overall best practice, but a few key points are specific to recent activity related to sponsored awards from the National Institutes of Health.
We are asking that Principal Investigators or designees work with your chief business officers (CBO) and research administration teams to complete the following steps in planning and managing your sponsored research activity, keeping in mind that much of the following guidance is always good practice.
1. Proposal submissions — Please continue to plan and prepare your sponsored research proposals based on the most recent solicitations and posted funding mechanisms available. Be sure to sign up for any sponsor’s listservs, so you can remain aware of any changes in real time.
For proposals due to NIH after Feb. 10, submit the budget with the existing rates and include the following statement in the budget justification: “West Virginia University and West Virginia University Research Corporation will comply with applicable law and guidance governing indirect cost rates upon award.”
Should the 15% cap persist, we are already developing guidance in those instances and details will be shared at that time. It is prudent to prepare backup budget scenarios in case a 15% indirect cost cap remains.
2. Award management — We advise careful financial management of all award activities.
Principal Investigators should focus on planned expenditures and work closely with your CBO to ensure that award expenditures are posted in a timely manner. CBOs should review the monthly financial reports shared with principal investigators and grant support teams in their unit. If you are not receiving monthly reports, please contact the Shared Services Center to request them.
It is critical to review encumbrances in addition to expenditures and compare them to budget. Encumbrances are amounts earmarked to be spent on the award. They are not expensed until a financial transaction occurs.For example, a payroll is processed, or contracts or equipment invoices are approved AND received upon in our WVU Mountaineer Marketplace system. If an encumbrance balance remains but it should have been cleared to become an expenditure, please work with your CBO to update the process.
3. No-cost extensions — It is critical to manage your project with the expectation that the period of performance at the time of the award will not be modified. Please do not assume that a no-cost extension will be granted by the sponsor.
4. Facilities and administrative costs requests — Please be advised that the University will not consider requests for reduced or waived facilities and administration costs.
5. Awards within six months of completion — Financial Management and Sponsored Project Accounting will send a list of open awards with periods of performance that have expired or will expire within six months to your unit’s dean and CBO this week. These awards should be prioritized to ensure that all transactions are completed within the budget period. The Financial Management and Sponsored Project Accounting Team will continue to work to ensure that transactions are posted, and timely invoicing and sponsor payments continue to flow during the final months of the awards. Principal Investigators or designees need to ensure that transactions are posted appropriately and as expected.
The Research Office has launched a webpage to provide updates and information regarding recent federal executive orders. If you have questions, please contact OSP_Help@mail.wvu.edu.
For financial transaction reporting or billing support, please contact SharedServices@mail.wvu.edu.
We understand that research is central to the West Virginia University mission and our collective goal is that we continue to positively serve our students, state, and society.
Sincerely,
WVU Research Office Leadership Team