Transcript ORSP Research Updates May 20th, 2015 10:30 am IOP Auditorium Topics Covered • • • • Tuition Remission Change – Velma Stamp NIH Notices & Reminders Vendor vs.

ORSP Research Updates
May 20th, 2015
10:30 am
IOP Auditorium
Topics Covered
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Tuition Remission Change – Velma Stamp
NIH Notices & Reminders
Vendor vs. Sub-award/Importance
General Research Admin. Updates
Tuition Remission for Ph.D. Students
Policy and Procedure Changes
• What is Tuition Remission?
– Tuition paid in lieu of salary
Highlights of the Policy
• Policy is applicable to graduate students in all
colleges
• Student must be employed as a Graduate Research
Assistant (GRA)
• Teaching Assistants and Student Assistants are not
engaged directly in research activities therefore, not
eligible for Tuition Remission (may be eligible for
educational assistance or scholarships)
Highlights of the Policy
• Rate allowed each term will be determined
annually by the VP for Academic Affairs and
Provost. Current Rates:
– $1566 per fall and spring term
– $1458 for summer term
• Tuition Remission is charged monthly, based on
the student's payroll distribution
• No F&A costs charged
Tuition Remission Allowability
• Graduate Student must be in an employer-employee relationship
• Performing activities necessary to the project
• Payment includes % of time devoted to the work and
performance
• Graduate student is enrolled in an advanced degree program and
their activities are related to the program
• Compensation provided in accordance with policy and is
awarded to students performing similar sponsored and nonsponsored activities
• Graduate Student compensation being charged to federal awards
must meet funding agency’s guidelines
Authority and Accountability
• PI : Accountable for activity of Ph.D. Students on
their sponsored projects
• GCA: Authority & accountability for charges related
to this policy being charged to sponsored projects
• GCA: Must monitor tuition remission being charged
to sponsored projects
• Dept. Business Administrators: Submit names of
students to Student Accounting Office. Monitor
tuition remission and insurance being charged to
non-sponsored projects
Policy Questions
• Read the full policy and procedural steps to ensure
compliance
• Questions about charging Tuition Remission to sponsored
projects – Contact GCA
Tuition Remission Policy and Procedure can be found
here on our home page
NIH Notices
NOT-OD-15-095
• NIH may withdraw any application that is not compliant
with the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide, the Funding Opportunity Announcement, and
relevant NIH Guide Notices
• Examples of how this policy is applied to NIH applications
include but are not limited to:
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Biosketches not in the required format (NOT-OD-15-032)
Exceeding page limit requirements (NOT-OD-11-080)
Noncompliance with resubmission policy (NOT-OD-15-059)
Submitted after 5 PM local (applicant organization) time on
the application due date (NOT-OD-15-039)
NIH Notices
NOT-OD-15-098 and NOT-OD-15-099
• ASSIST support is now available for the following
programs:
– All multi-project grant programs (NOT-OD-13-075)
– Small Research Grant (R03) and Exploratory/Developmental
Grant (R21) programs (NOT-OD-15-062)
– Research Grant (R01) and Individual Career Development
Award (K, excluding KM1 and K12) programs (NOT-OD-15-098)
– NIH Research Project Cooperative Agreements (U01s) (NOTOD-15-099)
• NOTE: Use of ASSIST is optional
NIH Reminders
NOT-OD-15-085
• Reminder of new biosketch format for applications due
on/after May 25, 2015
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Biosketch FAQs
SF 424 (R&R) Forms & Instructions
SciENcv system video tutorial and user guide
NIH Podcasts
• Understanding NIH’s Biosketch Requirements (mp3 and transcript)
• Using SciENcv to Create an NIH Biosketch (mp3 and transcript)
PLEASE don’t let one of your NIH proposals get rejected due to non-compliance
with this NEW biosketch format requirement!
NIH Reminders
NOT-OD-15-088
• NIH updating accounting and business software from May 19 –
June 3, 2015
– No new/revised NoAs
– Institutions can utilize eRA Commons, xTrain, PMS
drawdowns, etc.
– NIH will not be able to process NCEs, Fellowship Activations,
Awards, or EINs
• May 23 eRA systems downtime (Saturday)
– Up to 12 hours duration
– No submissions via eRA Commons (RPPRs, FFRs, JIT, etc.)
– No submission of new applications via ASSIST
NIH Reminders
• Who needs an eRA Commons User ID?
– NOT-OD-13-097
– PIs
– PostDoctoral Researchers
– Graduate Students (1 month or more effort)
– Undergraduate Students (1 month or more effort)
– Encouraged but optional for ALL personnel listed in
the RPPR Section D - Participants
• Benefit of pre-populating data from profiles
Contractor vs. Sub-recipient
Determinations
• Sub-recipient (Sub-awardee) is “a non-Federal
entity that receives a sub-award from a passthrough entity to carry out part of a Federal
program; but does not include an individual that
is a beneficiary of such program. A sub-recipient
may also be a recipient of other Federal awards
directly from a Federal awarding entity.”
Contractor vs. Sub-recipient
Determinations
• Sub-recipient characteristics:
– Determines who is eligible to receive what federal
assistance
– Performance measured in relation to whether objectives
of federal program were met
– Has responsibility for programmatic decision making
– Responsible for adherence to applicable federal program
requirements specified in federal award
– Per the agreement, uses the federal funds to carry out a
program for public purpose specified in authorizing
statute vs. providing goods & services just benefiting pass
through entity.
Contractor vs. Sub-recipient
Determinations
• Contractor (Vendor) is an entity that receives a
contract (a legal instrument by which a nonfederal entity purchases property or services
needed to carry out the project or program under
a federal award).
Contractor vs. Sub-recipient
Determinations
• Contractor characteristics:
– Provides goods and services within normal business
operations
– Provides similar goods and services to many different
purchasers
– Normally operates in a competitive environment
– Provides goods or services that are ancillary to the
operation of the federal program
– NOT subject to the compliance requirements of the
federal program as a result of the agreement, though
similar requirements could apply for other reasons
Contractor vs. Sub-recipient
Determinations
• IMPORTANT to make correct determination
– Proposal stage (if not budgetary implications)
– Award stage (too late, but LAST chance)
– Determinations will be audited; prepare for questions
– MISTAKE$ here will be COSTLY !
– Not sure, PLEASE contact ORSP
General Updates
• Timely Reporting:
– Financial (PI, GCA and Department)
– Patent and Invention (PI, ORSP and Department)
– TECHNICAL (PI, ORSP and Department)
UG: NOW MORE FOCUS on Timely Close-outs
Agencies can and will hold other MUSC awards !
General Updates
F&A Related Reminders:
• F&A Waivers required ANYTIME proposed rate is
LOWER than MUSC’s approved rates
– KNOW “your” college’s requirements or ask ORSP
• The ACTIVITY drives the F&A rate at MUSC, NOT
the sponsor
– Corporate DOES NOT = 30% F&A rate
– Know the activity involved and the rate is simple
(On/Off Campus Caveat; mainly VA)
General Updates
• Question from April session: Do we need to update
VA MOUs on October 1st, or can we continue to
update during annual appraisals?
– MOU must always be current (not older than 1 year)
– MOUs must be updated when changes occur with the FTE
split (research, patient care, teaching), regardless of
frequency
– Could be updated only once per year; or more depending
on situation
• VA prefers all ANNUAL MOU updates completed by October
• Processing delays can delay awards
General Updates
• Standard Terms & Conditions Update:
– Timetable late summer and federal FY 17
– So far nothing too alarming; No-cost extension note
– Progress reports deemed adequate for
demonstrating progress towards goals & objectives of
the project, a UG REQUIREMENT.
• MUSC IDEA Program Announcement
– Next 9 week course approximately 8/4/15 – 9/29/15
– Must completed application by 5:00 PM on 6/1/15
THANK YOU
• Questions/Comments?
• PLEASE complete a survey & THANK YOU
• Next ORSP Information Session:
June 17th, 2015 @ 10:30 am, IOP Auditorium