Financial Services and the Office of Grants and Contracts

For questions related to the Federal Transition, please visit the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

POST AWARD

Cost Share Beware

OGC is engaged in a process improvement project related to cost share routing and award processes along with the amount of cost share in which our institution engages in. As part of these efforts, we are gathering information from stakeholders regarding the cost share process. During May you should have received emails requesting you complete a survey. 

We would like to get a fair number of responses and are not to those goals yet. Therefore, we have extended the due date to 6/30/2025 and as that you please take the time to complete the “OGC Cost Share Beware” survey. (Note: The Survey only takes about 3-5 min.)  

The first email was sent 05/16/2025 and a reminder one was sent 05/28/2025.  There will be another reminder survey email going out soon.  If you did not or do not see the email and have time to help us please check clutter. 

Please see survey email example below, where you will find a direct link to complete the survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated!

PRE AWARD

NIH Announces Major Change to Foreign Subawards: What You Need to Know 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a significant change affecting all NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards, with implementation beginning May 1, 2025. Under the new guidance, NIH will no longer allow new or renewed foreign subawards under prime recipient awards. Instead, NIH is temporarily pausing foreign subawards while it develops a new framework, NIH expects to launch in September 2025. 

What This Means for You 

If you currently have a foreign subaward listed in an upcoming Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), this policy change may impact your ability to proceed under existing arrangements. As a first step, we strongly encourage you to contact your NIH Program Officer (PO) to discuss your specific situation. In the meantime, below are some potential options investigators may consider when revising their proposals or RPPRs: 

Options 

1. Remove the Foreign Subaward 
   Update your proposal’s scope of work (SOW) to reflect the change. 

2. Convert to a Foreign Consultant 
   You may be able to revise the relationship to a consultant, only if the entity meets NIH’s definition of a consultant (i.e., provides expert advice but does not perform programmatic decision-making). 
   

    

   Important Considerations: 

• If uncertain, please consult Thomas Keith before proceeding. 
• NIH is expected to closely review such changes, and there is uncertainty about whether this will trigger additional foreign component review or delay RPPR approval. 
• This change may impact F&A rates and require budget modifications or prior approval. 

3. Identify a U.S.-Based Subawardee 
   Another option is to shift the work to a domestic subrecipient capable of handling the foreign work. While NIH hasn’t explicitly endorsed this solution, it is not currently prohibited. 

4. Keep the Foreign Subaward 
   This approach carries high risk and should only be pursued with direct guidance and approval from your NIH Program Officer. 

We recognize these changes present challenges. If you have questions about your foreign subaward, please reach out to Xenia at [email protected]. For the latest updates, visit NIH’s official announcement: NIH News: Foreign Subaward Structure Update.

FISCAL COMPLIANCE & TRAINING

Fiscal Compliance Sponsored Project Training Program – Fall 2025 

Fiscal Compliance is pleased to announce that registration for the sponsored projects training courses for Fall 2025 is now open in SkillSoft Percipio. The courses will be offered via Zoom and are open to all employees. These courses are particularly recommended for new employees at the University and for employees new to sponsored research.  

Course information can be found on the Fiscal Compliance Training website.  

Registration, course descriptions, and time and date offerings for each course are found on SkillSoft. If you have questions about how to register, you can visit the Skillsoft Percipio Learner’s Guide. Pages 4 and 5 of the guide provide instructions on how to find and register for a course.

Additionally, individual or small group training courses are also available upon request. Please feel free to email Shane Jernigan ([email protected]) if you have questions about the sponsored training program.  

Certified Research Administrator (CRA) Exam Prep-Course 

The University provides a free 14-week CRA exam prep course available to all employees. The course will begin in July and end shortly before the testing window in November. Since the University began the prep course, all employees who have completed the course and sat for the exam have passed. 

Passing the CRA exam is a significant achievement and demonstrates an individual’s mastery of a wide body of knowledge in research administration. The CRA exam is a national standardized exam that is offered twice a year, generally in May and November. Additional information about the CRA exam can be found on the Research Administrator Certification Council (RACC) website.  

If you are interested in the training course, or have any questions, please feel free to email Shane Jernigan.  

Sponsored Project Handbook – GO LIVE on July 1, 2025 

The new sponsored project policy and handbook structure will go live on July 1, 2025. Earlier this month an OGC Team Talk was held to discuss the project, changes, and resources available.  

To view the recorded session, please follow this Link directly to the recording and if needed use passcode kzN5h%2A and fast forward to the 4:40 mark. Please  email us if you have trouble accessing the presentation video or document. 

Questions? Please visit the Sponsored Project Handbook project website, join us for virtual office hours on the first and third Monday of each month, or reach directly out to Shane Jernigan at [email protected].  

OGC TEAM TALKS

No Team Talks in July for Fiscal Year end.

As this fiscal year end comes to a close, the Office of Grants and Contracts would like to thank all our partners for your hard work and contributions to the administration of sponsored projects. We look forward to a successful year-end close and an exciting new year to come.

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