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Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Post Award Procedures
Assignment of Account
Numbers
Communication of Award
Employment of Personnel
on Externally Funded Projects
Purchasing
Travel
Project Administration
Changes to a Project
Reports
Faculty/Staff
Termination of Institutional Association
Assignment of Account Numbers
Once the original Notice of Award or a contract has been received,
reviewed, and approved, ORSP will review the pending file to ensure that
all requirements for initiating project activities have been met. If
this is not the case, the PI/PD will be contacted to provide the
required information or documentation and there will be a delay in the
establishment of the account. If the file is complete, ORSP will
submit a "Request for Account Establishment" to the Finance and
Administration Division
Office of Grants and Contracts (G&C). It is this office that will establish an account for the project
award and a match account if cost sharing has been included in the
proposal.
These accounts are established to maintain and administer funds based
on the terms of the award document. Accounts are maintained in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The
awarded budget provides the basis for allowable expenditures.
The authorization and expenditure of funds is determined by the
applicable federal or state regulations, the requirements of the source
of funds, and the institutional rules and procedures governing
expenditures. In the course of a project, the PI/PD may wish to
make an expenditure that is not specifically authorized in the award
document. The Grants and Contracts Office can assist in determining
whether or not a sponsor approved budget revision would be required in
order to make the expenditure. Budget revisions requiring sponsor and/or
institutional approval must be submitted to the ORSP.
PI/PDs are responsible for reviewing agency and program guidelines
relating to their grants and ensuring that all expenditures are directly
related to and necessary for the successful completion of the project.
The Finance and Administration office of Grants and Contracts (G&C)
determines the allowability of cost items for expenditure.
Communication of Award
A congratulatory email is sent to the PI/PD on receipt of
award. Copies of this notification will be
sent, to the PI/PD and the department responsible person, chair,
dean, Public Affairs, Provost, President and Associate Vice President
for Academic Affairs. The Contracts and Grants Office will
create and account and notify ORSP of the account number. The Grants
and Contracts Office then emails the account number to ORSP. The Grants
Accountant makes a Project Summary form that tells the PI/PD the account
number and what is expected from them (use of money, and reports) during
the project. This Project Summary is then emailed to the PI/PD, chair,
responsible person and dean.
Employment of Personnel on
Externally Funded Projects
To initiate the employment of faculty, staff, or graduate
students, the P1/PD must consult with the Director of Personnel.
Once the position has been filled or a current employee has been
assigned, a "Request for Form 500" or Employee Payroll Action
(EPA) must be completed and routed
through the appropriate Department Chair, College Dean, and Provost
for approval and required authorization. If a graduate student’s
salary is funded entirely by sponsored funds, the Form 500/EPA does not
require approval by the Provost or College Dean and should be sent
directly to Grants and Contracts following the approvals by the department chair. To
initiate the employment or assignment of an undergraduate student
worker, the PI/PD must consult with the Office of Student Financial
Aid Services.
Purchasing
The university’s procurement procedures are subject to a complex
set of state and federal Statutes, Texas A&M University System
Policies and Regulations, Texas A&M University-Kingsville rules, and
in the case of research agreements, sponsor contractual conditions.
The University has developed specific procedures to assist
researchers in expediting the delivery of goods and services.
Procurement Procedures can be found in the Procurement Manual,
copies of which are available in each department. All Principal
Investigators, Projector Directors, or other faculty and staff
involved in externally funded projects are encouraged to visit the
Office of Procurement and General Services to discuss procurement
needs and to come to a better understanding of how the system works.
Procurement Manual
Travel
Reimbursement: Reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by faculty, staff, and
graduate students on externally funded projects follows the
guidelines set forth in the at
the State Comptroller website. (State of
Texas Travel Allowance Guide) Completed travel vouchers
should be approved and signed by the individual and appropriate
supervisor and forwarded to the Business Office for processing.
Travel expenditures incurred by undergraduate students is reimbursed
with a Departmental Requisition Form. Prior to initiating travel
arrangements, the PI/PD should review the grant or contract
conditions for any travel restrictions. Further, the PI/PD should
verify the existing status of the account to determine if sufficient
funds are available for travel. Maximum reimbursement rates for state and federal travel (meals
and lodging) can be found at this web site:
reimbursement rates.
If the destination city is not listed in this document, use
another city in the same county. If the county is not listed, use
the rate given as the median rate for the destination state. Grant
accounts cannot be used to reimburse travel expenses for amounts
exceeding the amounts listed unless the account is from a non-state
agency (i.e. private, foundation or federal funds) and the original
grant proposal contained a statement in the budget justification
section allowing expenses exceeding state maximums, such as "State
guidelines will apply for travel reimbursement rates unless actual
costs exceed state limits. If actual costs exceed state limits,
actual costs will be used for reimbursement purposes." When claiming reimbursement for travel costs exceeding state
limits, a travel voucher is used to claim reimbursement up to the
state limit. A requisition must be submitted to claim reimbursement
for the amount exceeding the state limit.
To determine the official distance between two cities (for
calculating mileage) see:
Texas
Mileage Guide.
Here is also a helpful checklist developed by Finance and
Administration:
Travel Reimbursement Checklist
Meals: Meals reimbursement requests should be for actual expenses up to
the maximum allowed. Receipts are not required for meal expenses.
TAMUK does not reimburse for meal expenses if the travel did not
include an overnight stay. Travelers may claim the meal expense
reimbursement for both the day before and the day after an overnight
stay based on actual meal expenses related to travel up to the
maximum allowed regardless of the time the traveler departed from
and returned to Kingsville.
Approvals: All university travelers are required to receive their
administrators’ approval prior to travel. Such approval is requested
with the form "Leave/Travel Request".
Travelers going to any foreign country except Mexico and Canada are
required to also receive the President’s approval. This approval is
requested with the form "Request for
Presidents Approval for State Employees Traveling to Foreign
Countries."
Travel to Mexico and Canada is treated the same as domestic travel.
Travel to Washington, D.C. requires the approval of the Texas A&M
University System, unless the travel is required by the grant or
contract. Such approval is requested with the form
Report For State Agency Travel To Washington, D.C.
Project Administration
PI/PDs are responsible for the day-to-day administration and
direction of their projects. The PI/PD is provided with a copy of
the grant or contract, and terms and conditions of the award and a
Project Summary.
Finance and Administration will provide monthly fiscal summaries. ORSP will assist PI/PDs in clarifying or resolving budgetary issues.
Changes to the Project : The scope of work on
a project, or the time needed to perform the work can change.It is
important for the PI to keep in contact with the sponsor representative
to discuss any changes that may be needed.
Sponsors differ on the specific requirements for allowing and
authorizing changes. However, the
PI/PD must inform ORSP of proposed project changes requiring grantor
approval. Correspondence with the sponsor requesting such changes
must be authorized and signed on behalf of the institution by the
Director of ORSP.
No Cost Extension Several items of information are needed in order to apply for a
no-cost extension. The following items should be included in the
request:
1. the additional length of time
2. a justification for this additional time (funds remaining is not
a justification)
3.a summary of the progress of the project to date (usually as an
attachment)
4.an estimate of funds that are unobligated at the currently
scheduled expiration date
5.the projected timetable (or table of activities) to complete
the portions of the project that will remain unfinished
at the
scheduled completion date
6.and revised budget if changes need to be made for the period of
the extension, or a statement that the budget
items will be expended
as originally awarded.
7. A clear idea of how this extension affects the Time and Effort
provided by the university.
Once this is provided to ORSP, the Director will write a letter to
the granting agency, requesting the extension.
Reports:
The PI/PD is responsible for compliance for technical or program
reporting. Many federal agencies refuse to review proposal
submissions if the PI/PD is delinquent in submitting reports on
currently funded projects. The PI/PD should read the sponsor’s guidelines carefully
to determine what reports are required, their frequency, and
preparation instructions. Any report that needs a signature must
be routed through ORSP for the Director's signature before being mailed
out. Financial reports will be
prepared by Grants and Contracts. A copy will be provided to the PI/PD.
A copy of the required reports should be routed through ORSP before
submission so that the Program Developer can aid in the narrative. Also
ORSP needs a copy of all the reports in order to comply with audit
requirements.
Faculty/Staff Termination of Institutional
Association:
When a PI/PD terminates his/her association with the university,
ORSP should be contacted immediately. Ensuring that all technical
reporting requirements are met, and all expenditures are cleared on
the grant account are administrative responsibilities of the PI/PD
prior to his/her leaving the employment of the University. If the
grant award will remain active, the university may request transfer
of the award to another institution where the PI/PD will be
employed, or the University may request that a new PI be approved.
This will be done in consultation with the PI/PD. Transfer of the
grant will be made in accordance with an agreement between Texas A&M
University-Kingsville, the granting agency, and any other
institutions involved.
Glossary of Terms
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