Post-Award Resources

Post-Award Forms

Listed below are internal forms used for post-award management for awards managed by the OSP. Please work with your assigned OSP Grant Officer to determine when forms need to be completed.

NEW: Digital signature on internal OSP PDF forms is now enabled.  For instructions on how to affix your digital signature, click here.

Rebudgeting Prior Approval Request Form:  This form should be completed when you will be making changes from your budget as proposed and/or as set up in the NSU Banner System.  Rebudgeting is important to the overall management of your grant, and should be done periodically as warranted by the project and prior to deficits occurring.  Depending on sponsor requirements, rebudgeting may require prior sponsor approval.  This should  be taken into consideration before expenditures that deviate from the budget occur.

Link to form: PDF (Note: PDF forms can only be saved if you have Adobe Professional)

Request for Use of Unobligated Balance on a Fixed Price Contract Form: In conjunction with OSP Policy # 47 (Award Closing: Financial Disposition of Residual Funds – Fixed Price Amount Awards), this form is required to transfer funds on a fixed price award, when funds are not required to be returned to the agency, from the restricted account to a unrestricted account. Link to form: Word 

Independent Consultant Agreement: This Agreement is to be used when an external Consultant will be hired to provide expertise/services on a sponsored project.  If you are planning on using a Consultant, please contact your OSP Grant Officer to develop the appropriate Independent Consultant Agreement.

Subcontract Agreement:  When substantive work is being performed, this agreement is used to issue funds awarded to the University under a prime award to another institution or company.  If you are planning on collaborating with another institution or company to perform substantive work on your funded project, please contact your OSP Grant Officer regarding developing a Subcontract Agreement.

Project Digest: When a new award is issued, and when changes occur through the project period, the Office of Sponsored Programs issues a Project Digest to the Principal Investigator/Project Director, the Departmental Contact, the Grant Accountant, and the Budget Office to communicate relevant information related to the award. The Project Digest packet is a synopsis of the award which includes contact information, the terms and conditions of the award, budget information, and other information necessary for award set-up, management, and compliance.  While the Project Digest includes overview information, the Principal Investigator/Project Director should initially (and periodically thereafter) review all award terms and conditions included with the Project Digest so the project can be managed effectively and in accordance with sponsor regulations. Questions regarding the Project Digest or your award requirements should be referred to your OSP Grant Officer.

Allowable expenses: Allowable expenses on your award can be determined in the agency-specific award terms and conditions, and in OMB Uniform Guidance. Generally speaking, expenses must meet the following criteria to be allowable:

• Allocable: The cost is solely benefitting the sponsored project, or can be apportioned to more than one project based on a reasonable method. 
• Reasonable: The nature and amount of the cost to be incurred is consistent with the action of a 'prudent person' in the same circumstances.
• Consistently treated: This refers to consistent treatment based on application of generally accepted accounting principles.
• Conforming to restrictions of the sponsor or to OMB Uniform Guidance:  Certain items of cost are not permissible by the sponsor.  Consult sponsor-specific terms and conditions, OMB Uniform Guidance, or contact your OSP Grant Officer.

Reviewing my account: It is essential that Principal Investigators/Project Directors are aware of expenditure activity so they can properly plan for and manage their project. All Principal Investigators/Project Directors should have Banner access to their restricted account, and can view grant activity to date in the FRIGITD Screen. The assigned Grant Accountant in the Contract and Grant Accounting Office is also available to provide and help you interpret financial information.

Rebudgeting: When expenses don’t go as expected, it may be necessary to rebudget funds from one line to another. However, it is important to review the terms and conditions of your award so you can determine what, if any, restrictions for re-budgeting are imposed by the sponsor. Prior approval (before an expenditure occurs) may be necessary and can be submitted on your behalf from the OSP Grant Officer.  Whether rebudgeting requires sponsor approval or not, a rebudgeting form should be submitted (under Post-Award Forms).

When would I need to issue a subaward? Generally, if substantive programmatic work is going to be performed by another institution or company, then NSU, through the Office of Sponsored Programs, will need to issue a subaward. The sponsor generally must provide approval for a subaward to be issued. The time to plan for this is at the proposal stage, to ensure subawards are sponsor approved and subaward costs are correctly budgeted.

If I discover that a subaward is needed that was not in the proposal, what should I do? In most circumstances, you will need to request prior approval from the sponsoring agency through the Office of Sponsored Programs. Please contact yourOSP Grant Officer for assistance.

Can a subaward be issued prior to NSU receiving its notice of award? No, the subaward can only be issued after the prime award to NSU has been fully executed/accepted.

What are the PI/PD responsibilities for monitoring the subaward? During the life of the subaward, the PI/PD is responsible for monitoring the subrecipient.  The OSP will work with you to complete the necessary documentation to develop a subrecipient risk assessment and monitoring plan when the subaward is issued. The following list provides a checklist of some of the activities that the PI/PD, or authorized designee, should be monitoring:

• Reviewing invoices from the sponsor to verify that
  • amounts, dates, and cumulative totals (including subrecipient cost-share, if applicable) are in line with the subcontract approved budget
  • expenses are charged to proper budget categories and totals are correct
  • billing is appropriate to the progress of the project and type of award (i.e., actual expenses if cost reimbursement or fixed amounts if based on deliverables)
  • cumulative amounts do not exceed the maximum subcontract amount
  • any cost-share is reported on the invoice
  • cost categories are approved in the budget and allowable under the terms of the award.
• Asking for additional back-up documentation as deemed necessary to determine appropriateness of expenses, if needed
• Reviewing and monitoring implementation of the subcontractor's scope of work via regular /documented communication to ensure and verify that sufficient progress is being made
• Ensuring technical reports and deliverables are received timely and completed sufficiently per the requirements of the subaward and scope of work
• Notifying OSP if any changes are required to the budget or subaward amount, or if any issues or concerns arise
• Verifying that the subrecipient has met all programmatic expectations of the subaward, that all deliverables and reports have been received in an acceptable format, and that the final invoice is properly completed and in accordance with budgeted amounts, prior to closeout of the subaward.

What if the scope of work needs revision or I need to make changes to the budget? You can amend the subaward by contacting your OSP Grant Officer. Some changes may require sponsor approval, depending on the terms and conditions of your award.

How does a subrecipient/subcontractor get paid?  The subrecipient will need to issue an invoice in accordance with the terms of their Subaward Agreement. The invoice will be charged to the restricted sponsored program account and processed through Ariba as a check request in the Ariba system.  The PI, or authorized designee, should review the invoice for completeness based on the work performed and the requirements of the subaward, before approving the invoice in Ariba.  The PI’s approval in Ariba serves as his or her attestation that the subrecipient is meeting its responsibilities under the subaward, and that each invoice is correct and complete.

The OSP can provide a sample subrecipient invoice template.

Websites below provide links to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance and links to federal agency-specific grant policies (not all inclusive).

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Information -http://www.nfwf.org/whatwedo/grants/recipients/Pages/home.aspx

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants Policy Statement - grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grant Policy -http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/policy.html

National Science Foundation (NSF) Award & Administration Guide -www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/

Office of Naval Research - www.onr.navy.mil/Contracts-Grants.aspx

OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (OMB Uniform Guidance) – https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/26/2013-30465/uniform-administrative-requirements-cost-principles-and-audit-requirements-for-federal-awards

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Grants and Cooperative Agreement Regulations - www.osec.doc.gov/

U.S. Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations -www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/321006r.htm

U.S. Department of Education Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) - www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edgar.html

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Grants Policy Information - http://www.hhs.gov/grants/grants/policies-regulations/index.html (DHHS Grants Policy Statement is accessible from this site)

U.S. Department of the Interior Policy and Regulations -www.doi.gov/archive/pam/financialassistance/resources/index.html

Research General Terms and Conditions -www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Policy, Regulations and Guidancewww.epa.gov/ogd/grants/regulations.htm