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Care New England Research

Manage an Award

Now that you’ve been awarded funding and your project is up and running, you’re in the post-award phase. Below you will find information applicable to many award types across CNE Research from charging expenses to awards to completing annual reports. However, each award is guided by specific terms and conditions found in the notice of award. Make sure you read yours carefully and understand any restrictions or special conditions that may be in place. 

Effort Compliance

PIs and Key Personnel must certify their effort on a monthly basis. For questions contact your Post-Award Specialist.

Managing Expenses

Project expenses can be viewed on Tableau. Expenses, excluding salaries, are updated continuously. Salaries are updated as soon as the prior months’ financials close

 

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Charging Expenses
to a Grant

PIs have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure all expenses on their projects are allowable, allocable, and reasonable and meet the terms and conditions of the award or contract. This includes expenses budgeted and invoiced by sub-recipients on the award.

Purchasing: Remember to contact Purchasing with questions or concerns before placing an order. 

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Activity String

**Beginning in mid-2022 activity numbers will not change each project year for all newly set-up accounts. Activities will be used for the life of the project, until competitive renewal.

Company
1000 for CNE, 2110 for Butler, 2310 for WIH, 2210 for Kent, etc.
Subaccounts
The sub-accounts categorize the type of expense you are charging and therefore must be properly coded. A list of sub-accounts can be found on Carenet (Finance-Lawson Chart of Accounts).
Accounting Unit
Begins with 6 for research (eg 61010 = federal research grant, 62020 = subcontract to a Federal prime award), 7 for clinical service, 5 for residual accounts, etc.
Activity Number
The activity number is a fifteen-digit number specific to one project or award. This number ensures the funds are expensed correctly. The activity number changes at the end of each project year and needs to be updated when charging expenses.

Biospecimens

Human Biospecimens

Biospecimens are sample materials taken from the human body such as blood, urine, tissue, and other body fluids or materials obtained from humans.

Ethical Considerations

Activities involving the use of biospecimens for research meet the definition of human subjects research and therefore must comply with the activities described in the informed consent signed by the participant or under a waiver of consent granted by an IRB in accordance with 45 CFR 46.

Requirements for Working with Human Specimens

All CNE employees provide immunization records or are screened for immunity during their CNE Occupational Health New Hire Appointment. Vaccinations that are recommended, but not required (such as Hep B) are offered to the employee.

Collection and Storage

Biospecimens that are collected and stored for research purposes must be handled in accordance with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Research teams should develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the collection, labeling, storage, and retrieval of biospecimens. The SOP must describe procedures appropriate for the type of biospecimen being collected. Additional regulations apply to biospecimens classified as select agents or toxins (42 CFR 73).

Packaging and Shipment

Packaging and shipment of human biospecimens and other dangerous goods (including dry ice) must conform to all applicable regulations, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Transportation and International Air Transport Association guidelines. Any individual involved in the shipment of biospecimens must be properly trained. Training can be obtained from the following sources:

IATA

Infectious Substances Shipping Guidelines Course

Saf-T-Pak

Shipping Infectious Substances and Related Materials, incl. Category A (UN2900, UN2814 UN3373) Online Training Course

Shipping Category B Biological Substance and Related Materials (UN3373) Online Training Course

NIH Prior Approval Requests

The activities below require prior approval from NIH.

Information required for all request types:
  • PI Name
  • Grant Title & Grant Number
  • Name and email address of NIH grant officer (if possible)
No-Cost Extension Requests
  • Period of extension requested
  • Reason for extension (work to be completed)
  • Estimated balance available for extension (if greater than 25% of award, include explanation of why funds were not used)
  • Detailed budget & justification

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Change in PI/Key Personnel Requests
  • Detailed explanation for the change
  • CV/Biosketch for new PI/Key Personnel
  • Other Support Information

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Rebudgeting Requests
  • Updated budget with changes highlighted
  • Detailed justification

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Change of institution request

Relinquishing institution

  • Relinquishing statement, including estimated unexpended balance to be transferred and equipment to be transferred
  • Final invention statement
  • A final Federal Financial Report

New recipient institution

  • Electronic or Paper application including the following information (check with your Grants Management Specialist to determine which format to use):
    • Face Page/Cover Page
    • Project Performance Site Location (Electronic Application)
    • Other Project Information
      • Certification of IRB/IACUC approval
      • Facilities and other resources, including effects of the move on aims of the project
      • Detailed list of any equipment purchased with grant funds to be transferred to the new organization
    • Updated biographical sketches for PD/PI and existing and any new co-Is. Updated “other support” as needed. 
    • Budget pages
    • Research plan – if transferring on the anniversary date, include progress report
    • Checklist

As applicable

  • Career Development Supplemental Form
  • Fellowship Supplemental Form
  • SBIR/STTR Information

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Carryover Requests
  • Amount of funds requested
  • Explanation of why available funds were not used
  • Detailed budget
  • Scientific justification

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Change in Scope Requests
  • Detailed explanation for the change
  • Budget & justification, if applicable

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Requesting a New Subaward
  • Programmatic explanation for the additional sub-site  
  • Explanation of budgeting and change in scope, if applicable
  • Letter of intent from sub-recipient site
  • Detailed budget and justification
  • Conflict of interest assurances
  • Other support for key personnel
Requesting a Significant Change in Effort (>25% change in effort)
  • Detailed explanation of the change
  • Explanation of budgeting and change in scope, if applicable

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NIH RPPR

The Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) is used by grantees to submit annual or other interim progress performance reports, as well as final progress, reports. The terms and conditions of the award will provide guidance on the frequency of performance reporting required. Annual RPPRs typically report scientific progress, identify significant changes, report on all project personnel, and plans for the next budget period. Late or missing progress reports can lead to delayed funding. 

Consider delegating the ASST role in eRA Commons to someone who can help initiate or complete the RPPR in eRA Commons.

Information to complete the RPPR:
  • Basic institutional and project information
  • Accomplishments from the past activity period and goals for the upcoming period
  • Products from the prior activity such as technologies or publications
  • Effort of all personnel, including collaborators
  • Impact of the project and major contributions
  • Changes to the project, delays, changes in scope, other support, compliance, etc
  • Budget information (if applicable)
  • If Applicable, animal or human subjects enrollment information

Helpful Links

NIH RPPR: Who, What, When, Where, and How

eRA Commons Help: RPPR Module

Human Subjects Submission Process

Human Subjects System (HSS) Training Resources

RPPR FAQ

Foundation/Contract/Industry Sponsored Reports

Refer to the terms and conditions of your agreement to determine milestone and other reporting requirements.

FAQs

A piece of equipment I need to complete the aims of my NIH grant broke in the last year of funding. Can I use NIH funds to replace it?

No, major equipment cannot be purchased in the last year of a grant without permission. Contact your post award specialist to submit a request to your program officer.

What should be included on my other support pages?

Per NIH: “Other support includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.”

Further information can be found here.

What if I’m not sure if something should be included as other support?

Err on the side of caution and include it. SPRA is available for additional clarification.

I receive salary support from my RRF, does that need to be included on my other support?

Generally no. RRF monies do not have line-item budget restrictions, scopes of work, specific aims, effort commitments, start/end dates, or dates by which funds must be expended. If in an unlikely scenario some RRF money was held in a separate account and one or more of the above became true, those RRF funds would need to be reported as other support.

What is “in-kind” support?

Any non-monetary assistance or services. These could include equipment, lab/office space, personnel, or supplies.

Where do I find a list of things that can and cannot be charged on an NIH grant?
The NIH Grants Policy Statement contains allowable and unallowable items with explanations.
Can I charge the cost of meals for lab meetings or quarterly research progress meetings with research staff?

Per the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 7.9 Allowable Costs:

Meals to support meetings/conferences are unallowable costs (except when noted in the terms of award). 

Staff meetings should not be “broadly considered as meetings for the primary purpose of disseminating technical information in order to justify charging meals or refreshment costs to grants”.

If you are unsure whether a meal is allowable, contact OSPRGrantsMgmt@CareNE.org for clarification prior to hosting your meeting or event.

How do I know if my award is SNAP eligible?

The Notice of Award (NoA) Section III – Terms and Conditions should indicate if the award is SNAP eligible.

Who are considered key/senior personnel?

Per NIH: “The PD/PI and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they receive salaries or compensation under the grant. Typically these individuals have doctoral or other professional degrees, although individuals at the masters or baccalaureate level may be considered senior/key personnel if their involvement meets this definition. Consultants and those with a postdoctoral role also may be considered senior/key personnel if they meet this definition. Senior/key personnel must devote measurable effort to the project whether or not salaries or compensation are requested. "Zero percent" effort or "as needed" are not acceptable levels of involvement for those designated as Senior/Key Personnel.” 

Learn more here.

What does NIH review when it looks at other support submissions?
  • Confirm enough effort (CM) is available to support the proposed project.
  • Confirm there is no scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap by reviewing other support, foreign components, and financial conflicts of interest.

More information can be found here.

Is other support limited to grants where I receive direct salary support?

No, you are required to report all ongoing projects and sources of support regardless of whether salary is requested. Visit here for more information. 

What does NIH mean by “foreign component”?

The NIH definition of foreign component is “The performance of any significant scientific element or segment of a project outside of the United States”, either by the recipient or by a researcher employed by a foreign organization, whether or not grant funds are expended. Activities that would meet this definition include, but are not limited to, (1) the involvement of human subjects or animals, (2) extensive foreign travel by recipient project staff for the purpose of data collection, surveying, sampling, and similar activities, or (3) any activity of the recipient that may have an impact on U.S. foreign policy through involvement in the affairs or environment of a foreign country. Examples of other grant-related activities that may be significant are:

  • collaborations with investigators at a foreign site anticipated to result in co-authorship;
  • use of facilities or instrumentation at a foreign site; or
  • receipt of financial support or resources from a foreign entity.

Foreign travel for consultation is not considered a foreign component.

I conduct focus groups with research participants. Can I provide food?

Yes, food that is provided to research participants is an allowable cost on federal grants as long as it is not duplicating participant compensation.

Visit this link for more information.