All the Things I Didn’t Know I Needed to Know When My Award Came Tenure-track Faculty Meeting May 16, 2019

You did it!! Your proposal’s in and you can relax, right? You’re just waiting to hear from the sponsor that they want to fund your awesome, innovative research so you can start working on it the very day they congratulate you on your new award. But wait… there’s more? Learn about the K-State’s award acceptance process, what terms and conditions K-State must negotiate, and approvals and protocols that must be in place before your research work can start. [Plus a few tips on best practices for award management.]

Zero $ Agreements NEVER EVER, EVER SIGN THESE! Intellectual Property Rights Agreement Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) or Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) Teaming Agreements Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) Sometimes T&C of these can be far-reaching. The version provided by the sponsor might protect them very well but not give KSU the same considerations. KSU has templates that provide both parties the same terms available on the research web site.

K-State’s Award Process Was a proposal submitted through PAS? If so, is it being awarded as proposed? If not, do we need a revised SOW and budget? Evaluate if any terms will need negotiation prior to routing – rely on your grants specialist to make this determination. Some awards get a new account number every year; some just get more $ and time added to them. It depends on the sponsor requirements. Carryover allowed? Payment terms – private sponsors will need to pay some $ upfront. Final payment when receive final report. Federal awards generally paid by reimbursement. As you spend the funds KSU will request reimbursement. Advance payment may require interest bearing account. If terms require negotiation and compliance approvals in place, may want to request an overdraft to start spending.

Terms & Conditions Many federal awards do not require any negotiation. Industry awards often require negotiation – IP rights, insurance, indemnification, governing laws, are common conflicts with our status as an agency of the State of Kansas. Need final version of the T&C acceptable to both parties before routing the award. Does the sponsor require a small business subcontracting plan? Work with PreAwards to get this negotiated and in place. Pay attention to the T&C – sponsor may require prior approval for travel, etc. Make sure SOW is the final version – negotiations between technical contact and PI may not be known by the contractual contact at the sponsor. PI usually communicates with the Program Officer; PreAwards usually communicates with the Contractual Official.

Compliance & Protocols Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Export Controls Compliance Program (ECCP) Biosafety Committee (IBC) Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) – (when transmittal sheet is signed) Human Subjects – need education plus approved protocol ALL project personnel need current compliance trainings – good for 3 years. All compliance approvals are needed before award sent to Sponsored Programs Accounting. May return signed agreement to sponsor in the meantime. Surveys require approval by the Institutional Review Board.

Approvals Depending on T&C – may need PI Acknowledgement Form signed by project personnel. May need Technology Control Plan – check RFP to see if Export Control issues or ITAR. Engage with CUI team for input as needed. May need to include these costs in proposal budget. Check VPR website - https://www.k-state.edu/research/faculty/cui.html Paul Lowe is the AOR designated for signing sponsored projects. Certain people have authority to bind the university.

Award Management SPA establishes account number – sends to your dept accountant. Work with dept accountant to establish best practices. After award is in place, if subawards on project, they will be prepared by PreAwards with input of the PI before sending to the subawardee(s). If NIH funded, get eCommons IDs established as soon as you hire anyone on the project. Note when technical reports are required. SPA will work with dept accountant to submit financial reports. SPA handles invoicing for the university. Costs on project must be Reasonable, Allowable and Allocable. Budget revisions and time extensions – federal sponsors generally pass along the authority for these to KSU for our internal approval if done prior to action. 2nd NCTE requires NSF approval. Fixed price awards may require internal budget revision. Generally, don’t buy equipment in the final few months of a project.

Key References & Resources Managing Your Award, FAQ’s and Other Resources, ERGP Website University Research Compliance Office (URCO)

Questions?