July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office1 Bridge Funding Overview Presented by: David Garcia Contracts Officer

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office2 What is Bridge Funding? Limited UC funds available to temporarily cover funding requirements under certain conditions Bridge Funding allows for the start or continuation of research due to sponsor-driven timing issues Bridge funding is NOT intended to serve as a substitute for appropriate cash and funding management

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office3 Authority Bridge Funding policy has been developed by the CFO – Budget Office in accordance with the prime operating contract between DOE and UC (“Contract 31”) Refer to Clause H-3 (c)(4) The exception to incurring costs without funds in hand is granted by 48 CFR :

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office4 Criteria Requests are limited to less than $250,000 and for no more than 90 days For non-federal sponsors, bridge funding may be used to cover short-term advance requirements for new or continuing awards For federal sponsors and DOE integrated contractors, bridge funding may ONLY be used when additional funding on an existing award is forthcoming

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office5 Process - Division Division completes the Bridge Funding Request Form – use most current version (dated 10/28/05) PI and division director must sign The Division is the requesting party, based upon their programmatic needs Forward request to SPO, with a copy to the Budget Office

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office6 Process - SPO The SPO Contracts Officer will review the request and determine whether appropriate criteria has been met under which bridge funds have been requested The SPO C.O. will either request further information and/or documentation from the division and sponsor, or recommend approval of bridge funding and forward to the Budget Office for review and approval. SPO does not approve. We are there to do a risk assessment.

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office7 Timing! 60 – 10 – Make sure requests are submitted in accordance with the policy set forth by the Budget Office to allow sufficient time to process and avoid month-end “rushes”!

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office8 60 Under the policy, requests for bridge funding MUST be received by SPO 60 days prior to the accounting period to which the funding will be needed –This time frame allows the SPO C.O. to contact the Sponsor and obtain adequate assurance and documentation that funding with be imminent

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office9 10 SPO needs to send the request to the Budget Office no less than 10 days before Day Zero –This allows sufficient time for the Budget Office to review the request prior to the monthly close and request further information if need be

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office10 1 Budget Office will approve and notify the division and SPO no less than 1 day before Day Zero –SPO will issue a SPAA allowing divisions to open the projects.

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office11 Zero! Day Zero is usually three business days before the end of the month

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office12 Others things to consider... All internal approvals must be in place (e.g. DOE proposal approval, NEPA/CEQA, conflict of interest, humans and/or animals) If a sponsor still has not provided required payment on a project for which bridge funds have been approved, an extension for more time and/or more funds will need to be requested

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office13 End of the journey Once payment has been received, SPO will issue a SPAA directing the budget office to release bridge funding so that it may be used for other projects which meet the criteria.

July 2008LBNL Sponsored Projects Office14 Questions? Questions on the Bridge Funding Policy should be directed to the CFO Analyst (Margie Dere) in the Budget Office