1. Research Administrators Forum
April 10, 2013
WPIC Auditorium

2. Agenda HR Update WePay Electronic Certification Process
Research Updates
OGC Updates
PI Hard Fund Expenditures

3. HR Update Emergency Notification System Bloodborne Pathogens training
Changes to MyFlex Advantage Debit Card
EPR Reminders
Management Training listing for April
Welcome Day
Center for Inclusion

4. RAF 4/10/13
HR - ENS, BBP, My Flex Advantage – PIN, EPR, Mgr Training, WPIC Welcome Day, Cultural Competency

5. Emergency Notification System
How to Sign Up for the Emergency Notification System (ENS)
My Hub > Human Resources Tab> My Profile > Emergency Notification sign-up > Personal Profile > Emergency Notification sign-up > Add me to the UPMC Notification System > Make sure contact information is correct > Save to complete registration of ENS.
If needed, there is also an ENS Opt Out Guide

6. Bloodborne Pathogens Module BBP Module April 1 – April 30, 2013
TJC regulations state that staff are defined as …”all people who provide care, treatment or services in the organization, employees as well as non employees…(for example, permanent, temporary, part-time personnel, as well as contract employees, volunteers and health profession students). 
Managers - It is your responsibility to monitor completion of this requirement.  Human Resources and/or your Education Department will be monitoring overall completion for your business unit. 
Failure to meet the Bloodborne Pathogens annual requirement by the established deadline may result in the employee receiving corrective action.

7. My Flex Advantage FSA Debit Card
Important Changes to Your
MyFlex Advantage FSA Debit Card
On Monday, April 1, new federal legislation will go into effect that may impact how merchants use your flexible spending account (FSA) debit card.
The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act targets the processing of debit and prepaid card transactions, which includes those using FSA debit cards. All debit cards must now have a unique personal identification number (PIN). You may be prompted by some merchants to enter this PIN when purchasing eligible items. It is important to note that you do not have to use a PIN at the point of sale. You may continue to use your card as “credit” and sign for the transaction, as you have previously done in the past. 
How to Obtain Your PIN - Follow this path to access MyFlex Advantage and retrieve your PIN: My HUB > Human Resources > MyHealth OnLine > MyFlex Advantage Portal (under Self-Service Quick Links) > Card Status. Questions? Call a Health Care Concierge at

8. Performance Review Advanced Reminder
EPR Reminder
Performance Review Advanced Reminder
An employee reporting to you has a review due.
Please make sure they are completed prior to the due date in the system.
HR is available by phone or in person for assistance.

9. Manager Training
Courses being offered to
WPIC managers
and supervisors during
the month of April.
Communication Skills
Generational Differences
Coaching and Feedback
Conflict Resolution/Emotional Intelligence
To enroll for these courses, please contact Carol Bonner at or via

10. WPIC Welcome Day
WPIC Research is now part of the WPIC Welcome Day Sessions.
Twice a month - Tuesdays
8 am – 3:30 pm
Valuable business unit information
for new starts and transfers.
Overview of our operations:
Inpatient, Ambulatory, Crisis & Research
HR will alert employee and manager
to schedule.

11. Cultural Competency Road Show
Cultural Competency Road Shows are coming soon to WPIC! Learn about tools and a new resource available to UPMC employees to provide quality, culturally competent care to our patients and their families. All staff are invited to attend
Sign up to attend one of the following sessions:
 Wednesday - April 24, 2013
Session 1:  10am Session 2:  1pm Session 3:  3pm
Each one-hour session will be held in the WPIC Auditorium.
Enroll in advance by logging on to  My HUB   and completing these steps:
             Select the Human Resources tab.
             Select uLearn Information.
             Select Search the Catalog for “Cultural Competency Road Shows.”
             Find the time the fits your schedule.
To find out more about CHRIS, other tools, and resources available to you for integrating cultural competence and how you can demonstrate a commitment to cultural competence every day, visit  Infonet.UPMC.com/CulturalCompetency

12. WePay
Background
Audit Review
Enhancements

13. University of Pittsburgh and UPMC
We Pay - Stored Value Card
4/20/2019
University of Pittsburgh and UPMC
WePay
Research Study Participant Payment System
4/20/2019
Confidential
Confidential

14. Research Study Participant Payment System
We Pay - Stored Value Card
4/20/2019
Research Study Participant Payment System
Background
Payments to research subjects
85,000 individual payments per year
$5 Million annual payments to participants
4/20/2019
Confidential
Confidential

15. Research Study Participant Payment System
We Pay - Stored Value Card
Research Study Participant Payment System
4/20/2019
Audit Reviewed Jointly by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC
Project and Study Monitoring and Oversight
Input Reconciliation
Accounting Reconciliation
Study Records Reconciliation
Card Inventory Confirmation
Reconcile WePay Users against UPMC IMS
Review of SSN collection process
4/20/2019
Confidential
Confidential

16. Research Study Participant Payment System
We Pay - Stored Value Card
4/20/2019
Research Study Participant Payment System
Major Program Enhancements made in 2012
Nuisance fees eliminated
25¢ ATM decline
25¢ Point-of-Sale decline
25¢ ATM balance check
Card Reversals
Permitted in any amount
Permitted until card expiration date
Separate Screen Paths for Load and Reversals
New WePay role – Auditor
New General Ledger Report
4/20/2019
Confidential
Confidential

17. Research Study Participant Payment System
We Pay - Stored Value Card
4/20/2019
Research Study Participant Payment System
WePay help:      
WePay website:
Contact Information
University of Pittsburgh Office of Finance George J. Cerminara, Project Manager - Finance
4/20/2019
Confidential
Confidential

18. Electronic Certification
Certification Stats
Modifications to be made in ecrt
Acknowledgement of Non-Federal Activity
Lessons for User Community
90-Day Transfer Requests
Security Reminder

19. Lessons Learned: First Electronic Certification Period
April 2013
Financial Compliance for Research

20. Agenda Certification Stats Modifications to be made in ecrt
Acknowledgement of Non-Federal/Non-Sponsored Activity
Lessons for User Community
90-Day Transfer Requests
Security Reminder

21. Success!!!
Due to the diligent efforts of all the Effort Coordinators, Department and Grant Administrators to date, we have achieved a 98% compliance rate for effort certification University-wide.
We are thrilled with this achievement but continue to push to reach 100%.
We understand that there are growing pains with every new system or process and appreciate your hard work and patience as we fine tune the new SPAR and ecrt systems and in conjunction with the University’s effort policy.

22. Modifications to be Made to ecrt
Issues identified by users:
System time outs resulted in user being directed to ecrt log in screen
ecrt issues:
Hold removed from statement, when to statement owner, not PI
PAR task s do not identify the specific effort statement *
Effort tasks not going to PEC Override *
Visually, the check boxes on total Non-Federal and Non- Sponsored lines were not as obvious as the boxes for the federal sponsored projects. *

23. Acknowledgement of Non-Federal and Non-Sponsored Totals
FCR received a number of inquiries from Department Administrators and PI’s regarding the “certification” of Non- Federal and Non-Sponsored activity
FCR explained that PI’s needed to check the boxes in acknowledgement of other University activities which comprised the total appointment in context to the percentages allocated to each federal sponsored project
To alleviate faculty concerns going forward, the attestation statement will be modified to clarify the acknowledgement of these other non-federal activities. Changes in labeling on the effort statement are also being investigated.

24. Lessons for User Community
Hold feature – any statement that you are planning to modify should be placed on Hold until the SPAR mod is made to avoid having the PI certify prematurely and require a recertification.
We strongly encourage the use of the EAR to minimize the number of SPAR mod’s necessary. Please do not accrue new project costs on old project accounts.
Zero percentage lines are the result of payroll entries to an account which are reversed in the same period of performance.
These can be avoided by making the SPAR modification prior to the first monthly payroll run in the first month of the period of performance.

25. 90-Day Transfer Requests
The request form provides supporting documentation for late transfers to external auditors for the A-133 audit. Required components include:
A detailed explanation as to why this transfer was not made timely, including a plan to prevent similar delays in the future
Documentation supporting the explanation
Signatures of the PI, Chair, and Dean
A marked up copy of the SPAR indicating the modifications to be made
If the request is made to transfer costs to a sponsored project, please include evidence that the employee involved did work on that project during that time period (e.g. lab notebook, progress notes, etc.)

26. Security Reminder
The sharing of User ID and Password information is a serious violation.
University Computing and Effort Reporting policies
OMB Circular A-21 requirements
Please do not use a faculty member’s ID/Password to certify his/her effort statements
Offer to sit with them and walk them through the ecrt certification process. Typically, this will take less than 10 minutes and prevent violations of University and federal regulations.

27. 2013 Certification Schedule
Period of Pre-Review Certification Performance Start Date Period Jan 1 – April 30 May 7, 2013 May 21 – July 5 May 1 – Aug 31 Sep 9, 2013 Sep 23– Nov 6 Sep 1 – Dec 31 Jan 8, 2014 Jan 22 – Mar 7

28. In Summary Please continue to:
Investigate the Reports available in ecrt. You may find them very helpful.
Become familiar with the Effort Reporting policy available on the FCR website.
Identify all employees to be Effort Coordinators in your area and have them register for ecrt training. Effort reporting, SPAR and ecrt training sessions are currently offered through the FSDP at
Submit effort, SPAR, or ecrt questions to the
Thank you for the opportunity to attend today’s RA Forum!

29. 90 Day Rule
Corrections to account distribution may be reallocated to a sponsored project within 90 days of the month end in which the original expenditure occurred
Corrections to an error on the Oct Levels needs to be completed by January 31st
Corrections to an error on the January Levels needs to be completed by April 30th

30. 90 Day Rule
Request for reallocation beyond the 90-day window will be denied unless it meets one of the exceptions:
Removal from a sponsored project of an inappropriate or expressly unallowable charge regardless of lapsed time
Removal of charge disallowed by audit or sponsor
Reallocation affects only some combination of master and sub-accounts within the same award with all accounts involved open and active
Early account number request was not approved. Evidence is required that early account request had been submitted
Adjustments necessary on training awards to align payments to trainees with federally mandated salary rates
Reallocation affects only some combination of non-research accounts and does not cross fiscal years if entity 02 (operating)

31. View Access to SPAR’s
Administrators who want view access to the Pitt On-Line SPAR System should Mike Miller
PRISM Access Application
SPAR Application
Specify what PI’s you want view access to
SPAR distributions are shown with Pitt accounts numbers

32. WPIC Research Updates Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)
Conflict of Interest and CITI Training Modules

33. Research Performance Progress Report
eRA Commons has transitioned to a new system for Progress Reports
Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)
Instead of being processed using the eSNAP module
Use of RPPR is mandatory for all progress reports due on May 15th and forward

34. Progress Report Changes
eSNAP is the electronic version of SNAP progress report
Grantees have been required to use eSNAP for SNAP progress reports since August 2010
RPPR is a federally mandated reporting format for all federal grant agencies (NIH, NSF, DoD, etc)
The eSNAP module will be replaced by the RPPR for SNAP awards in May 2013

35. RPPR and Non-SNAP
RPPR is designed to provide consistent information on the progress of federally funded research and research related activities
Non-SNAP
There is no change to non-SNAP award progress reports at this time
RPPR will eventually replace the use of the PHS 2590 for non-SNAP awards

36. RPPR Helpful Links
RPPR web page –
October 2012 webinar NIH RPPR Training Webinar for Grantees
NIH RPPR Instruction Guide –

37. Research Faculty Conflict of Interest Superform CITI Training Modules
Updated annually by April 15th
Must complete the one that says PHS Funded
CITI Training Modules
Mandatory as of March 31, 2013
Conflict of Interest
Responsible Conduct of Research
Human Subjects Research (If applicable)
Animal Based Research Module (If applicable)

38. Research Staff
Staff that need access to OSIRIS must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research CITI Training Module
CITI trainings are valid for 3 years
See website for details

39. OGC Staff Updates Departing Staff Cathy Kasunich, Post Award New Staff
Karrie Black, Pre Award
Ryan Stoner has transferred to the OGC Personnel Team. Please send any positions (Post Docs) that are going to start in the fall (Sept) to Aniko ASAP

40. OGC Website New format for the OGC website New Sections Fiscal
Hard Funds FAQ’s
Subcode list
Effort Reporting
Pitt Effort Policy
Online SPAR’s

41. OGC Website

42. OGC Trainings Pre-Award Post-Award R Application Training Sessions
April 17th (10:00 – 11:00)
April 18th (1:30 – 2:30)
Contact Sonia Wallace if you would like to attend
Post-Award
Monthly meetings with Administrators
April 25th at noon in the OGC Conf Room
Sub awards (setup & monitor), Website overview
Contact Mariana Rieke if you would like to attend

43. PI Hard Fund Expenditures
Hard Funds are to support the PI’s local infrastructure
Purchases that are not allowable on grants (office supplies)
Hard Funds are Institutional funds that are subject to all the rules of UPMC and Pitt
Cannot buy items through non-UPMC sources and expect to be reimbursed for such purchases without prior approval

44. PI Hard Funds Non Allowable Expenditures Home office expenses
(furniture, computer equipment, etc.)
Gifts to outside parties
(flowers, thank you gifts, etc.)
Professional membership dues
Only after professional development funds have been exhausted
Supplies purchased outside of the UPMC or Pitt purchasing system

45. UPMC Supply Chain ePro eVoucher Staples minimum order amount $50.00
No more special supply requests unless pre-approved by Supply Chain
eVoucher
Users will be required to scan and attach invoice documents directly to their PeopleSoft eVoucher reports
Transition is targeted to occur in May 2013

46. Travel Tip of the RAF
Conference registration and annual membership fees
Should be paid by disbursement request prior to the conference
NOT on a T&B
T&B expenses are not reimbursed until after the conference is over and the person returns from the trip

47. Please schedule your appointments with the OGC

48. Questions? Bloodborne Pathogens training due by April 30, 2013
WPIC Staff Recognition Day – May 13
Research Day – June 6th