Award Set Up
Implementation
preparation
+Work Tag Set Up
Work tags ensure that all incoming monies and outgoing expenses for a funded project are allocated to the correct grant. Once the award documents have been reviewed and accepted, we create the Work Tags in MyDay that enable all of us – PIs, Budget Managers, Deans’ Offices, Project Directors, Finance Office, and the Office of Research Support -- to track revenue and expenses, as well as other important dates. Through this mechanism, we also ensure that F&A is properly allocated. There are four grant worktags that specify the monies: Cost Center (CCXXXX), Program Code (usually PG3850, sponsored research, or PG3852, sponsored non-research); Fund (FN01); and Grant Number (GRXXXXX). The GR number is the most important of these codes and should be included in any communication regarding the award.
As soon as the Award is set up in MyDay and the Work Tags have been created, Post Award sends out a note listing the Worktags. This note is sent to the PI, Project Director, Budget Director, Finance, and UDARO.
+Award Tasks and Attachments
MyDay also allows us to maintain all important documents in a single location, associated with the specific grant. MyDay also includes a calendar that helps us keep track of important tasks and other responsibilities to be fulfilled. You can use the tabs in Grant HomeScreen (need a few pages from Workday here to highlight areas) in MyDay to see these details.
The Attachment Area includes such documents as the Award Agreement, budget and budget updates, award extension approvals, and other relevant documents. (Is it relevant to discuss Audits here?). In the Award Task Area, we identify as many important award events as possible (e.g., due dates for reports and other deliverables, invoicing dates, Quarterly Updates). This enables Post Award to keep track of important events associated with the award and document that the expectations were fulfilled.
+IRB (Human Subjects Review)
If the Project requires IRB approval, it is likely that that process began during post award. Post Award will assist in the finalization and follow-up of the IRB process with HRPP during the life of the award.
+Award Summary and Kick Off Meeting
As soon as possible after the Work Tags have been created, Post Award sends out an Award Summary. This 2-page document highlights important aspects of the award -- including start and end dates, reporting schedules, and contact information, as well as any Terms and Conditions that we want to highlight (e.g., spending restrictions). This is followed up within the next few weeks with a Kick Off Meeting , where we sit down face-to-face or via Zoom for to review the . During this meeting, Post Award is learning more about the PI’s project and plans – such as travel expectations, hiring schedules, and other relevant timelines. This enables Post Award to be better prepared to support the PI and the project while also offering an opportunity for the PI, Budget Director, and Project Director to share relevant information and ask questions about award management.
+Fixed Price vs Cost Reimbursable
In general, in a fixed price agreement, the sponsor guarantees a set sum of money (either in one lump sum or over the course of time, based on invoice dates or deliverables) and any funds unused at the end of the award period do not need to be returned to the sponsor. A cost reimbursable agreement generally requires that we invoice for actual costs (up to a set limit) and send financial reports periodically during the lifetime of the award. The Fixed Price vs Cost Reimbursable chart illustrates this with additional details.
The Award Agreement may describe a non-typical fixed price or cost reimbursable funding plan. In those cases, Post Award will review the documentation and make a determination regarding the type of award.
+Review of Award Documents
Once the Award Documents have been received, Post Award reviews the agreement, looking specifically for how the sponsor has described their support. The Award Documents may be sent directly to ORS, directly to UDARO, to the Office of the President, or to the PI. ORS needs the documents before we can set up the award, so if you receive them, please forward them to us (postaward@newschool.edu) as soon as possible. The Sponsor may refer to the award documents as a contract, an agreement, a Notice of Award (NOA), or something similar.
Not only do we confirm how the sponsor has described the award (for example, GIFT VS GRANT or FIXED PRICE VS COST REIMBURSABLE), but we also review the Terms & Conditions that guide the award. The Terms & Conditions often contain information about prior approval requirements, spending limitations, and requirements for billing, invoicing, working with sub-recipients, and reporting. They may also contain requirements For budget expenditures and unallowable costs. And the Terms & Conditions generally include requirements for the submission of various reports, including technical reports, progress reports, and financial reports. In addition, the Terms & Conditions flow down to sub-recipients so it is important that the PI understands all the expectations embedded in the Terms and Conditions to help the sub-recipients fulfill the requirements.
ORS Post Award reviews the Terms and Conditions for two primary reasons. First, we obtain key information from the award (e.g., award type, billing and reporting requirements) to properly set up the award. Second, we want to ensure that the PI is not unduly restrained in terms of such items as Intellectual Property ownership
+Negotiations and Clarifications
Upon completion of the Review of the award documents, ORS Post Award determines if any clarifications are needed. For example, if the sponsor has listed the same dates for the date of the end of the Period of Allowability (that is, until what date you may use the Grant funds) and the date on which the Final Programmatic and/or Financial reports are due, we will often reach out to the sponsor and ask that the reporting dates be extended, to enable the PI to utilize the complete Period of Allowabilty for the project work. We may also reach out to the PI to confirm that some items outlined in the Terms and Conditions reflect the PI’s understanding.
+Signatures
Most Award Agreements require a signature of an Authorized Organizational Representative, AOR. Many awards that have been sourced by UDARO are signed by the TNS’s Chief Operating Officer who is also the University’s Treasurer. All other awards are signed by the Vice Provost of Research. The ORS Post Award office ensures that the appropriate signatures have been obtained and the fully executed documents are maintained in the Award File in Workday.
Subrecepients and Subawardees
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+Difference Between a Sub-Recepient and a Sub-Contractor
A sub-recipient (or sub-awardee) is responsible for the end results of the sponsored project along with the PI. A sub-recipients makes administrative and programmatic decisions for their part of the scholarly program. A sub-contractor (aka as a contractor or vendor) provides goods or services that the PI needs to conduct the project but the sub-contractor is not responsible for research or other project results. The TNS Subawards policy and the Research Subawards vs Ancillary Vendor Work guidelines will help distinguish between the two.
+Preparation of Sub-Recepient Agreement
Sub-recipients receive an award agreement from The New School based on the Terms and Conditions for the original award from the sponsor and their Scope of Work and Deliverables. ORS Post Award prepares the Subaward Agreement based on the Federal Demonstration Project (FDP) templates. These templates are generally accepted by the sub-awardee without additional legal review.
Prior to preparing the Subaward Agreement, ORS completes a Risk Assessment that enables us to determine if the Subawardee is low risk or not low risk in terms of institutional financial oversight and project work. This is in response to Uniform Guidance expectations, as outlined in 2 CFR 200, Section 331. Subawardees determined to be “not low risk” may have additional oversight expectations (e.g., additional reporting requirements). When preparing the Subaward Agreement, Post Award works closely with the PI and Budget Director to ensure that the agreement is accurate and flexible.
Multiyear projects are generally awarded one year at a time with annual renewal, based on the timeframe of the award itself. In addition, Post Award will complete an annual Continuing Assessment of the subawardee and confirm with the PI that the subawardee has fulfilled the agreement terms.