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Project Management

Now that your award is established, what's next? Project management involves many activities regarding the management of sponsored funds, compliance with federal regulations, and the adherence to University policies and procedures. In this section, you will find guidance on how to appropriately administer your project throughout its life cycle. Please use this section to become familiar with your responsibilities as a PI as well as the role of the GAFM Coordinator. This section also includes key research administration areas including allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs and tools for proper financial management according to 2CFR200, also called the Uniform Guidance .

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PI and GAFM Responsibilities

Project management is a shared responsibility between the PI and the ORSP, both with specific areas of responsibility. The PI's primary responsibility is to achieve technical success while complying with the financial and administrative regulations associated with the award. The GAFM Coordinator within the ORSP is the primary administrative liaison with the PI and the funding agency.

PI and GAFM Responsibilities Chart

Expenditure Monitoring

The PI is responsible for periodically reviewing expenditures. Upon request, the GAFM Coordinator can provide budget recaps with a current balance of the award.

The PI can use the FGIBAVL form in Internet Native Banner (INB) or Available Balance in Finance Self-Service to review award balances.

Available Balance displays specific information by roll-up account level which will reconcile Budget Availability to balances currently posted in the Operating Ledger. Balances in the Operating Ledger include all transactions that have completed the approval process and posted to the Operating Ledger.

Pending documents are still in Process (either not yet completed by the initiator or approved by all required approvers) and have not yet posted to the Operating Ledger. These pending documents will reduce the available balance even while in process. If you no longer require pending documents, please contact your GAFM Coordinator to assist with the deletion of the pending document to increase your available balance.

Viewing budgets for an ORSP project allows you to see where the budget has been established by account code for an award. The budget will include any budget amendments approved, outstanding encumbrances, activity to date, and the available balance for your award.

Allowable/Unallowable Costs

Allowable costs are charges for goods or services that are permitted on a sponsored award, agreement, contract, or grant. These costs are in compliance with UNF's policies and procedures, the sponsor's terms and conditions, and federal regulations, and therefore the allowable costs may be paid from the sponsor's funds. Allowability also includes the concepts that costs must be: (a) necessary and reasonable for performance of the sponsored award; allocable to the sponsored award; (b) in compliance with the sponsor's terms and conditions; (c) consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities at UNF; (d) accorded consistent treatment; (e) in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP); (f) only charged once; and (g) adequately documented.

Unallowable costs are expenditures on sponsored awards that are not in compliance with UNF policy, federal regulations, or specific sponsor terms and conditions. Costs that are deemed unallowable must be removed via a cost transfer to an appropriate funding source.

Overspent Award

If the project is overspent at the end of the project, all over-expenditures will need to be moved to an appropriate source of funding. If a PI does not have sufficient funds to cover the over-expenditures, the overspent amount will be the responsibility of the college or unit.

Ref. UNF President's "Policies & Regulations" 2.0880P, Sec. ll, B, Non-Performance and Unmet Deliverables.

No Cost Extensions/Amendments

Is your research not coming together as planned? Do you need a little more time to complete your project? Does your funding agency plan to continue with a new period of funding; do you require an amendment? This area will provide guidance on requesting a no cost extension, or setting up an amendment or continuation for your award.

While sponsors expect a PI to complete the project by the stipulated end date, occasionally extra time is needed. A no-cost extension (NCE) gives the PI extra time to complete the scope and objectives of the project without additional funds being provided by the sponsor. Although requests may not be made for the sole purpose of spending remaining funds, you may expend remaining funds during the no-cost extension period. In the event your request is not approved, costs incurred after the end date would not be allowable. If sponsor approval is required, the GAFM Coordinator will submit the request to the sponsor on behalf of the PI.

To request a no cost extension for a project, please complete the Request for No Cost Extension form providing:

  • A request for the extension
  • A new project end date
  • A scientific/programmatic justification explaining the need for the extension of time. This narrative should be written as if you were writing your program officer requesting an extension. If required, the ORSP generally forwards this narrative section (as provided by the PI) to the awarding agency in accordance with the grantor's required format.
  • If subawards or subcontracts have been issued and also require an extension, indicate the end date for the subcontract extension and whether funds should be deobligated or additional funds obligated

The ORSP will consider the PI's NCE request and, if approved, submit the formal NCE request to the sponsor. Upon written sponsor approval, the PI may continue the program effort until the revised performance ending date.

Many sponsors require the request at least 90 days prior to the end date of the project and may or may not approve the carryover of unexpended funds to the following year. Review the terms and conditions of the project for more details.

Budget Amendments

Budget amendments and revisions are required if a project requires reclassification or modification in order to accomplish program goals and objectives. Budget reclassifications, depending on funding agency guidelines, within ten (10) to twenty-five (25) percent of the total awarded budget, usually do not require approval by the funding agency. However, some funding agencies do not allow certain transactions such as the purchase of equipment or subcontracting in particular grant awards without prior agency approval. Special requirements or instructions are usually identified in the award document. The PI must review and comply with the funding agency's guidelines and special requirements. Contact your assigned GAFM Coordinator to discuss grant requirements for budget amendments. Once the specifications of the award have been reviewed, a Budget Amendment Form should be completed and forwarded to the ORSP for input into Banner.

Cost Transfers

A cost transfer is a movement of cost associated with a transaction between two indexes, of which at least one must be a sponsored project (21XXXX - 23XXXX). This includes salary and non-salary costs. One exception is allocating charges from a non-sponsored project to a federal sponsored project. These are considered original or initially recorded charges if they are transferred within 90 days of the initial charge.

To request a cost transfer, complete the Cost Transfer Request Form.