We Are All in This Together:

Close Out Issues

Researchers, Administration Teams and Sponsored

Projects StaffArriving Together at the

End of a Sponsored Project

The Destination is the Reason for the

Voyage

Prepare • “Begin with the end in mind””®©Franklin-Covey

• Plan your sail, and sail your plan.

Team

• Primary Investigator

• Research Administrators

• Sponsored Projects Office

• Grant and Contract Accounting

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• Understanding no matter what our responsibilities are during the life of a project, they can ultimately effect the closeout

Objectives

Closeout Starts With Proposal Submission

• The Investigator and/or Team• Your institution’s guidelines• The sponsor’s regulations & references• Award Requirements

Review ItemsComplex Projects

• Incrementally funded, multi-year

• Contains Subcontracts

• Excessive Cost Share

• Multi-disciplinary,

• Complex financial reporting (e.g., by task)

CAS Exceptions Requested

• CAS exceptions must be:

– allowable, allocable, reasonable, identifiable with a sponsored work and approved by the sponsor,

• Typical CAS exceptions are– e.g., Office supplies, clerical salaries,

postage, local phone calls

Subcontract

A contract that assigns some of the obligations of an existing contract to another party.

When the Award Arrives

• Congratulate the researcher!

• Setup Team Meeting to:

– Verify the budget

– Verify the cost-share

– Schedule reports

– Setup Internal Financial Tracking System

– Other items as needed

Final Closeout Checklist

Start with This in Mind

• Final Deliverables

• Money Out = Money In

• Documentation

During the Life of the Project

• Share your info

• Prompt for reports

• Prompt for documentation

During the Life of the Project

• Keep on top of it• Cost Share – On schedule? On

target? Documented• Reinforcements

• Anything not routine

• Complex Projects

• Unspent funds (FP)

• Excessive Spending

Post Award Issues That Effect Closeouts

Review For Project Changes

• A significant delay in project

• Conflict of interest that cannot be resolved

• Change in scope of work

• Addition of a sub contract.

Review for Non- Compliance

• Review for Non-compliance with Award Restrictions –Budget restrictions / limitations–re-budgeting between categories–prior approvals for equipment

• Unallowable Costs• Other

Review Items That Need Special Monitoring

Special Monitoring

Purchasing cards Cost Share

Cash Advances Cost Transfers

Encumbrances Subcontractors

Hourly-paid Staff and/or Students

Purchasing Cards

All Purchasing Card costs on sponsored accounts MUST be directly related to the project and documented

Cost Share Documentation

• Audit Purposes• Mandatory reporting to sponsor• Voluntary Committed verified &

Documented• Consequences of Under-reported Cost

Share

Cash Advance

• Use sparingly

• Not a “petty cash” fund

• Costs must be directly related to

the project

• Mostly for field work

Cost Transfers OMB Circular A-21 prohibition makes cost

shifting audit sensitive

• Post Term Charges

–Largely unallowable (Final report costs only exception)

Unallowable Costs–Costs that do not meet the criteria for

A 21 Allocable costs.

Open Encumbrances

All encumbrances should be

reviewed at least 30 days before

the end of an award.

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Review Subcontracts

• Activate Subcontract

• All payments/financial reports being submitted in a timely manner

• All deliverables, progress reports being submitted

Date Of Completion

• “Date of completion means the date on which all work…is completed or the date… on which Federal or Non Federal sponsorship ends.”

Project Termination & Closeout

CAUTIONCLOSEOUTS

AHEAD

At the End of the Project

• Should be no surprises

• Use your checklist

• Project deliverables are the responsibility of the Investigator

Final Closeout Review

Purchasing Card Expenditures Documented

Cost Share Documentation CompletedSubcontracts Closed

Refund to Sponsor Cleared

Final Closeout Review

Residual Transfers Completed (FP)

Cash Advances Cleared

Encumbrances Cleared

All Cost Transfers Completed

Other

Final Closeout Review

Final Deliverables Submitted Patents, Technical, Equipment, Inventory Final Financials, Others as required

Revenue = Expenditures

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Records Retention & Access System

• Retention required for three years after last action

• Other standards may apply• Government requires timely and

unrestricted access

At the End of the Project

Requirements after the close of the project

Hanauma Bay, Hawaii

Fair Sailing!