NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

What is the Role of a DRA…Department Research Administrator Understanding Your Role Pre Award Best Practices

Post Award Management The Day-to-Day of your Grant Portfolio Getting to know your Post Award Central Office Best Practices

Compliance When to flip your Compliance Hat Allowable vs. Unallowable Best Practices

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

What is the Role of a DRA?

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

What is the Role of a DRA?

The DRA is one of the most important players in Research Administration Operations

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Understanding Your Role

Successful DRA’s: Understand their value to the organization Understand their limitations Determine their strengths Identify their weaknesses

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Pre-Award

The Departmental Research Administrator (DRA) assists and advises the PI (Principal Investigator) in Pre-award activities in accordance with: Sponsor’s terms and conditions Applicable regulations Institutional policies

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Pre-Award

DRAs are the primary interface with the scientific staff members that are responsible for sponsored project conduct. On-the-Ground ~ an important

understanding of issues a central administratormay not or cannot know.

Their importance doesn’t eliminatethe challenges & hurdles associated with successfully completing task, especiallywhen there is a one person office.

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Department Research AdministratorsGroup meetings are essential to the future growth

of any organization. Your institution’s first line of defense for

compliance.Assets to cultivate, develop and maintain

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Award Monitoring Review of expenditures in a timely fashion Cost Transfers

Allowable, allocable and reasonable

Cost Share Commitments

Overspending/Under-spending

Increasing/Decreasing Effort of Key Personnel

Equipment Purchases

Training, training, training!

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Sub-Recipient Monitoring

Overseeing all work with sub-recipient Regular follow-up meetings with PI and sub PI to

review project timeline Terms of the sub-award including termination for

non-performance and audit Allowable and allocable to the subcontract Payment/invoicing terms of the subcontract Carry-forward Foreign sub-recipients & negotiated F&A rates

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Time & Effort Reporting

Systems in use for verifying effort Direct working knowledge of the work

being done on the research projects Certification should be done in a timely

manner Changes must reflect the actual work

being done

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Post Award Management

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Intimate Knowledge of your Grant PortfolioWho are my sponsors

Federal, State, City, Foundations and other.Familiarity with governing circulars

OMB Circular A-21 OMB Circular A-110 OMB Circular A-133

Federal NIH, NIHMI, DHHS NSF USDEduc

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Do you have a Back-up system?Create a tracking system

Validation Forecasting

Keep separate copies Effort Reports Invoices Account Reconciliations

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Be ProactiveDue DatesBack-upFront end Salary Reallocations

Understanding Your Financial SystemsUtilization of offered trainingUtilization of offered system reportsTechnology is your friend, Embrace it!

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Getting to Know your Post Award Central Office

Who is your Liaison?Get to know THEIR dutiesKnow what THEY need from YOURespect DUE DATES

Building RelationshipsReach outRequest Meetings/Trainings Invite them to your “house!”

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Getting to Know your Post Award Central Office

Ask and you Shall ReceiveAward DocumentsManual or System generated invoicingReportingPayments

Go-To-PersonReliable back-up Turn-around-timeUninterrupted productivity

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Cost Transfers

Cost Center Reports

TrainingSelf Auditing

Effort Reporting

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

After-the-Fact Effort Reporting

Effort Reallocations - - processed prior to reports issuance

1st Hand knowledge of the work being done on the research projects

Certification should be done in a timely manner

Changes must reflect the actual work performed

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Respect Deadlines Be Proactive Cost Center Reconciliations Networking Take advantage of Training

Opportunities Education is paramount

SelfFormal

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Compliance

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

When to Flip your Compliance Hat

Identifying Red FlagsMajor Purchases towards the end of the project

Equipment Computer

Irregularity in Budget Variations Comp vs. Non comp The 25% rule

Cost transfer beyond.....the 90 day Period Understanding your polices and regulation Getting it right, the 1st time

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

When to Flip your Compliance Hat

Identifying Red FlagsEffort Reporting Changes

Who is certifying effort Significant reallocations of effort

Key Personnel salary/effort variations The 25% rule Administrative Duties

Travel Domestic vs. Foreign Per diem vs. Actual receipts

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#1: Working on multiple Grants/Projects withDepartmental duties Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#2: Working on one Grant only with no Departmental dutiesAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Administrative Salaries

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#1: Purchasing Office Supplies under a single project of the labAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#2: Purchasing Office Supplies to one specific grant/project where multiple sponsored and non sponsored projects run simultaneouslyAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Office Supplies

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#1: Budgeted Conference, standard room, no view of the cityAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#2: Budgeted Conference, Presidential Suite, free mini bar, hot tub and amazing view of the cityAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Travel

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#1: Budgeted computer equipment of $2,500, four small purchases for iPadsAnswer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Case#2: One budgeted laptop, cost $2,500Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable

Computer Equipment

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Review Sub-RecipientsAuditsEffort Reporting InvoicesRequest Back-up

Audit TrailsFriend or Foe?

Conflict of Interest

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

Best Practices

Budget, Budget, Budget Trust but Verify Review your NOA Stay up-to-date

New & Old Compliance RegulationsCheck with your Post Award Liaison

Is it worth it? How do you want your Name in a Headline?

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC