[Office-of-research] Guidance for Budgeting Administrative Support Expenses in Proposals for ARRA Awards

[Bruce Morgan]

Please broadly disseminate the below guidance from the Vice Chancellor for
Research (which is also attached) to Principal Investigators and those
individuals involved in the development of extramural proposal budgets.

 

OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH

April 29, 2009


ALL ACADEMICS & KEY ADMINISTRATORS/KEY SUPPORT STAFF 

 

SUBJECT:   American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

 

In the coming months, due to the impact of the ARRA stimulus program, the
University of California expects to receive a significant increase in
sponsored research funding.

 

This guidance is issued in anticipation of a final determination to be made
by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the
allowability of administrative support charges as direct costs on ARRA
awards.  In the event that the OMB determines that such costs cannot be
charged as direct costs, the campus will comply with this determination and
any administrative support personnel costs budgeted in ARRA awards may be
rebudgeted for other project needs consistent with award terms and
conditions, sponsor policy, UC/campus policy and applicable regulations and
statutes.

 

Guidance for Budgeting Administrative Support Expenses in Proposals for ARRA
Awards

 

ARRA awards will require an expanded level of reporting and administrative
management in order to meet the accountability requirements for these
awards. To meet the requirements, UCR proposals submitted for ARRA funds
should include a direct labor allocation for departmental administrative
support salaries commensurate with the level of effort required to manage
the expanded financial management and reporting anticipated for these
awards.  Generally, the level of effort would not exceed 10% FTE.  However,
it may be necessary to scale the level of effort based on the size,
complexity and programmatic activities associated with the project.  It is
also important to remember that all administrative support directly charged
to ARRA awards will require quarterly effort certification.

 

Departmental administrative support personnel budgeted and charged to ARRA
awards should be responsible for the administrative activities necessary and
essential for fulfilling the reporting requirements and other special
obligations associated with ARRA-funded awards (list is not exhaustive):

 

*	Monitoring expenditures under ARRA awards to ensure that the funds
are being spent timely and in accordance with the award terms and
conditions. 
*	Coordinating the data required for reporting under ARRA by working
with PIs, Sponsored Programs Administration, and Extramural Funds
Accounting.
*	Assisting PIs and Sponsored Programs Administration with
coordinating the submission of ARRA-required administrative and financial
data reporting elements.
*	Any other administrative and financial tasks related to ARRA awards.


 

The proposal budget justification must include a rationale for requesting
departmental administrative support costs in the form of administrative
and/or clerical salaries. Here is sample language:

 

Due to the extraordinary administrative oversight and reporting activities
associated with awards made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act, this proposal includes __% salary support for the additional
administrative services required by the Act should an award be issued.
Regulatory support for this request is located at OMB Circular A-21 F.6. a.
(2.), which states: "Direct charging of salaries of administrative and
clerical staff costs may be appropriate where administrative or clerical
services required by the project are significantly greater than the routine
level of such services provided by academic departments."

 

If you have any questions or require any additional information please
contact the Contract and Grant Officer
<http://or.ucr.edu/home/Staff.aspx?t=3>  assigned to your unit.

 

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