Below is a list of helpful topics to inform you of important bits of information and procedures. If you have a suggestion for other topics, please let us know.

Account Set up
Award Notice
Fringe Benefit Rate
How to read an NIH grant number
Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Standard Receipt Deadline Dates
Number of copies to be sent to NIH
Training Grant Stipend Table
What to send OSP to process PI's proposal
When should it be: Subcontracts / Consultants / Fee for Service?

Account set up
The following items are necessary to set up an account:

1. notice of grant award
2. review and approval form
3. complete copy of the grant application that was submitted to the Agency/Sponsor
4. budget to match the award
5. current approvals for the any assurances being used (covering the start date of the budget period):
   
   1. human subjects/human derived material
   2. use of animal (approval needed for each species being used)
   3. biological agents / DNA
   4. hazardous chemicals
   5. radioactive materials
6. research conflict of interest certifications for PI/CoPIs
7. electronic copy of abstract
   
   You may call your OSP representative to find out exactly what is necessary for your particular file.
   Otherwise, you will be contacted by your OSP representative requesting such items.

Award notice
If an award notice is sent directly to the PI from the funding agency, please forward it to OSP (UCT 10th floor). Assuming that a copy of the award notice was also forwarded to our office could delay the account set-up for the grant.

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Fringe Benefit Rate

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How to read an NIH grant number
The identification number is commonly referred to as the application number or grant number, depending upon its processing status. The identification number consists of several parts, each having a distinct meaning. The following example shows the parts of an ID number assigned to an amendment (A1) to a supplemental (Type 3) application for a traditional research project (R01) referred to the National Cancer Institute (CA). The number further identifies the application serially as the 12921^st new proposal submitted to the NCI, and indicates that this is the first supplemental application (S1) to the fourth year (-04) of support to this project.

Type code translations

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Indirect Costs Rates (F&A)
Federal
                                                                    On Campus Rate        Off Campus Rate
Fiscal year 05            09/1/04 - 8/31/05            49.00% MTDC            25.50% MTDC
Fiscal year 06 - 08      09/1/05 - 08/31//08         48.50% MTDC*           25.50% MTDC*  
                                                                      *effective until amended
Instruction:
Fiscal year 05 - 08      09/01/04 - 08/31/08        40.00% MTDC*
                                                                     *effective until amended Base: Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) - total directs costs less items of equipment, patient care, tuition and fees, alterations, renovation, rent and utilities, and subcontract amounts over $25,000.

Private
30% of Total Direct Cost

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Number of copies to be sent to NIH
If the PI would like to mail the application to NIH, the PI is to send the original and five copies copies of the grant proposal.

ADDRESS:

Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive
MSC 7710  Suite 1040
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express or courier service)
tel: (301) 435-0715

NOTE: If the grant submission is in response to an RFA (Requests For Applications) or a PA (Program Announcements), please refer to the RFA or PA for specific or additional mailing requirements.

If the PI would like to have OSP mail out the grant proposal to NIH, the Staff/Administrative Assistant will need to give us the original and six copies of the grant proposal three days before the deadline.

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Comparison Table of
UTHSC-H Post Graduate/Medical Residency Years
and
NIH Postdoctoral Years of Experience
(NOT-OD-04-23)

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What to send OSP to process PI's proposal
At the time the Staff/Administrative Assistant turns in the PI's grant proposal to OSP, please remember we have a three-day turn around time frame. All proposals will be processed on a first come, first served basis. In order for OSP to "start the clock" for the three-day turn around time frame, the Staff/Administrative Assistant must give us the following forms/paperwork for grant submission:

1. original face page signed by the PI
2. completed lay summary/abstract page (form page 2, BB)
3. budget (detailed budget for initial budget period & budget for entire proposed project period)
4. budget justification
5. completed checklist
6. original R&A forms (signed by the PI, departmental business person, Chairman, Associate Dean)
7. a copy of assurances if use (i.e., radioactive/hazardous chemicals/biological/humans/animals)
8. an extra copy of items 1-5 listed above for OSP

If OSP does not have all of the required items listed above, the "clock" for the three day turn around time frame will not begin. If you turn in a grant proposal without the required items, we will call you and request for the necessary paperwork.

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When should it be Subcontracts/Consultants/Fee for Service?

Subcontracts, Subgrants, Consortium Agreements and Other Subagreements Criteria

Subcontracts

When funds awarded to the University for the conduct of a sponsored project are to be paid to an organization outside of the University, the arrangement should be treated as a subcontract if all the following criteria apply:

The funds are to be paid to a university or other non-profit entity rather than to a for-profit business or individual and are not considered "pass-through" funds from the sponsor. In rare instances, subcontracts can be issued to for-profit businesses.

The subcontractor's key person is acting as a collaborator or co-investigator and contributing to a significant portion of the scholarly/scientific conduct of the project as described in a statement of work for the subcontractor.

Subcontractor does not provide similar services to others as their primary business.

Verification by the University's Principal Investigator of the subcontractor's performance is required before payment is made.

The work to be accomplished is a definite and identifiable segment of a project.

The statement of work encompasses a variety of activities.

Periodic reports or other deliverables must be furnished in accordance with a schedule required by the University's prime contract or by the University.

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Consultants vs. Subcontracts

A consultant is a firm or individual who provides professional or highly technical advice or assistance to the University, over which the University controls the results but not the manner in which the service is performed. A consulting agreement may be appropriate in the following circumstances:
The task is to be accomplished through the efforts of one person who is an established consultant, or of an established consulting firm and
The task is singular in nature and is to be accomplished over a relatively short period of time.

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What a Subcontract Is Not

There may be a fine line between a subcontract to a subcontractor, and a "fee for service agreement" issued to buy goods or services from a vendor. In addition to the definition of terms above, consider the following definition to identify the type of recipient of fee for service agreement:

Who is a Vendor?

A vendor is an entity responsible for providing generally required goods or services related to the administrative support of the prime award, as distinguished from a subcontractor. These goods or services may be for the prime recipient or subrecipient's own use or for the use of beneficiaries of the program. This term is defined here to distinguish subcontractors from vendors.

Characteristics of a vendor include items such as:

• Providing the goods and services within normal business operations
• Providing similar goods or services to many different purchasers
• Operating in a competitive environment
• Program compliance requirements do not pertain to the goods or services provided

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Other Non-Subcontract Agreements:

Certain other agreements which are not processed as subcontracts include:

• Consulting Agreements - individuals provide professional or tech. advice usually over a short period of time
• Professional Service Agreements - persons are engaged to render service for a specified result under our control
  

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