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

2. 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
Compliance
When to flip your Compliance Hat
Allowable vs. Unallowable
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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 administrator may not or cannot know. 
Their importance doesn’t eliminate the challenges & hurdles associated with successfully completing task, especially when there is a one person office.
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

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

9. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Best Practices
Department Research Administrators
Group 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Post Award Management
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

14. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Intimate Knowledge of your Grant Portfolio
Who 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

15. 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

16. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Be Proactive
Due Dates
Back-up
Front end Salary Reallocations
Understanding Your Financial Systems
Utilization of offered training
Utilization of offered system reports
Technology is your friend, Embrace it!
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

17. Getting to Know your Post Award Central Office
Who is your Liaison?
Get to know THEIR duties
Know what THEY need from YOU
Respect DUE DATES
Building Relationships
Reach out
Request Meetings/Trainings
Invite them to your “house!”
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

18. Getting to Know your Post Award Central Office
Ask and you Shall Receive
Award Documents
Manual or System generated invoicing
Reporting
Payments
Go-To-Person
Reliable back-up
Turn-around-time
Uninterrupted productivity
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

19. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Cost Transfers
Cost Center Reports
Training
Self Auditing
Effort Reporting
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

20. 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

21. 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
Self
Formal
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

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

23. When to Flip your Compliance Hat
Identifying Red Flags
Major 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

24. When to Flip your Compliance Hat
Identifying Red Flags
Effort 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

25. Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Administrative Salaries
Case#1: Working on multiple Grants/Projects with Departmental duties
Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Case#2: Working on one Grant only with no Departmental duties
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

26. Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Office Supplies
Case#1: Purchasing Office Supplies under a single project of the lab
Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Case#2: Purchasing Office Supplies to one specific grant/project where multiple sponsored and non sponsored projects run simultaneously
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

27. Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Travel
Case#1: Budgeted Conference, standard room, no view of the city
Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Case#2: Budgeted Conference, Presidential Suite, free mini bar, hot tub and amazing view of the city
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

28. Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Computer Equipment
Case#1: Budgeted computer equipment of $2,500, four small purchases for iPads
Answer: Allowable vs. Un-Allowable
Case#2: One budgeted laptop, cost $2,500
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

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

30. NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC
Best Practices
Review Sub-Recipients
Audits
Effort Reporting
Invoices
Request Back-up
Audit Trails
Friend or Foe?
Conflict of Interest
NCURA 54th Annual Meeting * November 4-7, 2012 * Washington, DC

31. 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 Regulations
Check 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

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

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