Sponsored Projects

The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) serves as the coordinating office for externally funded research and sponsored projects at The University of Texas at Austin. The goal of the OSP is to assist faculty and professional research staff in their efforts to secure and ensure proper stewardship of external funding. We do that by assisting research faculty and staff with the following: proposal review, authorization, and submission; award negotiations and acceptance; account management; close-out, reports, audits, collection; professional development and education; export control, and research compliance.

HOW IT WORKS

Life Cycle of the Grant

PI Book

ERA Ticket System

Post-award administration is what happens after the proposal is submitted and the award is made. This area covers a multitude of policy issues and processes both financial and nonfinancial. When an institution receives an award from an external sponsor, it agrees to certain terms and conditions. In addition to conducting the work proposed, the institution also agrees to be a good steward of external funds. The post-award administrative function is in place to ensure good stewardship.

For award and subaward management
Financial Closeout for Post-Award
StopGap Request Form

For specific account balance, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Reimbursements to Grant Accounts

Any charges made on Procards or invoices that are against UT policy can be reimbursed to Mechanical's Research Accountant or Finance Manager. A physical receipt will be given to confirm the funds, which will be deposited to the Main Bursar's Office. If providing cash, the amount must be exact. We do not have change.

Grant Costs

Grant costs must be allocable, allowable and reasonable to the project needs. Should it be deemed otherwise by the Department, Cockrell or OSP, then the cost would need to be assigned to another sponsored project account or to a non sponsored project account; which are accounts that start with (-19, -20, -30).

Tuition

Tuition costs are viewed as an additional fringe benefit to students; however, we are able to see the costs on a different budget line item. Thus, GRA salary and tuition costs would go hand-in-hand on appointments. If the grant excludes tuition costs or there is not enough funding, then the tuition would need to be split or moved entirely to a non-sponsored project account. 

Budget Transfers (VTCs)

Once awards are setup and funds are available, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to reallocate funds. Please note the following on transfers:

1. Less than 10% reallocation from the Original Budget for the specific Budget Category- no justification is needed
2. From 10% to 20%, a brief justification for the transfer is needed, per OSP policy requirement
3. Above 20%, a brief justification is needed for OSP along with approval from the sponsor

Please note: Some sponsors may notate in their award contracts that no communication is needed for budget transfers. However, this has no effect on OSP's Justification policy to address future audit questions.

Letters of Agreements (LOA)s

If multiple PIs will be collaborating on a project, it is most beneficial for all parties involved that separate LOAs are setup from the grant's onset. Each PI would be able to better track and monitor their costs on their specific project role.

Once a LOA budget is provided by the Co-PI, a DocuSign email will be sent to both the Primary PI and the Co-PI for final review and approval. This method allows the signed document to automatically be sent to OSP upon final approval.

Overhead

Overhead is an account OSP strictly controls. The Department can only utilize these funds via budget transfers, based on the scenarios below. Any further Overhead adjustments would be initiated through OSP.

1. When transferring funds into a non-overhead bearing account (e.g. Tuition or Equipment), overhead funds would be part of the transfer.
   Example: If transferring $1,000 into Tuition from an Overhead bearing account (e.g. Salaries, Materials, etc), with an Award Overhead Rate of 58.50%, then overhead would contribute $369 while the Overhead bearing account would contribute $631.

2. When transferring funds out of a non-overhead bearing account into Overhead bearing accounts, funds would be transferred back into Overhead at the Award’s Overhead rate.
   Example: If transferring $1,000 out of Tuition, with an Award Overhead Rate of 58.50%, then overhead would increase by $585.

No-Cost Extension (NCE)

NCE's must have sponsor approval first before the approval is sent to OSP.

If approved, the award will be extended and make residual funds available for use.

Subaward

Subaward invoices should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for processing. The AP team will be in contact with you when the invoices come. You will need to sign the paperwork before we're allowed to send payment to the sub awardees. Be on the lookout for an email from DocuSign, sent by the AP team.

Award Billing

Billing is handled exclusively by OSP- Accounting. Any questions/concerns will be forwarded to them.

Money Wires

Any award that is receiving incoming wires will be routed through UT’s Cash Division. Mechanical's Finance team monitors the wires on a daily basis. Please contact Michelle Hageman (finance manager) and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and provide information on the payor, description, amount(s) and the frequency of the payments.

What is fabrication?

Definition 1: Fabrication: built from scratch

Definition 2: The University may have to build equipment that is not available elsewhere and is a unique one-of-a-kind item. This equipment is primarily sponsor-funded and therefore has a number of compliance requirements related to acquiring and tracking individual pieces of equipment in an assembled fabrication.

Standard (“off-the-shelf”) items that are altered or customized to make them usable on a sponsored project do not qualify as fabrication. Fabricated items, regardless of cost, that are either created for transfer to a non-University entity or expected to have a useful life of less than one year do not meet The University’s definition of equipment and should not be treated as such.

All services purchased for equipment fabrication must be used in the fabrication process and become a permanent part of the end product’s value. All items purchased must become a permanent part of the end product’s value as well, unless they are destroyed during testing or consumed in fabrication. The completed item of fabricated equipment must have a useful life of at least one year and must be classified as a capital asset per SPAA guidelines.

For more information

How should I keep track of it?

Fabricated items will become a permanent part of the end product's value (unless they are destroyed during testing or consumed in fabrication). The completed item of fabricated equipment must have a useful life of at least one year with a $5,000 end value or greater.

Examples: a device built from pieces of grinded metal; microchips built out of raw silicon; two devices modified to work together in the same location, sealed from casual tampering.

Please keep track of:

• Inventory Tag # if known
• Code Name for Fabricated Equipment Project
• Building Abbreviation
• Room #
• Project Name

This will be helpful when ME needs to submit a report to SPAA and Inventory. 

Current Fringe Rates