Office of Research Administration

Award Process

 

Congratulations on receiving your award! Please review the following information about how the ORA staff operates once award notification is received.

Internal Awards

UMSL Junior Faculty Travel Grants:

Award notifications letters are sent out via Campus Mail.

When you have completed the obligation from your proposal, submit expenses online using PeopleSoft Travel and Expenses and notify Brenda Stutte (314-516-5897) of completion. The ORA processes your reimbursement according to your award amount. Reimbursement is received through direct deposit (this account is the same account that you have set up with HR for paycheck deposits) and you are notified via email from the Accounting Office once this transaction has taken place.

UM Research Board Awards:

Award notifications are sent via email.

If you receive a UM Research Board Award, you will also receive a Rebudget Form and Committee Comments. Most often, you will not receive the entire requested amount; therefore, it is very important that you rebudget for the new award amount. Send the completed Rebudget Form to Brenda Stutte (341 Woods Hall). When the form is received, the ORA requests an account for your project — each project is given its own MoCode. You will need to work with the Administrative Assistant in your department to access these funds and receive reimbursements. Accounts are typically assigned about one month before the start date that you have indicated in your proposal; however, some accounts are started early.

If you have questions, contact Brenda Stutte (314-516-5897).

 

External Awards

Award Setup:

Once funding has been awarded and the ORA has received the award notice from the agency, the ORA sets up a project number and MoCode in the PeopleSoft Grants Module. The agency-approved budget is entered into the system. If the project includes cost sharing, a MoCode is set up based on the DeptID provided by the department. A Grant Award Summary is generated and emailed to the Principle Investigator (PI), chair, dean, and, if requested, the appropriate fiscal officer.

Vouchers and PAFs:

The ORA reviews vouchers for purchases over $2,500, subcontract payments, consultant payments, and Personnel Action Form's (PAF); expenses to ensure they are approved in the budget; and all documents to check for appropriate authorized signatures.

Interim and Final Financial Reports:

The ORA accountant assigned to the grant completes all interim and final financial reports based on the dates given in the award or contract. The PI is consulted to ensure that all appropriate expenses are included in the final financial report. Copies of all financial reports are sent to the PI.

Invoices:

The ORA Accountant is responsible for all grant project invoicing except for letters of credit. In some instances, the ORA may need information from the PI to submit an invoice. Copies of invoices prepared in the ORA are sent to the PI. The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (OSPA) in Columbia handles letters of credit and electronic payments for many of the federal agencies. The PI is consulted when the final invoice is being prepared to ensure all appropriate expenses are included.

Closeout:

The ORA sends a letter to the PI 90 days before the project's end date as a reminder that the project is due to expire and that either a technical report may be due or an extension may be needed. If there is no response from the PI, the closeout procedures begin after the project has expired. The expenses are reviewed on the PeopleSoft Budget Variance #8 Report, and the financial report is prepared. The PI is notified to make sure all appropriate expenses have been included. Remaining funds (if not a fixed price contract) are returned to the agency. The project is inactivated in PeopleSoft.

If the project is fixed price, the PI can request that the project be extended for up to one year to allow the project to remain active and the PI to continue with the project for that period of extension. If the project is to be closed out, any remaining funds will be transferred to the PI's assigned departmental Grants Incentive Fund MoCode.