Texas Tech University

Sponsored Projects Post Award Realignment

The post-award administration for sponsored projects has been consolidated to more effectively support the university's vision to become a nationally-recognized public research university. The overall goal with the consolidation is to improve customer service to departments and principal investigators and to maximize efficiencies in post-award processes. The Office of Research Accounting (ORA), formerly known as Sponsored Programs Accounting and Report (SPAR), now has responsibility for most post-award administration functions.

A dedicated grant specialist within ORA will assist with all post-award administrative activities and will address any and all issues, concerns, and questions you may have about the award, related compliance requirements, and institutional processes. You will now have ONE point of contact for all post-award matters!

OFFICE OF RESEARCH ACCOUNTING

Project Management

Your grant specialist will provide the following services throughout the term of your project:

  • Award Setup – establish all project and cost share FOPs and budgets in Banner
  • Award Management – process and monitor budget revision requests, approve procurement of federally-funded equipment, monitor certain project expenditures, monitor cost share commitments, address all questions and issues related to the financial administration of projects, and obtain sponsor approval as needed
  • Award Closeout – coordinate the submission of all required closeout documents

Accounting and Reporting

A separate group within ORA will perform the following post-award financial and accounting activities:

  • Billing – submit invoices and/or draw down project funding
  • Reporting – submit required financial reports
  • Collections – follow up with sponsors to collect amounts owed

The invoicing and reporting for some projects may require some departmental coordination. To the extent possible, ORA will work through your grant specialist to meet the billing and reporting obligations. Again, the goal is that you have one point of contact.

Cost Accounting and Compliance

ORA also has responsibility for the following, some of which may involve different points of contact on a less-frequent basis: facilities and administrative (F&A) rate proposal, academic service center rate development, effort reporting, sub-recipient monitoring, ePAF approval, eVerify compliance, and various other internal and external reporting.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES

ORS will continue to provide all pre-award services including assistance with proposal development, review, and submission, and award negotiation and acceptance. ORS will also continue to be responsible for the following post-award activities:

  • award extensions, continuations, renewals, and modifications
  • changes in principal investigators/key personnel
  • sub-award agreements
  • advance FOPs
  • human subject, animal care, hazardous material, and financial conflict of interest compliance

Researchers can find pre-award analysts on the ORS website.