:: Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
ORSP preaward activities
A brief word on the definition of 'preaward.' ORSP preaward responsibilities do not end, as you will read below, when your proposal is submitted to the sponsor. In fact, the ORSP preaward staff have responsibilities that can include providing you with assistance as you prepare your proposal, assistance once you've received an award letter from a sponsor, assistance with sponsored required revisions to your project budget, and assistance in notifying a sponsor of the need to change the grant's principle investigator and/or other key project staff.
Presubmission
- As your prepare your proposal package, the ORSP preaward staff can, as needed, provide you with advice on university policies and assistance with all aspects of proposal budget development, administrative forms, and all certifications required by the sponsor.
- The university requires subrecipients to provide the ORSP with a project budget, scope of work, and a letter of intent to collaborate with UMass Boston from an appropriate administrative official of the subrecipient's home institution.
- The ORSP forwards your completed proposal package to the university's institutional representative, Vice Provost for Research Richard F. Antonak, for his review and authorization to submit your proposal on behalf of UMass Boston.
Receipt of award letter
- A sponsor's award letter should be sent by the sponsor directly to the ORSP. The ORSP then reviews the terms and conditions of the award, and informs the awardee (i.e., principal investigator) and other appropriate administrative offices. If the sponsor's terms and conditions comply with university policy and are acceptable to the university, the ORSP will accept the award on behalf of the university and the principle investigator.
Change in project terms, conditions, or staff
- A sponsor may issue an award letter with the stipulation that acceptance of the award first requires the university to accept a new condition or term or a change in the project budget (almost always a reduction). The ORSP preaward staff will then take the necessary action to negotiate and settle upon terms, conditions, and a revised budget that are acceptable to the university and the sponsor.
- Once a project is underway, all requests to change a project PI or request a change to the budget must be submitted to and approved by the ORSP prior to any communication with the sponsor.
Subawards
- Only the ORSP can initiate and process the paperwork for subawards and subaward amendments funded through sponsored programs.
- Once the ORSP establishes a subaward, the ORSP notifies the PI's home department (program, etc.) so that the department can setup a purchase order (or PO). The subrecipient sends its invoice directly to the PI's department. The department then asks the PI to approve (or not) the subrecipient's invoice or request for payment. Once approved, the department forwards the invoice--be sure to clearly write the PO number on the invoice--to the UMass Boston Controller's Office, which then takes the necessary action to send a check to the subrecipient.