Office of Sponsored Programs - 600.01 - Reporting Overview

Title

Office of Sponsored Programs - 600.01 - Reporting Overview

Purpose

Timely compliance with reporting requirements sustains the University’s integrity in research, maintains continuity of sponsor support, prevents the threat of debarment to the University research community, and protects the University-Sponsor-Research Team relationship from being compromised.

Policy Statement

The University is mandated to comply promptly with Federal, State, and sponsor reporting regulations regarding programmatic, regulatory, fiscal, personnel, and property stewardship requirements of sponsored research, as established in 2 CFR Subpart D.

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) works in partnership with Principal Investigators (PIs) and Departmental Administrators (DAs) to provide accurate, timely reports to sponsors. To that end, OSP monitors reporting requirements and other deadlines to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the award and to provide a continuous exchange of accurate, current information among the University, the PI, and the sponsoring agency.

PIs and DAs play a critical role in keeping the University in good standing with sponsors by maintaining day-to-day financial and technical information essential for accurate reporting.

Reporting compliance falls into three basic categories:

• Project Performance Reports
• Financial Status Reports
• Effort Reporting

In addition to these elements, final reporting on property stewardship and technology transfer/intellectual property may also be required. The frequency of performance and financial reports are determined by the sponsor and are specified in the terms and conditions of the award or contract.

Reporting increment outline:

• Interim reports for smaller increments within a longer budget period (monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual reports)
• Annual reports covering a 12 month period
• Final reports prepared at the end of project funding
• Effort reports are prepared every two (2) pay periods for SHRA personnel and quarterly for EHRA personnel

Record retention requirements of 2 CFR §200.333 state that financial records, supporting documents, and any other records pertinent to the award must be retained for three (3) years from the submission date of the final report.

I. Project Performance Reports

These programmatic or technical reports are prepared by the PI and contain a comparison of actual accomplishments to established goals, the findings of the project, and any other pertinent information regarding the research for the period being reported.

In accordance with 2 CFR §200.328 (Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance), the following guidelines apply to the frequency of reporting unless otherwise stated in the terms and conditions:

• If significant developments that impact the performance of the award occur, a report must immediately be submitted to the funding agency.
• If the funding agency requires quarterly or semi-annual reports, the reports must be submitted to the agency within 30 days after the reporting period end date.
• If the funding agency requires an annual report, it must be submitted to the agency within 90 calendar days after the grant year-end date.
• The final report is due to the agency within 90 calendar days after the date of award termination.

II. Financial Status Reports

The sponsor’s financial reporting requirements and frequency will also be spelled out in the award terms and conditions. Typically, these reports include a summary of program expenditures during a stated period. For every financial report (interim, annual, and final), OSP relies on award data in ConnectCarolina and information provided by the PI and DA. Therefore, the awarding department must work closely with OSP to provide expenditure data that meets the requirements of the sponsor.

In accordance with 2 CFR §200.327, OSP prepares financial reports according to specific guidelines as determined by the funding agency. The sponsor will also prescribe whether reporting will be based on a cash or accrual basis as well as the frequency of reporting. The reports must be submitted to the agency within 30 days after the specified reporting period. Annual and final financial reports must be submitted within 90 calendar days from the award budget end date.

III. Effort Reporting

Effort reports are prepared by the department and submitted to OSP for approval and processing. University employees are mandated by Federal regulations to report the official effort they expend on sponsored research activities in compliance with 2 CFR §200.430. These reports are based on the total percentage of time applied to a given sponsored research project, independent of the notion of a finite work week (e.g., a 40-hour work week).

Related Requirements

• Research Administration Glossary at Carolina
• 2 CFR §200 Subpart D - Post Federal Award Requirements
• 2 CFR §200.327 - Financial Reporting
• 2 CFR §200.328 - Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance
• 2 CFR §200.333 - Retention Requirements for Records
• 2 CFR §200.430 - Compensation-Personal Services

Unit Policies, Standards, & Procedures

• OSP Operating Standard 600.03 - Principal Investigators and Departmental Administrators Financial Reporting Responsibilities
• OSP Operating Standard 600.05 - Effort Reporting
• OSP Operating Standard 700.01 - Overview of Project Closeout Responsibilities

Contact Information

For questions regarding this operating standard and its related procedure, please contact SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu.

For questions regarding Pre-Award management or Post-Award administration, please contact the assigned Sponsored Projects Specialist (SPS).

For invoicing, reporting and other financial matters, please contact the assigned Sponsored Projects Accountant. OSP Staff assignments are found in RAMSeS or on the OSP website.

History

The operating standards in the Office of Sponsored Programs Operating Standards & Procedures Manual supersede any OSP operating standards, procedures and appendices previously included in the University Business Manual, a publication of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Division of Finance.