| Accelerated Work |
Expenses that need to be charged to a project because
work planned for a future budget period is begun in the current budget
period. |
| Advance Account |
An account established before the award process has been completed
in order to facilitate administrative establishment of the project. |
| Advance Payment |
A type of payment in which payment is received before financial
reports are submitted. |
| Allocable |
A cost that can be assigned to a project that meets a specific
project objective based on relative benefits received. A cost may
be allocable to a specific project but paid for by the University,
depending on what the sponsor determines is allowable for a particular
type of project. |
| Allowable |
A cost that can be charged to a project per sponsor's guidelines.
A cost may be allowable per sponsor's guidelines, but if its does
not meet any specific project objectives, it is not allocable. |
| BA23 |
Outdated University of Minnesota internal routing document for sponsored
projects. Replaced by the Proposal Routing Form (PRF). Formal title:
Application for External Research, Training or Public Service Support. |
| Bilateral Agreement |
An agreement that both parties must sign before the award is granted. |
| Budget Period |
Internal funding period of an award - usually 12 months. The project
period is divided into budget periods for budgetary and funding purposes. |
| Carryforward |
Unexpended funds carried from one budget period to another. Note:
this definition is specific to research. The University's financial
definition is: an organization's year-end balance, calculated starting
with the prior year's carry forward for the org plus revenues plus
transfers in minus expenditures and transfers out. |
| CAS |
Cost Accounting Standards |
| CFR |
Code of Federal Regulations |
| Competing Proposal |
Proposal for funding that is not guaranteed and the application
is pooled with other proposals for review. |
| Conflict of Interest |
A conflict of interest occurs when an employee compromises professional
judgment in carrying out University teaching, research, outreach,
or public service activities because of an external relationship that
directly or indirectly affects the financial or business interests
of the employee, an immediate family member, or an associated entity. |
| Continuation Application |
An application for continued support on current projects already
funded by the sponsor. |
| Contract |
An agreement where the sponsor has more involvement and uses the
project to achieve a specific outcome or deliverable. Example: A sponsor
requests proposals to devise an electric wheelchair. Before the project
begins, the sponsor and the PI discuss what features the wheel chair
should have and agree on tests that the finished project must pass.
The work is conducted by the PI. |
| Cooperative Agreement |
An agreement where the sponsor has substantial involvement in the
project. The sponsor and the grantee work together to achieve a specific
objective. Example: A sponsor requests proposals to devise an electric
wheelchair. Before the project begins, the sponsor and the PI discuss
what features the wheelchair should have and agree on tests the finished
product must pass. The work is conducted by both the sponsor's employees
and the PI. |
| Copyright |
A copyright protects an original work, set down in a fixed form
or medium of expression, e g., texts, computer software, visual and
audio materials. It protects the embodiment of an idea, as opposed
to the idea itself. A copyright term is 75 years from the date of
publication or 100 years from the time the work was created. |
| Cost Overrun |
Direct costs incurred and charged to a sponsored project in excess
of the awarded amount. |
| Cost Reimbursable |
An agreement in which the sponsor funds the project to the extent
described in the award notice. The University is reimbursed by the
sponsor only for actual costs incurred; any unspent funds revert to
the sponsor (see Fixed Price Project Agreement). |
| Cost Sharing |
The terms "cost sharing," "matching," and "in-kind"
refer to that portion of the total project costs not borne by the
sponsor. The University generally refers to cost sharing when looking
at labor items. |
| Cost Transfer |
A direct charge expense transferred from one account to another
after the charge has been posted in a financial accounting record. |
| CUFS |
College and University Financial System: financial accounting system
purchased by the University from American Management Systems, Inc. |
| CUFSRDB |
CUFS Reporting Database |
| DC |
Direct costs |
| DEHS |
Department of Environmental Health and Safety |
| DHHS |
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |
| Direct Costs |
Those costs that can be identified specifically with a particular
sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional
activity, or that can be directly assigned to such activities relatively
easily with a high degree of accuracy (OMB Circular A-21). |
| Distribution Document: |
A document prepared by the department for each employee and submitted
to payroll. It allows the charging of salary and wages to designated
accounts. These documents include information about an employee's
appointment(s) and the account(s) from which the employee is paid.
Distribution Documents affect an employee's pay in future pay periods. |
| EB |
Expenditure Budget - Part of the budget plan that describes in detail
how resources in an ORG will be used. EBs assign dollar amounts to
object codes to show how much is planned to be spent for particular
purposes, e.g., salaries, travel, equipment. |
| Effort |
Work or the proportion of time spent on any activity and expressed
as a percentage of total time. |
| Effort Certification |
Federal requirement of OMB Circular A-21 that all effort applied
to federally-sponsored contracts or grants be verified after the fact
to see that effort reasonably reflects the planned distribution of
pay. |
| Effort Coordinator |
Effort reporting administrators at the departmental level who facilitate
the distribution and submission of Effort Statements. |
| Effort Reporting |
Process used by the University to comply with Federal regulations
that require the University to certify time spent and salary charged
to a sponsored project. |
| Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS) |
An internet-based proposal development and sponsored project management
system. |
| Encumbrance |
The University's legal obligation to pay a vendor or reimburse
an employee when goods or services have been requested, but have not
yet been provided. Funds are set aside for a specific purpose, such
as salaries or equipment. |
| Equipment |
Any item purchased at a unit consistent with University policies
for capitalization. (The capitalization level is $2500 and greater
and a useful life of over two years). |
| External Sales |
An exchange of tangible or intangible property or services between
the University and external customers for monetary consideration.
External sales may be subject to fedeal and state taxes. |
| Facilities and Administration Costs (F&A) |
In its 1996 revision of OMB Circular A-21, the Federal government
replaced the term "indirect costs" with "facilities
and administrative costs." According to OMB Circular A-21, F&A
costs are "costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives
and, therefore, cannot be identified readily and specifically with
a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any
other institutional activity." Examples include operation and
maintenance expenses, and costs incurred for sponsored projects administration.
Example: "The total cost of a sponsored project is comprised
of the direct costs plus a portion of the F&A costs of the institution." |
| FAR |
Federal Acquisition Regulation |
| Fiscal Year (FY) |
A year of business activity other than the calendar year. At the
University, the fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30 the following
year. Fiscal years are associated with accounting and budget year
transactions. In many cases, the accounting and budget fiscal years
are the same. Sponsored accounts, whether or not the grant year is
the same as the University's fiscal year, will use a budget fiscal
year of MY (multi-year). |
| Fixed Fee |
In a "fixed fee" award, the PI agrees to accomplish project
objectives within a specific timeframe for a set dollar amount per
patient, per hour, or other unit. The total award amount is based
on an estimated number of units and is subject to downward adjustment
based on the actual number of units completed. Sponsor approval is
required to exceed the estimated number of units. The fee per unit
remains constant, even if the actual cost per unit is above or below
that amount. Any overexpenditures are the responsibility of the department,
and earned unspent revenue does not revert to the sponsor. If the
deliverables are not completed within the award period, the contract
must be extended. |
| Fixed Price |
In a "fixed price" award, the PI agrees to accomplish
project objectives within a specific timeframe for a set dollar amount.
If the deliverables are not completed within the award period, the
contract must be extended. The award amount also remains constant,
even if actual costs for the project are above or below it. Any overexpenditures
are the responsibility of the department, and unspent funds do not
revert to the sponsor. |
| FSS |
Financial Systems Support |
| GDES |
Grant Description Table (in CUFS) |
| Gift |
Money or property transferred to the University via a recognized
University foundation that is not intended to result in direct economic
benefit, goods, or services to the donor. |
| Grant |
In general terms, awards given to the University for a specific
purpose to support instruction, research or public service. "Grant"
is also a specific type of award (as opposed to contract or cooperative
agreement). In this context, "grant" is a pledge of support
where the sponsor has little involvement in conducting the project. |
| Grant Administrator |
University employee who helps manage the sponsored project. |
| Grant/Contract Officer |
Sponsor's employee who is officially responsible for the project's
business management. |
| GSUM |
Grant Summary Table (in CUFS) |
| IACUC |
Institutional Animal Case and Use Committee |
| IBC |
Institutional Biosafety Committee |
| IDC |
Indirect Costs |
| IDEA |
Institutional Data Easy Access |
| Indirect Costs |
See "Facilities and Administration." The Federal government
has replaced "indirect costs" with the term "facilities
and administration (F&A) costs." |
Indirect Cost Rate or
F&A Cost Rate |
A composite rate applied to sponsored projects as a percentage of
the sponsored project's direct costs for the purpose of charging the
sponsored project its share of the University's indirect/F&A costs.
The Federally negotiated Indirect/F&A Cost Rates for research
and other sponsored activities are developed by the University in
accordance with OMB Circular A-21 and negotiated with the Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the University's Federal cognizant
agency. Example: "The indirect costs for a project are computed
by multiplying the direct costs by the indirect cost rate." The
University uses the term "F&A cost rate" on its forms. |
| In-Kind |
The University considers "in-kind" to be interchangeable
with "matching" but the term may refer to costs borne by
an external organization, for example when individuals at another
organization volunteer their time. |
| Internal Service Organization (ISO) |
University unit whose primary mission is to provide goods and/or
services to other University units. |
| Invention |
A patentable invention is any new and useful process, machine, article
of manufacture, or composition of matter, or new and useful improvement
thereof (35 United States Code 101). |
| Inventor |
All personnel who produce a development that must be disclosed to
the Office of Technology Commercialization in accordance with
the Regents' Patents and Technology Transfer Policy. |
| Invoicing |
A type of payment in which the University sends an invoice to the
sponsor. |
| IPAS |
Institutional Prior Approval System |
| IRB |
Institutional Review Board (for human subjects research) |
| Late Charge |
A charge for items or services that are received after the project
end date. |
| Letter of Credit |
A type of payment in which funds to cover project expenses are transferred
to the University's commercial bank from the Federal Reserve Bank. |
| License |
Legal permission from a patent owner to practice an invention. The
license term is negotiated with the licensee. |
| Mandatory Cost Sharing |
Cost sharing that is required by the sponsor, is stated on the Notice
of Grant/Contract Award (NOGA), must be documented, and must be reported
to the sponsor. |
| Mandatory Matching |
Matching that is required by the sponsor, is stated on the Notice
of Grant/Contract Award (NOGA), must be documented, and must be reported
to the sponsor. |
| Matching |
The terms "cost sharing," "matching," and "in-kind"
refer to that portion of the total project costs not borne by the
sponsor. The University generally refers to matching when looking
at nonlabor items. Cash funds are usually required by sponsors for
equipment acquisition programs, specialized research centers, or other
multi-disciplinary programs. Typically these funds are provided by
the institution. |
Material Transfer
Agreement (MTA) |
Material transfer agreement (MTAs) are legal contracts stating conditions
under which a proprietary research material is being transferred from
one institution or company to another. |
| Minimal Breaks |
Break in support between continuation budget periods due to administrative
processing at the prime agency or compliance with institutional approvals
(e.g., human or animal subject reviews). |
Modified Total
Direct Costs (MTDC) |
Total direct costs less certain budget categories. Budget categories
to be subtracted from total direct cost for the federally negotiated
IDC rate are as follows: Equipment, capital expenditures, charges
for patient care and tuition remission, rental costs, scholarships,
and fellowships as well as subgrants/subcontracts shall be excluded
from the modified total direct costs (from OMB Circular A-21). |
| Multi-Year (MY) Fiscal Year |
Sponsored accounts whose grant year is not the same as the University's
fiscal year. Activity within the account is reported from "inception
to date" and may cross two or more fiscal years. |
| NACUBO |
National Association of College and University Business Officers |
| Non-Competitive Renewal |
For multiyear projects, sponsors may require annual applications
for continued funding. These applications do not compete for funds. |
| Non-Service Payroll |
All non-activity-based items which appear in gross earnings for
eligible employees and are not to be included when certifying effort. |
| Notice of Grant Award (NOGA) |
A document that provides information regarding the award's important
terms and conditions. It should be referred to by PIs and departments
to provide guidance in managing the project. |
| Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21 |
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, Principles for Determining
Costs Applicable to Grants, Contracts, and Other Agreements with Educational
Institutions. This document establishes uniform regulations that the
University must follow in regards to determining costs applicable
to grants, contracts, and other agreements with educational institutions.
Each Federal agency applies these laws in its own regulations that
are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and explained
in its policy handbook (if it has one). The OMB Circular is the backbone
of agency regulations; the agency cannot impose regulations that are
inconsistent with the Circular or impose additional requirements. |
| Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 |
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-110, Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher
Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations. This document
establishes uniform regulations for each Federal agency to follow
in regards to the administration of projects sponsored by the Federal
government. In addition, each Federal agency has its own regulations
that are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and explained
in its policy handbook (if it has one). |
| OIT |
Office of Information Technology |
| OPAS |
Organizational Prior Approval System |
| ORTTA |
(Outdated - Office of Research and Technology Transfer Administration).
The administrative office formerly responsible for helping University
employees manage sponsored funding and technology transfer. See SPA
(Sponsored Projects Administration) and OTC (Office for Technology Commercialization). |
| Other Support |
All financial resources, whether Federal, non-Federal, commercial
or institutional, available in direct support of an individual's research
endeavors, including but not limited to research grants, cooperative
agreements, contracts and/or institutional awards. Training awards,
prizes, or gifts are not included. |
| OVPR |
Office of the Vice President for Research |
| Patent |
A patent is a grant of property by the United States government
to the inventor giving the owner of the patent the right to exclude
others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention
in the U.S. or importing it to this country. A U.S. patent is granted
for 20 years. |
| PHS |
Public Health Service |
| PI |
Principal Investigator |
| Preaward Account |
An account established to begin working on a project before the
project start date. |
| Preaward Costs |
Costs incurred prior to the effective date of an award or budget
period. |
| Pre-Encumbrance |
Amount reserved for an anticiapated future purchase of goods or
services. No obligations have yet been incurred with a specific vendor,
ISO, or auxiliary. |
| Principal Investigator (PI) |
The individual responsible for the proposal and sponsored project. |
| Program Income |
Gross income earned by the recipient that is directly generated
by a supported activity or earned as a result of the award (OMB Circular
A-110). Examples of program income include: * income from fees for
services performed such as laboratory tests * money generated from
the use, sale, or rental of equipment purchased with project funds
* proceeds from the sale of supplies or equipment purchased or fabricated
with project funds * proceeds from the sale of software, tapes, or
publications * income from the sale of research materials such as
animal models * fees from participants at conferences or symposia,
royalties from patents and copyrights |
| Project Period |
The total time for which support of a project has been programmatically
approved. A project period may consist of one or more budget periods. |
| Proposal |
A complete document that contains all the information necessary
to describe proposed project plans, staff capabilities, and requested
funds. |
| Proposal Routing Form |
An internal form used to route a proposal for review and approval. |
| OTC |
Office for Technology Commercialization. The administrative office that
seeks proprietary protection for University technology, including
inventions and copyrightable materials, and negotiates their transfer
to the private sector through licensing or by participating in starting
new companies. |
| Purchase Order |
Authorization sent to a vendor to supply goods or services in return
for payment. It is a document used to encumber funds to be spent in
the future and record obligations prior to the point the goods are
received or services are rendered. |
| Rebudgeting |
Rebudgeting is the shifting or rebudgeting among budget lines (Object
Codes). |
| Request for Application (RFA) |
Announcements that indicate the availability of funds for a topic
of interest to a sponsor. Proposals submitted in response to RFAs
generally result in the award of a grant. |
| Request for Proposal (RFP) |
Announcements that specify a research topic, methods to be used,
product to be delivered, and appropriate applicants sought. Proposals
submitted in response to RFPs generally result in the award of a contract. |
| RFQ |
Request for Quotation |
| RSPP |
Research Subjects' Protection Programs |
| Scheduled Payments |
Fixed amounts are paid on a set time frame. |
| SFR |
Sponsored Financial Reporting |
| SPA |
Sponsored Projects Administration. The administrative office responsible
for helping University of Minnesota employees acquire and manage sponsored
funding for research, training, and public service projects. |
| SPIN |
Sponsored Projects Information Network |
| Sponsor |
Individual or organization that provides funds to a project. |
| Sponsored Project |
An externally funded activity that is governed by specific terms
and conditions. Sponsored projects must be separately budgeted and
accounted for subject to terms of the sponsoring organization. Sponsored
projects may include grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements
for research, training, and other public service activities. |
| Stipend |
A payment made in accordance with preestablished levels, to an individual
to provide for their living expenses during the training period of
a fellowship or training project. |
| Subcontract |
An agreement is which personnel at a non-University organization,
such as another institution, conduct a part of the programmatic aspect
of the project. The key elements of a subcontract include: * a subcontractor
is independently responsible for conducting a portion of the workscope;
* the arrangement is collaborative, and * the arrangement is generally
time-intensive. |
| Supplemental Proposal |
A proposal requesting additional funds to complete an already approved
project. |
| Total Direct Cost (TDC) |
All of the project's direct costs. |
| Total Project Costs |
The total allowable direct and indirect costs of a project. |
| Trademark |
A name, work, symbol, or device which allows the trademark owner
to dictate its use in identifying a product, e.g., logos and brand
names. |
| Type 38 Payroll Journal Voucher: |
Documents that are submitted to University Payroll requesting a
transfer of charges for current or past pay periods from one account
to another. Type 38s result in one-time adjustments to historical
earnings. |
| Unallowable Costs |
Unallowable cost means any cost which, under the provisions of any
pertinent law, regulation, or sponsored agreement cannot be included
in prices, cost reimbursements, or settlements under a Government
sponsored agreement to which it is allocable. (CAS 9905.505). |
| Unilateral Agreement |
A type of sponsored agreement that the University does not have
to sign in order to receive funds. |
| Unit Administrator |
An employee responsible for providing administrative support for
one or more sponsored projects. |
| Unrestricted Funds |
Funds having no requirements or restrictions as to use. Grants,
contracts, and cooperative agreements are considered to be restricted
funds. |
| Unsolicited Proposal |
Proposals submitted to a sponsor that are not in response to a RFP,
RFA, or program announcement. |
| Voluntary Cost Sharing |
Cost sharing that is not required by the sponsor, is stated on the
Notice of Grant/Contract Award (NOGA), and although not reported to
the sponsor, must be documented through established procedures. |
| Voluntary Matching |
Matching that is not required by the sponsor, is stated on the Notice
of Grant/Contract Award (NOGA), and although not reported to the sponsor,
must be documented through established procedures. |
