Questions to ask yourself when preparing a Prior Approval Request (PAR)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Adobe Acrobat plug-in required

If this PAR is a RUSH, please contact the Fiscal Manager, plus the COE Research Office to let them know to process right away.

 

Domestic Travel and Foreign Travel:

• Is travel listed or budgeted in award
• Purpose of award
• How travel relates to purpose of the award
• Who (traveler), What (seminar, etc), Where (location), When (dates - is the travel within the dates of the award) and why (purpose)?
• Is this "Prior" approval? Has the travel already taken place?
• Is agency approval needed

 

No-Cost Extension (prime):

• Why is it needed (detail and technical justification)?
  • Was there a delay and why? (What was it?)
  • What remains to be completed? Describe in detail,
• Is this a first NCE request?
• What is the current ending date?
  • Do we have a deadline to request extension by?
  • Is this a RUSHIs agency approval needed?
• Are there any segments (set via BA148) that will need to be extended also?

No-Cost Extension (sub account/subcontract):

• What is the end date on the prime? Sub accounts/subcontracts may not be extended past the prime (watch end date, may not want the sub account/subcontract to have same end date as prime for reporting deadlines)
• What college is the prime in?
• Is this a subcontract or sub award?
  • If subcontract: Is a subcontract request/modification form attached/completed and approved by prime PI?
  • If sub award: Did prime PI approve request for NCE? (Exceptions- REUs, Task orders and funds awarded internally and others – agency approval maybe required with a technical justification

 

Pre-award Costs:

• What are the terms and conditions of the award?
• Is agency approval needed?
• Time frame for pre award costs (60, 90, etc).
• Detail justification (Why, When, etc)
• What type of cost? I f a grad student, need to include their name.

 

NOTE: Accounts that are originally set up as pre award (K) are done so by requesting through RADAR. Once the official award document is awarded by SPARCS and assigned to FM, a review must be done to ensure that cost incurred did not take place prior to the official start date of the award document. A pre award account (BA-148) is not the same as requesting pre award costs (PAR), If NCSU has expanded authority, you still need approval from C&G and SPARCS.

Equipment Acquisition:

• Technical reason why is it needed (purpose)?
• How does it relate to the original scope of the project?
• What equipment is needed? Is this from a different vendor than originally proposed?
• Is it 100% for the project?
• Cost? Is 100% of the cost being paid from this account or spread among different sources?
• Do we retain title to the equipment?
• What is the project end date?
• Will the equipment be purchased, arrive and be used prior to end date of the award?
• Upload a quote for the amount.
• Is agency approval needed?

Sub Award Request For Modification:

• Is subcontract request form completed/signed with CV, statement of work and budget attached?
• Is subcontractor named/budgeted in the award?
• Not named in award
  • Agency approval needed
  • CV, statement of work and budget needed
  • Justification (Why, purpose, expertise, etc.)
  • Is re budget needed?
• Amount requested is available in prime subcontract line.
• Amount does not exceed budgeted amount for that subreciepient
• Is this a modification to subcontract?
• What is changing in the subcontract?
• De-obligation or increase in funding to sub award?
• I f extending, be aware of Prime end date. A sub award/subcontract cannot extend past the Prime end date. Also, you may not want the sub with to have the same end date as the prime for turn-around times on final reports

Re-budget:

• What is the project term date? Note: C&G does not process re-budgets after the term of an award.
• Is agency approval needed?
• Is it an allowable budget line (i.e. student aid, equipment, etc)
• Will the scope of the project be changed?
• Is a detail justification provided for each line item change (technical)?
• Is object/Account code correct - use approved account code list for your College.
• Are there enough funds in the budget line to be moved?
• Is F&A being affected? Has it been calculated correctly?
• Will the subcontract line be affected? See sub award request/modification.
•  Is this request for a segment? Was prime PI's approval received and attached?

Change in PI/Key Personnel:

• CV/resume of New PI
• Why the PI is leaving or being added? - NOTE: NSF will only allow up to 5 PI's listed on a project.
• What effect will this change have on the scope of the project?
• Effective date of the change?
• Agency approval will be needed?

BA148 for new segment by PAR:

• Is the segment PI named in the award?
• Is a budget attached and are funds available in the prime budget lines?
• Did prime PI approve the BA148?

Carryover:

• Is carryover allowable by sponsor?
• Is agency approval needed?
• Was a close out sent and returned?
• What is the amount to be carried over?

Change in scope:

• Is a revised statement of work attached with budget?
• Purpose for change in scope.
• Will PI effort be affected?

De-obligation:

• What is the purpose of the de-obligation (justification)?
• Amount of de obligation and why?
• Will scope of project be changed?
• Will PI effort decrease?
• Will the project period change?