Sponsored Projects Administration Meeting (SPAM)
Minutes
Date/Place: April 21, 2011
10:30 am-noon, Stout B/182
Attendees: Lycia Ronchetti, Amy Russell (via video conference), Richard Swanson, Jenny Frayer, Yvonne Rumbaugh, Karen Stewart-Carrico, Steve Salaber, Sherril Schmidt, Petra Bartella. Denise Hammond, Elaine Gustafson, Jim Romaggi and Charles Whitaker by teleconference.
1. Approval of Minutes from March
Minutes approved as written for March, 2011
2. Insurance Clauses
Included with the agenda were examples of insurance certificates that can be issued when a contract requires DRI to include a sponsor as an additional insured. Also included was a sample email sent to Sue Dunt to ask for clarification when we are unsure as to whether or not NSHE has the types and amounts of insurance that a sponsor is requiring. Business Managers may contact Sue Dunt directly when they have questions or need additional insured certificates.
3. Science Codes
Also included with the agenda was a much reduced list of Science Codes for PI’s to start using. The list was reduced from 160 to 30 codes. A PI can select as many codes as are applicable to a project.
4. ARGIS-required fields
Tammie has requested that we let her know what to do with the fields that are required after the import from COEUS occurs. Jenny prepared a spreadsheet for discussion purposes to categorize the fields that should be required and who would be required to complete them. Several suggestions were made for changes. Jenny will update the schedule and resent to the group prior to handing over to Tammie.
5. Sponsor Award # Consistency when no number specified
The group decided to standardize the way award numbers are assigned when there is no number designated by the sponsor. From here on out, the number will be the agency.org
6. Subaward ICR Rate Increase
Lycia brought up an issue of a subrecipient whose negotiated ICR rate had changed. The question is, can the ICR rate be changed if the negotiated rate changes. In Lycia’s particular case, the award was not a federal award, so all felt it was okay to allow the subrecipient to change the rate so long as the total did not change. Lycia brought up A-110 which addresses budget revisions effecting movement of indirect to direct costs and visa versa. Jenny and Richard will research the issues to determine what the procedure should be when the negotiated ICR rate increases or decreases during the life of a contract.
7. Miscellaneous
· Yvonne raised the question about the A-133 letter. Who should sign it and where should it be filed. The group agreed that they would be sent to Richard for signature and returning to the sponsor, with a copy kept in FSO files.
· Denise reminded everyone that when shipping anything to a foreign country to notify the export control group at , even if the same items have been shipped to that country before. Export control regulations and requirements change daily, so please check with EC every time.
· Ed discussed the next steps with work force. Two emails will be sent shortly, once from E and one from Cindy
· Richard went to an organizational espionage class recently and learned about the many ways in which organizations can be ripped-off as to organizational information. Richard just wanted to make us aware of the risks concerning information theft in the organization. Among some of the items discussed were the use of flash drives, the newer laptops with virtual memory and smart phone security.
· Ed talked about encrypted flash drives. The old ones DRI had purchased are not very good. If anyone needs a newer and better encrypted flash drive, please contact Brandon Peterson, DRI’s Data Security Analyst.