Facilities and Administrative Cost Policy

Policy 220

Introduction

1.1 This policy has been established to meet the compliance standards set forth in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. These standards require that all costs incurred for the same purposes, in like circumstances, are treated only as direct costs or as Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A) costs. Principal Investigators/Project Directors and administrators involved in sponsored projects must understand and comply with this policy in order to ensure that costs are properly charged and meet federal costing standards.

1.2 This policy and its associated procedures streamline the process for small projects and for many routine transactions as well as create a uniform understanding about how F&A should be shared when there are contributions from more than one college or institute. A transparent, equitable way to allocate the recovered F&A to contributing units is critical in promoting interdisciplinary projects.

Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all externally funded grants, contracts and other restricted agreements supporting sponsored projects at Appalachian.

Definitions

Definition phrase or word

Definition summary

Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)

One of two or more investigators sharing equal responsibility for the direction of a research program.

Co-Director

(See Co-Principal Investigator)

Collaborator

An individual who collaborates with the principal investigator in the scientific development or execution of a project. A collaborator would typically devote a specific percent of effort to the project and would be identified as key personnel.

Direct Costs

Direct costs charged to sponsored agreements must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable. These costs can be identified specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional or any other institutional activity, or can be directly assigned to such activities relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy. Direct costs do not include overhead or other indirect costs.

Facilities and Administrative Costs (F&A)

Also referred to as indirect costs, overhead, overhead costs, or administrative costs. Defined as reimbursement for actual institutional expenses that support extramural activities but cannot be directly charged to a specific grant or contract, F&A is the cost of shared services such as libraries, plant operations and maintenance, utility costs, general, department and sponsored projects administrative expenses, and depreciation or use allowances for buildings and equipment. Information on current F&A rates are available on the Office of Research website.

Indirect Costs (IDC)

See Facilities and Administrative Costs

Indirect Cost Reduction

Any request to apply a lesser rate than the federally negotiated Facilities and Administrative Cost rate or the rate established in a sponsor’s published program or policy documentation.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

A branch of the Executive Office of the President. OMB helps the president formulate spending plans; evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures; assesses competing funding demands among agencies; and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the president's budget and with federal administration policies.

On Campus

Activity that predominantly takes place on campus or in facilities for which the University pays rent that is not directly charged to a project.

Off Campus

Activity that takes place in facilities not owned by the University and to which rent is directly allocated to the project.

Overhead

See Facilities and Administrative Costs

Principal Investigator (PI)

Any faculty or indefinite status staff member may serve as a principal investigator on a sponsored project. Others may serve only by permission of both the Dean/Division Head administering the award and the Vice Provost for Research.

Project Director (PD)

See Principal Investigator

Policy and Procedure Statements

Recovery of Facilities and Administrative Costs

4.1.1. The principal investigator (PI) or project director (PD) must include indirect costs in the budget of all grants, contracts, and other sponsored agreements at the maximum rate allowed by the sponsor. The PI or PD shall use the University’s official, federally negotiated indirect cost rate for all grants, contracts, and other sponsored agreements unless specifically limited for all awardees by a sponsor.

4.1.2 In extraordinary circumstances, a PI or PD may request a reduction of indirect costs for a project that has broad institutional impact. IDC reduction requests are recommended by the directors of Sponsored Programs (SP) and Special Funds Accounting prior to approval by the Vice Provost for Research and the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs before a budget with the reduced F&A rate is submitted to a sponsor for consideration. This applies to grants, contracts, and all other forms of sponsored agreements. Failure to comply may require a budget revision and/or renegotiation of a contract that could jeopardize or delay receipt of an award. Only the Director of SP or the Director’s designee may negotiate alternative indirect cost rates with sponsors.

4.1.3 The Director of Special Funds Accounting negotiates with the University’s cognizant federal agency to establish the University’s F&A rate in accordance with federal regulations and the federal calendar for indirect cost rate review and renewal.