Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The sponsor notified me that my proposal was funded. May I begin my project now?

No. After you receive electronic or written notification of your award from the sponsor, you must contact ORSP prior to beginning your project. ORSP will work with the sponsor to finalize the award and ensure all awards and compliance issues have been addressed. We will then set up your account so that you can begin your project.

 

Why can’t I spend my grant money any way I want?

Sponsored funds are subject to Kean University’s purchasing restrictions, and they may be subject to additional specific federal, state, or agency restrictions. Always check with your Post-Award Grants Administrator and the Office of Procurement Services before spending grant money to make sure that you can be reimbursed for your purchases.

 

How do I spend the money?

The ORSP Post-Award Administrator will set up a time to meet with you to go over your budget items and get started. We call this the Post-Award Kick-Off Meeting.

 

Where do I get a cost center?

Once your grant or contract has been awarded, your Post-Award Administrator will issue a cost center number and notify you via email.

 

My project is nearing its end, is there a deadline by which I need to use the remaining travel funds?

All expenses must occur before the end of the grant period. You should be able to request an extension but without it, you cannot spend after the end date. 

 

Will any roles or authority be needed in ESM/Ellucian/KeanWise and how are they acquired?

Please contact your ORSP Post-Award Administrator for assistance to ensure these roles/authorities are in place.

 

How do I hire personnel for my grant?

An ORSP Post-Award Administrator can assist you in initiating the hiring paperwork for the personnel listed in your grant budget.

 

How do I purchase supplies and materials on my grant?

Purchases are made through requisitions in the ESM system and received in Ellucian. Your departmental support can assist you in initiating requisitions and initiating expense reimbursements through Ellucian. All purchases over $1,000 will require ORSP approval.

 

Do I have to use Ellucian/ESM?

Yes, if you or your department are making purchases or traveling. 

 

How can I find out the balance in my grant fund?

The Post Award admin can assist you in getting the current balance for your grant fund.

 

When should I request a no-cost extension?

Notify ORSP and they will begin the process for the NCE. Please include a reason for the NCE and the deliverables that still need to be completed.

Individual sponsor requirements vary. First-time requests are generally due to the sponsor thirty (30) days before the current end date of the project. Any subsequent extension requests, if permitted, are due to the sponsor sixty (60) to ninety (90) days before the extended end date of the project. Please allow a reasonable amount of time for us to review and process your request.

 

How do I purchase food with grant funds?

Not all grants allow food purchases, please check with your Post-Award Administrator before placing an order. If food is an allowable cost, then Kean requires a requisition with an approved Formstack and quote to be submitted in ESM. More information about Food Requests. 

 

I want to use gift cards for participant incentives, how can I order them?

When gift cards are being purchased with grant funds, the following criteria must be met: (1) the gift card is for research participant incentive payments or is approved by the sponsor, and (2) costs for such incentives are included in the grant’s budget and are allowable by the terms and conditions of the specific grant.

 

The maximum value allowed for a single gift card cannot exceed $25.

The purchase of gift cards must have prior approval via a completed Authorization for the Purchase of Gift Cards/Gift Certificates, Incentives, or Prizes form.

 

What is a Professional Service Agreement (PSA), and how do I know I need one?

They are most often used when a business is hiring a consultant or specialist. A professional services agreement is typically used for projects with defined scopes and timelines. It will usually include information about compensation and pay rates and what's expected of both parties.

Contract Required. University Departments must submit for approval a vendor contract in the following circumstances:

a. The hiring of professional services, regardless of the value of the contract.

b. The purchase of goods and services in excess of $50,000.00.

c. Any public works and construction contracts of any value.

d. Any project in which workers are employed and paid in accordance with the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act," P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.).

 

Who should review the Professional Services Agreement (PSA)?

Submit the PSA to the legal and purchasing departments for review. Include the Grant Agreement and budget to verify that the grant covers the expenditure. Also, provide a W-9 and BRC to purchasing if needed. If the grantor is a federal agency, attach a Rider to any contracts paid with federal funds.

Timeframe: The requesting department should allow at least fourteen (14) days for legal review of any vendor contract. Using the standard Kean University contract template will help speed up the review process. Contracts for confirming orders will not be processed by University Procurement without the CFO's approval.

 

What information must be included in a Professional Services Agreement (PSA)?

The contract should clearly outline the products and/or services at issue, including, but not limited to:

a. Scope of work or an accurate, detailed, and concise description of the services to be provided or the work to be performed by the vendor.

b. Deliverables or the quantifiable products or services that will be provided upon project completion.

c. Term or the time period in which the contract will be valid.

d. Cost of products or services and/or price breakdown.

e. All contracts for goods and services must include a maximum “not-to-exceed” value.

The non-teaching contract states that 12-month lecturers are not allowed to be paid by such means. Is there another way to pay them? 

12-month lecturers cannot be paid extra through a non-teaching contract for work on grants, as their time is already fully committed. However, one option is to get approval for them to do research in place of teaching a course.  

The faculty policy document AA07 Faculty Roles on Sponsored Projects sets monetary caps for different roles, such as $1K for participants and $2K for mentors. In what time frame is the cap applied? Is it based on a fiscal year, academic year, or semester? 

The $2K cap is annual and applies per grant. Any compensation beyond this must be documented as effort. 

I have a Kean tenure-track faculty member I want to pay as a professional learning community trainer under my grant, and I’ve budgeted $3K for this role. I assume the ORSP policy classifies a trainer as a participant, with a $1K cap. Can I pay the person $1K this academic year, another $1K next year, and the remaining $1K the following year to stay within the cap? 

Participants are non-Kean employees in most cases. The exception is a faculty who agrees to try out a new teaching technique in their classroom and they receive an “incentive” to do so. The $2k cap is annual, by grant. Anything over that must be documented as effort.   

What is Research Compliance and why is it important?

Federal regulations require institutions to review and approve research projects using human participants, animals, bio-agents, etc. before accepting an award. Also, other issues such as potential conflicts of interest, export control issues, and effort commitments need to be reviewed and addressed.