Policies & Compliance
- Research Conduct
- Combatting Human Trafficking
- Federal Disclosure Requirements
- Research Handbook
- 1. Roles & Responsibilities
- 2. Standards for Conduct of Research
- 3. Overview of Sponsored Projects Administration
- 4. Funding Sources & Opportunities
- 5. Proposal Development
- 6. Budget Development
- 7. Procedures for the Submission of Proposals
- 8. Award Acceptance
- 9. Award Management
- 10. Research Related Regulations, Policies & Procedures
- 11. Other Conduct of Research Issues
- 12. Acronyms & Definitions
- 13. Glossary
- Procedure Library
- Regulations Library
Award Acceptance
8.2 Negotiation/Acceptance
The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) is responsible for negotiating the terms and conditions of sponsored agreements on behalf of the University. OSP works in coordination with the Principal Investigator (PI) to ensure that the agreement reflects the approved scope of work, budget, and applicable sponsor, legal, and University requirements.
The time required to complete negotiation and acceptance varies based on factors such as:
- the complexity of the agreement;
- the sponsor's responsiveness;
- the need for review by other University offices (e.g., legal, compliance, research security); and
- the type of funding mechanism.
In general, agreements with private-sector or industry sponsors, as well as complex federal contracts, often require more extensive negotiations than standard federal grant awards.
The PI is responsible for preparing the scientific or programmatic scope of work and the project budget. OSP will keep the PI informed of negotiation progress and may request the PI's participation in discussions related to programmatic or technical matters, as appropriate.
Under no circumstances may a PI sign a sponsored agreement or represent to a sponsor that they are authorized to negotiate or accept agreement terms on behalf of the University. Only OSP has the delegated authority to bind the institution.
Following award acceptance, changes or modifications to the agreement - such as amendments to scope, budget, period of performance, additional subrecipients, or terms and conditions - must also be reviewed and negotiated by OSP. As with initial negotiations, OSP will coordinate these actions and keep the PI informed throughout the process.
