Proposal Development (Workshop)
Topic Category: Pre-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: New and Veteran Pre-Award RAs (either dedicated or hybrid), as well as other staff that assist Faculty with proposal development.
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop that explores the pre-award processes for analyzing requests for proposals, proposal preparation and assembly, submitting a proposal for institutional review via Phoebe, and submission to sponsor.
Learning Objectives:
- Distinguish between different kinds of proposal submissions
- Locate funding announcements, proposal requirements and sponsor guidelines
- Create a proposal submission timeline and checklist for coordinating with your PI
- Employ Phoebe system to route proposal to SPO/IAO for institutional review and submission
Additional Resources:
Research Conflict of Interest (eCourse)
Topic Category: Pre-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: New and Veteran Pre-Award RAs (either dedicated or hybrid), as well as other staff that assist Faculty with proposal development.
Synopsis: A 1-hour online intermediate workshop that explores the various policies, procedures, and forms related to Research Conflict of Interest.
Learning Objectives:
- Define a conflict of interest in research
- Determine which regulations apply and where to find them
- Determine who discloses under which regulations and what needs to be disclosed
- Describe the roles of the Conflict of Interest Office and the Faculty Conflict of Interest Committee
Additional Resources:
Federal Cost Policy & Compliance (Workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: All New and Veteran RAs, as well as any other staff that assist Faculty in administering sponsored awards.
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop on Federal cost policy that details how the OMB Circulars are implemented, covers the changes in the new Uniform Guidance, and explores some specific compliance issues like the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Participant Support.
Prerequisite eCourse: Research in a Regulatory Environment
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the RA’s responsibilities regarding financial compliance
- Describe the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and identify FAR clauses that may appear in award terms
- Recognize and apply OMB A-21 (Cost Principles), OMB A-110 (Administration) and OMB A-133 (Audits) to sponsored awards
- Describe how the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) and Standard Research Terms & Conditions (RTC) are implemented
- Identify changes in the Uniform Guidance that differ from the previous OMB Circulars
- Recognize the applicability of agency-specific guidelines to Federally sponsored awards
Additional Resources:
Non-Federal Cost Policy & Compliance (Workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: All New and Veteran RAs, as well as any other staff that assist Faculty in administering sponsored awards.
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop that builds upon Federal Cost Policy and Compliance by using case studies to explore the types of terms and conditions often found in non-Federal sponsored agreements.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize the obligation to spend and report in accordance with the agreement
- Identify the RA’s responsibilities regarding financial compliance (from cradle to grave)
- Recognize that inconsistency is a consistent concept with non-Federal (little is formulaic)
- Manage PI expectations regarding enthusiasm to start research activities prior to going through proper channels
- Differentiate between Federal and non-Federal awards and related terms
Additional Resources:
HR for the RA (eCourse + workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: All New and Veteran RAs, as well as any other staff that assist Faculty in administering sponsored awards.
Part 1: HR for the RA Basics (eCourse)
Synopsis: This eCourse will cover the different types of appointments that are used on research funds and distinguish between some of the more common faculty appointment types and discuss how the composite benefit rates impact the various appointment types. * This eCourse is the prerequisite to the “HR for the RA” workshop.
Learning Objectives:
- Define “Effort” as it relates to sponsored projects
- Understand the appointment types that are used with research funds
- Know what to consider when budgeting for PI’s effort
- Apply the appropriate Composite Benefit Rate for each personnel category
- Understand how the Effort Reporting System calculates effort
Part 2: HR for the RA (workshop)
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop that supplements the prerequisite eCourse HR for the RA Basics (referenced above), and explores the types of research appointments used on sponsored awards, as well as the compliance issues associated with PI effort and how the Effort Reporting System is used to track and report effort.
Learning Objectives:
- Define “Effort” as it relates to sponsored projects
- Understand the appointment types that are used with research funds
- Understand the most common types of faculty appointments
- Apply the appropriate Composite Benefit Rate for each personnel category
- Explain the impact of Uniform Guidance on commitment of faculty effort
- Interpret how the Effort Reporting System calculates effort
Additional Resources:
- Contract and Grants Accounting "Effort Reporting System Training"
New Awards (eCourse + workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: New and Veteran Post-Award RAs (either dedicated or hybrid) who assist Faculty in setting up new sponsored awards in BFS.
Part 1: New Awards Basics (eCourse)
Synopsis: This eCourse will cover the basics of the New Award process and how to read a Phoebe Award Summary. * This eCourse is the prerequisite to the “New Awards” workshop.
Learning Objectives:
Interpret a Phoebe Award Summary & Terms and Conditions
- Summarize the information a PI needs to know about a new award
- Learn how negotiations may stall Phoebe Award Summaries and require a fund advance
Part 2: New Awards (workshop)
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop that supplements the prerequisite eCourse New Awards Basics (referenced above) and details the processes for setting up a newly finalized sponsored award, including interpreting a Notice of Award, and processing a BFS budget upload.
Learning Objectives:
Interpret a Phoebe Award Summary and the related Terms & Conditions
- Summarize the information a PI needs to know about a new fund- List the steps in setting up a fund for use
- Explain the purpose of a fund advance- Identify and respond to actions that require sponsor approval
Additional Resources:
Fund Management (eCourse + workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: All New and Veteran Post-Award RAs (either dedicated or hybrid), as well as any other staff that assist Faculty in administering sponsored awards. Experience using PI Portfolio recommended.
Part 1: Fund Management Basics (eCourse)
Synopsis: This eCourse will offer you a general overview of fund management at UC Berkeley, what are the policies that drive these practices, and why it is important to follow these policies. * This eCourse is the prerequisite to the “Fund Management” workshop.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the 5 elements of fund management
- Understand the purpose of monthly reconciliation of all transactions and the importance of providing consistent and accurate financial reports
- Understand the importance of implementing key financial controls throughout the life of an award
Part 2: Fund Management (workshop)
Synopsis: A 3-hour intermediate workshop that supplements the prerequisite eCourse Fund Management Basics (referenced above), and covers the monthly reporting and reconciliation process (using PI Portfolio), including updating projections, fulfilling the SAS-115 requirements, and processing corrective transactions such as expense transfers.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the importance of implementing key financial controls throughout the life of an award
- Perform the day-to-day monitoring and monthly reconciliation of all transactions for general propriety and accuracy
- Provide PIs with consistent and accurate monthly reports on their fund expenses, balances, projections, and any issues that require action
- Recognize the importance of processing corrective transactions in a manner that is accurate, timely, compliant, and well-documented
Additional Resources:
- Controller's Office "Financial Accounting & Controls"
Closeouts (eCourse + workshop)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: New and Veteran Post-Award RAs (either dedicated or hybrid) who assist Faculty in the final closeout and reporting of sponsored awards.
Part 1: Closeout Basics (eCourse)
Synopsis: This eCourse will cover the fundamental concepts, best practices, and terminologies you will see when closing out an award. *This eCourse is the prerequisite to the Closeouts workshop.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the steps and timeline to close out an award
- Identify the steps to complete the financial reconciliation of the closeout
- Define accrual process for unrecorded expenses as part of the closeout
- Recognize reporting requirements associated with sponsored agreements
Part 2: Closeouts (workshop)
Synopsis: A 2-hour intermediate workshop that supplements the prerequisite eCourse Closeout Basics (referenced above), and breaks down the process and timeline for closing a sponsored award, including the roles and responsibilities of the RA and the CGA analyst, how to complete an accrual journal as part of a Closeout, and how a Closeout is submitted in BFS.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the steps and timeline to closeout an award
- Identify the steps to complete the financial reconciliation of the closeout
- Recognize reporting requirements associated with sponsored agreements
- Practice accruing for unrecorded expenses as part of the closeout process
Additional Resources:
- Contract and Grants Accounting "Award Close Out"
- CGA Job Aide "Completing the Closeout Certification Form" (PDF file)
- CGA Job Aide "Processing Accruals at Award Closeout" (PDF file)
Outgoing Subawards (eCourse)
Topic Category: Post-Award
Who this workshop is intended for: All New and Veteran RAs, as well as any other staff that assist Faculty in administering sponsored awards.
Synopsis: An online intermediate workshop that details how to determine a subaward vs. a contractor, as well as the pre- and post-award processes for setting-up and managing subawards on a sponsored project.
Learning Objectives:
- Define a subaward and other relevant terms
- Distinguish between subawards and suppliers
- Determine which documents a subrecipient must submit at the proposal stage
- Prepare requests to SPO for a new subaward or subaward amendment
- Review and process subaward invoices
Additional Resources:
