Advisory Council for Research Administration: Meeting Agenda, Updates, and Services

Advisory Council for Research Administration 4/26/21 Monday 2:00pm 4:00pm Zoom Meeting 1

WELCOME 2

Agenda Welcome Service Center Update Herbert Lewis (PAFO) Central and Community Updates Open Positions Proposal Review Matrix Update Diane Baldwin Shadow Systems 3

Service Center Update Herbert Lewis (PAFO) 4

Service Center Administration Section of Post Award Financial Operations Service Center Administration | Research Support (bu.edu)

Mission Statement This office is a resource and provides guidance and information concerning compliance with Federal regulations and University policies and procedures as they pertain to service center operations. We provide oversight and review of the financial aspects of service centers, and analyze and approve the rates charged to users for their services. This office assists in the development of proposals for new service centers and requests approval for same. We also review costs and rates for fee for service proposals from non service center labs and departments desiring to provide services to external entities.

Staff Herbert I Lewis, Director, hlewis@bu.edu John C Oliverio, Cost Accountant / Analyst, oliverio@bu.edu Juliana M McInnis, Cost Accountant / Analyst, jmcinnis@bu.edu

What is a Service Center A unit, center, lab or other entity which provides goods and/or services primarily to the Boston University research community. Has prepared a Business Plan, calculated rates, and is endorsed by its School or College. The Business Plan and rates have been submitted through the approval process on CRC or Medical Campus as appropriate. After University approval, assigned a cost center, GL code, and ISR number.

Examples of Service Centers ASC - Animal Science Center* TEM -Transmission Electron Microscopy CNI - Cognitive Neuroimaging Center (fMRI) SIF - Scientific Instrumentation Facility Flow Core - Flow Cytometry * ASC is a Specialized Service Center

Regulatory Authority 2CFR 200 UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS Section 200.468 Specialized Service Facilities 200.468 (a) The costs of services provided by highly complex or specialized facilities, operated by the non-Federal entity, such as computing facilities, wind tunnels, and reactors are allowable, provided the charges for the services meet the conditions of either paragraphs (b) or ( c ) of this section , and, in addition, take into account any items of income or Federal financing that qualify as applicable credits under 200.406 Applicable credits

Regulatory Authority (Contd) 200.468 ( b ) The costs of such services, when material, must be charged directly to applicable awards based on an actual usage of the services on the basis of a schedule of rates or established methodology that 200.468 ( b ) (1) does not discriminate against federally supported activities of the institution for internal purposes and 200.468 ( b ) (2) is designed to recover only the aggregate costs of the services

Policy / Procedure Web site and manual for guidance and policy: Service Centers Finance and Accounting Manual Service Center Administration Finance and Accounting Procedures | Research Support (bu.edu)

A Small Non-profit Business A service center is effectively a highly regulated small non-profit business All users pay the same price no discounts Designed to break even can t make money by providing services to BU researchers. Can provide services externally under Fee for Service policy May need to be subsidized

Rate Development Tools Overview and understanding of the inputs, work flow, processes, and outputs. Instrumentation used to provide the outputs. Labor utilized for the process. Supplies, reagents, and other materials. Equipment use of depreciation for replacement equipment. Direct costs only except for Specialized Service Centers which include facilities (space) costs. Only allowable costs no bad debt, public relations, Rate Development Worksheets (3 or 10 services). Service Center Administration | Research Support (bu.edu)

Monitoring / Oversight Rates must be reviewed at least biennially (generally annually at BU). Meet with business staff and service center director for each core facility as needed. Benchmark rates to analyze if subsidies may be required. Monitor financial activity to review for variance from plan, surplus/deficit issues, and compliance matters. Internal Audit may select a center for review.

Questions Questions and comments ???... Thank you for your participation. Please e-mail us with any follow up questions at: scadmin@bu.edu

Community Updates/News: Developing Research Staffing changes Job Postings Promotions News Upcoming changes In the horizon 17

PAFO Uniform Guidance A-133 Audit FY2020 --- completed; no findings FY2021 --- interim is starting in May Coffee w/ Colleagues --- May 12thfrom 1-3pm 18

Sponsored Programs NIH Updates to Biosketches and Other Support Pages effective May 25, 2021 NOT-OD-21-073. Blog outlining these changes has gone out Biosketches must use new format page, still 5 page limit Section D (Research Support) has been removed Applications submitted on or after January 25, 2022 will be rejected if the new biosketch is not used Other Support Pages, new template which includes a signature line for investigators Reorganized to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions New requirement for supporting documentation for foreign activities and resources. Must be translated in English 19

Sponsored Programs April CwC Debrief- Hiring and onboarding of Post Docs and how the visa process and travel bans may impact this. Panelists- Sarah Hokanson, Adeline Wong, Jeanne Kelly. Reactions and Feedback? 20

Job Postings DIRECTOR, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION, Pardee School of Global Studies RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR, Post Award Financial Operations DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, Faculty of Computing and Data Sciences, Office of the Provost Tracking Code: 4469 Contact : Call 617-358-0988 or email the general box at psgs@bu.edu Tracking Code: 1536 Contact: Kathleen Pantaleon kpantale@bu.edu Tracking Code: 2406 Contact: Laura Jenks ljenks@bu.edu PROGRAM SECTION ADMINISTRATOR, Preventive Medicine & Epidemiology DIRECTOR,Wheelock College of Education and Human Development RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER, Dept. Health Policy/Health Svcs Research Tracking Code: 2207 Contact: Angela Coletta- Acevedo acoletta@bu.edu Tracking Code: 0852 Contact: Rachelle Joseph rajoseph@bu.edu Tracking Code: 1277 Contact : Patrick Decoste pdecoste@bu.edu 21

Job Postings Continued GRANTS GRANT MANAGER,MED School of Medicine, Framingham Heart Study ADMINISTRATOR,Wheelock College of Education and Human Development Tracking Code:8639 Contact : Nick DiPerso dipersio@bu.edu Tracking Code: 2575 Contact : Amie Grills agrills@bu.edu Financial Administrator, CAS College of Arts & Sciences, Math & Statistics DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, SARGENT --- Posted this week --- Tracking Code: 6626 Contact : Marla Krauss mkrauss@bu.edu Tracking Code: TBD Contact : Bettina Stevens basteven@bu.edu 22

Proposal Review Matrix Update Diane Baldwin 23

Shadow Systems 24

Shadow Systems Fields include: Cumulative Funded Budget to date Expenses to Date Current Available Balance Projected Expenses Estimated Remaining Balance to spend Subawards PROS User-friendly Easy to follow Snap-shot view Many Grants CONS Limited fields Requires more manual entry for visual ease Simple Subcontracts 25

Shadow Systems PROS SAP financial system Customized options Generated straight from BU Warehouse Pulls commitments and Expenditures as posted/applied near real-time information CONS Requires customization for desired outcomes Is not a tell-all for a full financial picture Information is not real- time Grant Budget Workbook 26

Shadow Systems VARIABLES Central Specific Project Specific Cost Elements Department Specific Grant No. Project End Date Cumulative Budget Last Report Sent Sponsored Program No. Sponsor Cumulative Commitments Type Financials Dashboard SP Valid to Date Principal Investigator Cumulative Expenditures Notes Award Status Total Cost Balance Detailed Notes F&A Rate Factor Direct Cost balance % Budget Spent 27

Closing/Central Links Confirmed Future Agenda Items May: Coffee with Colleagues Recap Fiscal Year 2021 Preparation Diversity Book Club Summer Read ACRA Co-Chairs (1 Year Commitment) & Active ACRA Members Minutes and slides from today s meeting will be posted on the ACRA webpage ACRA Research Administration page https://www.bu.edu/researchsupport/administration/committees/research- administration-advisory-council/ ACRA email: acra@bu.edu (to email the central office mailbox for ACRA) ACRA Group vpr-advisory-council-RA@bu.edu (to email the entire group) COVID-19 updates for Research LinkedIn ACRA https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12320374/ 28

QUESTIONS 29