Sponsored Programs
BVARI’S SPONSORED PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION (SPA) SUPPORTS VA RESEARCHERS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A SPONSORED AWARD.
SPA supports the following:
Ensure timely submission of all required sponsored reports
Communicating with sponsor for approvals and other award actions
Facilitating award closeout process
Preparing a proposal and budget
Reviewing and submitting proposals
Negotiating and accepting awards
Issuing subawards
Managing awards, providing financial compliance oversight, and monitoring project expenditures
For all questions please reach out to spa@bvari.org
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
SPA supports Principal Investigators (PIs) throughout the process of preparing and submitting full proposals.
Pre-Applications:
For pre-applications submitted in eBRAP, please provide access to “BVARI SPA” and “Kristen Harding”. For all pre-applications or letters of intent, PIs may submit the required materials directly to the sponsor but should provide a copy to SPA.
Full Proposals:
To begin the full proposal planning process, PIs may submit a Proposal Planning Form to SPA at least 15 business days prior to the official submission deadline. SPA will then assist PIs in developing the required documents, facilitating the appropriate internal reviews, and submitting the application package to the sponsor. PIs must submit the final proposal documents to SPA at least five business days prior to the official deadline to ensure a timely and complete submission. SPA cannot guarantee an on-time submission if the final documents are received after this point.
Indirect Cost Rate:
All proposal budgets must include the required indirect cost rate according to BVARI’s Indirect Cost Policy. If a sponsor will not cover BVARI’s full rate, a PI must submit an Indirect Cost Waiver Request to SPA as follows:
If eligible for Emerging Investigator Program, a completed Indirect Cost Waiver Request with all required attachments, CV, and a Proposal Planning Form not later than 30 days prior to the proposal deadline must be submitted for evaluation. Late requests will not be considered.
If providing a Residual Account for the difference, a completed Indirect Cost Waiver Request with the designated residual account and Proposal Planning Form not later than 2 weeks prior to the proposal deadline must be submitted.
NIH proposals and Just-In-Time requests:
Proposals including direct costs >$500k per year must receive NIH program officer approval at least 6 weeks prior to the deadline.
VA faculty whose VA SF50 Personnel Form indicates tenure group 1 or 2 cannot include salary compensation in their proposal budgets due to federal policies (see Appointment Matrix).
Please review the NIH Proposal & Award Information page for additional information including Biographical Sketch, Other Support, ERA Commons, Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR), templates and guides.
PI RIGHTS
Applicants without prior VABHS PI experience should obtain PI approval by sending the following to the Coordinator of the VABHS Research and Development Committee (R&DC): cover letter detailing qualifications and research goals, Investigator Data Sheet, and CV. The R&DC determines eligibility based on the individual’s qualifications and circumstances, including research experience, facilities and support, work schedule, and academic appointment.
agreement review and negotiation
SPA will facilitate the review and negotiation of all sponsored agreements with the VA Specialty Team Advising Research (STAR) Attorney including the following agreement types:
Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA)
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
Federal Subaward Agreements
Non-Profit Grants
The following documents are required for VA Research and Development (R&D) pre-review and VA STAR Attorney agreement review:
AWARD MANAGEMENT
SPA collaborates with PIs and researchers to monitor compliance with award spending, facilitate report submission, and ensure adherence to sponsored award terms. SPA maintains financial projections to monitor spending and collaborates with Finance on sponsor invoicing and VA reimbursement processes.
mEMORANDUM Of Understanding
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Effort Reporting (use appropriate MoU based on affiliate)
Harvard Medical School (HMS) (use this version when HMS effort is included – see Mary Beth Shertick & Marie Fairbanks (if HMS Psychiatry Faculty) for assistance)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital or Harvard Medical School (HMS) (use this version if there is no HMS effort)
closeouts & no-cost extensions
Award Closeouts
SPA will coordinate with the PI at 90, 60, and 30 days prior to the award expiration in order to ensure fulfillment of all reporting requirements and timely closeout. PIs should communicate plans for employees, proposed new funding, anticipated extension of funding, or closeout report submission.
No-Cost Extensions
Based on sponsored award terms, a no-cost extension (NCE) may be approved to extend the project period (generally for one year) without additional funding from the sponsor. Advanced approval is required well in advance of the expiration date. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor award expiration dates in order to request a no-cost extension in a timely manner. All requests must be submitted by SPA to the sponsor.
COMMON FEDERAL FUNDING LINKS
Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)