Post-Award

PINS is an electronic system used to track proposal data and to verify approvals from all faculty and administrators involved in submitting a particular proposal. The use of the PINS system is a required part of the submission process for all proposals submitted by all University faculty. 

RADAR is a database for monitoring and recording all submitted proposals and award actions, plus, Pre-Award Request and Internal Distributions. Also, this system provides standardized reports and users can run queries on sponsored activity.

The Research Enterprise Data (RED) system is an enterprise-level software system used for managing research administration at NC State, which will eventually replace RADAR, PINS and NC State’s regulatory-compliance software management systems.

The PMR Module has been created within the Financial System to help streamline the Project Modification process. This new module will provide a more efficient and relatively easy method for campus users to submit and track Project Modifications. The PMR module will provide multiple College approval functionalities, along with enhanced transparency during the life of a request.

Project Closeout for final reporting and documentation for Sponsored Projects are electronically routed in the Closeout system to the various business units for processing, review, and approval.

The After the Fact Cost Sharing Memo is the method that should be used to document cost-sharing situations that cannot be documented within the University’s official effort reporting system (TEARS). The college/department/business unit is responsible for identifying the circumstances in which cost-shared effort must be documented in the After the Fact Cost Sharing Memo and for completing the memo. Completed memos should then be sent to the Office of Contracts and Grants (C&G).

The Office of Contracts and Grants has two After The Fact Cost Sharing Memos:

• The Regular Monthly After the Fact Cost Sharing Documentation Memo (PDF) allows reporting of cost-shared effort for an employee after the Fiscal Year has been closed in the TEARS system. If, for any reason, you come across a cost-shared attempt that has not been entered on an employee with an existing effort report, you can still enter that cost-shared effort up until the point in time that we archive the effort reports for that fiscal year — typically done the following January. If the effort report has already been certified, it must be re-certified after adding the cost-sharing.
• If you discover a cost-shared effort for the fiscal year and an effort report was not generated for that employee, please get in touch with the University TEARS Coordinator immediately to have an effort report created for that employee. An effort report can only be created if the survey period is closed. This will record the cost-sharing in our system rather than leave a paper trail within our file. While the deadline for certification may have passed, it is still important that we make every effort to get these effort reports certified. If the survey period is closed and an employee needs to certify their report, a hard copy should be printed, signed, and kept in the college. A copy will be sent to C&G. In addition, if the effort reporting period is closed. An effort report needs to be corrected, print a hard copy, manually make the corrections, have the employee (or someone who has first-hand knowledge of the employee’s effort) re-sign the hard copy, keep the hard copy in your file, and send a copy to C&G. We believe this shows due diligence on our part and would be looked upon favorably in an audit situation.
• The Non-TEARS After the Fact Cost Sharing Documentation Memo (PDF) should be used for reporting:
  • Bi-Weekly Employees
  • Summer Effort
  • Supplemental Pay
  • Cost-sharing from one Ledger 5 to another Ledger 5

As always, your first point of contact is your College TEARS Coordinator if you have any questions or concerns. The College TEARS Coordinator will contact the University TEARS Coordinator as needed.

Cost-sharing is the portion of project costs not reimbursed by the sponsor and maybe in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Cost-sharing is most commonly required under federal grants and becomes a binding commitment once an award is made. The college/department is responsible for tracking and documenting the cost-share amounts throughout the life of the project.

Departments/Units should complete this 90-day Retro Information Sheet and attach all supporting documentation. Including all salary distribution change forms (SDC) and submit documents in ONE PDF file to Gerardo Granillo, Assistant Director of Compliance (gjgranil@ncsu.edu), with a CC to Patrick Hayes, Director of Research Administration, in the College of Engineering Research Office (phayes@ncsu.edu). All SDC forms must be accurately completed based on the employee’s current distribution setup. Ensure multiple SDC forms are included if multiple effective dates occur in the distribution setup.

• The college will send the form back that does not adhere to the following:
  • The Retro 90 Form should be completed when you attempt to negatively or positively affect salaries on a ledger five project, either negatively or positively, going back 90 days before the occurrence.
  • The department HR person/designee can complete the reallocation for Grads and Temps. Be sure to list the REALL number on the completed retro 90-day form and send it with copies of the realls.
  • For EPA/SPA salaries, release time, or summer salary, you must send the completed retro 90-day form and the appropriate SDC (salary distribution change).
  • If a Graduate or Temp, COE-ORA will send the information to C&G via the e-RAF system. A confirmation copy will then be forwarded to the department and COE HR.
  • If EPA/SPA, RT, or SS, COE-ORA will give the information to our HR, who will enter it. COE-ORA will then send it to C&G via the e-RAF system. Then, a copy of the confirmation will be forwarded to the department and COE HR. 
  • Prepare the form with a detailed technical justification: Why is the form being prepared, why is this over 90 days, and what is being done to prevent this from happening again?
    • If the college sees the same justifications (cookie cutter) being used or your corrective actions have not been implemented, the actions will be returned.
    • At times, there is a legitimate reason that the award was late to arrive or negotiations took a while (the College will verify this)
  • List the redistribution number on the form before going to the next step.
  • Please send the form and any supporting documentation (SDC forms or REALL), including the redistribution form, directly to Gerardo Granillo (gjgranil@ncsu.edu), with a copy to Pat Hayes (phayes@ncsu.edu).
  • Gerardo will review the information and either approve or reject it. Gerardo will secure the Dean’s signature and forward it to The Office of Contracts and Grants (C&G) via the e-RAF system if approved.
  • Do not send directly to C&G or the Dean. Failure to follow the above will only delay the proper and timely action(s) processing.

Send your requests for a pre-award account to Patrick Hayes with a copy to Laurinda Perez, who will then enter the action in RADAR (click here for fillable PDF) required by COE.

If you submit Release Time 120 days outside of the intended time frame, then you must submit it along with the Out of Compliance Justification Form. If we do not receive it along with the Release Time Form, we will NOT approve/process the release time. An example of this would be when the release time is from August 16 through September 30, and we receive it in February to process.

Send the completed Release Time Form to Brittane’ Jarrell btsurgeo@ncsu.edu with a cc to Pat Hayes phayes@ncsu.edu. 

NOTE: if the Principal Investigator is the same as the Department Head, then the Dean’s signature of approval is required

• Summer Salary: When preparing and submitting your summer salary through the Additional Compensation System, leave does not apply to 9-month employees outside the contract period.  Summer pay should only be paid for the time (or percentage) worked.
• Tutorial: Administrative Summer Salary tutorial must be completed for any administrators who will be entering/approving summer salary. There is a Faculty Summer Salary tutorial that must be completed by any faculty member who is to receive summer salary in May, June, July, or August.
• There should be funds in the Summer Salary Budget Line either in the original proposal or through post-award PMR action. There should also be a balance left after subtracting any paid summer salary.
• There should be funds in the overall Salary Budget Line and the overall project.
• If you are requesting for May, the dates of the ledger five being used should fall within the dates being requested —the same for June, July, and August.
• If you are paying summer salary to a P.I., who is not the lead P.I., make sure that person is a Co-P.I. listed on the award or named somewhere in the budget/justification or proposal narrative.
• Recap