Facilities and Administrative Rates on Sponsored Projects

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Facilities & Administrative (F&A) costs are costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot readily be identified with a specific sponsored project. Examples of F&A costs include shared services like libraries, utilities, building maintenance, and administrative expenses. CSU negotiates rates for cost recovery for organized research, instruction, and other sponsored activities and for on- and off-campus activities. Current negotiated rates can be found in the CSU negotiated rate agreement and in KR PD.

In order to determine which rate is applicable to a sponsored project, it is important to know some basic information about the project such as where CSU-funded activities will occur and what the activities are.

On- vs. Off-campus

Investigators should indicate if the CSU-portion of the scope of work is on-campus or off-campus. For project activities to be considered off-campus they “…Must extend over a period of more than 120 consecutive days (or duration of the project, if less than 120 days) at the off-campus site.”* An off-campus site is a site or facility not owned by the institution. Note: Home offices do not qualify as ‘off-campus.’

If project activities meet the definition of off-campus, select ‘All off’ in the KR PD Budget Settings. In the Comments field, provide a short rationale. If project activities are determined to be on-campus, nothing additional needs to be done as the system default is to use the on-campus rates.

Activity Types

In addition to project location, rate types vary by project or activity type. Projects may be classified as research, instruction, or other sponsored activities. In order for the appropriate negotiated F&A rate to be applied, investigators must indicate the primary ‘Activity Type’ in the Proposal Details Subpanel of the KR PD record.

Sponsored research consists of all research and development activities that are sponsored by federal and non-federal entities. This term also includes activities involving training of individuals in research techniques where such activities use the same facilities as other research and development activities.

Sponsored instruction means teaching and training activities of the institution supported with sponsored funds. Activities may be offered for-credit toward a degree or certificate or on a non-credit basis, and whether they are offered through academic departments or through separate divisions such as summer school or extension.

Other sponsored activities are programs and projects sponsored by federal and non-federal agencies for work that is not research or instruction, such as service projects, conferences, or short-term workshops.

For additional guidance on activity types, visit the Kuali Research webpage on the OSP website.

*Off-campus definition in the rate agreement dated 06/04/2020

Blog post by Tricia Callahan, Senior Research Education and Information Officer, Office of Sponsored Programs