Signature is a vital step in the acceptance of many sponsored agreements and it is equally important to verify the appropriate signer is authorized for such action. When a sponsored award agreement is received, only an OSP Authorized Representative with signature authority can negotiate and legally bind the Institution. Signature authority involves establishing credibility and responsibility to protecting the University and Faculty Investigators.

The Colorado Board of Governors at CSU has primary authority to execute contracts on behalf of the University. They delegate various levels/types of authority for specific kinds of contractual agreements to several persons within the University, known as Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR). The Vice President of Research (VRP) specifically delegates signature authority to the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) from the Board of Directors. Only an OSP AOR with signing authority can negotiate and legally bind the Institution to sponsored agreements. Research and Sponsored Agreements include materials transfer agreements, sub-contracts, sub-awards, confidentiality/non- disclosure agreements, other research and service-related agreements, and certifications and representations. Since sponsored agreements are made out to the institution directly instead of the lead PI, an authorized CSU representative must review and sign to accept responsibility, obligating the University per the agreement to meet the administrative, financial, and programmatic requirements of the award.