{"id":240,"date":"2025-10-29T18:16:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T18:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/?page_id=240"},"modified":"2026-04-01T14:35:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:35:20","slug":"account-setup-award-administration","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.research.colostate.edu\/osp\/account-setup-award-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"Account Setup & Award Administration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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After OSP pre-award reviews, negotiates, and executes an award\/agreement, award information is sent to OSP post-award for account creation. A copy of the fully executed award\/agreement is emailed to the Principal Investigator (PI) and Fiscal Officer (FO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award information is entered into the Kuali Award (KR) system and an KFS account is created. PIs and unit administrators should review the system information in RPS and should become familiar with award terms and conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look to the\u00a0Award Receipt & Negotiation Responsibility Matrix<\/a>\u00a0for a breakdown of different roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award\/Account Setup<\/summary>\n

CSU has two systems that work together to capture award information and expenditures of sponsor funds: KR Award and KFS. OSP post-award reviews award information received by OSP pre-award and enters award\/agreement information into the KR Award module. A nightly process feeds the information into KFS to create or update the \u201853\u2019 account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PIs and associated administrators are notified when an account has been created. Project expenditures should not be made until a 53 account has been set up and the PI has reviewed the award terms and conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For awards that allow pre-award spending, <\/strong>but are not yet received by CSU, an \u201cAt-Risk\u201d Advanced Spending Request<\/a> should be submitted to the OSP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For awards with cost sharing, equipment fabrication, or program income<\/strong>, appropriate forms<\/a> must be completed and sent to OSP before the associated accounts can be created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For awards with outgoing subrecipients,<\/strong>\u00a0a\u00a0\u2018PI Request to Initiate Subaward\u2019<\/a>\u00a0must be completed and sent to OSP. Consult OSP\u2019s \u2018Outgoing Subawards<\/a>\u2019 page for subaward setup and administration.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Award Administration<\/summary>\n

Sponsored award administration is a\u00a0shared responsibility<\/a>\u00a0between the PI, department, college, and OSP. Successful management ensures compliance with award terms and conditions, sponsor-specific regulations, and CSU policies and procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unit FOs, in consultation with PIs, should periodically review and reconcile expenditures posted against their sponsored (\u201853\u2019) accounts in KFS to ensure all project expenses are appropriately charged and are allowable, allocable, and directly benefit the project. If a project includes cost sharing or other associated accounts, these expenditures should also be tracked on a routine basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If an error is discovered, such as an incorrect amount or unallowable expense charged to a 53 account, follow the guidance for initiating a\u00a0cost transfer<\/a>. Cost transfers involving non-salary adjustments are processed through a General Ledger Correction (GLC) in the finance system, while those involving salary are processed through a payroll adjustment in the HR system. If a payroll adjustment affects previously certified effort, the project effort statement must be re-certified (see \u2018Effort Reporting<\/a>\u2019).<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Award Modifications<\/summary>\n

Changes in Project Personnel or Effort of Current Personnel <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes in CSU senior\/key personnel and key personnel changes for subawards almost always require sponsor approval. Reductions in effort may require sponsor approval depending on the percentage of reduction. Contact the relevant OSP pre-award team as soon as the need for a change in project personnel or effort arises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes in Scope of Work\/Deliverables<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes in the scope of work or of project deliverables almost always require sponsor approval. If an investigator (CSU or subrecipient) is proposing a change to an approved scope of work or deliverables, contact the relevant OSP pre-award team to initiate sponsor approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget Modifications<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modifications to the award budget may require sponsor approval, especially when a change in budget indicates a change in the scope of work. Contact the relevant OSP pre-award team to determine if sponsor approval is required<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No-Cost Extensions<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most sponsors require advance notice when a sponsored project cannot be completed in the timeframe originally specified in the award document. Use the No Cost Extension Request form<\/a> as soon as the need for additional time has been identified and well before the project end date to avoid losing all or part of the project funding.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Project Reporting<\/summary>\n

Financial Reporting <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OSP is responsible for financial reporting for \u201853\u2019 accounts. If financial information is required for a technical report, financial report, or other sponsor request, contact OSP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progress\/Technical Reporting <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PI is responsible for timely submission of progress and\/or other technical reports required by the sponsor and should copy OSP on the submission of a final report or deliverable. The PI is also responsible for any required invention statements, property reports or patent reports, which includes information from subrecipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effort Reporting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Federal guidance requires confirmation and certification of effort associated with federal awards, which includes effort charged directly to sponsored projects and mandatory cost shared effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ECC\/ecrt is the after-the-fact reporting system used by CSU for certifying that salaries charged or contributed to a sponsored project are reasonable and consistent with the portion of professional activity committed to the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effort certification at CSU is done at the project level and is required quarterly. The PI for a project certifies effort for all employees paid on or contributing effort to a sponsored program. For more on CSU\u2019s effort reporting policies and requirements, visit \u2018Effort Reporting<\/a>\u2018.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Account Setup & Award Administration Responsibility Matrix<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Account guidance (sweep, over expenditures, cost transfers)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commonly Requested Info<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecrt<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research Project Status (RPS)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search Awards<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Award Lifecycle<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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