OVERSIGHT OF AWARDS, GRANTS, AND CONTRACTS

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library           

Issued by:  Library Administrative Council 

This policy covers all awards, grants, and contracts involving University Library faculty and staff in which the resources (financial, human, and facility) of the University Library are involved, regardless of the source of funding.  It includes any proposals or agreements, whether the individual is the principal investigator (P.I.), or participant on projects originating from another university department or another institution.  The procedures described here are designed to assure the effective and timely management of a project from its initial development to the completion of the final reports.  They are in no way intended to infringe upon the intellectual freedom of any faculty member in the Library or to control the direction of an individual’s research.  They are meant to provide a compliant framework of support and management of Library commitments and resources for the purposes of institutional and individual research, instruction, and other sponsored projects and awards.

  1. All proposals and agreements, including those originating in other units of the campus, must be approved by the University Librarian and Dean of Libraries and/or the Associate University Librarian for Information Technology Planning & Policy and Associate Dean of Libraries.
  2. If a proposal or agreement impacts upon areas outside the individual’s unit, the P.I. should consult with any or other library units whose activities may be affected, (e.g., Preservation, Library IT, Collections).
  3. In developing or negotiating an award or a grant, the P.I. must notify and consult with the Associate University Librarian for Information Technology AND the Grants and Contracts Specialist in the Library Business Office.
  4. Proposals and agreements, including copy of sponsor/agency request letter and/or guide, must be reviewed before submission by the Library’s Grants and Contracts Specialist.  After initial review of the completed narrative and the budget, the Grants and Contract Specialist routes the final proposal to the Associate University Librarian for Information Technology for review and signature.  After review and approval by the AUL for Information Technology, the proposal is routed to the University Librarian and Dean of Libraries for signature, as required by University policy.

    The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Administration ( OSPRA) is responsible for ensuring compliance with University, State, and sponsor policies; determining that the proposal is complete; confirming that all approvals have been obtained; ascertaining that the budget is in order; and that unusual requirements are considered.  OSPRA will secure the signature of the University’s authorizing official(s).

  5. When a proposal is funded or rejected, the P.I. notifies the Grants and Contracts Specialist and the Associate University Librarian for Information Technology (for content and budget).
  6. Allocation of Institutional Cost Recovered (ICR) Funds:
    – 82% to the college (Library)
    – 8% to the campus
    – 10% to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
  7. The P.I. is responsible for regularly reporting on the status of the project to the Associate University Librarian for Information Technology. A copy of each report sent to the funding agency is to be submitted to grants@library.illinois.edu. Principal Investigators must deposit a copy of the project final report with grants@library.illinois.edu.
  8. Any requests for changes in the project budget, scope of work and no-cost extensions submitted by the P.I. to the granting agency must be transmitted to the Grants and Contracts Specialist (not directly to the granting agency). Copies of each request must be submitted, in advance, to grants@library.illinois.edu.
  9. No civil service job classifications may be created using grant funds. Graduate Assistants, Visiting Academic Professionals, and Visiting Faculty are appropriate employee categories for grant funds.  P.I.’s are responsible for ensuring that all project employees fully utilize their accruing benefits before termination of the grant.

This directive is in compliance with the University of Illinois Manual for Business and Finance 16.1.3.

TIME TABLE
Action Time Frame
1. Submission of penultimate draft of proposal narrative, budget, and other commitments to Associate University Librarian (AUL) for IT & the Grants & Contracts Specialist (GCS). Submit to grants@library.illinois.edu No later than 30 days (20 business days) prior to deadline.*

Approval will be provided within 5 working days after receipt.
2. Final copies of the proposal, with budget, provided to the AUL for IT, GCS, the Library Business Office (LBO) for Library signature processing and to OSPRA.  Submit to grants@library.illinois.edu. 15 working days prior to the deadline.

Comments will be provided within 3 working days after receipt.
3. The Library Business Office submits proposals, including a signed copy of transmittal forms to OSPRA. 10 working days prior to the submission to the granting agency.
4. The LBO provides copies of the submitted proposal to the P.I. Within 5 working days after submission of the proposal.
5. When the P.I. is notified about the acceptance or rejection of the application, the P.I. informs by submission to grants@library.illinois.edu. Within 5 working days after notification.

* In cases where an agency, foundation or sponsor issues an RFP with fewer than 30 days for a full proposal submission, the Library will work closely with an investigator in preparation of a proposal within the required time frame.

Admin. Council approved 3/01/00; revised 3/15/04; revised 10/20/08.