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Project Changes

All project changes must be communicated to SPFAC. The Post Award Specialist is responsible for reaching out to the Sponsor for prior approval. If you have any questions, please be sure to reach out to your Post Award Specialist as soon as possible to ensure the University stays in compliance with the terms and conditions of the award.

Required Prior Approvals

When required by the sponsor, the PI must work with SPFAC to obtain prior approval for certain actions or expenditures. The award document terms and conditions should always be reviewed for such requirements. Advance approval from the sponsor should be requested when any of the following occurs (list is not exhaustive):

  • Change in scope or the objective of the project or program (even if there is no associated budget revision requiring prior written approval)
  • Change in key person identified in the award document
  • The absence for more than three months or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project by a PI
  • The need for additional funding
  • The transfer of amounts for indirect (F&A) costs to absorb increases in direct costs, or vice versa, if approval is required by the Federal awarding agency
  • The inclusion, unless waived by the Federal awarding agency, of costs that require prior approval in accordance with Uniform Guidance
  • The transfer of funds allotted for graduate students to other categories of expense

Unless described in the application and funded in the approved awards, the subaward, transfer or contracting out of any work under an award. This provision does not apply to the purchase of supplies, material, equipment, or general support services.

A general reference guide for prior approvals is the NSF FDP “prior approval matrix”.

Award Transfer

When a PI intends to transfer to a new institution with an awarded project, it is the PI’s responsibility to work with their department to submit a request through SPFAC for the relinquishment of that award. As awards are issued to the University and not the PI, UL Lafayette has the ultimate authority to determine if the award is retained or relinquished to the PI’s new Institution.

Budget Revisions

Rebudgeting within a sponsored project, after it is awarded, is allowed if there is a legitimate need to reallocate budgeted costs, provided the rebudgeting conforms to the sponsoring agency’s guidelines. Funding agencies have widely varying requirements regarding modifications to externally funded grants and projects. Some agencies are flexible, while others require prior approval of all changes. PIs should reach out to their Post Award Specialist with any questions regarding a budget revision and required approval.

To initiate a budget revision, the PI must submit a Budget Revision Request Form to their Post Award Specialist.

If necessary, the Post Award Specialist will forward a request for additional approval to the sponsoring agency. The PI should refer to the Award Data Sheet and Award document for sponsor restrictions.  Some sponsoring agencies will allow some flexibility (e.g., 10%) between line items, as long as the "bottom line" budget does not change and as long as the line item to which the funds would be moved exists and is already funded. Other sponsoring agencies, including the Board of Regents, generally require their approval for various changes.

Change in Key Project Personnel

Changing a Principal Investigator must be approved by the sponsor. Requests must be submitted to your Post Award Specialist through email and be supported by an explanation for the change.

Change in Scope of Work

At times it becomes necessary to redirect the original scope of work.  These changes must be approved by discussion with the sponsor with no exception, and documented in a letter to the sponsor’s program officer.  All written sponsor requests must be submitted submitted to your Post Award Specialist through email.  This must be completed before implementing any changes.

No Cost Extension

The PI may request a no cost extension (NCE) on a sponsored project if additional time, but not additional funds, is needed to complete the project. NCEs should be requested only when unforeseeable circumstances prevent project completion before the deadline. With proper justification, a sponsor may grant a NCE.

In order to request a no-cost extension, a PI must submit a Request for No Cost Extension to their Post Award Specialist. The Post Award Specialist will submit the request to the sponsor and will notify the PI when sponsor approval is recieved.

National Science Foundation allows the first NCE without their approval, but this must still be requested. If another NCE is needed after that time, their approval is required.

All other NCE requests must be approved by the sponsor. Most sponsors require that the NCE be requested at least 90 days prior to the project’s end date.