FAQ
1. What is a Modified Total Direct Cost?
Modified total direct costs shall exclude equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, tuition remission, rental costs of off-site facilities, scholarships, and fellowships as well as the portion of each subgrant and subaward in excess of $25,000.
2. What is Cost Sharing?
College and non-sponsor resources provided in support of sponsored programs; includes contributed effort and matching funds.
3. What are Facilities and Administrative Costs?
Facilities and administrative costs (F&A) costs are those that are incurred for common or joint objectives and therefore cannot be identified readily and specifically with a particular sponsored project, an instructional activity, or any other institutional activity.
4. How do I Request a Change in Key Personnel?
In order to request a Change in Key Personnel, please complete and sign the Rice Institutional Approval Form.
5. What is a No Cost Extension (NCE)?
Provides for an additional period of performance with no additional costs to the sponsor to accomplish project goals. For NIH grants, NCEs can only be requested for specific reasons such as completion of data analysis or publications.
6. Who do I Contact to Request an NCE?
Complete and sign the Rice Institutional Approval Form. Contact your assigned OSP Grant Specialist or email osp@rice.edu.
7. Can a Charge Be Put on an R-Fund After the End Date?
The charge has to be incurred/encumbered prior to the end date. Depending on the Sponsor, they allow 30-90 days after the end date for charges incurred prior to the end date to hit the R Fund.
8. Typical Allowable and Unallowable Expenses?
Allowable costs must be reasonable, allocable, and consistent. Unallowable items include: Advertising, Alcohol, Entertainment, Fines, Lobbying, and First Class Air Travel.
9. What is a Subaward Agreement?
A contract issued under a prime award for the procurement of program-related tasks. Subject to compliance with federal law and Rice purchasing requirements.
10. Does the Salary Cap apply to all federal grants?
No, it only applies to NIH, SAMSHA, and AHRQ (not DOD, NSF, or NASA). Use institutional base salary for others.
11. What is Just in Time (JIT)?
A timeframe requiring applicants to send documentation to federal agencies only if an award is likely. This reduces administrative burden.
21. Faculty transfers: what do I need to process?
Departing faculty: Date of termination, new location, awards to be transferred.
Incoming faculty: Official date of employment, awards to be transferred in.