Sponsored Research

Research CCHIP #014

CLARIFICATION OR CHANGE IN PROCEDURE (CCHIP)

Direct Charging Faculty Effort for Related Activities

OVERVIEW

In accordance with federal guidelines, the University of South Florida recognizes that, in an academic setting, teaching, research, service and administration are often inextricably intermingled. This CCHIP provides guidance on accounting for such faculty effort within the University’s Federal Effort Reporting (PERT) and State Activity Reporting (FAR) systems.

DEFINITIONS

Effort – The proportion of time spent on any particular activity expressed as a percentage distribution of total activities.

FAR – Faculty Activity Report is a part of the Annual Report module of the FAIR (Faculty Academic Information Reporting) system. It has been designed to provide faculty members an interface to assign distributions of time spent on total activities and compile their annual reports by importing relevant information from the AFD-FAR (Assign Faculty Duties – Faculty Activity Report) modules in addition to other accomplishments and activities.

PERT – Personnel Effort Reporting Tool is USF’s official method for reasonably reflecting the activities for which employees are compensated.

PERT Report – An electronic report, produced on a semester basis that enables research personnel to certify the percentage of time spent working on federally sponsored awards or providing cost share to any sponsored award.

Sponsored Award – Any grant, contract, or other agreement between the University of South Florida and a sponsoring agency.

CLARIFICATION OR CHANGE

For effort reporting purposes, direct charging of related activities may include effort for activities contributing and directly related to the programmatic goals of the research. These activities include but are not limited to graduate student advising, delivering special lectures about specific aspects of the ongoing research activity, writing reports and articles, participating in appropriate seminars, consulting with colleagues and graduate students, and attending meetings and conferences. These activities may be reported as direct project effort.

In determining whether graduate student advising is related to the programmatic goals of the research, the following factors should be considered:

  • Is the Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) appointed on the sponsored project where the faculty member is providing research effort?
  • Is the GRA appointed on a training grant?
  • Does the GRA’s thesis topic correlate with the programmatic aims of the research project where the faculty member is providing research effort?

Charges to sponsored awards may also include a nominal amount of effort for incidental activities unrelated to the programmatic goals of the research. These activities include but are not limited to administrative functions (e.g., faculty meetings, faculty searches) and any ancillary activities exclusive of instruction and departmental research.

PROCEDURES

FAR/PERT Department Administrator

  • Prepares PERT reports based on information from Principal Investigators.
  • Prepares FAR reports based on information from Faculty Members.
  • Reviews PERT and FAR reports for variances after accounting for related activities reported in FAR.
  • Analyzes and corrects where appropriate.

Principal Investigator and other Faculty providing effort

  • Certifies PERT report each semester.
  • Completes FAR report annually.

Sponsored Research Post Award

  • Provides guidance regarding federal effort reporting (PERT) through Sponsored Research Compliance.

Office of the Provost

  • Provides guidance regarding state activity reporting (FAR)
CONTACT

Please address your comments or questions regarding this CCHIP to Sponsored Research Compliance.

AGENCY GUIDELINES

OMB Circular A-21 (Federal awards issued prior to 12.26.14)
Uniform Guidance (2 CFR §200) (Federal awards issued on or after 12.26.14)

EFFECTIVE DATE

This CCHIP is effective as of the date of revision and rescinds all previous versions pertaining to Direct Charging Effort for Incidental and Related Activities.

ISSUED: December 17, 2009
LAST REVISION: August 16, 2018