Sponsored Contracts and Agreements (SCA)

The setup of the sponsored contract accounts will be handled differently depending on whether or not the contract will be administered by SRS or Sponsored Contracts Accounting and Reporting in FMO. Contracts negotiated through Contract Administration will be administered by FMO.

Awards will be linked to a proposal to maintain a consistent record of the statement of work and the researchers involved.

Setup for Contract Administration Contracts

The following is the process if Contract Administration negotiates the contract:

1. The PI emails a copy of the final signed contract to SCA.
2. SCA coordinates with VPR and FMO to get the necessary contract and cost share accounts established if the interim funding process was not performed.

Setup for SRS Contracts The following is the process if SRS sets up the contract:

1. Once SRS has accepted a document on behalf of an agency, the award processing team sets up an account in the FAMIS accounting system and creates a record in Maestro.
2. The Project Administrator completes the account setup by entering the budget and any spending restrictions.
3. The Project Administrator scans the completed package into Maestro, where it will be accessible to the PIs, the department/unit, and SRS personnel.
4. The project administrator typically sends an email to the PI notifying that setup is complete.
5. The Project Administrator emails a copy of the contract and setup documents to SCA upon request.
6. Upon receiving the award, SCA coordinates the appropriate changes to payroll and related expenses within the guidelines of the budget.

For any changes to an existing sponsored contract requiring an amended contract:

• For SRS, contact your Project Administrator for assistance in amending the contract. Notify SCA when the request is made and when the contract has been amended.
• For Contract Administration, route the request for a change using the same transmittal form as the original contract. Reference the contract number (see the Contract Listing Page to find your contract number). You may attach the original contract and the document that describes the changes.

For budget increases or major changes to the budget, SCA assists in calculating the revised budget.

For no-cost extensions, without a change to the budget amount or split of budget categories:

• Notify SCA.
• Create the text and justification of the change and send them to SRS or Contract Administration for change to the contract.
• When renewing a contract or grant, notify SCA as early as possible about your intent to renew. SCA will assist with budget planning and personnel costs for the upcoming contract period.
• Keep SCA informed throughout the renewal process.

After any change, email a copy of the completed contract amendment to SCA. For contracts through Contract Administration, SCA will work with VPR and FMO to update the account information in FAMIS.

1. If the department has a budget that includes student workers or positions not named to an individual...then the department should notify SCA of the individuals working on the contract for those positions. If time was spent in support of the project prior to the account being established, notify AABS of the hours spent on the project per individual per pay period.
2. If the department identifies any type of expense that does not appear to be on the contract or should not be on the contract...then the department should contact SCA to review the expense and initiate corrective action.
3. If the department does not believe the total amounts in the budget categories appear correct when it receives reports from BBR...then the department should contact SCA to review the expense category and help determine if a correction is needed. If it is, SCA will initiate the corrective action.

Team members assist as needed with proposal budgets, contract negotiation and routing, budget or contract amendments, periodic budget to actual reporting for the Principal Investigators (PI’s), and financial reporting assistance for the sponsors as indicated in the contracts.

Role of SCA

SCA can assist as needed with additional budget calculations for the contract, interim bridge funding and account setup, notification to the rest of AABS of the upcoming new account and sponsored contract, and interim payroll-related issues and expenses.
 
When SCA receives the letter of intent or notice of award, they will request a copy of the proposal and draft contract so they are prepared to get cost share accounts and any necessary internal codes established to track the contract and cost share expenses.
 
If necessary, SCA will work with the Principal Investigator (PI) to establish  interim bridge funding and an account to facilitate having expenses posted to the appropriate account from the beginning of the contract period to minimize corrections.

Role of SRS and Contract Administration

Contract negotiation will be handled either by SRS or by Contract Administration. Agreements require careful review to protect the interests of the researcher, A&M System member, and A&M System office. SRS or Contract Administration will review the terms and conditions of agreements for non-standard conditions and negotiate any necessary changes. All sponsored contracts, even ones that did not require a proposal to be submitted to the sponsor, should be routed through SRS or Contract Administration.

To confirm agreements are acceptable, SRS and Contract Administration may also consult as needed, with the A&M System’s Office of General Counsel, Texas A&M Innovation, and the appropriate A&M System member’s administration.

PIs should not sign the agreements on behalf of the university. There is a delegation for signature authority for all agreements and contracts. Individuals not specifically delegated to sign specific types of contracts are not authorized to sign on behalf any A&M System member.

Negotiation for SRS

If you do not already know your SRS contract negotiator, use the SRS My Contact feature.

Most funding agreements will come directly to SRS in response to a proposal prepared and submitted by SRS on behalf of PIs. If not, funding agreements should be forwarded to awards@tamu.edu in order for them to be logged into Maestro for review, routing, and approval.

Negotiation for Contract Administration

The following is the process if the contract negotiation goes through Contract Administration:

1. The PI in the department typically receives the notice of award.
2. If the notice does not come with a contract from the sponsor, the PI should request a draft or sample contract.
3. Upon receipt of the contract, the department should complete the Contract/Agreement Approval Transmittal Form. Contact SCA if you would like assistance in completing the transmittal form.
4. If the sponsor requires a cost share or waiver of all or part of the indirect cost, forms on the Division of Research website should have been completed during the proposal stage. If they were not, the department must fill out the forms at this time for approval prior to the final contract being signed:
   • It is preferred that these forms be sent with the packet, but they may be sent separately so that Contract Administration can start the review process before they are complete.
   • For most of the units AABS serves, the packet should be routed from the contract originator (PI) through the department head to the Provost Office (through the appropriate associate provost or associate vice president for the unit) for approval prior to routing to Contract Administration.
5. The department gathers appropriate documentation to attach to the transmittal form, including the basic/sample contract, sponsor contact information, proposal, and notice of award. If the sponsor indicates a preference to use a basic Texas A&M template, that information should be included in the packet.
6. The department sends the packet to Contract Administration by fax, email, or campus mail, and a copy to SCA. AABS’s preference is to email the packet to Contract Administration at contracts@tamu.edu and to SCA at contraabs@tamu.edu.
7. The department can check the status of a contract through  Aggiebuy more information can be found https://contracts.tamu.edu/aggiebuy-contract-portal.html. The department can also call Contract Administration at 979-845-0099.
8. After the negotiation process is complete and a final version of the contract is acceptable to both sides, Contract Administration sends the contract to the sponsor for signature.
9. When the final signed contract is returned, it must again be routed using the transmittal form. It will start with the contract originator (PI) and go to the department head, Provost Office, and Contract Administration. Contract Administration will ensure appropriate routing after they have signed.
10. A copy of the fully executed contract is sent to the PI.

Projects Involving Animals, Biohazards, or Human Subjects

If the sponsored project involves animals, biohazards, or human subjects, the Principal Investigator should obtain applicable approval from the appropriate oversight entity. The Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety website has a complete listing.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is typically the most common for involvement of human subjects. The IRB website has more information.

The PI and other staff working on the project may be required to obtain CITI training.

Interim funding is financing provided by a PI’s A&M system member or department for expenses incurred before the fully executed award document is received from the sponsor.

Interim funding may also be required, when necessary, to bridge time between the contract start date and the date the contract is fully executed, or before the next phase of the budget is negotiated and completed and the funding is received.

This process can be started by the PI, contract negotiator, Project Administrator, or SCA with PI approval. SCA offers the following assistance:

• Assists customers in completing and routing for approval the Interim Funding Request form.
• Works with the department to obtain the appropriate information needed to calculate the budget to cover expenses that are able to count toward the sponsored contract.
• Assists the department in determining the backup accounts that the department will use to cover any expenses if for some reason the contract is never executed or is executed with a later starting date or lower budget.

Interim Funding - Contract Administration

The following is the process for interim funding for Contract Administration:

1. SCA works with the department to gather the necessary information to calculate the funding required for an interim funding request. SCA submits the request via email to FMO for review and approval. Information similar to that on the SRS form will be used to provide the data and justification FMO will need to make a determination.
2. The department notes the proposed contract on the DCS for expenses and tracks all expenses related to the project prior to the account being set up. The department sends this information to SCA when the account is established to be sure nothing is missed.

A backup account is always required.

Interim Funding - SRS

The following is the process for interim funding for SRS:

1. The department or SCA completes the SRS Interim Funding Request Form and routes it for signature. If SCA completes it, SCA will send it to the department representative (e.g., the PI or an assistant) to review and route.
2. The department notes the proposed contract on the DCS for expenses and tracks all expenses related to the project prior to the account being set up. The department sends this information to SCA when the account is established to be sure nothing is missed.

If the interim funding amount is $30,000 or less, a backup account is not necessary.

Pre-Award (Proposal Development & Submission)

Notify SCA of a new sponsored project or grant for which your department is submitting a proposal or letter of intent to submit. Including AABS in the proposal process allows another set of eyes to help ensure items are not overlooked or overcommitted in the proposal.

SCA can also assist in the budget calculations of the proposal, including cost sharing requirements and personnel expenses.

To assist our units, we have developed a basic proposal submission checklist for SRS and Contract Administration:

• Proposal Checklist for Sponsored Research Services
• Proposal Checklist for Contract Administration

Once the proposal is complete, inform SCA of the routing during the signature phase to ensure that we are aware of the proposed program or grant submission, as well as to assist and follow up if necessary.

Post-Award (Award Received)

When the department receives a letter of intent or notice of award from the sponsor, they should send a copy to SCA.