About
The Office of Sponsored Programs provides pre- and post-award services to the Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville campuses. We work with faculty and administrators throughout the sponsored programs lifecycle, ensuring compliance with sponsor terms and conditions and any applicable terms and conditions, regulations, and laws. Our office is responsibile for the proper stewardship of sponsored programs funding and related areas of research compliance including effort reporting and subrecipient monitoring.
Our mission is to provide helpful, timely, and accurate information and service to the UTHSC research community in support of their pursuit, acquisition, and management of of extramural funding.
The office is comprised of three teams: the Pre-Award Service Team, the Contract Negotiation Team, and the Post-Award Service Team.
View a list of our staff by area.
The pre-award service team reviews and submits proposals to sponsors; the contract negotiation team negotiates awards and agreements related to sponsored programs; and the post-award service team establishes accounts, and handles invoicing and cash receipt of payments from sponsors, and expenditure review.
The office also ensures compliance with UT policies, sponsor policies and applicable laws. Sponsored Programs reviews, negotiates, and approves all proposals for grants and contracts; reviews and provides guidance on sponsor and university policies and procedures related to sponsored projects. We also provide and/or obtain institutional signatures on grants and research agreements, provide information and training on grant and research contract processes; and facilitate financial reporting and management during the award and provide non-financial closeouts and invention reporting. Sponsored Programs ensures necessary compliance approvals are in place prior to account establishment and manages post award financial and non-financial compliance including effort reporting, subrecipient monitoring, cost transfers and cost sharing.
The OSP Pre-Award Team works with faculty and administrators to submit high-quality proposals. Together with the OSP post-award group, the pre-award team assists the management of awards. Staff members provide hands-on proposal preparation services and assist with the interpretation of proposal solicitations and other information related to obtaining and applying for funding. The Pre-Award Team evaluates the preparedness of proposals before they are authorized for submission. When awards have been accepted, staff members process paperwork to establish accounts (awards/projects) so that expenditures can be charged. Throughout the life of awards, pre-award staff members process award modifications and provide advice and technical assistance to faculty and administrators regarding award management.
The Contracts Negotiation Team works with faculty and staff to negotiate a full range of agreements supporting research and scholarly activities. Research agreements may or may not include funding. The team also reviews awards made to the university, and is responsibile for negotiating and executing externally sponsored, clinical trial agreements, federal, foundation, and industry-funded research agreements and other contractual agreements, including consulting engagements, material transfer agreements, data use/transfer agreements, non-disclosure agreements, teaming agreements, memorandum of understanding, and other agreements related to sponsored programs. The contract negotiation team also establishes sub-award and subcontract agreements issued under UTHSC agreements.
The OSP Post-Award Team works with faculty and administrators to coordinate and oversee financial activities related to sponsored research awards. Staff members assist in the stewardship of sponsored grant and contract terms and conditions. The team handles invoicing, financial reporting, budget and cash deficit monitoring, and award setup conditions. The staff works with faculty, management, and school research administration to ensure accurate and complete accounting of income and expenditures on sponsored project accounts.
Throughout the life of a sponsored programs award, Post-Award team members provide advice and technical assistance regarding award management and compliance with sponsor guidelines. They assist with final account reconciliation and account closeout.