Additional Guidance and FAQs
Each award has specific requirements for the content and submission of technical reports. We recommend contacting your OSP Specialist who can provide you with guidance specific to your award from how to submit (ie Sponsor portal or Email to PO) and respond to questions regarding content and/or related to the sponsor portal (ie NIH eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov, NASA, NOAA Grants Online, etc). Technical report content can include sections such as Accomplishments, Products, Participants, Impact, Changes/Problems, Special Reporting Requirements, and Budget/Financial. Accurate reporting is essential to ensuring you as PI and the Institution is compliant with all Sponsor policies and procedures. Inaccurate reporting can lead to such measures as the Sponsor determining that we have been non-compliant and ceasing funding of the individual award and depending on the severity of the non-compliance, further repercussions will ensue. Key sections for compliance include (1) Participants (complete and accurate effort reporting of all Sr/Key Persons for that budget year which should align with the approved level of effort for that year both by SBU and the Sponsor); (2) Changes (reduction of PI effort (a reminder that a myResearch Award Modification is needed prior to any change in effort and Sponsor Approval when applicable); addition of Sr/Key Persons (please speak to your OSP Specialist to determine whether Sponsor approval is needed and if a myResearch Award Modification is needed); Other Support (typically you will see a question similar to "Has there been a change in the active other support of senior/key personnel since the last reporting period?" - please refer to Sponsor specific guidance and SBU policies), and (3) Special Reporting Requirements (ie Is it anticipated that an estimated unobligated balance (including prior year carryover) will be greater than 25% of the current year’s total approved budget? If yes, provide the estimated unobligated balance.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if due dates change?
OSP recognizes that technical reporting due dates may change during the course of a sponsored project. If you receive a due date change notification from a sponsor, you are responsible to promptly inform OSP at osp@stonybrook.edu so our records can be updated. This will avoid unnecessary escalations.
What should I do if due dates are not listed in the award?
Certain sponsors do not list technical report due dates in the award document. They may instead provide the due dates to you at a later date. If you do not have the technical report due dates, you should contact your Program Manager / Technical Contact for more information. Once you have the dates, promptly inform OSP at osp@stonybrook.edu so our records can be updated.
What should I do if I am no longer required to provide a written report by the sponsor according to the award schedule or if the reporting conditions have been modified by the sponsor?
Please provide the sponsor’s updated guidance and/or waiver in response to this email so that our records can be updated.
What should I do if I recently completed this reporting via informal communication with the sponsor or if the sponsor is not expending a formal report from me?
You must provide OSP Provide proof of sponsor’s consent in order to update the reporting records.
What should I do if I cannot meet technical report deadlines?
If you cannot meet technical report deadlines, you should first contact your Program Manager / Technical Contact to see if it’s possible to obtain a deadline extension. Your Program Manager / Technical Contact is not required, or may not have authority, to grant an extension. If the PI provides suitable justification, OSP can also contact the sponsor to request an extension on the PIs behalf.
If the extension request is unsuccessful, promptly contact your Department Chair and/or Dean. They may be aware of other resources available (e.g., graduate students) to assist you.
Do I need to submit technical reports if I have requested a no-cost extension?
Yes. Unless you have written confirmation from your Program Manager / Technical Contact that your report is not due, you must submit your report by the existing deadline.
For example, National Science Foundation has advised: “A ‘no cost extension’ adds time to an award, but does not relieve the awardee of reporting requirements. Annual reports are still due every 12 months. When the award finally does expire, the final report and project outcomes report are both due within 120 days.” See, e.g., Dear Colleague Letter No. NSF 16-040.
What constitutes “proof” I have submitted my technical report?
The automated email reminders described above ask that you submit a copy of your technical report in myResearch. Other acceptable methods include (i) copying osp@stonybrook.edu when you submit your report via email; and (ii) forwarding a copy of a confirmation you receive from an online portal after your submission. Please note that merely stating you have submitted your report is not sufficient. OSP needs written information from an independently verifiable source, as OSP may be required to provide this information to our external auditors.
Do I submit financial reports to sponsors?
All financial reports (FFR, SF 425, quarterly financial disclosure, cumulative invoices) MUST be prepared, endorsed and submitted by the Office of Grants Management. Some sponsors require periodic reports to contain both technical and financial information. In these limited situations, you should coordinate with your assigned OGM Sponsored Award Analyst to obtain updated financial information before submitting the combined report.
Where can I find additional general references and guidance?
NSF
The NSF has published memo number NSF 16-040, Meeting NSF's Technical Reporting Requirements. The memo contains answers to frequently asked questions and links to additional resources and information regarding NSF's reporting requirements. Principal Investigator submits directly. Frequency: Annual and Final. Submission website: https://research.gov
Other Sponsors - coming soon