Award Lifecycle

PIs must personally participate in the project to a significant degree. 

Appointees who hold the following titles are automatically eligible:  

• Associate Professor, Assistant Professor or Instructor 

• Research Professor, Associate Research Professor or Assistant Research Professor 

• Librarian, Associate Librarian, Senior Assistant Librarian or Assistant Librarian  

• Center Director, Research Associate, Senior Research Associate or Research Scientist

Others must obtain prior written approval by submitting a completed PI Eligibility Determination Form to [email protected]. For example: 

• Researchers who do not have faculty status at the time of application but expect to be appointed at the time of award are eligible. However, at the time of application, the appropriate chair or dean must have already filed a memo with SPA indicating the faculty appointment will be completed. 

• Academic appointees with the titles Emeritus, Adjunct or Visiting Professor must have prior written approval from the relevant dean to be eligible. 

• Professional staff must have prior written approval from the Vice President for Research & Economic Development to be eligible. 

• Pre- and post-doctoral students are only eligible if the sponsor requires them to serve as a PI. In these cases, students must have prior written approval of their school or college’s dean. Note: For internal RF business systems, the faculty advisor will be listed as PI. The title of the research will begin with the student’s name followed by the title submitted to the sponsor. For example, “(Student Name) Fellowship Research for the study of …”

• If a UAlbany employee wants to serve as a PI but does not meet any of the above criteria, they may request an exception from the Vice President for Research & Economic Development to be eligible. Note: Exceptions are rarely granted. 

Principal Investigator (PI): A University at Albany faculty or staff member who bears responsibility for the intellectual leadership of a project. The PI accepts overall responsibility for directing the research, financial oversight and compliance with relevant University policies and sponsor terms and conditions. 

Multiple PI and Co-PI: Some sponsors use the term Co-PI or Multiple PI to indicate the role has equal responsibility and authority as the lead PI (for example, NIH uses the term Multiple PI, and NSF uses the term Co-PI). Other sponsors, such as the USDA, use the term to represent that the individual has more authority than a co-investigator but not equal authority as the PI. Additional sponsors use the term to represent an alternative title for a non-lead PI on a multi-PI project. Not all sponsors use this role.

Sponsored Project: Any externally funded research, training, evaluative testing or public service project directed by UAlbany faculty or staff, as part of their University work, that requires UAlbany to perform a specified program or deliver a specified product.

The following individuals are responsible for understanding UAlbany’s rules and protocols for PI eligibility: 

• Provost and other Vice Presidents 

• Deans and Associate Deans 

• Department Chairs 

• Principal Investigators (PIs) 

• SPA staff 

A Principal Investigator’s responsibilities include: 

• Obtaining eligibility to serve as PI before applying for sponsored project funding 

• Complying with these rules and all other applicable UAlbany, Research Foundation and SUNY policies 

A department chair’s responsibilities include: 

• Ensuring faculty and staff are aware of and understand these rules 

• Approving sponsored project application submissions only if the identified PIs are eligible to serve 

• Ensuring the sponsored project is in keeping with the research mission of the University 

• Ensuring that the necessary space, equipment, facilities, qualified personnel and other required resources will be available through the completion of this project  

Note: If a project is funded and the PI leaves the University prior to its completion, the endorsing academic department agrees to ensure the project is completed.

A dean’s responsibilities include: 

• Approving PI eligibility for students and for employees with Emeritus, Adjunct or Visiting Professor status 

• Ensuring the sponsored project is in keeping with the research mission of the University 

• Ensuring that the necessary space, equipment, facilities, qualified personnel and other required resources will be available through the completion of this project  

Note: If a project is funded and the PI leaves the University prior to its completion, the endorsing school or college agrees to ensure the project is completed.

The Vice President for Research and Economic Development’s responsibilities include: 

• Approving PI eligibility for professional staff 

• Approving exceptions to PI eligibility 

SPA staff’s responsibilities include: 

• Submitting sponsored project funding applications only if the identified PIs are eligible to serve

Eligible PIs must submit the Proposal Request Form at least 20 business days before the sponsor’s deadline. 

After submitting the form, you’ll receive an email within two business days with the following information: 

• The Research Administrator assigned to your proposal 

• A PACS record number 

• A suggested timeline for preparing various documents 

• A deadline for SPA to receive all documents (must be received at least five business days before the sponsor deadline) 

• A Sponsor Site ID number, if applicable

• Identify internal and external collaborators. Complete a Subrecipient Commitment Form for any external collaborators. Provide your Research Administrator with the contact information of your internal and external collaborators. 

• Draft your budget and budget justification — including personnel, fringe rates, Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Rates, supplies, equipment, travel, cost-sharing, etc. 

• Register for the sponsor’s submission portal. For example: NIH Registration, NSF Account Registration & Management or Proposal Central. 

• Use the Data for Sponsor Forms section to complete required elements. 

• Complete one biosketch for each senior personnel, following the sponsor’s formatting guidelines. Use the SciENcv tool for this step. 

• Complete one Other Support document for each senior personnel, following the sponsor’s formatting guidelines. Use the SciENcv tool for this step. 

• Complete project-related documents as required by the sponsor. For example, many sponsors require a Project Summary, Project Description, Facilities & Resources, etc. 

• Complete all research and regulatory compliance steps, including training, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, data use agreements and institutional approvals (IRB, IACUC, etc.). Note: Approvals are required to accept an award and start a project. 

• Obtain Office of Environmental Health & Safety approval for any projects that involve biological, chemical, radiological substances or equipment, or any hazardous materials or substances. 

• Review institutional data resources and requirements for finding, storing and managing your data. 

• Obtain department chair approval for any special circumstances (such as course release, space requests, etc.). 

Email the following documents to your assigned Research Administrator at least five business days before the sponsor's submission deadline: 

• Final Budget and Budget Justification, including outside collaborators 

• Any supplemental documents required by the sponsor 

• Final Data Management Plan 

• Final Project Description (narrative, research strategy, etc.) 

• Executive Summary 

• References Cited 

• Letters of Support 

The Research Administrator will ensure all appropriate documents are loaded into the PACS Portal. Then institutional approvers (such as department chairs, deans, directors, etc.) will review and approve the proposal using the portal.

The Research Administrator and PI will work together to ensure the proposal has been properly uploaded to the sponsor’s submission portal. 

Access the most current negotiated rate agreement.

The rates in this chart are subject to Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). However, there may be other sponsor rates that are applicable to a different base.
 

Total Direct Costs (TDC) Base 

• Multiple Sponsor: 15.0% for 2023 

Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) are all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and sub-awards and subcontracts up to the first $25,000 of each sub-award or subcontract — regardless of the period of performance of the sub-awards and subcontracts under the award.

Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs and with the approval of the relevant agency for indirect costs.

The Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) base excludes: 

• Equipment 

• Tuition and fees 

• Facilities rental 

• Sub-awards after the first $25,000 

• Patient care 

• Participant support 

• Alterations and renovations totaling $15,000 or more

An off-campus rate is applicable to projects largely conducted at facilities not owned or operated by the University, which include charges for facility rental as a direct expenditure.  

Subawards, consultants and vendor services are not considered under this off-campus determination. Convenience, telecommuting, conferences and summer travel are not justifications for the off-campus determination. 

If an agency has a published policy with a restricted F&A rate lower than UAlbany’s current F&A rate, and the agency doesn’t specify how the rate is to be applied, the agency’s lower, restricted F&A rate will be applied to Total Direct Costs (TDC). 

If the agency does not have a published policy, exceptions to UAlbany’s F&A rates are rarely granted but can be requested. You must contact Pre-award Research Administrator at least 10 business days before the proposal submission deadline. 

Acceptable policy documentation of a restricted F&A policy includes the sponsor’s RFP, the sponsor’s guidelines, or an email or letter obtained from an authorized representative of the sponsor stating they have an approved, uniformly applied rate for all funded projects.

State- or RF-funded Users — any animal facility user who is funded by the state, University or Research Foundation — are charged the following rates: 

Affiliated Users — any animal facility user who has an appointment or direct affiliation with the University or SUNY but does not receive state, University or Research Foundation funding — are charged the following rates: 

External Users — any animal facility user without a University or SUNY affiliation — are charged according to their contract with UAlbany. 
 

Review detailed information on the use of animals (IACUC).

Research Foundation Fringe Benefit Rates

National Science Foundation (NSF) Consultant: Fair market value 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Salary Maximum: $212,100 

UAlbany Tuition & Fee Charges

Per Diem & Mileage — Visit the Project Management tab above.

Foreign Per Diem

To appoint an employee or change an existing appointment, visit RFHR’s Forms webpage. 

Professional: A person employed in an executive, administrative or professional position who is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 

Nonprofessional: A person employed in a clerical, technical or administrative position who is covered by the overtime provisions of the FLSA.

Student: A graduate or undergraduate student performing research on an RF grant or contract. Note: Student employees must be registered as a full-time SUNY student. 

Summer Only

Assignments that occur between May 1 and September 30 and do not exceed four months in duration.

SUNY faculty employees are eligible for summer employment with the Research Foundation only during periods that do not overlap with their academic year obligation. 

Extra Service

Intra-university consulting is assumed to be undertaken as a University obligation requiring no compensation in addition to full-time base salary.

This principle also applies to faculty members who function as consultants or otherwise contribute to a sponsored agreement conducted by another faculty member of the same institution.  

However, in some instances extra service may be considered if all the following criteria are met and can be properly documented: 

• The work performed is clearly different from or in addition to the person's professional obligation 

• The work performed is outside of regularly scheduled hours 

• The work is across departmental lines or involves a separate or remote operating location 

• The extra service is specifically provided for in the agreement or approved in writing by the sponsoring agency 

• The payment conforms to and is properly authorized under SUNY and Research Foundation policy 

• The employment complies with RF position titles and standards, as well as federal and state laws and regulations regarding tax information 

In accordance with federal guidelines and SUNY regulations, compensation for extra service must not exceed an amount equal to 20% of regular base salary rate in any academic year or 12-month period.  

All University and sponsor approvals must be obtained prior to any commitments or work being performed. 

Academic Fellowship

Non-wage payments in support of the recipient's academic study or fellow-initiated research and in recognition of the recipient's promise as a research or teaching scholar.

Fellowship awards administered by the Research Foundation on behalf of SUNY are for scholarly study or research by faculty members, postdoctoral scholars, and undergraduate and graduate students at a SUNY campus or at other locations in conjunction with SUNY academic programs.

Fellowships are allowed only when the purpose of the sponsored agreement is to provide training and the sponsoring agency has given prior approval. 

Release Time

The process by which a faculty member is released from their academic duties to devote effort to a research grant or contract.  

Release time appointments are transactions by which a Research Foundation award reimburses the salary and fringe benefits paid to state-funded faculty and staff devoting effort to research awards. These funds are transferred as payments on a monthly basis to the appropriate unit's state IFR account. 

All release time appointments must adhere to the following criteria: 

• The appointment must be for a SUNY faculty or staff member who specifically commits effort on a Research Foundation award for a specified percentage and time period. 

• Sufficient funds must be available in the award to support the appointment. 

• The appointment period on the request must fall within the period of the employee's SUNY appointment and within the award period of the Research Foundation project. 

• The appointment must comply with all appropriate sponsor terms and conditions. 

Release time appointments should be requested within 90 days from the beginning of the requested appointment period. Any transactions submitted more than 90 days after the start of the requested period will be considered only on a case-by-case basis and only with proper justification.  

SPA reserves the right to reject any release time appointment that places the University at risk for an audit finding or disallowance. 

To request a new release time appointment or to request an existing appointment be changed, send a completed Release Time Appointment Form to [email protected]. Original signatures are required.

Labor Distribution is the process that distributes payroll charges/effort to the appropriate RF grants and contracts. This function is distinct and separate from the payroll process that produces employee earnings.   

Use the Labor Distribution Form to distribute current and future salary and wages to the appropriate awards, and to extend an employee on a grant or contract if there are no payroll or HR changes being requested.  

Completed Labor Distribution Forms should be emailed to [email protected] two weeks before the end of the previous charging instructions.  

Use an Employee Change Form — accessible on RFHR’s Forms webpage — to request payroll and/or HR changes. 

Appropriate charging instructions must be provided in a timely manner for all employees.  

If an employee remains on payroll without valid charging instructions, their payroll charges will go into suspense and the program must act immediately to provide an appropriate account for covering the payroll expenses. 

If you are waiting for a grant or contract to be awarded, your program has the following options: 

• Contact your Research Administrator to request they establish an at-risk award 

• Change the employee’s payroll costs to a non-sponsored award, such as a multiple sponsor, FRAP or Research Foundation incentive award 

• Remove the employee from payroll 

Employee’s charges are not allowed at any time to remain in suspense. If no charging instructions are provided, SPA staff will be notified that funds are no longer available to continue supporting the employee’s appointment. 

National Science Foundation (NSF)  

The NSF limits salary compensation for senior project personnel to no more than two months of their regular salary in any one year. This limit includes salary compensation received from all NSF-funded grants.  

This change moves away from NSF's previous concept of summer salary and allows for two months of salary reimbursement per year whenever appropriate during the year. 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

Direct salaries for individuals under NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards are limited to Executive Level II of the Federal Executive pay scale by Public Law 115-245. 

Since the University accepts federal funds, it must adhere to federal laws for nepotism by precluding from any practices in which responsible officials may afford their relatives preferential treatment in hiring and promotion. 

Two or more members of the same family may be employed by the University. However, a University employee may not officially approve or recommend the appointment, reappointment, promotion or salary adjustment of a relative. 

The sponsor must be notified if a family member will be employed on a sponsored award before the appointment is made. 

The effort certification process is a way of documenting personnel expenses.  

Effort reporting is required for all federal grants, state-funded federal flow-through grants, non-federal grants and cost shares, per 2 CFR 200. 

Failure to certify effort correctly and in a timely manner could result in audit findings, loss of funding and/or fines. 

Research Foundation employees certify their effort using the Employee Compensation Compliance System. You must certify your effort if either of the following circumstances apply: 

• Your salary is charged in whole or in part directly to a sponsored award funded with federal or federal flow-through dollars 

• You expend committed effort on a sponsored project, even though no part of your salary is charged to the award but rather it is being cost-shared by the institution 

SUNY RF provides these instructions for using the EEC system. 

To request a travel advance or travel reimbursement, complete the Travel Payment Request Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. 

• For a travel advance, the form must be submitted at least two weeks before the trip’s start date.  

• For a travel reimbursement, the form must be submitted within two weeks of your return from travel. 

Both types of requests require original receipts, as well as a conference announcement/agenda or a brief description of the travel’s purpose. 

If the traveler is also the Principal Investigator (PI), on the award, their supervisor’s signature is required on the form. 

A travel advance can cover 100% of common carrier transportation costs, and 80% of other transportation costs, conference registration fees, lodging and meal per diems. 

Travel advances must be reconciled within two weeks of return. No subsequent advances will be issued until a prior advance has been reconciled.  

SPA has a preferred vendor agreement with corporate travel management vendor Stovroff & Taylor Travel, LTD. The travel agency can obtain the most economical fares, often through direct billing. 

Please contact your Grant Administrator to complete the required traveler profile(s) before contacting the agency for booking information. 

Then, book travel one of three ways: 

• Online: Stovroff & Taylor website

• Phone: 1-800-543-8616 (Select option 1) 

• Email: [email protected]

There are service fees, charged per booking, associated with working with the travel agency: 
 

Be sure to provide an RF award number to the travel agency.  

Note: Research Foundation Accounting and State Accounting are separate entities, which means RF Accounting cannot charge or transfer expenses to state accounts and vice versa. 

Travel may be restricted by sponsor and/or federal guidelines, export controls and US Department of State travel warnings. 

Travel to a country on the federal travel warnings list must be approved by the campus before travel arrangements can be made.  

Please also review the University’s export controls information before planning international travel.

International travel that doesn’t adhere to applicable rules and regulations may not be reimbursable from a sponsored award. 

Contact your Grant Administrator for guidance before booking travel. 

Reimbursement rates for travel outside the continental United States are based on federal foreign per diem rates, which may be updated monthly. 

The Research Foundation can provide blanket international travel assistance coverage and emergency health insurance benefits for individuals traveling for official RF business. 

Expenses related to conferences, training and meetings may be allowable on a sponsored award.  

To request reimbursement, complete a Purchase Requisition Order Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. Be sure to include an original, itemized receipt to document that no alcohol was purchased.  

For business meeting meals, please also attach a statement justifying holding a meeting during a meal period. Reimbursable amounts for business meals are as follows: 

• Breakfast: Not to exceed the current breakfast per diem

• Lunch: Not to exceed half the amount of the current dinner per diem  

• Dinner: Not to exceed 110% of the current dinner per diem 

These allowances include food, beverages, gratuities and, if outside New York State, taxes.  

Approval may be required for any contracted services related to a conference or meeting. Please contact your Grant Administrator for guidance before making any arrangements. 

Registration fees for a conference or training may be allowable, if the event dates fall within the dates of the award. 

• To arrange direct billing, complete as a  Purchase Requisition Order Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. Include completed registration forms and indicate if a copy should be mailed to the vendor with payment.  

• To request reimbursement or a travel advance for registration fees only (meaning you have no other travel fees), complete as a Purchase Requisition Order Form and then submit it to SPA electronically.

• To request reimbursement or a travel advance for registration fees and other travel fees, please follow the instructions listed under “Travel Advances & Reimbursements.”  

For registration fees, you must submit a program announcement, agenda or brief description of the event. Reimbursement requests must also be supported by proof of payment. 

Travelers are expected to use the lowest priced, unrestricted, coach-class airfare.  

For these purposes, “unrestricted airfare” is airfare that allows for cancellation or change with a penalty value that is less than the cost of the ticket. 

More expensive travel may be reimbursable when the least expensive accommodations would: 

• Require indirect or roundabout travel 

• Require travel during unreasonable hours 

• Require excessively prolonged travel 

• Result in additional costs that would offset savings 

• Offer reasonably inadequate accommodations for travelers’ medical needs 

If any of these circumstances apply, campuses must justify and document the reason(s) why the expenses are allowable. 

If a trip is cancelled, nonrefundable airline tickets should not be charged to a sponsored award. 

All travel charged to a federally funded sponsored award must comply with the Fly America Act.

Personally owned cars may be used when other forms of transportation are unavailable or not appropriate. 

Mileage in excess of the individual’s typical commute to or from their official workstation is reimbursable when accompanied by documentation. 

Mileage is reimbursed at the rates established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

Rental cars are appropriate when using one is in the best interest of the project. Examples include when renting is the least costly alternative, is the only method of transportation available or will eliminate substantial delays. 

Attach your justification for using a rental car to the Travel Payment Request Form, which is available above under “Travel Advances & Reimbursements."

Allowable rental car reimbursements include cost of rental, tolls, parking fees and gas. GPS rental may be reimbursable with proper justification.  

Insurance, citations, violations and vehicle upgrades are not reimbursable. 

To book a rental car through the Research Foundation’s direct billing arrangement with Enterprise Rental Cars, follow these instructions: 

1. Book a car through the customized online reservation system. 

2. Complete the Enterprise Requisition Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. 

Cars should be booked under the Research Foundation’s name, using the RF billing number. 

Hotel internet access expenses will only be reimbursed when accompanied by documentation that justifies why the charges were necessary and how the expense is directly related to the award being charged. 

If you’re hosting visitors to UAlbany, it may be possible to arrange direct billing for local lodging expenses. Please contact your Grant Administrator for additional information. 

Meal allowances should be adjusted based on departure and return time and should account for meals provided at no expense to the traveler, such as breakfast provided at a conference. 

On the day of departure, the traveler is eligible for: 

• A breakfast allowance if travel begins before 7 a.m. 

• A dinner allowance if travel begins before 6 p.m. 

On the day of return, the traveler is eligible for: 

• A breakfast allowance if travel ends after 8 a.m. 

• A dinner allowance if travel ends after 7 p.m. 

There is no reimbursement given for lunch. 

Meals are typically reimbursed based on unreceipted rates; therefore, meal receipts are not required. If receipts are used, they must be itemized to comply with all alcohol-purchasing policies. 

Non-overnight meal rates are $5 for breakfast and $12 for dinner, regardless of travel location. 

To request meal allowance reimbursement for non-overnight travel, complete the RF Non-overnight Taxable Meal Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. 

This reimbursement is taxable and will be processed through payroll, therefore it can only be processed for RF or state employees. 

If the traveler is a state employee, they must also complete a New York State Travel Voucher, then submit it to SPA electronically.

This flat-rate, per diem allowance for meals, lodging and incidentals may be used regardless of where lodging is obtained — even if you stay with a relative or friend. No receipts are required.  

Travelers are still expected to substantiate their request with documentation showing the traveler made the trip. 
 

To receive the full per diem, the traveler must be in overnight travel status and be eligible for both breakfast and dinner.  

Note: If the traveler is not eligible for a meal, given the times of travel, or the traveler has been provided a meal at no cost, they will instead be reimbursed at the non-overnight meal rates (see above).

This method allows for the reimbursement of receipted lodging costs, up to the U.S. General Services Administration's per diem rates. Lodging receipts that exceed the GSA per diem rates will require justification. 

Meal receipts are not required to reimburse meal and incidental expenses. 

If adjustments must be made based on times of travel or exclusion of meals provided at no cost, meal allowances are broken down as follows: 

• The breakfast reimbursement rate is 20% of the federal meal rate. 

• The dinner reimbursement rate is 80% of the federal meal rate.

Rules regarding independent contractors ensure: 

• Payments to independent contractors are classified correctly and supported by proper documentation on selection, scope of work and fees 

• Services that reach or exceed $10,000 on any award are established under a formal agreement or contract  

• Services are obtained in ways that adhere to University policies and government regulations  

• Current employees are paid correctly 

• Conflicts of interest do not exist 

An independent contractor is an individual who, under agreement, performs a service for another person or business. That person or business only controls the result of the contractor’s work, not the manner or means by which their services are performed. 

Independent contractors typically provide task-oriented services that are specific in nature, short in duration or sought based on expertise. They are usually paid an agreed upon amount for a given task. 

Alternatively, an employee is subject to the control of their employer, who has the right to determine what work must be done and how it should be done. Employees perform services to support their employer’s general business, typically onsite for a long or indefinite period, and are usually paid on a time or piece-work basis.  

Classifying a worker as an independent contractor, rather than as an employee, may appear to result in financial savings and less paperwork. However, if the employee is misclassified, these perceived advantages are offset by the potential for federal or state penalties, claims and/or lawsuits. 

Researchers should be careful to establish proper classifications when reviewing application budgets, hiring an employee and/or engaging an independent contractor. The Research Foundation must properly classify workers, even if a sponsor provides funds for independent contractors in an award. 

The IRS provides Common Law Rules to assist in the classification process. 

Note: Independent contractors should not be confused with vendors or internal contractors. 

A vendor is a business or entity, while an independent contractor is an individual. Vendor contract requests should be directed to Research Purchasing. 

Employees of the Research Foundation for SUNY, the University at Albany or SUNY cannot also have an independent contractor relationship with the Research Foundation. 

Internal contractors are institutional employees who perform work in addition to their normal obligations, which are completed in a different department or at a separate work location. Internal contractors’ work is paid as Extra Service through the appropriate payroll department. 

You must request and obtain approval for independent contractors before you engage the service of any individual. This process ensures the individual is classified correctly and the appropriate documentation has been obtained. 

Submit a completed Independent Contractor Approval Request Form to [email protected] to request permission. Your request must be accompanied by the following documentation: 

• Description of how the selected contractor was identified 

• Justification for the reasonable price to be paid 

• Detailed description of the services to be performed, with a statement of work or list of deliverables attached, as applicable 

• Documentation of the independent contractor’s credentials, such as a resume 

You may not engage a contractor until you have received all required approvals from the Research Foundation.  

Work totaling $10,000 or more in payment must be accompanied by a formal agreement. Contracts for work of lesser value are not required but may be used to clearly outline the services to be performed. 

Please use the Independent Contractor Boilerplate Agreement to draw up a draft contract and then submit it to SPA electronically. 

Payment should not be made until services are complete. 

To request payment for completed services, complete an Independent Contractor Payment Request Form and submit it to SPA electronically. Your request must be accompanied by an invoice or other supporting documentation, and it must be in accordance with the independent contractor services previously approved by the Research Foundation. 

Requests to reimburse contractors for related expenses that are not accounted for in their established fee or rate should be made in accordance with Research Foundation policies and procedures. 

An honorarium is a payment made for a non-extensive or incidental speaking engagement, or when the speaker does not request compensation. 

Note: Please review the “Definitions & Classifications” section above for guidance on the difference between independent contractors and employees. 

Honoraria cannot be made to Research Foundation employees.  

SUNY employees are prohibited from charging for SUNY speaking engagements but are allowed receive honoraria if the lecture is not at their home campus and payment is limited to $100 per day, plus expenses.  

To request honoraria payments up to $2,500, send a completed Lecturers & Speakers Payment Request Form to [email protected]. 

If an honorarium exceeds $2,500, follow the instructions for requesting approval for and payment of independent contractors outlined above. 

Stipends are only allowed if the scope of work includes specific training activities and if stipends were included in the project’s budget and justification.  

Costs must align with the program announcement and be proposed and awarded by the federal sponsor. If awarded, stipends cannot be reallocated without prior approval. 

If a trainee is providing benefit to a project under the PI’s direction, they must be paid as an employee. Visit the “3. Proposal Preparation & Submission” tab above for detailed direct and indirect cost rules. 

Researchers should be aware of the following federal guidance: 

2CFR200.1: Participant support costs means direct costs for items such as: 

• Stipends or subsistence allowances 

• Travel allowances 

• Registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences 

• Training projects 

OMB Uniform Guidance (2CFR200.456 Participant support costs): Participant support costs (as defined above in § 200.1) are allowable with the prior approval of the Federal awarding agency. 

National Institutes of Health (NIH): Stipends are not allowable on research grants, per the NIH Grants Policy Statement. 

National Science Foundation (NSF): Stipends are allowed only in support of participant costs at conferences, symposia, workshops or other specific training activities. The scope of work should include a description of the training activity and NSF must acknowledge in the Notice of Award (NOA) that participant costs would be funded by stipends. The NSF Grant Proposal Guide does not allow payments to non-employees or non-consultants for activities that benefit a research award. 

Stipends are allowed if they are included in the proposal budget and approved by the sponsor. 

When it comes to distinguishing individuals who are providing services to the University versus individuals who are being paid without any expectation of work, Research Foundation and University human resources policies take precedent over non-federal sponsor expectations.

To request a cash payment, complete a Human Subject Form and submit it to SPA electronically. You must include the following documentation with your submission: 

• A copy of the project’s IRB approval

• A copy of the questionnaire or a brief description of the research in which the individual participated 

If the human subject receiving payment is not a U.S. citizen, you must also complete an Alien Information Form and submit it to SPA electronically. Additional documentation may be required. 

Gift cards, or gift certificates, may be issued as Human Subject Payments if the nature of the research requires their use. Non-cash compensation should be appropriate for the intended participant. 

Note: Tax reporting requirements preclude issuing cash or gift card payments to non-resident aliens. See the tax information below for more details. 

To request payment to a vendor in exchange for gift cards, please complete a Purchase Requisition Order Form and then submit it to SPA electronically. You must include the following documentation with your submission: 

• A copy of the project’s IRB approval

• A copy of the questionnaire or a brief description of the research in which the individual participated 

• The number and dollar amount of all gift cards 

• A list of individuals expected to receive the gift cards 

The department conducting the research is responsible for maintaining records on the issuance of each gift card. Records must contain: 

• The names, addresses and social security numbers of each recipient  

• Statement of Human Subject Participation forms signed by each recipient 

Copies of these records should be submitted to SPA at the end of the activity. No additional requests for related non-cash payments will be considered until prior requests are reconciled. 

Research activities that require human subjects’ identities be kept confidential can issue non-cash payments (gift cards) using the procedures described above. The only difference will be the procedure for record keeping. 

The department conducting the research is still responsible for maintaining records with identifying information on the issuance of each gift card for audit purposes and in case an individual’s compensation reaches reportable levels. See the tax information below for more details). 

• Departments must securely maintain records with the following information: 

• The names, addresses and social security numbers of each recipient  

• Statement of Human Subject Participation forms signed by each recipient (form link is available above, under "Request Non-cash Payment")

However, when the department shares records with SPA, the department must use non-identifying indicators (such as subject numbers). To do so, please submit a completed Confidential Human Subject Payment Reconciliation Form. 

Permanent Resident Alien: An individual who has been granted lawful U.S. Permanent Resident status, which is often referred to as a green card). Permanent Resident Aliens are taxed in the same manner as U.S. Citizens. 

Resident Alien: A U.S. tax residency status, used for an individual who has been present in the US long enough to meet the Substantial Presence Test. Resident Aliens are taxed on their worldwide income in the same manner as U.S. citizens.  

Non-resident Alien: A US tax residency status, used for a non-U.S. citizen who is temporarily present in the United States. Non-resident Aliens are only required to pay taxes on their income from U.S. sources. 

Substantial Presence Test: A test used to determine an individual's U.S. residency status for tax purposes. The test calculates the total number of days an individual has been present in the U.S. over a period of three calendar years. For tax purposes, a person is considered present in the U.S. for a calendar year if they are present during one or more days between January 1 and December 31. 

The following guidance relates to payments to U.S. citizens and resident aliens. Please see the definitions above for additional information. 

Human Subject Payments — including non-cash compensation — are considered non-employee compensation and subject to IRS requirements for miscellaneous income reporting (1099 reporting). 

The Principal Investigator is responsible for tracking Human Subject Payments and reporting to the campus if the amounts reach reportable levels.  

For every research subject paid $600 or more in a calendar year, the project director must provide the following information to their Grants Administrator, who will work with SUNY RF to produce 1099-MISC forms as needed:

• Name 

• Social security number 

• Home address 

• Total amount paid to the person 

• Research Foundation projects, tasks and awards (PTAs) for which the person was paid 

The following guidance relates to payments to non-resident aliens. Please see the definitions above for additional information. 

Payments to non-resident aliens are subject to different IRS withholding and reporting rules than payments to U.S. citizens and resident aliens. 

All payments made to or on behalf of a non-resident alien — except for travel reimbursement tied to a business purpose — must be reported to the IRS. 

The Research Foundation’s ability to issue payment to a non-resident alien depend on various factors specific to the individual situation, including: 

• Type of payment 

• Source of funding 

• Location of services 

• Visa type 

• U.S. residency status 

• Substantial Presence Test results 

• Tax treaties 

• Applicable tax rates 

The individual’s visa type does not alone indicate the ability to pay. Visa type, or classification, is indicated on a stamp or sticker in the individual’s passport. 

Foreign visitors who arrive in the United States with a visa classification that does not allow for payment nor reimbursement cannot legally be paid directly, nor on behalf of (through use of a third party), by the Research Foundation.  

Tax treaties or agreements serve to reduce double taxation. IRS tax form 8233 must be provided to claim a tax treaty currently in effect. 

When UAlbany pays non-resident aliens for their participation, the University withholds the required tax. Payments and taxes withheld for non-resident aliens are reported to the IRS on the annual tax form 1042-S. 

For additional information or clarification of any of the above, please contact your Grant Administrator. 

Regardless of how services or items are invoiced, they must be allocable and appropriate to the sponsored award. 

Mail Services & Rapid Copy: Services are invoiced directly to Award Management Services. Please provide a current Research Foundation account number for such services, especially any that are recurring. 

Information Technology Services (ITS): Services are invoiced to the project. In these cases, you need to arrange payment by submitting the invoice and completed Purchase Requisition Order Form to SPA. Please use this form for your submission.

AcaDamien’s Bookstore: Bring a completed Purchase Requisition Order Form to the bookstore to have your purchase invoiced directly to Award Management Services. The form must be itemized, detailing all items to be purchased. Orders of $500 or more must be processed by Research Purchasing. 

UAlbany Dining: If a meal is being served on campus, it must be provided by UAlbany Dining, per the Campus Food Policy. Submit a completed Purchase Requisition Order Form to UAlbany Dining with your event order. UAlbany Dining will then submit the invoice and requisition form directly to Award Management Services for payment. For information on planning and paying for off-campus meals, please visit the Plan & Fund Travel section. 

Membership and subscription fees may be an allowable expense to a sponsored award if one of the following criteria is met: 

• Membership or subscription creates cost savings for attending a conference where research results connected to the project will be presented 

• Membership or subscription is mandatory to present a paper connected to the project 

• The sole purpose of the membership or subscription is to purchase a periodical at a reduced rate because the periodical is not available through the institution's library services and is necessary for the sponsored project 

The membership or subscription’s entire term must fall within the dates of the award. If the membership or subscription dates exceed the award dates, the expense should be prorated to include only that portion allocable and appropriate to the sponsored award. 

Please submit a Purchase Requisition Order Form to request reimbursement or to request payment to be sent directly to the vendor. Reimbursement requests must be accompanied by proof of payment. 

Note: The Research Foundation won’t reimburse or pay for donations or contributions. 

Once subaward agreements are fully executed, the Sponsored Program Administration (SPA) will provide a copy to Award Management Services. To expedite the payment process, Award Management Services will then create a Purchase Order to encumber the funds according to the agreement. 

Upon receipt of invoice, the Principal Investigator or authorized project staff will be asked to review the invoice and certify that: 

• All expenses appear appropriate 

• Any reports due by the subrecipient have been completed 

• The technical requirements are progressing 

If you have any issues or concerns related to a subaward’s progress, you should immediately contact your Research Administrator. 

Tuition payments are an allowable expense on a sponsored award if the individual holds a concurrent payroll appointment, under the award, in an eligible graduate student payroll title and the tuition is included in the sponsor-approved budget. 

To request tuition payment or reimbursement, please submit a completed Purchase Requisition Order Form with appropriate supporting documentation: 

• Direct payment requests should be accompanied by a Third-party Invoice from Student Accounts.  

• Reimbursement requests should be accompanied by proof of payment. 

Note: The Research Foundation cannot pay late fees. 

If the individual holds a concurrent payroll appointment under the award but is not in an eligible graduate student payroll title, they should seek tuition guidance and reimbursement instead through the State University Employee (SUE) Tuition Waiver Program. 

Principal Investigators (PIs) can receive cash advances for grant activities under certain conditions, such as field trip expenses, human subject payments and the purchase of materials and supplies.  

Funds can be advanced to cover anticipated needs for up to a 90-day period and must be reconciled (accounted for) with original receipts within that time frame. 

PIs must take personal responsibility for the use of cash advances, according to sponsor guidelines. Only one cash advance may be outstanding (pending reconciliation) at any time.

Cost transfer requests are reviewed against the following criteria: 

• Appropriateness: The award to which a cost is transferred must have received benefit from the goods or services related to the cost being transferred. 

• Consistent with Sponsor Guidelines: The sponsor guidelines governing the award to which an expense is transferred must allow the expense. 

• Funds Availability: Sufficient funds must be available in the applicable award to cover the transactions. 

• Adequate Documentation: All transfers require a justification explaining why the transfer is being requested, why the charge wasn't allocated appropriately when it originally incurred, and why the charge is appropriate for the new award. 

Cost transfers more than 90 days old will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only with proper justification.  

Award Management Services reserves the right to reject any cost transfer request that places the University at risk for an audit finding or disallowance.  

The following cost transfers are suspect and should be avoided: 

• Transfers to or between sponsored awards 

• Late transfers (requests outside 90-day window) 

• Transfers at or just before the end of an award 

• Transfers without adequate explanation 

• Transfers between awards to clear an over-expenditure

• Unpaid personal service — meaning effort not compensated directly with award funds, such as SUNY faculty effort (Note: Regulatory caps do exist with some funding source.) 

• Other than personnel service (OTPS) — meaning contributions by SUNY or the UAlbany Foundation, such as supplies, equipment or tuition 

• Third party, in-kind contributions — meaning non-cash contributions by a non-federal third party directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the project, such as services, supplies, equipment or tuition 

• Matching funds, usually Research Foundation non-sponsored funds 

• Program income (Note: The use of program income as cost sharing must be determined based on sponsor regulations.) 

• Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs related to cost shared expenses 

• Waived F&A costs that are subject to sponsor and UAlbany policy 

• Salaries of certain administrative positions, such as deans and other non-teaching, non-research employees 

• Salary dollars above a regulatory cap, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services salary cap 

• Unallowable costs specified in OMB Circular A-21, Section J, including alcoholic beverages, entertainment, fundraising, lobbying, etc. 

• Costs associated with Research Foundation and SUNY building rental, purchase and maintenance when collecting the On-Campus Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rate 

• Costs included on another federal project  

• Costs included on a non-federal project, unless specifically authorized by that sponsor

Cost sharing documentation requirements depend on the costs’ type and source. 

At the proposal stage, any cost share offered in the proposal should be documented and approved by the Principal Investigator (PI), Department Chair, Dean, and Vice President as appropriate. Any proposed third-party cost share should be documented in a letter of commitment from the third party. 

Once the award has been made, it is the PI’s responsibility to provide adequate documentation of the actual cost sharing to the Grant Administrator.  

All documentation related to other than personnel service (OTPS) cost shares must be sent to your Grant Administrator before the award term begins to ensure proper and timely reporting to the sponsor.  

If a portion of the expense is being offered, a memo must be included with the invoice and payment documentation to support how that portion of the expense is appropriate to be cost shared. 

Please review these instructions for adequate documentation: 

• SUNY Effort: When an account is set up, SPA is notified of the level of SUNY effort being cost shared for the award and initiates the collection of this information. Each semester, effort reports are generated and mailed to the PI for certification of that effort. These reports must be reviewed for accuracy, signed and returned promptly.  

• Student Effort: Provide a list of student names and salary amounts at the beginning of each semester.  

• SUNY or UAlbany Foundation OTPS costs: Provide copies of the invoice and payment documentation from SUNY or UAlbany Foundation. 

• Third parties: Provide a letter from the third party certifying the actual expense provided in support of the project and a valuation of those costs.  

• RF Non-sponsored award: Provide the Research Foundation account number and identify the specific costs on that award. 

• RF Non-federal sponsored award: While it’s typically not allowable to offer costs from another sponsored award, there may be unique circumstances where this is permitted. In these cases, a letter from the non-federal sponsor acknowledging and accepting that costs will be reported on another sponsored award is required. The PI must also identify the Research Foundation account number and the specific costs on that account.