Research Manuals for TUHSC Investigators

Definitions & Acronyms

A

A

A-21 - "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions" published by the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), this circular establishes the principles for determining the costs applicable to grants, contracts, and other government agreements with educational institutions  (also known as Sponsored Projects).

 

AAALAC - American Association for the Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care

 

ACAR - Advisory Committee For Animal Resources

Internal committee which oversees policies and procedures involving the use of animals in teaching or research activities.

 

AFOSR - Air Force Office of Scientific Research - DOD

 

ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency - DOD

 

Applied Research - The application of scientific knowledge, improvements or discoveries to the solution of a defined problem.

 

Audit - A formal examination of an organization's or individual's accounts or financial situation. An audit may also include examination of compliance with applicable terms, laws and regulations.

 

AUTM - Association of University Technology Managers

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B

Basic Research - Systematic inquiry directed toward a more complete knowledge and understanding of a particular subject without regard to practical applications.

 

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) - An announcement of a federal agency's general research interests that invites proposals and specifies the general terms and conditions under which an award may be made.

 

Budget - The detailed statement estimating project expenditures for the period of the contract.

 

Budget Period - The interval of time - usually twelve months - into which the project period is divided for budgetary and funding purposes. (Also see Project Period)

 

Budget Adjustment - The act of amending the budget by moving funds from one category or line  item to another.

C

CFDA - Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CSR - Center for Scientific Review - NIH

CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Change Order - A written order signed by the contracting officer, directing the contractor to make changes that the changes clause of the contract authorizes the contracting officer to order without the consent of the contractor.

Close Out - The act of completing all internal procedures and sponsor requirements to terminate or complete a research project.

CFR - Code of Federal Regulations

CBD - Commerce Business Daily

COS - Community of Science - A web server containing information about scientific expertise, funded scientific research, and funding opportunities for research.

Community Service Projects - Projects directed toward providing or enhancing the delivery of services to a non-university audience.

Competing Proposals - Unfunded proposals which must compete for research funds, usually subject to peer review. Ongoing projects may have to compete again if the term of the original award has expired.

CDA - Confidential Disclosure Agreement

Continental United States (CONUS)

Continuation Project (Non-Competing) - A project approved for multiple-year funding, although funds are typically committed only one year at a time. At the end of the initial budget period, progress on the project is assessed. If satisfactory, an award is made for the next budget period, subject to the availability of funds. Continuation projects do not compete with new project proposals and are not subjected to peer review beyond the initial project approval.

Contract - The procurement of a product or service. Typically, a research topic and the methods for conducting the research are specified in detail by the sponsor, although some sponsors award contracts in response to unsolicited proposals.

Copyright - Protection for original written work which prevents unauthorized use. Ideas, concepts, and facts are not copyrightable; only the mode of expression can be protected.

Cooperative Agreement - An award to an organization in the name of a Principal Investigator to conduct research in cooperation with the sponsor's personnel (usually a federal agency). Sponsor staff are actively involved in both proposal preparation and research activities once the award has been made.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) - An agreement that allows business corporations to conduct research jointly with federal laboratories.

Cost-Reimbursement Contract/Grant - A contract/grant for which one party pays the other party for the full costs incurred in the conduct of the work.

Cost-Sharing - Cost Sharing is a financial commitment toward the total costs of a project from a source other than the granting organization. It can be one of two types, either mandatory or voluntary. Mandatory cost sharing is that which is required by statute, regulation, or written policy. Such cost sharing is set forth in the Program Announcement (PA) or the Request for Proposal (RFP) announcing the availability of the funding.

COGR - Council on Governmental Relations

D

DAR - Defense Acquisition Regulations. The source regulations for research projects sponsored by the Department of Defense.

Development - The systematic use of knowledge and understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods.

DCAA - Defense Contract Audit Agency

DFARS - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations

DED - Department of Education

DHHS - Department of Health and Human Services

DOD - Department of Defense

• Army
• Air Force
• Marine Corps
• Navy
• Coast Guard

DOE - Department of Energy

DOI - Department of Interior

DOT - Department of Transportation

Deficit - Expenditures exceed funds available.

Direct Costs - Clearly identifiable costs related to a specific project. General categories of direct costs include but are not limited to salaries and wages, fringe benefits, supplies, contractual services, travel and communication, equipment, and computer use.

E

EDISON (NIH Extramural Invention Information Management System)

Effort Certification - The requirement under OMB Circular A-21 to account for and certify any effort spent on a federally funded project, whether paid from agency funds or cost shared by the university. Effort is certified on the Payroll Action Form (PAF) for all exempt employees.

ERA - Electronic Research Administration - Conducting research administration by utilizing electronic resources such as the internet, the world wide web, form templates, databases, and other electronic tools.

Encumbrance - Funds that have been set aside or "claimed" for projected expenses pending actual expenditure of the funds.

EPA - Environmental Protection Agency

Equipment - Tangible property having a useful life of more than two years and an acquisition cost in excess of $2,500 (Tulane's capitalization threshold).

Expiration Date - The date signifying the end of the performance period, as indicated on the Notice of Grant Award.

Extension - An additional period of time given by the sponsor to an organization for the completion of work on an approved grant or contract. An extension allows previously allocated funds to be spent after the original expiration date.

F

FAR - Federal Acquisition Regulation

FEDIX - On-line federal database serving most federal agencies for on-line searches.

Final Report - The final technical or financial report required by the sponsor to complete a research project.

Fiscal Year (FY) - Any twelve-month period for which annual accounts are kept (July 1 - June 30).

Fixed-Price Contract - A contract/grant for which one party pays the other party a predetermined price, regardless of actual costs, for services rendered.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration

Fringe Benefits - Employee benefits paid by the employer: FICA, Worker's Compensation, Withholding Tax, Insurance, etc.

Funding Cycle - Range of time during which proposals are accepted, reviewed, and funds are awarded. If a sponsor has standing proposal review committees (or boards) that meet at specified times during the year, application deadlines are set to correspond with those meetings.

G

Grant - A financial assistance award to an organization in the name of a Principal Investigator (PI) to support the conduct of research or other programmatic activity specified in an approved proposal. A grant is used whenever the awarding office anticipates no substantial programmatic involvement with the recipient during the performance of the activities.

Grant/Contract Officer - A sponsor's designated individual who is officially responsible for the business management aspects of a particular grant, cooperative agreement, or contract. Serving as the counterpart to the business officer of the grantee/contractor organization, the grant/contract officer is responsible for all business management matters associated with the review, negotiation, award, and administration of a grant or contract and interprets the associated administration policies, regulations, and provisions (Also see Program/Project Officer).

I

Institutional Review Board (IRB) - Internal committee set up to review proposals involving human subjects and oversee policies/procedures involving the use of humans in research activities.

Indirect Costs (also called Facilities and Administrative Costs) - Costs related to expenses incurred in conducting or supporting research or other externally-funded activities but not directly attributable to a specific project. General categories of indirect costs include general administration (accounting, payroll, purchasing, etc.), sponsored project administration, plant operation and maintenance, library expenses, departmental administration expenses, depreciation or use allowance for buildings and equipment, and student administration and services.

Indirect Cost Rate - The rate, expressed as a percentage of a base amount (MTDC), established by negotiation with the cognizant federal agency on the basis of the institution's projected costs for the year and distributed as prescribed in OMB Circular A-21. The indirect cost rate is charged on a set of direct costs known as an indirect cost base. (Also see Modified Total Direct Costs)

Investigator-Initiated Proposal - A proposal submitted to a sponsor that is not in response to an RFP, RFA, or a specific program announcement.

Invention - Any new, useful and non-obvious machine, composition of matter, manufacture, process, or any improvement to these, that is both conceived and reduced to practice.

IRIS - Illinois Research Information Service - An on-line search system available by subscription for research opportunities developed by the University of Illinois.

K

Key Personnel - The personnel considered to be of primary importance to the successful conduct of a research project. The term usually applies to the senior members of the project staff. Those coming within the definition are normally identified by name in the research agreement.

L

License - A legal contract that grants a commercial partner the right to develop, make, use, or sell an invention; it establishes the obligations of each party and defines the fees and royalties Tulane will receive.

Limitation of Cost (LOC) - A mandatory clause for cost-reimbursement type contracts. Under the clause, the sponsor is not obligated to reimburse the contractor for costs in excess of the stated amount. The contractor, however, is not obligated to continue performance once expenses reach the stated amount.

M

Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) - Document detailing the terms under which research material is transferred from one institution to another.

Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) - A subset of direct costs on which indirect costs may be charged, excluding equipment, alterations and renovations, patient care, tuition remission, and subcontract costs in excess of the first $25,000.

N

NAS - National Academy of Sciences

NASA -National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NCI - National Cancer Institute - NIH

NCRR - National Center for Research Resources - NIH

NCURA - National Council of University Research Administrators

NEA - National Endowment for the Arts

NEH - National Endowment for the Humanities

NEI - National Eye Institute - NIH

NHLBI - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - NIH

NIA - National Institute on Aging - NIH

NIAAA - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - NIH

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - NIH

NIAMS - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIH

NICHD - National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - NIH

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse - NIH

NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders - NIH

NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - NIH

NIDR - National Institute of Dental Research - NIH

NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - NIH

NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - NIH

NIH - National Institutes of Health

NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health - NIH

NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - NIH

NINR - National Institute for Nursing Research - NIH

NLM - National Library of Medicine

NSF - National Science Foundation

New Proposals - Proposals that are submitted for the first time.

NCE - No Cost Extension

Notice of Grant Award - The legally binding document that serves as a notification to the recipient and others that a grant or cooperative agreement has been made; contains or references all terms of the award; and documents the obligation of funds.

O

OFPP - Office of Federal Procurement Policy

OMB - Office of Management and Budget

OMB Circulars - Regulatory circulars issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

ONR - Office of Naval Research

OPAS - Organizational Prior Approval System

OPRR - Office for Protection from Research Risks - NIH

Overhead See Indirect (F & A) Costs

P

PAF - Payroll Action Form - An internal Tulane form used to allocate and charge an individual's effort among the appropriate accounts. This form is also used to certify effort on grant/contract accounts.

Patent - The right, granted by the federal government, to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a period of 20 years. An invention must be novel, useful, and non-obvious to obtain a patent.

Principal Investigator (PI) - The individual responsible for the conduct of research or other activity described in a proposal for an award.

Prior Approval - The requirement for written documentation of permission to use project funds for purposes not in the approved budget, or to change aspects of the program from those originally planned and approved. Prior approval must be obtained before the performance of the act that requires such approval under the terms of the agreement.

Priority Score - A score derived from the rating given a research proposal by each member on a review committee. It is used to help determine which approved proposals will be granted awards, based on funds available.

Program Announcement (PA) - Describes existence of a research opportunity. It may describe new or expanded interest in a particular extramural program or be a reminder of a continuing interest in an extramural program.

Program/Project Officer - A sponsor's designated individual officially responsible for the technical, scientific, or programmatic aspects of a particular grant, cooperative agreement, or contract. Serving as the counterpart to the Principal Investigator/project director of the grantee/contractor organization, the program/project officer deals with the grantee/contractor organization staff to assure programmatic progress. (Also see Grant/Contract Officer)

Progress Report - Periodic, scheduled reports required by the sponsor summarizing research progress to date. Technical, fiscal, and invention reports may be required.

Project Period - The total time for which support of a project has been programmatically approved. A project period may consist of one or more budget periods. (Also see Budget Period)

Proposal - A complete proposal which contains all information necessary to describe project plans, staff capabilities, and funds requested. Formal proposals are officially approved and submitted by an organization in the name of a Principal Investigator.

PHS - Public Health Service

PHS 2590 - Application for continuation of a PHS grant (NIH)

PHS 398 - Standard application form for a PHS grant (NIH).

R

Recipient - An organization receiving financial assistance to conduct a project or program.

Request for Applications (RFA) - RFA's are announcements which indicate the availability of funds for a topic of specific interest to a sponsor. Proposals submitted in response to RFA's generally result in the award of a grant. Specific grant announcements may be published in the Federal Register and/or specific sponsor publications.

Request for Proposal (RFP) - RFP's are announcements that specify a topic of research, methods to be used, product to be delivered, and appropriate applicants sought. Proposals submitted in response to RFP's generally result in the award of a contract. Notices of federal RFP's are published in the Commerce Business Daily.

Request for Quotations (RFQ) - RFQ's are a formal request to vendors for a price quotation on equipment or supplies to be purchased.

Restricted Funds - Funds having requirements or restrictions as to use or disposition. Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements are considered to be restricted funds.

Resubmission - Proposal previously submitted, but not accepted for funding. Agencies may limit the number of times a proposal may be submitted for funding.

Royalty - A share of the proceeds paid by a commercial partner for the right to use an invention, usually specified in the license agreement as a percentage of product sales.

S

Scope of Work - The description of the work to be performed and completed on a research project.

Senior Personnel - Professional personnel who are responsible for the scientific or technical direction of project.

SBA - Small Business Administration

Social Security Administration (SSA)

Sponsored Project - Funding provided by an outside organization to conduct an activity which can include research, training, instruction, or community service. It involves an agreement between a recipient organization and the funding source to conduct or perform specified activities.

Stipend - A payment made to an individual under a fellowship or training grant in accordance with pre-established levels to provide for the individual's living expenses during the period of training.

Subcontract, Subgrant, or Subagreement - A document written under the authority of, and consistent with the terms and conditions of a prime award (a grant, contract or cooperative agreement), that transfers a portion of the research or substantive effort of the prime award to another institution or organization.

Supplemental (Rebudgeting or Modification) Proposal - A request to the sponsor for additional funds to complete an already-approved project. A supplemental proposal may result from increased costs, modifications in design, or a desire to add a closely related component to the ongoing project.

Supplies - All personal property and expendable items, excluding major equipment with an acquisition cost in excess of $2,500.

T

Teaming Agreement - An agreement between two or more parties to participate in a research project or teaching activity.

Technical Data - The term used to describe recorded information, regardless of form or characteristic, of a scientific or technical nature.

Terms of Award - All legal requirements imposed on an agreement by the sponsor, whether by statute, regulation(s), or terms in the award document. The terms of an agreement may include both standard and special provisions that are considered necessary to protect the sponsor's interests.

TRAM - Texas Research Administrators Group - A service developed by the Texas Research Administrators Group to provide electronic forms to be used in proposals to various federal agencies.

Total Direct Costs (TDC) - The total of all direct costs of a project.

Total Project Costs - The total allowable direct and indirect costs incurred by the institution to carry out an approved project or activity.

Training - Instruction in the techniques or practices of a particular academic discipline, including all teaching and training activities, whether they are offered for credit toward a degree or certificate or on a non-credit basis, and whether they are offered through regular academic departments or separate divisions, such as a summer school division or an extension division. This term excludes research training.

U

USAID - United States Agency for International Development (Federal)

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture

USIA - United States Information Agency

Unsolicited Proposal Proposals - Proposals submitted to a sponsor that are not in response to an RFP, RFA, or program announcement. (See also Investigator-Initiated Proposal)

V

Veterans Administration Hospital (VAH)

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