March 19, 2026

MRAM: March 2026 Q&A

Meeting materials are available for your review along with a list of links shared during the session. Q&A from our session are included here for reference and are available in the MRAM announcements.

Within a week or so following every MRAM, an email like this one typically goes out with Q&A from the session and a link to the meeting materials.

Post Award Fiscal Compliance – Hot Topics

Q1: Is there a training resource for PIs? If not, can you create a short video to support them?
A1: Yes, there is a short video and associated job aid for PIs (and faculty) on how to certify statements within ECC. The email notification to the PI/faculty contains a link to the ‘How to certify’ training.
PAFC: ECC Certifier Training

Q2: Can you share what the language might look like if F&A is not allowed as cost share? Or is it usually obvious/straightforward in the Request for Proposal (RFP)?

A2: F&A and cost share can be a tricky area to navigate but there are essentially two separate, but common, scenarios which give rise to this question:

  1. If the sponsor uses an actual F&A rate which is lower than the University’s negotiated F&A rate, then there is what is called “Unrecovered Indirect Costs” (“UIDC”) on the award. UIDC can be used to meet a cost share commitment only with the prior written approval from the sponsor; the ability to use UIDC to meet cost share can usually be found in either the sponsor’s policy guide, terms and conditions, or the request for proposal.
  2. The other scenario occurs if the sponsor does not allow any F&A costs on the award, either directly charged or used to determine the value of the cost share contribution. In these instances, the award F&A rate and cost share F&A rate in Workday would be set to 0%. This information would also be provided in any associated policy guide, terms and conditions or the RFP.

Cost Share | Unrecovered Indirect Costs

Cost Share | Cost Share F&A Rate

Non-Federal Clinical Trials Transition

Please stay tuned, Q&A from this presentation along with more information will be shared closer to the transition date of 4/02.

Recharge Center Updates

Q1: What is MAA?
A1: Management Accounting & Analysis

Q2: For Dean’s Office approvals of the F-tasks, where can we look up and/or update which contact at the Dean’s Office will receive the approval requests?
A2: When you fill out the form, you will be prompted to enter the NetID of the dean’s office approver.

SAGE Update

Q: Would it be possible to prioritize an auto email for when grants are shifted to approved by OSP? It seems like most updates are post award focused.
A: This is on the list for SAGE Prioritization.

Sponsor Reminders & Updates – Foreign Activity Documentation

Q1: For this additional foreign documentation review process, how much additional time should grant managers/PIs allow prior to an eGC1 submission?
A1: This is difficult to assess until we have been through this process a few times. The Research Security Office is sensitive to OSP and sponsor submission deadlines: documentation of foreign activities should be submitted for review as early as possible in the pre-award process to facilitate the most timely response. We anticipate being able provide a more definitive timeline later in the year.

Q2: Would OSP like us to provide these documents at submission for review, or will they be reviewed in time for JIT submission, which can be a very short turnaround?
A2: As with other compliance items that are be required at the Just in Time (JIT) stage, it’s recommended that the covered individual compile the documents so that they can be provided to the sponsor in a timely manner. Please note that OSP will not be reviewing the content of these materials.

Q3: Is that one attachment per certification, or can all MFTRP certs for a proposal/RPPR/etc be combined into a single file for NIH?
A3: The foreign contract documentation has a separate field in the eRA Commons for upload and is different from the MFTRP certification. For the foreign contract documentation, the field accepts only one PDF file with a maximum file size of 6MB.

For MFTRP certification NIH has posted a new FAQ since this question was answered after the February MRAM meeting. Senior/Key Personnel who provide a Common Form Biosketch or Current and Pending (Other) Support form as part of an RPPR do not need to also provide the annual certification statement in section G.1 of the RPPR. The digital certification on the Biosketch or CPOS Common form will fulfill the annual certification requirement.

Q4: For NIH JIT requests, is a pre-review needed of the foreign contract documentation single PDF by researchsecurity@uw.edu?
A4: NIH does not currently require institutional review of this documentation. As of 3/17/2026 the additional review requirement only applies to NSF at the time of proposal. In all cases, be sure to maintain the documentation in your department files.

OSP Director Announced

Please join us in congratulating the new OSP Director as of 3/16/2026:

Amanda Snyder!

We appreciate your patience as we update sponsor & federal systems and the Office of Research website.