Contracts and Grants

Office of Business Contracts and Brand Protection: Business Contract Policy

Any University of California, Berkeley personnel or unit (e.g. department, school, college, research lab, administrative office, etc.) (“Department”) seeking to engage in a business contract with an outside party (e.g. individual, educational institution, state government, agency, company, etc.) (“Outside Party”) should seek guidance on whether they have the delegated authority to execute such a contract on behalf of The Regents of the University of California (“University”). The University policies for executing contracts are complex and governed by numerous delegations of authority (https://compliance.berkeley.edu/execute-agreements) and policies (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/3620683/BFB-BUS-10).

Injury and Illness Prevention

The University empowers and expects all employees to integrate health and safety considerations into their workplace decisions and activities. Managers and supervisors have particular responsibility for identifying and planning the controls for workplace hazards in the activities of their employees. The campus Injury and Illness Prevention Policy (IIPP) establishes the health and safety practices to be followed to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses.

Effort Reporting

UC Berkeley is committed to ensuring that effort expended on sponsored agreements is appropriately documented, that salaries and wages charged to sponsored agreements reasonably reflect the effort expended on those agreements, that effort is certified by authorized personnel in a timely manner, and that effort certifications comply with sponsor requirements and federal regulations.

Effort Reporting – Certifying Effort on Sponsored Projects

UC Berkeley must assure federal sponsors that the effort expended on their sponsored agreements justifies the salary and wages charged to those projects. Effort reports are required for each individual whose salary is charged to one or more federally sponsored agreements during the effort reporting period. Effort reports must to be certified by the principal investigator, employee (self certifier), or responsible official(s) with first-hand knowledge or using suitable means of verification that the work was performed.

Cost Principles for Sponsored Agreements (Contracts and Grants)

All funds must be spent in accordance with University policy, applicable state and federal law, and sponsor terms and conditions. Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for the management and administration of their awards including all expenditures of project funds. Only allowable, allocable, and reasonable technical and administrative costs may be charged directly to sponsored agreements. Direct costs must be given consistent treatment as either a direct or an indirect cost.

Awards Close-Out

Award close-out procedures are primarily focused on achieving the following goals in accordance with agency and University requirements: (1) Preparing all final reports and invoices for submission to the awarding agency; and (2) Inactivating the fund in BFS. Failure to submit a financial report on time puts the University at risk of incurring penalties, including the withholding of an award, withholding payments on invoices, or revocation of the Expanded Authorities Agreement.

DA2225 Solicit Federal Grant Funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (2009)

Brief description of delegated authority: solicit facility grant funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for projects that fall within the President’s authority according to the Regents Interim Authority (June 15, 2009) to delegate authority to the President to solicit Facility Grant Funding under ARRA Date: 6/16/2009 Delegated from: UC President Delegated to: Chancellor Can redelegate? Yes (but to one designee, who may not further...

Redelegation to Vice Chancellor - Research (2018)

Brief description of redelegated authority: approve the application of an indirect cost rate other than the "approved indirect cost rate" in the submission and acceptance of extramural contracts and grants Date: 3/1/2018 Delegated from: EVCP Delegated to: Vice Chancellor - Research Can redelegate? Yes, but only to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Research Compliance and Administration Original document source: ...

Redelegation to Vice Chancellor - Administration (2018)

Brief description of redelegated authority: Execute purchase contracts, subcontracts, and standard purchase orders for materials, goods and services to be supplied to the University, provided that the purchase contracts, subcontracts, and standard purchase orders accord with University policy and BFB-BUS-43; funds are available; approval of the contracting agency is secured; and prior approval is obtained from the Treasurer of the Regents for any acquisition or lease/purchase that might result in the issuance of Certificates of Participation in order to provide funding for the...

Redelegation to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (2019)

Brief description of redelegated authority: Negotiate and execute all agreements pertaining to student health insurance coverage, except those containing provisions falling within the restrictions and limitations set forth in standing order 100.4(dd).
Date: 2/15/2019 Delegated from: EVCP Delegated to: Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Can redelegate? Yes (May be redelegated only to the Director of University Health Services and no further.) Original document source:...