Have general questions regarding the Contracts and Grants process and navigating the site? Please see answers to some commonly asked questions that will help you get started and get the most out of the site:
What do all these acronyms mean?
If you’re new to UCLA, you may hear many acronyms regularly used. You’re not alone in wondering what it all means! Click here to see a list of commonly used acronyms and brief definitions.
Can I charge meals to contracts & grants?
If this is an approved line item on the project budget, then it is fine to charge meals to a project. In order to avoid funding this expense out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement, please work with a vendor who accepts purchase orders. Click here to for a list of vendors in the area that accept UCLA POs.
Who is my fund manager?
Fund managers are assigned on the PI-level and work closely with the PI and administrator to ensure funds are expended according to the approved budget and UC and sponsor policy. Click here for a list of assignments.
Who is the authorized official (AO)/Business Official (BO)?
The authorized official is the individual designated with signature authority on behalf of UCLA, when handling agreements related to sponsored project activities. At Semel, because most of the awards we receive are issued as grants, the AO is typically your OCGA analyst.
| PIs with Last Name beginning with… | OCGA Analyst |
|---|---|
| A – J | Eleanor Forbes Eleanor.forbes@research.ucla.edu |
| K – Z | Tac Phung Tac.Phung@research.ucla.edu |
If the award is a subaward from another institution or a contract, the AO is Anna Lau anna.lau@research.ucla.edu.
Is it ok for me to contact my AO directly?
It is preferred that you contact OES before contacting your AO directly. This is primarily due to three reasons:
- Your fund manager or pre-award analyst may know the answer to your question
- Your AO receives multiple requests daily. OES can help streamline the # of requests the AO receives and you may receive a response more quickly.
- It is important to keep OES involved with issues that affect management of your proposals and awards.
If you are dealing with an urgent matter and prefer to contact your AO directly, please include the PATS# in the subject line and…
| Send e-mail to: | For issues related to… | And cc: |
|---|---|---|
| proposals@research.ucla.edu | Pre-award | Preaward@mednet.ucla.edu |
| awards@research.ucla.edu | Post-award | Your fund manager |
What is a PATS #?
PATS stands for Proposal and Award Tracking System and is sometimes used interchangeably with Institution #. The PATS # is issued upon OCGA’s receipt of a proposal and remains the same if a proposal is selected for funding. It is the identifier used across UCLA offices to track an award.
What is a salary cap?
A salary cap is a limitation on the direct salary allowable on an award. If an individual’s salary exceeds the limitation, only an amount up the cap can be requested. For example, if the sponsor has a salary cap of $200K and Professor X’s salary is $250K, he can only request up to $200K. The remainder of his salary would need to be charged to other institutional sources.
Example: Professor X (with a $250K base salary) salary calculation with and without a salary cap
| No salary cap | Salary cap = $200K | |
|---|---|---|
| Requesting 6.0 calendar months effort (50%) | $125,000 | $100,000 |
| Fringe benefits (32.2% of allowable salary) | $40,250 | $32,200 |
| Total | $165,250 | $132,200 |