Award Verification Escalation Begins July 1, 2021

As previously announced, enforcement of the award verification escalation procedure is set to begin in July 2021. The Contracts & Grants Accounting (CGA) Compliance Unit has allowed one full calendar quarter prior to starting the escalation process so that the campus can get up to date with verifications required for all sponsored awards with activity back to May 2020.

The escalation procedure for past-due awards is described on the Controller’s Office website. Per this procedure, the following notifications will be sent by CGA Compliance for those awards that are out of compliance with federal regulations and University policy:

AWARD VERIFICATION ESCALATION TABLE
Verification Status Action
One month late Notify Award Principal Investigator (PI) and Research Services Analyst (RSA)
Two months late Notify Department Financial Administrator (DFA) with copy to Award PI and RSA
Three months late Notify Department Chair with copy to DFA, Award PI and RSA
Four months late

CGA will move the charges associated with all unverified awards that have not been granted an extension by CGA following the CGA Default Discretionary Journal Procedure and notify Department Chair, DFA, Award PI, and RSA.

UCSF uses the Award Verification Tool to comply with UCOP Contract and Grant Manual, Chapter 7-330 Confirmation of Personal Services, which requires a timely review and confirmation of personal services. Late verifications may result in increased questions about expenses and could result in a negative audit finding. Failure to complete award verifications at least quarterly will result in an escalation of past due award verifications. Incomplete verifications may jeopardize the submission of future proposals, cause a proposal to be withdrawn, and/or result in the transfer of personal services and other unverified expense activity to an unrestricted fund.

Please contact CGA at [email protected] if you have further questions.