Tab Content: Due Diligence

At award a due diligence questionnaire is sent to some third parties to complete including a request for three years of financial accounts and evidence of policy documents. The decision on whether a questionnaire is sent is made by RSO based on the type of organisation, its location and the university’s experience with the partner. The responses are reviewed internally by a university assurance panel, including the PI, to consider the potential risks identified and any mitigating actions that have been agreed.

Tab Content: Contract Negotiation

Activity, including expenditure, on a grant can only start when a signed contract is received by RSO. Research contracts are first reviewed by the RSO pre-award team for financial considerations before being forwarded to the RSO contracts team or delegated departmental contact for review and negotiation. Recruitment for staff can begin before the contract is received but employment contracts will not be issued until the signed contract is received and any job adverts should state “subject to confirmation of funding”. Expenditure on grants will very occasionally be allowed before the contract is signed but only in exceptional circumstances as approved by the Head of Research Services after assessing the risk level.

Tab Content: Ethical Approval

The PI is responsible to ensure that ethical approvals, if required, are in place before any research commences; this includes for research being undertaken by third parties. Proposals needing ethical review are identified on ACP by the PI; this is checked by the HoD and RSO. Following award notification, it is the PI’s responsibility to apply for ethical approval via the appropriate Faculty Research Ethics Committee. The committee reviews the application and any participant documentation giving feedback, comments and approval. The applicant may be required to discuss the application at a committee meeting and can be referred to the presiding University Research Ethics Committee if concerns remain. Advice and guidance is offered by the RSO Ethics team.

It may not be appropriate to gain ethical approval at this stage for studentship projects. The PI is responsible for supporting the students, once in place, to ensure that ethical approval is gained if required.

Tab Content: Financial Set-up

Once a formal award letter has been received by RSO the grant is allocated an internal project number on the university’s financial system (Agresso). RSO is responsible for returning any start certificates and acceptance documents to the funder. The PI and relevant Departmental Officer(s) are informed of the project set-up with a link to relevant web guidance and useful information. The procurement team is informed of any awarded grants with equipment budgets greater than £25k.