Documentation & Responsibilities Required for Closeout

Documentation Required – All requests must include:

  1. a description of the equipment;
  2. an estimate of the cost;
  3. an indication of whether the equipment is in the sponsor-approved budget; and
  4. a description of why the equipment is necessary to complete the project.

Approvals Required –

  1. Principal Investigator
  2. Department Chair/Unit Head or designee.

Financial Services of ORA is responsible for the financial reporting portion of project close-out. They prepare the Uniform Guidance monitored costs (formerly A-21) expenditure review and any financial reports required by the sponsor, including the project closeout reports.  They process the financial status report (FSR) in accordance with the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) (formerly OMB Circular A-110) (particularly Section 200.327).  These guidelines set forth detailed requirements with respect to the complete and timely submission of financial reports and other such closeout procedures for federal grants and contracts.

  • Review account activity for inappropriate charges
  • Perform account audit
    • Complete Salary Distribution Review; T&E Forms
    • Complete F&A Review
    • Complete Reconciliation
    • Complete Cost-Adjustment Forms as necessary

Depending on the sponsor and their requirements for closeout, ORA will collect the required reports and close the project when we have received copies of all the submitted reports. The project investigator (PI) is responsible for timely submission of the final technical report. Specific sponsor requirements for the technical report are usually defined in the award package. A copy of the cover letter/email transmitting the technical report to the sponsor should be sent to your ORA Post Award Staff. Some sponsors require that final reports be signed by an Authorizing Official of the University. Send these reports to ORA to obtain this signature, and ORA will send the required materials to the sponsor.

Reporting requirements are important, and failure to adhere to these reporting requirements can jeopardize new awards campus-wide even if in connection with a specific grant or contract, or may result in a federal agency withholding or suspending payments for costs incurred by the University on other projects funded by the agency. Questions relating to closeouts can be directed to Post Award Services Staff within Sponsored Programs.

The PI is responsible for disclosing all inventions, discoveries and new technology throughout the life of the award. At the end of the project, ORA will email the PI for a list of all inventions to be reported, which the PI must verify, as well as a list of property/equipment purchased and reported throughout the life of the award. Once verification is received from the PI, ORA will prepare and submit the final closeout report, if required by the terms and conditions of the award, and submit to the sponsor.

Other reports may be required. Close attention to the details provided in the terms & conditions of the award throughout the life of an award will ensure an issue free closeout at the end of the award. Failure to adhere to reporting requirements may result in:

  • Continuation awards to PI may be delayed or canceled
  • Continuation awards for other UMaine faculty may be delayed or canceled
  • UMaine may not get paid
  • Award may be terminated early
  • UMaine may be debarred from receiving Federal awards

Closeout will not be completed until all subaward’s issued under the prime award have been closed out.

  • Subawards must be processed for closeout and formally closed on a timely basis
  • Subaward administrators should begin closeout actions immediately following the expiration of the subaward performance period
  • Subawards will only be considered formally closed when all applicable closeout requirements have been accomplished

Additional PI Closeout responsibilities:

  • Notify payroll and any service/recharge centers of an account change for future costs such as salary/fringe, printing, telephone, and scientific computing.
  • Resolve any outstanding budget overrun.
  • Promptly transfer all erroneous charges and clear any deficits.