Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is responsible for the accounting of sponsored activity at Duke (excluding Non Governmental - Not Requiring Reports Costs Objects), which includes administering the financial reporting, billing, and cash collections for sponsored projects. OSP safeguards project funds, maximizes the University’s cash flow position, and maintains good relations with sponsoring agencies and University personnel. In addition they facilitate the progress of sponsored projects for principal investigators and financial administrators.

1. Compliance
   1. With Research Costing Compliance (RCC), proposes policies and procedures to senior administration (Management Centers for example) to comply with sponsored projects regulations.
   2. Keeps abreast of changes involving internally and externally imposed policies and procedures and ensures that sponsored projects are administered in accordance with such policies.
   3. Shares with RCC the responsibility for formulation, implementation, and interpretation of policies regarding allowable costs.
   4. Supports RCC in training post award administrators regarding allowable costs, post-award management practices.
   5. Works to resolve instances of discovered financial non-compliance.
2. Maintains files on each sponsored project adequate for inspection by internal and external auditors and serves as a liaison and negotiator. This includes detailed records of invoices issued, cash received, and balances due by fund.
3. Renders invoices, letter of credit draws, financial reports, billings, and property reports to granting agencies on a timely basis as required by regulation or contractual agreement in coordination with departments.
4. Monitors financial transactions for certain categories of expenditures to ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
5. Monitors awards made to subcontractors.
6. Resolves payment problems with sponsors.
7. Acts as the primary contact point for external financial audits related to sponsored projects.
8. Establishes cost objects within their proper series in order to assist in maximizing the University’s overhead recovery and to support reporting.
9. Communicates with the project’s assigned financial administrator on any issues related to a project.
10. Investigates non-fraudulent financial compliance questions/issues using available resources such as sponsor regulations, University policies and procedures, and the network of informed individuals such as the PI, Departmental or Research Administrator, Business Manager, Chair or Dean.
11. All instances of possible fraud must be reported to Internal Audit regardless of the value involved. Internal Audit provides a reporting hotline.