Additional University of Idaho Approvals
The proposal review process will include, when applicable, consideration of certain items that are subject to special federal or other regulations and require additional approval including:
Administrative/Clerical Staff Costs
Direct charging of administrative staff is generally not allowed except under certain circumstances, as discussed in detail in the Personnel Expenses section of the Budget Policy. If administrative salaries are to be charged to a federal award, sufficient explanation must be included in the budget and budget justification of the proposal. Exceptions must be approved in advance by Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and documented in the Cost Accounting Standards Exception section of the proposal application.
Subcontracts or Subawards
Subcontracts or subawards to other institutions may be included in proposals for prime awards to the University of Idaho if allowed by the sponsoring agency and with approval from the authorized representatives of the subcontractor(s) and the university. Additional components of the subcontract proposal are detailed in the Subcontracts and Subawards section of the Budget Policy.
Cost Sharing
Because cost sharing has significant consequences (See Cost Sharing in the Budget Policy), all forms of cost sharing are subject to review and approval by OSP and the department committing the cost share obligation at the time of proposal submission.
Multiple Departments/Colleges
When a project involves investigators, staff, facilities or resources from multiple departments, institutes or colleges at the University of Idaho, appropriate approval from each department, institute and college must be obtained. The VERAS proposal application will be routed to the proper individuals for signature, and additional time prior to the submission deadline should be allowed for approvals.
Construction, Renovation, or Incremental Space
If a project will involve construction, renovation of space, or a significant change in the way university space is currently used, the appropriate box must be checked in the Project Information question in the VERAS proposal application. PIs should allow adequate time prior to the proposal due date to work with their department(s), college(s) and any other pertinent areas.
Human Subjects
The term “human subjects” includes not only individuals who participate in laboratory studies but also other living persons from, or about whom, information is collected and whom the researcher can identify individually. Most research involving the use of human subjects requires advance review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), one of three federally mandated research assurance committees/boards at the university. This mandatory committee review is required whether or not the work is funded by outside sources and regardless of the investigator's academic discipline.
Tragic events involving the death or injury of individuals participating in clinical trials at other institutions have focused national attention on the use of human subjects in research and the procedures that universities follow for review and approval of all such research, not just clinical trials. As a result, IRBs and investigators are under increasing pressure to adhere strictly to institutional and federal guidelines.
If a sponsored project requires the use of human subjects, or tissue or other human material that may be identifiable, the principal investigator (PI) must check Yes to the question regarding human subjects in the Research Compliance section in VERAS. Most agencies now allow proposals to be submitted with review pending, but some will not make a funding decision until approval is granted, and neither the sponsor nor the university will allow research involving human subjects to proceed without either approval or certification of exemption.
Use of Animals
The humane and responsible use of animals in research is a matter of considerable public interest. The University of Idaho’s animal facilities, and its policies and procedures for care and use of laboratory animals are reviewed regularly by an independent outside accrediting agency and are also subject to review by the federal Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, the USDA and other agencies. If a project requires the use of vertebrate animals, whether in the laboratory or in the wild, the PI must check Yes to the question regarding the use of vertebrate animals in the Research Compliance section in VERAS, and approval must be obtained from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Most funding agencies will accept evidence that review is pending. However, research that involves animals may not proceed (and animals may not be ordered from a supplier) until IACUC approval has been received. Per diem charges for animals that will be housed on campus, or otherwise supported, should ordinarily be included in the project budget.
Biohazardous Materials
If the proposed research involves the use of biohazardous materials, including recombinant DNA, microbiological agents or infectious materials, the PI must check Yes to the question regarding the user of biohazards question in the Research Compliance section in VERAS, and approval must be obtained from the Institutional Bio-safety Committee (IBC). The IBC office will review the proposed procedures to confirm that proper safety measures are in place. Certain extremely toxic or hazardous biological materials, classified by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as “select agents,” require additional safety and security precautions that may be difficult to arrange in U of I laboratories. Staff from Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) can advise investigators on proper safety procedures and the rules regarding the use of select agents.
Financial Conflict of Interest
Investigators applying for funding to certain sponsors (e.g., National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health) must declare any potential financial conflicts of interest to the appropriate university officials prior to submission of a proposal to the agency. These disclosures are submitted via the Conflict of Interest module of VERAS. Your Sponsored Programs Administrator (SPA) can assist you in determining which of the project personnel need to complete a disclosure.