Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi

Research Corporation
of the University of Hawai‘i
1.430 Direct Projects – UH Faculty as Principal Investigator

1. UH Faculty as PI

On occasions when the University of Hawai‘i (UH) is not able to accept a project, UH may request that RCUH submit a proposal and accept an award directly from a sponsor with a UH faculty member as Principal Investigator (PI). For these projects, RCUH is the responsible party to administer all aspects of the project and communicate directly with the sponsor during execution of the project. The PI must agree to and comply with all sponsor terms and conditions and provide all deliverables to RCUH for submission to the sponsor on a timely basis. Any request or communication to the sponsor, e.g., re-budget, time extension, etc., must be made through RCUH. The PI is not authorized to act on RCUH’s behalf.

RCUH can consider a request to establish a direct project only after the PI has obtained required UH approvals as stated in the memo from UH vice president for Research (VPR) dated March 11, 2008. Also refer to UH Administrative Procedure (AP) 12.203 Service Orders to RCUH.

1. Procedure
2. The PI shall request and obtain written approvals in accordance with the VPR memo.
3. The PI shall contact the RCUH director of finance for a meeting to discuss project objectives, goals, scope of required RCUH services and sponsor requirements.
4. If it is determined that the project is within RCUH’s mission scope and that RCUH may be able to assist, the PI shall complete the RCUH Direct Project Request.
5. The PI shall submit the Direct Project Request form along with the draft proposal to the sponsor to the RCUH Project Administration.
6. The PI will be notified by RCUH Project Administration whether RCUH is able to assist after the request and proposal are reviewed by RCUH management.
7. If RCUH agrees to accept the project, RCUH shall submit the proposal to the sponsor.
8. PI will be notified when the notification of award is received.
9. Upon receipt of the fully executed award document, RCUH shall establish a project account in the RCUH financial system.
10. The PI shall complete, obtain appropriate signatures and submit to RCUH Project Administration the following:
11. Signature Authorization for the PI to assign authorized personnel to the project. The PI shall submit an updated signature authorization form to RCUH Project Administration as soon as any change occurs, e.g. addition/deletion.

A new signature authorization form shall be submitted to RCUH Administration when a change in PI occurs.

2. Financial Portal Access Form for the PI to designate authorized project personnel to process and approve transactions online, and request that RCUH establish a log-in to the account for each authorized user.
3. RCUH Project Administration serves as the Fiscal Administrator (FA) for the project.

III. Termination

Prior to the project termination date, PI shall do the following:

1. Review the project account, process pending payments, and clear outstanding encumbrances.
2. Reconcile petty cash funds and return the balance to RCUH Accounting, if applicable.
3. Turn in all credit cards issued to RCUH Accounting, if applicable.

RCUH shall submit a Final Expenditure Report and transfer property accountability (refer to Policy 1.440 Direct Projects Property) to the sponsor in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

1. Relevant Documents

Direct Project Request

Financial Portal Access Form

Memo from UH VP for Research dated March 11, 2008

Policy 1.440 Direct Projects Property

Signature Authorization

UH AP 12.203 Service Orders to RCUH

Date Revised: 09/07/2017