At 04:07 PM 6/10/2004, you wrote:
>Two questions about allowability of costs:
>
>1.  A faculty member has requested that a wireless mobile internet service
>be charged to a grant from a federal sponsor.  The faculty member's grant
>does require travel and field work.  Is this an allowable expense?

Do you have an institutional policy regarding payment of such special
services?  If so, apply it.  If you do not, I would suggest getting a
reading from the grants official, citing the specific situation and
justifying the need and further describing how you would control that this
service is used only for grant purposes.  Be sure that the wireless
internet service actually reaches the location of field work!  (Years ago I
had researchers rafting down the Grand Canyon for funded geological studies
-- I doubt that wireless reaches there!)  And that internet service rather
than simple celular phone is needed for the work!  If it is a legitimate
cost of doing the project, it should be allowable, but the situation is so
subject to abuse that you really should check with the sponsor -- in
writing (e-mail should do!)

>2.  An incoming faculty member wishes to apply for an expedited H1-B visa.
>The premium processing fee is $1,000.  The faculty member will be funded
>through a cooperative agreement with NASA.  The Civil Servant responsible
>for funding the incoming faculty member has indicated that he is willing
>to have the faculty member reimbursed for this premium processing fee
>since the Civil Servant is anxious to get the faculty member started on
>his research. Is this an allowable expense?

Get it in writing from the sponsor!  Then no auditor can consider it an
excessive cost over un-expedited visa service.  And note that with a
cooperative agreement, unusual costs that are approved are part of the
"involvement" of the sponsor!

Chuck

>Tim
>
>--
>Timothy Sparklin, MSW, CIM
>University of Maryland, Baltimore County
>College of Arts and Sciences
>410-455-2737
>College of Arts and Sciences: www.umbc.edu/artsciences
>Human Research Protections Program (IRB): www.umbc.edu/irb
>
>
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Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Special Asst. to VP-Research
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Voice:  804-827-6036
Fax     804-828-2051
e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu

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