Research Administration Discussion Group wrote:
>
> We are working to combine pre and post-award into one office.
>
> What have you found to be the strengths of a combined pre/post-award office?
>  -Better communication is the primary gain.  We are a small office which has
 always been combined.  We have recently gone from having one
person do pre-award and another do post-award to a division of the
university between the two people.  the benefits are cross-training,
important when one employee is out for weeks on sick, maternity, or
vacation leave.  It also provided desired opportunities for each to grow
professionally.  It also makes more sense to faculty members, since they
get to know one person well and don't have to remember who to see for
what.  Since the same Research and Sponsored Programs person is serving a
specific faculty member from "cradle to grave", she will be able to keep
him or her apprised of submission dates at that agency and others at a
time that makes sense to the project.

Of course, the flip side is that the staff person has to know a lot more
information and as a result, may not have the depth of knowledge in a
specific area.  In addition, care must be taken that post-award activity
does not encroach unduly on pre-award time or submissions may drop.

> Also for those with combined offices who signs as the authorized certifying
> official.
> - Who signs for you now?  Would that be changed?  sometimes different people
 have authority to sign various pieces.  Here, the
director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs signs for most
proposals and negotiations and is the single contact person for DHHS; the
VP for Business Affairs signs for grants above $100,000 or involving cost
sharing of more than $10,000 in new funds.

Good luck.  There is no one right answer.

Janet M. Hahn
Director, Research & Sponsored Programs
Radford University
Radford, VA  24142-6926
(540) 831-5479
xxxxxx@runet.edu
> We are trying to act quickly on this, as the post-award office is currently
> undergoing some major transitions.  I look forward to your responses.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Kris E. Rhodes,
> Coordinator, Research and Sponsored Programs
> Stephen F. Austin State University
> Box 13024 SFA, Nacogdoches, TX 75962
> Phone 409/468-6606, Fax 409/468-1251
> WWW Site http://www.research.sfasu.edu
> Email: xxxxxx@sfasu.edu