Jennifer-

"...only in the rarest or most unusual circumstances will a budget actually
be required by the institute prior to the award."
Diana Jaeger, Acting Director
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
NIH

At 02:57 PM 9/15/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Charlie-
>The total cost cannot be calculated without some estimate of what will
>be spent on various categories.  While I don't care if they send the
>budgets over to me on NIH forms or a torn piece of brown paper bag, I
>do want to see that they are not planning to charge indirects for
>equipment or patient care costs, etc.
>Also, my understanding is that the GMO does want a budget before the
>final NGA is generated.  So it is going to have to be done anyway at
>some point in time.  Has anyone else been under that impression?
>-Jennifer
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>Jennifer Morgan
>Director of Sponsored Programs
>Office of Grants & Contracts
>Allegheny Campus
>Allegheny Univ. of the Health Sciences
>One Allegheny Center, Suite 880
>Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  15212
>412-359-1523 (voice)
>412-359-1556 (fax)
>xxxxxx@pgh.auhs.edu
>
>>>> Charlie Hathaway <xxxxxx@AECOM.YU.EDU> 09/15/98 02:33pm
>>>>
>Hi-
>
>>Since we still need to construct a budget to get to the >bottom line (the
>only figure NIH wants) we require a >detailed budget as in the past.
>
>  Sorry to resurrect this discussion of a month past, but shouldn't all of
>these "Just-in-Time" questions also be asked of the impending "Modular
>Grants" system?  The difference is that NIH will NEVER (except in rare
>circumstances) ask for the budget details...even when the grant is
>awarded.
>  I am a novice to fiscal management, but if NIH does not care about
>details like the cost of a trip to a meeting, or the cost of supplies X and
>Y, or whether subjects are paid $10 or $40, then does the institution
>need
>to know before the actual expenditure?
>  Clearly, a detailed budget is useful in guessing whether grant funds are
>being used appropriately.  But if the PI can come up with a bottom line
>based on estimated modules which looks reasonable (to reviewers) in
>relation to the science, and all personnel and indirect cost questions are
>answered, then why do the absolute details ever need to be
>PROPOSED?
>Awarded funds are never spent exactly the way the budget reads.
>Why not
>let all of the details emerge as money is spent?
>   A grant is not a contract.  How flexible can we be?
>
>Charlie Hathaway
>Office of Grant Support
>Albert Einstein College of Medicine
>Bronx, NY
>
>