The Office of Research Management and Innovation (ORMI) was established to provide support for faculty and staff with administrative, fiscal, legal activities of sponsored programs. As used in this directive, “sponsored programs” means agreements between the College and external agencies which provide funds to carry out specific educational, biomedical and behavioral research programs. All Projects shall be centrally controlled by ORMI and no derogation will be entertained. The responsibility above shall be accomplished through the achievement of the following objectives: 1) Facilitating pre-award activities by: a) identifying potential funding sources; b) developing proposal narratives and budgets; c) facilitating compliance with external funding agencies and college’s regulations; d) completing paper or electronic applications; e) submitting proposals to sponsoring agencies. 2) Facilitating the administration of awarded projects by: a) Facilitating the attainment of program objectives specified in sponsored agreements; b) Facilitating effective compliance with the terms and conditions of sponsored agreements; c) Monitoring expenditures and thereby preventing costs of sponsored programs from exceeding the funds authorized by the sponsor; d) Ensuring the funds are expended in accordance with sponsor guidelines; e) Ensuring submission of final reports as required; f) Recovering funds expended on grants/contracts. The procedures set forth in this manual are designed to fulfill these requirements. Although the role for the principal investigator or project director is paramount in the performance of sponsored activity, the agreements are executed between the College and the external funding agencies. Therefore, the legal recipient of the award and the responsible party to the related agreement is the College. In accepting a grant or contract, the College assumes legal responsibility for observing the terms and conditions of the agreement and for delivering to the sponsor such assurance of compliance as may be required.