Harvard Chan School Effort Management Policy
Making and keeping responsible commitments on sponsored projects (page 2 of policy)
An effort commitment represents the sponsor’s understanding of the amount of time the researcher will need to devote to accomplish the project’s aims. This understanding is established via the proposal or other written documents exchanged between the business official in SPA and the sponsor. When making commitments on federal proposals, researchers should keep in mind that the government is explicit in their expectation that the commitment be a reasonable estimate:
The applicant organization is responsible for verifying its eligibility and the accuracy, validity, and conformity with the most current institutional guidelines of all the administrative, fiscal, and scientific information in the application, including the Facilities and Administrative rate. Deliberate withholding, falsification, or misrepresentation of information could result in administrative actions, such as withdrawal of an application, suspension and/or termination of an award, debarment of individuals, as well as possible criminal and/or civil penalties. The signer further certifies that the applicant organization will be accountable both for the appropriate use of any funds awarded and for the performance of the grant-supported project or activities resulting from this application. The grantee institution may be liable for the reimbursement of funds associated with any inappropriate or fraudulent conduct of the project activity. (SF-424 R&R Application Instructions, page G -47
The PI’s signature on the proposal in GMAS represents their concurrence with this language. Although sponsor policy may allow effort changes, all researchers and grant managers should keep in mind the certification language above before making substantive changes in effort regardless of key person status
Subject Matter Resource: Kristie Froman