Sponsored project and cost sharing accounts must be reviewed and certified by the PI quarterly. The following certification statement appears on Expenditure Statements for every sponsored project and cost sharing account, The PI confirms: 

to the best of my knowledge, salary and wages charged to this project are appropriate in relation to work performed on this project. All other costs charged to this project are, to the best of my knowledge, appropriate. Where required, corrections have been or will be made through the accounting system.

Project expenditures must be reviewed and certified every academic quarter, and recorded by signature on the Quarterly Expenditure Statement (RM149). This certification is the responsibility of the project PI (or Co-PI). A PI may delegate the monthly review of expenditures for accuracy, but may not delegate certification of the appropriateness of the charges with one exception:  The PI may only delegate review and certification to a participating Academic Council member or PI eligible individual who is responsible for a portion of the statement of work and is identified as the Task Owner in the accounting system.

The purpose of the review and certification is to confirm that all expenses charged to the account are allowable, allocable to the project, and reasonable. The certification of salary expenditures confirms that salaries charged to the account are supported by a corresponding expenditure of effort during the time period being certified. The certification also assures that other expenditures are for items or services purchased and used during the project period as specified by the award. It is the PI's responsibility to seek a no-cost extension of the award if that is necessary in order to complete the project.

To be considered timely, the expenditure statement must be reviewed and signed within two months of the end of the academic quarter being certified. Issues regarding the timely certification of expenditures should be discussed with the appropriate Department Chair, School Dean, and/or the Associate Vice Provost for Research or the Research Financial Compliance Services Office. 

Adequate explanation and documentation for all project charges must be maintained for four years after the sponsor closes out the award. Where documentation cannot be provided as to the allowability, allocability and reasonableness of any project expense, including but not limited to expenses incurred late in the project period, the sponsor may deny them. In this case, the PI, department or school will be expected to cover the expense from unrestricted sources.

Each school and independent laboratory must retain reviewed and certified Quarterly Expenditure Statements.

Any departure from the policy or procedures regarding summarization of Quarterly PI Review and Certification must be approved in advance by the DoR Office of Vice Provost and Dean of Research) and RFCS (Research Financial Compliance and Services Office).