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Change PI

During the life of a grant award, there are a number of situations that may arise that would require a change of the designated PI. The University may request a change in PI on a grant for any of the following reasons:

  • The PI transfers to industry or to another institution and is ineligible to continue the project.
  • The PI transfers to another university that is ineligible to receive funds.
  • Untimely death, serious illness, or injury renders the PI unable to continue work on the project.
  • Change in the percentage of effort available by the PI to work on the project.
  • Change of circumstances that requires the PI's continued absence from the university or project for more than 3 months (e.g., sabbatical or military leave).
  • Other circumstances that, in the opinion of the University, necessitate a change in PI.

To request a change in PI, many sponsors require a letter from the current PI with OSP co-signing. Other sponsors, especially Federal sponsors, may require submission of a formal request through their online portal. This request includes a justification for the change, the name of both the current and proposed PI, credentials for the proposed PI, and other information specific to the sponsor and project. Most sponsors will require an assurance that the original scope of work and deliverables remain unchanged.

While some sponsors may not require formal approval for a PI Change, best practices require that the sponsor be notified of changes to key personnel.

Requesting a PI Change

To request a PI Change in GMAS, from the segment home page, select “Actions” and then “Create request”. Follow the prompts to enter the required information before locking and routing.

Information Needed:

  • Name of both current and proposed PI
  • Justification for the change
  • Signed letter by both current and proposed PIs, if required
  • Assurance that the scope of work and deliverables will be maintained
  • Sponsor contact information, if applicable
  • Other information as required by the sponsor, department or University

PI Change Request Roles and Responsibilities

  • The department holds primary responsibility for entering information in GMAS to formally request a PI Change.
  • The OSP Awards Management team reviews PI Change requests once the GMAS request is completed and signed.
  • The OSP Awards Management team submits to the sponsor and marks the request as submitted in GMAS, if applicable.
  • If the PI Change is approved, sponsor documentation is required. The Awards Management team reviews the notice, if required, and logs it to the PI Change request.
  • The OSP Operations team initiates a revision on the GMAS account.
  • The OSP Awards Management team reviews and commits the revision to the account, generating an action memo that is sent to those listed on the Administrative team in GMAS.