The Research Team Module in GMAS serves to document the specifics corresponding to the Effort Commitments, Roles, Appointment Types and the Designation of Key/Sr. Personnel for each member of the project’s research team that will participate in the project over the life of the award. Over the course of the award, the Research Team is intended to be updated in real time when any changes are to be implemented.
The Department Administrator has primary responsibility for updates to the Research Team for those not identified as Sr./Key Personnel for the project.
The OSP Awards Management Team is responsible for changes to the Research Team for those designated as Sr./Key Personnel. These changes will often require sponsor approval, which must be coordinated through OSP.
Please note:
- At the Award Stage, GMAS auto-generates an email to the GMAS Administrative Team when a notice is logged to the Initial Request for the project. This e-mail serves as a reminder to the department that the Research Team must be confirmed before the award can be set up.
- An At-Risk Account request also requires that the Research Team is confirmed prior to the revision being started. In this circumstance, GMAS will not prompt the department to confirm the Research Team.
Information Needed to Confirm the Research Team:
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The Original Proposal
- Prior to confirming the Research Team, GMAS reflects those identified as participants in the research as determined during the proposal stage.
- In coordination with the PI, the Department Administrator cross-references the original proposal with the data reflected within the GMAS Research Team module for the project to confirm the Effort Commitments, Roles, Appointment Types and the Designation of Key/Sr. Personnel for each member of the project’s research team that will participate on the project over the life of the award.
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The Final Sponsor-approved Scope of Work, Budget and Budget Narrative/Justification
- If a Revised Proposal had been submitted, the Final Version awarded by the Sponsor should be referenced for the confirmation of the Research Team.
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The Award Notice
- PI Confirmation of the Effort Commitments (see below), Roles, Appointment Types and the applicable Designation of Key/Sr. Personnel for each member of the Research Team.
- Any Roles proposed as TBD ought to be updated to reflect the individuals filling the positions.
Committed Effort
- When a faculty member states that he or she will devote time and effort to a sponsored project, he or she creates a commitment to the sponsor that Harvard must honor upon award.
- Harvard defines Committed Effort as a promise communicated to a sponsor that a Harvard faculty member will spend a unit of time on a project. Communication about commitments can occur at proposal stage and at any time during award performance.
- Some sponsors require sponsor approval for changes in commitment, while other do not require even notification of changes in effort.
- Regardless of sponsor requirements, Harvard defines committed effort as any promise of faculty effort communicated to the sponsor.
Please note that changes to salary allocation on a project are not changes to committed effort; only correspondence with the sponsor can alter an effort commitment.
Other Resources: