Endeavors magazine, Fall 2009

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Internal Procedures for ARRA Funding

To expedite internal processes once you have received (ARRA) funding, UNC CH has provided information and tips to assure the fastest, most efficient turn-around of requests for hiring, purchasing, and leasing space for your research project.

Most of these request can be started prior to receiving a formal notice of award.

• Contact your Department Contact in OSR to set up UNC account numbers under a letter of guarantee and if there are subcontracts, let OSR know in advance so that the contracts can be issued as soon as the notice of the grant award is received.
• Start the hiring process ( there are special requirements for posting )
• If major purchases are required, inform purchasing.
• If space needs to be leased, contact the property office.

(Key words are listed below – with links to full details)
Federal Reporting 
ARRA Recruitment
EPA Non-Faculty Positions
SPA Positions
Leasing (Space Requirements Off-campus)
Purchasing
ARRA Team List

Federal Reporting
ORIS in conjunction with the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), has developed an online portal in RAMSeS which allows principal investigators with ARRA funding to input data representing the project’s impact on the economy.  The data includes project status and outcomes, the number and nature of jobs created and retained, as well as sub-recipient data.
Approximately 30 days prior to the reporting period end date, an email is sent to the PIs and their designated staff members announcing that the data collection period is open.  The email provides a link to the portal with instructions and a timeline for providing necessary information.  OSR in turn will compile the information provided and report to federalreporting.gov.
For more information visit OSR’s website for ARRA Reporting Requirements

ARRA Recruitment
The following steps will be taken by the Equal Opportunity Department to help expedite ARRA recruitment actions:

• Reduce Posting Period to 15 days for ARRA
• Review and complete ARRA Recruitment Web Actions within 2 days
• Requirements for Posting SPA and EPA positions from the Office of the State Personnel

EPA Non-Faculty Positions, Recruitment, & Hires for ARRA

Creating a new position for ARRA:
Know who to contact if you should have questions at any time related to establishing an EPA Non-Faculty position or processing an EPA Non-Faculty employee action. Use HR Connect at:  http://hr.unc.edu/

• To establish an EPA Non-Faculty position be familiar with the EPA Non-Faculty Classification Guidelines found at OHR’s website:

Generally, it takes 2-3 days from the time a position is routed to the EPA Non-Faculty office for it to be reviewed for approval. If the position needs to be reviewed by the Human Resource Advisory Board (HRAB) at General Administration or the EPA Non-Faculty Classification Committee, this time period will be extended.  Certain schools have their own internal classification approval process that must be completed prior to actions being routed, reviewed, and approved by the EPA Non-Faculty office.  Please be familiar with their scheduled timeframes for review.    

• All EPA Non-Faculty positions, whether permanent or temporary, must be entered into EPA Web Position Management. When establishing an EPA Non-Faculty position, please note “ARRA Funded” in the funding field.
• In addition to positions postings on EPA Recruitment Web, all ARRA funded positions must also be posted with the Employment Security Commission.

Recruiting a new position for ARRA:

• Recruitment for EPA Non-Faculty positions is managed by the EEO Office. All questions regarding posting, hiring, and selection should be directed to the EEO Office. 
• All EPA Non-Faculty employees whether temporary or permanent, part-time or full-time, have a contract. Templates for contracts can be found at: http://hr.unc.edu/epanf/epa-nf-pol/apt-proc/InitApt_JobChange. 
• When making an offer to a selected candidate, have them complete and return a signed contract letter, AP2 , and AP2-A along with their approval to initiate a criminal convictions check.
• Criminal Convictions checks should be sent in as early as possible to assure being able to hire your selected candidate as quickly as possible and to avoid hiring delays.
• Know the minimum salary requirements for EPA Non-Faculty positions.

Contact for EPA Non-Faculty:
Vanessa Ragland
EPA Non-Faculty Human Resources Consultant
919-962-2897
vanessa_ragland@unc.edu
Sylvia White
EPA Non-Faculty Human Resources Consultant
919-962-2897
sylvia_white@unc.edu

SPA Positions, Recruitment, & Hires for ARRA

Creating a new position for ARRA:
Position Tips:  For Questions call your assigned Classification & Compensation Specialist.  The list is available from OHR’s website at http://hr.unc.edu/hrdir/eccdir

• Identify one person in your department who can coordinate and be the point of contact for all HR related activities and notify OHR of person’s contact information
• You can create a new position and obtain classification before the funding source is secured.  Send a “draft” job description for consultation with Classification & Compensation Specialist for help in designing position before finalization.
• Scan job description to OHR rather than sending through campus mail to expedite process.
• Ensure all required forms are completed (PD 102-CB and organizational chart) and all required signatures have been obtained.  Enter the subsequent request into HRIS.

 

 Information to place in HRIS:

• select position type as “time-limited.”  Enter proposed end date either 1, 2, or 3 years from position creation date.  (NOTE:  You may create a 1 or 2 year time-limited end date and the time may be extended up to 3 years.  No time-limited position will be extended beyond 3 years.)
• In the comment section of the request for new time-limited position type, “This position is funded under the American recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA)”

Recruiting a new position for ARRA:
Recruitment Tips: For questions call your assigned Employment & Staffing Specialist.  The list is available from OHR’s website http://hr.unc.edu/employees/ecc/?folderView=collapsed

• Identify in advance one person or the committee to review all applications and screen for top candidates.  (NOTE: This person(s) should have access to SPA Recruitment Web which can be obtained through OHR)
• Positions may be posted with a minimum 5 business day period which can be extended if necessary.
• Complete the closing report as candidates are screened and interviewed to facilitate timely submissions.
• Have final candidate complete the request for criminal background check during their interview process to facilitate timely processing. 
• Funding does not have to be identified at time of recruitment but must be secured and in place before an offer will be made.
• If needed, consult in advance with Employment & Staffing Specialist for appropriate salary offer before finalizing.

Information to place in HRIS:

• In the “Work Environment” section of the posting, add the following required text: “This position is funded in whole or in part by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA).”

Contact for ARRA SPA Positions:
Jessica Moore
HR Classification and Compensation
962-8099
jessica_moore@unc.edu

Leasing (Space Requirements Off-Campus)
If the space does not exceed approx. 1,000 sq. ft, a lease agreement can be generated fairly quickly in today’s market.  If a suitable space can be identified on state guidelines, it is possible to have an executed lease within 30-60 days if all of the information required is provided and a funding source is identified and signed off on by the responsible party.  
If a larger space is required, it could take 6-9 months to secure the leased space once the property office has all the information. This amount of space needed off-campus would require going through the competitive bid process, (generating spec package based on your space needs, placing a legal ad and advertising for this need) which may or may not be the location you are requesting.  If you need to be in a certain county for the study that is specified in a grant, please notate that in the spec package.

Process Lease Acquisition of off-campus space needs

• Complete a Lease request form and submit to the Property Office. Lease Request Form
• If new hires are required… Positions (HR) need to be in place
• Provide an organizational chart with the following information that applies to this particular request.
• SPA position number, career banding distinction of level  I, II, III; EPA-Faculty, EPA Non-Faculty, FTE % for each position; if position a temporary of student please specify % of FTE(these positions will not have a position number).  This information determines the size of offices, open space for workstations and overall square footage of space for which you will qualify.  Space requirements are based on guidelines from the State Property Office.  
• Provide requirements for storage, conference space, workrooms, etc. or any special need you would require as part of the space request (i.e.: lab, special cooling, etc.)

To expedite this process: Provide all the above information and ensure it is accurate. Feel free to contact Linda Oakley in the Property Office (962-9062) or oakley@fac.unc.edu  with any questions you might have for assistance in completing the Lease Request Form. 

Purchasing:
The most efficient way to mitigate potential delays of the purchasing process for ARRA initiative:

• Identify requisition as ARRA and mark top priority (purchase requisitions should receive all the required approvals in less than two working days from the start date of the request).
• Submit valid sole source justification letter as appropriate.
• If purchase requests requires the use of the bid process, identify lead times of the equipment to purchase in order to determine the course of action to be taken.
• Determine if the purchase requirement will be a purchase or a lease. (Generally, leases take longer to finalize as results of complex terms and payment plan.)
• Notify Purchasing in advance if equipment is comprised of suppliers terms and conditions or contractual obligations.....knowing the information in advance helps in the negotiation process.

Purchasing should be notified well in advance of any procurement lead times, cost implications, or contractual issues to mitigate risk to the University.

 

Updated Tuesday, October 27, 2009.
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