Dear Colleagues:
On November 6, 2018, we notified you via the email below that as a result of the upcoming UCPath implementation (then scheduled for March of 2019), UCI would immediately transition to the use of Composite Benefit Rates (CBRs) for the purpose of budgeting fringe benefits in proposal budgets.
Given the campus’ recent notification of UCPath’s delayed implementation, our office conferred with the Budget Office as well as Contracts and Grants Accounting and it was determined that the delay in the implementation of UCPath would have a slight impact on the planned November 15, 2018 transition to CBR. Specifically, for planning purposes please continue to prepare proposal budgets* using CBRs as noted in our previous communication to you however; reimbursement of benefit expenses will be based upon the “approved” process (either actuals or CBRs/UCPath implemented) in effect at the time of the expenses.
*When preparing proposal budgets for California State Agencies and specifically the California Energy Commission, departments should work closely with their SPA C&G Officer and be cognizant that some agencies have rate caps (e.g. benefits, salaries, etc) and may not allow rebudgeting. Care should be taken to ensure that line items for these rates are budgeted such that (1) caps are never exceeded and (2) rates are properly escalated in multi-year proposal budgets for future years. Further, to prevent potential delays in payments, project spending should be monitored closely at the award phase and prior approvals requested timely when dictated by the award terms and conditions.
Feel free to contact your Assigned Contracts and Grants Officer, if you have questions or concerns regarding the inclusion of CBR in proposal budgets.
Questions regarding the implementation of the UCPath Composite Benefit Rates, the CBR structure or determination of applicable employee group, should be directed to Nancy Im in the UCI Budget Office at 949-824-1506 or by email at nancyim@uci.edu.
Please forward this message to your faculty, researchers and staff as appropriate.
Sandra M. Stevens
Associate Director, Sponsored Projects
Sponsored Projects Administration
Office of Research
University of California, Irvine
141 Innovation, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92617-3213
PH: (949) 824-4928
Fax: (949) 824-2094
Sign up for the CG News listserv by sending a blank email to: .
The Office of Research will be closed for the UCI winter administrative recess from December 24, 2018 through January 1, 2019. For guidance regarding funding opportunities with submission deadlines during the break, contact yourContract and Grant Officer.
From: CG-News <cg-news-bounces@maillists.uci.edu> On Behalf Of Contract and Grant News
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2018 4:33 PM
To: cg-news@uci.edu
Subject: [Contract and Grant News] SPA Website Update: Composite Benefit Rates (CBRs)
Dear Colleagues:
As a follow-up to the October 29, 2018 communication from Provost Lavernia regarding Composite Benefit Rate (CBR), we are writing to inform you that the Employee Fringe Benefit webpage on the Sponsored Projects website has been updated to reflect the new CBR rates.
UCI will transition from its long-standing practice of using actual or composite benefit rates in proposal budgets to the use of a federally negotiated Composite Benefit Rate. This change is required because of the implementation of UCPATH at UCI, projected for March of 2019.
Effective immediately but no later than November 15, 2018, fringe benefit costs for salaries and wages included in extramural proposal budgets should be calculated by multiplying the salary by the applicable CBR listed on our website. Because there is approximately a six month span between proposal submission and the actual funding, including the CBR in proposal budgets now will help ensure that projects that are funded in the near future include sufficient funding to cover the costs of the fringe benefits (CBR) that will be charged to the project.
To help ease this transition, the UCI Budget Office has also created a UC Path Composite Benefit Rate website, which provides additional guidance and resources. The Budget Office is also working to develop a mitigation plan to offset increased costs to existing sponsored awards, due to the implementation of CBRs. Details on this mitigation plan can be found on their website. The site will be updated periodically as more information becomes available, so please check back often.
Feel free to contact your Assigned Contracts and Grants Officer, if you have questions or concerns regarding the inclusion of CBR in proposal budgets.
Questions regarding the implementation of the UCPath Composite Benefit Rates, the CBR structure or determination of applicable employee group, should be directed to Nancy Im in the UCI Budget Office at 949-824-1506 or by email at nancyim@uci.edu.
Please forward this message to your faculty, researchers and staff as appropriate.
Sandra M. Stevens
Associate Director, Sponsored Projects
Sponsored Projects Administration
Office of Research
University of California, Irvine
141 Innovation, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92617-3213
PH: (949) 824-4928
Fax: (949) 824-2094
E-mail: sandrams@uci.edu
* Sign up for the CG News listserv by sending a blank email to: cg-news-join@uci.edu.