The reports confirm, on a best-judgment basis, the percentage distribution of effort for the period reported and serve to substantiate salary and wage charges to Federal grants and contracts and to support general support and departmental administration effort allocable through the indirect cost pool to all University activities. Under existing Federal guidelines, reports on the SPA staff must be rendered no less frequently than monthly and are also prepared every other pay period, thus combining two bi-weekly pay periods. Certification Reports are normally distributed to departmental Personnel Activity Reports Coordinators simultaneously with the payroll for the second pay period of each PAR cycle. The PARs are to be certified and returned within 10 working days after receipt. It is required and essential that the reports be certified by a person having firsthand knowledge as to the services performed.
All reports are subject to post-audit review and verification.
The Office of Contracts and Grants requests that each department designate a prime and alternate person within their department to act as Personnel Activity Reports Coordinators. Level of Signatures Certification for SPA staff require that the certified, whether it be the employee, supervisor, or principal investigator, have first-hand knowledge of all the employee's activities during the reporting period. EPA faculty and professional staff members are to certify their own individual PARs. Principal Investigators supervising graduate students and fellows are most likely to have first-hand knowledge and be the most appropriate certifier. Should the P.I. be away from campus, a Chairman or Department Head who is knowledgeable of the work being performed may sign for the absent P.I., in order to return the PARs in a timely manner.