Exceptions to RIT's Federally Approved F&A Rate

Due to ongoing legal challenges and uncertainty surrounding federal indirect cost (IDC) recovery, the Vice President for Research (VPR) has directed that all proposals strictly comply with the Administrative Policies and Procedures for Externally Sponsored Projects, effective immediately.

Under Section 3.4.3.2 – Reduction of RIT’s Approved F&A Rate:

No reduction in RIT's approved F&A rate should be included in a proposal unless it is required by the sponsor.  If there is such a requirement by the sponsor then the appropriate party (PI and/or Department Head, and Dean) should provide a written justification and seek prior approval in writing from the VPR.  The VPR may consult SPA and approval shall be consistent with Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR 200, Appendix III.

Any reduction of F&A also requires documentation of a publicly available sponsor policy and approval by the chair, dean, and VPR through the Novelution internal approval process. Faculty may be required to submit a brief justification outlining the project’s intellectual merit and its anticipated benefit to RIT.

Please work closely with your pre-award administrator to ensure that all required documentation and approvals are secured prior to proposal submission.

If you have any questions please contact:

Maria Cortes, Director of Proposal Development: mccsrs@rit.edu