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  4. Post award support

Post Award Support

The Post Award Research Team assists researchers manage the lifecycle of their research project, from the initial preparation of a contract to final delivery of reportable outcomes and project acquittal.

All research agreements (including non-funded, data and material transfer agreements) are required to go through the Post Award Research Team.

For research policies, forms and reference materials, please click below:

Policies and forms

Research Contracting Processes

The Post Award team will facilitate the drafting, review, negotiation, and acceptance of research funding in consultation with the researcher. The agreement should state the purpose and intent of the funds (if any).

Only Bond University personnel who have delegated authority can sign agreements on behalf of the University. If a research agreement is signed by an individual who does not have delegated authority, the agreement may not be valid or binding on the University.

For further explanation of types of Research contracts, please click below:

Types of Research Contracts

Every research project is different, and each contract will need different information. Examples of some of the information that may be required include:

  • Contact details for the other party/ies to the agreement
  • Project milestones in conjunction with the head agreement
  • Details of funding split between research partners
  • Information on any existing Intellectual Property relevant to the research project
  • Details of any conflict of interests relating to the project
  • A copy of, or information about pending approvals such as ethics
  • Details of any related agreements and/or arrangements
  • Details of any students involved in the project

Please ensure when emailing the Post Award team, you provide as much detail as possible to ensure accurate information is added to the contract.

The Post Award Research Team will facilitate the review and negotiations of all research contracts. This includes:

  • Legal, financial, and insurance and risk assessment of the contract terms and conditions.
  • Determining if any additional contracts/agreements are required for participants not employed by Bond University.
  • Ensuring adequate funding has been provided for the research project
    • if funding offered is less than the projects requirements liaise with the lead researcher and Faculty to develop revised project budget.
  • Seek input and confirmation from the Chief Investigator that they agree to the terms or not. If the Chief Investigator does not agree to the terms the Post Award team will negotiate on their behalf.
  • Finalising the contract terms and conditions and arranging for execution of the contract.

Upon acceptance and execution of the research project contract the Post Award Research Team will:

  • If applicable, arrange for Financial Services to open a Cost Centre specifically for the project
  • Set up key milestones in the research management system
  • Submit all project deliverables as per the research contract
  • Liaise directly with the head project organisation to request and obtain formal approval for all variations if required during the life of the project
  • If applicable, facilitate and monitor the receipt of income by invoicing or arranging the transfer of funds
  • Ensure all expenditure is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract and Bond University’s procurement policies
  • Close out and acquit the project account and if required, return any unspent project funds to the funding organisation.

Further information

Where project participants include one or more students, the CI must ensure that the Post Award Research Team is aware of their participation at the time the research contract is negotiated. This will enable the Post Award Team to ensure that the students’ needs are appropriately catered for in the agreement.

A student confidentiality and Intellectual Property deed may be required to be signed by the student prior to commencing work on the project. Please see below information to assist:

  • Student is employed as an RA on the project and thesis topic is different and unrelated
    •  no Student IP deed is required.
  • Student is undertaking unpaid research as a HDR student for this project
    • Student IP deed is required
  • Both the above points apply
    • Student IP deed is required.

Please refer to the Intellectual Property Policy

The lead Chief Investigator (CI) on a research project is responsible for ensuring the conduct of the research project matches the agreed terms and conditions of the agreement (and of any other approvals, such as research ethics or compliance approvals).

Where a research project is carried out through a collaborative arrangement involving a number of co-investigators, the first named Chief Investigator is designated as the primary contact and manager of the project.

The Lead Researcher/CI’s responsibilities include:

  • Understanding and adhering to all terms and conditions of the funding agreement and conditions of award.
  • Ensuring that all project team members are fully informed of the terms and conditions of the research agreement and relevant University policy and administrative procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, intellectual property and confidential information arrangements.
  • Obtaining ethical and other clearances where relevant.
  • Ensuring all project participants comply with codes of good practice in research.
  • Ensuring steady progress is made towards achieving the project’s stated outcomes; any project milestones set down in the funding contract are met; and progress and final reports are submitted on time, in the format prescribed.
  • Advising the Post Award Team of any foreseen delay or variations required of the contract prior to due date. This will allow the Post Award team to contact the funder to obtain permission.
  • Financial management of the project, which includes:
    • in accordance with the granting body’s conditions of award and University policy
    • ensuring expenditure does not exceed the budget awarded
    • ensuring that funds are expended in a timely manner during the life of the grant.

For all Bond internally funded research projects, such as seed grants, these are managed by your Faculty.

For all external internally funded applications (ie. staff applying for internally funded scheme at another university or hospital) that you are listed as a CI on, there is no need to record this in pure. The exception to this is if the University/Hospital provide an overarching agreement for the external collaborators to sign. In this instance this will be entered into pure as an Activity ‘non-financial agreement’.

For any publications from internally funded research projects please ensure these are recorded as outputs in Pure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please notify Research Services at [email protected]. They will notify the Post Award Team who will be in contact with you regarding contracts and process. 

 

If you are a new staff member and are transferring grants to Bond University from another institution please contact Research Services at [email protected]. Please attach the grant application, any other relevant information and the contact name of your previous institution.

Please liaise with your Faculty HR colleague who will assist you with the advertisement and recruitment of staff for your project.

You will be required to provide a budget for the role (as per the grant application), cost centre and salary calculator. If the staff member is a casual appointment you will also need to specify the maximum hours per week and in total the staff member can work. The staff member should not commence until they have received and signed their HR contract.

  • Note: The staff member cannot be employed beyond the funding contract.

Please refer to the approved budget for your research project.

When you are ready to make the purchase please email [email protected] with relevant quotes. Research Services will confirm the budget item and ensure funds are available. A purchase order will then be raised. 

Purchases can only be made once the funding contract has commenced. Claims for expenses prior to the funding period are not permitted.

Note: In general, laptops and similar items are not permitted to be purchased with grant funding.

A student listed on a research project contract is required to sign a Student IP and Confidentiality Deed. Please refer to Bond IP policy

The deed transfers the right to use, commercialise and protect Intellectual Property. For research projects this is required so that Bond University can deal with the Intellectual Property ownership arrangements agreed to under the head research contract.

If the student is employed by Bond University on the research project, and their thesis topic is different to the research project, no Deed will be required.

Some funding organisations will have standard forms you will be required to use for your progress and final reports. If the funding organisation has no set template, please see sample templates on side bar that may assist you.