Ch. 2 - Overview of the Office of Research Administration

2.1 Overview of the Office of Research Administration

Background

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) provides a full range of central administration services in support of the Caltech faculty and their sponsored research programs. From proposal submission through post-award financial management to award closeout, ORA staff work closely with faculty, grant managers, Division Administrators and others to assure effective compliance with Institute and sponsor requirements.

ORA is headed by Richard Seligman, Associate Vice President for Research Administration, who reports to the Vice President for Business and Finance. ORA includes the following departments:

Office of Sponsored Research

David Mayo, Director

Review and submission of proposals for sponsored projects
Negotiation, acceptance, and monitoring of:
- Grants
- Contracts
- Cooperative Agreements
- Award closeouts

Project Accounting

Urmila Bajaj, Director

Invoicing and monitoring of payments from sponsors
Preparation and submission of financial reports
Oversight of post-award financial administration
Award closeouts, financial
Reconciliation of JPL and Caltech ledgers at year end
Audit Coordination

Export Compliance

Adilia Koch, Director

Develop processes and maintain procedures to ensure campus compliance with US export laws and regulations.
Review export/import transactions for classification and license determinations
Obtain licenses and submit other regulatory request to Customs, Department of State, Department of Commerce, and Department of the Treasury
Review of sponsored research projects to ensure that the work can be preformed as "fundamental research" wherever possible.
Offer export compliance outreach and instruction to faculty and staff

9/20/10

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