When the proposal is submitted to the sponsor and the sponsor has approved the grant, a notice of award (NOA) is usually sent to the Office of Research Administration. The NOA is a legally binding document that notifies the grantee an award has been made, contains or references all terms and conditions of the award, and documents the obligation of federal funds. Principal investigators (PIs) should understand and comply with all award terms and conditions. The notice of award initiates the “post-award” processes for the grant. “Pre-award” processes are concluded with the arrival of the award.
Any award notice sent directly to the PI should be sent to the Office of Research Administration (ORA) to ensure that the award is appropriately handled. The ORA receives the award, reviews it and sends it via email to the Principal Investigator, his/her department manager, and Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA).