The federal government mandates that universities receiving grants and contracts compile and certify activity reports that reflect how employees working on sponsored research have spent their time. Ohio State uses a centralized, electronic system (e-Cert) to certify effort on a quarterly basis. The federal government also requires that personnel expense transfers (PETs) be certified by the investigator. These certifications are also submitted using an electronic process (e-PET).
The College of Medicine requires that all effort reports and PETs be certified within 45 days of their release into the e-Cert and e-PET systems, unless the records are inaccurate and need to be corrected. Failure to comply with this policy will result in the suspension of the ability to purchase using sponsored projects funds. In the event that a record is inaccurate, inform Karla Gengler-Nowak, (614) 292-7936, at Ohio State's College of Medicine Office of Research.
The College of Medicine will request that the Office of Sponsored Programs suspend all purchases on all of the projects of investigators who have uncertified effort or PETs older than 45 days (unless the records are incorrect and the Office of Research is notified). For staff appointed to projects who have not certified their effort, all College of Medicine/Office of Health Sciences projects to which that person is appointed will be suspended with regard to purchases. When the outstanding effort and PET certifications have been completed, the investigator must contact Ohio State's College of Medicine to have the affected projects released from suspension.
The full lists of all uncertified effort reports and uncertified PETs, as well lists of reports that are older than 45 days, are available at http://osp.osu.edu/etools/.
Access to e-Cert system
Access to e-PET system
Timing of the release of reports for certification
- First business day of the quarter (January, April, July, October): release of quarterly effort certifications for the previous quarter
- First business day of the month: release of any PETs processed in preceding month, as well as any effort reports that were modified by PETs
- 15th calendar day of the month: all effort reports and PETs released 45 days prior and not certified are moved to the ">45 day report" and deadline for College of Medicine employees to certify those reports before purchasing holds are requested.
Staff in the College of Medicine Office of Research can help faculty and staff review and understand the information they are required to certify. Please contact Karla Gengler-Nowak, (614) 292-7936, at Ohio State's College of Medicine Office of Research with any questions about this policy or the e-Cert or PET certification processes. She is also available for consultation if there are any concerns about the accuracy of the information to be certified, and she is the contact for release of suspended projects.
