Record Retention

Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to an award shall be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report or, for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, from the date of the submission of the quarterly or annual financial report, as authorized by the Federal awarding agency.  The only exceptions are the following:

  1. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and final action taken.
  2. Records for real property and equipment acquired with Federal funds shall be retained for 3 years after final disposition.
  3. When records are transferred to or maintained by the Federal awarding agency, the 3-year retention requirement is not applicable to the recipient.
  4. Indirect cost rate proposals, cost allocations plans, etc. specified as follows:
    • If the recipient submits to the Federal awarding agency or the subrecipient submits to the recipient the proposal, plan, or other computation to form the basis for negotiation of the rate, then the 3-year retention period for its supporting records starts on the date of such submission.
    • If the recipient is not required to submit to the Federal awarding agency or the subrecipient is not required to submit to the recipient the proposal, plan, or other computation for negotiation purposes, then the 3-year retention period for the proposal, plan, or other computation and its supporting records starts at the end of the fiscal year (or other accounting period) covered by the proposal, plan, or other computation

The sponsor, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States, or any other “duly authorized” representative has the right to “timely and unrestricted access” to records relating to sponsored programs.  In addition, a sponsor's right to access records does not expire with the end of the three-year record retention period, but will last as long as records are

The PI/PD/Department maintains any and all documents related to his/her areas of responsibility.  These documents include, but are not necessarily limited to, all technical documents related to the sponsored program (e.g., documentation involving the methods used to conduct research, results of the research, and progress/performance reports).

RAS maintains any and all documents related to the Office's area of responsibility.  RAS retains sponsored program records in compliance with sponsor requirements.  These documents include, but are not necessarily limited to, pre-award materials and the award files for each sponsored program (e.g., proposal, notice of grant award or sponsor agreement, correspondence with the sponsor, subrecipient monitoring).  

Financial records are maintained by Grants and Contracts Accounting and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

Personnel records are maintained by Hunan Resources.

 

Please see Sponsored Programs Records Retention Policy 600-034.