Guidelines
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Approval
A completed and signed MOU is required for all studies where cash or Tango Card (online gift card) will be used as an incentive or compensation for individuals participating in research. In order for a PI to obtain funds to pay subjects, the department must include the following documentation with the MOU:
- IRB protocol approval;
- IRB consent form;
- if sponsored research,
- a PDF or link to KR document(s) showing the period of performance of the award; and
- a copy of the grant/contract pages outlining the research participant support needs. This can be the budget and justification from the awarded proposal or pages from the statement of work which include information regarding the study.
The completed MOU including digital signatures (with adobe certificate) of the fund custodian and PI, should be sent by the department’s Director of Administrative Services via email to bsos-cash [at] umd [dot] edu well in advance of cash needs. All items listed above must be included with the completed and signed MOU in order for the Dean’s Office to proceed. Packages missing required documentation will be returned to the department without review. Please send documents as separate attachments to one email, rather than one consolidated PDF as not all documents will be sent to the Controller’s Office. (Only the signed MOU and pages from the proposal outlining human subjects’ research will be sent to the Controller’s Office. The rest of the documentation will be kept on file in the Dean’s Office.)
Click here for instructions on how to create and use an Adobe digital certificate.
Cash Draw Requests
In order to request cash for research study participants, the research participant cash draw request (in Excel format) and Cash Control Procedures and Departmental Certifications form must be sent via email to bsos-cash [at] umd [dot] edu at least six business days in advance of cash needs. A PDF of the account status showing the period of performance and balance of the related KFS account must be attached to the draw request for all sponsored accounts.
Cash draws should be limited to the amount that can realistically be used in a 60-day period.
Delegates from the BSOS Dean’s Office will retrieve cash from the Office of Student Financial Services and Cashiering (OSFSC) (formerly Bursar’s Office). The Dean’s Office will notify fund custodians when the cash is ready to be picked up and will be open for cash pickups by appointment. The Dean's Office will not keep cash in our safe over multi-day holiday breaks. The department must either pick up these funds or they will be returned to OSFSC. If cash is returned to OSFSC, the department must begin the cash draw request process again.
To schedule an appointment with the BSOS Cash Management office visit our appointment scheduler.
Accounting and Reconciliation
Approximately 60 days after a department receives cash, the PI or Fund Custodian will meet with a member of the BSOS Dean’s Office to reconcile participant receipts and remaining cash on hand. Unused cash should be returned to the Cashiering Office.
If a cash draw is necessary before the 60-day review, the reconciliation and accounting process can be completed early. The accounting and reconciliation process must occur before any additional cash can be drawn on an MOU.
Any unused cash should be returned by the department to OSFSC under the Dean's Office research payment suspense account, not the project account. The return should be completed before the reconciliation process, and the receipt for the return must be included as part of the reconciliation documentation.
The Dean's Office does not keep original logs from participants, or receipts from OSFSC.
Documents:
FAQs
