1. Definition. A cost transfer is the moving of an expense from one account fund to another after the charge has been posted to an official USNH financial accounting record.
2. Policy. Every effort should be made to charge account funds promptly, accurately, and according to applicable rules and regulations. In certain circumstances, however, expenses may have to be moved. To be considered allowable, cost transfers must be timely, documented and explained in detail, adhere to the sponsor's standards, and have all appropriate University authorizations.
2.1 Any cost transfer that would result in a charge to a sponsored program account fund for the following types of expenses or situations must be initiated in the USNH accounting system at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Business Service Center (BSC) after approval (either in writing or electronic form) from the Project Director (PD) or designee. Further approvals are required from either the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), or the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) or the New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (CE) for USDA land grant appropriations:
2.1.1 Foreign travel (except Canada, Mexico, and US possessions)
2.1.2 Domestic travel (only for certain USDA land grant appropriations)
2.1.3 Equipment (see USNH policy on equipment for current equipment capitalization threshold)
2.1.4 Fabricated equipment
2.1.5 Transfers (payroll and non-payroll) initiated at 90 days or more after the original transaction posting date
2.1.6 Transfers removing a bottom line deficit from a sponsored program account fund and charging another sponsored program account fund.
2.2 All requests for non-payroll cost transfers not subject to prior approval by OSR, AES, or CE (see 2.1 above) which would result in a charge to a sponsored program account fund are subject to review and prior approval in writing by the Project Director and by the USNH Controller's Office.
2.3 Payroll related transfers initiated at less than 90 days after the original transaction posting date are subject to after-the-fact review by OSR (or AES or CE, as appropriate.)
3. Documentation. Each request for transfer must include related supporting documentation and specific details regarding the basis/cause of the request, and be responsive to the following questions:
1) Why is the original charge now deemed to be incorrect and/or inappropriate?
2) What actions, if any, have been taken to prevent the requirement for such transfers in the future?
3) What makes the expense an appropriate charge to the account fund to which the expense transfer is requested?
References:
OMB Circular A-21:C.4.b Allocable costs
OMB Circular A-110:Subpart C, __.21 Standards for financial management systems
__.27 Allowable costs
__.52 Financial reporting
USNH Policy on Acquisition of Equipment, Procedures 11-020
Administrative Responsibility: UNH Vice President for Research
Effective date: 7/1/95; revised 7/16/97, 12/14/98, 4/26/07