Office of Sponsored Programs
Significant Change of PI or other Key Personnel
Since the approval of the project has, to some degree, been based on the participation or qualifications of the PI and other key personnel, the sponsor requires notification whenever there is to be a significant change in the level of participation in the awarded project by the principal investigator (PI) or other Key Personnel named in the Notice of Grant Award. The sponsor has the option to either approve or disapprove of any proposed alternate plans related to the research.
Significant change in the level of participation may be defined as:
  1. The PI not giving active direction of the project for a continuous period of time greater than three months, e.g. sabbatical leave, or
  2. a 25% reduction in time devoted to the project.
The program officer/Grants Management Specialist at the awarding agency must be notified in a letter signed by the PI and a Signing Official of the Office of Sponsored Programs. The letter should detail the reason for the change in key personnel and provide the replacement PI's biosketch and other support/active pending document. These requests must be made prior to implementing any changes. OSP will make the appropriate changes to award files.
Specific Federal Agency Information for Significant Change of PI or other KP
National Science Foundation
NSF's policy for change in key personnel http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/gc1/feb12.pdf

 
National Institutes of Health
PHS/NIH's policy for change in key personnel http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2011/nihgps_ch8.htm#_Toc271264935
What to do?
When requesting prior approval for a change in PI, absence or reduction of effort > or = to 25% of personnel listed in the NGA, please submit the document on departmental letterhead signed by the PI to OSP. The request will be logged into PEER and assigned for review. Once counter singed by an Authorized Institutional Official, the request will be emailed to the Sponsor contact with a cc to the PI and Departmental Administrator. If you would prefer to submit the fully signed letter, please inform OSP in the email. Please allow OSP a minimum of three (3) full business days to review the approval request.