Managing Ancillary Reviews
Note: The attachments contain job aids and Ancillary Review matrices related to this article.
Note: If we have received notification from a sponsor requesting modification to language in either a submitted proposal or current award the Department will submit a Federal Transition 2025 Project Modification Ancillary Review. A job aid for this process can be found attached at the right-hand side of this page titled "Federal Transition 2025 Project Modification Ancillary Review."
Ancillary reviews are optional reviews that can be included on a per-project basis. Reviewers can be any specific person or organization in CERES. Ancillary reviews take place concurrently with the normal review workflows and can be added to funding proposals, awards, award modifications, and agreements. In certain circumstances, such as institutional cost sharing, PI eligibility, and requesting an F&A waiver, an ancillary review must be included. Review the CERES Ancillary Review Matrix for detailed information on the types of ancillary reviews. Many ancillary review types will be used exclusively by Sponsored Research when obtaining input from other compliance offices at the university.
Add Ancillary Reviews
Ancillary reviews are carried out in parallel with standard review cycles. As a user with edit rights on a project, you can assign ancillary reviewers, who can submit their reviews at any point in the project workflow. Activities causing a state transition display information about all ancillary reviews assigned for the project. They also warn of any outstanding required ancillary reviews.
To add ancillary reviewers
- From your CERES inbox or one of the tabs on the appropriate Grants page, click the name of the project for which to assign an ancillary reviewer.
- In the project workspace, click Manage Ancillary Reviews.
- In the Manage Ancillary Reviews form, click Add. A Manage Ancillary Reviews slide-in window appears.
- On the Add Ancillary Review form, select an organization or person to complete the review. Begin typing the name of the organization or person you want to add as a reviewer. Alternatively, you can click the ellipses on the right to select an organization or person from the list.
- Note: Select the appropriate organization with the prefix Anc Rvw-. Ancillary reviewers must be assigned to an organization for the Organization option to be available. To determine if a review by Export Controls is required for an award, reference the CERES Export Control Ancillary Review Checklist for Awards.
- Click the Review Type drop-down arrow and select the appropriate Ancillary Review Type.
- Select Yes or No to indicate whether a response is required for this ancillary review.
- Note: All required ancillary reviews on a funding proposal must be completed for submission to a sponsor. If ancillary reviews that are marked as required are outstanding, the workflow will stop at the Pending Submission to Sponsor state, and the funding proposal cannot be submitted for sponsor review. For awards and award modifications, all required ancillary reviews must be completed or the workflow will stop at the Draft state, and the award cannot move forward for final review.
- Add comments or supporting documents for the reviewer as necessary.
- Click OK or OK and Add Another to add multiple ancillary reviews. For example, if there are multiple departments committing cost share, you will need to add an ancillary review for each department.
- When finished adding reviewers, click OK on the Manage Ancillary Reviewers form to save your changes and close the slide-in window.
- The added ancillary reviews will appear in the table on the Manage Ancillary Review activity window. Click OK to save and return to the project workspace.
You are returned to the project workspace. The assigned ancillary reviewers receive email notifications, and the submission appears in their CERES inbox.
To check the progress of an ancillary review
- From your CERES inbox or one of the tabs on the appropriate Grants page, open the project whose ancillary reviews you want to check.
- On the project workspace, click the Reviewers tab. Note: If the Reviewers tab does not display, click the ellipsis to show additional tabs.
- Examine the Ancillary Review area at the bottom of the page to see:
- All ancillary reviews assigned for this project.
- Whether they were assigned to individuals or organizations.
- Whether they are required.
- Whether they have been completed.
Whether the reviewers found the projects to be acceptable. The Accepted column will display whether the ancillary review was approved.