When the principal investigator (PI) of a sponsored award leaves the University of South Carolina and wishes to transfer the award to a new institution, the PI should notify his/her department chair, the sponsor and your SAM administrator. All transfer requests must go through SAM and must be approved by the sponsor.  

SAM will provide guidance on each sponsor’s requirements for terminating or transferring a sponsored award. Another option in lieu of a transfer of the entire award includes the appointment of a substitute PI at USC and subcontracting a portion of the work to the new institution. Some sponsors, including NSF and NIH, have standard processes and require the submission of forms with institutional signatures submitted through their electronic systems (Research.gov and eRA Commons). Typically, transferring an award requires the combined efforts of the PI, the sponsor, the PI’s department, SAM, Grants and Funds Management and the sponsored projects office at the new institution. 

 

PI Transfer Request Procedures

Notify the program official at the sponsoring agency, your department chair/head and your SAM administrator in writing that you are leaving USC and that you request the transfer of your award to the new institution. (See sample transfer letter [docx].) The notification you send to SAM should include the following information:

• Principal investigator's name
• Sponsor name
• Grant/award number
• Institution to which the transfer is requested
• Effective date of transfer/date of termination at USC
• Amount (estimated) of unobligated funds remaining
• Contact information of the office equivalent to SAM at the new institution
• Signature of the PI
• Signature of the chair

Guidance on transferring awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is available in the National Institutes of Health Grant Policy Statement 2021, section 8.1.2.7 Change of Recipient Organization.

Guidance on transferring awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) is available in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide, section 20-1 Disposition of a Grant When a PI/PD Transfers from One Organization to Another Organization (VIII.B.2.f).