The current AUC rate for recovering indirect costs and fringe benefits on sponsored programs is 110% of salaries and wages.
This Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) is the starting point for all sponsored program budget calculations. If the sponsor imposes a ceiling on indirect costs, OSP must obtain prior approval from the Vice President for Finance and Administration for an alternative approach or amount.
Definition of the Indirect Cost and Fringe Benefit Rate
How to calculate the Indirect Cost and Fringe Benefit Rate in a budget
Definition of the Indirect Cost and Fringe Benefit Rate
In addition to the "direct costs" of conducting a research project -- salaries, equipment, travel, etc. -- there are "indirect costs" involved. These indirect costs include administrative support and services and the use of university facilities for research. Indirect costs incorporate a wide range of university costs from administrative salaries to lights and water to the library. In addition, the costs of university personnel include both direct salary costs and fringe benefits.
Most sponsoring agencies recognize the right of universities to recover some of these costs when university personnel and facilities are involved in sponsored research. Most sponsors will agree to some form of cost-sharing with universities on the indirect costs of a sponsored research project.Typically US universities engaged in sponsored research negotiate with the US government a standard formula for sharing of indirect costs. Once a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate has been approved, most other sponsors will apply the same rate. AUC's rate has been negotiated with the US Agency for International Development.
How to calculate the Indirect Cost and Fringe Benefit Rate in a budget
In developing the budget for a sponsored research project, the direct and indirect costs should be shown separately. Personnel salary costs should also be shown separately from fringe benefit costs.In situations where the sponsor is not covering the full indirect costs, AUC and Sponsor cost-shares should be shown separately in the budget.For examples, see:
Sample budget with full indirect costs recovered from the sponsor
Sample budget with only a portion of indirect costs recovered
Sample budget with full indirect costs recovered from the sponsor
In this case, fringe benefits are included in the Indirect Costs category.
When indirect costs are not fully recovered (i.e., the rate used is lower than 110% of Salaries & Wages), the fringe benefits must show up as a direct cost. This approach can be used where sponsors have made clear that they will not cover the full costs of standard administrative and facilities charge, or where the University volunteers to reduce costs to a program by sharing costs. In either case, specific approval of the cost-share arrangement is required.