CPI Project Planning & Execution 3

Question 1

A PI needs to rebudget $15,000 from personnel to equipment costs. Under most federal grants, this requires prior sponsor approval when the rebudget exceeds what threshold?

Accepted Answer

10% or $25,000 of the award

Answer

NIH and most federal agencies require prior approval when rebudgeting exceeds 25% of the total award or $250,000; however, many institutional policies set a stricter internal threshold around 10% or $25,000.

Question 2

Which cost is considered 'unallowable' under the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) for federally funded research?

Accepted Answer

Alcoholic beverages purchased for a laboratory celebration

Answer

Alcoholic beverages are explicitly listed as unallowable costs under 2 CFR 200 and cannot be charged to a federal grant under any circumstances.

Question 3

A no-cost extension (NCE) is used primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Allow additional time to complete research objectives without additional funds

Answer

A no-cost extension provides extra time beyond the original project period to finish work using already-awarded funds, without requesting more money.

Question 4

When building a research project timeline, the 'critical path' refers to:

Accepted Answer

The sequence of tasks that determines the minimum project duration

Answer

The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks; any delay in a critical-path task directly delays the entire project's completion date.

Question 5

A PI is preparing a budget justification. Personnel effort must be expressed in terms of:

Accepted Answer

Percent effort (person-months) dedicated to the project

Answer

Federal sponsors require effort to be reported as a percentage of total professional effort, often converted to person-months for clarity.

(CPI) Certified Principal Investigator Practice Test

(CPI) Certified Principal Investigator Practice Test

CPI Project Planning & Execution 3