AIACC Global Kick-off Meeting

Reporting Requirements and Funds Distribution for the AIACC Project
Handout Provided at Nairobi Kick-Off Meeting, 15 February 2002

A. Submission of Semi-Annual Financial and Progress Reports
The administering institutions and principal investigators of AIACC regional projects shall submit semi-annual reports to be received by TWAS and START no later than January 15 and July 15 of each project year. The reports shall be signed by the Principal Investigator and the Head of the Administering Institution. The reports shall include:

1) Expense Report (form will be provided)
2) Inventory of Non-Expendable Equipment (form will be provided)
3) Receipts (photocopies) for non-expendable equipment
4) Progress Report that includes the status of tasks outlined in the project work plan, lessons learned, problems encountered, etc. (form and instructions will be provided)
5) Description (or inclusion) of any intermediate products, such as manuscripts, model and/or database descriptions, workshop descriptions/outcomes, etc.

B. Cash Advances
Contrary to previous announcements at the Nairobi Kick-Off meeting, project funds shall be distributed to AIACC projects as semi-annual cash advances. The first cash advance will be provided approximately 2 to 3 weeks after all necessary signatures are obtained for the grant agreements. (Some projects are still missing necessary country endorsements. Grant agreements will not be signed by START and TWAS until the necessary endorsements are received by UNEP.) The first cash advance will be 50% of the approved project budget for the year 2002.

The second cash advance will be made after receipt and approval of the semi-annual report for the first half of the calendar year. If approved eligible expenditures for the first 6 months are 75% or more of the previously advanced funds, the remaining 50% of the 2002 budget will be advanced. If approved, eligible expenses are less than 75% of previously advanced funds, an amount equal to 50% of the annual budget minus the cash balance will be advanced. This same procedure will be followed for each subsequent 6-month period of the project.

To facilitate the first cash advance, Principal Investigators and/or their Administering Institutions shall provide account information to TWAS and START as soon as possible. This should include any information necessary for electronic funds transfer, including the account name, number, transfer codes, bank name and address, etc. Funds may not be transferred into private accounts. If the Principal Investigator and/or Administering Institution would prefer a different form of cash advance (such as a check), please communicate this to AIACC as soon as possible.

C. Calendar for Future Reporting and Funds Distribution
Task Dates:

• 1 January – 30 June Report Period 1 July – 31 December Report Period
• Semi-Annual Financial and Progress Reports Due 15 July 15 January
• Cash Advances Distributed to AIACC Projects 21 Aug – 7 Sept (approximate dates) 21 Feb –7 Mar (approximate dates)
• Final Scientific Report Due Four Months from Project Completion Date
• Journal Article Manuscript(s) Due Four Months from Project Completion Date

D. Submission of Final Scientific Report and Journal Article Manuscript
Within four months of the project completion date, the Principal Investigator shall submit a final scientific report and manuscript(s) of article(s) to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

The final scientific report shall provide detailed information about methods, applications, data, results/products, etc. If there have been any eligible expenditures after the last financial report, the Principal Investigator will include an additional financial report that includes additional yearly and cumulative expenditures.