Qualifications

On eligible projects, for phones to qualify for a CAS exception both of the following statements must be true:

• The scope of work/research requires phone surveys, data capturing, the phone(s) is needed for participant safety, or the phone(s) is necessary to complete the goals of the project.
• The phone(s) costs charged to the project must reflect use solely for project activities and objectives and will not include the costs of personal calls.

If only one of these statements is true, then the expenditure does not qualify for a CAS exception.

If both statements are true, then a CAS exception may be allowable.

Budget justification

The budget justification must include all of the following:

• An explanation as to why the phone(s) is necessary to complete the scope of work.
• For projects conducting surveys, a detailed explanation as to how many phones will be needed, how many people will need the phones, and how many hours per week the phones will be used.
• A discussion as to what is unusual and/or different about the scope of work that makes the academic unit’s resources insufficient.
• An explanation as to how the PI or research team will ensure that the phone charges to the project will be solely for  project activities and objectives … i.e., will not include personal call charges.
• Any additional information that would strengthen the budget justification and further explain the unusual need or unlike circumstances for the phone(s).

Return to CAS standards guidance.