Q1: What is a commitment?
A: At the proposal stage - it's the amount of effort you propose in a grant proposal or other project application, regardless if salary support is requested. (Commitments can be found in the SOW, budget, budget justification - but must be specific and quantified).

A: At the award stage - it's the Amount of effort proposed that the sponsor accepts & awards, regardless of salary support. (the proposal or commitments listing may be included in the notice of grant award, but not always - varies by agency. if it's not there - you'll have to refer to the proposal as your commitment guide).

Q2: Who has commitments?
A: Anyone who is listed and identified in the proposal or award as having these roles: PI, Co-PI, Key Personnel.

A: If the proposal does not have a key person section (or listing), UW policy states that the only key personnel are the PI & Co-I. In these cases, only the PI & Co-I's have trackable commitments.

Q3: Where do commitments get entered at UW & Tracked?
A: Commitments are entered by campus in WISPER at the award set up stage. Commitments (and any changes) are then are tracked in the Peoplesoft system by RSP Post Award. To request a change in commitment, use the Cost Sharing & Commitments Update form.

Q4: What documents in the award process should govern the commitments?
A: When determining which documents to use as the guide for the Sponsor expecteded commitment, review the following documents in the order as listed:

1. Award
2. JIT Information including Revised budget & justifications
3. Proposal budget

Q5: What should I enter in WISPER as the commitment?
A: You should enter in all commitments, for all key personnel as a percentage of the person's total effort. WISPER has start and end dates on commitments and allows for variable (non-constant) commitments to be entered using the start and end dates. ECRTwill pull this data, translate it to a what the commitment is for the 6 month certification period, and display that amount in ECRT. This information is intended to be used as a guide to ONLY certify for that cert period. ECRT may display all commitments and future commitments in future updates. For now, there is an effort calculator that may help.

Ex: If a person works on a project budget period for 6 months Jan-May @ 5% and June @100%, the overall commitment for 6 months = 21%.

In WISPER - campus should enter commitments like this:

Jan 1 - May 31 = 5%
June 1 - June 30 = 100%

The overall 21% commitment will be displayed used as the baseline for determining changes in accordance with Sponsor policy.

Q6: Are there any exceptions to the policy? Do I have to enter commitments for everything?
A: Commitments do not have to be entered into WISPER for the following types of awards in most cases:

• Non-Federal Clinical Trials
• Equipment & Instrumentation Grants
• Doctoral Dissertation Grants
• Fellowships/Training Grants

Q7: Where can I get advice and guidance?
A: For help on commitments & proposal entering in WISPER - contact: WISPER@rsp.wisc.edu

A: For changes in commitments to existing awards, submit the Cost Share & Commitments Update form to your RSP Post Award accountant on that project.

A: For help on commitments & effort certification in ECRT - contact: ecrt@rsp.wisc.edu

A: For effort policy issues on commitments - contact: effort@rsp.wisc.edu