How do I go about setting up a PAIRE account?
Why do I need VA approval if I’m going through PAIRE?
How do I get R & D Committee approval?
How do I get Education Committee approval?
Does my Education Activity have to be research related?
Can I use funds donated for education for my research?
What is the process for getting a signed research agreement?
Which should I do first, human/animal approval, R & D approval, or research agreement review?
Where can I find out more about the VA nonprofit corporations?
Does PAIRE administer NIH and/or other government grants?
I’ve applied for and been notified that I’ll be awarded a grant without ever talking with the PAIRE office. Now what?
What’s PAIRE ’s Federal Tax ID  (aka EIN, FIN, TIN)?
Does PAIRE pay Sales Tax or Use Tax to the State of California?
What do I need to turn in with the Check Request (or other) Form in order to be reimbursed?

How do I go about setting up a PAIRE account?

You need VA approval and Funding:

1.      VA approval—In order to have a PAIRE account you must have one of the following:

a)      an R & D Committee approved research project  (How do I get R & D Committee approval?)

      or

b)      an education activity that’s been approved by the Education Committee  (How do I get Education Committee approval?)

2.      Funding—All PAIRE funds are derived from one of the following sources:

a)      a donation accompanied by a letter on company letterhead (if the donation is from a company) stating the purpose of the donation and any restrictions imposed  (See Sample Donor letter);

b)      a research agreement signed by a PAIRE official (P.I.’s cannot sign for PAIRE)  (What is the process for getting a signed research agreement?);

c)      a grant from a governmental agency, private foundation or company  (I’ve applied for and been notified that I’ll be awarded a grant without ever talking with the PAIRE office, Now what?).

Why do I need VA approval if I’m going through PAIRE?

The statute authorizing the establishment of nonprofit corporations at VA facilities prohibits us from administering funds for anything other than VA approved research or education activities.

How do I get R & D Committee approval?

Go to www.rdispaloalto.net and follow the instructions.

How do I get Education Committee approval?

Fill out the Education Activity Request form, sign it, get your Service (not Section) Chief’s signature and send it (along with a check, letter, and/or other pertinent information) to PAIRE at 151P for routing to the Education Committee.

Does my Education Activity have to be research related?

No.  Congress has given the VA nonprofits the authority to administer funds for employee or patient education, activities designed to promote the exchange of information, and continuing medical education activities, provided that such activities are consistent with the VA health care mission.

Can I use funds donated for education for my research?

Funds donated for education may be used for some of the same general expenses that researchers have such as travel for educational purposes, to purchase books or journals or to pay memberships to organizations in furtherance of your research, as long as they are not in conflict with the purpose stated on your Education Activity Request or the donor’s letter.  Some expenditures that are not appropriate for educational funds are subject fees and lab supplies.

What is the process for getting a signed research agreement?

In order for PAIRE to sign a research agreement (aka contract, clinical study agreement) it must have both legal and budgetary reviews.  These can and should happen concurrently.

1.      Legal Review—For sponsors who do not have their own agreements we have a template agreement available.  Usually sponsors have an agreement they use.  Tell the sponsor not to bother sending a final version for signature as the first step; they almost always need some changes.  Forward it, any cover letter that came with it, and the information listed below to the PAIRE office. 

•   P.I. Name (and contact info if the P.I. has never submitted a VA project)
  
  
•   Study Title
  
  
•   Sponsor's Protocol Number
  
  
•   Name, title, email address, mailing address, fax & phone number of our contact person at the Sponsor for contract issues
  
  
•   An electronic version of the agreement if possible
  
  
•   A copy of the Protocol
  
  
•   Anticipated start date
  
  
•   An indication that this a multicenter study, and if so, what other VA nonprofits are involved, if applicable.

2.      Budgetary Review—The PAIRE office and P.I. must reach an understanding regarding the budget items for which we’ll need to reimburse the hospital.  These will be clinical expenses incurred solely for the research study.  A major part of this process is obtaining the approved (signed) Service Impact determinations generated by the online RDIS project approval process.  After discussion with the P.I. and obtaining costs from VA, we will draft a document for signature.

Which should I do first, human/animal approval, R & D approval, or research agreement review?

They can all be in process at the same time to optimize review and approval.

Where can I find out more about the VA nonprofit corporations?

The website of the National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations is a great source of information.  It can be found at www.navref.org.

Does PAIRE administer NIH and/or other government grants?

Yes.  However, Stanford faculty should have these grants administered by Stanford.

I’ve applied for and been notified that I’ll be awarded a grant without ever talking with the PAIRE office. Now what?

1.      Get started on human/animal approval and R & D approval (www.rdispaloalto.net).

2.      Give the PAIRE office a copy of the instructions (or a website on which to find them) for grant submission.

3.      Submit a complete copy of your application packet and any correspondence you’ve had with the grantor to the PAIRE office.

4.      We’ll review the budget and check the application for inaccuracies and discuss remedies with you.

What’s PAIRE ’s Federal Tax ID?  (aka EIN, FIN, TIN)

77-0207331

NIH, however, asks for an Entity Identification Number which is a modification of our Tax ID.  It is 1770207331A1.

Does PAIRE pay Sales Tax or Use Tax to the State of California?

Yes, PAIRE pays Sales Tax on all purchases of goods, even if the vendor is out of state and even if the vendor has not charged it on their invoice.

What do I need to turn in with the Check Request (or other) Form in order to be reimbursed?

We always need to see a detailed receipt or invoice and proof of payment.  We need to be able to show our auditors what we paid for, and to assure that the person we paid incurred the expense.  A copy of your credit card statement is great to show that you paid, but it’s not enough to show what we’re paying for.  Similarly, a quote from a website may have all the details about what we’re buying, but if it doesn’t say “paid by credit card xxxx” then we’ll still need proof of payment.

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Last Modified: December 5, 2006