Using the UCL PATT Rolling Grant

THE PATT ROLLING GRANT CAME TO AN END ON 2012 MARCH 31

The level of use had fallen to such low levels that a rolling grant (or, more correctly, a 'Linked Grant') was no longer justifiable. Of course, all PATT-sponsored observing runs continue to be funded, but through individual grants to observers; see "Applying for Time on STFC Astronomy Facilities".

The notes on the STFC web site aren't particularly clear. Diane Greening at STFC advises "first...email me [] with a copy of the original proposal and confirmation of time awarded."
[I think this is only strictly necessary for telescopes (including "PATT approved" telescopes) that are not directly reviewed by PATT, but it can't hurt to apply this for all telescopes.]

After getting approval from her, you then submit a standard grant application through Je-S:

Log in
Choose 'Documents' from the left-hand menu
Choose 'New Document'
From drop-downs, choose 'STFC', 'Standard Proposal', 'PATT Travel Grants', 'Open (none)', and then 'Create Document'
Work through the resulting form:
1. Duration is 3 months
2. If you are not listed as an eligible PI and think you should be, contact the Je-S help desk (or pick someone to front your application). Cost type is 'Directly Allocated'. Put in spoof numbers 'hours to be worked on grant', 'salary rate' etc. – you're not seeking salaries so anything can go in here.
3. Give minimal answers (typically "n/a") to all questions for which Je-S insists on an entry.
4. Towards the end of the process, provide, as "Attachments", the telescope application, confirmation of time award, and T&S form (Wurd document).

If your actual experience is at odds with this guidance, do let me know so that these notes can be corrected or updated.

The following notes are left for reference (particularly in respect of any outstanding claims.)

General

These notes summarize procedures intended to make use of the PATT Rolling Grant as simple as possible, while retaining the necessary level of financial recording required for accountability, both to UCL and STFC. The current Principal Investigator is Ian Howarth (idh), and the UCL account code is CJAKD.

The most important things are:
(i) Make sure that you're eligible for PATT support,
(ii) Get authorization (from Ian Howarth or Nick Achilleos), and
(iii) Complete a PATT expenditure form on your return (available in pdf, OpenOffice odt (and OOffice-1 sxw) and MS-Wurd doc formats),
and return it promptly to idh

STFC provide guidelines for subsistence rates, number of non-observing nights allowed, and permitted travel costs N.B. skip the opening notes on the STFC web site about the Je-SRP1 form).
These guidelines should be consulted before making any purchases or reservations. Occasionally, STFC rates for accommodation at observatory sites may be out of date; in that case, actual costs (as documented by receipts) may be claimed.

If in doubt, feel free to consult Ian Howarth.

Eligibility

You may use the Rolling Grant to fund your observing trips providing the following conditions are met:

You are a permanent member of staff, or a PDRA employed on a research grant. Students may not normally charge observing costs to the PATT grant.
[Separate funds are available to support student participation in runs for training purposes. Only exceptionally may a student whose credentials have firmly established her/him as a bona fide observer have costs borne by the PATT grant, conditional on prior approval from STFC and/or idh. Such observations may not form part of the PhD training.]
You have been awarded observing time on a PATT-supported telescope and your PATT award letter specifies that funding for an observer is approved (if more than one observer has been approved, please supply a copy of the letter to idh), OR
You have been awarded observing time as Principal Investigator on a telescope on the STFC 'approved list', and are the sole observer.
If you have been awarded observing time as a Co-Investigator at a STFC-approved telescope, or as Principal Investigator on a non-approved telescope, you will need to seek approval to attend as an observer from PATT/Swindon indirectly, through idh. Please supply a copy of the original proposal, the time allocation announcement, and a case explaining why it is essential that you attend to conduct the observations.

[If in doubt as to eligibility, refer to the STFC PATT instructions; you'll need to scroll down to the "eligibility" section.]

Air Travel

You can book air tickets in several ways, of which the most convenient are likely to be:

You can order tickets on-line in the Finance Office (E10) while Nadia is there (Mon-Thu at the time of writing) to make the payment with a Departmental credit card, up to the UCL-imposed credit-card limit of £250.
You can make your own on-line booking, and immediately submit a claim. Staff (including postdocs), and postgrads who are known to the payroll system (e.g., those paid for any demonstrating or marking), have to make their claims through i-Expenses. Otherwise, the Finance Officer, Deborah Buck, can arrange reimbursement.
You can ask the Group A administrator to make a booking on your behalf (at the time of writing, through Statesman Travel).

Basic overseas costs

It is STFC practice to pay per diems, rather than expenses, to simplify processing. Their current rates are available on-line, and should be adopted. Per diem payments are made in sterling. They can be claimed in retrospect, or in advance, but you should allow 2–3 weeks for payments to be processed. In either case, payments should be arranged with Mrs. Buck
N.B. don't even think about doing this through iExpenses – it's a per diem, not an expenses claim.
Update: Mrs Buck has indicated that the very last PATT claims should, after all, be processed as iExpenses. Please check with her before proceeding, just in case of further changes in procedures.

Additional costs

It is PATT practice to reimburse actual travel costs, and per diem subsistence costs, so 'additional costs' will normally only be incidental travel expenses, such as taxi fares. These can be reclaimed on your return (normally through iExpenses); receipts will be required, of course.

On your return

Please reclaim any additional expenditure within three months of your return (College requirement). There are two final things to attend to, even if you have no extra costs to claim:

Keep any boarding passes or hotel receipts. UCL Finance Office have, from time to time, required documentary evidence that you actually went abroad before agreeing to advance money for a next trip; in any case, it's good practice to keep major receipts (e.g., for hotel bills) in case the grant gets audited by STFC (it happens!)
Complete the PATT expenditure form (pdf, odt) and return it to idh. The most important thing on the form is the total cost of the trip, in sterling (just add together the travel & subsistence costs). This is the main piece of paperwork tracking spend, so please remember to do this!

Maintained by Ian Howarth