JELF Award Finalization will proceed according to these steps:

1. Upon a positive CFI decision, the College (in consultation with RFS and RSO as needed) will conduct a risk analysis to determine the feasibility proceeding with CFI award finalization and early account set-up ahead of provincial decision. Risk analysis will determine whether the project can proceed to award finalization and submission of the Award Finalization Form (AFF). It can proceed if all of the following criteria are met:
   
   • The College is willing to assume the financial risk of a negative decision from ORF
   • There is no inter-institutional or other partner agreement required
   • Any changes to space, or physical resource requirements have been approved by Physical Resources, RFS, the department and college
   • Any proposed change to application items and budget has been discussed with RFS and RSO, and there is a justifiable rationale for change; in this case, an updated budget must be submitted for CFI approval. (See Policy and Program Guide, p. 30)
   • The application for provincial matching funds can be reasonably expected to satisfy Ontario requirements based on: strong value to Ontario, and not considered “high risk” according to the province’s Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk checklist
2. If any of these criteria are not met, the award finalization will only proceed after a positive decision has been received from the MCU-Ontario Research Fund.
3. If all criteria are met, the PI can submit to cfi.rfs@uoguelph.ca [1] (cc stratprg@uoguelph.ca [2]):
   
   1. The signed Early Account Set-Up form [3]
   2. E-mail from PI, or if operating funds are to be used, email from an authorized account holder, confirming the account to charge for any University’s cash contribution.
   3. If changes are requested, submit an Award Finalization Spreadsheet [4] and a UGuelph CFI Change Request Form [5].
      
      1. Please transfer information from the original application spreadsheet onto this new finalization spreadsheet. Do not change the order of (or omit) any items from the original application spreadsheet.
      2. Complete UGuelph CFI Change Request Form [5] and submit quotes for any new items requested.
4. Once the AFF has been approved by CFI and the CFI agreement issued, RSO will authorize the early account set-up and IOF account set up.
5. Purchasing of all items must follow the University’s procurement guidelines [6].  Items in excess of $100,000 must follow the competitive bidding process prior to the actual purchase. Please contact Procurement (purchasing.helpdesk@uoguelph.ca [7]) to discuss the University’s purchasing process.  Purchasing Services will also provide assistance with single source justification (per U of G policy) for all items in excess of $5,000.  (You can contact Purchasing Services for guidance at any stage in the above process.)

NOTE: Early account set-ups may be paused for one round following a change in provincial government