Page at a Glance:
What services does OCGA provide to the UCSD Researcher and their Administrative Staff?
Is OCGA the only UCSD administrative office who will review my contract or grant proposal?
How do post award responsibilities differ between the OCGA and OPAFS?
Does OCGA interface with other Research Administrative Offices on campus?
Does OCGA offer a "Briefing List" so I can be notified about important announcements?
Want to learn more? Take the About OCGA narrated online class.
The primary mission of OCGA is to provide customer-focused expertise and professional guidance, while efficiently and effectively advancing research, instruction, and other sponsored activities within the UCSD research community.
What role does OCGA perform for the UCSD campus?
Under formal delegated authority of the UC Office of the President via the UCSD Chancellor, OCGA performs 4 major roles for the UCSD campus. They include:
Proposal Review:
Which is a brief, yet important review of the completed proposal package. This review, which may affect submission, as well as acceptance by the funding agency, can include locating potential red flags, verifying all appropriate budget costs have been included and have been justified, confirming that all agency guidelines and compliance requirements have been addressed, and that any other applicable components, forms, and paperwork, that the funding agency requires, has been included in the proposal package.
Proposal Submission:
Once the proposal review has taken place, the proposal will submitted by your contract and grant officer, either by mail or electronically, to the funding agency, anytime prior to their published deadline date.
Award Negotiation:
After the proposal has been submitted and selected by the funding agency, but prior to the funding dollars being dispersed, the terms and conditions of the award will be negotiated. In order to protect the researcher and their administrative department from financial risk, unduly burdensome requirements, and other restrictions which may infringe upon the researcher's academic freedom, each award is reviewed and then potentially negotiated, to ensure that the terms and conditions of the award are consistent with UCSD's research policies and practices.
Award Acceptance:
Once the terms and conditions of the award have been negotiated, the award will be accepted on behalf of The Regents of the University of California. In addition, since a UCSD researcher's project or program may not begin without the following approvals, prior to accepting the award, your contract and grant officer will ensure that any research compliance requirements, such as human subject, animal subject, or stem cell use protocols have been approved, as well as any conflict of interest disclosures, if required by the funding agency.
What services does OCGA provide to the UCSD Researcher and their Department Administrative Staff?
OCGA provide many services, as well as builds beneficial and necessary relationships with the UCSD researcher and their department's administrative staff.
OCGA and the Researcher:
The relationship that develops between the researcher and OCGA is built upon one goal; to submit the best possible proposal so the greatest amount of funding dollars can be awarded for their research project or program. Services provided by OCGA include:
Assuring the researcher's academic freedom to publish results
Hiring their research personnel without regard to citizen restrictions
Owning the data that has been developed
Protecting their rights and the research technologies that they develop
OCGA and the Department Administrative Staff:
The relationship that develops between the department administrative staff and OCGA is on-going, collaborative, strong, and quite valuable. OCGA provides these departments with numerous beneficial services that can include, but are not limited to:
Guiding and educating the department on the overall research mission of UCSD
Interpreting its research policies, procedures, and compliance requirements
Providing answers to budget preparation questions
Interpreting the many facets of complex contract language
Performing any necessary tasks or duties when interfacing with:
Other UC campuses
UC Office of the President
Other UCSD central administrative departments
Is OCGA the only UCSD administrative office who will review my contract or grant proposal?
OCGA handles all proposals from General Campus and Health Sciences researchers, with the exception of NIH grant proposals from Health Sciences department/ORUs.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) Contract and Grant Office is a satellite office of OCGA, handles proposal for all SIO researchers.
Health Sciences Sponsored Projects Pre-Award Office (HSSPPO) is a component of the Health Sciences Dean's Office, handling only NIH grant proposals from Health Sciences departments or ORUs. This office operates under the joint guidance of OCGA and the Health Sciences Dean's Office.
For further information on which UCSD office will review my proposal, click here.
For further information on which UCSD office will administer the award once it has been made, click here.
How do post award responsibilities differ between the OCGA and OPAFS?
OCGA handles a large variety of post award issues with the funding agency, including formal requests for rebudgeting, no cost extensions, and changes of Principal Investigator, whereas, the Office of Post Award and Financial Services (OPAFS) establishes award accounts after award acceptance by OCGA and handles payment and allowability of cost questions/issues throughout the period of the award.
Does OCGA interface with other Research Administrative Offices on campus?
OCGA interfaces with other campus Research Administrative Offices such as Human Subjects, Animal Subjects, Environmental Health and Safety, Conflict of Interest, Purchasing, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Services, Office of Post Award Financial Services, Academic Affairs, and the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Does OCGA offer a "Briefing List" so I can be notified about important announcements?
Subscribing to the Briefing List is voluntary. If you would like to subscribe and receive announcements:
Send an e-mail to listserv@ucsd.edu,
Leave the subject line blank,
In the body of the message type in: add (your email address) briefing. For example: add jsmith@ucsd.edu briefing.
Our mailing address and physical address are different:
Our Mailing Address is:
Office of Contract and Grant Administration
University of California - San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0934
La Jolla, California 92093-0934
Our Physical Address is:
Office of Contract and Grant Administration
University of California, San Diego
10300 North Torrey Pines Road, 2nd Floor
La Jolla, California 92037
Please Note: For FedEx, UPS, Airborne/DHL, as well as other private courier deliveries, please use the "Physical Address" for OCGA stated above.
From Interstate 5:
Exit Genesee Avenue and head west
At the 3rd stoplight up the hill, turn left onto North Torrey Pines Road
Turn right at the first driveway you come to, which will be 10300 North Torrey Pines Road
We are the building straight ahead as you enter
Use the parking meters on your left for parking
Head down the stairs to Plaza Level & use the Elevator to 2nd Floor:
OCGA is to the left as you exit the elevator, or
Take the handicapped-accessible ramp to the right (North entrance) of the building:
You will be on Level 3, which is the 2nd Floor
Follow the hallway straight ahead and through the door
From UCSD:
Take the Torrey Pines Shuttle located near the Faculty Club
Arrive at Torrey Pines Center South
Take the ramp to the street and head North along North Torrey Pines Road
Turn into the lot at 10300
We are the building straight ahead as you enter
Head down the stairs to Plaza Level & use the Elevator to 2nd Floor:
OCGA is to the left as you exit the elevator, or
Take the handicapped-accessible ramp to the right (North entrance) of the building:
You will be on Level 3, which is the 2nd Floor
Follow the hallway straight ahead and through the door
For a campus map, click here. Torrey Pines Center North is located in the upper left-hand corner of the map.