Free CPRA Practice Questions

Question 1

A university plans two outside agreements for a federal research project. A biotechnology company will design one scientific aim, select the methods, and interpret the findings. Another university's core laboratory will perform a standard assay it sells to many customers, using samples and instructions supplied by the principal investigator. How should the two relationships be classified?

Accepted Answer

The company is a subrecipient; the core laboratory is a contractor.

Answer

The company is a contractor; the core laboratory is a subrecipient.

Answer

Both are subrecipients because their work contributes to the research objectives.

Answer

Both are contractors because the university will pay them for specified deliverables.

Question 2

Year 2 of a federal award includes $140,000 in salaries, fringe benefits, supplies, and travel; $24,000 in equipment; and a $70,000 installment on an existing subaward. The prime already included $36,000 of that subaward in its Year 1 facilities and administrative (F&A) cost base. Its negotiated rate is 55% of modified total direct costs (MTDC), using the 2024 Uniform Guidance definition with no additional exclusions. What F&A amount belongs in the Year 2 budget?

Accepted Answer

$84,700

Answer

$77,000

Answer

$104,500

Answer

$128,700

Question 3

At 3:00 p.m. on an NIH application's due date, Grants.gov shows that the application was received. In eRA Commons, however, a missing required document has produced an error and prevented assembly of the application. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. local time, both systems are operating normally, and the document is ready. Which action preserves the opportunity for an on-time submission?

Accepted Answer

Submit a changed/corrected application on time and verify successful NIH validation.

Answer

Email the document to the program officer and retain the original submission receipt.

Answer

Wait for the two-business-day viewing period to replace the incomplete application.

Answer

Rely on the Grants.gov timestamp and provide the document if NIH requests it later.

Question 4

An NIH R01 application was reviewed under the simplified review framework. One reviewer's ratings are Importance of the Research: 2; Rigor and Feasibility: 8; Expertise and Resources: sufficient. Before planning a resubmission, the principal investigator asks what this pattern means. Which interpretation is supported?

Accepted Answer

The research is important, but its rigor and feasibility need substantial improvement.

Answer

The importance of the research is the principal weakness identified by this reviewer.

Answer

The missing numerical score for expertise and resources requires an administrative correction.

Answer

The overall-impact score must be 50 because the two numerical factor scores average to 5.

Question 5

Two departments have independently prepared proposals for a foundation competition. Each department chair has approved its team's application. The foundation's current announcement permits one application per university, and university policy assigns limited-submission selection to a central review committee. Both proposals can still meet the deadline. What is the appropriate route to submission?

Accepted Answer

Use the central committee to select one applicant from the two proposals.

Answer

Submit the proposal that received department approval first.

Answer

Submit one proposal per department using separate application accounts.

Answer

Have the two chairs designate a nominee without review by the central committee.

Question 6

An NIH award issued in April 2026 will support 30% of a principal investigator's effort from April 1 through September 30, 2026. The investigator has a 12-month institutional base salary of $300,000, and the applicable annual NIH salary cap is $228,000 throughout this six-month period. The university will maintain the full salary associated with the committed effort. Excluding fringe benefits and F&A, which funding pair is correct?

Accepted Answer

$34,200 from NIH; $10,800 from nonfederal salary funds.

Answer

$45,000 from NIH; no nonfederal salary funding is needed.

Answer

$34,200 from NIH; no nonfederal salary funding is needed.

Answer

$68,400 from NIH; $21,600 from nonfederal salary funds.

Question 7

A colleague removes the mentoring plan from an NSF research proposal because the only trainee it supports is a doctoral student, not a postdoctoral researcher. The student's salary and tuition remain in the budget, and the solicitation follows the PAPPG's standard requirements. The research administrator should:

Accepted Answer

Include a one-page mentoring plan in Supplementary Documentation.

Answer

Leave the plan out because the budget contains no postdoctoral researcher.

Answer

Describe mentoring solely in the student's budget justification.

Answer

Add a separate one-page mentoring plan to the Project Description.

Question 8

A pediatric research team plans to collect blood samples solely for research tomorrow. The institutional review board (IRB) has not approved the nonexempt study. The principal investigator says, 'The parents are willing, and we can use departmental money while approval is pending.' University policy requires prospective IRB approval regardless of funding source. What should the research administrator communicate?

Accepted Answer

Defer the research-only blood draws until the IRB has approved the study.

Answer

Use departmental funds until the anticipated federal award is issued.

Answer

Begin once parental permission and the children's agreement are documented.

Answer

Limit collection to a pilot group while the full protocol is under review.

Question 9

A proposed multisite federal award needs a coordinator whose project-specific administrative work is integral to the study. The coordinator's effort can be identified to the award and will not also be recovered through F&A. The institution consistently treats comparable work as direct, and the sponsor imposes no additional approval condition. Applying the revised 2 CFR 200.413(c), how should the salary be treated?

Accepted Answer

The salary may be charged directly to this project under the stated conditions.

Answer

It must remain in F&A because the employee's duties are administrative.

Answer

It requires a federal designation of the study as a major project before direct charging.

Answer

It must be institutionally funded until the sponsor provides a separate written approval.

Question 10

While completing an NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form, an investigator mentions free laboratory access worth $7,500 from another university. The access supports a separate ongoing research project, is not intended for the proposed NIH study, and requires 0.6 calendar months of the investigator's time each year. No money passes through the investigator's home institution. Where should this resource be reported?

Accepted Answer

As current in-kind support, including its value, time commitment, and potential overlap.

Answer

In Facilities and Other Resources, because it is access to space rather than financial support.

Answer

In the biographical sketch only, because the arrangement is an unpaid outside affiliation.

Answer

Nowhere in the support disclosures, because the home institution receives no funds.

Free CPRA Practice Questions

Domain 1: Research Partnership and Funding 25% of exam

Question 1

Question 2

Domain 2: Project Development and Proposal Submission 30% of exam

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Domain 3: Budget Design and Development 30% of exam

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Domain 4: Awards and Pre-Award Compliance Considerations 15% of exam

Question 9

Question 10

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