A: Please see PI policy OSP Memorandum-05

A:  For most proposals, it takes five days.  Proposals requiring cost share, subrecipients, Human subjects or animals may take additional time.

If all required documents are not received three full business days before the due date, Sponsored Programs cannot guarantee that all university decision makers will be available for approval and signature.  If there is a compressed time frame, it is critical the PI contact the VCR to discuss the situation as soon as possible.

A:  OSP pre-award administrators can meet with the PIs to discuss the opportunity and assist with understanding of the RFP. In addition, OSP can provide institutional information that is frequently requested by sponsors. OSP also completes all the business forms necessary for a proposal submission and assists with sponsor requests for university financial information including: financial statements, tax exemption certificate, and audit reports. The PIs are responsible for ensuring IRB, IBC, IACUC approvals as necessary.

A:  You should notify your designated OSP pre-award administrator of any planned proposal as soon as possible. Please provide a link to or copy of the RFP and the due date. Early notification will allow time for you PAA to read the guidelines and assist with the development of a comprehensive budget. It will also provide time for the university's internal approval process.

A:  Assuming a reasonable length of time between proposal development and submission, you can expect that your grants and contracts administrator will:

• Review the guidelines and make you aware of any special or unusual requirements
• Put forward any internal pre-approval necessary
• Complete all business forms and provide general university information
• Assist with review of budget for compliance
• Route the completed proposal package through the university
• Submit the proposal to the sponsor
• Check on the status of the proposal both internally (with you) and externally (upon request)
• Maintain the complete proposal file until the proposal is either accepted or declined

 Please note:  Proposals will not be submitted if the full proposal package is not received 3 full business days prior to submission deadline.

A:  OSP does not write proposals, however the OVCRI offers specialized proposal development assistance for large, complex, strategic, multi-investigator, and early career faculty proposals.   Customized assistance may include solicitation analysis, project management of the proposal process, and narrative development support.  Please see this page for instructions.

A:  Salary must be based on your institutional base rate and will be calculated according to whether you are paid for nine months or twelve months of effort.

A:  For proposal budgets that cover multiple years it is suggested, when allowed by the sponsor, that the budget reflect annual salary increases. The annual salary increase figure used by OSP is 3-4% per year. This increase, which is for budgeting purposes only, is not guaranteed.

A: PSRS refers to the university’s Proposal Signature Routing Sheet.  It is the approval process by which the PI, Co-PIs, PI Department Chairs, and Deans indicate agreement to the proposal and concurrence that the proposal can be sent to the sponsor. All signatures must be obtained before the proposal can be submitted.  The Vice Chancellor of Research is the signatory authority for the University. 

A: Signatures required vary with the type of project being proposed. When the Principal Investigator signs the approval form, he or she is approving the entire proposal and assuming responsibility for:

• the scope of scientific and technical effort
• preparation of required technical reports
• management of the project within the budget and time constraints of the proposal in compliance with sponsor regulations and university policies

The Principal Investigator may not delegate his or her authority to approve proposals. 

Academic unit heads and college Deans certify the academic soundness of the project, facility and space availability, cost sharing (other than any indirect cost waiver that is a documented sponsor policy), course release arrangements, and the compatibility of the project's goals with the teaching unit's objectives.

Proposals are routed through the appropriate levels for approval based upon the nature of the proposal.   A project involving faculty or staff from more than one unit must be routed through all units involved. Your OSP administrator can provide information about specific signatures needed for your project.

A:  You can expect your assigned OSP pre-award administrator to: 

• Review the guidelines and make you aware of any special budgetary requirements
• Assist with questions and provide guidance related to sponsor and university compliance and policy.
• Review your budget for compliance
• Enter the budget on forms required by sponsor
• Provide you with institutional information for the budget narrative

For your pre-award administrator to be able to serve you, please follow the requested proposal timeline available here.