Proposal Toolkits - WPI Proposal Procedure

All proposals to be submitted to external sponsors require the prior approval of an authorized WPI official. The procedures below should always be followed to ensure adequate time for the complete review of all proposals submitted through the Office of Research Administration (ORA) and to avoid the possibility of missed deadlines. For proposals to be submitted to corporations and/or foundations, contact the Corporate and Foundation Relations (C&FR) office first to determine whether a proposal should be submitted through ORA or C&FR.

It should be noted that review of proposals by ORA involves considerably more than budgetary review and checking for compliance with sponsor guidelines. The Proposal Review Checklist provides an overview of the possible review points to be considered before proposals can be approved. Again, adherence to the following procedures will help ensure the quickest turnaround of proposals submitted for review.

  1. Timing - To ensure that your proposal is given a careful review for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with sponsor guidelines and University policies, a minimum of three (3) days lead time is required for all hard copy proposals and a minimum of five (5) days lead time is required for all electronically submitted proposals. Observing these lead time requirements will help ensure that your proposal can be reviewed and that any required modifications may be made in sufficient time to meet deadline dates (this is especially true for complex and/or electronically submitted proposals).
  2. Completeness - The more complete a proposal is before it is delivered to ORA for review, the quicker the review will be. Investigators should attempt to deliver proposals in a "ready to go" format to minimize the possibility that changes and/or additions to the proposal may need to be made. Faculty are encouraged to liaison with ORA prior to submitting proposals for review to discuss the proposal and bring any potential problems in completing it to light.
  3. Documentation - All proposals should be delivered with a completed and approved Proposal Coordination Form (PCF) attached. This form is required so that ORA reviewers can verify departmental and other approvals, review for exceptional needs in connection with the project (e.g., hazardous wastes, use of animals or humans, support for a graduate student, etc.), and have a consistent format from which to enter required data into the University's proposal database.
    Additional documentation (e.g., proposal cover letters/pages, conflict of interest forms for NIH and NSF proposals, institutional approval of cost sharing or matching, letters of support, subcontractor letter of intent, scope of work, and budget, etc.) should also be provided at time of proposal review to avoid any further delays in the process.
  4. Copies - An original and one copy for ORA should be provided for review purposes. Often, as part of the review process, ORA staff will need to annotate various parts of the proposal. Providing a copy of the proposal facilitates the review without having to add time to the review process making copies. If the submitting department wants to receive a copy of the approved proposal, a second extra copy should be provided along with the original. When sufficient lead time in accordance with A. above has been provided and the sponsor to which a proposal is being submitted requires an original and three or less copies, ORA will offer the option of mailing the proposal and charging back the cost to the submitting department.
  5. Proposal Cover Letters - Because proposals are submitted by investigators with the approval of the University, cover letters should be created using department letterhead. If a cover or title page is not included with a proposal, the cover letter should also include a line on which the authorized official can indicate approval of the proposal on behalf of the University.
  6. Exceptions - Occasionally, situations will arise where the above procedures cannot be followed, usually because an initial contact with a sponsor has resulted in a request to the investigator for quick turnaround of a proposal. ORA will modify its procedures and provide the best and fastest service possible given the situation and approve a proposal provided it is complete and materially correct. Additional documentation may be required, though, after the proposal has been approved.

Investigators are encouraged to contact ORA at any time during the proposal writing process so that potential problems and/or concerns may be corrected in advance of any planned or required deadlines.

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Last modified: September 07, 2007 11:30:11