Research Insights

To improve its support to faculty, the pre-award unit of Sponsored Projects Administration is offering a new promise. Beginning January 1, 2016, its staff will ensure the successful submission of all proposals that are received in complete form at least four business days prior to the deadline. To qualify, proposals must be in the Portal in “ready to submit” form by the four-day-in-advance deadline and include the narrative, all letters of support, bios, etc. Grants officers will ensure the successful submission of all such proposals through Grants.gov or the electronic system specified by the relevant funding agency.

The pre-award staff makes every effort to successfully submit all proposals, regardless of when they are received by staff. However, experience shows that proposals submitted to Sponsored Projects Administration close to the deadline are more often rejected by the sponsor due to errors or incomplete information. The typical surge in last minute proposals makes it difficult for staff to identify and correct all errors or omissions that can lead to the rejection of proposals. This new promise is our effort to support faculty and ensure that their hard work isn’t frustrated by errors or omissions that cannot be corrected in time to guarantee the successful delivery of proposals to the funding agency.