Procedure Library

 

New Investigator Checklist

Purpose

This checklist guides investigators preparing sponsored project proposals and meeting compliance requirements.

Applicability

This checklist applies to Principal Investigators (PIs) who are new to the University and/or have not previously submitted a sponsored project proposal (e.g., fellowship, grant, or contract).

For more information, consult the relevant procedures or contact OSP.

Instructions

Access and Setup

1. The University uses eProposal for Document Summary Sheet approvals and internal routing.
2. New investigators may not appear in eProposal if they:
   • Do not have a University Network ID (uNID), or i
   • Are not active in Human Resources, or 
   • Do not hold a position eligible for PI status.
3. If an investigator has a uNID but does not appear in eProposal:
   • The department must establish an active unpaid job code.
   • Once active, the department should email OSP with the investigator's uNID and name and request that they be added to eProposal.
   • After this, you may initiate a DSS to transfer existing awards.

Proposal Preparation

• Generally, PIs collaborate with their department administrator(s) to:
  • Develop proposal budgets
  • Gather proposal documents
  • Enter required information and attachments in eProposal
• PIs are responsible for preparing the proposal narratives (e.g., project description or scope of work). They may also upload documents and enter data in eProposal.

Subrecipients 

• For information about including a subrecipient in a proposal, see Include Subrecipients in a Proposal Budget procedure.

Federal Agency Requirements

• NIH: PIs and co-investigators must have a University-affiliated NIH eRA Commons User ID (see procedure).
• NSF: PIs must have access to Research.gov (see procedure).
• There are many additional training requirements.

Grant Transfers

• To transfer an award from a previous institution, see Institutional Transfers - Incoming and the grant transfer procedure.

Foreign Nationals

• Investigators who wish to hire or host a foreign national (non-U.S. citizen or non-permanent resident) must work with:
  • Their department administrator
  • The Office of International Services
    This includes obtaining the appropriate visa status for employees or visiting scientists/scholars.

Material Transfer Agreements

• A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is required when:
  • Receiving research materials from another institution or company, or 
  • Bringing research materials from a former institution when transferring to the University.

Research Communications

• Subscribe to the Research News list to receive notifications and updates from the Vice President for Research (VPR) office. 

Related Policies and Procedures

• Resources > New Investigator
• Grant Life Cycle > Submit Your Proposal > Obtain Approvals > eProposal
• Procedure Library > eRA commons Registration
• Procedure Library > NSF Research.gov Registration
• Procedure Library > Transfer a Grant to Utah