Procedure Library

OSP Business Practices - Proposal Review & Submission

Purpose

Clarify OSP practices and proposal review and submission expectations.

Applicability

Principal Investigators (PIs) and department administrators who communicate with OSP during the proposal development and submission stage. 

Proposals:

1. PIs and/or department administrators should notify OSP that they intend to submit a proposal as soon as possible. This is usually when you have decided to prepare an application (often several weeks in advance of the deadline).
   1. At a minimum, this allows OSP to track your anticipated submission while awaiting the Document Summary Sheet and final submission. This helps ensure that OSP is available when you are planning to submit.
   2. Commonly, OSP receives multiple applications only minutes and even seconds before the external deadline. Attempting to coordinate grant submissions so closely to deadlines may result in submission failures and creates significant stress.
   3. PIs and departments are ultimately responsible for providing OSP with adequate lead-time in order to ensure successful submission.
2. All proposals should be submitted to OSP at lease five (5) business days prior to the sponsor deadline for review and validation and be accompanied by a corresponding Document Summary Sheet (DSS).
   
   1. This guideline applies to both hardcopy and electronic applications. The complexity and technical requirements of grant review and submission continue to warrant this 5-day lead time.
3. OSP will process and submit applications according to the order in which complete and ready-to-submit applications are received. Applications provided to OSP five (5) business days in advance of the deadline receive priority.

Review and Submission:

1. OSP will perform a standard review if provided with a complete proposal at least 5 business days prior to the external deadline.
   1. Standard review consists of a full review of the budget and general administrative components. This may include:
      • Compliance validation with federal, state, University, and agency guidelines;
      • Budgetary compliance and correctness analysis;
      • Administrative component evaluation;
      • Facilitation of required commitment letters for subcontracts, cost-share/matching, and service or facilities support;
      • Collecting institutional signatures;
      • Application submission or return of documentation necessary for paper submission.
   2. Standard review does not include review of multiple iterations.
2. Unless otherwise communicated, OSP will provide feedback at least 2 business days prior to the external deadline.
3. If changes/revisions are suggested, a final application should be provided to OSP no later than one business day prior to the external deadline. At this time, OSP will submit.
4. If no issues are found during review, OSP will consider the complete application final and submit with enough time to help ensure successful receipt by the sponsor.

Late Submissions:

1. OSP will continue to use best efforts to submit all applications before the external deadline regardless of when it was received. However, faculty assume the full responsibility and risk of meeting the proposal requirements and submission deadlines for applications sent to OSP within 5 days of the deadline.
2. Within the 5 day window, OSP may not be able to provide a substantive, or potentially any, review of the application.

Proposals received between 3-4 business days before the deadline = Exigent. An exigent review will consist of a budget overview and evaluation of major compliance matters.

Proposals received between 1-2 business days before the deadline = No Review. OSP will attempt to submit the proposal as received, but no review or feedback is likely.

 

Related Policies and Procedures

• Grant Life Cycle > Submit Your Proposal > Understand Submission Processes
• Procedure Library > OSP Business Practices - General Communication
• Procedure Library > OSP Business Practices - Proposal Preparation