ORA's Tips for a Successful Submission

Allow ORA 6 business days to review and approve fully routed proposals, including non-funded proposals. Fully routed means all questions and compliance issues are answered and signed by all appropriate parties in KR-Kuali Research (ALL PIs, Co-Is, Lead Chair and Dean). This includes the BSOS Conflict of Interest requirements. PIs and Co-Is cannot delegate this responsibility. If a proposal is not fully routed and signed, it cannot be submitted.

 

Final versions of a proposal being submitted via any electronic system must be ready for submission 24 hours prior to the deadline. Proposal systems often have issues that require extra time - "just pushing the button" is a myth - nothing is truly automatic! 

 

No proposals will be submitted by ORA personnel past 5pm during normal business days - this applies even to deadlines that technically allow submission up to 11:59 pm. 

 

Additional time is needed for proposals with: Large/high dollar budgets, subawards, requests for F&A Waivers and Significant Project (SP) designations; cost share; and other special considerations. Chairs, Directors, and Deans need time to review and approve these documents as well. Proposals that require the recipient be a 501(c)(3) entity and need to be routed to the USM Foundation must be routed two weeks in advance. The USM Foundation has a strict 5 day review policy and will only submit proposals that have been approved by ORA.

 

Reach out early to your Contract Administrator (CA) - this is especially important for new sponsors or new submission systems, or for complicated or non-standard Requests for Proposals or Proposal Guidelines. Your CA can help you identify special or unusual requirements for that submission.