The information presented to a sponsor determines whether a submission must be routed through the Office of Research (Research Services) or may be submitted directly by the PI.
The guidance applies to:
- Pre-proposals
- Letters of intent
- Concept papers
- White papers
- Student competitions
- Prize or challenge programs
Student competitions and prize programs follow the same submission principles outlined below.
Submission Stage: When Research Services (KickStart) Is Required
Use the decision matrix below to determine whether routing is required at the application stage.
Submission Decision Matrix
| Criteria | Submit Through Research Services | PI Direct Submission Possible |
|---|---|---|
| Budget detail provided | Required (KickStart) | X |
| Cost sharing committed | Required (KickStart) | X |
| No budget detail or cost sharing, but sponsor requires institutional signature at submission | Required (KickStart) | X |
| No budget detail, no cost sharing, and sponsor does not require institutional signature at submission | X | Allowed (with recommended statement) |
Recommended Statement for PI Direct Submissions: To avoid awards based on submissions that may later be declined by the sponsor or the institution, PI direct submissions should include:
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Terms
- Budget Detail means a line-item budget or categorical breakdown with dollar amounts. This does not include a lump sum or total dollar amount being provided, or when submitting to a program with a capped funding amount; in these cases, using the recommended statement above is highly advised.
- Cost Sharing anycost for the support of the proposed project, including salary, that is not funded by the sponsored award. NOTE: Cost share approvals are not required at the pre-proposal stage; these internal approvals are required at the proposal stage.
- Institutional Signature means a signature by an authorized organizational representative.
- Pre-Proposal can also be called a Letter of Intent, concept paper, white paper, pre-application, or any other form of document that is not a binding proposal, but rather a document used to gauge the level of interest from the sponsor in hopes of a formal solicitation for a subsequent full proposal.
- Student Competitions & Prize Awards follow the same submission criteria above. If routing is not required at submission but you are later selected and the sponsor requests institutional documentation (e.g., W-9, ACH, university financial contact, or a Prize Acceptance Form), please contact ORED for coordination prior to release of documentation or execution of award terms.
Note: Some student competitions and prize programs do not require routing at submission but may require institutional documentation or execution of award terms.
If, after selection, a sponsor requests:
- Institutional W-9 or tax documentation
- ACH or banking information
- Identification of a unversity financial contact
- A Prize Acceptance Form or Terms & Conditions
Forward the request to ORED for coordiantion prior to release of institutional documentation.
ORED will confirm the appropriate institutional entity and determine whether the activity requires formal processing. If institutional involvement is required, the matter will proceed through the standard Research Services lifecycle.