Proposal Submission Walkthrough

After you prepare a proposal in accordance with sponsor guidelines, request for proposals, program announcement or similar document, you will need to:

- Complete an Internal Processing Form (IPF) reflecting specific information contained in the proposal;

- Obtain approval signatures on the IPF, as indicated on the bottom of page 2. Usually signatures will be from Principal Investigator (PI), Department Head/Chair, and the Dean. If this is a cross-disciplinary project, other signatures may be required; refer to instructions on the back sides of the IPF. If other institutions are involved, call OGCA (545-0296). Ask to speak with the fiscal administrator handling the specific agency to which you are applying.

- Deliver the proposal, the IPF and the guidelines to OGCA five to seven working days before the sponsor's posted deadline . See "Memo on Proposal Submission" from F. W. Byron for established timeframe and service levels for submission to OGCA.

OGCA will review the proposal. Once everything is in order and the proposal is approved for submission, we will xerox, package and mail the proposal to the sponsor. We will also forward to the PI a copy of the fully-signed proposal, the IPF, and a copy of the transmittal letter. Department heads, deans, directors, and other signatories will receive copies of the fully signed IPF.

Note - All proposals to external funding sources ("sponsors") in support of sponsored programs, should be submitted through this office. This is a University policy spelled out in Trustee Document T94-034. Many of the forms you will need are available online.

OGCA will gladly answer questions while you are preparing your proposal, and would appreciate hearing from you when you are planning to submit an unusually large or complex proposal, especially those in response to RFP's and the like. This will enable both parties to be more prepared and effective in the submission to the sponsor. Please also be aware that Helen Bishop hbishop@research.umass.edu, Proposal Development Administrator, of OGCA (545-0698) will be happy to help you look for funding sources, to provide information and guidelines, and to guide you in the development and preparation of a proposal.