Proposals

MISSION: The Office of Pre-Award Services supports the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s goal of expanding its research and scholarly impact as a top-tier research institution through expert proposal development, review, and submission, as well as training, mentorship, and a strong service-oriented environment, in collaboration with the campus community.

As the University's central sponsored programs office, the Office of Pre-Award Services (OPAS) reviews and submits all proposals to funding agencies for externally sponsored programs in research, instruction, and other public service programs as authorized in the university’s Trustee Policy T94-034, which states in part:

“The campus sponsored project administrators and Controllers are assigned specific responsibility for pre- and post-award administration of grants, contracts and cooperative agreements. The sponsored project administrator at each campus is the sole authorized institutional official having authority for submitting proposals and applications to funding agencies.”

What do OPAS Pre-Award Research Administrators do?
OPAS reviewers carefully vet proposals after they have been approved by PIs, department chairs, and deans prior to submission to the sponsor. They will review the proposal for compliance with sponsor guidelines and UMass policies and procedures. The OPAS reviewer alerts the PI and proposal development administrator to any issues or concerns that arise during the review and help to ensure a successful submission to the sponsor. OPAS reviewers carry caseloads based on sponsor. See the OPAS Reviewer Assignments for more information.

OPAS Contact information:

Address: 100 Venture Way, Suite 201, Hadley, MA  01035-9450

Email: Pre-Award@umass.edu

Telephone: 413-545-0699