Internal Deadline Requirement FAQ

Why is ORSP enforcing internal proposal deadlines?

Enforcing internal proposal deadlines will provide the following benefits:

• Establishes fair, transparent expectations that apply to all units on campus.
• Rewards proposal teams who work ahead on their proposals.
• Ensures UTC can remain in compliance with all UT, federal, and sponsor policies and regulations.
• Reduces complications and delays at award intake by securing reviews and input at the time of proposal.
• Increases ORSP’s overall capacity to provide equitable proposal development assistance campus-wide, resulting in more competitive proposals.

What does ORSP mean by “business” day?

A “business” day means a regular working day for ORSP staff. ORSP is closed on weekends and whenever the campus is closed, including unplanned closures. See UT’s list of scheduled closures here.

What do the internal proposal deadlines apply to? Do they apply to preliminary proposals or concept papers?

The internal proposal deadlines apply to all types of proposals, including but not limited to preliminary proposals, concept papers, LOIs, proposals for supplementary funding to existing projects, proposals for continuation funding of an existing project, and all full proposals.

The internal proposal deadlines also apply to all sponsors, federal or non-federal.  

Why is 11 business days the cutoff date for notifying ORSP about a proposal? 

Grants Specialists need a minimum of 10 full business days to fully review the sponsor guidelines and ensure UTC can comply with all requirements. We strongly encourage PIs to notify ORSP of intent to apply well in advance of this cutoff date to receive additional proposal development services. While we understand some opportunities are released with a quick turnaround, ORSP can provide the most assistance when notified 45+ days in advance of the submission deadline. 

Should I wait until 11 business days before the deadline to notify ORSP about my proposal?

No, you should notify ORSP as soon as you identify a funding opportunity of interest, even if you are not fully committed to applying to it. A Grants Specialist can help you assess the opportunity and provide proposal planning documents to keep the development process on track.  

The 11-day notification deadline is just the last day a proposal will be considered “on-time”. 

My proposal is due on a Monday. What’s the last day I can notify ORSP that I’m working on it?

The cutoff notification deadline is end of day, 11 business days prior to the sponsor-designated due date. For example, if the proposal is due to the sponsor on Monday the 24th, the PI must notify ORSP of their intent to apply by no later than Friday the 7th. 

The program I’m applying to doesn’t have a firm deadline, but the program officer asked me to submit it by a certain date. Does that count as a submission deadline?

Yes, the target date assigned by the PO counts as the submission deadline for the purposes of this requirement. 

My proposal doesn’t have a firm or suggested/target deadline. Does this mean the requirements do not apply to me?

Not exactly. Your Grants Specialist will ask you to identify a target date for planning purposes. The target date can be adjusted at any time, but the proposal will not be submitted to the sponsor until the full compliance review is completed and the proposal is submitted for routing in Cayuse.

To ensure the proposal can be submitted to the sponsor on your preferred date, you must follow the internal proposal deadline requirements.  

I’m worried about complying with the internal deadline requirements. How can I be sure my proposal is on track?

Your Grants Specialist will send you a proposal checklist with a target due date for each component to help you stay on track. Note that some components must be completed before others can be finalized, which is reflected in the timeline. For example, the list of UTC personnel and their roles, the project activities or task list, and subaward documents (if applicable), must all be finalized before the budget can be completed. Please take these considerations into account as you work towards the 5-business day deadline.

I missed the 10-day notification deadline, but I met the 5-day deadline for proposal components and Cayuse routing. Is my proposal still considered late?

Technically, yes. The late notice means that the Pre-Award team will not have sufficient time to evaluate all potential compliance concerns. However, your Grants Specialist will recognize your effort to meet the 5-day deadline in a submission note. 

I completed everything except submitting the proposal for routing in Cayuse by the internal deadline. Is my proposal still considered late?

Yes, submitting the proposal in Cayuse is one of the requirements. We do not ask that the proposal be fully routed and approved 5 business days before the sponsor deadline, just submitted by the PI by that date. 

I missed the 5-day deadline. Does that mean my proposal can’t be submitted?

Maybe. If the proposal is late, your Grants Specialist will work on your documents as time permits, but early and on-time proposals will receive priority. If there are significant changes needed to your documents or if critical documents are missing, these barriers may prevent ORSP from submitting your proposal. 

I missed the 5-business day deadline. Will my supervisor be notified? 

If you missed the 5-business day deadline, the proposal will be flagged as late in Cayuse. Your supervisor will see the flag when they are prompted to review and approve the proposal in that system. 

How will the late flags be used?

The flags will be used by ORSP to help inform future practice and may be included in reports to university stakeholders (e.g., VCR, Chancellor, UT System, etc.), as appropriate. Leveraging analytics, ORSP may use the data, for example, to identify units with high volumes of late proposals for additional training and preemptive support. 

What if I have a unique circumstance beyond my control that prevents me from meeting the internal deadlines? 

ORSP understands that some situations are beyond our control, and it is not our intent to unduly penalize PIs in these circumstances. Please reach out the Director of Pre-Award Services at [email protected] or x5968 to discuss your unique situation. All exemptions from the internal deadline require approval from the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research.