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 full proposals, regardless of sponsor, and any preliminary proposals/concept papers/LOIs that require an AOR certification. In other words, if it would normally route in Cayuse, the internal deadline requirements apply.

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.

My proposal doesn’t have a firm or 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 all the requirements under the “before submission to sponsor” have been met.

To ensure the proposal can be submitted to the sponsor on your preferred date, PIs should plan for a proposal development window of at least 10 business days from the date of notification.

The sponsor requires me to submit the proposal directly as the PI. Does that mean the deadline requirements do not apply to me?

Not exactly. If UTC will receive the funding on your behalf, ORSP must review and approve all proposal documents, including budgets, before they are submitted to the sponsor, regardless of who submits it. PIs must wait for approval from their Grants Specialist before submitting to the sponsor. Proposals that do not meet the 11- or 5-business day requirements, or are submitted without approval, will be marked as late.

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 11-business day notification deadline, but I met all other internal deadlines. 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 other internal deadline in a submission note.

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.

Federal proposals will not be submitted until all requirements for the “before submission to sponsor” deadline are satisfied. 

I completed everything on time, but I needed to add a Co-PI before submission. Why is my proposal considered late?

Adding paid personnel, in any role, directly impacts the budget and personnel documentation. ORSP requires the budget to be finalized and all non-budget dependent personnel documentation to be received 5 business days before the sponsor deadline; any changes after that date will result in the proposal being marked as late.

I submitted my proposal for routing in Cayuse, but one of my Co-PIs still hasn’t certified it, and the sponsor deadline is today. Does that mean my proposal will not be submitted?

It depends. Federal agencies require ORSP to provide assurances that project personnel are aware of their disclosure responsibilities and compliance-related requirements at the time of proposal submission. For that reason, ORSP must withhold federal proposals until all PI/Co-PI certifications are completed in Cayuse and all personnel assurances are received from other key/senior personnel. Once we transition to DASH Research, all project personnel will complete these certifications in the Funding Proposal module.

For non-federal sponsors, it is possible the proposal may still be submitted if all other conditions are met.

My proposal is late. Will my supervisor be notified?

If you missed any of the internal deadlines, the proposal will be flagged as late in Cayuse. Your supervisor will see the flag and the corresponding submission note 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 the PI’s control. Please reach out the Director of Pre-Award Services at [email protected] or x5968 to discuss your unique situation.