Proposal Submission and Internal Deadline Policy

Rensselaer’s internal deadline for proposal submissions at RPI is intended to:
  • Define the level of service provided to RPI faculty and research staff; 
  • Allow for RAF to resource plan, and;
  • Ensure compliance with Federal, State, institutional, and/or other sponsor rules. 

Note: Only RAF personnel are authorized to represent and certify to the content of proposals on behalf of Rensselaer, or bind the institute to terms and conditions.

Internal Deadline Targets

Proposals that meet the internal deadline targets (detailed below) will receive the "Comprehensive Review and Support" level of service from RAF.  Failure to meet the internal deadline will result in a "Limited Review and Support" level of service.

Comprehensive Review and SupportLimited Review and Support
Summary of support: Proposals which meet the internal deadline targets (listed below) required for comprehensive review, will receive uniform and robust support. Once a Cayuse SP record has been routed, faculty can expect to receive a response within 1 business day and hands-on support until proposal due date. Proposals submitted with time for sufficient review are less likely to be rejected for administrative reasons and protect both faculty and RPI from risk of non-compliance. Summary of support: Proposals with inadequate time for a comprehensive review increase the risk of being rejected by sponsors, and may result in awards which are unable to be accepted by RPI (or significantly delay award receipt and setups). Last minute proposals may also lead to reputational, financial or other compliance risks for faculty members and RPI.  Understanding that, when internal deadline targets are missed, RAF is still committed to providing as robust a level of support as possible.

Deadline details: Internal Target Deadlines that will ensure Comprehensive Review and Support:

  • Intent to Submit Notification (allow at least 10 business days): Initiate and route Cayuse SP, upload draft budget information on RPI template (including applicable cost-share approvals or F&A waivers, as sub-site information [budgets, SOWs]) 
  • Final Review and Submission (allow at least 3 business days): Administrative documents (bio-sketch, other support, facilities, etc.), sub-site administrative documents (LOI, commitment forms, F&A rates), full proposal (in sponsor portal or on sponsor template) released for review.

Missed deadline details: Missed internal deadlines that may result in Limited Review and Support include:

  • Intent to Submit Notification (less than 10 business days)
  • Final Review and Submission (less than 3 business days)

Notes: 

  • RAF may place proposals into a Limited Review population if Cayuse SP information is incomplete or if piecemeal documentation is received
  • Sponsor posted deadlines later than 5pm Eastern time will be treated as 5pm Eastern time by RAF and the VPR’s Office. Deadlines that fall on any weekend day will be considered to have a 5 pm Eastern Time deadline the Friday before. Deviation outside business hours will require prior approval of the Director of Research Administration, and will only be considered in extraordinary circumstances.

Notes: 

  • If Limited Review proposals can receive a greater than ‘as time permits’ review, RAF will make all available efforts to do so.
  • RAF reserves the right to hold proposals received for limited review if they represent a significant compliance (financial or otherwise) risk to the institute, or withdraw proposals or refuse awards for proposals submitted under limited-review should compliance concerns materialize at a later date. 
  • RAF understands that last minute proposals happen (often for reasons outside of a PI’s control).  RAF is committed to doing as much as possible to ensure all proposals are reviewed and submitted timely.

INTERNAL ROUTING - Incomplete items may cause proposal to be held by RAF

For all proposals, Cayuse SP routing MUST be completed in advance of proposal submission.  If not, RAF reserves the right to stop or not submit a proposal.  This includes:  

  • General Information (including sponsor and solicitation information, period of performance, title, etc.)
  • Investigators/Research Team (including list of personnel and charge out / commitment information) 
  • Other Elements: Compliance (IRB/IACUC/COI/Export Control, etc.), Subcontractor information, IP, Proposal Abstract, Location of Activities, etc. 

(Incomplete items risk proposal failure or automatic rejection) 

Comprehensive Review and SupportLimited Review and Support
  • Completeness of Proposal Package
  • Use of appropriate sponsor forms, format, and page limits
  • Personnel document compliance (e.g. Current & Pending, Bio-sketch)
  • Eligibility requirements 
  • Allowable period of performance; budget thresholds
  • Sponsor required proposal documents
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Proposal Submission Procedure
     

Note: Significant omissions or errors in required disclosure of outside activities may prevent submission 

  • Proposal Submission Procedure
  • Significant Compliance Deviations (e.g., problematic T&Cs; incomplete COI for DHHS proposals, lack of subaward LOI, etc.) 
  • Significant Financial Concerns (overhead waivers, cost-share commitments, etc.)
     

(Significant financial risks may cause proposal to be held by RAF

Comprehensive Review and SupportLimited Review and Support

In addition to reviewing the following elements, RAF translates the RPI budget from our template to the sponsor format or system, which can be quite time consuming.

  • Institutional base salary
  • Fringe benefit rate and calculation
  • IDC rate and calculation
  • Consistency across budget, justification, and Cayuse
  • Salary cap Consideration
  • Cost share Requirements
  • Indirect under-recovery scenarios
  • Fiscal Agent Check
     

For limited review proposals, RAF can not guarantee staffing to translate budgets from the RPI template to the sponsor format or system.  

  • Note: High dollar cost share commitments, overhead waivers, or other significant financial risks identified during limited review may prevent RPI submission 
     

In addition to reviewing the following elements, RAF will coordinate receipt of subrecipient documents.

  • Letters of Commitment
  • Subrecipient Commitment Forms
  • Budgets, Budget Justification, Draft Abstract/Placeholder SOW
  • Current & Pending Documents, etc. 
     

For limited review proposals, RAF cannot facilitate coordination of subrecipient documents

  • Note: LOIs or sub-recipient commitment forms which have not been received will prevent RPI submission (RPI cannot proceed with submission without formal concurrence from subaward sites). 
     

 (Prevents risk for administrative rejection) 

Comprehensive Review and SupportLimited Review and Support
  • Review of text, font, margins, etc. for compliance with guidelines
  • Review of included required sections, headers, language, or other components identified in the solicitation as required 
     
  • As time permits
     
 Review Type / Risk TypeComprehensive Review
(10 and 3 business days prior to deadline)
 		Limited Review
(<10 and <3 business days prior to deadline)
 
1Proposal rejection due to non-compliance w/ sponsor guidelines.LowHigh
2Proposal rejection due to system failure / RAF capacity / or RAF hold.LowHigh
3Department / portfolio incurring financial burden due to budget errors or omissions.LowMedium
4Risk of withdrawal of the proposal by RAF after submission, rejection, and/or significant delay of the award.LowMedium
5Improper disclosure of background IP, or inadvertent acceptance of sponsors terms and conditions, reputational or other risks.LowMediumHigh

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