Pre-Award Administration

 

Research Investigator “Key Steps” 

Sponsored Research Proposal Development & Submission

• Step 1: Identify a Funding Opportunity

  Funding Institutional: https://www.fundinginstitutional.com/ 

  • Internal resource for Finding Funding (available for OSU-CHS PIs and Faculty, and Research Staff):  

  
  Following the link, you will be prompted to create an account. 

  1. Select “Sign in via your institution”
  2. Search to select “Oklahoma State University Main Campus (Oklahoma State University).”
  3. You will then be prompted to login via your OSU SSO credentials.

  
  Funding Institutional, in addition to other research related resources, can also be accessed from the OSU-CHS Medical Library website 

• Step 2: Determine Eligibility

  Please review the Sponsor Notice of Funding Opportunity to confirm investigator eligibility to serve as Principal Investigator or Key Personnel on the anticipated project. 

  • Investigators are encouraged to provide a Letter of Support from their Department Head certifying eligibility, available effort, and resources that can be committed to the sponsored project.  

   

  Please review the OSU-CHS Principal Investigator Guidelines to confirm investigator and Co-Investigator eligibility to serve as Principal Investigator. 
  

   

  Must meet both eligibility guidelines.

• Step 3: Initiate Pre-Proposal Form

  Investigator notifies Pre-Award Administration of intent to apply by completing the Pre-Proposal Form and shares the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) or request for application/proposal (RFA/RFP). 

  • If registration with an agency’s online system is required, email your request to chs_propsals@okstate.edu  to initiate registration. 
  • NIH policy requires all proposed “Senior/Key Personnel” have a valid, active eRA account. To create a new eRA account or to update the affiliation of a pre-existing eRA account, email chs_proposals@okstate.edu. 
    
    

  • Senior/Key Personnel Definition 
• Step 4: Required Approval for Sponsored Equipment*

  If a proposal involves the purchase or development of equipment for which the University is required to build, renovate, relocate space and/or support costs associated with installation, operations, and maintenance, the Principal Investigator must work with Departmental Leadership to follow the required institutional reviews. Please see OSU’s policy for more detailed information.  

• Step 5: Proposal Kickoff Meeting

  A virtual or in-person meeting is scheduled for the Principal Investigator and Pre-Award Staff to discuss the sponsored funding mechanism and to review and understand sponsor requirements including application components, formatting instructions, and submission guidelines. 

  • Provide tailored checklist for application items required under the funding opportunity 
  • Provide list of Research Office Contacts 
  • Share Proposal Development templates, Tools and Resources 
  • Initiate & Complete Cayuse SP Record  
  • Establish submission timeline, benchmarks, & target submission date 
• Step 6: Admin Office Review & Approval

  PI will complete and provide all required application components. At this time, Pre-award staff will review the application following the steps outlined below: 

   

  • Ensure that the guidelines set forth in the Sponsor FOA or RFA/RFP are met. 

  • Ensure that the budget conforms to any applicable rules, regulations, and internal policies and calculated using the appropriate fringe benefits rate(s) and facilities and administrative cost rate(s) (F&A). 
  • Identify and verify cost sharing: 

  • • Any proposed cost sharing, including reduced F&A rates or an F&A waiver, must be justified in terms of value of the proposed activity to the academic mission of the institution. 
    • It must also meet the requirements of the sponsor, be complete and accurate, and be consistent with internal policy as well as agency terms and conditions.  
    • Cost sharing must be approved by the school dean or designate. 
• Step 7: Revisions & Recommended Changes

  Prior to routing the proposal for internal approvals, Pre-award staff will communicate any changes or necessary proposal modifications to the PI. 

• Step 8: Principal Investigator Approval and Certification

  Investigator addresses any required changes and re-submits all final to Pre-Award Staff within the timeline established by Research Staff and the PI. PIs must submit changed application components no later than two business days in advance of the application deadline in accordance with the proposal submission policy.  

  
  See QuickGuide for PI Certification instructions via Cayuse:
  OSU-CHS PI Certification Steps 

• Step 9: Internal Routing & Approval

  Pre-Award Administrators prepare and route the application materials via Cayuse SP/424. All applications must be routed internally per established timeline (at least five business days in advance of the application deadline) 

  • The Office of Research must review and approve all sponsored funding proposals submitted to extramural agencies, including but not limited to grants.gov applications, Fastlane applications, sponsored research collaborations, and pre-proposals that require OVPR review. 
    
    

  • • Budget Development: OSU-CHS requires a detailed budget for all applications, irrespective of the level of detail required by the sponsor or funding agency.  
      
      
    • Subawards / External Collaboration: If the application includes a subcontract with another institution or collaborating entity, provide Subaward Required Documents: OSU CHS Subaward Commitment Form 
      • Subcontractor's Statement of Work 
      • Subcontractor's Detailed (line item) Budget 
      • Subcontractor's Budget Justification 
      • Subrecipient Commitment Form signed by an authorized official of the subcontractor's institution 
      • Letter of Commitment signed by an authorizing official of the Subcontractor's Institution (Needed only if the sponsor requires it) 
        
        
    • Letter of Commitment: If the Sponsor or Funding Agency requires: 1. A letter of institutional commitment as part of the application, or 2. Letters of endorsement or support including the signature of the Vice President, Provost, or Vice Provost for Research, Investigators must request the letter from ORSP via chs_proposals@okstate.edu.  
      
      
    • COI Requirements: If the PI or Co-Investigators indicate they have not completed the annual conflict of interest requirement OR if the information previously disclosed has changed (including new disclosures), the PI and/or Co-Investigators will need to complete the Conflict Of Interest Questionnaire/Disclosure Form. See  OSU’s Conflict of Interest Policy. 
      
      

  • Filing an Electronic Disclosure with COI SMART 
• Step 10: Certified Proposal Submitted to Sponsoring Agency

  Once routed and approved, Pre-Award submits the final, certified application to the sponsor/funding agency. 

  • Post-Submission Assistance: Pre-Award Admin. is committed to supporting the investigator to address any errors or warnings at the time of submission to ensure the application is successfully received by the funding agency. 

 

Institutional Information Forms

• Resources & Policies
• Signature & Contact
• Conflict of Interest
  
  See the Public Disclosure for Cares Act in Institutional Funds