Projected total time required: 2 months (9 weeks). Does not take into account extended holidays; they will add required time.
Note: Time frames are only guidelines (based on experience), but deadlines are absolute. If deadlines are not met: the Dean's Office will NOT provide assistance and the central administration will NOT cooperate with matching funds packages.
| Estimated Time Frame (weeks before due date) | Event | Deliverables/Management Action/Deadlines |
| Weeks 9-8 | PI (and proposal team) writes up a brief summary of the proposals | Summary provides names of proposed investigators, total funds requested, resource (positions, equipment, space) requirements. A rationale/justification with regard to the RFP is useful. |
| Week 8 | PI contacts Assoc. Dean for New Initiatives (ADNI) and provides the summary | If the PI requests assistance, the ADNI assigns an administrative staff person (AA), in the Dean's Office to provide administrative assistance to the Team. Assistance includes: scheduling meetings, sending reminders (especially as deadlines approach), coordinating between the Team, hand-delivering as necessary, obtaining signatures, assembling Team CVs and Current Support statements. Assistance will NOT include budget preparation. This must be coordinated by the PI. |
| Weeks 8-7 | PI develops proposal outline and assigns sections and deadlines to Team members. | |
| Weeks 8-7 | PI speaks to EVERY proposed investigator and obtains their agreement to participate | PI provides proposal summary and outlines proposed responsibilities of team members both for proposal preparation and for their part in actual project. These responsibilities may be minor, such as providing a CV and Current Support Page for the proposal, writing up annual Progress Reports and taking part in annual site visits. Responsibilities may be major, such as writing a portion of the proposal, talking with their Dept. Chair to elicit support, becoming a thrust leader, heading outreach or educational thrusts, etc. |
| Week 7 | PI and ADNI (plus key members of the Team, if desired) meet to sketch out a matching funds request. | Assignments are made to individuals for discussing fund requests with the appropriate contact person. ADNI contacts Vice-Provost for Research to initiate request to central administration, and contacts the appropriate Assoc. Deans to inform them of the effort (provides copies of the proposal summary). ADNI follows-up on these discussions. |
| Weeks 7-6 | Members of the Team talk with their respective Dept. Chairs. | Members describe the project, elicit support, and provide
the summary information to the Chairs. The Chairs are asked to send letters
or e-mail their support to the appropriate Assoc. Dean. Chairs are also
informed of the proposed e-mail proposal approval process and asked if
they agree or if they require signature (see below). If matching funds
are requested of the Chairs, they are asked to state their intent to commit
those funds at this time. (Note: this may require discussions back
and forth between Chairs and Assoc. Deans, and may take some time, especially
if key personnel are out of town. This is especially true if faculty positions
are involved.) AA sends reminders to Team members 6-7 weeks before due
date, follows-up the next week, and collates responses during this process. Final deadline for contacting Chairs: 5 weeks before due date. Final deadline for commitments: 3 weeks before due date. |
| Week 6 | Designated Outreach Coordinator (if required in proposal) meets with COE Diversity Program Directors. | Coordinator discusses Diversity Directors' involvement and
elicits their support for the proposal. Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Program Minority Science and Engineering Program Women in Engineering Program |
| Weeks 6-3 | Team members prepare their draft sections. | Final deadline for all draft sections: 2 weeks before due date. AA sends reminders 3-4 weeks before due date and follows-up the next week. |
| Week 4 | Matching funds package finalized. | PI and ADNI assemble all commitments from Deans and Dept.
Chairs, and meet with Vice-Provost to discuss request. Deadline 3 weeks before due date. AA sends reminder to PI 5 weeks before due date. |
| Weeks 4-2 | PI's departmental administrator prepares budget. | Mary Heusner will help with budget details as needed. Budget deadline: 1 week before due date. AA sends reminder 2 weeks before due date and follows-up the next week. |
| Week 2 | PI meets with ADNI to discuss management plan. | Management plan should include reporting diagram, plan for allocation of funds, and plans for outside and internal boards and their meetings. |
| Week 2 | Team members provide individual documentation (CV, Current Support, etc.) to AA. | Deadline: 1 week before due date. AA sends reminders 2 weeks before due date and follows-up the next week. |
| Week 2 | PI assembles signature draft of proposal. | Draft must include all forms and information, proposal
text, budget, etc. Deadline: 1 week before due date. AA checks with PI concerning missing documentation 2 weeks before due date and helps coordinate reminders, etc. |
| Week 2 | ADNI assembles matching funds commitments statement. | AA obtains and collates all approvals. Deadline: 1 week before due date. |
| Week 1 | Proposal is sent around for signatures. | If possible, Dept. Chair approvals will be obtained by
e-mail. AA coordinates signature process. Deadline for sending out: 7 days before due date. |
| Week 1 | Proposal submitted. | Note: Eric Shulenberger recommends EARLY SUBMISSION for large proposals. He says this gets the Program Officers' attention in a positive way. |