When the SMHS Research Administration Office receives a proposal from a SMHS faculty member, many of the following points are considered during the review process, depending on the type and complexity of the proposal and other factors (e.g., use of human subjects or animals, generation of hazardous wastes, cost sharing).

The following points are not only a checklist for administration at the SMHS, they can also be a helpful tool for faculty and staff preparing a proposal.  So feel free to review these points and make sure that your proposal is complete and ready to be submitted.

PROGRAMMATIC CONSIDERATIONS

• Make sure this proposal contains a sufficient scope of work to complete the project.

• If there are multiple "key personnel", be aware that some sponsors may place restrictions on these individuals.

• If this proposal contains the use of outside parties for expertise, the use of subcontracts and/or consultants may be needed.

• If this proposal contains potential invention or intellectual property issues, the UND Technology Transfer & Commercialization Office may need to be involved if it should get funded.

• Make sure the proposal follows the sponsor's formatting guidelines (pages, spacing, font, etc.)

• Review the Key Personnel in the proposal to make sure that this proposal will not make their effort exceed 100%.  If it is more than 100%, the department needs to be aware of the concerns if it should get funded.

FISCAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Make sure the employee’s salary amount is accurate, and includes a yearly increase if the project is for more than one year.

• Make sure the correct fringe benefit rates are being used.

• Make sure that the employee’s effort meets the sponsor’s guidelines (if any).

• If this is an NIH proposal, the personnel may need to follow the NIH Salary Cap guidelines.

• If this is an NIH proposal, the proposal can be submitted with a modular or a detailed budget.  Using the program announcement, verify how the budget should be submitted.

• If there is a potential for program income, these funds need to be budgeted with the rest of the costs.

• Expenses such as postage, communications, office supplies, equipment, food, line charges, memberships, overload, and administrative salaries are normally unallowable.  If you expect these expenses, they need to be specifically budgeted and explained in the budget justification.

• Items over $5,000 per piece need to be budgeted as "equipment", not supplies.

• If equipment is budgeted, an itemized equipment list has to be included.

• If you expect to employ a Graduate Student, it is recommended that their tuition be included in the budget.

• If subcontracts are planned, the proposal budget needs to include these expenses, and the proposal must include the proper subcontract documents.

• Make sure the proposal budget is using the correct F&A Cost (Indirect Cost) rate.

• If the F&A Cost (Indirect Cost) is limited per the sponsor, a copy of the sponsor’s reduction policy needs to be included with the proposal.

• If this proposal requires cost share/matching funds, these costs need to be shown in the budget.

• If this proposal requires cost share/matching funds, commitment letters for these costs may need to be included in the proposal.

• The proposal budget needs to be rounded to the nearest dollar.

• The proposal budget needs to add up properly.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• If there are other UND or SMHS departments involved, be aware that we need to get the signatures of those department heads on the Proposal Routing Form or on a separate commitment letter before the proposal is submitted.

• If there are multiple departments involved, there needs to be a split budget as well as an agreement between the departments concerning the F&A Return distribution.  Here is an example of a letter spelling out the F&A Return distribution:

F & A Return Distribution Letter - Sample

• If the funding source is Federal dollars flowing through another entity, make sure that "Federal Flow-Thru" is selected for “Sponsor Type” on the SMHS Proposal Routing Form.

• Review the SMHS Proposal Routing Form to make sure that it contains the correct dollar amount.

• Review the SMHS Proposal Routing Form to make sure that the proper “Proposal Type” and “Function” have been selected.

• Review the SMHS Proposal Routing Form to make sure that it contains the correct start and end dates and that they are realistic.

• If this proposal relates to a currently funded grant project at UND, make sure that project number is entered on the SMHS Proposal Routing Form.

• Make sure the P.I. has signed the SMHS Proposal Routing Form, ensuring that he/she has filed the appropriate conflict of interest forms.

• Make sure the Proposal Routing Form indicates who should be contacted once the proposal has been signed.

• Is this proposal to be submitted in hard copy or electronically?  Review the program announcement to make sure.

• If it is not an electronic proposal submission, make sure the correct version of the proposal forms are being used, and that the P.I. has signed the proposal form(s), if needed.