Proposal Processing Deadlines

When proposals need to be at DRDA depends on means of final submission and whether DRDA handles final delivery or if the Principal Investigator takes on that responsibility.

Note: DRDA closes for business at 5 p.m.

→ Electronic applications when DRDA will submit/launch:

Examples: Grants.gov, FastLane (NSF), and NSPIRES (NASA), American Heart Association

Fully signed Proposal Approval Form (PAF) and administrative shell need to arrive no fewer than seven (7) business days in advance of 5 p.m. on the the deadline date; and
The final, completed electronic file needs to arrive no fewer than four (4) business days in advance of 5 p.m. on the deadline date

Please note:

For purposes of electronic submissions, DRDA closes at 5 p.m. The complete electronic submission must be received by DRDA in time to launch the proposal by 5 p.m. of the due date even when the sponsor deadline is later than 5 p.m.

When proposals are delivered to DRDA with four full working days, it is possible to correct items that the system marks as warnings, even though the items are not errors that will prevent the proposal from being validated by the system. DRDA will offer you the option to review and correct these items to optimize your proposal. DRDA will then resubmit the proposal. This service is only available for proposals that arrive at DRDA with the full, four-day lead time.

→ Electronic applications when the PI will submit/launch

Examples: IIPS (DOE), Proposal Central (used by many non-profit health organizations such as American Cancer Society) and American Chemical Society

The fully signed Proposal Approval Form (PAF) and administrative shell need to arrive at DRDA no fewer than four (4) business days in advance of the 5 p.m. on the deadline date

For all paper applications

If wish to submit as a complete package, asking DRDA to copy and submit:

The PAF and final, completed application including the proposal, are due at DRDA no fewer than four (4) business days in advance of the deadline date

If wish to submit in two stages, with PI/unit responsible for final submission:
The fully signed Proposal Approval form (PAF) and administrative shell need to arrive no fewer than four (4) business days in advance of the deadline date

If wish to submit in two stages, asking DRDA to copy and submit:

The fully signed Proposal Approval Form (PAF) and administrative shell is due no fewer than seven (7) business days in advance of the deadline date; and

The final, completed paper application is due no fewer than four (4) business days in advance of the 5 p.m. on the deadline date

Deadlines Summary

Items must arrive at DRDA before 5 p.m. on the requisite number of business days before the deadline day

Electronic
DRDA submits
7 days: PAF & Admin Shell
4 days: final, complete electronic file

PI submits
4 days: PAF & Admin Shell

Paper Submissions
One piece, total proposal to DRDA:
4 Days: final, complete
PAF, Shell, & proposal

--or--

Two pieces, PI mails:
4 days: PAF & Admin Shell

Two pieces, DRDA mails:
7 days: PAF & Admin Shell
4 days: final, complete application

Regarding all Proposals

Be available
It is critically important that once your proposal has been submitted to DRDA, you or your staff is readily available to respond to questions from DRDA or to help fix proposal errors. The more lead time for proposal review, the more time available to make any necessary proposal fixes necessary for DRDA to submit the proposal

Priorities for large volume of submissions
Be aware that when the number of proposals being submitted to meet a deadline is large, all proposals received on time will be fully processed, including necessary re-submissions, before those proposals that arrive at DRDA late. This is in fairness to those investigators who meet the published deadline. DRDA will, of course, do all it can to submit your proposal on time, but we wanted to make you aware of the way that proposals are prioritized and the associated risk of not meeting DRDA's deadlines.

Circumstances beyond our control
DRDA staff will do everything possible to get the proposal to the sponsor on time. However, as the amount of time for processing is reduced, the chance for insurmountable obstacles increases. Certain parts of the review process lay outside of DRDA and therefore, are subject to the schedules of other offices. When there is sufficient lead time, DRDA staff can compensate for these problems. Therefore, faculty should make every effort to provide the maximum time possible for DRDA to process and adequately review their proposals.

Last reviewed: January, 2009