Each proposal is carefully reviewed by ICI prior to submission.
The review by ICI will consist of the following core tasks. After ICI's review, ICI will respond in writing to the PI/PD with results of review.
Compliance Review
ICI will ensure that the submitted proposal is compliant with the sponsor guidelines and PSU policy.
Detailed Budget Review
ICI will:
- Review salaries to confirm that they are based upon current actual PSU salaries, sponsor salary caps, applicable standard rates, and annual increases have been estimated at reasonable rates during the proposed period of performance.
- Confirm that fringe benefit and indirect cost rates have been appropriately applied and accurately calculated.
- Review non-personnel direct costs to determine that they are allowable, accurately calculated, and appropriately categorized by sponsor and PSU accounting standards.
- Review proposed direct and indirect cost-sharing to confirm that it has been documented and approved in accordance with PSU Cost-Sharing policy.
- Review budget justification notes for accuracy, responsiveness to sponsor requirements, and consistency with proposed budget and scope of work.
- Costs requested must meet standards for allowability, reasonableness, and allocability to the project being proposed.
Sponsor Application Guidelines & Program-Specific Solicitation Review
ICI will understand and consider the following key information when reviewing the sponsor guidelines.
- Program purposes
- Eligibility restrictions
- Anticipated funding levels and stated limitations on funding
- Sponsor deadline
- Earliest start date and allowable period of performance
- Allowable direct and indirect costs
- Cost-sharing requirements, if any
- Required budget and budget narrative to support technical review
- Required proposal components (including special, mandatory sections such as data management plans, postdoctoral mentoring plans, detailed plans for the protection of human subjects, and the responsible conduct of research plans required for some training grants)
- Formatting standards
- Anticipated terms and conditions of award to identify terms which may not be acceptable to the University
- Required representations and certifications
- Application procedures–including sponsor and program-specific variations on the standard application forms (e.g. instructions for completing applications to specific agency and programs within the Grants.gov system)
Proposal Package Review
ICI will perform a high level overview of the application package to ensure it is complete and ready for submission.
The review consists of the following verification steps:
- Verify all necessary proposal documents required by the sponsor per the solicitation guidelines are included and complete.
- Verify the required PSU documents including the Proposal Approval Form and any additional internal documents are included, complete, and signed.
- If the pacakge is incomplete, ICI will email the PI/PD to request the missing items.
Technical Narrative Review
ICI will review technical narrative to understand the scope of the project, implementation details (particularly relevant for budget development), and any University commitments being proposed which may not be evident elsewhere in the proposal. Particularly important for consideration:
- Type of research
- Who is working on the proposal? Who are the PSU key personnel?
- Where will personnel be working/travelling?
- Are there potential export control issues?
- Does the work involve humans, animals, hazardous chemicals or biohazards?
Electronic Portal Submission
When a sponsor requires electronic submission by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) of the university, the proposal will be submitted by ICI.
- For electronic submissions, ICI will complete a final check prior to submission to confirm that the proposal is complete, passes sponsor system requirements for successful transmission, and is as the investigator wants it to be.
- After submission, ICI will verify that any proposal submitted electronically has been successfully received by the sponsor in time to meet the sponsor’s deadline.
Note: Many sponsors require that investigators register and obtain a system account. View Sponsor System Registration for system registration instructions required by particular sponsors. Contact ICI for registration questions.
Non-Federal Direct Submission
When a non-federal sponsor requires an emailed submission, the proposal must be reviewed by ICI prior to submission.
- The PI/PD or department administrator will submit the proposal, along with documentation of opportunity, and budget and budget justification to ICI for review.
- ICI will review the proposal to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines and PSU policies.
- ICI will contact the PI/PD if any changes are necessary.
- Once finalized, ICI will return the approved proposal to the PI/PD or department administrator for submission to the sponsor.
- In the case of emailed submissions, a copy of the proposal, as submitted to the sponsor, will be maintained in ICI records.