UNMC Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA)

PI Mails

Recognizing that PIs face significant time constraints when preparing a grant, SPA has changed its policy on the submission of grant applications to external sponsors.  PIs will be given the option of mailing proposals to the sponsor.  As in the past, SPA review and approval is still required before mailing any application to an external sponsor.  As described in the policy statement, SPA will only review key components of the application, allowing the investigator additional time to complete the narrative portions of the application.

For your convenience, overnight mailing supplies and instructions are available at SPA (ARS 3010).

SPA Role: SPA will review applications to ensure they comply with the sponsor’s guidelines, institutional and federal policies.  Specifically, SPA will:

• Review and approve key components of the application,
• Sign the application as the official representative of UNMC, and
• Maintain an inventory of overnight mailing supplies for investigators

SPA will continue to support application development and preparation, such as interpreting program guidelines and regulations, advising on budget development and helping to complete standard forms.  Services outlines specific resources available through SPA.

• UNMC’s internal forms  
  • SPA Routing and Budget Form
  • Disclosure Form
     
• Sponsor’s program and application guidelines
• Sponsor’s form pages, including
  • All pages requiring signature (e.g.,  PHS 398 face page)
  • Budget and budget justification,
  • NIH Checklist Page
  • Specific Aims or Abstract
  • Resources page

Timeframe: Because applications no longer need to be in final form before being routed to SPA, SPA requests that investigators submit their key components for institutional review at least 5 days before the grant deadline. Modifying the review process to incorporate an earlier approval is designed to give principal investigators additional flexibility in completing their applications.

Although the complete application is not required for receiving institutional approval, SPA must have a complete and final copy of your application (as submitted minus appendices) for their files. When preparing copies for the sponsor, also make a copy for SPA and deliver it to SPA (ARS 3010) within five days after the grant deadline. SPA’s copy may be sent through campus mail (zip 7835).

Cautions:

• Some sponsors require applications to be sent to more than one address. Investigators are encouraged to carefully study the sponsor’s guidelines regarding mailing instructions.
• If submitting a modular grant, note that the biographical sketch has been modified to include all active grants in the last three years. The page length for each biographical sketch has been increased to four pages.
• If a proposal is submitted to an external sponsor before receiving institutional approval, the institutions may withdraw it from the competition. Proposals must meet institutional and agency policies.