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College of Sciences 
Faculty and Staff Resources

Proposal Submission Timeline

In order to ensure that your proposal will be submitted on time to the sponsor, please follow the Proposal Submission Timeline.  Let COS Pre-Award know as early as possible, even if you do not know if you'll submit. COS Pre-Award email: cos_preaward@ncsu.edu

To avoid potential complications with a proposal or pending award, please notify the COS Research Office as soon as you think you may submit a proposal where you will:

  • Commit effort and/or
  • Request resources for a sponsored project
  • Submit a pre-proposal
  • Submit a white paper

Include submissions in which:

  • COS is not the lead college
  • NC State is not the lead institution
  • When you will be committing effort as an unfunded collaborator

How can I calculate my proposal submission timeline?

Use the Proposal Submission Timeline Calculator to determine when certain actions or documents are due to the COS Research Office.

15 Business Days Prior to Submission Deadline

  • Notify Pre-Award office of personnel information:
    • multiple investigators, collaborators, subcontracts, etc.
  • Notify Pre-Award office if the sponsor requires:
    • cost share/cost match, signed letters from Dean or University, non-standard F&A rate, etc.
  • Create proposal in sponsor system (if applicable)
    • NSF: Research.gov (PI creates)
    • NIH, DOD, DOE, etc.: Cayuse (Processor creates)
    • NASA: NSPIRES (PI Creates)
  • Provide Pre-Award with the rudimentary budget information using either the full or “quick” budget templates
  • Begin to prepare Biosketch/Current & Pending for Pre-Award review
  • Contact Department Head for cost share (if applicable)

10 Business Days Prior to Submission Deadline

  • Work with your processor to correct any errors related to formatting/compliance to ensure a smooth, error-free submission
  • Send your processor all near-final versions of non-science/non-technical documents
    • Senior Personnel Documents
    • Facilities and Equipment
    • Data Management Plan
    • etc.
  • Finalize budget and budget justification
  • Make sure COI/NOI is up to date and fully approved in the RED system
  • Route PINS record for approval

5 Business Days Prior to Submission Deadline

  • If the proposal requires a signature from and/or submission by a University office, it must be ready for submission by this date. If this deadline is missed the proposal is unlikely to be submitted
  • Complete and approve the PINS record
    • Approve at only one level (not PI and Dept/Center)
  • In the submission system (i.e. Research.gov, Cayuse, NSPIRES) all documents need to be uploaded
  • Final versions of all non-technical documents are due at this time

3 Business Days Prior to Submission Deadline

  • Final versions of ALL required proposal documents are due at this time
  • The College has “Submit” access in Research.gov (NSF), or “Released” to the College for NSPIRES proposals (NASA)
  • Proposals missing this deadline will be considered non-compliant with the timeline.  Submission is no longer guaranteed or proposal may be submitted with only a cursory review

Additional Details

  • The College of Sciences Pre-Award Office is open 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.
    • Proposals will NOT be submitted after 5 pm even if the sponsor deadline is after business hours. Please take into account the office business hours when planning your proposal submission.
  • All proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the timeline. Late proposals may or may not be accommodated. 
    • Notifying the College Research Office of your proposal less than 5 business days* prior to the sponsor deadline will result in your proposal being considered a late proposal. In this case, there is no guarantee that the submission can be accommodated. COS Pre-Award cannot fully review the documents so the PI is responsible if any errors occur (including budgetary errors) or the proposal is deemed not compliant. The Pre-Award Office will make an effort to submit all proposals but cannot guarantee any review or submission if the submission timeline outlined above is not adhered to.
  • On very rare occasions, an opportunity will arise that truly requires a same-day response and was not known to the researchers, department or college previously.
    • In those instances,  the College Research Office will forward documentation of that circumstance to the Director of Sponsored Programs, with a copy to the Associate Dean for Research and SPS@ncsu.edu, immediately and in parallel with electronic (Rush PINS) routing. 
    • This does not guarantee that Sponsored Programs will be able to accommodate the exception.  It will be considered a RUSH proposal.

*One business day is in no case less than a full business day when the university is open. For example, materials due at noon on Monday must be received by noon the previous Friday.

Please note:

The College Research Office has delegated authority to submit some proposals on behalf of the university. Proposals that do not fall within this delegation must be signed for and /or submitted by SPARCS. For the full criteria, visit the Signature Authority Delegation SOP website.

If your proposal requires a signature or submission by SPARCS and is received less than 3 days prior to the sponsor deadline, there is no guarantee that your proposal will be submitted on time. Visit the Timely Proposal Submission Policy website for more information.