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.
![](https://sciences.ncsu.edu/intranet/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2024/03/Proposal-Submission-Timeline-Calculator.png)
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.