Each proposal for external funding has the potential to become a legal document binding the university to fulfill the conditions specified in the proposal. When a proposal is submitted to a sponsor, it is submitted by the university, not the author of the proposal. When an award is received, it is received by the university on behalf of the PI/PD and any co-investigators or co-directors.

Thus, the author of a proposal must seek, secure, and substantiate the university’s commitment to issues of compliance, support, and concurrence with fiscal and programmatic statements. To do so, the author must ensure that the proposal conforms to the university’s policies, mission, and obligations; must inform relevant administrators of potential commitments of time and resources and obtain their written consent to these commitments; and must document the university’s compliance with applicable regulations.

It is the responsibility of the ORSP to review the accuracy and completeness of the university’s support of the proposed project and the university’s suitability as a recipient of the targeted award. University procedures for proposal development and submission are detailed in Chapter 5.

Responsibilities associated with proposal development and submission and the conduct of resulting sponsored programs are outlined in the following sections.