Notify OSP Early
To maximize your support from the Office of Sponsored Programs, please notify your Grants Coordinator well in advance of the sponsor deadline. We highly encourage early notifications within the 1-3 month range or even further in advance. OSP strongly advises following the Proposal Timeline Guide.
The NuRamp Form assigned to the proposal must have the necessary internal approvals obtained (routing complete), no later than five (5) business days prior to the sponsor deadline.
Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Deadline
To ensure that we can effectively handle the influx of proposals and provide equitable and effective support, OSP has established a Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Deadline.
This deadline reflects our commitment to optimizing our operational capacity while proactively addressing the multifaceted complexity and compliance requirements posed by a diverse array of external funding sources. It enables us to allocate resources, conduct thorough proposal reviews, and offer the comprehensive support our research and creative activity community deserves.
By adhering to the Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Deadline, both OSP and our research and creative activity community collectively contribute to the success of externally funded projects. This requirement is designed to enhance the support we provide, foster an environment of transparency, and ensure that all project investigators receive the attention they need. Thank you for sharing in our commitment to excellence, integrity, and compliance in sponsored initiatives.
While OSP has established a Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit deadline, waiting until this point is not advisable, as we consider it to be last minute.
15 Business Days Prior to Sponsor Deadline
Applicable to projects that include any of the following:
- Cost-Share/Matching or Other Institutional Resource Commitments
- Subawardees/Subcontractors
- F&A Waiver Requests
- International Sponsor
Proposals with subrecipients or cost share require fifteen (15) business days to gather documentation from outside entities, review, and approval.
This timeline provides a minimum of ten (10) business days to assist in preparing the internal business-related elements and five (5) business days for internal routing and approvals.
Subrecipients may have their own internal deadlines. If we cannot obtain documentation from the subrecipient within the OSP-required timeline, it places the proposal at-risk of submission.
10 Business Days Prior to Sponsor Deadline
Applicable to projects that include any of the following:
- Domestic Sponsors
- Letters of Intent, White Papers, Pre-Proposals that include budgetary information.
OSP requires ten (10) business days for review and approval of all proposals. This timeline provides a minimum five (5) business days to assist in creating the internal business-related elements and five (5) business days for internal routing and approvals.
7 Business Days Prior to Sponsor Deadline
Applicable to projects that include:
- UNO as a Subaward from another entity
OSP requires seven (7) business days for review and approval of all proposals. This timeline provides a minimum two (2) business days to assist in creating the internal business-related elements and five (5) business days for internal routing and approvals.
Late Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal
In cases of serious extenuating circumstances, if the Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Deadline is not met, an exception request for a Late Notice of Intent can be submitted. The exception request form must be completed and signed, with approval or disapproval by the Unit Chair and Unit Dean within 24 hours of notifying OSP.
ORCA Associate Vice Chancellor for Research (AVCR) and Director of OSP will review this exception request. The ORCA AVCR will have final approval authority.
If the exception request is approved, the proposal will be given minimal review and reasonable efforts will be made to complete the review and submission process before the sponsor’s deadline. However, a successful submission cannot be guaranteed due to the high volume of proposals during major deadlines.
OSP is not responsible for failed submissions of any proposals that did not meet the minimum requirements of the notice of intent to submit deadline. Additionally, there is no guarantee that UNO will be able to accept the terms and conditions of any award resulting from a late notice of intent to submit a proposal.
Late Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Form
Sponsor Deadlines
The sponsor's deadline is defined as the date and time after which the sponsor will no longer accept proposals that fall within OSP's normal business hours of:
Monday through Friday, 8 A.M. - 5 P.M. Central Time
If the sponsor does not specify a submission deadline or requires the submission asap, OSP determines the deadline fifteen (15) business days after the date OSP is notified of the intent to submit the proposal.
Proposals will not be submitted after hours, on weekends, or during UNO holiday closures.
OSP Early Submissions to Sponsors
As a general practice, OSP typically submits proposals to the sponsor within the five (5) business days leading up to the sponsor deadline. However, the Grants Coordinator has the flexibility to submit earlier (within a maximum of 30 days) based on workload and upcoming deadlines.
Retroactive Proposals
A Retroactive Proposal is a proposal that has been submitted to the sponsoring agency without the necessary dept/school/university and/or OSP level review and approvals that receive an award notice. All retroactive proposals will need an approved exception before they can be processed at OSP.
This includes retroactive proposals that arrive with an award agreement. OSP will mark the due date in NuRamp as fifteen (15) business days after the date OSP is notified. If the sponsor requires a sooner deadline, OSP will negotiate the deadline with the sponsor unless otherwise directed by the sponsor.
Definitions
Sponsor
A Sponsor is the external funding agency that provides an award directly to the university.
Business Day
A Business Day is Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. until 5 P.M. Official national and state holidays and UNO campus closure days are not considered business days and are not counted when determining the Minimum Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal Deadline.
Internal Business-Related Elements
Internal Business-Related Elements are the applicable components of a proposal applications that may include but not limited to a detailed budget, budget justification, institutional certifications, letters of support, biosketch/CV, official subrecipient supporting document and other documents as per the solicitation.
At-Risk Proposal
"At-Risk" proposals may not be submitted to the sponsor in time, and may not be reviewed for completeness or correctness or meet compliance requirements with sponsor guidelines. "At-Risk" proposals also may be due to:
- Proposals deemed as "Late." See Late Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal.
- Proposal application components not received until the day of the sponsor deadline.
- If the PD/PI is non-responsive or unavailable on the sponsor deadline and/or during two (2) business days leading up to the sponsor deadline.