Preaward

Pre-Award provides comprehensive support to PIs, including:

• Guidance and consultation on proposal development
• Review of RFPs and solicitations to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements
• Assistance with budget development
• Creation of agency-specific user accounts (e.g., NSF Research.gov, NIH eRA Commons)
• Proposal review, processing, and submission to sponsors
• Help in responding to sponsor requests for additional information

In addition to full proposals, Pre-Award also assists with certain pre-proposals or letters of intent, depending on sponsor guidelines.

When and Who to Notify

ORA strongly recommends submitting proposals at least five (5) business days before the sponsor deadline. This allows sufficient time for thorough review and processing. As soon as you identify a funding opportunity you're interested in — even if the deadline is months away — please notify your assigned Contracts and Grants Administrator/Coordinator. Early communication helps with planning and ensures a smoother, more efficient proposal development and submission process for everyone involved.

Not sure who your pre-award contact is? Click here to view the list of schools/departments and their assigned contacts.

Internal Proposal Routing and Approval Process

InfoEd Global is the university’s designated system for managing sponsored project proposals and serves as the official institutional record for all submissions. In addition to proposal management, InfoEd Global houses critical research functions such as the Institutional Review Board module.

Although your assigned ORA Contracts & Grants Administrator/Coordinator handle creating the official proposal records in InfoEd Global, PIs are responsible for providing complete and accurate proposal documentation to ensure proper internal routing, review, and approval. This collaborative process supports compliance, enhances transparency, and streamlines the pre-award workflow.

Submissions

To begin internal routing for proposal approval, the following documents must be submitted:

• Funding Opportunity Announcement
• Proposal Information Form 
• Statement of Work 
• Final Budget
• Budget Justification

Once these items are submitted, investigators may continue working on the full proposal and remaining required documents. 

The Pre-Award team has a solid foundation in budget preparation and can support you early in the process. For assistance with budget development during proposal planning, please reach out to your Contracts and Grants Administrator/Coordinator.

No-Cost Extensions
A no-cost extension allows a PI to extend the project end date without additional funding from the sponsor. Approval depends on sponsor policies, and unspent funds must be available to cover costs during the extended period. Requirements and procedures vary by sponsor.

Our Pre-Award team is here to guide you through the no-cost extension request process to ensure compliance and timely submission. To help us support you effectively, please reach out at least three months before your project end date to discuss your needs and begin planning. Requests submitted with less than two weeks’ notice may not allow sufficient time for sponsor review and could be denied.

Personnel Changes on Active Awards

If you currently have an active grant and need to make changes to the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator, please complete the PI/Co-PI Change Request Form. For changes involving other key or non-key personnel, please contact your assigned ORA Coordinator/Administrator to process the request accordingly.

PI Transfers
When a PI transfers to USM, it’s important to contact ORA early. Our Pre-Award team will coordinate with the PI’s previous institution and the funding agency to facilitate the award transfer. If a PI leaves USM during an active grant, the original institution, new institution, and sponsor must agree on next steps. This may include transferring the award, identifying a replacement PI, or closing the grant.