Proposal Submission & Response
Electronic Submissions
Most sponsors require electronic submission of proposals. These systems require an Authorized Organizational Representative from SPA to approve and submit proposals on behalf of PSU.
Hard-copy or Email Submissions
Principal Investigators may submit proposals by hard-copy or via email to the sponsor. If this is the case, a copy of the complete proposal package submitted to the sponsor must be sent to SPA immediately upon submission.
Regardless of submission method, it is important to notify SPA of your intention to submit a proposal at least 3 weeks in advance of the deadline so that review and approval can be completed in time to meet sponsor deadlines. A fully-approved Proposal Internal Approvals Form is required before the Authorized Representative will submit the proposal.
Sponsor Response
Once a proposal has been reviewed, Sponsored Projects Administration normally receives formal notification of sponsor acceptance or rejection of proposals. If award notices or letters of rejection come directly to the applicant, original copies should be forwarded to awards@pdx.edu.
If a proposal has been recommended for funding, the sponsor will often notify the Principal Investigator (PI) directly.
Such preliminary or informal advice may precede official notification by as much as several months. Because scientific or program approval does not always guarantee funding, no work may be initiated or costs incurred until the sponsor’s official written notification is received and accepted by the University either via the Organizational Prior Approval for Spending (OPAS) process or award acceptance process.