SUBMISSION PROCESS AND APPROVAL TIMELINES

In order to protect the institution, the PI, the sponsor, and all other parties associated with a grant proposal or agreement, UADA CES has an internal approval process in place via the Streamlyne Electronic System. The below steps should be followed to ensure a smooth approval process.

1. Grants
   

   1. Notification: A PI planning to submit a proposal for sponsored funding should contact OSP Pre-Award staff as early as possible in the proposal development process. Pre-Award staff will assist the PI in interpreting the Request for Proposals, deadlines, proposal contents, budget requirements, and all associated forms.   10-15 days or more
      
      
   2. Subawards: If a PI is planning on working with another institution on the grant project, the CES PI should consult with their own OSP so that they can work with the program staff at that collaborating institution to prepare and obtain all the required forms for that sub-award institution to participate. (It is, of course, assumed that the CES PI is already talking with the PI at the collaborating institution before this step happens.)  15 days or more
      
      
   3. Preparing the Proposal: The PI will work with Pre-Award OSP as needed to develop the proposal and complete all required forms for the application. 10 days or more
      
      
   4. Submit Proposal in Streamlyne for Internal Approvals: When the PI has the required application pieces completed, he/she can initiate a proposal for internal approvals in Streamlyne. OSP can assist the PI in initiating and then completing the SL proposal. IMPORTANTLY, the PI should have OSP to review, correct, and/or complete the SL proposal before submitting for internal approvals. OSP will assist as much as is needed. 5 days or more
      

      
      Streamlyne System

      Streamlyne Quick Reference Guide 

      
      
   5. Submit to Sponsor: After final approvals are completed in SL, the PI may submit to Sponsor. If arrangements have been made with OSP in advance, they may be able to submit the proposal for the PI. A Federal grant is usually submitted by OSP. 1 day or more

    

2. Agreements

Depending on the project sponsor, grant agreements can arrive in the OSP office through various channels. As a PI, if you receive and agreement requiring signature, you should be aware that only the Associate Vice-President for Agriculture-Extension or the Associate Director of Finance & Administration can officially commit the institution to an agreement. In some cases, there may be a line for the PI to sign. If so, please sign as indicated and forward the agreement to the Office of Sponsored Programs. Upon receipt, the agreement will be reviewed in accordance with UADA CES requirements based on the institution's relationship with the sponsor.

Example 1:  Agreement received from a private sponsor CES works with routinely (i.e., Cotton Inc.)

1. If the PI receives the agreement, they should look to see if their signature is required on any form, then forward the document to OSP.
2. OSP staff will compare the award document to the original FIN-312 and proposal in terms of the scope of work and budget. If the budget has changed from the original submission, the PI will be asked to send a revised budget to OSP.
3. When the scope of work and budget are determined to be accurate and indirect costs calculated correctly, OSP staff will review the agreement for routine agreement information (billing address, frequency of billing, reporting requirements, etc.) If all clauses are determined to be routine and have not changed since UA legal staff last reviewed the proposal, it will be forwarded to the Associate Director of Finance & Administration for signature.  In some cases, sponsors will only accept the signature of the Associate Vice-President for Agriculture-Extension or the UA System Vice-President of Agriculture. If these signatures are required, processing of the agreement may be delayed.
4. When an agreement is approved at the institutional level, OSP staff will return it to the sponsor and request a fully-executed copy after the sponsor signs. When received, the agreement will be forwarded to Award Management staff, and you will be notified of a fund number, bridge conference date, etc.

Example 2: Agreement received from a sponsor with which CES has not previously done business

1. Steps 1, 2, and 3 in Example 1 remain the same.
2. While reviewing the agreement, OSP staff will ensure various information is included such as the official name of the institution ("The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas acting for and on behalf of the Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas"), sponsor contact information, payment terms and conditions, etc. If these items are incorrect, OSP staff will often contact the sponsor and request revisions.
3. If while reviewing the agreement, OSP staff determines some clauses create a cause for legal concern (i.e., indemnification, intellectual property rights, patents, publishing, etc.), the agreement will be forwarded to the Associate Director of Finance & Administration with the recommendation it be sent for review by UA System attorneys. If this review takes place, it is possible the ultimate approval of the agreement may be delayed. OSP will forward a revised document to the sponsor with requested changes highlighted. If the sponsor does not agree, negotiation will ensue, and on some occasions, it will be necessary for the sponsor and UA System attorneys to discuss and reach a solution.
4. After legal review has been completed and a satisfactory agreement has been accepted by both parties, UADA CES administrators will sign the document, and OSP personnel will forward to the sponsor for signature.
5. Upon receipt of the full-executed agreement, the document will be forwarded to Award Management staff as outlined in Example 1.