CALS Contracts & Grants: Pre-Award

Our team consists of five Proposal Consultants and a Program Specialist overseen by our Pre-Award Manager (Pre-AM). Our Proposal Consultants work with our PIs to prepare their proposals for submission. Annually, this team submits approximately 800-1,000 proposals. Our Program Specialist is responsible for handling commodities as well as various administrative tasks.

Each consultant manages their own group of department faculty and establishes timelines to ensure timely follow-up and submission of proposals through the University and Sponsors’ systems. The Pre-Award Consultants can act independently in making decisions and authorizing actions such as contacting the sponsor for proposal clarification or providing post-submission award materials, e.g., revised budget, IRB, or IACUC approval letters.

• View the Pre-Award Team organizational structure
• View the Pre-Award Team staff directory
• To view which of our team members are assigned to your department or OUC please view the CALS Contacts by Department Spreadsheet

Overview

In collaboration with NCARS, NC Cooperative Extension and CALS Research Committee, the CALS EHRA Non-Faculty PI and Co-PI Eligibility Guide has been created to provide eligibility guidelines for those EHRA Non-Faculty individuals, who do not fall within the University’s “Research Matrix”, to become Co-PI and PIs on sponsored projects (ledger 5 projects). Please note for those individuals who fall within the Research Matrix, that will continue to be utilized as part of Co-PI and PI requests. 

For those individuals who meet the requirements of the new EHRA-Non-Faculty guide or the Research Matrix, the process starts with the supervisor of the individual reaching out to either the Department Head or District Director, with the individual’s CV and recommendation of a Co-PI or PI role. Please note, typically an Non-EHRA individual will need to be in a Co-PI role prior to moving into a PI role. If approved, the Department Head or District Director would forward the request to cals_preaward@ncsu.edu. CALS C&G will then work with NCARS or NC Cooperative Extension on the request. If approved, the request will be forwarded to SPARCS for final approval. If you have any questions, please reach out to cals_preaward@ncsu.edu.

Resources:

• CALS EHRA Non-Faculty PI and Co-PI Eligibility Guide
• EPA Non-Faculty Job Level Matrix – Research Practitioners and Project Managers
• Emeritus Faculty Members on NC State University Grants

• Incoming PI Transfer Checklist: This checklist is intended as a guide when a new faculty member is hired at NC State University and will serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on projects transferred from their prior institution.

Where to Start

Twenty & Five Policy

Review the CALS Contracts & Grants Pre-Award Twenty & Five Policy. This policy defines the roles of and mutual expectations for PIs and CALS Pre-Award staff during the proposal development and submission process. A short overview video of the policy is also available.

CALS Faculty and Staff will use the CALS Pre-Award Form for PD to notify the CALS Pre-Award Staff of an upcoming submission.  This form replaces the initiating/routing of a proposal in PINS.  The CALS 20 & 5 Pre-Award Policy is still in effect.

Additional Resources for Getting Started:

• CALS Proposal Developer: Assists CALS faculty with proposal planning and development in conjunction with CALS C&G Pre Award Team.
• Proposal Development Unit: As part of the University’s Research Development Office, this unit enables NC State faculty to pursue transformative, cutting-edge research through proactive planning, facilitation, proposal development, and training. Please visit their webpage for assistance with large proposals and resources.
• CALS Grant Submissions Workshop: This workshop recording provides information about proposal development and grant submissions in CALS.
• Summer Salary: Please note that for 9-month faculty members, the discussion of effort during the summer will be part of the budget preparation. In order for faculty to generate a Summer Salary Effort Report (showing effort on their funded projects), summer salary/fringe (excluding health insurance) is requested in the budget.
• SPARCS Timely Proposal Submission Policy: This policy aims to streamline proposal submissions, clarify rush request procedures, and promote university-wide accountability to minimize last-minute submissions.
• SPARCS RUSH Agreement Processing Policy: This policy establishes standardized timelines and criteria for urgent agreement processing, ensuring efficient handling while mitigating risks and promoting communication to minimize unnecessary rush requests.

Submitting a Proposal

Requirements

The first step in working with the Pre-Award Office is to submit a CALS Pre-Award Form for PD.  This form replaces the initiating/routing of a proposal in PINS.  The PreAC will set up a kick-off meeting to discuss the proposal and set deadlines per the CALS 20 & 5 policy if the proposals fall under the Green or Yellow Zone.

Questions about RED PD?  Email us at: CALS-PD-Support@ncsu.edu

Workflow

Proposal Lifecycle

Video: Lifecycle of an Award at NC State (NC State Research Administration Education)

Documents Required in the RED PD Record

• According to SPARCS, a statement of work is required regardless of how you have submitted a proposal to a sponsor. SPARCS needs something to show what NC State will be doing as part of the project.
• All RED PD records are required to have a statement of work, budget, budget justification, RFP (if applicable) and F&A justification (if applicable).

Submission Resources

• CALS Budget Justification Template 
• CALS Internal Budget Template
• Commodity Proposal and Budget Form
• Commodity Proposal Instructions
• Commodity Progress Reports & Impact Statement Form
• Commodity Progress Report Instructions
  

Research Enterprise Data (RED)
University database system for monitoring and recording all submitted proposals and award actions. In addition, this 13 system provides standardized reports and users can run queries on sponsored activity.

CALS Faculty and Staff will use the CALS Pre-Award Form for PD to notify the CALS Pre-Award Staff of an upcoming submission.  This form replaces the initiating/routing of a proposal in PINS.  The CALS 20 & 5 Pre-Award Policy is still in effect.

Questions about RED PD?  Email us at: CALS-PD-Support@ncsu.edu

CALS Faculty and Staff will use the CALS Pre-Award Form for PD to notify the CALS Pre-Award Staff of an upcoming submission.  This form replaces the initiating/routing of a proposal in PINS.  The CALS 20 & 5 Pre-Award Policy is still in effect.

In RED PD, CALS Faculty and Staff will be primarily responsible for completing the Approval/Routing process.

• RED U 305 training available through REPORTER for Approving/Routing a RED PD record.
• Approving and Routing a PD Record Guide.

Questions about RED PD?  Email us at: CALS-PD-Support@ncsu.edu

CALS Proposal Developer
Assists CALS faculty with proposal planning and development in conjunction with CALS C&G Pre Award Team.

Sponsored Programs And Regulatory Compliance (SPARCS)
The University office guides researchers and research staff through the proposal and award process, including subawards (both out-going and in-coming), testing/fabrication agreements, grant agreements, and industry agreements. SPARCS provides education and resources to help you maintain research compliance.

University Contracts & Grants
The Office of Contracts and Grants is responsible for the Post-Award administration of contracts and grants awarded to NC State University, including all financial reporting, financial administration, effort reporting, and financial regulation compliance.

• Training Reference Guides
  

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Account Creation for PIs
• PIs: Initiating a New Proposal & Sharing Access in Research.gov
  

• Contracts & Grants Documents and Forms
• CALS Grant Submissions Workshop Recording
• Pre-Award Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Quick Reference Guide: Testing Service Agreements (TSA)

• CALS Financial Roles Defined
• Financial Roles and Descriptions (University’s Guide)

Research Education Intranet: A comprehensive resource that provides links to in-person training sessions, eLearning, and webinars.

• Find Funding
• Industry-Funded Research Overview training eLearning
• Request for Proposals eLearning
• NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy Panel Discussion
• Research Support
• Proposal Development Unit 
• PI Investigator Eligibility and Standing
• NC State ID Numbers and References
•  Using SciENcv and ORCID to Create your Biosketch
• Proposal Budget Development
• Calculating Total Federal Awarded Funds (TFFA)
• Developing Compelling Budget Justifications
• Equipment and Fabricated Equipment Q&A
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Submission Best Practices
• Participant Support Costs
• Role of a Cognizant Agency

• PI Portal Overview
• Research Process Overview
• Uniform Guidance Certification Training for Principal Investigators