What is a Proposal?
A proposal is a detailed request for funding prepared in accordance with the sponsor’s instructions. A sponsor can be a federal, state, or local agency, a private foundation, a corporation or other business entity.
A proposal must comply with University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center policies and sponsor requirements. A proposal, upon submission, becomes an official record of the work OUHSC proposes to do for the sponsor. No department or PI is authorized to submit a proposal without the prior written approval of the ORA.
How can I locate funding sources?
The Office of Research Administration website includes links to various funding sources. In addition, opportunities can be found on the News page and are emailed weekly to all faculty and staff from the ORA.
Who can help me with budget information?
Your Department or College should be able to assist you with your budget preparation. Spreadsheet templates are available on the ORA website. A Detailed Budget Spreadsheet template and NIH Modular Spreadsheet template is available under All ORA Forms. Your Sponsored Programs Administrator (SPA, found here) is also available to assist with specific questions or preliminary review of the budget (upon providing the SPA with the budget and a copy of the guidelines).
When do I need to notify ORA that I will be applying for a grant or contract?
Please notify your SPA (found here) as soon as you know you will be submitting a proposal. Include a link to any guidelines or RFA. Please note that the full proposal package, including all the applicable forms, must be provided to the ORA three (3) business days prior to the submission deadline.
What are the Facilities and Administration (F&A) or indirect cost rates (IDC) for sponsored programs?
Please review the information found here.
What can I do if the sponsor will not pay the full indirect cost rate?
Requests for exceptions to the indirect cost rate are located in OUHSC Administrative Policies, Section 572.4. The exception request is not required for sponsors if the rate is capped or excluded in the sponsor’s public program announcement. .
What is OUHSC’s legal name for the other party to place on an agreement?
Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
How should the checks payable section appear on a contract?
Check(s) for services shall be made payable to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Attn: Department Contact, Department address.
Check(s) for reimbursable expenses shall be made payable to the Principal Investigator or OUHSC employee, Attn: PI/OUHSC Employee/Department Contact, Department address or whichever address the PI/OUHSC employee prefers.
When do I need to route a proposal through SoonerTrack?
You must route your proposal any time proposals you are requesting new funds into the University. To initiate a routing form, enter your OUHSC user name and password into the SoonerTrack system here. NOTE: Routing forms are not required for rebudget, extension, and carryover requests. However, you must work with your SPA to make these modifications.
If I submit a proposal electronically to the sponsor do I still need to route my proposal through ORA?
Yes. All completed grant applications and proposals must be routed through and reviewed by the ORA at least three (3) full business days prior to the sponsor's deadline. This includes all proposals to state, federal, non-profit, foundation, and industrial/pharmaceutical sponsors, regardless of the type of submission. An authorized agent of the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma in the ORA must approve and sign all proposals prior to submission to the sponsor. Faculty do not have the authority to sign any proposal or grant application, nor to submit any electronic applications without the prior written approval of the ORA.
I do not think I will be able to make the three-day submission deadline. What do I do?
Incomplete proposals submitted with less than three (3) full University business days before the funding agency’s deadline will NOT be accepted without a waiver from the Vice President for Research (VPR) or their designee. .
How do I know if the contract request I’m submitting should be for a Subrecipient or for a Vendor?
To determine which contract is appropriate, please review these Subrecipient vs. Vendor Guidelines. If you still are not sure, please contact your Sponsored Programs Administrator (SPA).
What is the difference between a subcontract-in (sub-in) and a subcontract-out (sub-out) and who in ORA handles them?
Sub-out: OUHSC is paying a contractor / subcontractor for research or training from a grant or contract that was awarded to OUHSC. Sub-out packet is routed through SoonerTrack Agreements after prime project is awarded.
Sub-in: Another party is paying OUHSC as a subcontractor for research or training from a grant or contract awarded to the other party (sponsored funds). Sub-in packet is routed through SoonerTrack Grants prior to submission by the prime.
How do I get a subcontract out or an independent contractor agreement (ICA) prepared?
Subcontracts and Independent Contract Agreements (ICAs) must be routed in SoonerTrack: https://fs.ou.edu. To learn more about the ICA or sub-out process, click here. Please send any questions to HSCORA@ouhsc.edu or the SoonerTrack Help-desk at soonertrackhelpdesk@ouhsc.edu
Can an ICA or Subcontract be started before we receive and process the Primary Agreement?
No, the primary agreement (award) must be in place and a project account should be established by the Grants and Contracts Accounting office before any subcontracts or ICAs can be processed on it.