Carnegie Mellon University

department intiates proposal department prepars proposal department reviews proposal osp reviews proposal department releases electronic application to osp osp reviews electronic application osp submits electronic application to sponsor pending sponsor review

Carnegie Mellon uses the Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance System (SPARCS) to obtain information about sponsored projects.

A SPARCS funding proposal should be submitted to OSP before the application is submitted to the sponsor, regardless of whether the sponsor requires a signature. A funding proposal is required for all proposals that: commit University resources; propose deliverables (technical reports, financial reports, etc.); require a budget; involve a subrecipient; and involve human subjects, animal subjects, radiation, or biohazards.

Department Prepares Funding Proposal - Draft

The department should create all New funding proposals in SPARCS.

The department should create follow-on funding proposals (Revised Budget, Resubmission, Renewal and Revision) by selecting the appropriate activity from the funding proposal workspace. NOTE: The funding proposal must be in specific states for each activity.

Application Type Definitions:

  • NEW: An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.
  • REVISED BUDGET: The revised budget activity should only be used when the sponsor has made the request and/or OSP must either approve, submit or sign the information. This is primarily used by NSF, although other agencies may make a similar request. NOTE: If a budget needs to be changed internally to match the sponsor awarded amount, this can be completed when the award is set up.
    STATE: Pending Sponsor Review
    ACTIVITY: Notify SPO of Grant Status
  • RESUBMISSION: An unfunded application the applicant has modified following the initial sponsor review and resubmitted for consideration. NIH allows a maximum of one resubmitted application. 
    STATE: Not Funded
    ACTIVITY: Create Resubmission
  • RENEWAL: An application requesting additional funding, over and above what was originally proposed, for a period subsequent to that provided by the current award.
    STATE: Awarded
    ACTIVITY: Create Renewal
  • REVISION (SUPPLEMENTAL): A supplemental application requesting additional funding for an active award.
    STATE: Awarded
    ACTIVITY: Create Revision

INTERIM PROCESS:
If the original submission was submitted via SPEX, create a new funding proposal in SPARCS. Be sure to select the appropriate follow-on submission (Revised Budget, Resubmission, Renewal or Revision) Application Type on the General Proposal Information smartform.

Once all of the information has been completed and all required documents are attached, the funding proposal is then submitted for Department Review.

If you need access to SPARCS, please contact the SPARCS Help Desk.

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Department Reviews Funding Proposal - Department Review

The SPARCS funding proposal requires the approval of the SUBMITTING department and related school/college. The approval hierarchy is determined by the needs of each department. The department reviewers will provide comments and request clarification of the study team for any changes required to the funding proposal.

Impacted departments will receive a notification from SPARCS at the time the funding proposal is sent for department review. This notification will be sent to the business manager(s) of the impacted department indicating that a funding proposal has been submitted with a researcher from his or her department listed on the proposal.

Once the department approval process is complete the funding proposal is submitted for Specialist Review (OSP).

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OSP Reviews Funding Proposal - Specialist Review

The OSP Specialist will review the information that is entered into the SPARCS funding proposal (demographics and budget sections) along with the following items which need to be attached to the funding proposal:

□ PI Assurance Statement signed by the PI
□ Completed Budget file (uploaded)
□ Budget Justification, regardless of sponsor requirements
□ Abstract/Project Summary
□ Solicitation and/or Sponsor's guidelines
□ Other Documents for Signature (i.e. Statement of Intent, Face Page, etc.)
□ Commitment of Additional Resources, if applicable
□ Subaward Documentation, if applicable
  - Statement of Intent signed by subaward institution
  - Scope of Work
  - Budget
  - Budget Justification
  - Source and Price Justification

The manager of the OSP PreAward (Specialist) team will also provide a review of the funding proposal and will indicate approval within the funding proposal via an email to the appropriate Specialist. This correspondence will be captured in the funding proposal History. 

Once the SPARCS funding proposal has been reviewed for accuracy and all the approvals have been obtained, the Specialist will move the funding proposal to the Final SPO Review state until the sponsor application has been received. 

  • Submission via Specialist (OSP Research Administrator): the PI, Business Manager or proposal contact (anyone on the proposal preparation team) has released the application for review and submission by the OSP Specialist.
  • Submission via Proposal Team (PI, Business Manager or proposal contact): A copy of all of the materials submitted along with the confirmation of the submission has been added to the SPARCS funding proposal.

The submission information should be communicated utilizing the Email Specialist Activity on the Funding Proposal workspace and uploading these documents. Be sure to select "Budget Attachments".

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