Proposal Checklist
The Proposal Checklist identifies common proposal issues, what actions you should take for each, what you should include in your proposal package, and to whom you should provide copies of the proposal package or components of it.
Review the Proposal Checklist before you submit your proposal to the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) for review to ensure it is complete and accurate.
Common Proposal Issues and How to Address Them
Agency and Program Rules and Regulations
Read the sponsor agency's guidelines for preparing proposals carefully and thoroughly. If you have questions about solicitation content, agencies, or research strategy, contact The Office of Research Development (ORD) for assistance.
- Notify SPO of your intent to submit and send a copy of the proposal announcement well in advance of the submission date.
Animal Subjects or Custom Antibodies
If you are proposing research that involves vertebrate animal subjects or custom antibodies, the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) must review and approve your research before you can submit a proposal. Contact the UC Merced Office of Research Compliance and Integrity (RCI) with any questions about animal subjects, custom antibodies or IACUC approval.
Environmental Health and Safety
Follow Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) guidelines when you intend to use any of the following: regulated carcinogens, regulated biological materials, hazardous chemicals, radioactive or medical waste, toxic gases, radioactive materials and radiation-producing machines, use of Class III-B or Class IV lasers.
Follow material management guidelines for using narcotics or controlled substances.
Contact the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) for further information on requirements.
- Submit a copy of your proposal to EH&S: ehs@ucmerced.edu.
Exceptions to Principal Investigator Policy
Only voting members of the Academic Senate may serve as principal investigators on sponsored projects. Others may serve only by special exception to this policy. To request an exception to the P.I. policy, complete the P.I. Exception Form and accompanying justification.
- Submit one original, signed copy of the P.I. Exception Form to SPO.
Human Subjects
If your research will involve human subjects, you must have approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to submitting your proposal. Contact the UC Merced Office of Research Compliance and Integrity (RCI) if you have any questions on IRB requirements for human subjects. Vertebrate Animals
If your research will involve vertebrate animals, you must have the approval of the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) before submitting your proposal. Contact the RCI with any questions on requirements concerning vertebrate animals.
Facilities and Administrative Rate (F&A) and Waivers
At UC Merced, the current federally negotiated rate for F&A costs is 55 percent.
Some sponsoring agencies do not reimburse indirect costs at the full rate. The university will honor these exceptions when the funding agency has written guidelines or will provide a letter stating agency policy on payment of indirect costs. You must obtain a F&A waiver before you can submit a proposal with a different rate. The Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) must approve F&A rate waivers.
Material Transfer Agreement (Incoming)
If your proposed research will involve biological materials received from another institution, you must send the provider's material transfer agreement (MTA) to SPO for review and signature before you can submit the proposal.
Select Agents
Federal laws require that research institutions collect information regarding certain select agents and register their presence with the federal government. If your proposed research will include select agents, contact Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) to initiate the registration process and get help with any questions.
Space: New or Renovated
You must obtain approval from your Dean or Organized Research Units (ORU) Director for research proposals that include plans to acquire new or renovate existing spaces.
- Provide a cost estimate for acquiring new or renovating space with your PASS form.
Space: Rental
If your research project involves leasing off-campus space, indicate this on the PASS form. Include a description of the space you will rent. On budgets for projects using rented space, apply the off-campus F&A rate of 26 percent to the modified total direct costs (MTDC).
Third Party Commitment(s)
If your proposed research involves a commitment to a cost share by a third party, you must obtain a letter of concurrence from the third party.
- Submit one copy of the concurrence letter(s) to SPO.
