Jane - having managed to get 40+ proposals through my staff of 2.5 and through
our OSP in 6 days, I think I can answer this a little bit, though I'm at a
department level, not a central office. My department sends out 250+ proposals
each FY (we're on #175 right now) and are usually under a crunch for one thing
or another.

> a) Do you have some sort of "streamlined" review process to deal with the
> excessively tardy proposals when they all come in at once?

I review each proposal before it leaves our department and goes to the central
proposal office. As you all know, some faculty are more problematic than others.
For me, I go over some with a fine tooth comb because they always cause
problems. I'm not the most qualified to answer this, as I don't represent our
AOR, and I'm not sure what they do.

> b) Have you ever refused to submit a proposal because of the PI's error in
> not managing time properly to allow for adequate review and required
> signatures?

Yes. And I when I have done it, I have spoken with the appropriate Dean/Director
ahead of time and told them what I intended to do, unless they directed me
otherwise. I have been lucky enough in the few times I have refused that there
were no lasting repercussions. The faculty that have their act together get
funded. The ones that don't, don't get funded. I also believe that allowing it
to continually happen develops bad habits and allows them think that they can
"get it away with it". To me it's like parenting. I don't have children, I have
faculty. So I need to make sure they learn to follow the rules, and play nice.
Part of that is realizing that there are consequences for their actions (or lack
thereof).

This is particularly timely because this morning I sent a Director and Dean in
my department the following email:

Director and Dean -

I have a problem. Drs. Joe and Schmoe have provided us with proposals at the
eleventh hour for the last 3 RFPs. Granted, one of them was Really Big Deal RFP
and they had discussed it ahead of time, but even on that one they were making
changes while we preparing the package for shipment to Delivery Place on the due
date.

I do realize that they are busy people. However, we are not able to perform an
adequate review, the Proposal Office is not happy about repeatedly getting rush
proposals, and from the reviews that I have made reading the work, I can
honestly share my opinion that the quality of the submission suffers because of
the hastiness in which it was prepared.

If this happens again I intend to tell Drs. Joe and Schmoe that we cannot
process their proposal, as we have enough other work that has been provided to
us in a timely manner to keep us busy. In that event he will, quite naturally
and understandably, apply to one of you for clemency. I would  appreciate your
support when the time comes.

Tania

--
 Accountability and accounting are not the same thing

Tania H. Clucas, CRA                      mailto:xxxxxx@sfos.uaf.edu
Sponsored Programs Manager                       Voice 907.474.6736
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences           Fax   907.474.7204
University of Alaska Fairbanks              http://www.sfos.uaf.edu

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