Everybody is in the same boat, as the responses show!  Suggest to the group:

--  We are a SERVICE organization.  (Repeat that three times!)  However
procrastinating the PI, we are reviewing first to ensure the institution's
interests are met, and next to support the PI in getting the program rolling.
--  Set a reasonable "normal" review period, starting the clock after all
intervening academic management approvals obtained.  This will vary
depending on what services you provide for the PI, and what support the PI
may have from departments or schools/colleges.  And it is wise to use, and
document, "first come, first serve!"
--  If there is not enough time to review properly, AND no obvious
institutional problems, then send out a late proposal with a caveat that it
will be reviewed in detail immediately after the deadline and withdrawn if
there are problems AND copy chair and dean on that.
--  For contract proposal, you may have good reason NOT to send a late
proposal, even with caveat; consider what each contract proposal commits
the institution to.
--  Be willing to arrange special late review IF prearranged, IF there is a
good reason and IF you can fit into the schedule.  And if the privilege is
abused, let chair and dean know!
--  Be absolutely clear that cutoff by sponsor for electronic submissions
cannot be overridden, unless sponsor allows it.

This will win many friends, and will influence academic management and even
some PI's.  Do not shoot the chronic abuser unless you have a clear
arrangement with General Counsel to go your bail!  Remember that the
VP-Research (or whomever is your boss), by definition, cannot be late!

And document it if the workload is increasing so that you have to increase
the lead time just to get the normal work done; you might even be able to
get more review staff that way!

Chuck

At 10:12 AM 1/23/2004, you wrote:
>Hello, all,
>I have some questions that have arisen lately because of our sponsored
>programs office's policy of requiring five working days to process proposals.
>
>1. How many days of lead time prior to an agency deadline do you require
>to process a proposal?
>2. Do you have a written policy? [If you have such a policy, is it on your
>Web site?... I have searched several research office Web pages and do not
>find any policies of this nature.]
>
>and  related questions:
>
>1. What do you do if a PI fails to submit a proposal to your office in a
>timely manner:
>
>2. Have you ever failed to submit a proposal because your office did not
>have the stated time for processing?
>
>3. If yes, how many?
>
>Thanks for any responses. I will create a table for distribution (# of
>days, policy, Web site for policy, etc.)
>
>Elsa Nadler
>
>
>Elsa G. Nadler
>Grants Manager
>Department of Community Medicine
>1 Medical Center Drive
>PO Box 9190
>West Virginia University
>Morgantown, WV 26506-9190
>
>
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Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Voice:  804-827-6036
Fax     804-828-2051
e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu

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