Proposal Routing

The initial contact for most faculty members are with the Departmental or College/Unit Grants Administrators. University Transmittal sheets must be reviewed by the College Grants Administrator prior to obtaining Chair/Dean signatures.

For colleges not listed at the above link or for other units/offices, please contact Sponsored Projects Administration at (251) 460-7888.

All proposals, whether paper or electronic submission, must be routed through the university approval process via the electronic proposal submission system (Cayuse). Most electronic submissions will be handled through Sponsored Projects Administration. If the proposal will be submitted via email or a system which does not require authorized university personnel to submit, the PI is required to complete the submission process.

Grant Submission Policy

The Proposal Routing Flowchart provides a visual overview of the routing process for proposal applications.

Complete all applicable fields on the Electronic Proposal.  This must be complete prior to routing.

All dates should follow the example format: XX/XX/XX.

Cayuse Proposal # – Will automatically generate in the system.

Proposal Abstract – Also, please note that the information for the abstract may be forwarded to the Office of Marketing and Communications for press release, if awarded.

Current Year Budget & Entire Project Period – Please provide the appropriate information for the Direct , Indirect, and Total Costs.

All budget figures should be rounded off to the nearest whole dollar amount. Please do not include cents in any of your budget figures.

Please select the appropriate Indirect Cost rate from the drop-down list in the electronic system.

Cost sharing from a source other than your department or college must include appropriate documentation. For example, a tuition waiver must include an attached email or letter from the Graduate Dean. Banner Account numbers must be listed for each Cost Sharing Item (16 digit number – fund, organization, program).

Regulatory Reviews – Please select the applicable compliance type and complete the appropriate accompanying information.

Export Controls – Please review each question and check Yes or No as applicable.

Intellectual Property – Please review each item carefully and check Yes or No as applicable.

Conflict of Interest Certification – Please review each item carefully and check Yes or No as applicable.

Once the proposal is complete, the PI must certify and submit for routing.

Animal Use: Federal regulations regarding the use of animals require that a protocol be reviewed and approved when animals are used in research, testing, or instruction. Additionally, the application for use of animals is required for all field research. USA policy requires review of all vertebrate animals such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish. For questions on Animal Use, please call the IACUC office at 460-6863 or https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/research/compliance/animalcare.

Human Subjects: Federal regulations and USA policy require faculty, staff or students conducting research involving human subjects to obtain review and approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the research begins. For questions, please call the IRB office at 460-6308 or https://www.usouthal.edu/departments/research/compliance/humansubjects.

Embryonic Stems Cell: Please contact the Office of Research Compliance at 460-6625 if the research requires use of embryonic stem cells.

Biological Materials: Examples of biological materials include: recombinant DNA, RNA, potentially infectious agents, human blood/tissues/fluids or primary cell culture derived from humans or non-human primates. For questions, please call the IBC office at 460-6863 or https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/research/compliance/biosafety.

Select Agents or Toxins: Contact the Office of Research Compliance at 460-6625 in advance of proposal submission regarding projects involving select agents or toxins. A listing of select agents and toxins is available at: https://www.selectagents.gov/SelectAgentsandToxinsList.html.

Export Controls: Check this box if: 1) export controlled equipment, information or technology will be exported or utilized by the University during the course of the project; 2) travel to foreign countries; 3) the funding source limits USA’s submission of manuscripts for publication, restricts the use of the data or results from the project that will effect USA’s freedom to publish, or places restrictions on whom may be working on the project; 4) individuals, agencies, consultants, universities, or entities from a foreign country are working with USA on the project/program; or 5) you will be using any encrypted software in your research project not available in the mass market. For additional questions regarding exported controlled items, please call the Office of Research Compliance at 460-6509 or https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/research/compliance/exportcontrol.

Financial Conflict of Interest: Public Health Services (PHS) agencies (see list) and the National Science Foundation require that the investigator disclose potential conflicts of interest that might be created by participation in the proposed sponsored activity. A Financial Conflict of Interest arises when Faculty/Staff is in a position to benefit personally from or to influence either directly or indirectly University business, research, or other decisions in ways that could lead to gain for the Faculty/Staff, the Faculty/Staff's family, or others. It is the policy of the University and a condition of employment that all Financial Conflict of Interests be disclosed both annually as well as per any new activity in order to eliminate or minimize their impact on any professional or research activity. The policy requires disclosure of all interactions that involve any amount of Financial Interest on the part of each Faculty/Staff or Faculty/Staff's Family as well as of all interactions that could be reasonably perceived to bias institutional responsibilities. Investigators must certify that appropriate disclosures have been made at the time of grant application.

Additionally, for all PHS proposals, the Financial Conflicts of Interest Certification form is completed by the Principal Investigator submitting the electronic proposal and uploaded to attachments to document compliance that a current disclosure is on file at the time of grant submission. The Certification form shall be updated by the Principal Investigator any time there is a change in the facts reported during the period of award within 30 days of discovering or acquiring a new financial interest. Investigators listed on the Financial Conflict of Interest Certification form are required to complete financial conflict of interest training prior to engaging in the research activity and expenditure of any funds.

Radiation Safety: If radioactive material or ionizing radiation producing devices, including x-ray units, electron microscopes, and particle accelerators, will be used or the research involve lasers, including Class 1M, Class 2M, Class 3R, Class 3B, and Class 4 lasers, please contact the Radiation Safety office at 460-7063 for assistance.

Safety & Environmental Compliance

Highly Toxic Gases: If the proposed research will involve highly toxic and/or reactive gases (ex. Phosgene, hydrogen cyanide, fluorine, etc.), please contact the Safety and Environmental Compliance Office, 460-7070.

Chemicals: If the proposed research will require the use of chemicals, please contact the Safety & Environmental Compliance Office, 460-7070.

General Safety: All projects involving facility modifications and/or new construction activities must be reviewed by the University’s Engineering Design and Construction department. Other conditions that may pose a potential hazard for faculty, staff, students and/or visitors not specifically mentioned within the body of this document must be submitted to the Safety & Environmental Compliance Office, 460-7070.

Environmental Compliance: If the proposed research will pose a real or potential impact on the environment requiring permits, contact the Safety & Environmental Compliance Office, 460-7070. Fuel tanks over 50 gallons will require Mobile Fire Department permitting, contact the University Fire Marshal for guidance, 460-7070.

The Electronic Proposal is an official and auditable record for awarded grants. As an official grant record, each signatory must comply with the following procedures. 

Principal and Co-Principal Investigators must personally certify and sign the electronic proposal.

Department Chairs or Acting Chairs or Delegated Authority must personally certify and sign the electronic proposal.

Deans or Assistant/Associate Deans or Delegated Authority must personally certify and sign the electronic proposal.

Delegated authority to another university faculty/staff member may be assigned by the Department Chair or the Dean naming the individual certified as the delegated authority by completing a Cayuse Research Suite change request and uploading a signed letter to the request.  Delegated authority is not intended for short-term absences.

Electronic Submission, Mailing and Final Copies

For most electronic submissions, the Sponsored Projects Administration will make the submission directly to the sponsor. For a paper submission, the Principal Investigator is responsible for completing the application package according to the sponsor guidelines, making all necessary copies of the application, and mailing the application package to the sponsor after the Authorized Organizational Representative has approved the proposal in the Electronic Proposal System.

Final copies of the full proposal, including proposal narrative and appendices should be uploaded to the proposal in the Electronic Proposal System.

Record Retention - Please note that Sponsored Projects Administration archives declined proposals for approximately one year. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to keep a copy (electronic and hard copy) of their proposals. Funded proposals are kept for five years past the ending project date.