Assignments of a Grants & Contracts Specialist are made through the online Grants & Contracts Specialist Request (GCS Request) form.

The PI should submit their GCS Request 4-6 weeks in advance of the sponsor deadline or target submission date. For collaborative submissions that include subawards, the GCS Request should be submitted at least 8-10 weeks in advance of the planned submission date. GCS Requests should be submitted even earlier for larger collaborations (3+ subawards) or more complex proposals. Multi-Project submissions should follow the multi-project submission timeline outlined on the Submission Deadlines page.

All pertinent information must be provided in the GCS Request Form, including the names and contact information for Senior/Key Persons included on the project and contact information for collaborative subaward partners. Please ensure complete information is provided in your GCS Request so your GCA Specialist can perform appropriate compliance checks.

Once the form is completed, it is emailed to GCA's Pre-Award Team. A GCA Specialist will be assigned to the proposal and will respond directly to the PI (and any appropriate department or college personnel). The assigned GCA Specialist will initiate a GRAMS Funding Proposal (FP), which serves as the PI’s internal routing record, and will be in touch via email to provide direction and internal deadlines for the upcoming proposal submission. The GCA Specialist will be available to address questions regarding proposal preparation and submission procedures, as well as agency-specific guidelines, on a first-come first-serve basis as time allows. 

The PI must complete the items below in the GRAMS system well in advance of their internal deadline. A completed GRAMS FP consists of the below items.

• Complete the GRAMS Funding Proposal (FP) record
• The Proposal Budget must be drafted electronically in GRAMS, and a Budget Justification included as an Attachment.
• The GRAMS 424 application must be completed (if applicable). If the proposal at hand is not submitted via a GRAMS 424 application, alternatively, a copy of the completed proposal file(s) must be uploaded to the GRAMS FP.
• Finalized proposal materials must be uploaded to the GRAMS FP along with a reasonable draft of the planned technical/narrative. Required proposal material varies based on submission, so please follow the guidance provided by your GCA Specialist regarding required attachments.
• All UNT Senior/Key Members of the Project Team must certify the GRAMS FP

Full Training Guides and videos to help PIs navigate and complete the needed steps in GRAMS are available on the GRAMS Pre-Award Training Page.

The Lead/Contact PI’s Department Chair and College Dean (or other assigned approver), will be included in the electronic review and approval in GRAMS. This allows for more robust Departmental and College oversight and to ensure the most effective use of Departmental and College resources. It is the college Dean’s and the department Chair’s responsibility to confirm that financial commitments made in a proposal, as well as the personnel and facilities referenced in a proposal, are reasonable and available to carry out the proposed project.

The PI should submit their completed GRAMS FP for Department Review to obtain needed approvals from their Department and College. Departments and Colleges may have different requirements for how much time they need to review and approve the GRAMS FP.

The PI should ensure sufficient time is allotted for their specific Department and College to review and approve their GRAMS FP prior to their internal deadline.

The completed GRAMS FP record should arrive in GCA’s queue for review (“Specialist Review”) 6 full business days prior to the sponsor deadline or target submission date.

A proposal that meets the internal deadline consists of ALL of the following:

• Fully Approved GRAMS FP that is in “Specialist Review” status
• A COMPLETED Proposal Application provided in GRAMS, either via a completed GRAMS 424 application or as an uploaded attachment(s). The technical narrative can be a draft version for internal deadline purposes, but all other application components should be finalized.
• If applicable, access granted to the COMPLETED application in the online submission portal (i.e., Research.gov; NSPIRES; ProposalCentral; etc.)

Edits to the technical narrative will be accepted until 8:00 AM the day of submission, or another set timeline provided by the GCA Specialist.

Proposals that do not meet the internal deadline may receive a modified level of review, as time allows and as outlined on the Submission Deadlines webpage.

Once all necessary approvals have been obtained in GRAMS, the GRAMS funding proposal will arrive in a “Specialist Review” status and will be in the queue for your assigned Pre-Award Specialist to review. They will review the full proposal to help ensure the proposal is compliant with institutional and sponsor guidelines. Your GCA Specialist will be in communication with you regarding any comments or feedback they have and will allow for updates to be made as needed. Needed updates should be made as soon as possible, but no later than 8:00 AM the day of submission.

Proposals that do not meet the internal deadline may receive a modified level of review, as time allows and as outlined on the Submission Deadlines webpage.

The final technical narrative portion of the proposal must be uploaded to your application (i.e., Research.gov; NSPIRES; GRAMS 424 application; ProposalCentral; etc.) by 8:00 AM the day of submission. If your application is being submitted via email, you will need to provide your final assembled proposal file to your GCA Specialist via email by 8:00 AM the day of submission. For proposals that have an atypical deadline (i.e. Noon; 9am), your GCA Specialist may set an alternate deadline for the final technical narrative.

Authorizing Signatures 

Most proposals require the signature or electronic authorization of the applicant organization's Authorizing Organizational Representative (AOR). At UNT, this signature authority is held by several individuals in the Division of Research & Innovation (DRI). Although the PI is required to certify the proposal in GRAMS, they do not hold signature authority as the AOR. After all proposal documents have been reviewed for completeness and accuracy, the GCA Specialist will secure the AOR signature as required.

Some sponsors require certifications and representations that give assurance that the University is compliant with specific regulations. The applicant (UNT) must provide this information in the format required by the sponsor.

As a recipient of federal funds, the University must be able to certify that it manages its activities with methods that comply with federal laws and regulations. These assurances, referred to as certifications and representations in grants and contracts, constitute "promises" on the part of the University that it wholly understands and will comply with the regulations. The Principal Investigator is not authorized to sign these documents on behalf of the University (applicant). The review and signatory certification of this information is the responsibility of the Grants and Contracts Administration. The Certifications and Representations are signed by the AOR or designee.

All proposals for external funding, whether or not an institutional authorized signature is required, must be routed through GCA for review and approval prior to submission. This ensures compliance with institutional policies, sponsor guidelines, and applicable regulations.

Submission

Once the proposal is in a final state, GCA will proceed with formal submission prior to the sponsor deadline. If the proposal is due after 5:00 PM, it must be submitted prior to close-of-business, 5:00 PM CST. Following submission, the GCA Specialist will update the GRAMS FP to reflect a status of “Pending Sponsor Review.”

Although agencies may have deadlines in the evening or on the weekend, Grants & Contracts Administration does not conduct business after 5 pm, on weekends, or during stated UNT holidays.

If the proposal is required to be mailed, the PI is responsible for mailing (including the appropriate number of copies) to the sponsor once the proposal has been reviewed and authorizing signatures secured. Close attention should be paid to whether the deadline date is a received by date or a postmarked by date. The PI is encouraged to secure the routing number and evidence of pick-up and delivery.