Guidelines for Sponsored Project Submissions

I. Policy Summary

The Senior Vice Provost for Research (SVPR) is the sole authorized signing official for NJIT and holds the formal authority to submit sponsored project proposals or to delegate this authority to others. In practice, the SVPR delegates this responsibility to Central Office Research Administrators within the Office of Research, who are authorized to submit proposals on behalf of the university.

To ensure a successful submission, complete proposals are expected to arrive in the Office of Research, with all required academic unit approvals, no later than three business days before the sponsor’s deadline. While the Office of Research will make the “best effort" to submit proposals that arrive after this deadline, such proposals may not receive an administrative review and risk rejection by the agency due to technical or compliance issues that cannot be addressed in time.

II. Policy Purpose

This policy provides clear guidance on the expected timeline and institutional authority for all sponsored project proposals submitted by the Office of Research on behalf of NJIT.

III. Policy Scope and Applicability

This policy is in effect for all units of NJIT and applies to all proposals related to sponsored research programs, including grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

IV. Policy Statement

The Senior Vice Provost for Research holds sole institutional authority as the signing official for sponsored projects. Proposals submitted to a sponsor without the approval of the SVPR or their authorized delegates may not be honored by the university and will be subject to an executive-level review to determine appropriate corrective actions.

Submission Requirements:

• Approvals: Complete proposals, including all administrative, financial, and technical components, must receive academic approval from appropriate Chairs, Center Directors, and Deans before submission. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI), assisted by their College Director of Research or Project Manager, to ensure all approvals are secured.
• Delegation: Deans, Chairs, and Center Directors may delegate approval authority (e.g., to an Associate Dean for Research). Such delegations must be communicated to the Director of Pre-Award Services to update roles within Streamlyne, NJIT’s grant management system.
• The Three-Day Rule: A "complete final proposal “meaning one that contains all necessary components and requires no further revisions—must reach the Office of Research at least three business days prior to the deadline.
• Late Submissions: For proposals arriving within the final three-day window, the Office of Research does not guarantee a final administrative review. NJIT reserves the right to recall proposals from a sponsor if errors are discovered post-submission. The Office of Research is not responsible for submission failures or rejections for proposals that do not meet the three-day lead time.

V. Procedures

Faculty members must not make formal commitments to external entities on behalf of NJIT. Any contractual research agreement must follow this sequence:

1. Initiation: PI identifies needs and terms using NJIT or company templates.
2. Departmental Review: Draft is submitted to the Chair to review departmental resource commitments.
3. Dean Review: Chair forwards the draft and comments to the College/School Dean.
4. Research Office Review: Dean forwards the package to the SVPR for consideration.
5. Legal Review: The Office of Research routes the agreement to the Legal Department for full review and editing.
6. Negotiation: The edited version is shared with the PI and external agency to reach a consensus.
7. Execution: Once finalized, the agreement is executed (signed) by the SVPR or their authorized delegate.
8. Distribution: Copies of the executed document are sent to the PI, Chair, and Dean.

VI. Roles & Responsibilities

• Principal Investigator (PI): Bears primary responsibility for leading the proposal effort and routing it for approvals.
• Academic Leadership: Approvals from Chairs and Deans certify that the PI has the necessary time and lab space, that any cost-sharing is funded, and that the budget meets college expectations.
• Office of Research: Responsible for the timely submission of proposals that meet the three-day deadline and for providing "best effort" support for late arrivals.

VII. Authority and Responsibility

The Office of Research maintains institutional authority over this policy. For inquiries or guidance regarding these procedures, please contact the appropriate representative via the Office of Research Contact Page.