Effective Date: August 1, 2025
Issuing Authority: Provost
Policy Contact: Senior Vice Provost for Research, provost@mercer.edu, 478-301-2110
Purpose
The purpose of this policy statement is to set forth the University’s policy and procedures regarding proposal submissions for sponsored programs.
Scope
This policy applies to all proposal submissions for sponsored programs.
Exclusions
Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC) proposal submissions for sponsored programs
Definitions
As used in this policy, the following term(s) have the meaning specified below:
Proposal Submission: an application to or an agreement with any external agency for funding of a sponsored program. A sponsored program is related to an exchange transaction and has one or more of the following general characteristics:
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- Scholarly terms or a statement of work
- Formal deliverables such as progress reports or performance objective
- Specific terms regarding fiduciary responsibility or payment contingencies
- Specified terms regarding disposition for property upon conclusion of the project
- Proposal submission required by the sponsoring agency
- Sponsored programs differ from gifts and follow different policies and procedures.
Policy Statement
All proposal submissions must be reviewed and approved prior to submission to the funding agency. Institutional approvals and official signatures will be obtained by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The Senior Vice Provost for Research (or designee) or the Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance are the only individuals authorized to sign agency forms, representations, certifications or other grant or contract documents requiring signatures of an authorized representative and/or institutional official. The University reserves the right to withdraw an application or to reject an agreement that was not reviewed and approved prior to its submission.
In order to preserve the quality of the internal review and approval process as well as the integrity of the institution, complete proposals must be submitted to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs no later than ten business days prior to the agency’s deadline.
Proposals submitted to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for internal approval fewer than ten days before the sponsor’s deadline will be reviewed on a first come, first serve basis as time is available for the pre-award specialists. Full review, which is required for submission to the sponsor, is not guaranteed for grants submitted after the ten-day deadline.
History
Revised February 6, 2012
Revised July 21, 2025