Submitting a Proposal Through the University  

Steps to Submission

In order to speed up proposal submissions, UNT has secured and customized electronic proposal administration software called "Cayuse SP" from the provider Envisions. Cayuse SP became available in the Fall of 2015.      

Please provide the requested information and all pertinent details. A Grants and Contracts Specialist will reply to your request as soon as possible, and will be available to meet in person or by phone to discuss proposal preparation and submission procedures as well as agency specific guidelines.   

A reasonable draft of the narrative must be provided to GCA in lieu of the final narrative for format and compliance review to meet the 4-day deadline. Edits to the narrative will be accepted until 5:00 PM on the day before the sponsor submission deadline. All other proposal documents, for a complete and final proposal package ready for submission to the sponsor, as well as all necessary College or Department-level approvals, must be received by GCA at least 4 full business days prior to the sponsor’s due date. 

Cayuse Sponsored Projects (Cayuse SP) facilitates internal electronic routing of all sponsored project proposals. By logging into Cayuse SP, internal administrative grant documents can be uploaded, and all electronic routing has replaced the previous paper and email routing process (UNT Routing Form).  If you cannot log in, complete an online access request form for GCA and create your account.

(Recommended browser: Mozilla Firefox)

Step 3 (optional) : Work with your assigned grant specialist to pair your Cayuse 424 proposal (for grants.gov proposal submissions only) 
In our continuing effort to support research at UNT, GCA began using Cayuse 424, a web-based system for grant proposal preparation and submission that submits proposals directly to federal agencies via grants.gov (i.e. system-to-system submission). PIs are encouraged to use Cayuse 424 as it provides expanded access for proposal development and submission in a user-friendly interface and, including a proposal package checklist.  

Submission Deadlines

The applicant should contact the Grants and Contracts Administration well in advance of the proposal submission deadline. 

Assignments of a Grants & Contracts Specialist are made through the online Grants & Contracts Specialist Request form. A completed request form is emailed to the Grants and Contracts Specialist and someone is assigned to the PI's proposal, and will respond directly to the PI on the proposal submission to let them know the next steps, and will work with appropriate college and department personnel to ensure proposal submission success. 

  • The PI should submit the GCS request at least two weeks prior to the submission deadline.
  • The PI should route the entire proposal, ready to submit, with the appropriate internal documents (budget, budget justification, routing form, etc...) via Cayuse SP at least 4 business days prior to the submission deadline to ensure the timely review of the complete proposal, including the proposal budget for compliance with agency guidelines (RFP) and UNT policy.
  • Close attention should be paid to whether the deadline date is a received by date or a postmarked by date.

​Routing Form 

All proposals must be routed through Cayuse SP for certification by the Lead Principal Investigator and all Principal Investigators. Completing a proposal for routing through Cayuse SP serves four purposes:

  1. It summarizes the basic information in the proposal that is required for submission, administration, and reporting of the award.
  2. It confirms that the applicant meets certain criteria as a Lead Principal Investigator.
  3. It verifies that the Lead Principal Investigator will take responsibility for compliance with the award terms and conditions.
  4. It certifies that the Department and College support of the project were applicable. A proposal is required to be reviewed and approved by Departments and Colleges when a proposal requests from a Department or College any cost share or match, buy-out or release from teaching, new or renovated space, or modification of indirect cost (IDC) distribution.

Authorizing Signatures 

Most proposals require the signature of the applicant organization's Authorizing Organizational Representative (AOR). At UNT, this signature authority is held by several individuals in GCA. Although the PIs are required to certify the proposal in Cayuse SP, they do not hold signature authority as the AOR. After all proposal documents have been reviewed for completeness and accuracy, the Grants & Contracts 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 applicant is not authorized to sign these documents on behalf of the University. The review and signatory certification of this information is the responsibility of the Office of Grants and Contracts Administration. The Certifications and Representations are signed by the AOR or designee.

Mailing the Proposal (only when required by sponsor) 

Once the proposal has been reviewed and authorizing signatures secured, the PI is responsible for mailing (including appropriate number of copies) to the sponsor. When a proposal is being submitted in hard copy rather than electronically, and will be mailed, express mailed, or shipped with an overnight delivery service, the PI is encouraged to secure the routing number and evidence of pick-up and delivery.​  

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