FUNDED RESEARCH PREPARATION AND REQUIREMENTS
prepared by Dr. James Steele, NCA&T
Monday, October 06, 2003
I. Instructions For Completion Of Applications
A. Cover Sheet: The Cover Sheet (must be used by all applicants and must be signed by an official who is authorized to commit the institution to the technical and cost provisions proposed in the application. The form must be completed, including full addresses of partnership managers, category of partnership, and signature of an institutional authorizing official.
B. Executive Summary (1-2 pages): A brief description of the project, the role of each partner, applicant’s capability and expected project results or outcomes.
C. Project Description (10-20 pages): A detailed plan for developing a course in Latin American Studies, with emphasis on Afro-Latinos, the role of the Latin American partner (and African partner, if applicable), an implementation plan that includes a Performance Milestones Matrix, organizational capability, personnel, and past performance, including the qualifications of international personnel and past performance of international partners.
On Form 2.0 - Performance Milestones Matrix, applicants must list proposed milestone activities by quarters. As all activities are not milestones, applicants must identify as milestones key activities that are measurable, and lead in due time to the achievement of the objectives or expected outcomes of the project. Applicants must list the deliverables that document the achievement of the milestones in the appropriate section of the Matrix. Deliverables are physical documents/exhibitions that prove that the milestone was achieved. A report, module, work plan, survey results, publications and other related matter are also deliverables. Form 2.0 is attached to this Announcement.
D. Budget (1 page): The Budget Form (3.0) must be used to provide cost estimates for line items in the budget, including personnel costs, allowable travel costs for eligible project participants, reasonable and informed estimates for the cost of equipment and supplies, contractual costs (for consultants and other approved contracting activities), and any other costs that are budgeted and necessary to the achievement of the objectives and results of the partnership. Matching funds should be included in the budget. Matching funds from the applicant and other non-federal sources must be listed separately, and then computed for total costs for the life of the award. Form 3.0-Project Budget is attached to this Announcement.
i. Cost Sharing: Is there a cost-sharing requirement for this award? Applicants are often encouraged to provide in-kind or matching support up to 25% of the amount of the award.
ii. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs may not exceed 20% of the total budget for this award. This may include partial salary support for positions temporarily vacated by project participants or administrative assistance specific to the project, communications (postage, fax, telephone), office supplies, rent and interpretation fees.
iii. Allowable Costs: Failure to adhere to those regulations may result in the Award recipient being required to reimburse expenditures not covered under the sub-agreement.
iv. Unallowable Costs: Unallowable costs include expenses for (a) student assistants who are not a part of a team under the direction of a faculty member; (b) travel and per diem for dependents; (c) alcoholic beverages; (e) random expenses for books and snacks; (f) entertainment; and (g) any other costs specifically excluded in 3.5(a) above and any other costs unallowable under regulations by funding source.
E. Budget Narrative (1-2 pages): This section must provide costing assumptions and additional details about line items in the budget.
F. Annex: Items in this section do not count against the overall page allocation for the application. The Annex must include:
(a) Letter of Institutional Commitment to the project;
(b) Letter of Endorsement from each international partnering organization/institution;
(c) Resumes of key project staff (limit each resume to 3 pages); and
(d) other items deemed vital to the application.
II. THE APPLICATION REVIEW AND EVALUATION
Applications will be peer reviewed. The Review Panel will evaluate applications on the basis of technical merit and reasonableness of costs. Evaluation criteria are:
(a) Technical Approach (30 pts);
(b) Implementation Plan (20 pts);
(c) Commitment of partnering institutions (20 pts.);
(d) cost effectiveness (20 pts.); and
(e) Capabilities of Partnering Institutions (10 pts.).