The June 5th deadline passed and UM successfully submitted over 75 Applications through IBISResearch. Congrats to All!

Approximately 2,000 Awards (and corresponding Funding Proposals) have been updated in IBISResearch to add access for Workday Cost Center Managers and Award Analysts.

New Application Deadline Policy

As announced last month, there is a new Application Deadline Policy which went into effect June 1, 2020.  

SBIR/STTR Submissions -

Applications (UM as SBIR/STTR subreceipient) must be received at ORA in final form and ready for submission a minimum of five (5) business days prior to the deadline.  

All Other Applications -

• The complete and final application (excluding the Research Plan/Project Narrative/Statement of Work), accompanied by the necessary School-level and University policy approvals, must be submitted to ORA at least three (3) business days prior to the agency deadline AND
• The final Research Plan/Project Narrative/Statement of Work must be submitted to ORA no later than noon on the agency deadline date for 5:00 p.m. or later deadline times, and by 5:00 p.m. the previous day for agency deadlines times earlier than 5:00 p.m.  

Read the full Application Deadline Policy for more details.  

Ancillary Review and Documentation

We have discussed ancillary review in past issues and explained how they should be initiated as soon as possible using the Manage Ancillary Review activity in IBISResearch. One thing we would like to focus on is the importance of providing proper documentation when you initiate the ancillary review.  Attaching the documentation and providing a clear explanation allows the reviewer to conduct a thorough review and make a decision on the ancillary review without delay in the process. 

New Form Available

To facilitate the documentation that needs to be provided for the Cost Sharing and Indirect Cost Waiver ancillary review, the Office of Research Administration (ORA) has developed a Request for Waiver or Reduction of Facilitites & Administrative (F&A) Costs & cost Sharing Form. This form should be completed and attached to the Ancillary Review when the funding proposal includes cost sharing (exception is salary cap cost sharing) and when requesting a waiver or reduction of the University of Miami’s standard Facilities and Administrative rates. 

We strongly recommend that you use the Grants Ancillary Review Matrix for guidance on what documentation needs to be included when you initiate your ancillary review.  Also, always provide supporting documentation and detailed comments for the reviewer. Failure to provide both, documentation and detailed comments, may result in the reviewer declining the ancillary review request or delay the submission of the funding proposal.  

Tips and Tricks for Quicker Responses

• Use the Grants Ancillary Review Matrix for guidance on what documentation needs to be included when you initiate your ancillary review.
• Initiate as soon as possible using the Manage Ancillary Review activity in IBISResearch.
• Provide proper supporting documentation to assist the reviewer.
• Provide detailed comments for the reviewer. Providing a clear explanation allows the reviewer to conduct a thorough review and make a decision without delay.

Failure to provide both documentation and detailed comments, may result in the reviewer declining the ancillary review request or delay the submission of the Funding Proposal.

For more information on how to submit Ancillary Reviews (formerly known as higher approval requests) sign up for a class via ULearn.

 Obtaining Principal Investigator Signature

How do you obtain the Principal Investigator’s (PI) signature on a funding proposal in IBISResearch? 

In the past, the PI’s signature was obtained on the PCRF-L, but with the launch of IBISResearch many forms went away, including the PCRF-L.  We are still required to obtain the PI’s endorsement when a funding proposal is submitted. This is managed in one of two ways:

PI Submits for Department Review

• The PI logs into IBISResearch, locates the funding proposal and initiates the Submit for Department Review activity from the Funding Proposal Workspace. This is initiated after the funding proposal is complete and is ready to submit for internal review. A pop-up window appears with an Endorsement Page. The PI should read and select one of the two check boxes that appear which states, “As PI/PD for this submission, I approve the above endorsement.”  After making the selection, the PI clicks OK.  This will route the funding proposal for department review.

Proposal Team Submits for Department Review 

• If a member of the Study Staff submits the funding proposal for department review on behalf of the Principal Investigator, it is their responsibility to obtain the PI’s signature on the Endorsement Page. The Study Staff initiates the Submit for Department Review activity from the Funding Proposal Workspace and when the pop-up window appears with the endorsement, the Study Staff prints out the page. They select the second option which states, “As a member of this proposal team, I will obtain the PI/PD’s signature for the endorsement” and then click OK.  The Study Staff must obtain the PI signature on the Endorsement Page either digitally or wet ink prior to submission. Once the signature is obtained, they use the Add Attachment activity in the Funding Proposal Workspace to attach the signed Endorsement Page. If the Study Staff clicks OK prior to printing the Endorsement Page, the Office of Research Administration has a link to a PDF version of a blank  Endorsement Page available on the IBISResearch website. This can be downloaded or printed and provided to the PI for signature.

Virtual Drop-In Labs    

The Office of Research Administration continues to offer  Virtual Drop- In Labs to answer any questions you might have about IBISResearch. Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions and assist. It is easy to join. Select a date and register. You can come and ask questions or ask for assistance. There is no need to stay the entire time. Drop-in and join us! 

Virtual Drop-In-Labs are scheduled on Thursdays from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. for the research community and 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. for ORA staff.  

If you would like to register for training, visit ULearn and search for keyword IBIS. 

Links to Resources