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Being a Subcontractor on a Proposal

Updated November 7, 2019

  1. Communicate with your Unit Grant Administrator as soon as you’ve been requested by another agency/entity to submit a subcontract proposal. Please email the RFA/RFP link or file to your Unit Grant Administrator and let her/him know the deadline that the subcontract proposal documents need to be in the hands of the entity requesting it.

  2. Upon notification of your intent to submit, your grant administrator will initiate the online eREX in MyResearch (the eREX is WSU’s internal routing form, and is required for ALL submissions). They will provide READ/WRITE w/notification access to both the PI and to the CAHNRS grant administrator.

    After completion of key administrative sections, they will then notify you to complete the remaining sections of the eREX:

    1. Please pay particular attention to the “checklist”, as these are items that you may need to discuss with your unit director. For instance, for any items such as equipment installation, etc. that obligate the unit to commit resources—staffing or financial—to support the project, will need approval prior to submission.
    2. Once you have completed remaining sections, ask your Unit Grant Administrator to review.
  3. Send an email to your Department Grant Administrator (grants.cmp@wsu.edu) with the items that you would like to start the draft budget with and she/he will set up the first draft and send to you. Alternatively, develop your budget using the latest version of the WSU Budget Workbook template which can be found at ORSO Forms & Templates. Send your first draft to your Unit Grant Administrator as early as possible for pre-review of salaries, benefits, etc. Your Unit Grant Administrator can help you determine appropriate budgetary decisions (e.g. appropriate GRA Step) or how to find that information. If you are waiting for more information from others please send the draft anyway so at least part of it can be reviewed. Please aim to have ALL budgets be completed at least 15 working days prior to the agency/entity deadline, so that budget information can be accurately transferred to required format for agency/entity. This timeline is consistent with CAHNRS guidelines – see this document. PI’s should make every effort to meet this timeline, but if this is not possible, they should communicate with the Unit Grant Administrator regarding an alternative plan. Once budgets are completed by the Grant Administrator, the Grant Administrator will certify the budget (if the administrator is certified), or will ask another Grant Administrator to certify it (if they are not). Changes should not be made to certified budgets. CAHNRS grants deadline is 5 full working days prior to the agency deadline, ORSO’s deadline is 3 full working days prior to agency deadline).
  4. Meanwhile, work on creating your Scope of Work (SOW).
  5. Work with your Grant Administrator to determine if a Letter of Commitment (LOC) for the project is required, and if so, whether an LOC can be requested from ORSO through the eREX process which will have required signature lines for Dan Nordquist (ORSO Associate Vice President & Authorized Signatory). The RFA may also provide guidelines for the LOC.
  6. Send draft SOW & LOC to the Unit Grants Administrator. The Unit Grant Administrator will seek the signature from Dan Nordquist.
  7. Your Unit Grant Administrator will submit the eREX for routing—do not do this yourself.
  8. Timeline: The “package” (all documents) should be to your Unit Grant Administrator at least 10 full working days prior to the submitting (other) institution’s deadline. If there are extenuating circumstances the PI needs to proactively communicate with the Unit Grant Administrator ASAP. CAHNRS grants deadline for proposals when WSU is the subcontracting institution is 5 full working days prior to the submitting (other) institution’s deadline, ORSO’s deadline is 3 full working days prior to the submitting (other) institution’s deadline.