15/5 Rule & Exception Requests

Consistent with peer institutions, UTSA is updating our practice of enforcing an internal deadline to ensure proposals meet sponsor requirements and deadlines effective Jan. 2nd, 2024. To guarantee on-time submission to a sponsor, a Notice of Intent ( NOTE: Connection to UTSA VPN required if off-campus) must be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) at least 15 business days before a sponsor deadline.

Then, all FINAL “Ready-to-Submit“ proposal packages (including non-technical and technical documents) must be provided to your assigned College Research Administrator no later than 8:30 a.m. at least five (5) business days before the submission deadline date. The sponsor’s submission deadline is the cutoff date and time, as shown in the funding opportunity announcement. When a proposal is being prepared for submission in Cayuse to Grants.gov, Research.gov, or another system with electronic validations, applications must be clear of errors/warnings by this point.

Any incomplete or late submission to the OSP will not be accepted for review and submission to the sponsor without an approved exception by the appropriate dean and Vice President for Research (VPR).

Proposals will not be accepted after noon CT the day before the sponsor’s deadline as all proposals must undergo a thorough internal review and approval process to address any potential issues before submission, align with the sponsors’ requirements, and provide the University with the time needed to complete its due diligence. Corrections or changes after submission to the sponsor will not be allowed.

Proposal Deadline Exceptions

In rare instances, an exception may be warranted. Please follow the process below:

• The Principal Investigator must submit a signed letter request detailing the extenuating circumstances of the lateness to their dean, detailing what is completed and the % of work left to complete, and verifying that subaward documentation for the collaborating institution is complete (if a subaward to a collaborator is involved);
• Dean reviews and determines to approve or deny (carefully considering what is left to complete and the status of any subaward documents (if applicable);
• If approved, the Dean signs the letter (no delegate or per-signatures will be accepted);
• The signed letter should be sent to the Vice President for Research (VPR) at vprexceptions@utsa.edu.
• PI and Dean will receive an email response from vprexceptions@utsa.edu.
• If the VPR approves, the approval should be included in the OSP submission.
• The final proposal must be received in OSP and ready for submission by Noon CT the day before the sponsor’s deadline.

FAQs