When to Contact the Pre-Award Team
Timing
If you are planning to make an application for funding, you must inform Jayne Cottee at an early stage in order to agree a realistic timescale for preparation and submission. Ideally, you need to inform the Pre-award team as soon as you decide to apply for funding. Allowing insufficient time for your application to be processed may jeopardise its submission and it may have to be delayed until the next round. Please bear in mind that if the university is not yet registered to use an electronic system to submit your application, it may take longer than you anticipate to complete the registration process.
Types of applications
We deal with external research grant and knowledge transfer applications, outlines, tenders and consultancy. Discover more about RAE and VAT definitions of research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which applications does the REO need to see?
All applications for external research grant, knowledge transfer or consultancy funding must be processed by the REO, whether they are full applications, outlines or expressions of interest. The Research Support Assistants must prepare accurate costings for your application to ensure you will be able to afford to conduct the research if the grant is awarded. It is also important that your application receives institutional authorisation.
Q: Why does my application have to be processed by the REO?
Your application needs to contain accurate costings and to undergo quality assurance, and ethics and research governance review. Also, contractual issues need to be resolved, institutional authorisation must be obtained, and funder's guidelines may be checked.
Q: Does the Pre-award team have an SLA?
Yes, the following Service Level Agreement applies.
- A date for a meeting to discuss a proposal or contract will be offered within four working days.
- Figures for salary costs will be provided within four working days.
- A complete final proposal that has been discussed with the Research Support Assistants will normally be checked and authorised in three working days.
- A contract that has been drafted within the REO and agreed by all parties will be checked and signed within three working days.
NB: Only on rare occasions can exceptions be made to these timescales, and only by arrangement with the Research Support Assistants.
Q: Is there anything to consider if I am submitting a tender?
Your completed tender will also need to be checked by the Contracts Team, so you will need to allow extra time for this.
Q: Who can sign on behalf of the institution?
There are designated institutional signatories. The Pre-award team will arrange signatories when seeking authorisation.
