Beginning in September 2023, a faculty or staff member who is planning to submit an application for external funding must first complete and submit a Pre-Approval request using ORCS’s new ORCS Pre-Approval Form. A PDF containing step-by-step instructions on how to do this can be found here.

Developed in collaboration with IT using BP Logix, the new ORCS Pre-Approval Form will replace the hard copy forms that were used for years, as well as the K2 web-based version that many found cumbersome. 

The Pre-Approval Form is used to ensure that all relevant administrative leaders are aware of and approve of your intent to submit a proposal, and is required for all grants or contracts which the College will manage and administer, if awarded. 

To ensure that ORCS has sufficient time to provide you with the best possible service, it is recommended that you complete the Pre-Approval Form as early as possible, or at least ten business days before the sponsor’s submission deadline.

The 5-Day Rule For Proposals

To effectively manage the review and submission process on behalf of our faculty, the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship will now be adhering to the following proposal submission policy:

A complete proposal, accompanied by the necessary department and school-level approvals  –as well as any other attachments or approvals required by the sponsor or the College– must be received by the ORCS office at least five (5) full business days prior to the sponsor’s due date. The proposal components must be in close to final form with the exception of the narrative, which may be submitted in draft form subject to revision.

Proposals received after this date cannot be guaranteed approval and submission. If ORCS does not have sufficient time for a thorough review, the proposal will not be submitted. In cases of extenuating circumstances, a request for exception to this policy must be made to the Executive Director of ORCS. A proposal submitted to ORCS less than 1 business day prior to the sponsor’s due date will not be submitted, and there will be no exceptions granted for same-day submissions.

Thank you in advance for your collaboration on this new system. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to Eric Asetta, Executive Director of ORCS (eric_asetta@emerson.edu).