In cases where the sponsor does not require specific proposal components, Stanford requires a SOW (Statement of Work) and an internal budget and a budget justification to be attached to a PDRF.

SOW (Statement of Work)

The statement of work describes the what, why, how, and when of the research project. It shows how the project relates to the sponsor’s purpose and goals. For the proposal to succeed in peer review, it must win over the assigned reviewers. The application has two audiences: a small number who are familiar with the field, and the majority of reviewers who are probably not familiar with the proposed research techniques or field. All reviewers are important because each reviewer gets one vote. The proposal should be written and organized so all the reviewers can readily grasp and explain what is proposed and advocate for the proposal. 

The Budget and Budget Justification

Develop a detailed internal budget and attach it to the PDRF. An internal budget requires that all the cost components be broken into detail. You will use it to complete the sponsor's budget in the sponsor's format. 

All proposals must contain a budget for each year of support requested, unless a particular program solicitation stipulates otherwise. The amounts for each budget line item requested should be documented and justified in the budget justification. If you are submitting a modular NIH proposal you must follow very specific instructions.

The proposal may request funds so long as the item and amount are considered necessary, reasonable, allocable, and allowable under the applicable cost principles, agency policy, and/or the program solicitation. Amounts and expenses budgeted also must be consistent with Stanford's policies and procedures.

The budget must include the following.

• Estimated costs for the entire project period broken into Direct and F&A costs
• Separate budgets for any portion of the work  that is to be done under a subaward
• Separate budgets for any cost sharing proposed

The best strategy is to request a reasonable amount of money to do the work, not more and not less.

• Reviewers look for reasonable costs and will judge whether your request is justified by your aims and methods
• Reviewers will consider the person months you've listed for each of the senior/key personnel and will judge whether the figures are in sync with reviewer expectations, based on the research proposed
• Significant over or under estimating suggests you may not understand the scope of the work

About the Budget Justification

The budget justification is a brief description of each of the cost categories included in the budget. It helps the potential sponsor understand the thought process behind the costs proposed. It also helps the institutional representative determine the allowability of the expenses proposed.

Stanford policy requires a budget justification for all administrative salaries. Pay special attention to the justification for general purpose (non-scientific) equipment. 

Proposals can have many components depending on the sponsor. Each agency and even specific programs within an agency may require components that are specific to an individual proposal. What follows is a brief description of components a sponsor may require. The components may be called something else e.g., a cover sheet might be called a face page. 

Cover Sheet / SF 424 R&R

Many sponsors provide a preprinted face page or cover sheet, such as NIH form SF424 (R&R). Prepare one yourself if one is not provided. This cover sheet summarizes key information for the sponsor and indicates Stanford's endorsement of the proposal. View Sample SF 424 R&R. Typical elements on a cover sheet include:

• Applicant Organization Name
• Proposal Title
• PI Name
• Total Project Costs
• Period of Performance

Table of Contents

The table of contents lists each section of the proposal and associated page numbers. Some electronic systems such as Fastlane automatically generate a table of contents for the proposal and the proposer cannot edit the form.

Abstract or Project Summary

The abstract also called the project summary, frames the proposal,and in many instances determines where it will to be sent for review. Since it is a summary of major points it must be able to stand-alone. Although the abstract appears at the beginning of the proposal it is usually written last. It is usually limited to 200-400 words and concisely describes the aims and procedures of the proposed project. It should be written in lay terms. It may be used for press releases. It is often placed in a database to indicate to taxpayers how tax dollars were spent.

Project Description/Project Narrative/Scope of Work

A detailed description of the science. Check for the number of pages allowed.

Bibliography and References Cited

Provide a bibliography of all references cited in the research plan. Different disciplines may have different formats. Citations for literature should be complete. Be especially careful to follow scholarly practices. Read the application instructions carefully.

• Authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication)
• Title (article, book)
• Volume number
• Page number
• Year of publication

Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources

The sponsor (NIH, NSF) may require a separate description that addresses the attributes of the facilities and available equipment that will be used to support the project. It is an opportunity to promote the research environment laboratories, other facilities, equipment, and office space at Stanford.

Senior/Key Personnel

List all senior/key personnel and their roles. These individuals are vital to the technical execution of the project. In most proposal applications, this designation is only used for the PD (Principal Doctor) or PI (Principal Investigator). Include biographical information for these individuals according to the instructions provided by the funding agency.

Current and Pending Support

Most sponsors ask for a list of all other sources of support for ongoing projects, as well as pending support with details for all proposals submitted by the PI. This information is available from the SeRA system.  In SeRA select Reports in the left navigation.  Use this information as the starting point for preparing the Current and Pending Support. Edit as necessary, deleting rejected proposals.  Include: project title, sponsor, period of performance, percentage of effort, amount of award (or amount requested). 

NIH  requires the Current and Pending Support to be submitted not at proposal submission time but prior to making an award. This is termed JIT (Just In Time) information.

Appendices

Some sponsors prohibit or require prior approval to submit appendices. The appendix may not be used to circumvent the page limitations of the Statement of Work. Essential information should be included within the body of the application. The appendices may contain supportive or supplemental information as allowed by the sponsor.

Federal Assurance and Certifications

Federal assurances and certifications must be signed by the Stanford IO (Institutional Representative) when proposals are submitted. Standard federal assurances include:

• Certification regarding lobbying
• Drug-Free workplace
• Delinquency on federal debt
• Civil rights
• Debarment and suspension

Sponsor Checklist

Some sponsors provide a checklist to help with the proposal preparation. It is usually included with the proposal guidelines and it is a great resource to make sure that all required proposal components are present in our proposal documentation.