Limited Submission Opportunities

About Limited Submissions

Some sponsors limit the number of proposals an institution may submit to a particular opportunity. In these cases, Mines must determine the best proposal(s) to go forward. We have designed a 2-step process run on the online platform InfoReady to identify the level of interest in a particular funding opportunity, and to provide a fair and robust review process when a competition is needed. We strive to share limited submission opportunities at least 12 weeks in advance of the sponsor deadline, and to select teams at least 4 weeks ahead of the deadline. There are times when the sponsor’s timeline (e.g., 1 month or less to sponsor deadline) does not allow us to use our standard approach. In these cases, we will run a truncated competition if we anticipate substantial interest in the opportunity, or we may award spots on a first-come, first-served basis for opportunities unlikely to generate much interest.

Step 1: Interest Period

Because Mines is a small institution, we recognize that most limited submission opportunities will not require a competition. The Interest Period allows us to reduce burden on faculty by gauging interest in an opportunity before requiring an internal proposal.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted in InfoReady by 5pm on the posted internal deadline.
If interest exceeds the number of submissions allowed, the Office of Research & Technology Transfer (RTT) will hold an internal competition to identify the most qualified team(s) to advance.
If no one expresses interest within the Interest Period, spots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Step 2: Internal Competition

If an internal competition is warranted, applicants will submit the following in InfoReady:

3-page project summary (references can be included on an additional page)
Biosketches for key team members
1-page budget summary/overview
**If you submitted a full proposal to this opportunity last year** please also include your reviews from the sponsor and a brief paragraph (1/2-page max) outlining how you intend to address this feedback. This information will not count against your page limit.

Review Process

RTT will convene a panel of faculty members who have prior experience with the opportunity and/or relevant expertise. Reviewers will evaluate each proposal against the review criteria stated in the solicitation, and may also consider the relevance of the proposed research to the university’s goals.

The Fine Print

If you are awarded a limited submission spot through a competition and choose not to submit, you must notify RTT of your decision at least 4 weeks prior to the sponsor deadline so that we can allocate the spot to another faculty member. Failure to notify RTT may result in your ineligibility to reapply for future limited submissions opportunities for up to 2 years (although of course we will make exceptions for unplanned circumstances such as illness or family emergencies).

Current Opportunities

Apply for current opportunities here: https://mines.infoready4.com/. If you see an opportunity that has a limitation, please email limitedsubs@mines.edu.