The acceptance of a proposal and final award of a grant/contract can be directly linked to the thorough, accurate and timely development and submission of the proposal. These procedures will assist in the development and submission of proposals by principal investigator(s) PI, and final routing for approval.

When preparing any proposal, the PI will initially draft the text and then develop the budget and associated materials. When preparing a proposal to meet the RFP/RFA requirements, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife (AgriLife) Contracts and Grants Office for guidance and assistance prior to initiating the proposal process. Upon completion of the draft of the text, use the following procedures to complete the budget and associated materials:

A. Begin developing the proposal budget by sending proposed budget figures via fax or e-mail to the AgriLifeContracts and Grants Office, who will assist in the budget development. All budgets must meet A-21 and Cost Accounting Standard Requirements in addition to any sponsor restrictions and format. Guidance in developing the fringe benefits and the Facilities & Administrative Costs (indirect costs) portions of the budget should be consistent with the System Office of Budgets and Accounting guidelines at http://www.tamus.edu/offices/budgets-acct/acct/index.html in the Indirect Costs section.

B. Complete an Agriculture Program Form, AG-105, Document Review/Approval Sheet. This form is required for all proposals and is used for the internal routing and approval of the submission of a proposal. The form certifies and meets the requirements for debarment and suspension, conflicts of interest, ethics, and intellectual property.

C. Obtain supervisor approval on the completed AG-105. A finalized budget and a rough draft of the text will suffice for routing purposes. Supervisor approval will include the following as applicable: CED’s, DED’s, Unit Leaders, Associate Department Heads, and Unit/Department Head.

D. The PI then submits the supervisor approved AG-105 along with final copies of the text, budget and supporting documents through the AgriLife Contracts and Grants Office for approval of the Director or designee. In accordance with System Policy 25.07, Contract Administration, all proposals must be submitted through the AgriLife Contracts and Grants Office and signed by the Director’s or designee before submission to the sponsor.

E. Upon approval by the Director, the AgriLife Contracts and Grant’s Office will make the necessary copies, provide the mailing service, and will distribute file copies to the PI(s).

The following references will assist in the development of a proposal budget:

A. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21 "Cost Principles for Institutions of Higher Education."

1. Section J. - listing of allowable cost items.

2. Cost Accounting Standards (A-21).

B. DS-2 Texas A&M University System Disclosure Statement.

Questions concerning these procedures should be directed to the AgriLife Contracts and Grants Office at 979-845-4781.