CRC Workshop Department of Defense & Department of Energy Rabieh Razzouk Vasken Hagopian

1. CRC Workshop Department of Defense & Department of Energy Rabieh Razzouk Vasken Hagopian

2. Solicited vs Unsolicited OpportunitiesGrants vs Contracts • Solicited Opportunities: • Are published and open for competition • Have its own guidelines and procedures • Have Deadlines • Existing interest at the agency • Unsolicited Opportunities: • Targeting leftover money or getting on the agency’s next year budget • One-on-one with the program officer • DOD agencies are Mission oriented • No direct competition • Solicited vs unsolicited use different approaches • Grants vs Contracts

3. Preparation Contact - Visit/Conference Once you identify an appropriate source: • Develop a relationship with the program manager is always very important • Visit and follow-up with phone calls • If possible, have a senior faculty member introduce you to those he knows in the right areas (but not required) • Teaming with known senior faculty (or getting their feedback) can be a good selling point • LISTEN to what program directors say; don’t try to sell your ideas before you know what the program manager is interested in and ask yourself “how does what I do fit in?” • Follow up with a white paper that shows how YOU fit into what the program manager says is important to the program. How can you solve a certain problem? • Be aware of what the program is currently funding; be well versed • When you have a sense that a program manager is interested, gage the budget level that will be entertained • TIMING! Know when new proposals will be most welcomed (ie, not spent out) • “spend-out” funds are occasionally available at the end of the year; not a bad entry • understand the pressures/needs of the program manager

4. What is a Successful Proposal? • What is the best indicator of a successful grant proposal? • Weight of the proposal in pounds and ounces. • Evidence of the psychic ability of the proposal writer to divine the evaluation criteria of the grant awarding institution. • Number of hours spent by writer in a caffeine induced mania, scribbling grant proposal by candlelight.

5. What is a Successful Proposal? None of the Above

6. Writing a Successful Proposal • Read the RFP – Not only once or twice but three times. • Notify sponsored research and identify the representative who will process your proposal. • Create a proposal strategy • Survey the terrain - know what’s been done what was funded and what wasn’t. • Assemble a competent team and roles - interdisciplinary and multi-institutional if possible. • Call the program officer and run your idea by him/her • Create a budget – grant money is not free – Cheap doesn’t mean better, Expensive doesn’t mean better, It is what matches and supports the proposed program that is best • Write persuasively – Always write thinking of: why would they buy the idea, not how you sell it • Other Supporting Documents • Fill in appropriate forms and follow agency’s guidelines and procedures very carefully • Read the entire application and obtain feedback from experienced grant writers – the Flow is important • Obtain necessary signatures • Submit to sponsored research • Submit the application • Do what you can to influence the outcome, (visits, follow-ups,…) - confidantes (spies), ammunition • The more you do it the more experienced you are • Don’t give up after the first battle

7. Writing a Successful Proposal1. Read the RFP • The RFP will help you identify: • the needs of the agency • the scope, timeline, and size of the projects to be funded • the procedures and guidelines on submissions • Create a list of items you need to submit • Write down all your questions and keep a running list until you call the program officer

8. Writing a Successful Proposal2. Notify Sponsored Research • Call sponsored research: 850-644-5260 and identify your representative • Forward the RFP to the representative. The more time you give them, the better • Double check on the procedures you have to follow for submitting the proposal • Keep them informed about your submission timeline • Check on the items you need to submit for FSU and add them to your “to submit” list You can get sponsored research information and forms at: http://www.research.fsu.edu/contractsgrants/index.html

9. Writing a Successful Proposal3. Create a Proposal Strategy • Nothing beats a great idea. • Make sure you address the needs in the RFP • Your plan should include: • Creating a research plan with clear hypothesis and backup. • Ask questions which are answerable • Provide tantalizing preliminary data as evidence that the questions are worth asking and answerable • Propose technical approaches which are within the realm of your published technical expertise OR provide preliminary data • The volume of work proposed should be proportional to the time of support requested and your other obligations preliminary data when possible. • Broad Impact is always great. Bigger bang for the buck! • Forming a team • Coming up with a supporting budget • Timeline for the proposal • Evaluation of the proposal • Proposal processing

10. Writing a Successful Proposal4. Survey the Terrain • Check for previously awarded grants • Check their program to make sure no duplication of work • Check the performance sites – what universities, what impact, etc… • Some awardees publish their proposals, if you can find any, make sure you read them • You might be able to identify some key points that you would need to address

11. Writing a Successful Proposal5. Assembling the Team • A team member is the person who can add value to the proposal and be able to perform the work when the award comes in. Picking the team is one of the most important steps. Multidisciplinary and collaborative proposals are usually encouraged and favored. Don’t be limited to your colleagues in your department/college. • Identifying the PIs and CoPIs: how does this work? • I am the PI because I found it? NO • The PI is the one who can lead the team, have the background and credentials to support the proposed research plan, and have the time to do it. • Being a Co-PI on a funded project is better than a PI on an unfunded proposal

12. Writing a Successful Proposal6. Call the Program Officer • Program officers’ job is answering all questions you might have • Knowing the program officer can be very helpful • It is always a good idea to send up to 1 page description of your plan and get feedback from the program officer. If you have a longer document, they might not get to it. • Although program officers usually do not influence decisions, but they will be in the meetings when the proposal is reviewed and can answer questions that might come up • In most cases, the program officer is not the decision maker • Think of the funding agency as a resource. • Defense agencies are mission oriented and not broad science • Inquire about how proposals are reviewed and how decisions are made.

13. Writing a Successful Proposal7. Creating a Budget • The budget has to match what the program you will propose. Your justification should be detailed as much as possible and in support to your narrative. • The budget and justification are not separate items of the proposal, and they very much affect final decisions • A detailed budget justification is very important. The justification should reinforce your proposal activities and nothing more or less • Grants money is not a free gift. • Make sure you budget for all your needs • Check the facts sheet for latest rates http://www.research.fsu.edu/contractsgrants/facts.html

14. Writing a Successful Proposal8. Writing the Proposal • Persuasive writing with an emphasis on your plan, how it will address the needs, and how will you get it done • Follow the guidelines on the formatting and setup. Proposals can be denied if they do not follow procedures • The entire proposal has to sound as one document and not multiple. This includes the narrative, budget, budget justification, bios of team members, facilities, etc… • Build in an internal and external evaluation components (whenever possible). • The proposal should be easy to understand by anyone and not necessarily someone from your field. Do not assume the reader knows anything about what you are proposing or the backup you are using. Assume total ignorance on the part of the reviewer • Provide all of the simplest conceptual background • No abbreviations or acronyms without definition • Tell the reviewer what he is supposed to think and write • Do not force the reviewer to hunt through the application for information • Use diagrams to illustrate concepts • Be realistic, make it simple and clear, and easy to read • Present yourself as the greatest expert in the field • Know the literature in depth and breadth • Do not make statements without attribution or preliminary data • Do not be reluctant to admit shortcomings • Seek collaborators or mentors when your expertise cannot be documented

15. Writing a Successful Proposal9. Other Supporting Documents • Letters of agreement from participants • Letters of agreement from supporters • IRB approvals • FSU support letter • Facilities or capabilities of your school or resources you have access to complete these projects (labs, equipment, etc…) • Suggested reviewers list (no conflict of interest) • Other required supporting documents

16. Writing a Successful Proposal10. Fill in Appropriate Forms • You can identify the requirements from the RFP • Get familiar with the forms before you start inputting information • You will need FSU specific forms and agency specific as well • All the forms you need usually have instructions or guidelines. Some of these guidelines are heavy books • It is always helpful to have someone who has done it before, if not, your sponsored research representative can help you or can point you to someone else at the university • Allow time for this step and make sure it is done correctly • Most federal agencies are switching to use the www.grants.gov application, make sure you download the software and the application for the RFP before hand in order to know your way around it. • Call the program officer or the help line if you couldn’t find an answer

17. Writing a Successful Proposal11. Evaluating the Proposal • Before you submit the proposal, it is a good idea to get feedback from peers who has done it and succeeded before. • It is also a good idea to have feedback from someone who does not necessarily understand the technical part of the proposal. How it flows, how convincing, and how easy to understand. • Read it one last time: You might want to just get it out but a final read is very important. Here are 10 tips on evaluating a proposal: • Winning proposals have clearly defined needs and describe how those needs were identified. • Winning proposals describe solutions. • Winning proposals present the material in a logical manner. • Winning proposals are written in positive terms. • Winning proposals do not overuse jargon. • Winning proposals present detailed budgets that match the proposed program • Winning proposals give something back. What is it? • Winning proposals follow all the guidelines specified in the RFP. • Winning proposals are professional looking. • Winning proposals are complete and not missing any form or section.

18. Writing a Successful Proposal12-14. Signatures and Submission • Every PI and Co-Pi needs to sign the proposal DSR form (Transmittal) • PI and Dean/Director needs to sign the budget • Chair and Deans/Directors for all PIs and Co-PIs need to sign the DSR form • The entire application goes to office of sponsored research for review, approval and submission • PI is responsible for filling all the forms (online or offline) – sponsored research review and submit • Keep a copy on your file • Be open to make changes if the agency request any

19. Submitting the Proposal The proposal must be NEAT, COMPLETE, according to GUIDELINES, and ON TIME. Follow-up

20. Do’s and Don’ts • Do: • Develop your approach before the RFP is released.   • Understand the competition and how to beat it. • Remember that the proposal review process is continual. • Make sure that all participants review their work regularly, rather than relying only on formal reviews. • A poorly written document will turn off the evaluators, no matter how great your approach is. • Proofread the proposal one last time, after it is done, to eliminate last-minute mistakes. • Find a mentor who already is successful • Read their proposals and have them read yours (I used Bruce Frost and George Hunt) • Collaborate with previously successful agencies – not always good • Get on panels or have contact on panel or in agency • Co-opt competition (if it improves your proposal) • Do Not: • Jump right into the writing when the RFP is released. Instead, • Take time to review the RFP to be sure you understand what the customer wants. • Then refine your approach, write a draft executive summary and define discriminators, themes, and features and benefits to present at the kickoff meeting. • Hold a kickoff meeting to get everyone started on the same foot.

21. Solicitation Websites • DOD Director of Research: http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/researchtest/index.html • DOD funding Opportunities: http://www.dod.mil/ddre/labs/funding_opps.html • Grant Listings: http://www.grants.gov • Federal Business Opportunities: http://www.fedbizopps.gov or http://www.eps.gov • Innovative Technologies in Homeland Security Conference: http://www.dhstech.com/