Administrative Support

Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC):

The Office of Research Development Services (RDS) is the GUMC focal point for development of sponsored research grant, contract and cooperative agreement proposals and applications. RDS staff members are available to assist GUMC investigators in identifying sponsored research funding opportunities and developing proposals and application packages in accordance with sponsor and University requirements. GU-PASS system will be  used for initiation and routing of proposal-related documentation to obtain internal approvals from the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) and other University offices responsible for compliance-related issues.  Principal Investigators (PI) should notify their RDS Proposal Specialists (PS) or Proposal Managers (PM) well in advance (6 weeks) of the targeted sponsor deadline to ensure that internal review requirements are met.

Georgetown University Main Campus:

Once the faculty member or Principal Investigator (PI) has identified a sponsor and has developed a proposal and budget, he or she will be able to use GU-PASS to route the proposal through the relevant University signatories (department chair, grants administrator, senior business manager, and relevant school dean) for review and clearance. The Office of Research Services is available to assist the PI with the development of the budget and budget justification. For additional information on prorpsal preparation, please see “Guidelines and Processes.”

The Office of Research Services performs the final review of the proposal to ensure that:

• sponsor application forms have been properly completed;
• the budget includes all allowable costs, the proper cost of living escalations, fringe benefit and indirect cost rates, and correct arithmetic;
• the proper compliance reviews have been performed (human and animal subjects, conflict of interest, export controls, biosafety and radiation safety);
• representations and certifications are complete; and
• ensures that the proposal is compliant with the sponsor’s program announcement as well as University policy.

When the final review is complete, the Office of Research Services will sign or electronically submit on behalf of the University. 

If the sponsor selects the proposal for award, it sends the University a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. The Office of Research Services reviews the award agreement to ensure that the terms regarding report submission dates, publications, indemnification, intellectual property, termination, dispute resolution, and governing law are compliant with University policy.

The Office of Research Services then contacts the sponsor to negotiate any necessary changes. After determining that the award is acceptable, the Office of Research Services signs on behalf of the University. A unique AWD and GR accounts are created in the University’s financial system, and the PI and other relevant campus individuals are notified of the account numbers. The PI may then begin to work on the research project.

At this point a complete file is sent to the University’s Sponsored Projects Financial Operations (SPFO), and information on private or corporate awards is shared with the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations.