Guidelines

Oversight

Pitt’s Limited Submission internal competitions are overseen by Pitt Research Development in the OSVCR. If a limited submission opportunity is from a Select Funder, the process is coordinated with the PAE office of Corporate & Foundation Relations.

Competition Announcements

Where one can find announcements: Most limited submission opportunities are announced through InfoReady and the Research Development’s weekly funding newsletters.

For more prominent opportunities: Notifications for prominent, recurring limited submission opportunities are typically made 12 weeks prior to the sporing agency’s deadline. However, this timeline depends largely on when the competition is released by the sponsoring agency.

Unlisted opportunities: Pitt does not automatically run a competition for all existing limited submission opportunities. If an upcoming limited submission opportunity is not listed on InfoReady, potential applicants must contact researchdev@pitt.edu or complete the form "Apply for an opportunity not listed on InfoReady” so that a selection process can be coordinated.

Support from the RD Team

Request letters of support »

Subscribe to the funding newsletter »

Contact

710 Cathedral of Learning
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Email: researchdev@pitt.edu

About the Team
How to Apply

Contact researchdev@pitt.edu with questions or issues related to InfoReady.

Apply for an Active Limited Submission opportunity:
  • Navigate to the Limited Submissions listing on InfoReady.
     
  • Click on “Apply for Limited Submission Opportunity”.
     
  • Add appropriate departmental contacts (e.g., grants administrators, co-investigators) within your application to ensure they are included in any notices regarding your submission.
     
  • Submit all required documentation by the internal submission deadline by 5:00PM (unless noted). Applications received without all the required documentation or after the deadline will not be reviewed.
Apply for an Unlisted Limited Submission opportunity:
  • If you wish to apply for a Limited Submission opportunity not listed on InfoReady, please fill out the form "Apply for an opportunity not listed on InfoReady” or contact researchdev@pitt.edu.
     
  • If the deadline of the opportunity is 4 weeks or more away, an internal competition will be created on InfoReady.
     
  • If the deadline is less than 4 weeks away, the decision about whether to create a competition or select an institutional applicant or nominee will be made by Pitt Research Development on a case-by-case basis.

Review Process

Eligibility and Completeness Review

All applications must be reviewed for eligibility and completeness and confirmed by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research before the applications move forward into the “Review Phase”. 

  1. If the number of internal applicants exceeds the number of allowable submissions to the sponsoring agency:
    • An internal review process will be used to select the applicants or nominees who will be noted as Pitt's designees or nominees for the upcoming submission. 
    • Peer reviewers are selected by the OSVCR specific to the focus of the sponsor agency, and all reviewers are kept anonymous during the process.
    • Reviewers are asked to rank internal applications using a defined rubric to identify which applicants are best aligned with the solicitation. Pitt Research Development uses a standard rubric for most competitions, however, the rubric may be adjusted given specific review criteria from the sponsor agency. The standard rubric assesses the applicant on the following criteria:
      • Alignment with the mission of the solicitation
      • Approach and Design
      • Significance of the Project and Potential Impact
      • How well the pre-application describes the intended project
      • Does the PI have the appropriate training and experience
    • The review process lasts approximately two to three weeks, although it may vary depending on sponsor deadline.
    • Once the review process is complete, applicants will be notified via an email from InfoReady to ensure that the selected designee or nominee has as much time as possible to prepare their proposal for submission. 
  2. If the number of applicants does not exceed the number of allowable submissions, no internal competition will be necessary.

The selected applicants should consult with their departmental grant administrators to determine appropriate next steps for submission.

If a selected applicant decides not to submit, they are required to notify researchdev@pitt.edu as soon as possible.