Letters of Intent, white papers, and preliminary proposals should be reviewed by ERAS to determine if institutional endorsement or routing is required based on sponsor guidelines. Some may need AOR submission, detailed budgets, or other approvals. Please send the solicitation to ERAS (ERAS@engr.arizona.edu) early so we can help assess pre-proposal requirements.

As with other preliminary proposals, sponsors may occasionally request a rough order of magnitude (ROM) budget for discussion purposes. Please contact ERAS (ERAS@engr.arizona.edu) for assistance with preparing a ROM. Note: ROM budgets are considered provisional unless formally routed and approved through SPS. Researchers are strongly advised not to share budget details with sponsors without prior review by ERAS and/or SPS.

Internal funding programs are funded by UA administrations, colleges, or departments while external, sometimes called extramural, funding comes from a federal, state, or local agency, Foundation, or another non-UA source. Although internal proposals do not require routing through UAR/Kuali Research, most require a detailed budget and budget administrator approval. Please submit a PAR to ERAS early so we can assist with reviewing budget and submission requirements.

External funding is financial support provided by organizations outside the University, such as federal agencies, foundations, or industry partners, to support research and related activities. ERAS helps College of Engineering researchers navigate the external funding process by reviewing sponsor guidelines, preparing budgets, completing required documents, and coordinating proposal submissions with SPS to ensure accuracy and timely submission.

Limited submissions are funding opportunities where the funder has limited the number of applications from an organization. University of Arizona's (UA) Research Development Services (RDS) is the designated facilitator of UA limited submissions to federal and foundation opportunities. Selected proposals will need to follow UA proposal submission procedures. If you're considering a limited submission opportunity or have received a limited submission ticket, please contact ERAS (ERAS@engr.arizona.edu) early so we can support timely and successful proposal submission.

Please see https://research.arizona.edu/development/limited-submissions for more information.

A Just-in-Time (JIT) request is a post-submission, pre-award request (e.g., NIH) for additional documentation such as updated budgets, biosketches, or other compliance materials (e.g., IRB or IACUC approvals). It signals that a proposal is under consideration for funding but is not yet awarded. Sponsors may also request updated Current and Pending Support (CPOS), budget clarifications, or other supporting documents. ERAS will coordinate responses between the PI, SPS, and the sponsor. If you are contacted by a sponsor for additional information, please notify ERAS (ERAS@engr.arizona.edu) before responding.

Non-funded agreements are formal contracts that govern research-related activities without the exchange of funding. These agreements outline the terms and conditions for collaboration, data sharing, confidentiality, or use of research materials between institutions or organizations. Common types include:

• Confidentiality Agreements (CDAs/NDAs): Protect sensitive information shared during discussions.
• Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs): Govern the transfer of tangible research materials.
• Data Use Agreements (DUAs): Set terms for sharing research data.
• Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs): Define the framework for collaboration without committing funds.

Even without funding, these agreements are legally binding and often require institutional review to ensure compliance with university policies, intellectual property rights, and federal regulations. ERAS helps facilitate review by the Office of Research Contracts (ORC) and the sponsoring agency. For help with any research-related agreement, please contact ERAS (ERAS@engr.arizona.edu).

A Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA) is a formal contract between the University and an external sponsor, such as a company, foundation, or government agency that provides funding for a defined research project. SRAs outline the project scope, timeline, budget, intellectual property rights, publication terms, and other legal and administrative conditions. ERAS helps facilitate the review and negotiation of SRAs by coordinating between the Office of Research Contracts (ORC) and the sponsor to ensure alignment with university policies.

ERAS supports the initiation of new outgoing subrecipient requests on sponsored projects by coordinating with the principal investigator, the Office of Research Contracts (ORC), and the subrecipient organization to ensure all requirements are met.