Mission Statement

The Office of Research Program Development (RPD), formerly known as Sponsored Programs Services (SPS), was established in 1993 to foster multidisciplinary biomedical and health services research at the University of Pennsylvania. In this role, RPD

Provides funding, editorial assistance and staff support for departments and centers in the development of multidisciplinary grant proposals and Federal contracts
Coordinates and provides funding for multidisciplinary research retreats
Coordinates and provides administrative support for NIH site visits and teleconferences
Provides staff support for preparation of federal request for proposals (RFP) applications
Provides guidance to faculty and staff concerning proposal submission and the administration of sponsored projects
Serves as resource for the School of Medicine regarding sponsor policies and federal regulations
Facilitates the identification of funding sources

In addition to these functions, the Office of Research Program Development is responsible for maintaining the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Research website; administration of the School of Medicine's Awards of Excellence; coordination of the School's limited application process; and administrative oversight of the grant writing seminar and manual.

RPD assistance is intended to supplement, not supplant departmental, institute and/or center resources. RPD tailors services to the specific needs and requirements of individual departments and investigators.

The office reports to the School of Medicine Vice Dean for Research and Research Training.

Multidisciplinary Proposals

RPD assists School of Medicine faculty with the preparation of proposals that involve multiple projects and multiple University of Pennsylvania investigators and departments, such as program project (P01), center (P30), specialized center-cooperative agreement (U54) and specialized center (P50) grants as well as large foundation projects.

Timeline: To request RPD assistance, the principal investigator should submit a one page summary no later than three months prior to the proposal due date. The summary should include the following information:

Principal Investigator
Sponsor and type of project (P01, P30, etc.)
Proposal title and RFA number, if applicable
List of faculty co-principal investigators
List of potential users
Proposal due date

Services Offered by RPD:

Provides administrative expertise and advice on organizing and preparing proposals
Coordinates meetings and schedules conference rooms and audiovisual aides
Provides editorial assistance from a dedicated grant writer and scientific editor
Prepares proposals, routes proposal for departmental signatures, and assembles biographical sketches and other administrative components, etc.
Duplicates, packages and mails proposal
Coordinates site visits
Provides links to the University and programs in other schools

Departmental Responsibilities:

Prepares departmental and composite budgets, budget justification pages and checklist page
Provides clerical support for preparation of administrative and scientific components
Oversees and coordinates proposal preparation and submission in conjunction with RPD

Principal Investigator Responsibilities: The PI serves as program manager and provides the scientific vision and leadership for the project. As such, he or she will work with RPD and departmental staff to set and meet internal deadlines.

General: RPD is a limited resource and requests will be honored on a first come, first served basis. New proposals may take priority over competing applications. The abstract and final budget must be ready in time to be routed for signature and submitted to the School of Medicine Office of Research Support Services no later than five days prior to the due date.

Multidisciplinary Research Retreats

The School of Medicine supports multidisciplinary research retreats through RPD, with the goal of generating an increased number of multidisciplinary proposals and awards. A maximum of five multidisciplinary retreats will be funded annually up to an amount of $8,000 each.

Timeline: A solicitation announcement and application instructions will be distributed annually in the summer.

Application: Requests that include a plan for submitting a multidisciplinary proposal for extramural funding will be given priority. The request for retreat assistance should include the following:

PI must be a faculty member
Applicant name and title
Retreat title and topic
List of faculty co-investigators
Targeted audience, including departments, schools, Universities
Proposed budget
Anticipated number of attendees
Retreat date
Description of the potential for funding and type of project (P01, P30, etc.)

Services Offered by RPD:

Provides expertise in retreat organization
Coordinates planning meetings and schedules
Schedules facilities and audiovisual aids
Develops and distributes invitations/announcements
Provides refreshments and lunch on the day of the retreat
Prepares and prints abstract book
Staffs retreat events
Provides advance and onsite registration
Supplies poster boards, pins, name badges and other administrative items

Departmental Responsibilities: The departmental business administrator administers the funds provided by RPD. The business administrator returns any unspent funds to RPD within 30 days following the retreat.

Principal Investigator Responsibilities: The principal investigator provides oversight and direction throughout the planning phase. The PI serves as moderator on the day of the retreat.

NIH Site Visits

RPD provides expertise and administrative support to School of Medicine faculty for preparatory meetings and on the day of the site visit.

Timeline: The principal investigator should contact RPD as soon as a site visit is announced.

Services Offered by RPD:

Provides administrative expertise and support for organizing and preparing for the site visit
Coordinates the site visit with NIH and the department
Assists with practice sessions
Prepares slides, overheads, and audiovisual presentations
Duplicates and packages handouts
Provides breakfast, lunch and refreshments (as allowed) for site visitors and participants
Greets and guides site visitors to the conference room and research facilities
Prepares and prints nametags
Schedules conference rooms and audiovisual aides

Departmental Responsibilities: The department provides scientific and administrative personnel, as required, to respond to questions and participate in practice sessions.

Principal Investigator Responsibilities: The principal investigator assumes a leadership role in helping participating investigators respond to questions and prepare a cohesive presentation.

Federal Request For Proposals (RFP) Applications

RPD assists School of Medicine faculty with the preparation of responses to NIH and other Federal RFP's.

Timeline: To request RPD assistance, the PI should submit a one page request no later than the due date for the Proposal Letter of Intent. The summary should included the following information:

Principal Investigator
Sponsor
Proposal title and RFP number
Proposal due date
Copy of the Proposal Letter of Intent

Services Offered by RPD:

Provides administrative expertise and advice on organizing and preparing the RFP
Schedules meeting and audiovisual aides
Provides editorial assistance from a dedicated grant writer and scientific editor
Routes proposal for departmental signature
Assembles administrative components, such as past performance, travel policies, etc.
Coordinates proposal review with Office of Research Support Services and Research Services
Duplicates, packages and mails proposal
Assists with Final Proposal Revisions (FPR) , Best and Final Offers (BAFO) and helps respond to NIH inquiries

Departmental Responsibilities:

Prepares departmental and composite budgets, justifications and checklist page
Provides clerical support for administrative and scientific components
Oversees and coordinates submission in conjunction with RPD
Prepares Small Business Subcontracting Plan, if required

Principal Investigator Responsibilities: The PI works in conjunction with RPD and departmental staff to set and meet internal deadlines. The PI ensures that the SOM will be able to meet the deliverable obligations outlined in the RFP for the proposed amount of money. The PI informs the departmental business administrator and/or RPD prior to submission of the proposal if the timeline and/or funding level set forth by the RFP are unreasonable or cannot be met.

General: NIH and Federal contracts may take priority over RFP's issued by other sponsors. The final budget, abstract and draft scientific text must be ready in time to be routed for signature and submitted to the School of Medicine Office of Research Support Services at least five days prior to the due date.