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Guidelines for Plan of Work
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Proposal
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Plan of Work
The written text may not exceed 15 single-spaced pages. The proposal should
be assembled so that the Plan of Work immediately follows the Project
Summary Form. To clarify page limitation requirements, page numbering for
the Plan of Work should start with 1 and should be placed on the bottom of
the page. Figures and tables are not included in the 15 page limitation. In
addition, margins must be at least 1”, font must be size 12 or larger, no
more than 6 lines per inch, and there should be no page reductions. The Plan
of Work must contain the following components:
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Introduction. A clear statement of the
long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives or research questions of the
proposed project should be included. The most significant published work
in the field under consideration, including the work of key project
personnel on the current application, should be reviewed. The current
status of research in this field of science should also be described.
Preliminary data pertinent to the proposed research should be included
in this section. All work cited, including that of key personnel, should
be referenced.
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Rationale and Significance. Concisely
present the rationale behind the proposed research. The relationship of
specific objectives to the potential long-range improvement in and
sustainability of the National Sea Grant College Program, or to one or
more of the research purposes, should be shown clearly. Any novel ideas
or contributions that the proposed project offers should also be
discussed in this section.
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Research Methods. The hypotheses or
questions being asked and the methodology being applied to the proposed
project should be stated explicitly. Specifically, this section must
include:
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A description of the
investigations and/or experiments proposed in the sequence in which
the investigations or experiments are to be performed;
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Techniques to be used in carrying out the proposed
project, including the feasibility of the techniques;
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Means by which experimental data will be analyzed or
interpreted;
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Results expected;
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Means of applying results or accomplishing
technology transfer, where appropriate;
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Pitfalls that may be encountered;
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Limitations to proposed procedures; and
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A tentative schedule or timeline for conducting
major steps involved in these investigations and/or experiments.
In describing the research plan, the applicant must explain
fully any materials, procedures, situations, or activities that may be
hazardous to personnel (whether or not they are directly related to a
particular phase of the proposed project), along with an outline or
precautions to be exercised to avoid or mitigate the effects of such
hazards.
References to Project Description
All references cited should be complete, including titles, and should
conform to an accepted journal format.
Facilities and Equipment
All facilities and major items of equipment that are available for use or
assignment to the proposed project during the requested period of support
should be described. In addition, items of nonexpendable equipment necessary
to conduct and successfully conclude the proposed project should be listed.
Collaborative Arrangements
If the nature of the proposed project requires collaboration or
subcontractural arrangements with other research scientists, corporations,
organizations, agencies, or entities, the applicant must identify the
collaborator(s) and provide full explanation of the nature of the
collaboration. Evidence (i.e., letters of intent) should be provided to
assure peer reviewers that the collaborators involved have agreed to render
this service.
Vitae and Publication List(s)
To assist reviewers in assessing the competence and experience of the
proposed project staff, all personnel who will be involved in the proposed
project must be identified clearly. For each principal investigator, and for
all senior associates and other professional personnel who expect to work on
the project (including subcontractors), whether or not funds are sought for
their support, the following should be included:
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Curriculum Vitae. The curriculum vitae
should be limited to a presentation of academic and research
credentials, i.e., educational, employment and professional history, and
honors and awards. Unless pertinent to the project, do not include
meetings attended, seminars given, or personal data such as birth date,
marital status, or community activities. The vitae shall be no more than
two pages each in length, excluding Publication List.
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Publication List(s). A chronological list
of all publications in refereed journals during the past five
years, including those in press, must be provided for each professional
project member for whom a curriculum vitae is provided. Also list only
those non-refereed technical publications that have relevance
to the proposed project. Authors should be listed in the same order as
they appear on each paper cited, along with the title and complete
reference as they usually appear in journals.
Current and Pending Support
The proposal must list any other current public or private research support
(including in-house support) to which any person involved in the proposal
who must submit a C.V. (described previously) has committed portions of
their time, whether or not salary support for the person(s) involved is
included in the budget. Non-flexible funds, including PI and support staff
salaries, overhead expenses, and square foot charges for greenhouse,
laboratory, and office space, may be excluded when these funds are received
through a non-competitive process. Analogous information must be provided
for any pending proposals, including this proposal, that are now being
considered by, or that will be submitted in the near future to other
possible sponsors, including other Sea Grant programs.
Concurrent submission of identical or similar proposals to other possible
sponsors will not prejudice proposal review or evaluation by IISG, experts,
or consultants engaged by IISG for this purpose. A proposal that duplicates
or overlaps substantially with a proposal already reviewed and funded (or
that will be funded) by another organization or agency, however, will not be
funded under this program. |
