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Policy No: 2171
Responsible Office: Research Development
Last Review Date: 08/26/2026
Next Required Review: 08/26/2031
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Policy No: 2171
Responsible Office: Research Development
Last Review Date: 08/26/2026
Next Required Review: 08/26/2031
Limited Submissions
1. Purpose
For some funding opportunities, the sponsor restricts the number of submissions that an institution is allowed. Some sponsors, including federal sponsors, have consequences for institutions who submit more than the allowed number of applications; these consequences can include accepting only the first of several submissions, and even disallowing all submissions. Therefore it is the institution’s responsibility, and in the institution’s best interest, to create a policy and process for handling limited submissions that is designed to ensure both that the maximum number of allowable submissions is not exceeded, and that competition and review result in the nomination of a selected applicant or applicants.
This policy outlines the University of South Alabama’s oversight and management of limited submissions opportunities for externally sponsored projects, which is carried out by the Office of Research and Economic Development.
2. Applicability
This policy applies to all divisions of the University of South Alabama, to include USA Health.
3. Definitions
Institutional nominee: The institutional nominee is the principal investigator who has been officially approved to submit to an individual limited submission opportunity by the Office of Research and Economic Development.
Internal competition: An internal competition is a formal process conducted by the Office of Research and Economic Development in order to determine the eligible institutional nominee(s) for an external limited submission opportunity.
Limited submission: A limited submission is a funding opportunity (e.g. grant, contract, fellowship, etc.) for which an external sponsor restricts the number of applications allowed from an institution.
Principal investigator (PI): Per Principal Investigator policy #2059, “The Principal Investigator (PI) is the individual with primary responsibility for carrying out the sponsored project. The PI is legally accountable to USA and to the sponsoring agency for the proper execution of the project and proper expenditure of the sponsor’s funds.”
Sponsor: A sponsor is an external entity (such as a federal agency, state agency, foundation, or corporation) that provides funding, equipment, or other resources to support a specific research, educational, or public service endeavor.
4. Policy Guidelines
This policy outlines the University of South Alabama’s oversight and management of limited submissions opportunities for externally sponsored projects, which is carried out by the Office of Research and Economic Development.
5. Procedures
5.1 Oversight of limited submissions
5.1.1 The Research Development department within the Office of Research and Economic Development serves as the primary administrator for all limited submission funding opportunities for the University of South Alabama.
5.1.2 Every institutional nominee submitting a limited submission application to a sponsor must have written approval from Research Development confirming their eligibility before submitting to the sponsor.
5.1.3 Sponsored Projects Administration staff who are responsible for proposal submissions check for limited submissions and documentation of institutional nominee eligibility as a standard part of their pre-submission checks.
5.1.4 The university reserves the right to administer select opportunities (e.g. those requiring strategic institutional-level coordination or endorsement) as limited submission opportunities even if they are not limited by the sponsor.
5.2 Management: See the Limited Submissions Procedures for a description of the steps governing limited submissions, internal competitions, and institutional nominations. Principal investigators are required to follow the established limited submission process in order to become an eligible institutional nominee.
5.3 Sanctions
5.3.1 PI’s who did not go through the established limited submission process to become an institutional nominee, and are unable to produce the written approval specified in 5.1.2, may be prohibited from submitting to the opportunity.
5.3.2 PI’s who fail to follow the established limited submission process a second time will be prohibited from submitting to subsequent limited submissions.
5.3.3 PI’s who become an institutional nominee but then withdraw from the opportunity with limited notice will be identified as a risk for future limited submission competitions. This may decrease the likelihood of the PI being selected as an institutional nominee in the future. The relevant dean(s), department chair(s), and reviewers of subsequent internal competitions involving the PI will be notified.
6. Enforcement
The responsible parties for oversight and enforcement of this policy are:
Policy Oversight: Vice President for Office of Research and Economic Development;
Policy Enforcement: Assistant Vice President for Research Development.