If I submit a proposal that a sponsor decides to fund, what authority do I, as a WPI faculty member, have to negotiate or accept an award?
None. Faculty may contact potential sponsors to discuss projects, but may not act on behalf of the University to establish a business relationship between the parties. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which involves the personal liability that such actions create for the investigator. When ORA accepts awards, it attempts to negotiate (when necessary) award terms and conditions that place the University in the best possible position throughout the life of the award. For a faculty member to unilaterally accept an award jeopardizes this effort and the possibility of future negotiations with the sponsor involved.
Related Questions
- If I submit a proposal that a sponsor decides to fund, what authority do I, as a WPI faculty member, have to negotiate or accept an award?
- Can a faculty PI ever submit a formal proposal directly to a sponsor with no prior HKS/HU review?
- Can a faculty PI ever submit a formal proposal directly to a sponsor with no prior KSG/HU review?
