Spring 2014
Request for Proposals
INTRODUCTION
The Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability (CPIS) is housed within the School of Packaging at Michigan
State University. It is supported and driven by industrial members and the research agenda is set by those members. For
this round of research, the Center anticipates funding several 3-year projects at an annual budget of approximately
$50,000 - $100,000 per project (not including F&A costs).
Priority will be given to proposals which are interdisciplinary in nature. Applicants are asked to identify specific
interdisciplinary collaborators.
RESEARCH PROGRAM TOPIC AREA REQUEST:
International concerns over the safety of potential migrants from food contact materials continue to impact
packaging. BPA is but one example. This RFP seeks to develop tools to predict emerging packaging safety
issues. These tools may include structure activity relationships, comparison of the packaging migrant and
toxicology literature, and/or emerging toxicological knowledge such as the endocrine disruptor literature.
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All proposals must clearly state how the proposed activities will meet the research program topic area. See format
on following pages.
All proposals will be evaluated by the research committee of the Center in consultation with the Director of the
Center.
Second and third year funding will be contingent on satisfactory progress and available Center funding.
Multiyear proposals must clearly justify the proposed time span and provide a progressive linkage among the
activities in subsequent years based upon the accomplishments of the previous year. If the first year’s activities
are considered preliminary, submit as a single year proposal.
Please identify interdisciplinary collaboration potential including interactions with CPIS members, as well as, if
there are any materials, information or support which might be provided by CPIS members. A list of current CPIS
members can be found here: http://www.cpis.msu.edu/membership/members
A complete list of focus areas for the Center’s research can be found here: http://www.cpis.msu.edu/research
Proposals for funding will be due by March 28, 2014. Acceptance of proposal topics will be announced in early April
with funds becoming available soon after. Early submittals are accepted and if you have any questions about your
proposal please feel free to contact Cimberly Weir. In some cases a one-page summary is acceptable to send in the early
part of the RFP to obtain Center Member feedback on whether or not a proposal is on track with the areas defined by the
Members.
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Responsibilities and expectations as a Principal Investigator are outlined in the included Articles of the Center’s
bylaws which are available at http://www.cpis.msu.edu/membership.
The Members of the Center require quarterly update reports (Executive Summary and any supporting data in an
appendix) and yearly short presentations on projects they fund (usually in the spring). They also have rights to all
data and reports in advance of the public and specific procedures must be followed as outlined in the bylaws to
speak publicly or publish Center research.
All projects must be published in a peer reviewed journal. A 10% hold on the total amount awarded each year will
be withheld by the Center until a paper has been submitted for publication. Please see Cimberly Weir with any
specific bylaw or publishing questions.
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Proposal Information Sheet
Proposal Title:
*Principal Investigator:
Name:
Title:
Phone:
Department
Email:
Mailing Address:
Additional Investigators: Name/Email, please include full bio of all investigators at the end of the proposal.
Research Area of Proposal:
Develop methodology to predict emerging packaging safety issues.
Synopsis of Proposal:
Potential Impact on Packaging Innovation and Sustainability:
Will this project involve human subjects, genetic material, or animals requiring university approval? (Note: if
project is approved, funds will not be released until university approval is received)
Yes _____
No _____
Signatures:
________________________
Principal Investigator
_______
Date
______________________
Lead Unit Administrator
_______
Date
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PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:
Proposals must be printed two-sided and single spaced with indented paragraphs, double spaced between sections and
in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Proposals that do not comply with this format will not be considered by the
review panels.
New Project Guidelines - Sections II through VI should be no more than four pages in length.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
COVER PAGE: See attached form; completed and signed by principal investigator and lead unit
administrator.
PROBLEM STATEMENT: What you are proposing and why it is important to the packaging industry.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESES
SPECIFIC METHODS AND PROCEDURES
IMPACTS OF PROPOSAL: Project must demonstrate potential impacts. Proposal must outline how impact
will be estimated.
PROJECT SCOPE: If the project is being submitted to other funding sources, indicate whether the funding
requested is sufficient to complete the project OR if the other sources are required to complete the project.
TIME LINE: Multiyear projects must include plans for all years.
BUDGET: See attached project budget form for new projects; multiyear projects must include budgets for all
proposed years. List both existing matching support and support from pending proposals. Any uncommitted
funds at the completion of the project will be returned to the Center’s main account.
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION: Detailed list of what expenses will include for each of the noted categories.
FUNDING HISTORY: List funds team members have received in the past five years (total funds by project
number) or are currently receiving (total funds by project number) and how these funds have been used to
leverage further external grants.
LITERATURE CITED
LETTERS OF SUPPORT: These must be included with the proposal submission. Letters of support should
not be sent directly to CPIS. Letters submitted separately will not be included with proposals.
TEAM QUALIFICATIONS: One page vitae for each team member outlining his/her qualifications and
accomplishments.
REPORTING
One page progress reports are due at quarterly after funding is started. A comprehensive final report will be due
12 months after the start of the project and may include a face to face meeting with the Center Members.
Multiyear projects are funded one year at a time and are subject to annual evaluation. A simple, specific format
will be provided for submittal of the quarterly reports.
Failure to submit timely and quality progress reports, or to make acceptable project progress, may result in
termination of a project and recovery of unspent funds. Investigators failing to submit a final report for a
completed project will become ineligible for consideration for future funding from CPIS.
Format for Continuing Proposals
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
COVER PAGE: See attached form; completed and signed by principal investigator and lead unit
administrator.
PROGRESS REPORT: A progress report (two-page maximum) highlighting accomplishments and projected
activities will be required every 6 months.
EXTERNAL GRANTS: List all grant proposals submitted related to this project and the status of the submitted
proposals (awarded, pending or rejected).
TIME LINE: Outline plans for remainder of project.
BUDGET: See attached continuing budget form; include budgets for remainder of the project.
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PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Transmittal forms are not required initially but will be required after the proposal has been accepted for funding.
Submit the signed electronic copy by email by March 28, 2014 to the following address:
CPIS Proposals
Attn: Cimberly Weir (cimberly@msu.edu) and Cassandra Thelen (thelen69@anr.msu.edu)
448 Wilson Road
130 Packaging Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
TIME LINES: Proposals will be evaluated and funding decisions made in early April 2014 with funds becoming available
in late April or early May 2014.
PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS:
Review panels composed of Center Members will review and rank proposals within a program area.
Criteria that will be used in the evaluation may include the following:
 Relationship of Project to the Center’s mission
 Scientific soundness & appropriateness of methodology & feasibility of completion
 Leverage of external and other sources of funds. Feasibility of completing the objectives within the proposed time
frame
 Multidisciplinary and integrated nature of the proposal
 Extent of partnering with and potential impact
Depending on the timing of when a proposal is submitted the review panel may evaluate them early and may or may not
provide input/feedback before the final submission date. In any case, within two weeks of the submission date initial
feedback will be provide to each primary Principal Investigator on the direction the Members wish to take.
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Project Budget Form
SUMMARY PROPOSAL BUDGET Year 1
FOR CPIS USE ONLY
PROPOSAL NO.
DURATION (months)
ORGANIZATION
Proposed
Granted
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR / PROJECT DIRECTOR
A. SENIOR PERSONNEL: PI/PD, Co-PI’s, Faculty and Other Senior Associates
(List each separately with title, A.7. show number in brackets)
1.
2.
Months person will be funded
CAL
ACAD
SUMR
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3.
4.
5.
6. (
7. (
0 ) OTHERS (LIST INDIVIDUALLY ON BUDGET JUSTIFICATION PAGE)
0) TOTAL SENIOR PERSONNEL (1 - 6)
B. OTHER PERSONNEL (SHOW NUMBERS IN BRACKETS)
1. ( 0 ) POST DOCTORAL SCHOLARS
2. ( 0 ) OTHER PROFESSIONALS (TECHNICIAN, PROGRAMMER, ETC.)
3. (
4. (
5. (
6. (
0 ) GRADUATE STUDENTS
0 ) UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
0 ) SECRETARIAL - CLERICAL (IF CHARGED DIRECTLY)
0 ) OTHER
TOTAL SALARIES AND WAGES (A + B)
C. FRINGE BENEFITS (IF CHARGED AS DIRECT COSTS)
TOTAL SALARIES, WAGES AND FRINGE BENEFITS (A + B + C)
Funds granted
Total Funds
Requested By
proposer
by CPIS
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
D. EQUIPMENT (LIST ITEM AND DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR EACH ITEM EXCEEDING $5,000.)
TOTAL EQUIPMENT
E. TRAVEL
1. DOMESTIC (INCL. CANADA, MEXICO AND U.S. POSSESSIONS)
2. FOREIGN
F. PARTICIPANT SUPPORT COSTS
1. STIPENDS
$
2. TRAVEL
3. SUBSISTENCE
0
0
0
0
4. OTHER
TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
0
0
0
(
0)
TOTAL PARTICIPANT COSTS
0
G. OTHER DIRECT COSTS
1. MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES
2. PUBLICATION COSTS/DOCUMENTATION/DISSEMINATION
3. CONSULTANT SERVICES
4. COMPUTER SERVICES
5. SUBAWARDS
6. OTHER
TOTAL OTHER DIRECT COSTS
H. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS (A THROUGH G)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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I. INDIRECT COSTS (F&A)(SPECIFY RATE AND BASE)
MTDC (TD < Tuition/Fees, Equip, Subcont) (Rate: 53.5000, Base: 67978)
0
0
0
0
TOTAL INDIRECT COSTS (F&A)
J. TOTAL DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS (H + I)
K. RESIDUAL FUNDS
L. AMOUNT OF THIS REQUEST (J) OR (J MINUS K)
M. COST SHARING PROPOSED LEVEL $
PI/PD NAME
ORG. REP. NAME*
0
AGREED LEVEL IF DIFFERENT $
FOR CPIS USE ONLY
INDIRECT COST RATE VERIFICATION
Date Checked
Date Of Rate Sheet
Initials - ORG
1 *ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR REVISED BUDGET
If submitting a multi-year project please include a separate table for each additional year as well as a
final cumulative table.
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION (please include justification for each year, use as much space as needed.)
YEAR ONE
Please include a yearly summary for what funds will be used for in each category below, include a table as needed:
Personnel:
Fringes:
Travel:
Supplies and Services:
Publication:
Other:
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