MADE in SC | SC EPSCoR

Updated Monday June 12, 2017, 10:32 am EST

What is the purpose of the Letter of Intent (LOI)?
Since proposals will be reviewed by experts from outside South Carolina, we need to gauge the diversity of topics being proposed to plan for a relevant panel of experts to review the proposals. The Letters of Intent will assist us in sizing the proposal pool.

Can I submit a proposal without submitting a Letter of Intent?
No.

I still do not know who to partner with for the Stimulus Proposal, can I still submit a LOI?
Yes. The list of partnering organizations/colleges/universities is not a requirement for submitting the LOI.

Is it ok if the proposal title changes slightly from the title submitted with the LOI?
Yes. However, it is expected that the main scientific area of the proposal will not change from what you include in the LOI.

Are the Co-PI’s and organizations that I list as possible partners in the LOI binding?
No. The proposal you eventually submit may have different names and organizations from what you included in the LOI.

How long should the “brief” description of the proposed work be?
It is up to you. We are looking for a brief description that will assist us in identifying potential reviewers. A paragraph or two might suffice.

Is there a page limit for the LOI?
Although we don’t have a page limit, we believe the LOI can be one page long. Here’s what the LOI should include: 1) the PI’s name and affiliation, 2) Preliminary Proposal Title, 3) list of possible participating organizations, and 4) a brief description of the proposed work.

Can the SC EPSCoR Office help in identifying potential collaborators for an idea I have?
Yes. We developed a South Carolina Research Expertise Profiles to assist in this matter. Click here to view the Profiles. We will also be willing to put you in contact with faculty at other institutions.

Do I have to be tenured to be the lead PI?
No. Any faculty member can be the lead PI.

Will the Letter of Intent be sent out for external review?
No. The Letter of Intent is for our internal planning purposes. We will use the LOI to identify the topics that will be proposed so we may begin recruiting external reviewers for the full proposals.

Do I need to include any budget information in the LOI?
No. No budget information is required for the LOI.

Do I need to include references in the LOI?
References are not required for inclusion in the LOI. References are required for inclusion in the full proposal due Friday, September 1, 2017.