Pre-Award Liaison Services Core

medical provider caring for babyPre-Award Liaison Services (PALS) Core Specialists are assigned to proposals in the early stages of grant development to reduce the administrative burden of the submission process, enabling faculty, students and Duke University Health System (DUHS) nurses to focus on the science of the project. Specialists assist with expediting the submission process. They also address immediate needs and are knowledgeable about agency and institutional requirements, helping to avoid potential delays or barriers that would be costly in time and energy for faculty, students and DUHS nurses.

Pre-Award Liaison Service Core Activities

Proposal Preparation. PALS specialists help with budget development and sponsor and institutional requirements for all sponsored projects, including:

  • Federal and state grants and contracts
  • Industry contracts
  • Professional and other private organizations grants and contracts
  • Duke small grant programs
  • Sub-agreements (i.e., when Duke faculty serve as co-investigators on external proposals)
  • Foundations grants
  • Grant transfers (i.e., established awards entering or exiting Duke)

Support Services. PALS specialists also provide the following services:

  • Review of sponsor funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) to confirm eligibility and proposal requirements
  • School and institutional approval for submission
  • Limited submission nomination process
  • Incoming policy notices affecting proposal (internal and external)
  • Just-in-time and other sponsor information requests
  • Monitor proposal status with sponsor
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