Applications and Awards over £1 million (excluding Major Proposals)

Any Research Applications (including Expressions of Interest) or Awards over £1 million in price shall we sent to the Group Finance Director for approval prior to submission of the application or acceptance of the award. This shall involve R&IS completing a ‘Covering Memo’ that shall highlight the finances (including gross margin), strategic rationale, any key risks and potential mitigation. The paperwork shall be progressed via the Research Support Mangers to obtain Group Finance Director approval. Any projects with a gross margin/income % below 20% shall be flagged to Director/Head of Research Support & Contracts/Head of Research Systems.

Major Proposals

A major proposal is a project that meets one or more of the following criteria, and must be progressed via the University’s ‘major proposal’ approval route:

1. The project requires space above and beyond the office and/or laboratory accommodation currently allocated to the Department/s;
2. There is a proposed significant University contribution to the direct costs of the Proposal;
3. There is a significant legacy cost – i.e. the University will be required to incur further expenditure post grant;
4. There are strategic, reputational, ethical or governance considerations, which in the view of R&IS require institutional review;
5. The full economic cost of the project exceeds £3m. Where Warwick is the lead party this will include the partners’ FEC or costs, e.g. Warwick and Collaborators costs exceed £3m. Where Warwick is a collaborator on a bid then this limit refers only to the Warwick FEC.

All projects that are deemed to be ‘major proposals’ shall be progressed via the ‘major proposals’ approval route. This shall involve R&IS completing a ‘major proposals checklist’ and ‘major proposals covering memo’, that shall highlight key risks and potential mitigation in each of the five categories. The paperwork shall be progressed via the Director/Head of Research Support & Contracts/Head of Research Systems to the ‘major proposals review group’ which has the following ex-officio membership:

• Group Finance Director
• Provost
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the relevant Faculty
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Planning & Resources): for major proposals that come within (1) and (3) with respects to space and/or equipment
• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Postgraduate & Transnational Education): for major proposals that related to Doctoral Training Partnerships, Centres for Doctoral Training and/or propose a contribution from the University in the form of centrally funded studentships.

R&IS shall liaise with the lead Department with respect to the decision of the ‘major proposals’ review group. The process applies equally to expressions of interest as it does to full applications.