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The NRP Process Cycle

The Naval Research Program (NRP) follows a standard process for each research cycle. Our different stakeholders participate at several stages of the process, as shown below.

Phase 1: Program preparation

Research topics are submitted for consideration in the upcoming research cycle.

Step 1: Topic submissions

Topic Advocates submit one or more research topics to the NRP Topic Portal for consideration in each research cycle.

Step 2: IREF submissions

NPS Faculty submit Initial Research Estimate Forms (IREFs) for topics via the NRP Topic Portal.

Step 3: IREF approvals

NRP, NPS Department Chairs, and Topic Advocates review and approve IREF submissions to be considered for funding.

Step 4: IREF prioritizations

NRP prepares all approved IREFs for review by Topic Advocate Leads at the Topic Review Board, for prioritization and alignment with mission goals.

Step 5: Selection for funding

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) prioritizes all IREFs 1-to-N, and NRP uses these final prioritizations to select which IREFs will receive funding.

Step 6: Funding announcement

NRP announces which IREFs will be eligible for funding in the upcoming research cycle, pending submission and approval of a research proposal.

Phase 2: Research proposals

IREFs are expanded into research proposals, to fully define project scope and budget.

Step 1: Coeus proposal shells

NRP creates shells for research proposals within Koali Coeus, pre-populating some of the data to decrease researcher workload.

Step 2: Proposal data entry

Faculty enter data including personnel, budget, and expenses, as well as upload their required proposal attachments.

Step 3: Department chair review

Department chairs review proposals submitted by their faculty and approve them. Proposals are then routed to NRP.

Step 4: NRP review

NRP reviews submitted proposals and approves them to continue to the next stage of approval routing.

Step 5: VPR review

The Vice Provost for Research (VPR) reviews and approves proposals, the final stage of the approval workflow.

Step 6: Funding is issued

Once fully approved, NRP verifies that each researcher is in good standing, and issues funding to begin research.

Phase 3: Research and final deliverables

Faculty begin research, and document their work with required NRP deliverables.

Step 1: Research begins

Faculty begin research on approved and funded projects, working with students and other researchers.

Step 2: Mid-Year Progress Review

Faculty submit a Mid-Year Progress Review (MPR) to NRP and their Topic Advocate, mid-way through their research.

Step 3: Executive Summary

Faculty summarize and describe their process and research with a public release, Distro A Executive Summary.

Step 4: Technical Report

Faculty compile a full final Technical Report to illustrate their findings in detail. NRP publishes Tech Reports in the NPS Calhoun Archive.

Step 5: Other deliverables

Any other deliverables such as source code, posters, presentations, student theses, etc. are provided to the Topic Advocate and NRP.

Step 6: Annual Report

NRP compiles all Executive Summaries from this research cycle into our Annual Report, which we provide to program sponsors.
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Deliverables submission workflow

There are several stages in the deliverables submission process, as seen below.
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