Principal Investigator (PI)

Principal Investigator (PI)

The PI is the person who has primary responsibility for the design, execution, and management of a sponsored research project and is named on the proposal to the sponsoring agency. The PI has the primary responsibility for the fulfillment of the Statement of Work. Even when collaborating with one or more Co-PI, the PI has ultimate responsibility for the project and remains the sole individual responsible for managing expenditures in support of the project.

Only eligible Naval Postgraduate School faculty participating in the mission of the NPS may submit proposals and act as PI/PD/Co-I/Co-PD for sponsored projects. 

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If you are a PI that had one or more IREFs validated and selected for funding you will be required to complete the following steps before funding will be authorized and established:

  1. Submit Acknowledgement of Terms.
  2. Develop a detailed NRP research project proposal and NRP budget through collaboration with the Topic Sponsor. 
  3. Complete PI/Co-I Annual Online Training
  4. Submit your completed analysis proposal documents to the NRP for review and funding determination using Coeus.

Full details, submission deadline and appropriate NRP templates for the current FY can be found on the Funding Guidance page of the NRP website.

NPS is dedicated to compliance in research.  

For more information about the compliance programs and requirements on campus visit the Office of Research & Innovation's Research Compliance page:

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Important Dates

Important Dates


Download a .pdf of the full schedule of dates. Check back regularly; this schedule is updated frequently.

FY24 / 25 NRP Program Cycle Milestones: 

FY25 / 26 NRP Program Cycle Milestones: 

***Topic Submission for FY25 Cycle is currently open***

  • 30 Jan 2024: Deadline to submit Research Topics for FY25 Research Considerations
  • 1 March 2024: Topic Submission Portal Closes
  • TBD: Virtual IREF submission information session
  • TBD: Deadline for Faculty Submit an IREF for FY25 Funding Consideration
  • TBD: Deadline for Dept Assoc Chair for Research Approval/Disapproval for FY25 IREFs
  • TBD: Deadline for Research Topic Advocate to Approve/Disapprove FY25 IREFs
  • TBD: Deadline for Research Topic Advocates to Approve/Disapprove FY25 IREFs
  • TBD: IREF Packages sent to Topic Advocate Leads for Review & Prioritization
  • TBD: Deadline Topics Review Board (TRB) Prioritization Meetings
  • TBD: Deadline Topics Review Board (TRB) Prioritization results to NRP
  • 30 April 2024: Deadline for CNO prioritization 
  • TBD: NPS Internal review of all prioritized IREFs
  • TBD: Funding Approvals for FY25 selected projects 
  • TBD: FY25 Project Selection Results Notification

 

Proposal & Budget Process

NRP Funded Research Topic - Detailed Topic Proposal & Budget Submission

*** FY24 project approval notifications have been sent to PIs.***. Please contact nrp@nps.edu for questions. 

Researchers selected for funded projects should proceed through the following steps:

Budget Proposal Guidance

Budget Proposal Guidance

NRP specific budget requirements and recommendations for how Principal Investigators (PIs) can make the financial experience easier for themselves throughout the life of the project. Requests for exception to the following guidance may be submitted to the NRP Program Manager via nrp@nps.edu.

Budget Proposal Submissions - Official research proposal budgets must be submitted using the Coeus budget proposal tool. The FY24 NRP Budget Spreadsheet is used for budget/spend plan updates during the PoP. The spreadsheet can be used for general offline proposal budget planning purposes but it is highly recommended that you use the Coeus training instance to draft your proposal budget.

If financial expenditure questions arise during budget development or execution, PIs should consult with the NRP Sponsored Programs Financial Analyst (SPFA).

Indirect Costs - The NRP uses NR&DE funds, and indirect cost are not collected. The indirect rate is 0%.

How can the money be spent?  

  • NRP funds are RDT&E and are appropriated solely for specific selected NRP projects. There must be a logical relationship between funds spent and the selected NRP research project.
  • This money cannot be used for academic/curriculum support.
  • This money cannot be used for office supplies, printers or cell phones.
  • If expenditures are for Travel or Purchases that will be used for more than 1 research project, split accounting rules apply.

External Support - If you are intending/planning to outsource labor/skills that cannot be performed by NPS personnel you must obtain approval from your department chair.

  • Indirect Costs - The NRP uses RDT&E funds, and indirect cost, standardly charged to Reimbursable projects outside the NRP, are not collected. The indirect rate is 0%.
  • Fringe (aka Acceleration or Fully Burdened Rate):  is always included in the cost of payroll regardless of how your payroll is being charged.  Fringe addresses the actual cost of benefits paid by the government for each employee (TSP, FERS, Medicare, FEGLI, TSP Matching, Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Vacation).  NPS recommends using 52.5% for projection purposes.
  • Overhead: The NRP takes a small percentage off the top of the annual budget to run the program - therefore no cost needs to be factored into each individual project budget.

  • Budget Allocation: Up to 15% of your budget may be allocated to travel.
  • Allowed are: Up to four trips for data collection, meetings, and/or conferences that directly relate to the specific NRP research project 
  • Not allowed are: Travel for academic purposes, thesis development, or other research projects.
  • Justification: Travel must be clearly justified in the IREF, in any subsequent research proposal, and the associated Coeus budget page. The Coeus Description & Purpose field(s) and the research proposal document must be completed in full and include direct correlation/justification to the TASKS and the deliverables / research outcomes cited in the IREF or research proposal.  
    • Students: Student participation is highly encouraged, however, the travel must always align with the research. Travel requests must state how the travel applies to the associated research. Explain on the Student Worksheet how the travel, including thesis research, supports the deliverable of the project.  "For thesis research" is not sufficient.
  • List all employees who will be working on the project. If an employee is not listed on the proposal, payroll approval will be delayed as the SPFA will be required to obtain additional documentation from the PI.
  • Labor is charged using actual benefits but the average fully burdened rate x number of hours scheduled to work each month can be used for labor projection purposes. PI's should consult the Research and Sponsored Programs Office (RSPO) for the current rate. The NRP is exempt from other Indirect Costs. 
  • NRP funds are not appropriate for employee cash awards. All awards using NRP funds will be reversed upon detection.
  • Provide an explanation, in plain language, detailing how the purchase contributes to the tasks and deliverables of the project. Blanket terms such as "Mission Essential / Critical" are not to be confused with a valid justification.
  • Orders must be submitted early enough that they directly contribute to the project deliverable. The timeline for all acquisitions must be congruent with the projects period of performance. Acquisitions for computers, equipment, contracts and MIPRS are ONLY approved for the benefit of the selected NRP project. Therefore, the item must be ordered soon enough that it arrives early enough to contribute to the project deliverable.
  • Equipment Purchases: 
    • If you purchased equipment using NRP project funds in the last two years you will not be authorized to purchase similar equipment for your new FY NRP project. e.g. if you purchased a computer for an FY22 or FY23 NRP project you will be expected to use the same computer for your FY24 NRP project.
    • Items that cannot be purchased with NRP funds are: cell phones, cell phone services, printers, toners, office supplies that are for general use, furniture, and publications. (Please refer to the NRP office for NRP related publication expenses)
  • Total purchasing exceeding 25% of your budget will require additional justification.

For safety questions or concerns email Safety@nps.edu or visit the Safety Review and Planning page on the Safety website.