Working with GDOT - Steps to Proposal Preparation

Steps to Proposal Preparation

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1. Proposal Process
2. Research Needs Statement Preparation
3. Proposal Preparation
4. GDOT Acceptance of Proposal
5. GDOT Internal RNS Development and Solicitation

1. Proposal Process
The GDOT research needs/proposal process aims to match GDOT's research needs with research ideas and investigators ultimately leading to detailed proposal preparation and research project initiation.

2. Research Needs Statement Preparation
A research needs statement (RNS) is the first step in initiating a GDOT research project. An RNS seeks to identify current and future issues/needs of interest to GDOT that will benefit from specific research activities. An RNS is required for all research supported through the core GDOT research program and provides the basic means of communicating these potential needs to GDOT technical staff, decision-makers, and sponsoring offices. An RNS should be written with all of these groups in mind.
Each fall, typically in August or September, GDOT invites submission of Research Needs Statements through an open call to qualified investigators across all Georgia Transportation Institute (GTI) member institutions. If you are unsure if your university is a GTI member, please reach out to the GTI Administrative Manager (Robert Carswell) or GTI Director (Michael Hunter). When available, this RNS call will be posted here: RNS.
These RNS submissions are required to be submitted in a specific format and must be submitted on a strict timeline. Developing an effective Research Need Statement (RNS) is critical to successfully undertaking research with GDOT. An RNS must contain a clear statement of needs, approaches, benefits, and implementation potential. Potential submitters should review RNS guidelines and relevant other documents on the GTI prior to submission.

3. Proposal Preparation
GDOT reviews all submitted RNSs to evaluate the need and suitability of the proposed research as well as establish a relative priority among all of the proposed research needs. GDOT accomplishes this review through a two-level technical and administrative review. Initial review of a submitted RNS is assigned to one of GDOT’s Research Technical Advisory Groups (RTAG) which is composed of GDOT personnel with subject matter expertise and experience in the general area of the proposed research areas assigned to the specific RTAG. Each RTAG will make specific recommendations for the suitability of the proposed research to the GDOT Research Advisory Committee (RAC) composed of senior GDOT personnel. The RAC synthesizes the recommendations from the RTAG with the larger strategic needs of GDOT to identify the RNS selected to develop full research proposals.
If selected for full proposal development, the GTI researcher listed as the principal investigator (PI) will be notified. After notification, the research team will prepare a full proposal according to GDOT requirements detailed in the Guidelines for Proposal Preparation. As part of the proposal preparation process, GDOT will set a pre-proposal meeting with the GTI researcher, assigned GDOT Research Office Program Manager, and GDOT Technical/Implementation (TI) Manager. The final proposal should be routed through the investigator's university home unit before final submission to GDOT.

4. GDOT Acceptance of Proposal
After submission of the final proposal, the appropriate GDOT office will review the proposal and, as applicable, any changes noted by the GDOT office will be incorporated into the final proposal. A Task Order will issued by GDOT and the project team will receive a “Notice to Proceed” to begin the research project. Work on the research may not begin until a Task Order has been issued and the team has received a “Notice to Proceed” from the GDOT Research Office.

5. GDOT Internal RNS Development and Solicitation
GDOT may solicit GTI faculty for interest in an internally (GDOT) developed RNS. A GDOT solicitation requesting the identification and contact information of interested GTI researchers will be sent through the GTI listserv.
GDOT will contact all GTI researchers that who express interest for in a pre-proposal meeting with GDOT personnel, including the RTAG-identified Technical/Implementation (TI) Manager and the RTAG Secretary/GDOT Research Engineer. This meeting is to scope the objectives, work plan, deliverables, and implementation plan for the project and subsequent draft proposal development.
Each GTI researcher at the end of the meeting will be invited to directly submit to GDOT a separate proposal for GDOT review. The proposal should be developed per GDOT guidelines posted on this website. GDOT will review submitted proposals and notify the GTI researcher of the selected proposal. GDOT may request changes to the proposal. Upon final acceptance of the proposal, GDOT would then proceed to contractinging.