Sponsors should realized that such agreements must be reviewed by the University's legal staff and approved by higher administrative authorities. Developing a mutually acceptable agreement can take a month. This agreement was collaboratively developed by universities, industry, and the government under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences. Reviewing the Agreement in parallel with proposal preparation speeds up the planning process. Once there is general agreement on the research to be conducted, the sponsor should send the University a written request for quote.
Email is fine.
The technical section includes a schedule and an itemized budget. The sponsor should generally allow a minimum of 2 weeks for preparation of a proposal. During that time we finalize the budget and schedule, and those materials are reviewed by an accountant. Written approval of the formal proposal is required from the Division Head, the Institute's Assistant Director, and the Director. For large projects, a signature from the University's Vice-President for Research may be required.