SECTION III: INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND SUBMITTING CONCEPT LETTERS

Concept Letters are due in the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium office
by close of business on May 16, 2005.

Structure of Concept Letters

The Concept Letter should present a synopsis of the proposed effort, and should include the following elements:

• Problem Statement: Describe in concise terms the problem and/or opportunity to be addressed, and discuss its relationship to S.C. Sea Grant Consortium goals and priorities.

• Objectives: Clearly list the overall objectives (including hypotheses) of your proposed effort, and list specific objectives by year (if proposing a multi-year project).

• Methods: Concisely describe the proposed methods - reviewers should be able to make a preliminary determination of the appropriateness and innovativeness of the proposed approach for achieving the stated objectives.

• Expected Outcomes: The PI should outline planned outcomes and the timeframes (on an annual basis, for each year of the proposed effort) in which they will be achieved. Generally, an outcome is the result of a process. We often define outcomes in terms of measurable data and a specific timeframe for measurement. Further, outcomes are measurable results that have a positive impact on the technology or management practices in the area under study, or further our knowledge of it. An example of an outcome would be “Year 1 - Develop and refine appropriate success metrics for assessing restored oyster reef ecological function and sustainability for intertidal and subtidal habitats.”

• Targeted Audiences/Outreach/Education: Identify the users, organizations, and groups who will benefit from the work. Briefly identify the information products to be generated and the mechanisms that will be used to deliver resultant information to the target audiences. Prospective PIs should seriously consider making contact with their target audiences prior to submission of Concept Letters to gauge and solicit their interest and support for and possible involvement in the proposed effort.

• Anticipated Accomplishments/Benefits: Outline the anticipated results and their potential application/implications to Sea Grant’s priority issues and needs and the target audiences identified in the previous section.

• Personnel and Collaborators: List the names and affiliations of all investigators, cooperators, senior staff, and students (if appropriate), and briefly describe their roles in the proposed effort. Also describe any industrial and commercial partners, user interactions, Sea Grant Extension Program personnel involvement, and other details on those individuals who will contribute to the project.

• Budget/Duration: Include a rough budget estimate (broken down into salaries, wages, fringe benefits; travel; equipment and supplies; and other costs) for each year of the project. Indicate the length of the proposed effort (in years).
Your Concept Letter should be succinct but sufficiently detailed so that Consortium staff and external panel reviewers can make an initial evaluation of the proposal’s relevance and your capabilities. In addition,

• The Concept Letter should be no longer than four (4) 8.5" x 11" pages.
• Do not include any attachments to the Concept Letter.
• Do not use a type face (font) smaller than 11 point.

Submission of Concept Letters

All concept letters must be submitted as follows:

• An electronic file, in Microsoft Word, attached to an e-mail sent to conceptletters@scseagrant.org, and

• The original and ten (10) hard copies of each concept letter mailed to the Consortium address:

Concept Letter Desk
S.C. Sea Grant Consortium
287 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401-1514

All concept letters are due at the Consortium by COB on May 16, 2005.

Review of Concept Letters

Concept Letters will be reviewed by members of the Consortium staff, Sea Grant Extension Program specialists, and an external review panel consisting of public and private marine and coastal resource and management representatives. Concept Letters will be evaluated based on the same criteria by which full proposals are judged. These criteria can be found in Section VII.

Principal Investigators who’s Concept Letters pass the initial review will be invited to submit full proposals. These investigators should prepare full proposals according to the guidelines found in Section IV.

 

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