Submitting a proposal:
Each funding opportunity (i.e. RFP) on Halo accepts a single, standardized proposal that requires the minimum amount of information for a sponsor to determine next steps. This is intended to save researchers time. The entire proposal is around a page and takes most researchers less than an hour to complete. There is no contractual obligation and a more detailed proposal may be requested should you be selected as a finalist. The proposal questions are:
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Provide a title for your proposal (80 characters max including spaces)
- Select what solutions of interest from the sponsor apply to your proposal (multiple choice)
- What is your research hypothesis? (825 characters max including spaces)
- Add up to 5 areas of expertise (multiple choice from list)
- Add up to 10 techniques (multiple choice from list)
- What is the rationale for your hypothesis? (825 characters max including spaces)
- Select the technology readiness level of your solution (multiple choice)
- OPTIONAL: How has the hypothesis been validated to date under the sponsor's must-have requirements? (500 characters max including spaces per section)
- What is your research plan? (1025 characters max including spaces)
- Add some of your most relevant publications, patents, and grants. (We recommend no more than 10 total)
Review process:
Halo is not involved in the review process and every proposal is sent directly to the sponsor. After the deadline has passed, the applicant will receive an email from Halo's system letting them know what the estimated feedback timeline is from the sponsor. While this differs based on the company, the reviewal process is typically 2-3 months.
Sponsors will either decline your proposal or advance it to the next stage for further consideration. The stages are Qualified, Shortlisted, and Finalist. You will receive an email notification if your proposal is advanced to the next stage and can check the status of your proposal at anytime in Account Settings > My Proposals.
If your proposal is declined:
The sponsor will provide some justification for declining the proposal; e.g. being too early or not meeting requirements. The amount of feedback varies and depends on how many proposals the sponsor has received. Keep in mind that this is not a reflection on your proposal itself but rather its fit for the sponsor's unique needs as a business. For this reason, you will also have the option to make your proposal available to other sponsors on Halo interested in the same research area.
In addition, even if your proposal is declined, sponsors may still choose to follow your profile on Halo so they can stay up-to-date on your progress or your research generally.
If your proposal is advanced:
The sponsor may reach out and ask clarifying questions about your proposal. You should not include any confidential information in your response. If answering the question would require that you reveal confidential information, then inform the sponsor. If NDAs are necessary at this point or the sponsor is requesting a more formal proposal with budgets and timelines, it's best to take the conversation off of Halo and loop in your tech transfer or corporate relations office.
If your proposal is selected as a finalist:
The sponsor may request a more formal proposal complete with a timeline and budget or request a formal presentation over video chat. This happens off of Halo and varies by sponsor.