1. Idea Submission                                                                                                                          

Research Ideas are submitted through various channels during a designated submission period.

Guidance and templates are provided, and researchers are encouraged to coordinate with subject matter experts (SMEs)/Champions from the Funding Organization when developing ideas, but an identified champion is not required at the time of idea submission.

Submit your Ideas here: Idea Submission Form

2. Review                                                                                                                                             

Submitted ideas are reviewed by the Program Advisory Committees (PAC) and categorized into the appropriate focus area, such as Planning, Infrastructure, or Operations.

3. Call For Proposals (CFP)                                                                                                                

A Call for Proposal will be issued for problem statements that have been prioritized by the PACs and identified as valuable to the funding organization. Submitted proposals are reviewed and scored by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) composed of subject matter experts.

4. Approval                                                                                                                                           

Based on the TAC evaluations, funding recommendations are submitted to the funding organization for final approval of project selection and budget allocation.

5. Negotiation and Notice to Proceed                                                                                           

The designated subject matter expert (TAC Chair) will enter into negotiations with the Principal Investigator (PI) to determine final details for the project, including scope, project length, and other project-specific details. Once both parties are in agreement, the Notice to Proceed will be issued.

6. Research                                                                                                                                        

Once a Notice to Proceed is issued, the research project begins. The PI conducts the research with oversight and support from the TAC Chair, funding organization representatives, and AZTI. Deliverables include Technical Memos and a Final Report. When the project is completed, there will be a formal close-out procedure.