Proposal Transmittal System – FAQs

1. What do I do if I forward the PTF to my chair (or my dean) for approval, and I find out s/he is out of town on business, or otherwise not available to sign the form?

Two options are available:

The electronic PTF is it can be reviewed and approved from any location and at any time. When ODU personnel are away from the office, they can remotely check email through the workday. When they see an email notification that a PTF is waiting for approval, they can select the link from the email, which will direct them to MIDAS, where they can log in and easily review and approve the form.
If the investigator finds out that the signatory does not have access to email or is not generally available to approve the form, the investigator logs back into the form and changes the email address to another authorized signer (such as an associate chair or associate dean) and resubmits the form for signature.

2. What do I do if I can't remember my MIDAS logon or password?

Contact OCCS at occshelp@odu.edu or (757) 683-3192 for login assistance. If the user cannot remember his/her password, go to https://midas.odu.edu/forgottenPassword.do, to reset the password.

3. How do I submit an abstract or statement of work with my PTF as my chair and dean require?

Upload required attachments to the PTF in Box 26, of Page 2. Only .pdf, .doc, or .xls file attachments are permitted. Do not upload any other file extensions such as .txt.

4. I can't find the budget my pre-award contact said was attached to the PTF. How do I access the budget?

To view PTF attachments, such as the budget, select the hyperlink, “Click here to view attachments for this form” from the top of Page 1.

5. What do I do when I receive an error message stating that my signature is invalid?

When an approver enters his/her name in the appropriate block of the PTF, s/he must ensure the first and last name is entered EXACTLY as it appears in his/her MIDAS account. If the approver is confident the name has been entered correctly but messages persist, contact OCCS at occshelp@odu.edu or (757) 683-3192 for assistance.

6. As I was reviewing the PTF, I discovered an error on page 1 of the form. I tried correcting the form, but could not. How do I have the data corrected?

Investigators only have the option to change blocks 1 through 7 on page 1 of the form, and they are required to complete pages 2 through 4 of the form. If there is incorrect data found on Page 1, please contact the pre-award GCA for assistance with revising the data.

7. Can I correct the email address even though I have already launched the PTF for routing?

Yes. If the investigator realized s/he typed an email address incorrectly, s/he can log back into the form and change the email address, then re-launch the form for approvals.

8. In my college, our dean does not want to receive notification the PTF is ready for signature until after the chair has electronically approved the form. How do I process the approval routing in this case?

When the PTF is ready to be routed for approval, the investigator enters only the email address of the chair in the appropriate block and then launches the PTF for approval routing. After the investigator receives an email notification confirming the chair has approved the form, then the investigator logs back into the form to enter the dean’s email address in the appropriate block and launch the form again for approval routing.

9. I often use a mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Galaxy Tab, etc.) to access the Internet and browse the Web when I am not in the office. Can I view and sign the electronic PTF using a mobile device?

The e-PTF is compatible with most mobile devices running an industry standard web browser. We cannot guarantee that it will work with BlackBerry devices, however.