Pre-proposals

Pre-proposals submitted to the National Dairy Council^TM (NDC) are reviewed by NDC Nutrition and/or Product Research scientists to determine: 

• If the hypotheses and objectives are logical 
• If the proposed methods are valid and will adequately test the stated hypoth​eses
• If the proposed budget and timeline is reasonable for work proposed
• If the pre-proposal addresses the criteria outlined in the request for pre-proposals as well as meets the current objectives of the Nutrition or Product Research programs

Full Research Proposals

NDC accepts full proposals by invitation only. Full proposals are externally peer reviewed for scientific merit by scientists from academia, government, and/or industry. The applications are subsequently reviewed by NDC Nutrition or Product Research scientists for scientific validly and to determine if the application meets the needs of the research program.

Overall, full research proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Scientific merit:
   • Are the hypotheses and objectives logical and achievable?
   • Did the principal investigator demonstrate awareness of the published literature and current research related to the proposed project?
   • Was preliminary data, especially for clinical trials, provided to support successful testing of the hypothesis?
   • Is the experimental design, including the analytical and statistical methods, appropriate?
   • Are the credentials of the principal investigator and research team strong in the proposed research area?
   • Are related program support, facilities, and equipment adequate?
2. The proposal application guidelines and format were followed
3. The application was written against a priority research area (See specific calls for more information)
4. The full proposal matches what was proposed in the accepted pre-proposal​
   
5. The proposed study will not duplicate existing or ongoing research funded by dairy and non-dairy sources
6. The proposed project addresses specific research gaps important to the dairy industry

All information contained in the proposal that is not otherwise available to the public will be held in confidence while submitted pre-proposals are under consideration by NDC. Additionally, the information contained in the pre-proposals will be made available only to appropriate NDC staff and external scientific advisory committees.