Proposals may be submitted at any time and should follow the Guidelines for Submitting Applications to the CICCR (also available as a Word document. Before submitting a full proposal, applicants are encouraged to consult with CONRAD staff and to submit a brief, preliminary proposal (no more than five pages). The preliminary proposal is not mandatory, but is intended to assist the applicant. Investigators whose preliminary proposals are considered appropriate for further consideration are invited to submit full proposals. CONRAD technical staff, working groups, and outside consultants review proposals for programmatic and scientific merit. Proposals are reviewed and funding awarded on an ongoing basis.