Opioid Abatement Authority staff tell state agencies to file portal proposals by the 27th, explain e-sign and upload steps

An Opioid Abatement Authority staff member told state-agency attendees at a May webinar that proposals must be submitted through the grants portal by the 27th — “the day after Memorial Day” — and that the portal will accept submissions up to 11:59 p.m. on the deadline night.

The announcement explained the review timeline and support resources: submitted proposals will be reviewed by OAA staff, agencies will receive check-in evaluation meetings if adjustments appear necessary, and the OAA grants committee will consider awards at a public virtual meeting on Aug. 1. The presenter said video walkthroughs and a request-for-proposal document are available on the Abatement Academy webpage for guidance.

During a question-and-answer session, an attendee identified as Mister Tobe asked about confirming uploaded letters of support and the timing of the portal’s e-sign workflow. Mister Tobe said he had listed four partner organizations on his application and could not see an icon confirming successful upload. He also asked, “When do I do that [send for e-sign] in relation to clicking the button at the end of the proposal to submit it?”

An OAA staff member checked the application number Mister Tobe provided (showing the last six digits as 0610) and confirmed that the four partner organizations were visible on the back end: Rappahannock, AreaCSB, Tally Center, and Student Health and UMW Police. The staff member advised that applicants should complete the proposal, click “send for e-sign,” assign rankings as required, and then complete the final submission. The presenter added that if an applicant becomes stuck in the portal workflow, OAA staff or the vendor can assist administratively.

The presenter also said the grants info page for state agencies was updated with “key proposal items” addressing common questions about entering information into the portal and that a newsletter last week announced the posting. No formal votes, awards, or funding decisions were made during the webinar; staff described next steps and support options for applicants.

For applicants: follow the portal sequence — upload supporting documents in the project information or other designated upload fields, send for e-sign once all proposal sections are complete and assign required rankings, then submit the final proposal before 11:59 p.m. on the deadline night. Reach out to OAA staff or the vendor if the portal workflow appears to prevent completion.