UC ITS received a one-time $4.5 million allocation from the State of California to launch a 2-year research and engagement program. Through this call, UC ITS invites short pre-proposals to identify teams and projects that will advance scientific understanding while delivering timely, actionable insights to policymakers in six priority research areas.
The RFPP is open to eligible applicants at ITS campuses including UC Davis, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine and UCLA.
Refer to the following resources for more information and to apply:
Date & Time: Monday, October 27, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT
Format: Research area and stakeholder introductions followed by a Q&A with stakeholders and open discussion with scholars on collaboration opportunities.
Participating Stakeholders:
Stakeholder
Title
Organization
Kome Ajise
Executive Director
Southern California Association of Governments
Tilly Chang
Executive Director
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Laura Tolkoff
Transportation Policy Director
San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association
Prioritizing State Action on Zero-Emission Vehicles
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
Format: Research area and stakeholder introductions followed by a Q&A with stakeholders and open discussion with scholars on collaboration opportunities.
Participating Stakeholders:
Stakeholder
Title
Organization
James Barba
Policy Consultant
California State Senate
Christopher Grundler
Deputy Executive Officer – Mobile Sources & Incentives
VMT Policy 2.0 and New Transportation Funding Models
Date & Time: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. PT
Format: Research area and stakeholder introductions followed by a Q&A with stakeholders and open discussion with scholars on collaboration opportunities.
Have a question? Use this online form to submit questions concerning this RFPP, including questions related to preparing project budgets, the status of prior UC ITS-funded projects, eligibility, and other topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies as a “senior scholar” and how many years of experience is necessary to qualify?
There is no explicit number of years required or formal designation needed to be considered a “senior scholar.” In the Research Lead position description, the term ‘senior’ serves only to describe the level of experience detailed thereafter. The piece to focus on for the job description is “a demonstrated record of timely, high-quality research delivery, effective engagement in state-level policy, and collaborative and inclusive leadership experience.”
Is there a limit on the number of proposals that a Principal Investigator (PI) may submit?
Scholars are limited to being listed as a PI and/or a Research Lead on one pre-proposal and as a team member on one additional pre-proposal. Scholars may be listed as team members on no more than two pre-proposals.
Can pre-proposals be submitted for topics that are not listed on the RFPP?
No, no pre-proposals will be accepted that do not fall into one of the six pre-defined research areas as described in the RFPP Appendix A.
To what extent will proposals that build off of research funded in previous RFP cycles be considered in the current FY 2025-26 RFPP cycle?
Applicants may submit pre-proposals that build off of research funded in previous RFP cycles. However, if the pre-proposal is on a topic not covered by the research areas listed in Section II of the RFPP, then the pre-proposal will not be considered.
Do I need to submit a full detailed budget with the RFPP?
No, a full detailed budget is not required for a pre-proposal submission. The only requirement is an approximate budget for each campus involved.
Do I need to submit a Letter of Support from a CBO or external partner?
No, no outreach needs to be conducted with CBOs or external partners during the pre-proposal process. Pre-proposals only need to share suggestions of stakeholder CBO names or categories that will be included in the working groups and strategies for their engagement.
Once a pre-proposal is selected for a full proposal development, will there be a second competition for final awards?
There will not be a second competition for full proposals. If a pre-proposal is selected, then it is guaranteed to be funded once the full proposal has been developed during an iterative process with UC ITS leadership.
Is the RFPP limited to the four UC ITS campuses?
The pre-proposal application must be submitted by a PI from one of the four UC ITS campuses. PIs, Research Leads and Policy Analysts must be from a UC ITS campus. Scholars from a non-ITS UC campus may be listed as Key Academic Participants on the Research Team within a proposal.
Note: Clarification to come about limits on the funding cap that may be given to non-ITS UC campuses and their scholars.
Is it required to have a policy analyst listed on the pre-proposal and how much should be budgeted for them?
Pre-proposals do not need to identify a policy analyst. The RFPP states on page 6, teams “may also propose a Policy Analyst (optional)… If a pre-proposal does not identify a Research Lead and/or Policy Analyst but is selected to advance, then UC ITS will work with the team to identify and confirm appropriate candidates.”
If a policy analyst is identified on the pre-proposal they should be from a UC ITS campus. The identified policy analyst does not need to hold a policy analyst title, but should have demonstrated experience to hold the role.
The policy analyst role should be included in the budget. Details on the expected cost and duties of a policy analyst included in the RFPP Appendix C.
A more detailed answer to this question may be found at the 34 minute mark of the Informational Webinar Recording.
Should we be trying to produce pre-proposals that represent an attempt at an entire program, or can they be smaller, like projects that can be coordinated?
UC ITS is looking for pre-proposals to provide a clear vision for what can be accomplished in a research area. While some pre-proposals may meet all qualifications and have a smaller budget, some may have a larger vision with multiple projects tied together to create a program of projects within a singular research area.
A more detailed answer to this question may be found at the 39 minute mark through the 45 minute mark of the Informational Webinar Recording.
Can my pre-proposal address more than one research area?
Yes, you may address more than one research area in your pre-proposal.
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