Proposal submission has two sides: it should be easy and convenient for observers (including observers unfamiliar with the pecularities of a given instrument) to write and submit proposals. From the ALMA side, it is important that proposals arrive in a form that makes it easy to store the relevant information and to process them - that includes screening for collisions with other proposals or already observed projects, checking for technical feasibility, and scientific reviewing. We try to combine these two requirements, and take a two step approach: basic requirements, which are features that the first version of the proposal preparation tool should have, and advanced features, which are convenient, but not necessary at first. However, the software should be written with these requirements in mind, and easily allow adding them.
Proposal submission will occur in two phases: phase one, in which the proposal is submitted for review; and phase two (after acceptance of the proposal), in which the necessary data for writing an observing script are submitted. Phase one requires that, beside the scientific justification, all the relevant technical informations to judge the feasibility of the proposal are present.