Data on this subject that is both hard and useful has been difficult for me
to find.  However, Bill Kirby, recently retired from a career at NSF and
now with PM&M  <xxxxxx@postoffice.worldnet.att.net>  is collecting some
data on this which will be useful.  He handed out a questionairre on
Tuesday at the SRA meeting in Atlanta, witht he promise that those who
provided information would receive summaries.  It's the best study I've
seen so far leading toward a real Best Practices database.

I've worked in several different organizationsl environments.  The
organizational location of pre award, post award, research risks,
accounting, and tech transfer is much less important than cooperative and
communicative relations between them.

Right now, everybody is looking at electronic systems, paticularly
integrated (i.e., easy electronic communication between subsystems)
techniques.  Some are building their own, some are buying, some are waiting
a little longer to buy.  WARNING: Don't build/buy without the blessings of
your Info Technology people; they may have long range plans that you need
to comply with to keep from being an orphan after making the last payment!

My personal recommendation is to consider buying now, or within less than a
year, one of the commercial packages.  They are not perfect, but they are
wheels that roll, and it's mighty expensive to invent your own that rolls
more smoothly.  I expect that they will update over the next couple of
years and become much better systems.

Chuck

At 04:10 PM 10/8/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I'm looking for information on how research administration works at
>other institutions.  Specifically;  office (proposal and
>award document processing, accounting functions and
>technology transfer) proximinity to one another and the degree of
>automation being used.
>
>What kind of electronic systems do other institutions have in place
>to link the varvious administrative functions?  Were they put in
>place by in-house computer programmers, outside consultants or
>were programs purchased specifically for sponsored research
>administration?
>
>Many thanks for your input.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Phyllis A. Thomas
>Contracting Officer
>University of Connecticut
>Research Foundation
>Telephone: 860-486-3337
>FAX:        "    " 5381
>
Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Express Delivery:
  Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-073
  11th & Marshall Sts.
  Richmond, VA  23219
Phone:    804-828-6772
Fax       804-828-2521
OFFICE e-mail      xxxxxx@vcu.edu
PERSONAL e-mail   xxxxxx@vcu.edu