Since review of original cover pages for FastLane proposals does not   seem to be an urgent matter and the 5 day deadline is one of convenience,   why not a postmark deadline rather than a receipt deadline?  Post mark   deadlines are simple, they're cheap, and the cover page will get there   soon enuf for NSF's purposes.  Even from North Dakota.

Charlie Kaars

 -----Original Message-----
From: Research Administration Discuss [mailto:xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG]
Sent: Friday, February 05, 1999 1:39 PM
To: RESADM-L
Subject: Re: FastLane cover pages

Nancy,

I can't quite agree with what Carolyn is telling you because in
two instances we were contacted by NSF regarding signed cert
pages because they would not review the proposal until they
were sure they had it.  I suggest they create a temporary hourly
position to receive and log in signed cover sheets.

Speaking of changing paradigms, we can do twelve month extensions
without institutional signature and they accept annual reports without
even the PI signature now, right?  Why do we have to certify the
drug-free, debarment, etc., on every proposal?  If it went FastLane
it was submitted by the SRO, why do they hold it up for review?  What
risk is NSF taking by reviewing a proposal before they have seen
and approved/logged in original signatures?  Are there bogus SRO
accounts out there?  I don't think so.  Wouldn't it be just as effective
to double check that the signed  cover page and cert has arrived IF
and when it is recommended for funding?

We could do something as simple as send a monthly or quarterly
certification for all the usual stuff AND certify that we will obtain the   PI
signature and the institutional signature on all proposals sent via
FastLane!!

Off the soapbox and back to work...

Ruth

 -----Original Message-----
From:   Nancy Peterson [SMTP:xxxxxx@WINONA.MSUS.EDU]
Sent:   Friday, February 05, 1999 11:40 AM
To:     xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject:        Re: FastLane cover pages

Carolyn Miller -- chief FastLane administrator -- was just in Winona   doing
a FastLane workshop and she re-affirmed that receiving the signed cover
sheets for FastLane proposals by FedEx and Overnight Mail was driving her
staff crazy!!  They do NOT want us to use such services.  Use regular   mail.

They picked 5 days for the receipt deadline of signed cover pages because
they needed to have SOME sort of deadline and figured 5 days would be the
usual time first class mail would take to get there.  In reality, her   staff
doesn't have time to open up the cover sheets every day and make sure   they
are there on time.  They process them when they get a chance to.

I explained it had been so drilled into grants administrators and faculty
that a deadline was a deadline and that we needed a receipt, we had a   hard
time changing that paradigm.  Actually, if anyone out there can think of   an
easy way for her staff to give us reassurance of receipt, let me know and
I'll pass it on to her.  (Having them email us to say they received the
cover sheet was not an option!!  That would be worse than opening all the
curier envelopes!)

We may just have to wait until electronic "signatures" (possibly retina
scans!?) become reality to change the paradigm.

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