Is someone keeping track of this conversation and passing it on to NSF?
It sounds like both the FastLane office AND the Grants Policy folks could
benefit from the suggestions made.

Franci Farnsworth

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kaars, Charles [SMTP:xxxxxx@RESEARCH.BUFFALO.EDU]
> Sent: Friday, February 05, 1999 2:00 PM
> To:   xxxxxx@hrinet.org
> Subject:      Re: FastLane cover pages
>
>  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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