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The purpose of FastLane is to experiment with ways to use the web to facilitate business transactions and exchange information between NSF and its client community including researchers, reviewers, research administrators, and others doing business with NSF. Sixteen colleges and universities are assisting NSF in the design and evaluation of FastLane. FastLane Institutions can check on a proposal's status, prepare a final project report, perform cash requests, and even submit grant proposals! Non-FastLane Institutions can perform NSF award searches or apply for the Medal of Science and graduate research fellowships. Proposal reviewers can now also submit their reviews on-line. FastLane is currently the cream of the crop of the current ERA alternatives available. FastWest was formed by a group of California institutions to share ideas about how best to implement and use FastLane on their campuses. Working closely with members of NSF's FastLane staff, the group tries to ensure that its members have the latest information on the new features of FastLane, and the schedule for upcoming developments. Members have also agreed to share implementation strategies, successes and failures, training materials, and in general work to avoid unnecessary duplicative effort. The group is working on writing instructions for NSF on the various modules. Membership in this group is open to FastLane registered institutions in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Nevada. There is no cost to join. A willingness to share experiences from your campus is appreciated and greatly encouraged. Anyone wishing to join should e-mail Pamela A. Webb, UC Santa Barbara at webb@omni.ucsb.edu. Please include your institution, the name(s) of your FastLane Coordinator(s), and e-mail, phone, fax, and snail mail contact information. |