FastLane - Interactive web-based system created by NSF to conduct all aspects of electronic business pertaining to research. Fully functional, FastLane contains the following features:

Electronic Business: Proposal Review, Panel Review, Panel Travel/EFT, Panel Meeting System, Medal of Science, Graduate Research Fellowships, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Awards and Funding Trends

Registered Institution Applications

User Functions: Change Password
PI/CO PI Functions: Proposal Preparation*, Edit PI Info., Proposal Status, Project Reports System, Notifications and Requests (including Supplemental Funding), Continuation Funding Status
Research Administration Functions: Organizational Management, NSF Proposals in EDI format
Business Office Functions: Cash Request, Submit Federal Cash Transaction Report (FCTR)

*Submission through the FastLane web site is required for all the above functions. Adobe Acrobat required. OCGA or Department Research Associates "press submit button" for electronic signature -- PI no longer needs to "sign" online proposal. OCGA receives printed copy.

NIH Commons -- For the purpose of receiving and transmitting information about the administration of biomedical and behavioral research, the NIH electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons is currently in re-development. The eRA Commons is divided into both unrestricted and restricted portions that provide for public and confidential information, respectively.

Restricted Components

SNAP (Streamlined Non-competing Award Process): an interactive web interface for submission of scientific and administration information necessary for continuation of a multiyear grant award.
Status: the current pilot version of Status provides the PI and AO with the status of pending applications that have been submitted from a single grantee organization.
Admin: the Admin module provides facilities for adding, modifying and deleting system account information. It also lets authorized users add or change data contained in relevant Institution Profiles and Professional Profiles.
Application Viewer: a Secure Commons Interface that will allow users to verify the receipt of application information into the NIH Commons database.

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs -- The CDMRP directs the Breast Cancer Research Program, Prostate Cancer Research Program, Ovarian Research Program, the Neurofibromatosis Research Program, and Special Populations Program as identified/funded by Congress and the Department of Defense.

For FY 2001, the Neurofibromatosis Research Program required online proposal submission. It is anticipated that the other programs under CDMRP will follow with similar requirements.

For the Advanced Technology Office (ATO), the Defense Sciences Office (DSO), the Information Systems Office (ISO), the Information Technology Office (ITO), the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO), the Special Projects Office (SPO), and the Tactical Technology Office (TTO), the Proposer Information Pamphlet indicates whether or not proposal submission may be made electronically. For administrative and/or security reasons, some BAAs prohibit electronic submission.

AdminWeb -- Automation of contract and grant administration functions through web applications. First area to be included will be the Status of Final Reports.

ONR sends award notifications by e-mail for retrieval from ONR's AwardWeb by OCGA.

e-GRANTS: The Department of Education's portal page provides access to information about electronic grants at ED -- including electronic grants and payment processes:

e-Payments (formerly GAPSWeb) -- The Education Central Automated Processing System (EDCAPS) Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS) was developed and implemented by the Department to streamline payment processing and reporting. GAPS provides on-line capabilities to request payments from the Department and continuous access to current grant and payment information.

e-Application (formerly e-GAPS) -- This is a pilot program and a new application. Allows applicants to apply on-line to a specially selected group of grants. (8/00)
DOED accepts online applications without paper copy submission and without institutional approval. Printed applications must also be submitted to OCGA or Department Research Associates (see UCLA policy).

Office of Justice -- The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has an online application Grants Management System (GMS) for its Program Office and is phasing in online application for all OJP funding.

OJP offers two methods for requesting payment of grant funds (funds will be available by electronic transfer only):

Letter-of-Credit Electronic Certification System (LOCES) is a modem connection service that allows recipients of OJP funds to electronically request payment from OJP on one day and receive a direct deposit to their bank for the requested funds usually on the following day. Requests for payment through LOCES require the completion of a LOCES Computer Information Form and an information package containing the Vendor Express enrollment form, SF 3881. After documentation is completed, the LOCES program diskette and passwords are mailed separately to the authorized user to ensure security of the system.

Phone Activated Paperless Request System (PAPRS) allows grant recipients immediate access to OJP funds through the use of a touch tone telephone. Grant recipients complete and return the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Enrollment Form included in the PAPRS information packet and return it to the OJP/OC Accounting Division (AD). Through the combined use of PAPRS and ACH, approved requests will be deposited into the grantee's financial institution within 48 hours. The grantee receives their password/PIN and corresponding Grant ID numbers from AD. The password is to be given only to authorized persons of the grantee organization and not given to subgrantees.

Grants Management System -- DOJ accepts online applications without paper copy submission and without institutional approval. Potential applicants must complete an online registration. The GMS Manual provides online assistance.
Prior to submission, PI should contact OCGA or Department Research Associate for review. Printed applications must also be submitted to OCGA or Department Research Associates (see UCLA policy).

NASA Headquarters has consolidated all of its Peer Review activities under one contract. As part of this consolidation, NASA has developed a single proposal web site called SYS-EYFUS for electronic transmission of all Notices of Intent (NOI), proposal cover pages, and proposal reviewer evaluations. SYS-EYFUS is designed to accept electronic submission of Notices of Intent and proposal cover pages, which include a summary of the proposal and the proposed budget, but not entire proposals. NASA still requires hard copy (paper) proposals, but asks the Principal Investigator to input the cover page information to reduce data entry and to make proposal management more efficient. NASA does not require, or allow for the submission of, electronic proposals. In all NASA solicitations, the institution's authorizing office is required to sign the proposal. Proposals are not considered without this approval. For all proposals submitted, the PI prints the cover page and includes it with the proposal they will provide to the authorizing office for approval and submission. The proposal cover page includes a signature page requiring that the "Authorized Institutional Official" sign and date the proposal with the PI. The signature page must be submitted to NASA in hard copy with original signatures. Additionally, the hard copy proposal governs. NASA validates each and every electronic item received and it is made to match the hard copy. System registration and passwords are necessary for access to SYS-EYFUS.

Financial And Contractual Status (FACS) On-Line Query System -- All contracts, grants, space act agreements or cooperative agreements and any purchase order with a value greater than $25,000 awarded or modified during a fiscal year are transferred from the individual NASA centers to the FACS system on a monthly basis. A subset of this data is made available to provide assistance to NASA management, industry, private individuals, and other government entities. The data contained is not to be considered the official file for NASA procurement information but rather an efficient, cost effective means of disseminating data.

GSFC Grants Information Homepage -- The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) provides online information regarding the status of actions in process, for grants and cooperative agreements awarded by GSFC and NASA Headquarters to universities and other organizations.

Office of Space Science - Proposal Processing Site - online letter of intent, proposal page, summary form. Printed copy through OCGA or Department Research Associates.

Space Telescope Science Institute (ST ScI) (operated by AURA for NASA) has established a web-based system, Electronic Grants Management System, to be used for the award and administration of grants. Its main features are electronic submission of budgets, performance reports, financial reports (including payment requests), and other administrative requests such as extension and equipment requests. The system also provides electronic notification of awards/amendments and proposal/grant status information.

The Federal Commons is an effort by the Inter-Agency Electronic Grants Committee to provide a "common face of Government to the Grantee Organization Community for the purposes of pre- and post-award administration." This will include: Grant Applications/Proposals, Progress/Tech Reporting, Professional Profile, Organizational Profile, Applic/Proposal & Award Status, Post Award Administration, Payment Systems, SBIR/STTR Apps, Solicitations & Announcements, Invention Reporting.

Federal agencies currently participating are: Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Army Research Office (ARO), Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of USDA (CSREES), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Education (ED), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (HHS-ACE), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS-CDC), National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of Naval Research (ONR)

American Cancer Society

Applications are a combination of online PDF forms to be completed and converted PDF files to be uploaded. Applications submitted online must also be sent on printed paper with appropriate signatures. The Research Scholar Grant is the only program currently available (8/00).

Online application is required for the following programs during the 2001 cycle:

GRANTS - Arthritis Biomedical Science Grants; Arthritis Clinical Science Grants
TARGETED GRANTS - Target Identification in Lupus grants program; Osteoarthritis Biomarkers grants program
TRAINING AWARDS - Postdoctoral Fellowship; Physician Scientist Development Award; Doctoral Dissertation Award for Arthritis Health Professionals
CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS - Arthritis Investigator Award; New Investigator Grant for Arthritis Health Professionals

The American Heart Association (National and Affiliates) provides for online submission of applications and management of research awards.

Electronic submission of proposal applications is required beginning with the 2001 deadlines. Proposal information is to be submitted electronically on the AHA web site using Adobe Acrobat.

The On-line Awards Administration System is available for use by principal investigators and designated fiscal officers for managing currently active AHA research grants. The system may be accessed by registered users only (principal investigators may self-register, fiscal officers are provided access by AHA). Principal investigators will access the system to submit forms required to activate new awards, to submit annual scientific progress reports, and to request award changes. Designated fiscal officers will use the system to submit expenditure reports (for grants activated on or after January 1, 1999) and for change requests (e.g., direct deposit changes, rebudgeting of line items, carryover of funds, etc.).

Cover sheet submitted electronically using web site. Proposals sent in printed form.

Preliminary proposals may be submitted using a web-based form. Final proposals can be submitted as email attachments. Applicants are to follow-up online submission with 25 hard copies submitted through OCGA or Department Research Associates.

Post Award Technical Reports can be submitted online (1st year, Interim and Completion Reports).

Online proposal submission. Electronic submission of Notices of Intent to Submit and proposals are required by the following IUCRP programs (forms provided in the programs' web sites enable direct online creation and submission of application data). The Approvals and Signatures form (with original signatures) and the Private Sponsor's Letter of Intent to Fund (with original signatures), along with twenty (20) copies of appendices, must be submitted through OCGA or Department Research Associates by program deadlines:

• BioSTAR
• CoRE
• DiMI
• LSI
• SMART