NSF FastLane

Basic Facts About FastLane

FastLane...

uses a universal platform (the Internet)
translates NSF paper forms into a set of online fields
draws some standard information about principal investigators from an existing database (PI name, institutional information, demographic information)

Accessing FastLane

Access to FastLane is controlled through PASSWORDS. Any individual -- principal investigators (PIs), support staff, research or graduate assistants, etc. -- who needs to work on NSF proposals may get a temporary PASSWORD by contacting their C&G Assistant or Grant Analyst (OCGA Staff assignments can be found at http://www.research.ucla.edu/SRassn.htm), the OCGA ERA Coordinator at ebeck@resadmin.ucla.edu, or NSF's FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188.

What Can a PI Do within FastLane?

There are certain functions that only PIs and co-PIs can perform:

Edit PI Information
Initiate a proposal forms kit
Allow SRO (the campus office which will submit the proposal -- at UCLA it is OCGA) access to a proposal
Prepare a request for no-cost extension (but you may still use the paper RAS form to do this)
Create and submit a final report
Check on proposal or continuation funding status

Anyone with a FastLane PASSWORD can work on a proposal in FastLane. However they cannot start a proposal, nor submit it for institutional review.