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Quick
FastLane Tutorial
What
is FastLane?
An interactive
system designed to conduct NSF business over the internet. With FastLane
you can
- Submit
proposals over the internet
- Track
proposal progress
- Submit
progress reports
- Conduct
other NSF administrative functions.
See the
NSF FastLane Help System for more detailed information.
What
do I need to do to use FastLane?
The process
is simple. This is the short list to get started.
1.
Contact the Office of the Vice Provost to be registered with FastLane.
Access to most features of FastLane is limited to University officials
and registered PIs. By NSF policy, PIs must register through their
University. NSF sends a confirmation email directly to the PI when
registration is complete, and PIs will be given a PIN number to access
restricted FastLane areas.
2. Have
an internet connection and appropriate software. Both browsers Netscape 3.01
and above and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 and above support all
of FastLane's basic features. Other current browsers, such as Mozilla
and Opera, should also work. Another software requirement is Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.05 or above.
Does
the whole proposal go in as a .PDF file?
FastLane no longer requires you to convert word documents into PDF format for submission. Word documents for the project summary and project description can now be uploaded and they will be automatically converted into PDF files.
Can other
investigators on the grant access FastLane?
Yes.
If you are collaborating on a proposal, you can log in if you have the
proposal identification number and PIN, and your own FastLane password.
Collaborators can only have access to the Form Preparation page.
Do I
still need a routing sheet signed and returned to the Office of the Vice Provost?
Yes,
even FastLane submissions must go through the Office of the Vice Provost
before submission. The Office is responsible for final submission, even
electronically. However, the Internal Sponsored Coordination Form with
the appropriate signatures must be submitted, and may need to be accompanied
by a paper copy of the complete proposal. Please contact Gala Guerard or Susan Roudebush for the Health Sciences Campus or Maria Harlow
or Christine
Woodroffe for the Medford Campus.
Other useful
links at NSF:
FastLane User's Guide
FastLane Proposal Preparation and Submission Guide
FastLane
homepage
FastLane
FAQ
NSF Grant Proposal Guide
NSF Deadlines and Target Date
*Depending on the type and version of browsers you have, you may need to install Macromedia Flash Player to view the contents of NSF FastLane.
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