How to Navigate Electronic Research Systems

1
How to Navigate Electronic Research Systems

• NSF, NIH, and Grants.gov.

2
Getting Started

• The first step is to contact your Contract
  Administrator and tell them about the proposal
  you are interested in. With some electronic
  research systems they may have to register you.
• The earlier you contact your CA the more help
  you will receive throughout the entire process.
• You cannot submit to NIH without a Commons user
  ID which is assigned by OSP.

3
Contract Administrators

• Mark Dutton 844-7910
• Engineering
• Architecture

4
Contract Administrator

• John Folmar 844-7907
• Pharmacy
• Education
• Human Sciences
• Nursing
• Business
• NCAT
• Liberal Arts

5
Contract Administrators

• Gloria Holifield 844-5955
• Graduate School
• Other Vice Presidents
• Library
• Provost

6
Contract Administrators

• Juanita Syljuberget 844-5931
• ACES
• Special projects
• Subcontracts
• Subcontract Invoicing
• Environmental Institute
• National Textile Center

7
Contract Administrator

• Tony Ventimiglia 844-5954
• COSAM
• Veterinary Medicine
• VPR
• Forestry
• Facilities
• Airport

8
Contract Administrators

• Liz Sims 844-5958
• President
• Agriculture

9
About Grants.gov

• Grants.gov contains federal wide funding
  opportunities
• The site where you submit proposals for ALL
  agencies.
• Auburn University is already registered with
  Grants.gov. P.I.s do not need to re-register.

10
Grants.gov TIPS

• www.grants.gov
• Use Internet Explorer
• Enable cookie support and pop-ups
• Read BOTH the agency solicitation AND the
  Grants.gov instructions.
• PureEdge and Adobe Acrobat packages are only
  files, not websites. You need to save the file to
  your hard drive BEFORE you begin entering info
  into the file. You may also wish to save the file
  to a shared drive.

11
TIPS Continued

• Complete the 424 RR first. It populates other
  forms.
• The file doesnt automatically save. You have to
  click on SAVE to save the data entered.
• Notify your CA in OSP as soon as you know a
  proposal must be submitted through Grants.gov

12
Grants.gov CHECKLIST

• Register with eRA Commons (NIH proposals only)-
  request from OSP contract administrator
• Check System Requirements- Is your computer
  ready?
• Download PureEdge Viewer and Adobe Acrobat 8.1.1
  Reader
• Know how to generate PDF documents
• Get prepared- review online instructional
  materials

13
Submission

• Find the Program Announcement on Grants.gov
• Download the appropriate application package from
  Grants.gov
• Complete the application using PureEdge Viewer or
  Adobe Acrobat software
• Submit Final version to OSP 3 days prior to
  submission deadline via email or CD-ROM

14
Correct Software for Grants.gov

• All users Adobe Reader 8.1.1
• Windows users PureEdge Viewer
• Non-Windows users IBM Workplace Forms Viewer
• Viewers do not work with vista or leopard
• Download software from http//www.grants.gov/help
  /download_software.jsp

15
How to Find Application Files

• Open browser to www.grants.gov
• Click Find Grant Opportunities (left) or Grant
  Search in the Quick Links (right)
• Choose a search method keyword, CFDA, etc.
  (NOTE NIH applications cannot be located via
  CFDA number)
• In search results, select the opportunity
• On the opportunity page, read the instructions.
  Click on how to apply

16
How to Find Files Continued

• From application for download, click download
  button.
• Download Application Instructions
• Download Application Package
• Add your email for updates

17
How to Apply (Grants.gov)

• Read the application instructions. Forms may
  require you to complete them in particular order.
• Using the software appropriate for your computer
  and application version
• Open the application package (already saved on
  your computer)
• Complete the application
• SAVE the application as you work on it

18
NSF Fastlane

• FastLane is an interactive real-time system used
  to conduct National Science Foundation business
  and to disseminate information to the public over
  the Internet.
• FastLane has been in existence since 1995 and is
  currently being used by NSF and its client
  community for all proposal, review, and award
  interactions.

19
System Requirements for Fastlane

• A forms capable browser (Netscape 3.0 or higher,
  or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or higher
• Word Processing Software

20
Getting Started

• Contact OSP (your CA) for password
• Launch your web browser and access the FastLane
  homepage at www.fastlane.nsf.gov
• The web site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days
  a week
• FastLane support numbersUser support
  1-800-673-6188Availability (recording)
  1-800-437-7408

21
Uploading Documents into Fastlane

• FastLane supports file uploads in a variety of
  formats including Word, WordPerfect, PostScript
  and TeX (MiKTeX1.20e).
• These files are converted into PDF and displayed
  back to the user for their acceptance.

22
Helpful Hint

• NSFs FastLane system uses the file extension
  (the part of the file name after the period) to
  determine the file format in order to properly
  interpret the information. If your software does
  not automatically append an extension, ensure
  that you add the appropriate one when saving the
  file.

23
NIH eRA Commons

• NIH eRA Commons is a POST submission service.
• Contact your CA for your user ID.
• You will receive your password via email and will
  need to follow that link to update your P.I.
  profile
• Make sure all info on profile is updated and
  accurate. This prevents warnings at the proposal
  stage.

24
eRA Commons Continued

• Use this site for post proposal tracking for NIH.
• Commons will create a PDF copy of your
  application package for you to download for your
  records
• Verify that the application package on eRA
  Commons is correct within 2 days of the
  applications availability.