NSF Provides ERA Forum Update
Excerpted from the NSF Proposal & Award Policy Newsletter, Issue 2, May/June
In 2016, NSF launched the Electronic Research Administration (ERA) Forum to improve the quality and timeliness of NSF electronic research administration user input. The ERA Forum regularly engages the community to collect opinions and perspectives on NSF electronic research administration activities, particularly those related to reducing administrative burden.
Since its inception, the ERA Forum has held three webinars focused on the Proposal Submission Modernization (PSM) initiative, a multi-year effort to modernize the proposal preparation and submission process and migrate this essential function from FastLane to Research.gov.
PSM will reduce the administrative burden on the research community and NSF staff associated with preparation, submission, and management of proposals. Among some of the topics discussed during the webinars were (1) Tailoring the proposal interface and providing an overview and demonstration of how a proposal will be prepared in the new system; and (2) Conceptualizing the Budget, Budget Justification, and a new Personnel proposal section.
In March 2017, the ERA Forum held a webinar covering Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) functions, which are essential to the overall NSF proposal preparation and submission process. Concepts presented included SPO and AOR access to in-progress proposals, AOR submission of in-progress proposals, view-only access to proposals, and post-submission actions.
The March webinar also provided an update and gathered opinions on automated proposal compliance checking capabilities that help reduce administrative burden levels and promote equity in the merit review process. Click here for a complete listing of current FastLane compliance checks.
To receive the latest updates about ERA Forum events, join the listserv by sending an email to nsf-era-forum-subscribe-request@listserv.nsf.gov.
You can also find webinar agendas and presentation materials on the ERA Forum website.
Please email questions and suggestions to nsferaforum@nsf.gov.
