Contact (DMII)

Tel: 703-292-8330
Fax: 703-292-9056

E-Mail:
DMII Webmaster
SBIR Webmaster

Warren R. DeVries
Division Director

Electronic Signature

Do we have to electronically sign the proposal?

Yes. Effective June 1, 2001, all proposals to NSF are required to be electronically signed by the AOR. This process can concurrently occur with submission of the proposal for those organizations where the individual authorized to submit proposals to NSF also is a designated AOR, or as a separate function for those organizations that choose to keep the certification process separate from the submission function. For those using the separate function, AORs with the Authorized Organizational Representative Functions permission will use the "Authorized Organizational Representative Functions" application within Research Administration to electronically sign proposals.

What/who is an authorized organizationl representative?

The AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE would be the administrative official who on behalf of the proposing organization is empowered to make certifications and assurances and can commit the organization to the conduct of a project that NSF is being asked to support as well as and to adhere to various NSF policies and grant requirements.

If the Fastlane Contact is the Authorized Organizational Representative, they should make sure that they have Authorized Organization Representative Function.  In order to check this, they should:

1. Bring up Fastlane's webpage - located at www.fastlane.nsf.gov.

2. Click on Research Administration.

3. Log in to Research Administration.

If the Fastlane Contact has the Authorized Organization Representative Function, they can submit and electronically sign the proposal all at once.

How can the Fastlane Contact be given the Authorized Organization Representative Function?

The Fastlane Contact should:

1. Log Bring up Fastlane's webpage - located at www.fastlane.nsf.gov.

2. Click on Research Administration.

3. Log in to Research Administration.

4. Click on the "GO" button next to Change User Permissions.

5. Click the radio button next to Retrieve All Users and then click on the "Retrieve" button.

6. Locate the Fastlane Contact's name and highlight it.

7. Click the "OK" button.

8. You should now have a screen with a lot of check-boxes. 

9. Check the box for Authorized Organization Representative Function (the last option on the list).

10. Click the "OK" button.

11. An online message will confirm that the permissions have been changed. Now click on the "CANCEL" button until you get back to the Research Administration Functions screen (you should see all of the "GO" buttons again).

If the Fastlane contact is not the Authorized Organizational Representative, they should make sure that at least one Authorized Organiztional Representative has been assigned to their organization. 

The Fastlane contact should:

1.Log Bring up Fastlane's webpage - located at www.fastlane.nsf.gov.

2.Click on Research Administration.

3. Log in to Research Administration.

4.Click on the "GO" button next to Add, Modify, and Delete FastLane Users (Instructions for Adding Principal Investigator (PI) to the NSF PI Database).

5. Click the radio button next to Retrieve All Users and then click on the "Retrieve" button.

6. If the AOR's name:

a. Does appear in the list, click on the "Cancel" button until you return to page titled Research Administration Functions and follow steps 7 through 14.

b.Does not appear in the list click on the "Add New User" button, fill out the required information, and then click on the "OK" button.  Now click on the "Cancel" button until you return to page titled Research Administration Functions.  Now follow steps 7 through 14.

7.Click on the "GO" button next to Change User Permissions.

8. Click the radio button next to Retrieve All Users and then click on the "Retrieve" button.

9. Once you locate the AOR's name, make sure you highlight their name.

10. Click the "OK" button.

11. You should now have a screen with a lot of check-boxes. 

12. Check the box for Authorized Organization Representative Function (the last option on the list).

13. Click the "OK" button.

14.The permissions for the AOR have been changed and now click on the "CANCEL" button until you get back to the Research Administration Functions screen (you should see all of the "GO" buttons again).

What steps would the Authorized Organization Reprentative take in order to electronically sign the proposal?

If the Authorized Organizational Representative (of your organization) is not the Fastlane Contact, they can electronically sign the submitted proposals  by following the steps below:

1. Bring up Fastlane's webpage - located at www.fastlane.nsf.gov.

2. Click on Research Administration.

3. Log in to Research Administration.

4. Click on the "GO" button next to Authorized Organization Representative Function.

5. Choose the proposal they wish to sign and click on the "SIGN" button.

What should we do if the Authorized Organizational Representative can not log in to Research Administration?

If the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) does not have the ability to log into Research Administration, they can do the following:

1. They can reset their password through the following link: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/Admin/PIPasswordLogin.html  OR contact the Fastlane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188.

2. Have their Fastlane Contact reset their password by following the steps below:

a. Login to Research Administration

b. Click the GO button Initialize/Change User Password

c. Click the GO button Retrieve All Users from your institution.

d. Highlight the user requiring PASSWORD change.

e. You will be prompted to type the New Password then Retype Password for verification

f. Click change password and then click continue

What if the Fastlane Contact is the Authorized Representative and can not log into Research Administration? 

They can reset their password through the following link: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/Admin/PIPasswordLogin.html  OR contact the Fastlane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188.

Policies
Contact NSF
Customize

Last updated:
06-Aug-2003