Tips on Using NSF's FastLane

To Get Your Password        Tips for FastLane Proposal Preparation
Forgot Your Password?

TO GET YOUR PASSWORD AND ACCESS FASTLANE

Before a faculty member can submit a grant application or annual report to the National Science Foundation, you need to obtain a PASSWORD from FAU’s Division of Sponsored Programs. Give yourself plenty of time before the grant deadline.

Send an e-mail to Camille Coley, Interim Director, Sponsored Programs at ccoley@fau.edu requesting a password. You must include the following:

• First Name, Initial, Last Name
• Suffix (e.g., Jr. Sr., III)
• Social Security Number
• FAU Rank
• FAU Campus
• University/College Department
• University where degree(s) received
• Year received highest degree
• Degree type (e.g. Ph.D.)
• Degree year
• E-mail address
• Business phone number
• Fax number

In 24-48 hours, Ms Coley will respond with a temporary FAU-assigned Password. You select your own permanent password upon logging into the NSF FastLane site. SAVE YOUR PASSWORD because no one else has a record of it! You then can go the National Science Foundation FastLane site at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp and scroll down to find the PI/Co-PI Functions section. Here you will find instructions for preparing and submitting a standard NSF proposal in FastLane. You can download Adobe Reader from this site, too, if you don't already have it.

SPONSORED PROGRAMS TIPS FOR NSF FASTLANE PROPOSAL PREPARATION

1. Use the template so that you can save the forms you fill in because you otherwise will NOT be able to get a hard copy of your finished proposal. (BEFORE you actually submit the proposal, you can go in and out of the various pages to edit as frequently as you want).
2. Because FAU is a member of the Federal Demonstration Partnership, we can submit proposals with an electronic signature. You, as Principal Investigator, do not have to get a paper copy of the cover pages signed by the appropriate institutional officials and put in the regular mail, as in the past.
3. Check the NSF What's New on FastLane because there are new functions available.
4. When you get the option “Allow SRO Access” click on it. Your Sponsored Program Coordinator can then view it from the Sponsored Programs office and make suggestions or be helpful. The proposal is actually submitted from the Sponsored Programs Office.
5. When you are ready to submit, complete the 4-page FAU Pre- Award Routing Sheet (which is available only online at the Sponsored Programs web page under “Electronic Forms), attach any Program Announcement or other guidelines you have from the sponsoring agency, and send, with a copy of the grant proposal to your Sponsored Program Coordinator.
6. Help in completing the NSF Budget pages:
   Please check the Facts for Forms page for the latest fringe benefit and indirect cost rates.
   • Salaries of Faculty: NSF will only page faculty salaries for two (2) summer months. To calculate it, take your 9-month academic salary divided by 19.5 x 26.1 to equal an annual salary. Then divide by 6 to get two months.
   • Increases: You must put in 3% increases in the second and third years (although the actual increase may turn out to be less!) Fringe benefits: 29% of your salary for the period; FICA-only is 7.65%. Computer equipment: If you are considering buying a computer, make sure it cannot be considered “normal office equipment” because NSF won’t pay for what every office should have or anything that cannot be justified as required for the science of the project. Include a strong justification as to why you need to purchase a new computer or specific project-related software. Travel: Identify a meeting each year, e.g., and include detailed justification that includes the name of the meeting, date, location, number of days x per diem, airfare.
   • Indirect Costs, F&A, Overhead: In the year beginning July 1, 2001, FAU’s negotiated rate is 40% of Total Modified Direct Costs (on everything but equipment, tuition, rent, subcontracts over $25,000). In subsequent years, the rate will be 40.5%. The Off- Site rate is 25.5%.
   • Cost Sharing. Don't list anything you don't have to! Cost sharing is often required by NSF for grant applications that are not in response to a specific Program Announcement. The amounts are not taken into account when your proposal is reviewed. Don't forget to also complete FAU’s Cost Sharing form found at Sponsored Programs' web page under “Electronic Forms.”

WHAT DO I DO WHEN I HAVE FORGOTTEN MY PASSWORD?
An automated reset function is now available on the FastLane web page for users who forget their passwords. Look for “Password Reset” on the login pages. Once the user has been authenticated through information already on the NSF database, a one-time password is generated, stored in one-way encrypted format in FastLane, and is sent by e-mail to the address on record. The reset function is available at all times and users do not need to go to the FastLane Help Desk or Sponsored Programs.

Send comments to Camille Coley, Executive Assistant Vice President or Penny Ashwanden

Updated July 2006 by Dianne Parkerson