National
Science Foundation
Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Dear Colleagues:
We have published an addendum to the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) (NSF 01-2) that is effective for proposals submitted on or after June 1st, 2001. This addendum implements a new electronic signature process for use in submission of proposals to NSF. This new signature capability is an important next step in realizing NSF’s electronic vision for the future that was outlined in Important Notices 123 and 126.
Effective June 1st, 2001, all proposals to NSF are required to be electronically signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). To implement this change, effective immediately, all organizations are required to designate in FastLane the individual(s) authorized to sign on behalf of their organizations. Additional instructions regarding this new process are available on the FastLane website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov. Proposals submitted after June 1st that respond to a standing or existing announcement or solicitation must comply with the electronic signature requirement, even if the announcement or solicitation specified that a signed paper Cover Sheet should be submitted.
This addendum incorporates the following significant changes:
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Eliminates the requirement that all identified PIs and Co-PIs sign the proposal Cover Sheet;
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Eliminates the requirement to submit a signed paper proposal Cover Sheet. All required proposal certifications will be provided electronically by the Authorized Organizational Representative and must be submitted within 5 working days following the electronic submission of the proposal;
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Removes the requirement that subawardee organizations provide signed budgets. Submission of a paper budget signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative of the subawardee organization is no longer necessary; and
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Requires supplemental funding requests to be submitted electronically via the Supplemental Funding Request module in FastLane. A signed paper copy of the supplement budget is no longer required to be submitted to NSF.
Other sections have been revised, as appropriate, to specify changes in policy and procedure brought about by the electronic signature process. A summary of significant changes is included in this document. To facilitate use, this version incorporates all of the changes from this addendum, as well as those specified in NSF 01-2, thus resulting in one complete reference document.
As was mentioned previously, the prior edition of the GPG was the last printed version of this document. The GPG is available on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov in a variety of formats. Organizations or individuals unable to access the GPG electronically may order paper copies (maximum of 5 per request) by either of the following means:
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Phoning the NSF Publications Clearinghouse at (301) 947-2722; or
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Sending a request to pubs@nsf.gov or the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 218, Jessup, MD 20794-0218.
Please address any questions or comments regarding the GPG to the Policy Office, Division of Contracts, Policy & Oversight at (703) 292-8243 or by email to policy@nsf.gov.
Thomas N. Cooley
Chief Financial Officer &
Director, Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
