2019 NSF PI/SPO Customer Feedback Survey

2019 NSF Principal Investigator/Sponsored Project Office Survey Transmittal Email
TO: PIs/co-PIs and SPOs
SUBJECT: FEEDBACK REQUEST: 2019 NSF PI/SPO Survey
Dear Colleague:
You have been selected to participate in a National Science Foundation (NSF) survey because you are a
Principal Investigator (PI)/co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) or Sponsored Project Office (SPO) who recently
submitted a proposal to NSF. NSF is seeking your feedback on existing FastLane and Research.gov business
functionalities as part of the Foundation's multi-year initiative to help PIs/co-PIs and SPOs more efficiently and
effectively prepare and submit NSF proposals, manage NSF awards, and conduct business with NSF.
Please click on this [INSERT HYPERLINK] to complete the survey.
The 2019 NSF PI/SPO Survey is a follow-up to the 2015 NSF Proposal Submission Modernization Survey
which guided NSF's Proposal Submission Modernization (PSM) efforts. The 2019 PI/SPO Survey will survey
PIs/Co-PIs and SPOs on Proposal Submission Modernization to solicit feedback to improve user experience and
to decrease administrative burden.
Your input on the 2019 survey is very important and will better inform NSF's understanding of PI and SPO
satisfaction and challenges in using NSF systems and will help identify opportunities for improvement.
The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. Note that all survey responses will be anonymous, and
survey results will be reported in such a way that no single individual can be identified. Your participation is
completely voluntary, and your decision to partake or not to partake in this survey will not adversely affect
consideration of any pending or future NSF proposals. The survey will close on [INSERT SURVEY CLOSE
DATE]
NSF greatly appreciates your feedback which will be consolidated and used to guide continuing IT system
modernization efforts. If you have questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].
Thank you in advance for your vital input.
Best regards,
Dorothy Aronson, National Science Foundation, Chief Information Officer
Teresa Grancorvitz, National Science Foundation, Chief Financial Officer
Dale Bell, National Science Foundation, Director Division of Institution and Award Support
Pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(b), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to
an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this
collection is 3145-0157. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10
minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden
to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Office of the General Counsel, National Science Foundation,
Alexandria, VA.

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2019 NSF PI/SPO Survey
Ongoing feedback from the research community is critical to NSF's continuous IT
modernization and is especially important in reducing administrative burden. You have been
selected to receive this NSF survey because you have recently submitted an NSF proposal.
We would appreciate your taking the time to complete this brief survey. Please answer each
question to the best of your ability and note that all information provided will remain
anonymous. The survey will be open until [DATE].
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Section Title: Respondent and Institution Profile
Survey Questions and Answers
Questions
1. In what role do you primarily interact with
NSF?

2.

Answers
Select only one:
• Principal Investigator (PI) / co-Principal
Investigator (co-PI)
• Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) staff
• Authorized Organizational Representative
(AOR)
• Other Authorized User (OAU)
• Research Administrator
• Grant Writer
• Other (Please specify): [TEXT BOX]
Select only one:
• Doctoral University (Includes institutions that
award at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral
degrees per year. Excludes Special Focus
Institutions and Tribal Colleges.)
• Master's College or University (Generally
includes institutions that award at least 50
master's degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral
degrees per year. Excludes Special Focus
Institutions and Tribal Colleges.)
• Baccalaureate College (Includes institutions
where baccalaureate or higher degrees
represent at least 50 percent of all degrees but
where fewer than 50 master's degrees or 20
doctoral degrees are awarded per year.
Excludes Special Focus Institutions and Tribal
Colleges.)
• Baccalaureate/Associate's College (Includes
four-year colleges that confer more than 50
percent of degrees at the associate's level per
year. Excludes Special Focus Institutions and
Tribal Colleges.)
• Associate’s College (Institutions at which the
highest-level degree awarded is an associate's

Which of the following best describes your
current, primary organization?

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3.

What is the size of your organization? Do not
include student enrollment.

4.

Is your organization a Minority Serving
Institution (MSI)? MSIs include Tribal
Colleges or Historically Black Colleges or
Universities, or Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
These are Department of Education Title IV
designations.
To which NSF directorates have you submitted
proposals?

5.

6.

Please select your role(s) in proposal
preparation and submission at your
organization.

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degree. Excludes Special Focus Institutions
and Tribal Colleges.)
Special Focus Institution (Institutions where a
high concentration of degrees is in a single
field or set of related fields. Excludes Tribal
Colleges.)
Tribal College (Colleges and universities that
are members of the American Indian Higher
Education Consortium.)
Institution of primary and/or secondary
education (K-12 educational institution)
Federally Funded Research and Development
Center (FFRDC)
Non-profit Research Organization
For-profit Organization
No Organizational Affiliation / Independent
Researcher
Other (please specify): [TEXT BOX]
25 or less
26 to 100
101 to 500
501 to 1,000
1,001 or more
Yes
No

Select all that apply:
• Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)
• Directorate for Computer & Information
Science & Engineering (CISE)
• Directorate for Education & Human
Resources (EHR)
• Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
• Directorate for Geosciences (GEO)
• Directorate for Mathematical & Physical
Sciences (MPS)
• Directorate for Social, Behavioral &
Economic Sciences (SBE)
• Other (Please Indicate): [TEXT BOX]
Select all that apply:
• Write the proposal
• Enter proposal information into NSF's
proposal submission systems
• Coordinate proposal development
• Gather proposal information
• Review the proposal

•

Submit the proposal

[SURVEY PAGE BREAK]

Section Title: NSF Proposal Preparation and Submission Systems
Questions in this section relate to your use of FastLane and/or Research.gov proposal
preparation and submission systems.
Survey Questions and Answers
Questions
7. How often do you typically prepare or submit
proposals to NSF?

8.

Have you received an award(s) from NSF?

9.

Do you primarily use another proposal-writing
system such as Grants.gov, Kuali, InfoEd, etc. to
submit proposals to NSF?
10. Which NSF systems have you used to submit
proposals?
Please note: As part of its IT modernization
efforts, NSF launched the new Research.gov
Proposal Preparation and Submission System on
April 30, 2018, for full, research noncollaborative proposals. A preview of the new
system was available to the research community
from February 26, 2018 until April 27, 2018.
QUESTIONS FOR FASTLANE ONLY USERS
11. How often do you typically prepare and submit
NSF proposals using FastLane?

12. Based on the proposals you have recently
prepared and submitted using FastLane, please
respond to the following statements using a rating
from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree).
• FastLane is an easy system to learn to use.
• Once learned, FastLane is an easy system to
use.
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Answers
• 1 to 5 times per year
• 6 to 10 times per year
• 11 to 15 times per year
• 16 to 20 times per year
• More than 20 times per year
Please select only one:
• I have received an award(s) from NSF
• I have submitted a proposal that is currently
under review by NSF
• I have submitted a proposal, but it was
declined or returned by NSF
•
•

Yes [IF ANSWERED  QUESTIONS 26-30]
No [IF ANSWERED  QUESTION 10]

Select only one:
• FastLane [IF ANSWEREDQUESTIONS 1115]
• Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System [(IF
ANSWEREDQUESTION 16-18]
• Both [IF ANSWEREDQUESTION 16-18]

• 1 to 5 times per year
• 6 to 10 times per year
• 11 to 15 times per year
• 16 to 20 times per year
• More than 20 times per year
1 – Strongly Agree
2 – Agree
3 – Neither Agree nor Disagree
4 – Disagree
5 – Strongly Disagree

• FastLane webpage layout is intuitive.
• FastLane webpages are readable.
• When I use FastLane, I am able to efficiently
find and complete work.
• Overall, FastLane meets my expectations.

13. As part of its IT modernization efforts, NSF
launched the new Research.gov Proposal
Preparation and Submission System on April 30,
2018, for full, research non-collaborative
proposals. A preview of the new system was
available to the research community from
February 26, 2018 until April 27, 2018.
Please indicate your level of experience with the
new Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System.
14. You indicated that you have not yet prepared and
submitted a proposal using the new Research.gov
Proposal Preparation and Submission System,
please provide additional information regarding
why you have chosen not to submit on
Research.gov.

Select one:
• I did not know the system was available.
• I knew the system was available but have not
tried the new system.
• I tried the new system during the preview
release period (February 26-April 27, 2018)
but have not used the site to prepare and
submit a proposal(s).
• I have tried the new system since its full
release on April 30, 2018 but have not yet
submitted a proposal.

Select all that apply:
• Proposal Type not yet available on the
Research.gov system.
• I prefer FastLane/I am familiar with FastLane.
• I have not had time to learn the new
Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System.
• My organization requires me to use FastLane.
• I attempted to prepare and submit a proposal
using the Research.gov Proposal Preparation
and Submission System but could not submit
due to compliance check errors.
• Other: [Open ended text box]
15. What would help you to use the new
Select up to 3 that apply: [ALL
Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
ANSWERSQUESTION #19]
Submission System?
• When the proposal type that I most often
submit is available on the new system
• When my organization requires me to use the
new system
• When my organization gives me permission to
use the new system
• When NSF requires me to use the new system
• When additional training and resources such
are available
• Other: [open ended text box]
QUESTIONS FOR BOTH FASTLANE AND RESEARCH.GOV USERS
16. How often do you typically prepare and submit
• 1 to 5 times per year
NSF proposals using FastLane?
• 6 to 10 times per year
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17. How many proposals have you prepared and
submitted using the new Research.gov
Preparation and Submission System?
18. Based on the proposals you have prepared and
submitted using NSF'S new Research.gov
Proposal Preparation and Submission System,
please respond to the following statements using
a rating from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly
Disagree).
• The Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System is easier to learn to use
than FastLane.
• Once learned, the Research.gov Proposal
Preparation and Submission System is easier
to use than FastLane.
• Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System's webpage layout is more
intuitive than FastLane's webpage layout.
• Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission System's webpages are more
readable than FastLane's webpages.
• When I use the Research.gov Proposal
Preparation and Submission System, I am
able to complete work more efficiently than
when using FastLane.
• Overall, the Research.gov Proposal
Preparation and Submission System meets my
expectations. [ALL ANSWERQUESTION
#19]
EVERYONE
19. Currently, you may only submit full, noncollaborative research proposals to NSF in
Research.gov. How should NSF prioritize in
which order proposal types are developed? Rank
up to five types of proposals, with 1 being the
highest priority.

• 11 to 15 times per year
• 16 to 20 times per year
• More than 20 times per year
• 1
• 2 to 5
• 6 to 10
• More than 10
1 – Strongly Agree
2 – Agree
3 – Neither Agree nor Disagree
4 – Disagree
5 – Strongly Disagree

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Rapid Response Research (RAPID)
EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory
Research (EAGER)
Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary
Science and Engineering (RAISE)
Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with
Industry (GOALI)
Ideas Lab
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and
Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
Conference Proposal
Equipment Proposal
Travel Proposal
Center Proposal
Research Infrastructure

•

20. What training resources, if any, would be helpful
to you or others at your organization for using
NSF's new Research.gov Proposal Preparation
and Submission System?

21. NSF strives to reduce administrative burden for
researchers and administrators. Please rank on a
scale from 1 to 5 (1 being most burdensome) the
sections and functions associated with NSF
proposal preparation and submission that create
the most administrative burden for you.

22. Which of the following researcher profile
management services do you use and would like
to see integrated with NSF systems?

[SURVEY PAGE BREAK]
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Collaborative with Separately Submitted
Research (Collaborative proposal from
multiple organizations)
• Collaborative with Subawards (Collaborative
proposal from one organization)
• Other: [TEXT BOX]
Please select up to three options:
• "How-to" manuals, guides, or training kits for
organizations
• NSF-hosted training or webinars
• Additional online training videos demonstrating
how to prepare and submit proposals on
Research.gov
• Research.gov Proposal Preparation and
Submission Demonstration Site
• Centralizing all Research.gov training resources
on one webpage
• Other: [OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]
Rank up to five (with 1 being most burdensome):
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Project Summary
Project Description
References Cited
Biographical Sketch
Other Personnel Biographical Information
Budget Justification(s)
Current and Pending Support
Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan
Data Management Plan
Other Supplementary Documents
List of Suggested Reviewers
List of Reviewers Not to Include
Collaborators and Other Affiliations

• Budget Impact Statement
• Add/Delete Non co-PI Senior Personnel
• Additional Single Copy Documents (e.g.,
directorate-specific forms)
• Change PI
• Deviation Authorization
• Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources
• Link Collaborative Proposals
• Proposal Cover Sheet
• ORCID
• SciENcv
• Some other service: [OPEN ENDED TEXT
BOX]
• None

Section Title: NSF IT System Consolidation
NSF will eventually consolidate FastLane and Research.gov into a unified system to improve
your pre-award and post-award experience with NSF. Questions in this section relate
consolidating existing FastLane and Research.gov functionalities into a single, integrated IT
system for conducting business with NSF.
Survey Questions and Answers
Questions
23. What three adjectives would you use to describe
an ideal NSF pre-award and post-award
management system?
24. Given the pre-award and post-award
functionalities that currently exist on FastLane
and Research.gov, what additional features,
functionalities, or improvements would you like
to see added to a consolidated NSF system?

Answers
Three OPEN-ENDED TEXT BOXES 3 ANSWERS
ONLY [limit 20 characters per text box]
•

[OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]

[SURVEY PAGE BREAK]

Section Title: NSF Password Recovery
NSF is committed to your account security and privacy. Questions in this section relate to
Password Recovery options for NSF Account Management.
Survey Questions and Answers
Questions
25. Would you be willing to provide a personal
phone number (mobile) if Research.gov offered
password recovery via text message?
26. How would you like to retrieve a lost or forgotten
password?
27. In the past 2 years, how often have you switched
your Research.gov profile email address?

28. In the past 2 years, how often have you switched
your Research.gov profile phone number?

29. In the past 2 years, how often have you reset your
Research.gov password?

30. What type of information have you, or do you
plan to add to your profile in Research.gov?

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Answers
• Yes
• No
• Text Message
• Security Questions
• Recovery Email
• Never
• One time
• 2-3 times
• 4 or more times
• Not sure
• Never
• One time
• 2-3 times
• 4 or more times
• Not sure
• Never
• One time
• 2-3 times
• 4 or more times
• Not sure
Select all that apply:
• My work organization email address
• Primary email address (Personal email address)
• My work organization phone number (mobile)

31. What challenges do you currently have with the
current Password Recovery process?

•
•

Personal phone number (mobile)
[OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]

[SURVEY PAGE BREAK]

Section Title: NSF General Feedback
Please provide any additional comments regarding your experience with NSF in terms of
proposal preparation and submission, reducing administrative burden, and the planned
consolidation of FastLane and Research.gov.
Survey Questions and Answers
Questions
32. For proposals of similar size and scope, how
much effort does it take to prepare and submit an
NSF proposal compared to other federal
agencies'?
33. Please provide recommendations or feedback for
reducing administrative burden related to
preparation and submission of NSF proposals.
34. Please provide recommendations or feedback
related to the consolidation of NSF's FastLane
and Research.gov systems for managing preaward and post-award activities.
35. Please provide any innovative insights,
recommendations, or feedback for improving
your experience in preparing and submitting
proposals to NSF.

Answers
• More effort
• Nearly the same effort
• Less effort
• NSF is the only federal agency to which I submit
proposals
[OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]

[OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]

[OPEN ENDED TEXT BOX]

Thank you very much for completing this survey. NSF greatly appreciates your time and
feedback as part of our continuing IT systems modernization.

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