A simple Web-based proposal creation and submission system for federal grant applications rolls out this summer to assist principal investigators across campus. Its main attractions: speed and accuracy.
In a test this spring, the new system-called Cayuse 424-validated proposals submitted to NIH in minutes, while validations for proposals submitted with Adobe-based forms through grants.gov required up to 13 days.
“A principal investigator’s time is valuable,” said Regina Smith, associate vice president for research. “Cayuse is intuitive, fast and accurate. A P.I. will not have to endure the stress of not knowing for hours or days after submission whether the proposal made it all the way through the acceptance process.”
In addition, the system automatically fills many form fields with stored principal investigator and institutional data, allows the principal investigator (and collaborators) to work on a proposal from any location and allows the principal investigator to re-use a proposal or transfer it to another format for a different opportunity.
UGA researchers affiliated with the Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute have used Cayuse successfully for several years, but for only NIH proposal submissions. The recently upgraded software now creates and submits proposals for the vast majority of federal agencies, and the use of Cayuse will be required at UGA for all eligible grants.gov opportunities beginning fall semester.
If allowed by the agency, and if the principal investigator prefers, the NSF Fastlane or NASA NSPIRES systems may be used for a specific opportunity.
The new system is being phased in over the summer. The Office for Sponsored Programs will provide hands-on training through September at multiple times and locations across campus to make it easy for faculty members to attend. As principal investigators in departments are trained, they can go live with the system. All UGA departments will have access to Cayuse in August.
However, Smith noted that while Cayuse will significantly ease the proposal creation and submission process, “It will not simplify many of the administrative burdens required of an investigator including the completion of the transmittal form or compliance protocol forms for human or animal subjects, for example.
“Cayuse is neither a permanent nor a comprehensive solution to reducing administrative burden on investigators,” she added.
Beginning this fall, the Office of the Vice President for Research will begin implementing a commercial software solution to provide researchers and administrative staff with an efficient integrated online process for proposal and compliance protocol development, proposal and award tracking, and research compliance activities.
This solution, termed an electronic research administration solution or eRA, will interface directly to grants.gov. It also will provide a single portal for investigators to develop and maintain all their research-related activities; draw from multiple authoritative data sources to pre-populate form fields and reduce the need for repetitive data entry; and will provide extensive automated electronic workflows for transmittal and approval. Once the eRA system is fully implemented-anticipated in 2011-Cayuse will be discontinued.
Additional informational presentations about Cayuse, open to all faculty and staff, will be held June 17, 1-2 p.m. in the Miller Learning Center’s Room 175, and June 18, 2-3 p.m. in 307 Conner Hall.
For more information about Cayuse and training opportunities, contact Gary Rachel, gcrachel@uga.edu or
(706) 542-5905.