___ As AA have I reviewed the multistate research portfolio for potential duplication of research project activities.

___ Have I familiarized myself with the nature and the purpose of the regional activity? Have I reviewed the history of the research project activity including consultations with the previous administrative advisor(s) and the CSREES representative? Am I acquainted with the project's website?

___ Are the overall project objectives congruent with regional and national research priorities and program plans? Does the proposed activity fit within the CSREES strategic plan? Do the regional committee activities support the project objectives?

___ Does the project activity demonstrate a level of interdependence in its approach? Is there evidence that the investigators are working together on each objective, or is the work simply a collection of individual investigators conducting research without some demonstrated level of dependence? As AA have you discussed and reinforced the need for demonstrating interdependence in the preparation of annual reports and the SAES 422.

___ In reviewing the outcomes of the proposed activity, are they achievable? Has achievability been discussed with the committee?

___ Have I as Administrative Advisor (AA) authorized the planned regional meeting using the NIMSS paperless environment, 60-90 days prior to the planned meeting or activity? Has the SAES-422 annual report for the previous year been entered into NIMSS?

___ Has an agenda been developed and posted to all participants prior to the regional meeting?

___ How can I assist the regional committee leadership with the preparation of the meeting agenda? Is the agenda built around the project's objectives?

___ Am I going to attend the project's annual meeting? If not, who will take my place?

___ Have I encouraged the USDA/CSREES representative to attend the annual meeting? In the event that the USDA/CSREES representative cannot participate, have I discussed issues which need to be brought to the attention of the committee members?

___ Is there a strong commitment to the regional activity as evidenced by annual meeting attendance?

___ Has the committee developed a systematic approach for assuring timely submission of reports, authorizations for meetings and project revisions? Has the issue of timely submission of the minutes and annual report from the past annual meeting been discussed with the committee?

___ Have/Has the meeting minutes/SAES-422 annual report form been filed within 60 days of the annual meeting? For NC projects, if the project number is scheduled to terminate, have I encouraged the committee to submit the termination report within 6 months of the termination date?

___ As Administrative Advisor, are you acting as an advocate in communicating the findings of the multistate activity? Is there someone that I, as AA, should be communicating with to make USDA, etc. aware of the research and its implications to regional and national needs?

___ Have I checked to see that an annual report has been completed for the past years activities, and properly conveyed?

___ When and where possible the Administrative Advisor can serve a much needed function in dissemination of the result of the multistate research activity into the hands of users.

___ Have I encouraged publications from the project?

___ Are the membership and officer lists current? If not, have I contacted the appropriate people to update them?

___ Has the regional project sought to broaden its participation with other scientists working in similar areas?

___ Are all scientists assigned to the research project activity contributing?

___ Are there other investigators from other disciplines that if brought into this project activity would increase the multidisciplinary nature of the activity, including extension faculty?

___ When new members join the regional project activity, have I spend time acquainting them with the project activity.

___ Have the scientists engaged in the multistate activity shown any interest or success in seeking and finding supplemental funding to enhance selective objectives of the project?

___ If the project for which I am AA is up for midterm review (3^rd year of the project), have I submitted the AA evaluation of the project?

___ Have potential officers on the new committee been established?

___ Has a writing committee been established to begin writing the new proposal? Am I providing guidance to that committee?

___ Have I invited all station directors (both regional and national) to add participants to the new proposal?

___ For an NC project if retention of the project number is requested, does the justification meet specifications of the guidelines.

___ Has the new proposal been submitted as final in NIMSS by the December 1 deadline?

___ Have I transmitted the NCAC/MRC comments to the committee for consideration?

___ Have I requested the name of the CSREES rep to the new committee through the Partnership Office?

___ When and where appropriate have I encouraged linking and meeting with similar multistate activities to expand collaboration? NCAC committees and CSREES reps may be helpful in monitoring research progress and quality.

___ Have I recently gone over the NCRA Guidelines for updates and changes?

___ Have I communicated the multistate research philosophy and procedures to my committee?

___ Are there any special concerns or developments that the MRC/NCAC committees need to be aware of and if so, have I contacted them regarding these issues?

• Writing new/revised project begins for submission at March NCRA meeting (one year ahead)

• Receive inputs from ad hoc and other interested and potentially involved parties

• Administrative advisor sends project (for NC, NCERA and NCCC) in a timely manner to the appropriate NCA Committee(s) for consideration at the annual meeting.

• NCA Committee(s) review project at annual meeting

• The administrative advisor of project and the NCA Committee chair forwards evaluation (Appendices H-1 or J-1) to the Executive Director's Office
• The administrative advisor forwards proposal to the Executive Director's office by February 15.

• Multistate Research Committee (MRC) reviews new/revised proposals and makes a recommendation to the NCRA at the March meeting of the NCRA
• NCRA approves/disapproves MRC recommendation.

• Opportunity to revise and critique from March meeting
• Last chance of opportunity to have proposal reviewed by the MRC at the July meeting