New and Renewal Project Development and Approval Process

I. Getting Started and Logging Into NIMSS

II. Typing the proposal in NIMSS

III. NCRA Approval

IV. CSREES Approval  

I.  Getting Started and Logging Into NIMSS

A.   Administrative Advisors:

1. Login to NIMSS (http://www.nimss.umd.edu/). 
   

2. Contact the writing committee chair or writing committee member(s) who is/are composing the project.  Up to three of these committee members may enter/edit project in NIMSS. These people will be known as the "Project Coordinators."  Refer them to the instructions below. Also, make sure that the Project Coordinators register as soon as possible in the NIMSS system at http://www.nimss.umd.edu!  This will be important for the next step (editing authorization - see below)!  

        B.   Writing Committee Members

1. Login to NIMSS (http://www.nimss.umd.edu/).  Make sure your Administrative Advisor or the System Administrator (Chris Hamilton) has given you access as a Project Coordinator (which provides editing authorization - see below).  You will NOT be able to edit the proposal without this authorization.  NOTE: to obtain editing authorization from your Administrative Advisor, you must be a registered user of NIMSS!  To register, go to http://www.nimss.umd.edu/.  If you run into any problems or questions, please contact Chris at chamilton@cals.wisc.edu or 608-262-2349.  

II. Typing the proposal in NIMSS

A.  If a temporary project number has NOT been set up for your committee (Skip to II.B below if the proposal has been assigned a temporary number): 

1. In the main NIMSS menu, mouse-over the "Project" function in the green line and choose "Request" from the dropdown menu.   

2. Choose "Create New" from the menu on the left side of the screen. 

3. Fill in the "Request" form with the Statement of Issues and Justification of the new proposal.  The Statement of Issues and Justification serves as your committee’s request to write a proposal.  Pay special attention to the following items:

1. Renew for Project Number: If this proposal will replace a current NCRA proposal, choose the number from this dropdown menu.  

2. Sponsoring Station: This is the home station of the Administrative Advisor.  

4. Submit or Save the request.  If you submit it as final, the request is sent to the system administrator (Christina Hamilton).  If you wish to save the request and return to it at a later time, follow the directions under A.1 above, then choose, "edit/approve."  Choose "View Request" to update the request. 

5. When the request had been submitted as final, the system administrator will approve the request and use NIMSS to assign a temporary number.  Depending on the type of proposal requested or the previous project's format (in the case of renewals), the system administrator will assign it as either an NC or NCCC/NCERA project format (refer to the following Appendices in the NCRA guidelines): 

1. NC Committees - Use Appendix A (Includes a Methods section)

2. NCCC/NCERA Committees - Use the appropriate Appendix B (Includes an Activities and Procedures section in place of a Methods section)

3. NC-500 Committees (Rapid Response Committees) - Use Appendix F (Does not include a Methods Section, but does include a section to list the types of project activities expected).

4. NCDC Projects - Only a letter of justification is necessary to explain the nature of the project. The system administrator will take the request submitted in the above steps and create the NCDC project in NIMSS.  

***More in-depth project descriptions can be found in the NCRA Regional Guidelines at www.wisc.edu/ncra/regionalmanual.doc***

6. The system administrator will notify the committee of the temporary number (if the request is approved).  BE SURE TO RETAIN THIS TEMPORARY NUMBER!  

7. EDITING AUTHORIZATION: Administrative Advisors also need to give the Project Coordinators editing authorization in NIMSS (that is, the authority to edit the proposal).  To do this, the Project Coordinators must have registered in NIMSS at the login page (http://www.nimss.umd.edu/). 

   To assign editing authorization: 

   1. Sign into NIMSS and mouse-over the "Project" function on the main menu.  Then, click "Draft/Edit" on the dropdown menu.  

   2. Locate the TEMPORARY NUMBER (NC_tempXXXX, NCCC_tempXXX, NCERA_tempXXX, NCDC_tempXXX) on the list and click the button next to the temp number that says "proposal." 

   3. On the left side of the screen, choose "assign editors."  To make the assignment, click the "pick button" and type the first and/or last name into the blanks provided.  

   4. If you see the person's name on the list, click the radial button next to the name.  This assigns the person editing access to the proposal, annual reports, etc.  Click "set" to finalize your selection(s).  

   5. If you do not see a person's name on the edit authorization screen, or if you have any problems, please do not hesitate to contact the System Administrator, Chris Hamilton, for help at chamilton@cals.wisc.edu or 608-262-2349.  

    

8. After the system administrator has provided you with the temporary number and project coordinators have been assigned in the system, log into NIMSS again and, using the new temp number, enter the project objectives as soon as possible!  When the AA sends out the call for participation, the potential participants will need to know which objectives to work on in order to include this information in their Appendix E.  

9. For more information on editing the proposal, follow the step above under Section II.B Below.  

B.   If a temporary project number has already been set up for your committee: 

1. Locate and mouse-over the “Project” function on the green bar in the NIMSS main menu.  Choose "draft/edit" from the dropdown menu.

2. Look for your temporary project (NC_tempXXXX) in the list of project numbers.  Click the "Proposal" button next to the temp number.  Contact Chris Hamilton at chamilton@cals.wisc.edu or 608-262-2349 if you cannot find the temp number for your project.  Make sure your AA has provided editing authorization (see below) for you. 

3. Edit the proposal by sections using the options on the left side of the screen.  Be sure to click the SAVE button at the bottom of each proposal section to ensure your information is saved in NIMSS!  For more information on filling out these sections, skip to Section II, C below.

C.   Fill in ALL fields in the proposal format after the temp number is assigned.  Here are a few other pointers:  

1. To view the entire proposal put together, on the left side of the editing screen, click the "View NC_tempXXXX" link. 

2. Use HTML characters to ensure that the information looks correct on the webpage. This is only applicable to special font formatting such as bold, italics, bulleted lists, and tables.  There are some HTML hints at the end of the NIMSS Manual, Appendix 1.  You may also contact system administrator, Christina Hamilton, if you need further help.  

3. Number of characters: There are only so many characters allowed in each section (as listed in the NIMSS proposal section heading/description).

4. Figures, charts and graphs maybe be attached to proposals using the "Attachments" link on the left side of the screen. 

5. Attach external project links to the Project/Activity Homepage (located on the NIMSS main menu).  Please note that these links will not be opened by CSREES when they review the proposal.  To attach/edit items on the homepage: 

1. On the NIMSS main menu (the green bar) mouse-over "Projects" and choose "Draft/Edit" from the dropdown menu.  

2. On the next screen, locate the project number and click on "Homepage."  

3. Use the functions on the left side of the screen to upload minutes, photos, or links.  NOTE: you need to have editing authorization to upload anything onto the site.  

6. For participants in the SAES and CES: The AA notifies all potential participants of the new proposal’s existence and requests that he/she contact his/her experiment station director or supervisor to complete Appendix E for participation. (Use the participant invitation function in NIMSS) Note that these names MUST be entered under the "temp project" number (NC_tempXXXX), NOT the present number (NCXXXX, NCRXXX, etc.). 

For participants NOT in the SAES and CES: Refer to the information available at http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/AppendixE.htm. 

For more information about Appendix E regional requirements for each type of project, please click HERE.  

7. If the draft is not final, all information you have saved by sections so far will be saved under the temporary number (ie. NC_tempXXXX).  Use the "Projects" function on the NIMSS main menu (in the green bar) and choose "draft/edit" to return to a project proposal.  Only those with editing authorization may edit the proposal.  Other participants may view the proposal by following the directions at http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/ViewEditProposal.htm. 

8. If the draft is final, send an email to the Administrative Advisor to let him/her know that the proposal needs his/her approval.  The AA can approve the proposal by logging into NIMSS at www.nimss.umd.edu and going to Project > Approve. 

9. Along with the new proposal, all projects up for review MUST submit the SAES-422 annual report from the previous year(s) (if the project is a renewal).  Please see http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/SAES-422forms.htm for more information.  Projects also MUST submit project impact statements if they have not yet done so.  Refer to http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/impactstatementinfo.htm for more information. 

III. Approval of Projects by NCRA

1. AA Reviews: The AA initiates the review process by mousing- over the "Review" function on the main NIMSS menu in the green bar.  Choose "Submit" from the dropdown menu. NIMSS will recognize you as the AA.  Locate the project on the list and click the "submit review" button.  Click "AA Review" to submit a review.  You may return at any time to update the review.  More information on reviews can be found at NCAC Committee Review Process or NCRA Evaluation/Review Form Instructions. Review forms are submitted to the NCRA Office via NIMSS.  

2. NCAC Committees: For projects that are continuing, the NCAC committee(s) (listed HERE) is/are contacted by the System Administrator when the proposal has been submitted as final.  For new projects (no previous history), the AA should recommend appropriate NCAC committees to the Executive Director (ED). The ED will consult with the MRC to assign NCAC committees to review the project. In both cases, it is the AA's responsibility to make sure that the System Administrator receives the most up-to date version of the proposal to pass on to the appropriate NCAC committees, including Appendix E information. NCAC committees should use the same "Review" functions as the AA. For more information, see the NCAC Committee Review Process in the AA Virtual Handbook. Review forms are submitted to the NCRA Office via NIMSS.  

3. Project Numbering: All NC- committees (this excludes NCCC/NCERA-, NRSP- and NCDC- committees) undergoing review will be assigned new numbers.  However, in some instance, it may be desirable to retain the old number.  Please see http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/retainnumber.htm for more information about retaining the project’s previous number with valid justification. 

IV. CSREES Approval of NC-Projects (does not apply to NCCC, NCERA, or NCDC projects)

A.   If approved by the region, the NCRA Office sends a transmittal letter to CSREES. 

B.   CSREES sends a letter to the ED's office stating its approval or requesting further action.

C.   Upon approval by CSREES, CSREES sends letters to participants’ station directors informing them of project approval.

D.   The System Administrator assigns a new number to the project (or retains the old number, with valid justification).

03/03/2008