Issues regarding Proposal Submission Process I.Short Form II.Communication to Scientists III.Multi-lingual Files Chris Stuebner April 2005

I. Short Form (and Host Government Concurrence)

Simple View Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5Q6Q7Q8 Proposal (Full-Form) Project Agreement & Work Plan Application (Short-Form) Quarterly, Technical, Annual & Final Reports Board Meeting Transmittal Coversheet DED approval Registration Monitoring Visits Redirection Letters Project Coordinators, DED, ED Project Coordinators Project Accountants, Procurement, DED, ED Project Coordinators Project Accountants, Procurement, DED, ED Govt. Concur. Scientists STCU Staff

HGC Another View Application (Short Form) Registration Host Government/s send Proposal (Full Form) to STCU STCU sends Proposal to Financing Parties HGC

Details beneath Surface MOLUZB UKR AZGE Application (Short Form): scientists contact info, country, and intent Registration: computer-generated instructions specific to country: Host Government/s send Proposal (Full Form) to STCU STCU sends Proposal to Financing Parties Scientists follow one of six procedures and submit draft proposals for Host Government Concurrence/s:

Varied Procedures AzerbaijanGeorgiaUkraineUzbekistanJoint LanguageE, R/AzE, R/GeE/UkrE, R/Uzvaries Number of Copies102 0varies Send documents to: STCU, which takes to Govt Govt then STCU Govt only Govt then STCU varies Needed for Host Govt Concurrence -Institute Concur. -Draft cover letter - Institute Concur. -PPER -List to Ministry -Expert Review -Proj Mgr guarantee -Institute Concur. -Ministry Concur - PPER -Cover Letter varies

Discussion: Short Form Elimination Application (Short Form) Registration Host Government/s send Proposal (Full Form) to STCU STCU sends Proposal to Financing Parties HGC Currently, automatic depends on contact/info from application. How will STCU communicate these procedures?

Discussion: Monitoring Process Short Form Registered with STCU Host Govt Concur. STCU preparing Cover Sheet Western Expert Review Funded; no Project Agreement Marzeev Institute of Hygiene & Medical Ecology Palladin Institute of Biochemistry 2643 (Jul 99) NN-24 (WP approved 2/04) NN-27 (12/02) Bogomolets Institute of Physiology Central San-Epi Station 3514 Institute of Epidemiology & Infectious Disease 3208 (since 6/03) 3039

Discussion: Tracking time to HGC Application (Short Form) Registration Host Government/s send Proposal (Full Form) to STCU STCU sends Proposal to Financing Parties HGC What we collect now Time in for HGC Review

II. Automated Communication with Scientists a. upon Registration b.Individual files sent c.Web site access

Ad hoc process Communication already taking place –Responsibility for content not firmly managed by senior specialists or IT –Active management would yield benefits: Reduce inquiries by phone Improve quality of proposals Assign active, empowered owner of automated communication –Important first contact with scientists –Interface with STCU field officers (country-specific procedures) IT (to actually make changes) Designate reviewing authority –Understand process, clear English, notice detail –Aware of other impending changes, but willing to fix the fixable now

to Project Manager - Ukr The STCU is pleased to inform you that your proposal [proposal title] has been registered and assigned number [#]. Please complete and submit the Project Proposal (1 English copy and 2 Ukrainian copies) to the Ministry of Science and Education… You are kindly asked to submit only original documents. The deadline for submission is three months from the date of this letter. Your proposal package should include the following documents: –1. STCU Project proposal (in English and Ukrainian) –2. Previous Professional Experience Review for each weapon scientist, engineer, and technician (PPER_UA.doc); –3. List to Senior Deputy State Secretary of Ministry of Education and Science (LSDSSMES.doc) –4. Project Manager guarantee (PMG.doc) –5. Expert review (ER.doc) –6. Electronic version of your Project Proposal ( {proposal_number.ff}) on floppy, CD-ROM, etc. Previous version of letter specified: Full Form of the proposal (printed version of files FF_EN.doc, FF_ru.doc and FF.xls)

to Project Manager (cont.) Please be informed that for joint proposals with organizations in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine or Uzbekistan governmental concurrence from each involved country is required. Please note that the Full Form has been revised as of 9 February Because your project has been registered since that date, you will be required to complete the new form. You are not required to submit a separate Sustainability Plan. The current version of the informational package (Sustainability_Plan.doc) is provided for your guidance only. Some sections may prove helpful as you answer the new questions in the Full Form. The attached file ({proposal_number.ff}) can only be edited using the STCU Project Software which can be downloaded from the STCU website ( Once your proposal is complete, all required files mentioned above will be included when you print the document. Need to make reference in letter & file name consistent May wish to explain what, exactly, needs to be printed: 3081_P_EN.doc, 3081_P_RU.doc, 3081-P-budget.xls (which tabs?)

to Project Manager – Uz The Science and Technology Center in Ukraine is pleased to inform you that your proposal [proposal title] has been registered and assigned number [#]. Please complete and submit the STCU Project Proposal (1 English copy and 1 Russian/Uzbek copy) and submit the full package of documents to the Uzbekistan Field Office of the STCU.…. You are kindly asked to submit only original documents. The deadline for submission is three months from the date of this letter. Your proposal package should include the following documents: –1. STCU Project Proposal (in English and Russian); –2. Previous Professional Experience Review for each weapon scientist/engineer/technician (PPER_RU.doc); –3. Electronic Version of your Project Proposal ({proposal_number.ff}) on floppy, CD-ROM, etc.; –4. Governmental Concurrence. Not mentioned: ER (in Ukrainian) LSDSSMES (in Ukrainian) PMG (in Ukrainian) File appears as 3081.ff

to Project Manager – Uz In order to receive governmental concurrence, the following documents should be submitted to the Center for Science and Technologies of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan: –STCU Project Proposal (1 copy in English and 1 copy in Uzbek or Russian); –Previous Professional Experience Review for each weapon scientist/engineer/technician; –Letter of Concurrence from the Institute; –Letter of Concurrence from the Ministry; –Cover letter. Previous version of letter specified: Full Form of the proposal (printed version of files FF_EN.doc, FF_ru.doc and FF.xls)

STCUPS output: Uzbek (3081) Not necessary for pure Uzbek project: ER (in Ukrainian) LSDSSMES (in Ukrainian) PMG (in Ukrainian)

to Project Manager - Az The STCU is pleased to inform you that your proposal [proposal title] has been registered and assigned number [#]. Please complete and submit the STCU Project Proposal (1 English copy and 1 Russian/Azeri copy) to the Azerbaijan Field Office of the STCU… Please submit one original and one copy of the package of documents. The deadline for submission is three months from the date of this letter. Your proposal package should include the following documents: –1. STCU Project proposal (in English and Russian) –2. Previous Professional Experience Review for each weapon scientist, engineer, and technician (PPER_RU.doc); –3. Electronic version of your Project Proposal ({proposal_number.ff} ) on floppy, CD-ROM, etc. In order to receive governmental concurrence, the following documents should be submitted to the STCU Field Office in Azerbaijan: –Letter of Concurrence from the Institute (Act expertise) –Draft of Cover Letter Dont need: ER (in Ukrainian) LSDSSMES (in Ukrainian) PMG (in Ukrainian)

to Project Manager - Ga The STCU is pleased to inform you that your proposal [proposal title] has been registered and assigned number [#]. Please complete and submit the STCU Project Proposal (1 English copy and 1 Russian/Georgian copy) to the Georgian Information Office of the STCU… You are kindly asked to submit only original documents. The deadline for submission is three months from the date of this letter. Your proposal package should include the following documents: –1. STCU Project proposal (in English and Russian) –2. Previous Professional Experience Review for each weapon scientist, engineer, and technician (PPER_RU.doc); –3. Electronic version of your Project Proposal ({proposal_number.ff} ) on floppy, CD-ROM, etc. –4. Governmental Concurrence. In order to receive governmental concurrence, the following documents should be submitted to the Department of Science and Technology of Georgia: –STCU Project Proposal (1 copy in English and 1 copy in Georgian); –Letter of Concurrence from the Institute. Dont need: ER (in Ukrainian) LSDSSMES (in Ukrainian) PMG (in Ukrainian)

From Scientists Perspective Modify/improve instructions: –Specify more precisely what scientists should print –Make sure files names are called out consistently Improve: –Clarity of instructions –Consistency between text and oral guidance –Website focus (IT vs. user perspective)

Generating Output Files Do not include Ukraine-specific documents in output files for scientists from outside Ukraine: –List to Senior Deputy State Secretary of Ministry of Education and Science (LSDSSMES.doc) –Project Manager guarantee (PMG.doc) –Expert review (ER.doc) Do continue to generate files by country: –Ukrainian/English for Ukrainian –Russian/English for non-Ukraine –Ukrainian/Russian/English for joint

Monitor Quality of Output Files, (example: PPER_RU) English typos (one since corrected): –Stam for stamp (or probably better, seal) –Guiding systems for guidance systems – Word choice/capitalization Format: – text overran box at top of each page Output: – error caused letter to be generated for ALL scientists, not just former weapons scientists

Website focus - currently Welcome –Participants (former Weapons Scientists) –Projects: Regular – [currently no link to Project Software] Partner - [seems ok] –STCU Project Software –News –Downloads [nice page] –FAQS bugs, Version history, On-line Registration –Documents / General Forms & Manuals –Grant-writing Workshop materials –Lab notebook –Sustainability Planning Guide –Info / Collaborators / Benefits for Participants

Proposed Welcome to Participants (former Weapons Scientists) –Projects: Regular – –Explanation of three stages (may borrow from workshop materials) »Link to Application (Short Form) – on-line option / or download »Link to Proposal (Full Form) & instructions »Link to Agreement (Work Plan) & instructions –Collaborators info & [new] Letters of Support page Partner [keep much as is] –Explanation of Governmental/Non-Governmental »Link to Applications –Link to existing Partner sites –Useful Information: grant-writing / sustainability / other sources of funding IPR & lab books

Tactical Issues Once overall process oversight assigned … –Clarity of instructions / interaction with scientists –Website focus (IT vs. user perspective) Then, process may benefit from refinement…. –Document integrity Word vs PDF –Ease of download Embedded in software vs. loose File size / format

II. Multi-lingual files Two examples Question

Files sent to West Random project assigned to test software –Recent proposal (2004) –Currently published for Western Review Problems: –No Ukrainian tech description accessible through database …. BUT –Work plan appears in Ukrainian, not English –Excel tables combine languages

3588_P_UA.doc As is standard, database contains only blank template. Real file on PCs computer.

3588.ff Ukrainian language English!

3588.ff No language Ukrainian

3588-P-Budget.xls Work Schedule, Equipment & Materials are in Ukr or mix of Ukr/Eng

Status I checked with Senior Specialist and confirmed this was not an IT glitch. Rather, the project was received from the Ukrainian Ministry with only partially- translated Excel tables. Does the Registration Control Officer have the right or responsibility to require a complete English translation?

Files needed here Share project information with Ukrainian business students –Time-sensitive –Sustainability staff, not project coordinator Problem: no Ukrainian text to be found –Proposal was drafted in in Ukrainian; –There was a file labeled 2224_ua; but, that turned out to be blank template; –Search of floppy disks did not turn up document – Had to contact PM and ask him to resend doc

Tech Description.UA Document, according to database, appears to exist. However, this file contains only Blank Template; real doc may be on PCs computer.

Joint project 3513_P_RU and 3513_P_UA.doc ? ? Should default be English? Near identical for _P_UA.doc

Questions Do we care if we lose or misplace the Ukrainian / Russian language versions of project proposals? –Staff here cant work with original language, if files arent readily accessible –If yes, then DEDs should convey to the Steering Committee their concern – and develop a standard repository for those documents. Do we care if we send Western Reviewers documents in a combination of Ukrainian and English? –Reviewers cant evaluate workplan / equipment requests in Ukrainian –If yes, then DEDs should work with Registration Control Officer / Ministry to clarify procedure and screen proposals.

Recommended Action Points for DEDs responsible for Proposals Direct IT to modify STCUPS output for non-Ukrainian projects to include only required files Task staff to improve letter to scientists Designate review mechanism/authority –ensure IT-originated changes are proofed & acceptable –Provide point of contact for other STCU groups that touch on proposal processing (training, outreach, sustainability) Work with IT to modify website to enable scientists to readily see links to existing on-line application process Assess potential impact –if local language files are lost –if reviewers receive incompletely translated proposals