Checklist for Administrative Advisors of Multistate Research Projects

Checklist for Administrative Advisors To
Multistate Research Activities

Project Background:
__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 NIFA 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 NIFA 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?
Meetings:
__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/NIFA representative to attend the annual meeting? In the event that the USDA/NIFA 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?
Reporting:
__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 research 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 the dissemination of the result of the multistate research activity into the hands of users.
__Have I encouraged publications from the project?
Participation:
__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.
Funding:
__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?
New Projects Only:
__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 a 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 appropriate deadline?
__Have I transmitted the MRC comments to the committee for consideration?
__Have I requested the name of the NIFA rep to the new committee through the Partnership Office?
Other:
__When and where appropriate have I encouraged linking and meeting with similar multistate activities to expand collaboration?
__Have I recently gone over the Southern Regional 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 committee needs to be aware of and if so, have I contacted them regarding these issues?