FAST – FAQ

Published Calls	Coordinator
Fourth EXCITE Transnational Access Call 15-06-2023 00:01 (CEST) to 31-08-2023 23:59 (CEST)	TNA_Management, EXCITE (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV))
Third EXCITE Transnational Access Call 15-12-2022 00:01 (CET) to 28-02-2023 23:59 (CET)	TNA_Management, EXCITE (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV))

Account

How do I create a FAST account?

Go to the sign up page, and fill in your details to create an account. You'll receive a confirmation email, after which you can sign in and finalize your account information. Subsequently, you can submit your call proposal(s).

I lost my password. Now what?

Don't worry! You can reset your password on this page. You'll receive an email with a link to change your password, at the email address associated with your account.

Does FAST support 2FA/MFA?

Yes! We recommend you secure your FAST account with Two Factor Authentication (2FA). Here's how you do that:

Log into your FAST account
Click your name in the bottom-left of the screen to open account settings
Scroll down and click 'Configure Two Factor Authentication'
Follow the on-screen instructions to enable 2FA

I've been locked out of my account

Locked out of your account? Try resetting your password. Still can't get in? Get in touch with us here.

What is FAST?

The Facility Access SysTem (FAST) is a web-based platform to manage facility access calls. It helps people to submit proposals for facility access calls. At the other end, call coordinators are able to manage their calls, invite facilities, assign reviewers, and move proposals through the facility access call process. We're also maintaining a database of equipment and their attributes, which is helpful for metadata stewardship.

You can learn more about FAST on the About page.

How does FAST handle my personal information?

You can learn more about how we handle your personal information in our Privacy Policy.

Facility Access Calls

I want to apply for facility access

Great! Head over to the sign up page to create a FAST account. You can find facilities and equipment for specific calls on their public call page. When a call is open (or open soon), a link to the call page is usually published on social media, websites, newsletters, etcetera. Use your FAST account to submit a proposal for the call.

Where can I find open facility access calls?

You can find current and upcoming facility access calls inside FAST. Here's how:

Sign up for a FAST account if you haven't, and log into your account
Go to the Applications page
You'll find open calls below 'Open Calls'

You can also find recent calls at the top of this page. Click on the name of the call to go to its public call page.

How can I find the public call page of a call?

The public call page is where we publish all information about a facility access call, such as what the call is about, what its eligibility rules are, when the call opens and closes, and what facilities and equipment are available as part of the call. You'll also be able to find contact information of the call coordinator and equipment facility managers.

You can find the most recent calls, and their public call page, at the top of this page. Click on the name of the call to go to the public call page.

You can also find the public call page of a facility access call via the 'Applications' page, when you log into your FAST account. Click on any of the call names below 'My Applications' or 'Open Calls'; the public call page should now open in a new window. Public call page are also typically shared on social media, websites, newsletters, etcetera.

Can I download an overview of equipment?

Yes! On the public call page, click 'Export as CSV' to download a spreadsheet (CSV) that includes all details on equipment that's part of that facility access call. You can read this CSV with Excel (Windows), Numbers (Mac), or any other spreadsheet editor.

Where can I find details about equipment?

You can find detailed descriptions of the equipment that's part of a facility access call on their public call page. This includes facility domain, facility name, associated institute, location, contact persons, and equipment type, domain, group, brand, addons, availability and mode of access (remote service and/or physical access).

Can anyone apply to a facility access call?

Usually, yes! However, many facility access calls have specific eligibility rules and requirements. You can find these on the public call page.

Applications and Proposals

Does FAST automatically anonymize my proposal?

No, you are responsible for making sure your identity cannot be obtained from your proposal. You can do so in the following ways:

Don't use your name in the 'Proposal Title' field
Don't "hard-code" your name in the uploaded proposal PDF
Don't upload a PDF with copy or edit protection
If possible, remove your name from the 'Author' field, when you export your proposal PDF

Because most facility access calls require 1-on-1 contact with the facility manager prior to proposal submission, your full name and e-mail address are available to the facility manager.

When applicable, the scientific review is conducted via a double-blind peer review, meaning your identity is hidden from the reviewer, and vice versa.

If you have questions or concerns about the application process, please contact the coordinator of the call you want to apply to.

How do I add equipment to my proposal?

When you're in the process of creating your application, you can add equipment to it like so:

Go to your application by clicking 'Edit' on the 'Applications' page
Scroll down and click 'Add Equipment'
On the page that appears you've got a (wide) list of equipment; click 'Add to Application' for the equipment you want to get access to
On the next page, select the options that are applicable (i.e., access type) and click 'Save'

I can't seem to apply to a facility access call

You can only apply to a facility access call when it's open, so between the call start and end dates. These dates are listed on the public call page and in your 'Applications' overview. Once a call is closed, you cannot apply – or submit proposals – to it anymore.

Please note that 'Open Calls' (on the 'Applications' page) will also show facility access calls that have been published, but aren't yet open for submissions. Once the call opens, you'll be able to click 'Apply' to create your application.

I accidentally uploaded the wrong proposal

Oops! Don't worry – if you haven't submitted your proposal, you can fix this like so:

Go to your application by clicking 'Edit' on the 'Applications' page
Locate your proposal file next to 'Upload Proposal'
Click 'Delete' to delete the proposal file

You should now be able to upload a new file. If you don't see any of these buttons, make sure you're on the 'Edit' page. If you're viewing your application, you can switch to editing by clicking 'Edit' in the top-right corner of the page. Note that you can only upload one file (PDF) with your application (max. 15 MB).

I can't seem to edit my application/proposal

You can only edit (or delete) your application before you submit it for review. If you want to make a change to your application, please get in touch with the coordinator of the facility access call you applied to.

How do I get in touch with a call coordinator?

You can usually reach the coordinator of a call via email. Find the public call page for a specific facility access call, and then look up the call coordinator. Their email address is listed on that page, and they can help you with questions about the access call.

I've got a question about a facility or equipment

You can usually reach a specific contact person about equipment that's included in a facility access call. These facility contact persons are listed on the public call page for that facility access call. When in doubt, you can also get in touch with the call coordinator. They'll get you in touch with the person that can help with your question.

What's the status of my proposal?

You can look up the status of your proposal any time, when you log into your FAST account. Here's how:

Log into your FAST account and go to the 'Applications' page
Click on 'View' for the proposal you want look up
Scroll down to 'Status', below 'Application'
Finally, hover over the item to get a description of your proposal's status

On the application page, you can also see details about your application and comments from facility managers, reviewers, or coordinators.

Frequently Asked Questions