It uses significant personnel time to verify salaries, check fringe benefit rates, verify the application of multiple overhead rates to the proper MTDC categories, and so forth. None of these activities add value to the proposal itself. All of these activities could be eliminated if there were a method of verifying figures as they are first recorded and instantly revising forms as changes are made. GAMS provides this method. GAMS lets researchers develop a budget that is not specific to any one sponsor, permitting reuse of the same budget for multiple grant sources.
PIs enter data into generic budget categories that are recognized by all sponsors.
Then, GAMS translates the generic budget into the required format for each potential sponsor. The package can be printed, if necessary, to send it to the sponsor. GAMS is being enhanced to make it possible to send the entire package to a government sponsor via electronic means when this is required.